Comments on: Twenty of Bachmann’s 47 missed votes coincide with media appearances

By: Drew

Drew — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:31:45 +0000

I saw some posts about Bachmann sticking her nose in New Jersey and campaigning for one of the most liberal Republicans in the House. She campaigned for this guy Chris Smith in NJ who was one of the eight Republicans to vote for cap and trade, he co-sponsored and voted for card check, took over $607,000 from Unions including SEIU.

What’s worse is that the campaigned against the Tea Party candidate.

Bachmann is yet another fake conservative who uses the Tea Party movement to raise tens of thousands of dollars.

I always suspected that she was a fake and out for her own advancement. She doesn’t really care about Minnesota or the problems we face. I always thought she was out for her own Fox show or something. She missed the votes because she was auditioning.

By: Michelle Bachmann Is a Star, So Let Her Shine | The Daily Diplomat

Michelle Bachmann Is a Star, So Let Her Shine | The Daily Diplomat — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:19:27 +0000

[...] it more beneficial to America if Michelle Bachmann and her staff aren’t distracted by government things? America doesn’t need her votes, but it does profit spiritually from her inspiring comedy [...]

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:35:42 +0000

From sourcewatch.org

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) “has missed the most votes of any Democratic presidential hopeful in the Senate over the last two months, including a vote on an Iran resolution he has blasted Sen. Hillary Clinton for supporting,” CNN reported November 2, 2007.[1] Since September 2007, Obama has missed 80 percent of Senate votes.

Glenn Thrush reported September 24, 2007, in Newsday “Since January 2007, Obama “has racked up three times as many missed votes” as Hillary Clinton, who has missed 28 votes or 8.3 percent, “according to roll call records.”[2]

“He’s missed 23.7 percent of his votes, according to vote-tracking databases. The issues he did not cast ballots on ranged from the symbolic to the significant, and included measures on abortion, homeland security, bridge safety, foreign aid, the alternative minimum tax and a failed no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in June [2007].

“Obama has been absent for 82 of his chamber’s 346 votes during the current two-year session, a measure of how much time he’s been spending in the crucial campaign states of New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina,” Thrush wrote.[2]

The Minnesota Independent needs to report some real news, not this smear on Bachmann for missing a fraction of the votes Obama did.

By: Steve H

Steve H — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:39:40 +0000

Of course she’s going to go for the media opportunity over doing her job, every time. This is a woman with the brains of a parakeet, and the same habits. Put a mirror in the room with her and she’ll spend all day pecking at it.

By: T-Paw Is A Jerk

T-Paw Is A Jerk — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:58:50 +0000

This woman missed how many votes?

In my book, 47 missed votes is the same as saying she does not want to do the job that the very strange people of the 6th District elected her to do.

As such, she should be brought in front of Speaker Pelosi and fired. Then we can have an election for her seat and get a Progressive who will be there to vote on the days she is supposed to be.

I’d be willing to bet that not one Democrat (other than Sen. Ted Kennedy when he was very ill) has missed even 1/10th of the number of votes MB has missed.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:00:39 +0000

All persons elected to congress, regardless of party affiliation
have been chosen by the few people who actually vote. They have been chosen based on their campaigns, sort of like a job application. Just like jobs once hired, they can be fired from their positions. In this case it takes the voting public. Based on her record in congress, her speaking(or just ramblings) and basic ideas it is time she be replaced by a more qualified person for the position.

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:25:46 +0000

“In some instances, House votes seemed to directly conflict with Bachmann’s media schedule, while in others Bachmann’s missed votes occurred on days where she had one or several media events planned.”

Bachmann spends a lot of time getting ready for these media events (hair salon visits, makeup), and that eats up a lot of time. Less media-centric members of Congress can spend less time on grooming and more time on doing the people’s business. It’s a trade-off, and unfortunately with Bachmann the choice is to put personal advancement above the needs of her constituents.

By: thomas butler

thomas butler — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:50:13 +0000

Maybe she’s in favor of it?

By: Karl

Karl — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:33:01 +0000

Although Bachmann grabbed plenty of headlines for her Hydrocephalus Awareness Month resolution, she has voted against federal funding for hydrocephalus research at every opportunity she’s had since she’s been in office. I guess she’s just “aware” of hydrocephalus but doesn’t necessarily support curing it.

By: Minnesota Central

Minnesota Central — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:06:09 +0000

Always entertaining that Ms. Bachmann.

My favorite unrecorded vote was from last year, Bachmann had a resolution designating September as National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month … a pretty non-controversial piece of legislation … she spoke on its behalf … no one opposed her … when the presiding Congressman called for a vote – which would have been a voice vote – then Bachmann objected complaining that there was not a quorum and wanted a roll call vote … this was a common tactic the GOP had used on other resolutions including Bachmann objecting to recognizing Hawaii’s 50th anniversary as a state (oh, yeah the resolution stated that Obama was born there) … but this time, Bachmann objected to her own resolution … since the House doesn’t want to stop all activity for roll call votes, they generally just wait until a later point in time to do all the roll call votes at the same time … in this instance, they delayed Bachmann’s resolution for days … finally they brought it to a vote again … this time Bachmann didn’t object (I don’t even know if she was there) but it passed with a voice vote. It’s all a game to the GOP.
Bachmann is not the only one that has done this … Kline also did it for a resolution H.Res.483 “Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Veterans of Foreign Wars Day” … it had 62 co-sponsors and was “debated” for forty minutes (actually there was just praise, not debate) … once again, when it came time for a vote, Kline objected for the lack of a quorum … his resolution passed later in the day … on a voice vote … it’s a game.

Fast forward to today. The House debated a resolution … House Resolution 1096 – “Encouraging individuals across the United States to participate in the 2010 Census to ensure an accurate and complete count beginning April 1, 2010, and expressing support for designation of March 2010 as Census Awareness Month.”

After debate, the vote was delayed due to a lack of a quorum call.
Now, the Question of the Day, Will she demand a Roll Call vote so that voters know who wants “our” information ? Or, will she let it pass on voice vote so that nobody pays attention ?