Minnesota Independent

Bachmann voted for government shutdown because of abortion

By Andy Birkey | 03.02.11 | 12:48 pm

“There is a point where you draw the line in the sand and you have a hill where you die on,” Rep. Michele Bachmann said in a Tuesday evening webinar with anti-abortion rights activists. “I think this is our issue.” The issue — and Bachmann’s rationale for voting against a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown — is that the resolution didn’t include provisions to defund Planned Parenthood and what she calls “Obamacare.”

Pawlenty praises court decision ruling health care reform unconstitutional

By Andy Birkey | 01.31.11 | 5:01 pm

A Florida judge ruled the entire Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act unconstitutional on Monday in a case filed by 26 states, almost all of which have Republican governors. U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson, a Reagan appointee expected to rule against health care reform, said the individual health insurance mandate which goes into effect in 2014 is unconstitutional, and because it’s integral to the entire statute the whole thing should be thrown out. Pawlenty said he was proud to be a part of the lawsuit.

House passes health care reform repeal

By Andy Birkey | 01.20.11 | 9:00 am

House Republicans passed a repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by a vote of 245-189, mainly along party lines — only three Democrats joined with the Republicans. The vote prompted sharp reactions from all sides of Minnesota politics: Rep. Michele Bachmann called for the repeal of President Obama, while Rep. Keith Ellison said that Republicans voted dump 32 millions Americans’ health coverage.

Bachmann: Obama arrogant, close-minded on health care reform

By Andy Birkey | 01.19.11 | 9:30 am

Rep. Michele Bachmann said Tuesday that the GOP won’t stop until the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is defunded and repealed. Meanwhile, a new ABC/Washington Post poll shows that only 18 percent of Americans back a full repeal of the federal health care reform law.

Pawlenty: ‘Obamacare’ is like drug dealing

By Andy Birkey | 12.15.10 | 8:50 am

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s media tour made its way to Jan Mickelson’s radio show on Monday to talk about “Obamacare” and his presidential ambitions. Pawlenty, who touted himself as one of the country’s most aggressive governors in opposition to health care reform, compared the federal law to drug dealing. “The offer you a free sample and get you hooked” on federal programs. Mickelson’s Iowa-based show has a controversial history: Clear Channel, which carries his show, chastised Mickelson in August for anti-gay statements he made on the air.

Rep. Michele Bachmann. Photo: Bachmann for Congress, Facebook

Bachmann makes ‘most-embarrassing’ list, again

By Andy Birkey | 12.06.10 | 12:36 pm

Rep. Michele Bachmann made Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s 2010 Most Embarrassing Re-elects list, along with 10 other members of Congress. The rankings, released Monday, include an even split between Democrats and Republicans who, according to CREW, have violated the public trust.

Bachmann warns of ‘insurrection’ if health care reform isn’t repealed

By Andy Birkey | 12.06.10 | 9:00 am

In an interview with CNSNews, a controversial Republican news outlet, Rep. Michele Bachmann threatened an “insurrection” against the GOP leadership if there isn’t a full repeal of health care reform in 2011. And she’s urging the GOP not to replace health care reform.

With help from Pat Robertson, Bachmann and Kline file brief to repeal health care reform

By Andy Birkey | 11.22.10 | 7:27 am

The American Center for Law and Justice, an evangelical Christian legal group founded by televangelist Pat Robertson, has filed an Amicus brief on behalf of 63 members of Congress — including Minnesota Reps. Michele Bachmann and John Kline — challenging the constitutionality of a provision health care reform legislation that will require all Americans to have health insurance by 2014.

Pawlenty joins Florida lawsuit against health care reform

By Andy Birkey | 11.11.10 | 4:43 pm

Gov. Tim Pawlenty filed a brief on Thursday in support of the lawsuit against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). The suit, currently before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, includes 20 states that are challenging the mandate that all Americans must have health insurance by 2014.

Bachmann calls for constitutional conservatives to free ‘nation of slaves’

By Joseph Boven | 07.12.10 | 7:38 am

DENVER – Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., was “giddy” on policy and heavy on appropriating comments from conservative pundits in her key note speech to the Western Conservative Summit in Denver Friday night.