Bachmann calls critics of her ‘anti-America’ statements ‘liars’

When Chris Matthews was conducting the interview with Michele Bachmann I was upset. He just let her spew the hate filled nonsense. But now I understand that Mr. Mathews was skillfully feeding her rope. I guess it proves that some voters would vote for a stump if there were some religious agenda tacked to it.

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This woman, like so many (though not all) Republicans, is an enormous hypocrite with a moral compass clearing pointing “south.” She deserves to lose her seat this coming election, and I suspect karma will do its part like it always does to make sure she gets what’s coming to her. If I wasn’t completely broke, I’d donate to this Tinklenberg guy.

Here’s another example of a lose-lipped wack job having to eat their own words. It’s ggod to see them getting called on it! The press is doing their job. The only anti-American in the room is the one screaming that others are anti-American! That’s anti-American!

I wish I lived in the 6th congressional district so I could have the opportunity to vote this moron out of office. It’s so frustrating to me that people like this even manage to get a foothold in public policy decisions.

What is amazing to me is that this is a news story. The media has already spun McCain supporters as anti-black racists, now we are seeing stories like this in the final hour. What is apparent is that the media wanted to make this election a race issue and they are running out of time, but have decided to stir the pot with last minute fantastical headlines of this type.

The truth is Obama has an air of doubt about him by his non-fanatical followers and they have questions. He surrounds himself with people of questionable worth who have done terrorist acts, his wife has said publicly that she hates America, his ’spiritual’ advisor has spouted racist and hate filled anti American speech, yet there has been no in depth expose on these facts. The media will rake anyone over the coals that dare accuse their darling Obama of such things as being anti-American, a muslim, etc…What they are really doing is shielding this unworthy candidate simply for the fact that they know there will be many many future stories they can write about if he is elected. Simple and sad fact is the media ONLY backs Obama for the potential stories he can help write….Wake up people.

This is yet another piece of evidence that the Republican party is in self-destruct mode. Half of them are responding to their party’s unpopularity by shifting more to the right and ratcheting up the dogma and rhetoric, and the other half are becoming disillusioned and are abandoning their loyalty in favor of an honest reevaluation; the two halves are even fighting each other at this point. If the Republican party doesn’t get their act together and start putting some serious effort into reestablishing their own relevance–and dignity, for that matter–it’s going to be a long time before they dig themselves out of the hole they’re in.

Well, the fact is , there are anti-American people in Congress and in the ‘elite’ media. They want us to be more ‘European’. Some on the Supreme Court look to the European Judical System, as to how they should rule on certain cases. Is that anti-American ? ABSOLUTELY !!! Some of them want a more Parliamentary form of rule in this country. Anti-American ??? ABSOLUTELY !!! America is a SPECIAL place….we should not allow these anti-American people to destroy what we have fought so hard , and so long to maintain. I agree with her totally. I don’t think Chris Matthews likes this country very much.

The woman should be removed from office at once. No one has miscontrued her statements. I saw the show, her Chris Matthews and she made those comments. She is sick!

I’m 55 years old, I’ve seen this movie before it was called Red baiting McCarthism 1950’s

@CA Wren: You totally missed the mark with your knee-jerk reaction to this story. Where ANYWHERE in the transcript does Bachmann ’spew the hate filled nonsense’? You are a typical Obama supporter that shouts ‘hate speech’ at any criticism of your darling candidate. You are the reason that this country should have a mandatory IQ test to allow a person vote. You twist blatant facts to fit YOUR agenda of defending Barak however you can. No where in the transcript was religion mentioned, it was a simple statement of taking a poll of congress to find out who has anti American feelings. I would like to know this as well, any publicly elected official who has feelings like this should NEVER be allowed to work in that capacity. I would wonder what possible motivation someone that hates USA to even stay in this country, let alone work in a public office. You need to quit throwing around ‘hate speech’ so easily, not a single word in that transcript fits your analysis. You need to look a little closer at the text, any normal thinking person can see you over reacted.

Jerry

Obama and his soulmate Wright unpatriotic? Why the very thought of it is as absurd as is Obama himself.

Is this really the way we want MN represented in Congress and on national media? Come on, MN. Wake UP!

Give a bigot enough rope.. and he or she will hang herself

Live by the sword.. Die by the sword

Mama said, “make your words sweet today because you may have to eat them tomorrow”

She said it. She said it, she said it, she said it. I saw the original interview. Before the spin, before the hype and the left and right tried to use it to their advantage or denounce it. Chris Matthews came no where near baiting her. He’s a good interviewer, but not that good. You could see in her eyes that this was how she felt. Her constituents need to decide now. We’ll see on November 4th.

The lady scares me and I lived through the McCarthy era …. She … like the rest of the Republican ticket … try to get the American people fighting and fearing each other while they steal their way into office without being accountable for all the terrible harm they have done this Nation.

Please vote her out of office now.

So, you’re telling me that if a building’s on fire and your French neighbor goes out the fire escape, but you ALWAYS use the stairs, doing something productive and helpful to you would be anti-American for following another country’s example? Haste to break it to you, but “AMERIKUH” is founded off of French Enlightenment principles, Grecco-Roman Democracy and an English appreciation for rights (since they had a bill of rights long before we did),

America did not invent democracy, we just took the best ideas and stuck them together.

This is becoming very typical Rep. Bachmann behavior.
She’s remarkably irresponsible, more reminiscent of Sean Hannity or Anne Coulter than a member of Congress.
To be completely honest, i don’t remember a single instance of her appearing on television other than to attack the character of those more accomplished with false accusations and otherwise slanderous remarks. I genuinely hope that the voters in her district realize that what she’s doing isn’t for their benefit, but for her own.

Truly embarassing.

Lets be truthful, Chris Matthews is a socialist jerk-off

The title of this article is very misleading. The author should be ashamed at not making it more clear to the public that Bachman did NOT make any anti American statements, merely she suggested a study into how many people in office have such thoughts. It would be an amusing study to read, I think even most of Minnesota’s angry liberal posters on this page would be amazed.

Barak Obama has a hidden agenda that will no doubt come out if he is elected, I am surprised there are so many anti American people that support him. Ask any Obama supporter their views, you will see that they are fanatical, hysterical over-reacting zealots that cannot stand any negative press for their ‘Chosen One’. Just look at the posts calling for Bachmans head…Sad misguided followers of a ‘false prophet’.

After 9-11 you never got the unite message from the republican party. all you get is fear based threats to try to scare people into submission. They have totally lost their way.Either you are Pro America(for the war,for the patriot act,for any means necessary to get information out of people that may or may not be a threat to this country or our ideals) Or you are anti-America which is against all of the above.
It amazes me that gun rights always comes up with the republican party when they are the ones that spearheaded the patriot act and are “pro” eavesdropping on our fellow Americans.

I think this woman is trying to be the next Senator McCarthy! Heaven help us.

Fred Sanford,

You’re nuts. You are as bad as this woman spouting – not even half truths- but out and out fabrications put forth by the Republican party. I really can’t understand how some people can be so blinded by their religous fervor, and accept as ‘undisputed truth’ everything you hear on a political campaign.

Get a Life!

Sorry, I apologize. I was replying to a post about the folks attending Palin rallies and got all confused.

“…his wife has said publicly that she hates America…”

Yeah Pops, that’s what she said. Her exact words. Sure.

‘Lizbeth, he’s comin’ to join you.

Though it is certainly possible that Rep. Bachmann’s comments have been exaggerated, they didn’t have to be exaggerated all that much to get to “all liberals are anti-American”. There is no misconstruing what she said. And if by some chance she spoke without thinking, she was given every opportunity within the interview to take it back, but instead she expanded upon her point. The woman is self-deluded, self-sabotaged (however much she’d like to point the finger elsewhere), possibly nuts, and certainly not (in my opinion) an appropriate person to be in a lawmaking position in this country we all love. I’m sure we can rely on the people of Minnesota on this one.

The only people who are un-American are those who use guilt by association as a yard stick to gauge the measure of a man. John McCain has built and fostered the absurdity of this campaign and this empty headed broad is just more of the fall-out. Buh bye Bachmann.

“The title of this article is very misleading.”

Only if your reading comprehension level can’t tell the difference between this

Bachmann calls critics of her ‘anti-America’ statements ‘liars’

and this

Bachmann calls critics of her anti-American statements ‘liars’

Don’t blame the headline. It’s perfectly clear.

Hey, thats our NEXT PRESIDENT your talking about. HAHAHAHHAHAH!

Rep. Bachmann is just as much an extremist as those she imagines on the far left. I say imagined because she has some deep seated paranoid fear and that fear is change. I think as you move left you become more inclusive and tolerant of beliefs than when you move right. The extremist right wing nationalist in this country would prefer a test of patriotism in order to be a full citizen in their eyes. I think also falling out of this right wing nationalist belief is where we see the xenophobia develop, it equates people of a different religion, i.e. Muslims as being terrorist, all Arabs being Muslims ergo Arabs are terrorists. There is almost an element of a desire for a master race, illegals are bad, they consumer resources without paying for them, they give nothing back to this country, and they refuse to speak English, therefore we are better than them. I think an oft quoted adage is that “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”. While Ms. Bachmann made not be a scoundrel she certainly sounds like ultra nationalist.

She may be stupid … but by God she is surely a Fuckable Fundamentalist … Lean back lady and all of us independants will vote for you …. but don’t talk please.

to Fred Sanford: it’s sounds like you had “the big one”, only in this case it was apparently a brain aneurysm.

to Jerry Mathers: Wally hates you.

USA.

This was a very calculated job by Mathews. Why would he interview Ms. Bachman? Because he knew (we all do) she is an idiot that can’t shut up and he could lead to to the media water tank and she would gulp up the water. This was a well orchestrated media tool to further their agenda. The media bias is alive and well. This is obvious if you look at it.

to Andy “Birkleys” English Teacher: nice to see you posting here, Michelle. But shouldn’t you be out preaching hate on Larry King, or hiding in the bushes, spying on gays?

USA.

I can’t beleave the blind faith people have in Obamma. I’m over 50 years old and the last time I saw blind faith of this magnatude for a young canidate who promised the Moon with no clear defined plans was when Castro took over Cuba. I agree people need IQ tests before they are allowed to vote.

Ditto C A Wren. I could not believe a US reprenstative, a public figure that Minnesotans entrusted, said thing like that .. what if some one does ont look the same as her, saying thing like that .. that person would be “lynch”. Average American do not understand what is pro / anti American, but I expect US congressmen / women must know. When some one disagree or do not see eye to eye, that person would be labelled as anti-American / racist. With this trend I am concern USA would move toward to 3rd world instead of rising again as global leader & leader of the free world.

I am an immigrant, but I love this country because it accepted and sheltered me when I escaped from the communist. More than any American who born in this great land, I understand the Communist & Socialist a lot better than McCain & Palin and Conservatives.

Jerry, In ca wren response, she was reacting to the fact that mattews was not calling the rep. out on here obserd comments. I do beleive the rep. was talking off the cuff, and there is some hate in her answers. To make a call that all congress be investigated for anti-american veiws? To look at all sides, whether it be from europe to south africa we can learn from other peoples mistakes. BY sitting back and saying we are anti-american because we don’t follow the heard is as far right as rush limbaugh saying collin powel backs Obama because he is black! You say lets have an iq test before people vote, when the average american reads at a fith grade reading level, wouldn’t that just cut the lower and middle class out of the vote! The growing gap of wealth needs to be addressed and yes look at who ever has been down this road, so that we change as a better society and yes every body should beable to have a hot meal, vote and get good medical help without worrying how will I pay for this? Isn’t that the core of being American? question everything, so that we come out of this mess better then when we went in. I support Barrack Obama, because he is the better candidate then John McCain, I came to this conclusion much like Collin Powel, through research and looking at the facts. It can as simple as I don’t want another silver spoon feed rich man in our highest office..

I watched the show, and by golly she said what she said, Chris let her talk, and made it clear that she lumped democrats, leftist, anti american all together and wants congress investigated, or suggest they should be.

This is not about Obama, it is about her comments, and Monday someone shot a baby bear in the head and put obama signs around it’s neck.

So word begets fear, fear begets hate, hate begets killing.

This has to stop, I lived in Minnestoa long time ago and on the phone book cover they showed a black man and a white girl holding hands on a college, I thought at the time, “cool” this means more then just California is not racist. Guess they come a long way backwards.

In the wise words of Snoop Dog, All of you Conservative “minstrel monkeys”… “Eat a Dick”!

What is this fanatical Americanism all about? Bachmann is simply whacko! If anyone is anti-american it can be demonstrated by their actions, and nobody has acted against America’s best interests more than Gearge W. Bush and his furtive buddy, tricky Dicky Cheney. These guys are anti American as judged by their actions. It is time that these ultra conservatives were called for what they have done to this country, and Ms. Bachmann is one of them. It is time the Democrats took the offensive on who is and who is not anti-american. Wearing a flag pin in your lapel hardly contributes to the general welfare, domestic tranquility, or a more perfect union.
On the other hand, I doubt that any person with a modicum of inteeligence will take the ravings of Ms. Bachmann and her ilk very seriously. This is probably the best thing that has happened to her opponent to whom I wish the best of luck.

As an african American . i am disconcerted by the disparity in treatment of Obama- it is disconcerting when the first Black American potential President of USA is still shielding himself from critism with his race. This is a shameless Ploy of the Democratic party that illegitimzes Obama’s historical importance to the Negro psyche.
He Cannot truly be the First black President on such a platform of sanctifying himself with his race. This is wrong. History will never forgive the American media for making Obama a puppet of their hatred of the Bush government. Making hims into this untouchable hero of our collective goodwill. This election is like a movie directed by Hollywood. In which Obama is the hero- we gravitate to this as humans,
That makes it more about race than policy, this is a race between Obama and George Bush, a race the President of iran,Chavez or Castro could win, then really how important is Obama ! his campaign is hijacked by these lefties.
when he becomes a figure who cannot be questioned on very unpopular behaviour which can be seen as contrary to the views of the American Founding Fathers.
He speaks of Change- what is he going to change, America has been in existance for over 200 years working on core values enshrines in its constitution, i hope it is not those.

Also I have not heard him utter a word about the POOR, the vast majority of Blacks are poor not Middle Class for this I think h

Thank God this is America. Where else could you voice your opinion? I mean this woman was voted in by her state. She represents them. If they are questioning The candidates then they are looking for answers. It doesn’t matter if it is a “stupid” question about patriotism. There are NO stupid questions. People want to be educated. What you see is not always what you get as we all know.

I don’t agree with her and don’t support her. But she has a right to voice her opinion and people have a right to not vote for her next time around.

As for the speeches she keeps giving, food for thought only.

“Socialist” and “anti’American,” “un-American,” etc. are just code words for anyone that expresses a view different from that of party hardliners (whether they be Republicans or Democrats). Supressing debate of new ideas IS the most un-American thing I can imagine! It is our willigness to consider disparate opinions and approaches to challenges that makes this country great. As a supporter of freedom and democracry I am suspicious of anyone who feels the need to question the Patriotism or character of a political rival; it reveals a paucity of ideas and a moral bankruptcy of the perpetrator. I for one would love to see more political parties represented in our democracy – and there is nothing un-American about that.

The culture war continues in the USA. It is sad to those of us in the middle. Virtually no candidate speaks to anyone but the most partisan.

Bachmann is clearly speaking to her “hard core” supporters. I hope that those moderate Republicans in her CD choose to not vote her back into office. Disgraceful. While our country nationalizes the banking system and destroys the economy, spending trillions of dollars we don’t have, she spews for this nonsense. We need leaders and she clearly is not one.

Ms Bachman is right-on. Those of us that aren’t awestruck by the messiah would really like to know why the likes of Ayers, Wright, Rezko, Farhrakkan and ACORN have been such a part of Obama’s private and political life. What has attracted them to each other?

No other candidate has been vetted less than Obama. I always want to support our president, but these lingering doubts make it impossible. I too would like the media and Obama really address these questions before it’s too late. It looks like it’s already too late. They have let our nation down by not doing their job.

@ Fred Sanford
What doubt is there that hasn’t been planted by the McCain campaign? Nearly every point they have brought up has been baseless, exaggerated or out-right fabricated. The real truth is; the McCain campaign and the Republicans who continue to stand with him realize they will not win this election on issues and so instead are desperate enough to stir the latent fear, mistrust and racist hatred of the ignorant populace.

And for what it’s worth, the media is only as liberal or right-wing as the corporation that owns them.

Fred Sanford – Your quixotic comments are an attest to the power of demagoguery. How does it feel to be completely played like a fiddle by those who would keep you up at night in fear in order to hand themselves power? Some questions for regarding what the ‘truth is’, at least according to you:

(1) Who are those with whom Obama surrounds himself that have ‘questionable worth’? More importantly, I suppose, is who are you to question another’s worth, but keeping to the topic here…if it is Bill Ayers, what more do you want to know? Obama was about 8 years shy of getting a driver’s license when Ayers was an antiwar protestor. That’s not media spin; a quick check of Obama’s birthdate would resolve that question for you. From that point to this, Ayers has become a vital and honored member of the Chicago education community. If Obama is sympathetic to terrorists for having lived in the same neighborhood and having been aquainted with Ayers, then basically the entire faculties of the University of Chicago, UIC, and anyone who lives in the Hyde Park neighborhood would need to be lumped into the same category. You are so very concerned about this ‘air of doubt’, but let me guess, the fact that Palin’s husband was a card-carrying member of a sucessionist party until three years ago doesn’t give you any reason for pause, right?

(2) Would you please cite your source for when Michelle Obama publically stated that she ‘hates America’?

(3) Who is Obama’s ’spiritual advisor’? If it is Rev Wright you are referring to, how do you reconcile his being a spiritual advisor with the fact that Obama removed himself from Wright’s church specifically because of his words? While you are digging up the fact surrounding that, you may want to read through some of the sermon’s by Palin’s pastor, the one that leads the church she is still involved in.

(4) Please tell me why the media shouldn’t rake anyone over the coals for calling a U.S. congressman anti-American? Were you around at the time of the McCarthy hearings? If not, have you ever read them? I suggest you do if you haven’t. They will remind you what our stand MUST be against those who, like Bachmann, would support policing how ‘American’ other congressmen and congresswomen are. There is a word for this sort of governing: fascism. You may want to look it up and see where it actually took the countries that espoused to it back in the 30s/40s.

(5) Finally, along the lines of number 4, why shouldn’t the media rake over the coals one who would ignore the words and actions of a man who has claimed to be of one faith and insist that his is of another?

Believe me, Fred, we are all awake. But there is really no use in being awake if we willingly choose to deprive ourselves of readily-available information and stop using rational judgement to arrive at our decisions.

Hey Jerry Mathers,

Re your comment:”any publicly elected official who has feelings like this should NEVER be allowed to work in that capacity”

There actually is a country in the world that vets their officials before they are given a chance to be elected…. It is called Iran… look it up

Ms. Bachmann is what’s wrong with the direction the Republican party is taking under the leadership of Bush and McCain. Everyone is anti-American or not real American if they don’t agree with their twisted views about patriotism. That’s not what true conservatism is all about. True conservatism is about the good argument, not the demagoguery or the hate being spewed by people like Ms. Bachmann who fail to articulate an argument and resort to hateful incitement to make their point. It’s time for her to go.

Couple of observations about postings here: Castro did take over Cuba but he could only have done so if the Bastia government had been as corrupt as it was.

Bill Ayers – No one in the Republican Party would be satisfied with any answer other than Bill Ayers and Barack Obama are planning to take over this country and send all the republicans to Guantanamo in Cuba. I mean really people it has asked and answered but since it not what you want to hear you can’t believe it.

oh on those terrorists at Guantanamo – I don’t mean to draw too much of a comparison between them and John McCain. But we have these POWs there and at some point we will have to release them, maybe just not after five years like John McCain, but haven’t we instilled the same fanatical belief that their cause is a right one? Do we think that they will just go home and take up the plow? or instead go home become the equivalent of a Senator? Patriotism is a relative belief and is found universally in all societies and they are just as likely to be heroes there as John McCain is here.

To ‘Gabe’…were you absent the day they had spelling class in school, or will do they just accept it at the local community college that you attend ? Also ‘MOMO’…..what ‘race would it be, that Barry is a member of ??? He is half-white. Even Tiger denies that he is black. He says he is a ‘CABALASIAN’, whatever the hell that is. IT’S NOT ABOUT RACE !!! HE IS A SOCIALIST, AND I DISAGREE WITH HIS POLICIES. I AGREE WITH HILLARY AND OBIDEN, HE IS NOT READY TO BE PRESIDENT…NOT NOW…NOT EVER !!!

Ref Brent’s response to Fred Sanford (The intellectual junk dealer, not the sitcom one obviously) all I can say is Bravo.

It is a national tragedy that the founders of the modern conservative movement have passed on and only those who can appeal to the lowest common denominator in people have picked up the torch. The fearful hate mongering base of the Republican Party is hopefully lashing out in its death throes. As for Josephine McCarthy, the people of Minnesota got what they asked for-embarrassed; just like the rest of us over the past eight years

Elam – Please define for us what a ’socialist’ is, how Obama’s policies make him one, and why you disagree with them. Thank you.

“Anti-American.” This reminds me of the Vietnam era “Love it or Leave it” slogan. The true patriots question the government and let their thoughts be known. This lady is frightening. If you disagree with her views you are seen as anti-American. Now it’s not the Communism boogie man, so apparently it’s the terrorist boogie man.

Bachmann’s remarks are comparable to rhetoric deployed by party leaders in totalitarian societies. For example, in the Soviet Union, the worst crime was to be “anti-Soviet”.

In open societies the concept of “anti-[country]” doesn’t even exist. Ever hear of “anti-Canadianism”? “anti-Spaniardism”? “anti-Norwayism”? Ever hear of someone accused of being “anti-Brazilian”? “anti-Belgium”? Ever hear people within Columbia, Korea, Italy or the Cayman Islands accusing one another of being “anti-Columbian”? “anti-Korean”? “anti-Italian”? “anti-Cayman Islander”?

This whole “anti-American” nonsense fostered by the republican rightwing Christian evangelical conservatives is the biggest pile of reactionary, proto-fascist crap yet fostered by the commisars of culture.

This woman disgusted me since she was the biggest proponent blaming the economic crisis on the Community Reinvestment Act. This notion has been disputed over and over, and she keeps insisting. Just like a Republican, blaming America’s ills on poor people. She is disgusting.

News flash! Reichstag building burned! People with liberal anti-American views to blame! Public should be fearful! No details to follow….

Bachmann is a poor representative. Polls show that the VAST majority of Minnesotans in Bachmann’s congressional district are concerned about the state of the economy, health, energy, the environment, the war in Iraq, nuclear weapons and WMD proliferation, regulating the financial sector, retirement, affordability of college, employment, and infrastructure.

Bachmann “represents” her district by using her 5 minutes on national television to focus on the putative depravities of members of the U.S. Senate, urging a McCarthy-esque investigation into Congress to determine whether her colleagues are “anti-American”.

Even a child could tell you this is a destructive and hateful waste of time, and one completely unaccountable to the real problems facing her constituents.

Rep. Bachmann has a salary of $165,000 per year — in the top 1% of all constituents within the Sixth Congressional District in Minnesota. No wonder she seems so concerned about misdirecting the public’s attention away from the issues that matter the most to her constituents.

This is the reason this republican is voting democrat.

Neocon twits like Bachmann and the hysterical red baiting bigots who troll the Internet spreading their Limbaugh/Hannity/Coulter fed “talking point” lies have hijacked the party of Abe Lincoln and sealed McCain’s fate.

Congratulations!

PS: Why do we keep hearing about Ayers? Obama said his previous acts, commited *decades* before Obama met him, were “deplorable”. Meanwhile, McCain refuses to condemn the acts of his good friend Gordon Liddy, who told his listeners in 1994 to *kill federal agents*, instructing them to shoot them in the head. And then there is Palin’s husband belonging to the SEPARATIST Alaskan Independence Party, who Palin spoke to, saying “keep up the good work”. Where are the cries of “terrorist association” over those facts?

Oops! Did I accidentally inform some Neocons that they’ve been duped? Yes I did! LOL

“I agree people need IQ tests before they are allowed to vote”

What, and disenfranchise all Republicans?

DISEMFRANCHISE rEPUBLICANS AND MAKE AMERICAN A DICTATORSHIP

sit back get a cup of capuccino and watch America implode. The liberal Left see the mild right as extremist and out of touch
It was the right which made it possible for there to be a left. Without freedom all would be lost. America is viewed world wide as One nation Under GOD- yes GOD-

The point is to my right leaning friends: that America is about disagreeing and critical thinking to improve our nation and our policies. What Bachmann did is get on the far right talking point train trying to pin point the “Real America” or anti-Americans among us. I mean what does she want my liberal friends to do? Move out of the country? Start a new country? Ridiculous. As intelligent citizens, we must stop this kind of divisiveness, hatred and frankly realize that the left, right and center need to work together to fix ourselves internally and externally. I am excited about the possibility in actually investing in ourselves again, improving our own security and our reputation around the world as the light of freedom. Ms. Bachmann and her ilk have let us know that they are not interested in unity, so they shouldn’t be in positions of power as they don’t really represent the whole. That is the American way.

She’s the only frigging liar in this situation. Amen!

to rid us of this trashy twit, go to vote blue and the tinklenberg for congress web site and donate.
We in Minnesota dispise this idiotic twit who is nothing more than george bush in drag.

Brent……My take on Socialism.
Sumner wrote of the Forgotten Man: “He works, he votes, generally he prays — but he always pays — yes, above all, he pays.” Government does not produce anything. They have to take from those that do, and give to those that do not. Fully fifty per cent of Americans do not pay tax. Those of us that do, support those that do not. Every year those taxes go up. We will NOT continue to allow this. It’s the old story of the “Grasshopper and the Ant”, or “The Little Red Hen”.There is an entire group of people in this country that feel entitled, who have their hand out continuously….I owe them NOTHING. It is a fact that Republicans give more to charity than Democrats. Democrats believe that ‘giving’ , is giving someone else’s money…Palin gave more last year than Obiden (fact).

ELAM….the subject is liars.

Elam – Thank you for the response. I can understand where you are coming from, but consider, if you would, my thoughts on the issue of socialism: while high taxes and socialism go hand-in-hand, it is the former that is a result of the latter and not the other way around. By definition, socialism is characterized by the state ownership and administration of production and distribution of goods and services. So, while socialism leads to bigger government, which in turn, tends to increase taxes, it is entirely possible to have a very socialistic government of a commodity-rich country that actually issues checks to all of its citizens because the assets that it owns and administers generate such high returns.

Even countries that are democratic/capitalistic have aspects of socialism and most agree they should. Why? Because in a perfect world the elderly and sick would be able to be supported by donations made by others, like you said. The problem is we’re not in a perfect world, so programs like Social Security and Medicare are good ones to ensure their wellbeing. One example. That said, I agree with you that history has shown pure socialistic regimes to be failures. But now let’s be reasonable, do we honestly believe that any of our politicians, Republican or Democrat, are interested in turning the U.S. into the former Soviet Union? No. Both parties are wrestling with how big a role the government should play, which is a valid debate. What’s truly striking about that debate though is that recently, contrary to its rhetoric and the party line of its members, it is actually the Republican party that has made the biggest push in centralizing power in the federal government (and particularly the Executive branch). Some interesting facts:

(1) The size of the U.S. government has grown more under the Bush administration than under any other in modern history, Republican or Democrat. And while an increase in taxes should have naturally followed, a tax cut was actually made, which disproportionately favored the wealthy. Now, one can argue whether the increases in government spending moved us closer to socialism, but what isn’t debatable is that once the decision was made to increase government spending, the prudent thing to do was to increase taxes. Why? Because the alternative is to incur debt, which is what happened. The national debt has gone from just over $5 trillion in 2001 to more than $11 trillion now. And who holds that debt? The second country on the list in terms of total holdings is China, a communist/authoritarian regime, which holds roughly 20% of the total. I don’t happen to think that having a reasonable national debt is wrong, by the way, as long as the proceeds of the debt are being applied to something that will bring a return. And Iraq doesn’t qualify.

(2) Of the big government spending that the Bush team brought, roughly 40% of the increase was on military/defense, largely due to our invasion of Iraq, which both liberal and conservative groups and even U.S. intelligence now tend to agree was approved and carried out based false information. So, far and away the biggest chunk of increased government costs had nothing to do with redistribution of wealth, although the next two line items, Social Security and Medicare, were. And this was Bush’s budget, not a democrat’s.

(3) The single most significant step toward textbook socialism was made over the past month as the U.S. government, under Bush and his Treasury Secretary, Paulson, began nationalizing the major American banks.

(4) Obama’s proposed rolling back of the tax cuts given to the highest tax bracket specifically, or a graduated tax schedule generally, have really nothing to do with socialism. The graduated tax scale precedes Obama, is based on the concept of trying to avoid large gaps in wealth distribution, and is generally supported by those on both sides of the aisle. His proposal isn’t to raise taxes, it is merely to roll back the cut that was neither prudent (point 1) nor conducive to maintaining a reasonable wealth distribution. If you care to read up on this, there is a report recently published on wealth distribution among OECD countries, and the U.S. has one of the worst distributions. Poor wealth distribution leads to high crime levels, also something that is empirically proven and well-documented. So, at the end of the day, unless you are in the $250k a year category, this shouldn’t concern you all that much and as far as which party would be more likely to increase your taxes, ask yourself which would seem more likely based on its history of public spending? By the way, just as an aside, your citing that 50% of Americans don’t pay taxes is way off. According to the IRS, only 1/3 fall under the minimum income bracket (and believe me, you don’t want to be one of those people).

For what it’s worth, I have voted Republican my whole life prior to 2004. I am very much a capitalist and a fiscal conservative, which is precisely why I have stopped voting Republican. The neoconservatives have turned the historical economic platform of the party on its head, to the point that the Democratic rhetoric actually is more fiscally prudent than that of the Republicans. I am also one of the few that fall into the category that will be taxed higher under Obama, but feel that the country desperately needs to come back from the edge of the abyss that smells more and more like fascism every day.

Brent….
The fascism is coming from the left, not the right.I was a Democrat for the majority of my life. Clinton ran me out. I became a Republican and voted for Bush twice (I’m embarrassed to admit). I was voting against the Dems more than ‘for’ the Republicans, I am now an Independent. My next stop is to totally drop out all together, and join a resistance, because that is where we are headed I fear. If the elite media do not get this, if they fail to try to understand, I pity them.

Hey Elam … if you are going to “Drop Out and Join a Resistance” will you be dressed in the fancy “Camo” outfits like all the other “Wanna be a Man” types … If you do “Drop Out” then the terrorists win … but it doen’t matter because if Ms. Cheesy Cheeks is re-elected the terrorists win anyway … primarily by having brought the quality of our government down to that of a banana republic … Bachmann is a pretty lady … but that is poor solace when one realizes she has no heart and no compassion … She reeks of self-righteous evil and I don’t think that serves the public good in any logical or moral way.

They are trying to incite a civil war, people. Don’t let them do it. Next time someone tosses out the phrase “anti-America” ask what they mean by America.

Is it the land mass known as North America?
Is it the land mass between Canada and Mexico?
Is it the 360 million people who call themselves American?

What is the meaning of “America” in the phrase “anti-America?” Without definition, this is just a bunch of divisive “us” versus “them” nonsense. I rather suspect at the bottom of all this “anti” “pro” America bullshit is a sound totalitarian mindset; i.e., if you disagree with decisions and actions by America’s transitory political leaders you therefore are “anti-America”. If that is the case, then what could be more “anti-American” than to denigrate dissent, which is uniquely preserved as a sacred right, enshrined in the First Amendment?

These lunatics are trying to incite a civil war. If the GOP can’t rule, then they will unhesitatingly destroy.

Ok, Elam, I gave you the benefit of the doubt on the ’socialist’ argument, but am going to have to call your bluff on the notion that the fascist leanings are also coming from the left. Compare and contrast the following common characteristics of fascist states with the current administrations and the two campaigns that are going on. If you can honestly say that it is the Obama campaign and not McCain’s or Bush’s presidency, then I think our conversation is over. Constructive debate breaks down when one or both sides reject logic.

(1) Excessive nationalism (flags on everything, lapels, etc);
(2) Military buildup and obsession with national security;
(3) Censorship of the media (labeling MSM as dishonest and herding the faithful to FoxNews and talk radio);
(4) IDing of ‘unpatriotic’ scapegoats (anti-American talk at the hand of the Limbaugh’s, Coulters, and now CONGRESS MEMBERS!);
(5) Mixing church and state by using the most common religion to manipulate public opinion; etc.

Does any of this sound familiar? If you’re still insistant on claiming that it is Obama that is pushing this agenda then logic must not be your strong suit. Then again, it wouldn’t be altogether surprising coming from a lifelong democrat who was pushed to vote for the farthest right-wing president by the most centrist Democrat of recent times. I mean, how can a person on the left be pushed to the far right by someone in the middle???

Hey ‘Gomer’ (apt name, by the way)…is Code Pink a ‘resistance’, are the guys fighting and protesting globalization a resistance , Is Move On, a ‘resistance’ ?? I would say yes ! They do it full time. Are they wrong, are they lunatics ? Do they wear those neat ‘camo’ uniforms ?? Typical lib response. As far as being a ‘wanna be’, I am a been there , done that, Viet-Nam era vet. But I see this country as I have know it and grew up loving, slipping away. The people who are going to elect Obama are the people who read ‘People’ magazine. We live in a celebrity driven culture.We are a mile wide and an inch deep…..and we are finished as a serious culture.

Elam – So Colin Powell’s endorsement of Obama should be ignored because he must just be a ‘mile-wide, inch-deep People Magazine reader’? Same goes for me, then, too? I have never bought a People magazine in my life. I am a subscriber to the Economist though. And the Financial Times. And the Wall Street Journal. And the New York Times. I also read both The New Republic and The National Review (who just let go Christopher Buckley, the son of the father of modern conservatism in the U.S., William Buckley Jr, by the way. Why? Because he endorsed Obama. Must be another ‘mile-wide, inch-deep People Magazine subscriber, right?).

It’s time the Republicans take back their party from Neo Cons like her that have highjacked this party and used it to drive Americans part, tank the economy for their special interest and self serving greed.

Americans should send a clear message to these political Neo Con lap dogs and those like her that either the current Republican party start booting out these breeds clean house or we will vote them out. They need to put back intelligent conservatives including moderates instead of these hardliners who are divisive, cater to the greedy and corrupt CEOs who line their pockets, sellout Americans and have Cayman Island bank accounts – All while thumping the flag and questioning our faiths, our patriotism, our intelligence.

The US has a population over 18 of over 250 billion – By donating ONE Dollar or 5, to either Independent or Democratic party, they’ll get the message. Evolve or Get the Boot!

She says that Matthew’s trapped her into this question, but with her saying that she absolutely thought that Mr. Obama was anti-American, she had set herself up, or she should have saw it coming.
I don’t think Mr. McCain’s supporters are racist. What I think is that the Republican party is drumming the beat of fear and trying to scare people about Mr. Obama if he’s elected president. I have to give Mr. Obama credit. When talking about Mr. McCain he does not tell people that they should be afraid of him because he pals around with people who are terrorist ( and I believe there was a story brought up on the Letterman show about this ), but that we should respect him for his service time. And hey, if you like how the country is going, your vote should go to Mr. McCain. If not, Mr. Obama and Mr. Barr are some other options.

So, just what is “anti-American”? Bachman never really says. Is it “anti-American” to serve on a committee with someone who once criticized the USA? Is it “anti-American” to go to their house? What if you just walk through the neighborhood?

Republicans are complaining that Barack Obama is “socialist.” Excuse me, but after the $750 billion dollar “rescue package” that George Bush just spent using tax payers’ money to buy all the bad debt, isn’t socialism the thing that’s supposed to save us from this economic mess?

I suppose Michele Bachman’s call for an expose on “anti-American” candidates is just part of the Republican bipartisan movement. Sounds like a Bush, walks like a Bush, time’s up… just like Bush.

This is to every person who thinks, or said that Bachman did not say that Obama is anti-American, in fact she went even farther to say that all liberals ARE anti-American! and I know both of my parents voted for Bachman, and I have personally met her myself, but after watching not just this report but many others because I thought that it was probably just a stupid attack on her. I was astonished and actually really sad, that she decided to say that. Also if she didn’t say that, then i wonder why she lost over $1 million from donators not even a minute after her statement was aired.

[...] sentiments of Senator Joe McCarthy from the early 1950’s. However, since the interview she is calling her critics liars, although many of them are Republicans, and blaming Chris Matthews for what she [...]

I repeatedly see and hear the argument that she was trapped or baited by Chris Matthews. Frankly, I find it ludicrous. This is both a pointless and a hypocritical argument.

1. Pointless.
She is an elected member of the US House of Rep. and by
implication, a leader. Responsible leaders shouldn’t allow
themselves to get led or baited.
She was not forced to be on Hardball. She accepted the interview
when asked. She chose not to research the nature or history of the
of the program prior to coming on that program.
Words were not forced into her mouth. Regardless of any coaxing
by Matthews, she should have been perfectly capable of saying “no,
I don’t believe that” instead of “yes, I believe that.”
2. Hypocritical
Personal responsibility is highly touted by Conservative
Republicans. It’s disingenuous to come up with a defense that
someone else is to blame.
Several subsequent interviews had her reiterating the call
for a media investigation of Obama and Congress.

Just a piece of advice to her (and to Robin Hayes of NC, among others)

This is the 21st Century. The old school technique of “Deny Deny Deny” doesn’t work anymore. These days the article of you denying a certain statement will be posted along with the audio or video of you making that exact statement. As the saying goes: “own up or shut up.”

When Bachmann made her “anti-american” statement after answering Mr. Matthew’s 18 times! on who is anti-american(Mathews used the term first not Bachmann, she simply said a disinterested party “the media” should look at our politicians), any statesman worth their salt would have stood up and said “sure look at me and for what I stand!”.
This is not “McCartharism” as some have mentioned. It is a simple request for “the media” to look at our politicians and see if the measure up to American values. NOW there is the rub….what are American values? But even without a list of our values, perhaps we should have the media look at our politicians in a comparitive manner.
BUT no, everyone seems to think it is foolish to take long hard looks at our politicians. This is, of course, the road to servitude.
When we, as a nation, do not relish the looking at our politicians and for what they stand, then we start down the path of indifference. This of course, as shown by history, will lead to those same politicians doing for themselves what they should have been doing for the people.
I for one would like the press to take a long objective look at our representives and where they stand on what is good for America. Of course, our press has lost that ability some time ago. I feel that this is to our detriment. Congress has a popularity rating LOWER than President Bush and when someone says they should be looked at (not by government) by the press they are ridiculed. It is like everyone telling a fireman to shutup and set down in the middle of a fire!!!!!