Bachmann controversy upends views of her re-election prospects

I was watching Hardball when Bachmann made her comments. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

I’m old enough to remember Joe McCarthy and Bachmann sounded very, very similar.

I hope she suffers the same fate as Joseph McCarthy, her ideological hero.

Do John McCain, Sarah Palin or conservative republicans respect the moral foundations of our country? The U.S. Constitution is abused by conservative republicans at every turn.

U.S. Constitution: Amendment I – Freedom of Religion
Because of conservative republicans, your tax dollars are funding religious groups you may not agree with. To add insult to injury, conservative appointed judges have ruled that you do not have a right to challenge this expenditure.

Amendment IV – Search and seizure
Under the guise of court action against abortion, Conservative republicans had John Ashcroft subpoena all the medical records of literally thousands of women like you and members of your family. Conservative republicans invade your privacy every day by browsing your email and phone records. Unfortunately for all of us, they don’t appear to care about our U.S. constitution, and they certainly don’t care about your privacy.

Amendment X – Powers of the States and People
John McCain and conservative republicans have tried consistently to overturn States Laws. They used your hard earned tax dollars to destroy the will of the people of Oregon, and the famous “Death with Dignity” law; they lost, but undoubtedly will try again. Conservative republicans and John McCain do not respect States Rights. If your state votes for something conservatives don’t agree with they will use federal powers to overturn it regardless of how you and your fellow voters feel.

Amendment VIII – Cruel and Unusual punishment
Would you rather die, or support a government which supported and sanctioned torture? The founding fathers would rather have died. The founding fathers were proud to fight and die for our government: A government which specifically outlaws cruel and unusual punishment. Conservatives don’t agree with this philosophy. Conservatives are at odds with our founding fathers on this score, and too many others to count.

John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the conservative republicans have already gone too far in destroying the moral foundations of our country. I urge you to keep this in mind in the coming election as we rebuild our nation together by voting for Obama, who stated that in his first 100 days he would eliminate all of Bush’s unconstitutional signing orders as a start.

Just shows how Republicans think, only this one forgot and said it in public.

Bachmann and other Republicans have adopted Neo-nazi tactics as they blame blacks and minorities for the economic crisis just as Neo-nazis blame Jewish people. It’s the same thing. I can only imagine that the people in her Congressional district that vote for her must also share these anti-Semitic/minority views. I guess that’s what Palin and Bachmann mean by “pro-America.”

Look, it’s really simple. If you vote Republican you are a “real” American. Anything else and you’re a Godless Commie Pinko Fag. Got it? It’s real simple.

The country faces enough difficult times without crap like this. What could she have been thinking? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing in this day and age.

I’m from Mn. Lived there when she was first elected. Didn’t have the privlage of voting against her but there is some very interesting youtube video where she explains how religion informs her politics. Clearly she didn’t get the memo about Rovian Tactics not working this time around.

The way this is spun is pure BS. I saw the interview and could not disagree with her in spite of all the attempts by Chris Mathews to put words in her mouth. The way the DemoNazis have knifed our troops in the back is just one example of how they put their party above the safety of our troops. If that is not un-American, what is?

She’s sounding like the Obama campaign if you question anything about B.O. I wonder if she would support drug testing and tobacco testing her fellow legislators. Hey, Obama is a full-time, unrepentent smoker. Maybe he’ll bring smoking back into vogue.

There are many points of view about lots of things…but the idea that one political mainstream party is “anti-American” is so nutty that one can only wonder at the sanity of the person who said it. Well..beyond wonder. Bachmann is, without doubt, outside the general boundaries of sane discourse or even political discourse. Insane people have freedom of speech too…. but no one pays any attention except clinical folks. Don’t elect this mad woman to anything, please.

all this piece of garbage knows how to do is grin and spew out hate.when they throw her out ,she can always get a job on fox news with all that other trash.

Screaming Racism from the trees,
soon you senseless liberals
will be burning books,
hello Germany, aka 1933…

How could a person this ignorant be elected to our congress? What a Nationwide embarrassment.

I hope the voters of Minnesota, at least in her district, will see Michele Bachmann for the person that she is–divisive, suspicious, contemptuous of the very unity on which this nation was founded. And then, I hope they turn her out of public life.

She has the Minnesota hog farmer vote sewed up.

Bachmann – another pretty ignorant face. Is this the face of the new republican party? Moving on from bush incompetence to intolerance via a spainish-mcarthy period of inquistion against anyone they disagree with.

One thought recurs when I hear this woman speak: “Holy cr_p.” My heart breaks to think that any – even a few – American citizens think she has a valid point. Incredible. But I am buoyed by the movement she (along with similar hatemongers) has provoked in reasonable thinkers. I donated to her opponent’s campaign even though I live several states away and never heard his name until she erupted this week.

Peace.

I’m glad she said it so that it is out there for America to hear. The sad and probably more scary part is that Palin and Bachmann believe that they ARE pro-America just by being Republicans.

There goes more than half the country to the dogs!!

Now her opponent has $800K that miraculously appeared to help defeat her. Where did it come from? Looks like the DemoNazis are planning on buying this election. Along with their Acorn project, what they can’t buy, they will steal…!

I am surprised McCain didn’t pick her for V.P.

I am a moderate conservative who has decided to leave the Republican Party because it is controlled now by the very worst elements of our society. I have always viewed Minnesotans on the right and left as a bit more centered and less extreme. After listening to your Backmann advocate for renewed McCarthy hearings to smoke out “unAmerican” Senators, I am not so sure my cousins in the Great White North are all that centered anymore. God save these United States from the likes of you.

What exactly is going on up in Bachmann’s district. How could those good citizen’s of Minnesota support a Congresswoman who so clearly despises the fact that we enjoy basic liberties under our constitution and are free to express and act on our beliefs (including the “anti-American” one’s). It is bizarre that Bachmann can promote a belief test for members of Congress as a solution to the “problem of anti-American idea’s.” Do her constituents think this is North Korea? If you really can’t tolerate living in a country where other’s hold views different than your own, talk to your travel agent. I’m sure there’s totalitarian country with a climate that will suit you.

Wow, I didn’t see this interview. I bet the commentator sorta looked at her and then the camera in utter shock! Do they not realize there are a TON of Americans who are still alive who remember the whole ‘McCarthy era’. So, how soon after Bachman and McCain are elected do we form the neo House Un-American Activities Committee?

Yeesh!

Maybe it’s good I don’t live in Minnesota anymore, it sounds like it’s gone off the deep end.

She should have been ousted when she made her comments a few weeks ago about minorities being responsible for the sub-prime crisis.

The “real Americans” show their true colors.

Maybe on the far-right minority of the party but for mainstream republicans the use of Neo-naizi ideology is blatantly untrue, that is why in even many republicans are upset with Bachmann’s comment. That is like saying democrats support Marxist ideologies and want a violent takeover of the capitalists system, its untrue and based on a slippery slope argument.

The rift in the republican party is becoming clearer. The factions are defining themselves. The RINO (republican in name only) which includes John McCain, and Colin Powell who stand for fiscal conservatism and moderate on american culture. The original republican (which looks more like a libertarian these days) includes, ron paul, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, and who else still living (?) very fiscally conservative and culturally liberal. And then there is the new breed of republicans, lets call them FIRNO’s (Fascists In Republican Name Only), Bachman, Rove, Cheney, Boehner these people will accuse anyone of anything ignoring all facts and claiming they are unpatriotic. And on that grounds attempting a public execution with chanting et al (kill him, drill baby drill, nobama). Think Italy and Germany circa 1935.

WOW. When I saw her comments on Hardball, I thought it was a comedy routine and then I became angry. Minnesota is one of the most progressive and forward looking states in America and here was a reincarnation of Joseph McCarthy/Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh representing the state. If this is “leadership”, it is no wonder our country can’t unite.

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 urge a McCarthy-esque investigation into Congress to determine whether her colleagues are “anti-American”.

This is a destructive and hateful waste of time, 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.

I am grateful that I don’t live in Minnesota judging by the venom unleashed by you compassionate progressives. Get a life.

Wow, Minnesotans! Bravo to you for seeing the light!

Ms. Bachmann, your name sounds rather ethnic, where are your papers? Is this the next step? Welcome to the land of lies, deceit, & deception otherwise known as the Republican Party. This party should be classified as a terrorist organization.

You see, no one hear actually heard what she said. She did NOT call for congressional hearings. She said that if someone wants to do an expose on the views of radical members of Congress then she would be ok with that.

Please stop spreading lies until you know the facts.

All I read in the comments here is the type of hate you attribute to Republicans. I find that very revealing.

Frank US – Very thoughtful and thorough post. The only thing I would say in response to it is that the only way this current administration was able to get away with its dismantling of the Constitution was by congressional support (read: both Ds and Rs). So, ultimately, WE are all responsible for having allowed our leaders to hand themselves (particularly the Executive branch, who in turn, attempted to make more concrete its footprint via selection of S.C. judges) power. Unfortunately, following the 9/11 attacks, we were all quite vulnerable to the sort of demagoguery that the Republican party continues to cling to in this election cycle in its attempt to guarantee the permanence of their form of ‘democracy’, one that would, no doubt, make the likes of Jefferson and Madison sick to their stomachs.

But, unfortunately for all of us, demagoguery, for the lack of a better word, works. Look at the handful of facts in your post, the GOP campaign tactics, and misinformation that McCain/Palin continue to spread like so much manure in the springtime – then look at the polls. Makes me sad.

Dear Frank US –

All Americans should review the 12th Amendment so that they can know how the Neo-cons can keep Cheney in power! Cheney could be the next President (temporarily) after the election. Think about it on March 4th 2009!

Bravo to Frank US! I was just going to point out all of the unAmerican behavior of the Bush administration for the idiots who want to spew “unpatriotic” charges against people you disagree with. It never occurred to me to just publish the Bill of Rights. Brilliant!

(How “American” is it to have government spies listen to intimate — and yes, sexual — phone conversations between American servicepeople stationed overseas and their spouses back at home? That’s your current administration at work.)

Bachmann and the republicans have become the enemy within. They strive to divide our house against itself so that we can not stand and they strive to do this for political reasons. What kind of American does that? Certainly not someone who is pro-america.

I’m from NYC, and will be contributing to oust Bachmann from Congress. These comments have no place in our government. The fact that she has gotten so far in our political system is scary.

I saw Rep. Michele Bachmann few weeks ago making complete false and wild accusations that the democrats created the current economic mess. First the lady thinks it is oky to lie and paint the wrong color on the democrats. May be she is in deep slumber. We know the republican have been in control of White House until now and the congress until one year ago. We also know the current economic mess was created by the Bush White House with the support of Republican congress. Her being the most ardent supporter of this fiasco. What a shame. She can’t even face the truth.

Michele Bachmann remarks on Hardball were unbelievable. Increasingly I am finding some Republicans making comments which are so beyond reason. It distrubs me and as a Republican I am starting to doubt my own party as a representative of repected beliefs…..come to think of it, Obama has never ever caused me to be upset with his comments. I may oppose some of his politcial views but, he also comes across someone I think now to be the President……I guess I am going with the change…..I did it, …..I am supporting Obama,,,,,,hows that!

Dear People in Minnesota,

Would you please do the rest of America a favor and
un-elect this person. We would very much appreciate
the effort.

In return, we have an equally stinky turd here in my state
and we’re doing our best to make sure he doesn’t go back
to Washington either.

Thanks!

It is like the “Republicans” finally took their hoods off, and showed us who they really are! No wonder Colin Powell backed Obama, no wonder Susan Eisenhower created “Republicans for Obama” Colin Powell did the reasonable Republicans a great favour. Now they can come together to form a real Republicans party, and get rid of the right wing-nuts, like
Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh , the woman at the rally insisting that Obama is an “Arab”( she thinks Arab=terrorist). All the hate at the McCain/Palin rallies fuelled by Michelle Bachmann types, as well as the campaign has got to stop.

There are enough problems in the US, the majority of citizens know this, and do not have a stomach for all this hate and fear-mongering.
Michelle Bachmanns statements ARE just how McCarthy started his campaign flushing out “communists”.

Michelle Bachmann and her ilk just look for an excuse to hate.

I hope the great state of Minnesota makes sure she NEVER holds office there again.

If you’re old enough to remember McCarthy, then you should be old enough to know that he was right. The Soviet Union had deeply infiltrated our government.

KGB documents released after the end of the Cold War demonstrated that:
- Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were spies, guilty of more espionage than they were accused of.
- Harry Dexter White was a Soviet spy.
- Alger Hiss was a Soviet spy.
- Salvadore Allende was paid $400,000 by the Soviets who also contributed money to get him elected.
- The Soviets FUNDED the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War.

Bachmann is absolutely right that many liberals are “anti-American.” She needn’t retract nor feel ashamed of such comments.

Liberals HATE everything about America and don’t hesitate to say so. You criticize our country, customs, culture, cuisine, history, values, and religion. You hate everything which has made us the greatest, richest, most powerful Republic in history. You hate capitalism. You opposed EVERY weapon system which has made us victorious in battle against evil enemies.

There is no foe for whom you have not made excuses. There is no ally you have not criticized. 9/11 was, to liberals, our “chickens coming home to roost”.

Obama, Murtha, Kerry and many others accuses American soldiers of widespread atrocities in war when only a miniscule percentage are guilty of such things. Meanwhile, they’ll blame President Bush for the hundreds of thousands of civilians deliberately murdered by our ENEMIES.

While Al Qaeda was building its army in Afghanistan, Bill Clinton was busy cutting our military every year for eight consecutive years! He did absolutely NOTHING effective to attack Al Qaeda, even after TWO DOZEN attacks against us by them.

“Nazi” is a word you casually throw around with impunity. If Republicans were Nazis, you wouldn’t be breathing our air right now. The fact that black helicopters aren’t landing on your lawn as we speak fails to shake you from your delusions. Nazis are DEFUNCT as a meaninful political movement.

Meanwhile, you coddle REAL communists, socialists and terrorists in your midst. We have TERRORISTS and America-hating leftists teaching in our universities. It means NOTHING to you when someone walks down the street in a Che Guevara, Lenin, or Viet Cong t-shirt. You have come to accept in total peace a philosophy which has MURDERED over 100 million people.

Visit: http://www.zombietime.com

See the hateful, anti-American, pro-Palestinian, pro-terrorist people from YOUR party. See the shameless hypocrisy!

Liberals love America the way a spouse abuser loves his wife.

Bachmann’s McCarthyite rant was indeed disturbing. I too am old enough to remember just how much harm McCarthy and HUAC did to America. Clearly Bachmann would like to revive HUAC. That is a truly scary thought. Anyone in her district who truly cares about the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution would be well-advised to take a closer look at her.

She holds radical views on a number of other issues. She has called suggestions of a man-made climate change effect “hokum.” She is a creationist and believes creationism should be taught in public schools. She is anti-gay to the point of being homophobic. And she believes that the war in Iraq is “God’s work.”

Although I am not in her district, I sincerely hope she will be voted out in November.

Hello. In Manhattan here and, of course, we are always the point people for being tagged “un-American.” That is, until we are attacked again and then brought back into the fold. What Representative Bachmann fails to grasp is that all Americans, regardless of geography, history, ethnicity or religious choices are all trying to make a living, find good housing, create opportunities for our children, and seek peace and general well-being. Those of us who live in polyglot areas are particularly and persistently vulnerable to charges of being “un-American” specifically because we are on the front lines of change. Big urban areas are compelled to handle enormous problems stemming from immigration, attendant poverty, pollution, transportation, etc., etc. Amazingly, when I walk out in my neighborhood each day, my neighbors and I are friendly, helpful to one another, genuinely concerned with community and generally pretty civilized. (How does Ms. Bachmann think we otherwise manage to grow and prosper, just keep our big city together?) Shopkeepers know us, we have eccentric little habits, likes and dislikes, similar to people living in the mythological “small town” America. I would also like to point out that even in much of the Liberal – and liberal-minded – Northeast, upper Midwest, and the Pacific Coast, there are countless real small towns. Somehow, though, the citizens of those smaller population centers manage to be open-minded and think charitably and creatively about others – the newcomers, the needy, the misfits. Astoundingly enough, Ms. Bachmann, most of what you deemthe ‘other” America, is better-educated, more well-to-do, healthier, and so on, than the more backwards – meaning conservative – areas of the country. Progressivism is not some sort of disease to be stamped out like smallpox. It’s literally the foundation of our country, from 1776 onward, and it is the cure, Ms. Bachmann. Open minds, open hearts, united! as in United States.

This is the Republican extremist mindset in a nutshell: if you agree with us, you’re a fine American. If you disagree with us, you’re anti-American and we’ll hunt you down — unless your name’s Bin Ladin.

I did hear what this foolish woman said.

She called for investigations into legislators holding “anti-American” views. In Congress investigations are done through congressional hearings.

Ms. Bachmann has curried a reputation as an extreme conservative, so that such a statement from her is only an extension of views she has stated before.

The fact that she would attribute “anti-American” views to any member of congress, is outrageous.

And yes she did use the phrase “anti-American” when speaking of her fellow members of the legislature.

Oh, and I do believe that she believes that such investigations should take place.

Frank did NOT provide a “thoughtful and thorough” post. There was ZERO “thought” behind it.

There is NOTHING in the US Constitution which prohibits the expenditure of public funds for the provision of services by religious organizations. The first amendment prohibited the establishment of a STATE RELIGION – nothing more.

NO ONE is casually perusing your private e-mails and telephone conversations unless you are a suspected TERRORIST. The US government neither has the MEANS nor the DESIRE to comb through YOUR personal information. They are looking at people who have been communicating with people in Afghanistan on pre-paid cellular telephones with numbers found on captured Al Qaeda laptops. Anyone who thinks the government would be competent and capable of spying on average Americans has never worked for the US government.

I seem to recall Bill Clinton requesting the FBI files of over 900 of his political enemies!

John McCain is a strong supporter of states rates, as are most Republicans.

The founding fathers concept of “cruel and unusual” punishment did NOT exclude capital punishment, locking people in stocks, or corporal punishment. All of those things existed BEFORE the Bill of Rights and AFTER the Bill of Rights. What you consider “torture” is NOTHING compared to the flesh rending, bone breaking, starvation, humiliation, and disease suffered by American POWs at the hands of their captors. For you America-hating POSs, confinement in a luxury spa wouldn’t satisfy your notion of how to treat unlawful combatants who have each MURDERED hundreds of people.

You have no sense of “morality”, Frank, nor do you have any understanding of our Constitution or rights.

Nowhere is it written that the US cannot fail and disappear, and it will if enough people think like Bachmann and act on their evil notions. The most obvious example is the story of Germany in the 1930s. The only thing that holds any society together is its members’ respect for each other. Bachmann’s rhetoric is an assault on civilization and what it stands for.

The Ayers thing and candidates supporting insidiousness, makes them look loony. It’s the inedible garnish on the plate, you leave it alone. I think the days of proving your loyalty by regurgitating anything your party is putting out there are winding down. Those that can have at least some moments of candor will be more successful.

She deserves to me censured. Those types of comments have no place in this country especially someone who holds office. Who is she to determine what is American and anti-American? Just because people do not agree with her views does NOT mean they are anti-American. This is not what this country stands for. It is embarrassing that the elections have come to this and it is maddening/sad/outrageous that someone of her position would even think about it and what more, verbalize it!!!!

Great post, R. Miller! Very refreshing amidst the bile and nonsense. It’s amazing how much venom is spewed by liberals, and they don’t even realize it. They think they’re the kinder, gentler side of politics. Astonishing.

Well, John James, Bachmann is absolutely correct that Democrats caused this entire mess.

The housing bubble began in 1995 when Bill Clinton began his National Housing Policy. His HUD department created the “easy pay” subprime lending products used in this crisis. His HUD encouraged Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase these loans from banks to provide liquidity for more lending. Then, Fannie and Freddie securitized these loans, passing the risk on to the financial sector.

In 2000, Bill Clinton left office in a RECESSION. To solve the problem of that recession, Alan Greenspan lowered interest rates. This caused a “search for yield” that drew money into mortgage lending and real estate speculation.

Fannie Mae was run by several high ranking Democrats including Jim Johnson, Franklin Delano Raines, and Jamie Gorelick – all Obama or Clinton advisors. In the early 2000’s, Fannie Mae was under investigation for a HUGE accounting scandal. In 2003, Democrat Barney Frank said that he had NO WORRIES about the solvency of Fannie and Freddie.

In 2005, John McCain was among a handful of Senators who introduced legislation to regulate Fannie and Freddie. This bill was BLOCKED by the new Democrat leadership of the Senate in 2006.

It was the “affordable housing” push by Clinton that started and sustained the bubble. Then greed from all angles kicked in as prices started climbing.

Democrats are ONE HUNDRED PERCENT to blame for providing the gunpower and the spark for the housing crisis. Even as this Congress passed the Foreclosure Prevention Act, they included MORE impetus for “affordable housing” programs, irrespective of the fact that THEY were the ones who made housing unaffordable in the first place by driving up demand artificially and promoting loans to people who COULD NOT AFFORD TO REPAY THEM.

Dean
Comment posted October 21, 2008 @ 11:49 am
You see, no one hear actually heard what she said. She did NOT call for congressional hearings. She said that if someone wants to do an expose on the views of radical members of Congress then she would be ok with that.

Please stop spreading lies until you know the facts.

All I read in the comments here is the type of hate you attribute to Republicans. I find that very revealing.
=======================================================================
Dean, nice try, this is EXACTLY what she said;

Remember it was Michele Obama who said she is only recently proud of her country and so these are very anti-American views,” “That’s not the way that most Americans feel about our country. Most Americans are wild about America and they are very concerned to have a president who doesn’t share those values.”

“What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out if they are pro-America or anti-America,”

So Bachmann called called both the Obamas anti-American, then called for the “media” to do an expose to see who else in congress is anti-American, and what do you think she hopes that would lead to?

The segment of “Hardball” where she made these statements is on MSNBC TV on the Internet, and the video has gone viral. Bachmann, today, is lying about what she said, typical of her type of Republican.

What Bachmann, McCain, Palin and others just “don’t get” is that anyone with a computer can find out in a nanosecond, just what the truth is.
In this modern age of information, it has been very revealing the persistent lies these Republicans refuse to let go of.

Michelle Bachmann is simply a hatemonger.

What’s “anti-American” is when some person or group thinks America belongs to THEM, rather than to all Americans.
What’s “anti-American” is when some person or group would rather silence critics, than to learn what’s wrong with America, the greatest country on Earch but by no means perfect, and how we can fix it.
What’s “anti-American” is when some person or group would rather throw labels than listen.
The idea that we need to investigate Congressfolk for anti-American views is what’s anti-American here.

Ms. Bachmann is another symptom of the disease that has infected the Republicon party. The extreme right has wrapped itself tightly in a flag and anything that dares oppose its ideology is immediately a deemed a “traitor”, “terrorist” or “Socialist”.

This is like Ms.Palin declaring some parts of US as “pro-america”, or that Republican party hack declaring part of Virginia as “real” Virginia. In my opinion this “divide and conquer” tactic for political gains is an antithesis of Patriotism.

But then again you cannot expect much better from people that outed one of our own CIA operative – Valerie Plame, for political vendetta.

If (and that is a big if) Obama succeeds in conning the people this country is headed for ruins. We will be attacked. We have been safe and protected since 9/11 due to our policies. Obama will not have the right response for whomever attacks us. He is a socialist, marxist or communist. Take your pick. After all he did have a mentor (Frank) that was a registered communist living in Hawaii and the US.

My heart goes out to Michelle. She was set up on Hardball… It is a shame she went on that program. I sure never would. Unless you are a Dem you don’t stand a chance there. They will blacklist you and turn everything around to make points for their program. Hardball should really be called ‘Blackball’.

You people should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves for the way you talk about others. Where is your compassion?

McCain/Palin 08

Hey RMM,
In 2000 Bill Clinton left office with a BUDGET SURPLUS and the lowest unemployment rate in 20 years. Can we say that now?

Hey lg,
It appears you don’t see “bile and nonsense” in the conservative comments here, like Mr. “McCarthy was right” up there. Typical Republican; it’s right when YOU do it, but…

Frank US,

As the size of government increases, you can expect that the abuses you described will grow along with it. These issues do not originate with one party or the other. It is just the natural result of having too much power in the hands of people that are not accountable and that have no incentives to make decisions that are right for you or me.

“Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Government confiscates your property by force(the process is called taxation) and then chooses who to give it to according to their personal preferences and loyalties (i.e. religious organizations, foreign governments, lawyers to suit your state, your neighbor’s failed bank, your other neighbor’s thousand-dollar-a-hammer business, wars against countries whose dictators dissed the president’s dad). As long as you give them the money, they will spend it in whichever way they prefer.

They will always give you reasonable-sounding excuses for you to send them more money (i.e. universal health care, national security, the tanking economy, etc.). Do not believe them. They just want the ability to confiscate more of your money (tax you more) so they can spend it for you on ways you would never agree.

The Mcain campaign has just thrown her under the bus. Check out comments made to Andrea a few seconds ago.

Yes, Robert, progressivism IS a disease. It’s a disease of the mind and the spirit. Socialism is economically infeasible, leading inexorably toward widespread poverty. It destroys human incentives and self-reliance.

Don’t equivocate on the meaning of “progressive” or “liberal.” Those terms meant something VERY DIFFERENT to our founding fathers and to Teddy Roosevelt than it means to YOU. Today, progressive = liberal = socialist. All your ideas run right back to the teachings of a 19th century dead, white, German jew whose philosophy MURDERED over 100 million people in the 20th century.

Take a look at the large urban areas you are talking about. They are all crap holes with high poverty rates and high crime rates. Decades of EXCLUSIVE liberal policies haven’t ratcheted down poverty or crime. In fact, ceteris paribus, they’ve grown. Gun control hasn’t worked. Paying teachers more hasn’t worked. Midnight basketball hasn’t worked. Decriminalizing drugs hasn’t worked. Naming schools after minority “civil rights” advocates hasn’t worked. Sex education hasn’t worked. NOTHING you do works. You’re on the front lines of FAILURE.

You are NOT better educated or smarter than conservatives. WE work in business and industry, contributing to GDP. WE create the wealth of the “blue” states, surrounded by the hoards of leftist lemmings surviving off of redistribution of income.

Look at the 2004 election results and conduct a Chi Squared test for association between education and presidential voting choice. You’ll find there is NO ASSOCIATION between education level and voting for either Bush or Kerry. Furthermore, you’ll see that people OBVIOUSLY misrepresented their education level at the top end. But you have no idea what a Chi Squared test is, do you?

The preponderence of liberal degrees in “education,” sociology, anthropology, ethnic studies, english, etc. are MEANINGLESS. They provide you with no meaningful insights on issues we face. Your college degree is nothing more than a certificate from the Pavlov Institute for Canines.

I have an advanced degree in economics, have served my nation for an entire career in the military, and have seen what “progressivism” has done to people in many countries. I’ve SEEN with my own eyes the bodies of the people who suffered under socialism.

Thanks, Robert, but no thanks. I’ll take the America that the founding fathers PROMISED me – one with private ownership of property, proportional taxation, and government limited to only SPECIFIED powers.

There is a MN GOP banquet scheduled for this Thursday, 10/23, of which Pawlenty and Bachmann are honorary cochairs. Kline, Coleman and Rudy Giuliani are also named on the invitation. In light of her extremist, McCarthyist views, I don’t think it is appropriate for Republican leaders to share the dais with her at a major party event, and over the weekend I wrote the party and the governor to tell them so. I encourage others to do the same by writing:

tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us
info@mngop.com

Hey Miles, Clinton left office in a RECESSION which killed that surplus. The recession began in 4Q 2000 or 1Q 2001. There is NO WAY that Bush’s policies caused that.

The Clinton Recession reduced tax revenues which immediately began to eat away that surplus. He also BACKLOADED tons of spending until 2000, so the subsequent president (Gore or Bush) would have had to pay for it.

He had also DECIMATED the military every year for eight consecutive years. Clinton’s “reinvention” of government increased the budgets of EVERY department except the DOD and our intelligence services. We cashed in his ‘peace dividend’ on 9/11.

Bush had to rebuild the military he left broken. Bush also had to deal with the huge Al Qaeda terrorist network and evil dictatorships in Iraq, Iran, and North Korea that Bill Clinton left UNTOUCHED.

Furthermore, a lot of that “surplus” was illusory, based on unrealistic assumptions about revenue. It was a numbers game.

No Miles, that “surplus” was largely gone before Clinton’s stench had wafted from the Oval Office. Bush’s expansion of prescription drug benefits for Medicare did create a huge and costly entitlement program, but I highly doubt you’d blame him for running up that bill.

You cannot name ONE policy of Bill Clinton that caused the booming economy during his administration – not one. His stimulus package FAILED to pass Congress. His health care plan FAILED to pass Congress. The benefits of NAFTA weren’t realized by 2000.

Who’s responsible for the boom of the 1990’s? The economy, stupid!

“America” is not just a land. “American” is not just anybody whose mother dropped their screaming ass in our dirt. “America” is a concept, founded upon principles embodied in our Constitution and values of our culture. It was based upon individual liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, private ownership of property, and rights (not entitlements).

If you are a marxist, liberal, socialist, progressive, whatever you want to call yourself now, you are justly called UN-AMERICAN.

POWinCA – If we are to interpret our Constitution to say its writers intended, it is also important to read the background surrounding it. Most understand Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom to be one of the most, if not the most, important document to shaped the First Amendment, which lays out what his parameters for the separation of church and state would be…including his belief in the injustice of forcing anyone to contribute to a religion that they do not profess (or even forcing anyone to contribute to one does). He stated quite clearly that he believed that such contributions should be left to each man and woman and their respective church, etc.

Well said, Miles!

Here are a couple of things I consider anti-American. The OECD has just issued a report examining poverty, the gap between the rich and the poor, and middle class purchasing power in all the advanced industrialized economies. What it found might surprise some of you. The gap between the rich and the poor is greater in the US than in all other OECD countries except Turkey and Mexico. Poverty rates in the US are at about 17% and have not fallen in three decades. In fact they are higher now than they were in the 1970s. The average in all OECD countries is Middle class purchasing power in the US remained static through the 80s and 90s and has fallen in this decade. In most other OECD countries the middle class is significantly better off now than it was three decades ago. It is LESS likely that children of poor parents will become rich in the US than it is in many other OECD countries, e.g. Australia, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden, among others.

Yes, this is a great country, but it is still and always will be a work in progress. And these are FACTS and are the kinds of things our representatives in Congress should be concerned about — not going on witch-hunts to determine who is “anti-American” whatever that means. And who the h*ll is Ms. Bachmann to decide who is and who is not a good American??? But I am quite sure she would suggest that it is anti-American to call attention to the fact that 20% of America’s children are living in poverty rather than screaming that the world is coming to an end because some states actually believe that one’s sexual orientation is not the government’s business.

Just a couple of other things I would like Ms. Bachmann to address in her re-election bid: the education gap; the science and engineering gap; the innovation gap. While we are ranting about gay marriage and using labels in place of serious discussion, our competitors are eating our lunch in these and other vital areas.

TO RMM:

Your new box of tin foil has arrived so you can begin covering your windows and building a new hat.

It is interesting that the Alaska Independence Party is anti-American and had a crazed extremist leader who was murdered. Gov. Palin has been “pals” with this anti-American organization and her husband Todd Palin was even a past member. Gov. Palin gave them a positive video message for their last convention, praising them for their work. What goes around, comes around. Why does no one bring up this terrorist association of the Palins?

This is exctly why they won’t let Palin go on any more news/talk shows (other than Faux Noise). She might actually say something she really believes… scary!

Hey RMM,
Clinton reduced the waste in our military spending because WE DIDN’T NEED IT! Bush created the need for a huge military build-up by creating the endless WAR ON TERROR, which certainly scares me (the war, not the terror).
And respectfully, RMM, please stop labeling people. If you can’t honestly agree with someone on an intellectual basis, that’s fine, but no reason to start calling them names and questioning their loyalty to our great nation. Diversity of opinion is what makes our nation great.

RMM wrote: “If you are a marxist, liberal, socialist, progressive, whatever you want to call yourself now, you are justly called UN-AMERICAN.”

I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you are perhaps too young to realize that all you would need to do would be replace “Un-AMERICAN” with UN-GERMAN and you would have an exact description of the fundamental philosophy of Nazi Germany. Your statement is itself profoundly un-American. It is frightening that anybody could even think anything so deeply sinister let alone express it publicly in the 21st century.

“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” Sinclair Lewis

RMM – I could hardly make myself get through your oversimplified, self-righteous posts, and I certainly don’t plan to waste much more of my day responding, but just one suggestion: you may want to consider adding a second personal data contributor to Ann Coulter. One doesn’t even have to get past the first paragraph of your first post to find factual errors. Subprime loans, by their very definition, are those that do not fall within the parameters of the GSEs – Fannie and Freddie. Your whole argument pivots on the assumption that Fannie/Freddie were the drivers behind the securitization and subsequent repacking into CDOs and CDOs of CDOs (who were, in turn, backed by Democrats). They weren’t. Even if they were, to link one of the GSEs to a political party is nothing short of silly. Do your homework before spewing hate and making yourself look foolish in the process.

I am re-posting this with a small edit because a couple of words got left out rendering one sentence meaningless. With apologies…

Well said, Miles!

Here are a couple of things I consider anti-American. The OECD has just issued a report examining poverty, the gap between the rich and the poor, and middle class purchasing power in all the advanced industrialized economies. What it found might surprise some of you. The gap between the rich and the poor is greater in the US than in all other OECD countries except Turkey and Mexico. Poverty rates in the US are at about 17% and have not fallen in three decades. In fact they are higher now than they were in the 1970s. The average in all OECD countries is just above 10%. Middle class purchasing power in the US remained static through the 80s and 90s and has fallen in this decade. In most other OECD countries the middle class is significantly better off now than it was three decades ago. It is LESS likely that children of poor parents will become rich in the US than it is in many other OECD countries, e.g. Australia, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden, among others.

Yes, this is a great country, but it is still and always will be a work in progress. And these are FACTS and are the kinds of things our representatives in Congress should be concerned about — not going on witch-hunts to determine who is “anti-American” whatever that means. And who the h*ll is Ms. Bachmann to decide who is and who is not a good American??? But I am quite sure she would suggest that it is anti-American to call attention to the fact that 20% of America’s children are living in poverty rather than screaming that the world is coming to an end because some states actually believe that one’s sexual orientation is not the government’s business.

Just a couple of other things I would like Ms. Bachmann to address in her re-election bid: the education gap; the science and engineering gap; the innovation gap. While we are ranting about gay marriage and using labels in place of serious discussion, our competitors are eating our lunch in these and other vital areas.

Bachmann gets what she deserves for perpetuating hate and intolerance when we need exactly the opposite more than ever. Mr. Tinkenberg, use those funds wisely and to make sure people with views such as Bachmann’s do not are not allowed to control the fates of others.

How retarded is this woman? Seriously, have the people in Minnesota run out of intelligent candidates? How could such a mistake of nature be in Congress?

After World War II, the Allies had “De-Nazification” programs in Occupied West Germany. We need a Ne-Nazification program here, and Bachmann should be first in line, along with the chairman of the Repig Party in Sacramento, who condoned having “waterboard Barack Obama” on the Sacramento GOP website.

I also saw the Bachmann interview and was horrified by what she said. For too long, far Right Republicans have directed hate-speak at “liberals.” Bachmann said it very clearly: she believes it is unAmerican to be a liberal. To me, however, what is truly American (and truly patriotic) is when someone will say, as the Founding Fathers themselves did, that they would die to defend the right of another citizen to disagree with them. Ms. Bachmann wouldn’t do that; instead, it sounds like she wants to lead a McCarthyesque witch-hunt to root out her political opponents in Congress (and who knows where else too). How truly un-American is that!

Reading all the obviously right wing fringe posts here, all I can say is “It’s obvious to everyone with a functioning brain why you guys are having your political arses handed to you on a silver platter across the board this year. Just read your own posts.”

The fact that you guys can post this stuff and not understand that this stupid crap is the very thing that has driven people like me away from your party, is a testimony to just how divorced from reality you’ve become. You can say what you want now how you don’t need people like me, Colin Powell, and other reasonable republicans in your party, but on election day, you’ll learn the hard way just how much you relied on us in the past. You don’t have us anymore. Enjoy your losses. And for Christ’s sake, learn from them.

thank you michele for raising tons of money for Tinklenberg. Those who want to help defeat Bachmann need to donate to either Tinklenberg on his website or go to the vote blue web site.
Bachmann needs only to look in the mirror to see an anti-american view. This woman needs to be defeated and sent back home where she and her husband have a christian counseling business and put her in for some in depth counseling.

POWinCA believes: “NO ONE is casually perusing your private e-mails and telephone conversations unless you are a suspected TERRORIST. The US government neither has the MEANS nor the DESIRE to comb through YOUR personal information. They are looking at people who have been communicating with people in Afghanistan on pre-paid cellular telephones with numbers found on captured Al Qaeda laptops.”
I’m sorry to be the one to break the news to you, but government agents have been spying on our troops in Iraq, among others, tape-recording any sexual conversations to pass around and chuckle about afterwards. See:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/09/spying.on.americans/index.html
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20081009_report_nsa_listened_in_on_americans_phone_sex/
Is this disgusting enough? What exactly does the Bush Administration have to do before Republicans say “at last, have you no decency”?

I absolutely must join the chorus of outrage at Congresswoman Bachman’s call for, wish for, some kind of investigation into the degree of Americanism or anti-Americanism in her colleagues views! Sarah Palin and the Republican strategists are opening up Pandora’s Box with apparently no understanding of what has come out of that box in our American history! Once again, fear has summoned up the dark side of some of our natures, and those of us who have not succumbed to that fear better stand up and be counted!

Marc Z. Lippman
Friendsville, PA

Brent you ignorant moron.

Fannie and Freddie HAD stringent standards for which types of loans they would purchase UNTIL Bill Clinton convinced them to buy subprime loans by giving them affordable housing credits for doing so. Your information and your mind is badly out of date.

As far as links to political parties, the top four recipients of campaign contributions from Fannie and Freddie were Chris Dodd, John Kerry, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, and Hillary Clinton.

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/07/top-senate-recipients-of-fanni.html

Bob X:

Sorry to break the news to you, but we soldiers knew our internet activity and phone conversations were being monitored overseas. We were told as much. You’re not revealing any “news” to anyone except sniveling cowards like yourself.

The number of soldiers serving overseas and on the internet or phone at any given time is small. The number of Americans on the internet or on the phone in the US is ENORMOUS. Trillions of phone calls are made in the US. The government would have tremendous difficulty monitoring one MILLIONTH of all phone calls made. They would only listen in on your conversation if you were making an overseas call to a known terrorist phone number. Get a grip, take a valium, and stop believing in conspiracy theories.