July 10, 2011
By Fay Paxton
I first noticed Michele Bachman when I read a fundraising letter she'd written that proclaimed: Obama sees ACORN as his ideological "shock troops" leading his "revolution." Obama wants to use ACORN to radicalize America because he isn't interested merely in defeating Conservatives"HE WANTS TO ANNIHILATE US! I became interested in learning what she stood for, but all I could learn was what she is against: Bachmann's district has the highest foreclosure rate in Minnesota, yet she voted against every bill aimed at helping average homeowners. NO on revitalizing severely distressed public housing NO on regulating the subprime mortgage industry NO on monitoring TARP funds to ensure more mortgage relief. Bachmann has either proven she is a revisionist or just plain ignorant. When talking about the Constitution as it relates to slavery, she said: "we also know that the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States." While it is true that John Quincy Adams fought against slavery, records show that twelve presidents owned slaves and eight of them owned slaves while serving as president. Why not simply tell the truth".it was the culture of their time. Many actually expressed distaste for slavery, but it was part of the political and economic bedrock of the country. Without protections for the institution that had made them wealthy and sustained the economy, how many Southern states would have signed the Constitution? We need to get over this notion that the Founding Fathers were puritanical prophets; they were politicians who pandered and served their own best interest no differently than our politicians today. In fact, when it came to slavery, they went beyond the filibuster, instituting something called the "gag order", forbidding the subject to even be brought to the floor of the House. Despite her moronic outbursts, she believes she is the target of criticism because "... they want to make sure no women, no woman becomes president before a Democrat woman, and so they're doing everything they can to, I think, sabotage women like Sarah Palin, perhaps women like myself ". Why would anyone ever conclude she gives a tinker's damn about women? She was against the Lilly Ledbetter Fairpay Act and believes women should be submissive to men, which might explain why she voted against an act to help Native American police combat rape . Prior to the Tribal Law and Order Act, there was a one-year maximum sentence for any crime prosecuted in tribal court. A non-Indian could murder someone and receive a maximum one-year sentence. According to government statistics, one in three Native American women will be raped in her lifetime; a figure 2.5 times higher than the rate for non-Native women in the United States. The bill was an important step to help the federal government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities. It passed in the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. Michele Bachmann voted against it. She is in favor of ending birthright citizenship, but co-sponsored a bill granting the pre-born equal protection under the 14th Amendment and she signed the Life at Conception Act; a bill granting equal protection under the same 14th Amendment guaranteeing the right to life beginning at the moment of fertilization or cloning. She states " under no certain circumstances will I give the government control over my body and my health care decisions." ironically, it's the same slogan as the pro-choice movement. Moreover, despite being a foster parent, she shows little regard for children, voting to cut WIC, a program to aid pregnant women, infants and children and early education. She voted NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program and no to adding children to SCHIP eligibility. The Minnesota district she represents has some of the highest unemployment rates in the state, yet she voted NO on extending unemployment benefits. NO on assisting workers who lost jobs due to globalization NO on increasing the minimum wage She voted against a $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy. NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing NO on protecting whistleblowers from employer recrimination She is against, what she terms "government handouts" of any kind, unless of course they subsidize corporations. She even considered the 9/11 Responders Bill "A New Entitlement Program". Of course, one could not criticize her views about government handouts were she not so prolific at accepting them for herself. Data from federal records maintained by Environmental Working Group show her family farm received $251,973 in federal subsidies. No wonder she was against reducing farm subsidies. Bachmann led the cry against "Obamacare", that evil social medicine, while her husband's Christian counseling agency received state funds. Clearly, Bachmann is perfectly at ease with government handouts as long as her hand is the one that's out. She's opposed to gay unions; Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation and Voted NO on enforcement against anti-gay hate crimes. According to Bachmann, President Obama purposely caused the hike in gas prices, but she voted NO on defining "energy emergency" on federal gas prices and voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. She believes everything from ACORN, to the Census, from volunteer work to the President himself to be part of a socialist anti-American agenda. She even believes her fellow Congressmen are anti-American. Bachmann constantly makes statements that are completely untrustworthy, wildly inaccurate, grossly distorted, and downright mendacious, yet, she was reelected to serve in Congress, where she'll help to shape the direction of the nation and now she is running for President! Who elects these people?