Minnesota Independent

Bachmann calls for firing of Treasury head Geithner

By Andy Birkey | 08.08.11 | 7:56 am

On Fox News over the weekend, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann blamed the the nation’s falling credit rating on President Barack Obama and called on the president to fire Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner. Bachmann lays the “destruction” of the nation’s credit rating squarely at Obama’s feet, but Standards & Poors, the agency that issued the lowered credit rating blamed the move on a volatile political environment where making consensus is difficult. Bachmann voted against the consensus between Obama and congressional Republicans last week.

The question Geithner can’t escape: Why pay off AIG’s partners?

By Elana Schor | 01.22.10 | 10:20 am

The latest political clamor over AIG, poised to combust next Wednesday at a House hearing on backdoor payments to banks that made risky deals with the company, centers on the Federal Reserve’s effort to conceal details of those payments. But senior officials, including Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, have so far evaded a key question: Why were AIG’s trading partners fully paid with taxpayer money instead of being told to take a loss?

Ron Paul’s economic theories winning GOP converts — including Michele Bachmann

By David Weigel | 05.05.09 | 5:00 am

A funny thing has started happening to Texas Rep. Ron Paul since his long-shot presidential campaign ended quietly in the summer of 2008. More Republicans have started listening to him — including Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.

Obama narrowly avoids devil-horns photo

By Chris Steller | 03.26.09 | 8:28 am

Beware the trappings of the office. Pranksters and demented detractors made devilish depictions of President Barack Obama during last year’s campaign, but this week the president almost created his own demonic image when he sat for a photo just inches…

Bachmann mispronounces Kazakhstan; in Parliament, she’d be flayed

By Chris Steller | 03.25.09 | 9:09 am

In Congress, Rep. Michele Bachmann can get away with mispronouncing Kazakhstan as “Ka-ZAK-i-stan” — as she did yesterday during her questioning of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (video, 2:25). In the United Kingdom’s Parliament, they eat you alive for that.

Bachmann unclear on Constitution?

By Andy Birkey | 03.24.09 | 4:15 pm

Rep. Michele Bachmann grilled Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday afternoon about the U.S. Constitution. Bachmann seemed unclear about Congress’ duties under the Constitution.

Business collapse can end union contracts, but not AIG bonus contracts

By Chris Steller | 03.16.09 | 7:27 pm

Contracts guaranteeing bonuses to executives at collapsing businesses — like American International Group (AIG) — are held inviolable, while labor union contracts regularly get voided or reneged-on when corporations declare (or even threaten) bankruptcy. Labor experts say it’s the law of the land.

New GOP Video: In case you haven’t heard, Franken screwed up his taxes

By Paul Schmelzer | 02.06.09 | 3:47 pm

The Minnesota GOP dropped a new web video today, linking Al Franken’s failure to properly pay taxes to Obama cabinet nominees like Timothy Geithner (now Treasury Secretary) and would’ve-been HHS secretary Tom Daschle. But it’s not…

Video: Obama names economic team

By Paul Schmelzer | 11.24.08 | 1:01 pm

President-elect Barack Obama, at a press conference in Chicago today, announced his economic team, a group he says will offer “both sound judgment and fresh thinking, both a depth of experience and a wealth of bold new ideas.”…