Bachmann Leads "Autotune the News"

Barely Political: The Gregory Brothers bring the world another installment of the news with a beat. Among the topics this week: Jackson, Palin, and Bachman, oh my! H/T Liberal in the Land of Conservative

Democrats Targetting Michele Bachmann

Commenter Anna alerts us to this St Paul Legal Ledger article. Dems targeting Bachmann By Betsy Sundquist, Staff Writer July 13, 2009 Hard-right congresswoman continues to court controversy; Democrats say she’s vulnerable There’s blood in the water of Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District. Three viable Democratic candidates – only two of whom have actually declared their candidacies – are circling the pond, hoping to bring down ultraconservative, second-term U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 2010 election. And it’s only July. At least one of the candidates, former chairwoman of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents Maureen Reed, is scooping up piles of money in her quest to unseat Bachmann, who has continued to draw the national political spotlight since her re-election last year with provocative, sound bite-generating remarks, many of them as a frequent guest on Fox News’ conservative talk-show lineup. In the two months since she announced her plan to seek the endorsements of both the Democratic and Independence parties to challenge Bachmann next year, Reed has raised more than $230,000, according to a press release distributed by her campaign. “When I talk to residents in the 6th District, it’s clear they are ready for a change and want a candidate who has the energy, commitment and dedication to improve their lives,” Reed said in her very polite statement, which never referred directly to Bachmann’s high-profile hard-right crusades. “When folks see a way they can change things for the better, they are generous with their time, energy and money,” Reed added. Elwyn Tinklenberg, who unsuccessfully challenged Bachmann last year (losing by a margin of only 3 percentage points) and plans to seek the Democratic endorsement to run against her again next year, is more blunt in his assessment of the congresswoman’s performance, calling her behavior “beyond embarrassing” and “disgraceful” on his campaign website. “She built her political career in Minnesota exploiting wedge issues, and now she’s taken it to the national level,” Tinklenberg’s website says. “Almost every day she shows up on Fox News to spread fear and division for political gain. “Enough is enough. While Americans are suffering through a deep recession, Michele Bachmann knowingly uses extreme partisan rhetoric for political fame … She knows that the more bizarre and outlandish statements she makes, the more attention she gets.” The article also aludes to the rumors that Assistant Majority Leader, Sen. Tarryl Clark might get into the race: The name of state Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, is also being floated as a potential candidate for Bachmann’s seat, though Clark has not yet declared her candidacy. A Senate partisan staff member told PIM/Capitol Report last week that Clark has received “a lot of encouragement” to take on Bachmann instead of joining the ever-growing crowd of gubernatorial candidates vying to move into the St. Paul office that Gov. Tim Pawlenty will vacate in early 2011. (Clark’s gubernatorial candidacy has also been a topic of much speculation.) The article also mentions her census shenanagans: Bachmann’s latest high-profile (and much-ridiculed) campaign is against the 2010 U.S. census, which she compared on yet another Fox News appearance last month to World War II Japanese internment camps. “Take this into consideration,” Bachmann told Fox News host Glenn Beck. “If we look at American history, between 1942 and 1947, the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt, and that’s how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps. “I’m not saying that that’s what the administration is planning to do, but I am saying that private personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up, in a violation of their constitutional rights, and put the Japanese in internment camps.” Bachmann said she and her family plan only to provide the number of people in their home and will refuse to answer any more census questions. (As many have noted, the 2010 census will play a large role in determining redistricting, which may cost Minnesota a seat in Congress.)

More Pardongate Details to be Revealed Monday?

Star Tribune: In the latest twist in the federal racketeering case against Minnesota businessman Tom Petters, federal authorities say a hedge fund manager who claimed to be the biggest victim of Petters' alleged Ponzi scheme was actually a participant in it. The Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday accused Illinois financier Greg Bell and his company, Lancelot Investment Management, with fraud. In charges filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, the SEC also moved to freeze Bell's assets, which include millions of dollars stashed in Swiss bank accounts in the names of Bell and his wife, Inna Goldman. Separately, Bell was arrested Friday in Highland Park, Ill., and was taken to the Anoka County jail, according to Ron Peterson, a trustee for Lancelot's investors. A criminal complaint against Bell in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis was sealed, but Peterson said the fund manager could appear in court as early as Monday. The Pioneer Press: For more than a decade, Petters claimed his Petters Co. Inc. unit arranged to buy overstock consumer electronics and other merchandise for resale to retailers such as Wal-Mart and Costco, the SEC said in its complaint. The firm sought investor money because it purportedly paid for inventory up front and couldn't collect until delivery. It said transactions took about 180 days, according to the SEC. In reality, there were no purchases or sales, and money raised by selling notes to investors was repaid by selling more notes, the SEC said. As of September, Petters Co. and its affiliates owed about $3.5 billion. Bell formed Lancelot Investment Management in 2001 and had raised $2.62 billion from hundreds of investors, including pension plans and other hedge funds, by the time the Ponzi scheme collapsed, the SEC wrote in its complaint. "Virtually all" of the money had been steered to Petters Co., the complaint said. Lancelot owned about $1.5 billion in promissory notes when the fraud unraveled, prosecutors said Friday in a criminal complaint. They "are now of little or no value," the complaint said. Stay tuned....

More About Bachmann vs Bikes

DC Streetsblog: ... let's take Bachmann a bit too seriously for a moment. The chances that she will actually vote for Democratic health legislation are effectively zero. So we can safely assume that her goal here is to burnish her fiscal-conservative credentials by picking a project to deride as "pork." Yup. bicycling is a favorite scapegoat of Minnesota right-wingers... listen to Bachmann apologist Jason Lewis rant about bicyclists: Right-wing bicyclist and comics fan Mitch Berg has an explanation in this 2008 Utne blog post: ".... there’s a certain strain of conservatism that sees conspicuous consumption—driving an SUV and chortling at paying more for gas—as a way to poke a finger in the eyes of the environmental left.” MnIndy points out that Congressman Oberstar is a huge supporter of bikes. Read how Oberstar became an avid bicyclist and bicycling advocate: ... When Rep. Jim Oberstar's wife, Jo, was battling cancer with chemotherapy, their doctor suggested they bike to build up her strength. "He felt it was something we both could do; it was aerobic but not jarring, so we went out and bought four bikes," remembers Oberstar. When she became ill, they put the bikes away. When she died, Oberstar remembered those bikes while he was writing thank you cards. "I had to get out and ride. The first day I went five miles, the next day ten miles. That was in July of 1991. By the end of the year, I put on 600 miles," said Oberstar. Today Oberstar averages 2,400 miles a year despite the busy job of being the second-ranking congressman on the House Transportation Committee. In keeping with changing federal policy toward pedestrian and bicycle transportation, Oberstar is never far from a bicycle.... Maybe someone will organize a Dump Bachmann Bicycle Tour of the 6th District....

Will Bachmann Attend Town Hall Meeting About the Census in Saint Cloud?

Article in The Saint Cloud Times about the census: U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann made news recently when she said that she won’t completely fill out her 2010 census form, calling it an invasion of privacy. We decided to take a look at the decennial rite and see what all the controversy is about. The article answers some questions and let's readers know where to find out more: How can I find out more? There’s a town-hall meeting on Census 2010 scheduled for 4 p.m. July 29 at St. Cloud City Hall, 400 Second St. S. Will Bachmann show up to answer questions? H/T Lady

Bachmann Rallies Right-Wing Keyboard Warriors

Bachmann gives a pep-talk to right-wing bloggers and invites them to the RedState Army Gathering in Atlanta. She says she can't go, but she says " the wonderful Jim DeMint" will be there... did she say wonderful? The Redstate Army even has its own insignia... just like a real army in a real war! audiovideo B: conservatives are making great strides on line under the leadership of redstate and others in Atlanta August 1 2009 you'll hear from our best conservative candidates and officials, including the wonderful Senator Jim DeMint, Florida's Marco Rubio, and Congressman Tom Price. prepare now to take the fight to the liberals computer to computer, house to house, and neighbor to neighbor.

Bachmann Says Bicycling Does Not Help People Stay Healthy

From Bachmann's Townhall blog: As the Boston Globe has reported, tucked into bills in both chambers are provisions funding what Senator Ted Kennedy’s staff calls “Community Transformation Grants.” Essentially, we’re talking about federal funding for bike paths, lighting, jungle gyms, and even farmers markets. In the House bill, at least the spending is capped -- $1.6 billion per year. The Senate bill leaves the sky the limit – leaving the amount of spending up to the Obama Administration. While these projects may have merit, they certainly don't belong in a health care reform package. With priorities like this running amok on Capitol Hill, is there any doubt that health care costs will only continue to skyrocket under government-run health care? Bicycling doesn't promote health? Bachmann needs to read the story of Scott Cutshall who went from "501 pounds to 232 in under three years, thanks to a special bike, soup for breakfast, and a lot of determination". Cutshall had just a 50 percent chance of surviving an operation, the doctor guessed, his heart likely to quit under the anesthesia and stress. Flip a coin. Tails you live. Heads you're dead. "I hated those odds," he said. So he ignored the doctor. He didn't flip the coin. He flipped his life instead. He changed everything. He started eating vegetable soup for breakfast. Hummus on pita was lunch. Dinner was salad and pasta. Every day. No exception. And he got a bike, a reinforced custom model built in Minneapolis. It was the only viable type of exercise for someone his size, he said. He started riding every night, at first just around the neighborhood, where he rode after dark. "I was embarrassed to go out," he said. He started a blog, "Large Fella on a Bike," to document the journey. Cutshall's goal was singular and stubborn: to lose hundreds of pounds of weight by changing his lifestyle and pedaling a bike. Do or die, he thought. Plot spoiler: Cutshall did it. In the first four months, riding lots and eating little, 50 pounds fell off. Two months later, another 20 pounds. He could use the scale in the bathroom again. According to the last post on his blog, Large Fella on a Bike, Cutshall weighed 170.2 pounds. "Total Loss Since November, 2005: 330.8 pounds" That sounds like health care to me.

Sean Hannity: Bachmann Second Most-Hated Republican

Second most-hated by libruls... Palin is #1. She claims Barney Frank (showing "no shame") is "funneling" TARP $$$ to ACORN. They mention hearings today... will Bachmann make a fool of herself again? Update: Hearing today: H.R. 3068, TARP for Main Street Act of 2009 - 10 a.m., July 9, 2009, 2128 Rayburn House Office Building audiovideo Hannity: Barney Frank wants to use 1.5 billion dollars of TARP funds for neighborhood stabilization funding, which would benefit ACORN I do refer to you as the second most hated Republican woman after Sarah Palin Bachmann: Liberals don't like to see conservative women who are pro-life who are happy, who succeeded without their help. And that's the wonderful thing about women. Women don't need to have government in order to succeed. We're fully capable, fully confident, fully intelligent to be able to make our own way in the world. ... B: Now ACORN has access potentially to 8.5 billion dollars of tax funds. This would be an additional 1.5 billion for ACORN. And don't forget--in over 12 states so far this year, ACORN has been indicted for voter fraud. Hannity: with the Obama debt, maybe we ought to think about paying down that debt instead of B: Exactly. If that was your family or my family, that's what we would do. If we had to take a loan out because we were in a tough situation, wouldn't you think that we would pay back that loan? I'll tell you one thing, the bank would make sure that we do. And that's what I am doing as a member of Congress, and my fellow Republicans in the House. We are acting like the bank's board of directors, so to speak, saying "Hey! Pay your bills back, Barney Frank. Don't be borrowing, on borrowed money. It's time we think about the taxpayers, and unfortunately that's not what the Democrats in the House are doing. H: How likely is it that a second stimulus bill could pass? B: It's entirely possible that it could pass, because remember Minnesota delivered the sixtieth senator just yesterday, with Al Franken taking the oath of office. We can't underscore that enough. Democrats are trying to downplay this story, but the fact is that every lever of power in D.C. is dominated by one party rule. The Democrats control everything. So they can deliver. They own the economy, they own every decision that comes out of Washington D.C. and the American people need to be very concerned right now and let their representative know how concerned they are about the fact of one party domination. H: any truth to rumor that Dems have forbidden Dems to speak about health care reform? B: can't confirm or deny or verify that. H: Do you sense a shift in terms of public opinion against this spending? B: Oh Sean, without a doubt there's buyer's remorse. I just met with a physician, she didn't vote for Obama, she told me a number of physicians at the University of Minnesota are now stepping back from Barack Obama and they're re-thinking that vote. They're very nervous. And I want to thank the people of our country. They melted the phone lines here in Washington D.C. over cap and trade. Unfortunately, the Democrats in Congress didn't listen. But I think they'll wake up and pay attention at the ballot box come November 2010. We're going to see a very different story and I think Republicans have a very good chance of winning majority in 2010 in the House. H: Well congresswoman, I would actually consider it a badge of honor, the fact that you're right there behind Governor Palin (in terms of being the Republican woman most hated by liberals) so I think that means you're doing something right, that means you're effective, and that means a lot of people will love you for your strong stand.

Some good news about Michele, for a change

The ECM chain's Hometown Source news page reports some good news about Michele, for a change. Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN-06) announced today (Wednesday, July 8) her appointment to serve as a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Advisory Board... ...The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that raises awareness about the needs of foster children and parents. It works to educate federal policymakers, coordinate Congressional and community efforts to bring about change and facilitate opportunities for communication and public awareness. Members of the board of the CCAI include Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and DFL Congressman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota. But the really bad news for Michele is that another member of the board is Ralph Boyd, Jr. of the Freddie Mac Foundation (the philanthropic wing of the Freddie Mac mortgage company. This may lead to some tense luncheons in the future, since Bachmann is convinced that Freddie Mac was part of some corrupt big government conspiracy to make loans to undeserving people with darker skins than hers. (She was supposed to be regulating lending prior to the financial crisis, but spent the year prior going around the media warning people about light bulbs instead. No kidding!) Still--it is good to see Rep. Bachmann putting aside whatever scruples she has about working side by side with people she calls corrupt enemies of American freedom--for the good of American children. Link: http://hometownsource.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9828&Itemid=1

More Speculation About Tarryl Clark Entering 6th CD Election

Steve Perry at Politics in Minnesota: ...these days there's growing speculation that the two-term veteran may have her eye on the Sixth District congressional seat currently occupied by GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann. One Senate partisan staffer tells PIM that Clark has been receiving "a lot of encouragement" to get into that race instead. --snip-- Since losing state senate bids in 2000 and 2002, Clark has won in her St. Cloud-centric district by margins of 18 points (2005 special election) and 13 points (2006 general election).

Michele Bachmann's Greatest Hits

Uploaded to You Tube last week, a medley of videotaped Bachmannalia: audiovideo greatest hits not all cultures are equal administration appoint czars hot for jesus christ barack obama associating with anti-Americans I'm not saying his views are anti-american that was a misreading of what I said absolutely he may have anti-American views Maddow: John Reilly says its bullpucky told house republicans they were not reading his study right written an editorial in Star Tribune yearly energy bill for average household increase $3,128 a year Colmes: you said that you were concerned during the campaign that Obama had anti-American views and that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look at the views of the people in Congress and find out whether they are pro-America or anti America Bachmann: Actually that's not what I said at all Matthews: you've already suspected Barack Obama, are there others how many of colleagues do you suspect are anti-American Bachmann: What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look at the views of the people in Congress and find out are they pro-America or anti America Colmes: I'm reading your exact quote. Bachmann: actually that's not what I said at all Bachmann: It's an urban legend that was created, it's not what I said at all. Colmes: We have it, it's on tape Bachmann: No that's not at all what I said. October 2006, Kerri Miller: is an organziation that has their beliefs and they gave she wants to sit down with Osama bin Laden That's what PeacePac believes and Patti Wetterling: I'm sorry Michele but you're making that up. Bachmann: Global warming is something that's talked about a lot and has been talked about for the last twenty years..."now we're back into some scientists opting for global warming. I don't think it has been established yet as a fact that global warming is the issue of the day. One thing that we need to do is to look at the science." and read anne coulter's book on treason because the one thing that that book shows is that you can't trust Democrats with foreign policy. If there's one thing I believe, you don't trust Democrats with foreign policy fdr applied just the opposite formula, the hoot smalley act "I find it interesting that it was back in the 70s under that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president Jimmy Carter, and I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence." and that would be an interesting cooincidence except swine flu happened in 1976 and the president at the time was a Republican president, Gerald Ford. (repeat of colmes matthews and anti-american that's not what I said at all)

Michele Bachmann and Gangster Christianism

Bachmann has been describing the Obama administration as a "gangster government". This all started back in November when Bachman and Mark Levin called Rahm Emanuel a "scoundrel" and compared Emanuel and Barack Obama to "The Sopranos". Bachmann is apparently hoping that people will associate Chicago politicians with notorious Chicago gangsters such as Al Capone... a very silly association that could backfire on Bachmann since the Twin Cities has a notorious history of being a safe haven for gangsters (read Paul Maccabee's "John Dillinger Slept Here" about St. Paul or read this old article in the City Pages about corruption and organized crime in Minneapolis). Stearns County in Bachmann's district was a major producer of moonshine (Minnesota 13) exported by organzed crime to a thirsty, Prohibition-era nation. But, even more ironic are Bachmann's associations with money-grubbing, "prosperity gospel" Christianists.... some who have allegedly broken the law... and others who have been convicted of crimes. There is Mac Hammond who allegedly broke IRS law when he was caught on a Dump Bachmann video giving his "personal" endorsement of Michele Bachmann.... and, what happened to this investigation?: Pastor Mac Hammond and Living Word Christian Center–under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service for alleged favorable loans and compensation provided to Hammond by the church’s board–had their day in court Thursday as the mega-church fights to keep certain documents related to church finances out of the hands of the IRS. Specifically, the IRS is looking for detailed information regarding favorable loans the church made to Hammond of almost $2 million and payments the church made to Hammond to rent a hangar for the church’s jet. Eva posted the news about Bachmann's appearance at a Phyllis Schlafly organized conference in September. One of the people appearing with Bachmann is Rick Joyner (MorningStar Ministries) The following video from a few months ago was uploaded on You Tube recently. The video description: Morningstar Ministries founder Rick Joyner, whose ministry purchased Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's palatial ministry estate in the mid 2000's and his ministry has since rehabilitated the vast dilapidated complex, describes meeting with Congressional leaders including Michelle Bachmann, and talks of a several-hour long phone talk with Sarah Palin. Google Rick Joyner and find bizarre stuff like this: Todd Bentley marries woman he had affair with; Rick Joyner wants you to send Bentley some money There's a bizarre video with Joyner and a tattooed Bentley called "Todd Bentley's Restoration with Rick Joyner" Who is Todd Bentley? Bentley is a "preacher" who claims he "heals" people by beating them up... a thug for Jesus!?!... I'm not putting you on... watch: Then there is Bachmann's association with the convicted Bible and wife-hurling Mark Olson. Bachmann doesn't have a problem with thugs... especially thuggish Christianists. Michele Bachmann opposed anti-bullying legislation because it might "turn boys into girls." Bachmann said a prayer for the "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide" ministry who toured public schools and subjected students to a program so extreme, students ran out crying: And then there is Bachmann's association with Frank Vennes Jr. Vennes pleaded to money laundering, cocaine and gun trafficking in 1987: In August 1986, IRS agents investigating suspected money laundering by certain North Dakota car dealers were told that Vennes, a Bismarck pawnshop owner, had made numerous trips to Switzerland and might have experience in transferring funds to a foreign country. An undercover agent, posing as a Chicago investor, contacted Vennes and asked for help in transferring cash abroad. Vennes later admitted that in the next three months he and his codefendants received $370,000 from the undercover agent and transferred it, minus their substantial commissions, to the Bahamas, the Isle of Man, and Switzerland without complying with federal currency transaction reporting laws. In the last transaction, Vennes personally delivered $100,000 to Switzerland, where his associates lost or stole it. In May 1987, Vennes was charged in three indictments with numerous money laundering, firearm, and drug offenses. Acting on the advice of his attorney, whom he now accuses of ineffective assistance, Vennes entered into a plea agreement under which he pleaded guilty to one count of the money laundering indictment, and also pleaded nolo contendere to one count of illegally selling a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 922(b)(3) and to an information charging that he used a telephone to facilitate distribution of cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 843(b). In her pardon request for Frank Vennes Jr., this is how Michele Bachmann described Vennes: “As a U.S. Representative, I am confident of Mr. Vennes’ successful rehabilitation and that a pardon will be good for the neediest of society. Mr. Vennes is seeking a pardon so that he may be further used to help others. As I know from personal experience, Mr. Vennes has used his business position and success to fund hundreds of nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping the neediest in our society. The Fidelis Foundation, backed by Mr. Vennes, has directed over $10.7 million in total gifts in the last three years, and the Fidelis Foundation has ranked #6, #9 and #7 as the largest grant-making foundation in Minnesota over the past three years.” Fidelis Foundation was mentioned in a recent superseding indictment of Tom Petters. According to the Feds, Frank Vennes got mixed up in Petters Ponzi scheme. Vennes has not been indicted, however much of his property has been confiscated (including buckets of gold and silver coins he kept in the basement of his lakefront mansion in Shoreview). The Feds say Vennes knew something about the scheme right about the time that Bachmann wrote the pardon letter (December 2007). Listen to Vennes talk about "God and Money". The next time Bachmann uses the term "gangster government" reporters should ask Bachmann about her relationships to racketeering Christianists and Bible-thumping thumpers.

Bachmann on Bullying

Listening to Bachmann's pal Sarah Pallin whine about her treatment by the media, reminded me of something.... ah, yes... from the DB archives (2006): audiovideo Bachmann on schoolyard bullying: i think for all us our experience in public schools is there have always been bullies, always have been, always will be. i just don't know how we're ever going to get to point of zero tolerance and what does it mean? I guess, several questions that was comment, one question would be what would be our definition of bullying? will it get to the point where we are completely stifling free speech and expression? will it mean that what form of behavior will there be, will we be expecting boys to be girls what is it exactly that we're asking for? i don't say that as a sexist comment but there are just differences with boys and girls when they're on the playground, when they're in the classroom. None of us like inappropriate behavior, none of us like sassy children, but there's just a fact of life that as we grow up, we're kind of little barbarians when we're two and our process as mothers and fathers is to civilize our children I just don't know how we can realistically expect a zero tolerance of bullying behavior.

Michele Bachmann to Speak at Phyllis Schlafly Organized Conference

Right Wing Watch: But Huckabee isn’t going to have the right-wing adulation all to himself as Rep. Michelle Bachmann has now confirmed her appearance at the conference as well. RWW also notes: Just look at this list of organizers and hosts: Michael Farris is the founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association and Patrick Henry College, as well as the author of the Parental Rights Amendment. Don Wildmon is Chairman of the American Family Association, the boycott-happy right-wing group that recently went after Miley Cyrus for Twittering her views that Jesus loves everyone, whether they are gay or straight. Joseph Farah is the founder of WorldNetDaily, one of the main forces behind the "birther" movement and just about every other right-wing conspiracy. Phyllis Schlafly of the Eagle Forum believes that married women can't be raped by their husbands. Mat Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, the group that is still selling the "proud to be a right-wing extremist" cards, who, earlier this year at CPAC, declared that gay marriage would lead to an entire generation of violent criminals. Rick Scarborough of Vision America recently traveled to Notre Dame to protest along with Alan Keyes and Randall Terry and, just last week, issued a statement decrying the administration's recognition of LBGT pride month, saying that gays have nothing to be proud of and that those "who engage in unnatural acts should hang their heads in shame." But none of Huckabee's former supporters has become more deranged than Janet Porter of Faith2Action, who declared that anyone who votes for Obama will go to hell, has used her column at WorldNetDaily to advance the birther conspiracy against Obama and lead the fight against hate crimes legislation, dubbed the "Pedophile Protection Act", by inundating Congress with faxes, all while simultaneously leading the right-wing effort against the Department of Homeland Security report on right-wing extremism by launching an ad campaign demanding Janet Napolitano's resignation. Just about every insane right-wing conspiracy theory currently in circulation has been embraced by one or more of the organizers of this event, all of whom have actively worked to spread the fear that Obama and the Democrats are out to destroy Christianity and turn America into a socialist hellhole.

St Cloud Times Gives Kudos to Michele Bachmann

Our view: Bachmann earns praise for listening on Northstar St. Cloud Times Editorial Board July 6, 2009 Kudos — yes, kudos — to 6th District Rep. Michele Bachmann for her finally embracing a common-sense approach to balancing constituents’ demands with her personal views. Bachmann last week sat down with Sherburne and Stearns county commissioners to hear why they believe she should make an exception to her personal view of "no earmarks" and seek federal funds to expand the Northstar commuter rail line from Big Lake to St. Cloud. This project enjoys plenty of local support, yet Bachmann’s personal vow to avoid earmarks has been a huge stumbling block in potentially accessing millions of new federal dollars being made available for projects like this nationwide. A Times news report about the meeting Tuesday quoted Bachmann as saying she personally supports the idea but won’t seek an earmark unless the state Department of Transportation and the St. Cloud Area Planning Organization give it a priority ranking. Well, the APO already has passed a measure seeking Federal Railroad Administration funding, and county leaders report MnDOT now considers the project eligible for federal funding. Couple that with Bachmann’s quotes and it looks like the expansion might finally have the broad local support it needs to compete for federal funds. Of course, Bachmann runs some political risk if she agrees to earmark funds for the project. It would be her sixth earmark even though back in 2008 she pledged to avoid them and work to change congressional rules. We repeat today the theme we struck then as debate raged about how to fund replacing the suddenly closed DeSoto Bridge: We appreciate and encourage her to change the earmark process. Some significant steps have been made lately such as requiring more disclosure and better justifications of various requests. Certainly, though, more must be done. In the meantime, an effective legislator will work within the rules to provide the best possible service to constituents. For the Northstar expansion, that's what Sen. Amy Klobuchar is doing. It's what Norm Coleman did. And we sure hope it's what Al Franken will do. It will be interesting to see if Michele Bachmann follows through, considering her well documented hysterical opposition to rail transit.

Bachmann Talks to the Tea-Baggers

Posted on Grizzly Groundswell: audiovideo I also have the privilege of working for hard-pressed freedom loving taxpayers from all across our great country my deep and sincere thanks and appreciation you're all patriots in my book you know just as well as I do that the actions that have been taken recently by this government can be considered gangster government as columnist Michael Barone wrote because our government is working against the best interests of all Americans. what must our founding fathers be thinking right now as they look down from heaven on what they see happening in our country. It seems like there are very few here in Washington today who are left who understand the founding principles of our nation. what makes us uniquely American is not big intrusive government it's that we want to provide for ourselves and we want the government to get out of our way Government exists for us, to give us equal opportunity... but today it seems that government is operating only to give government a leg up. we need to lower taxes across the board will really help to turn our economy around. And before we do that we need to radically reduce runaway spending families shouldn't be the only ones sacrificing I think it's high time that government tightened it's belt too the government should not have unlimited access to your credit card ...so all of you that are gathered here, and in cities all across the country, this is a good start but we have to keep the pressure on. Never forget that it was economic liberty and personal liberty that are intertwined and you can't have one without the other. and from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you. Your passion and your love for God bless you, patriots and keep up your great work

Little papers criticize Bachmann

Worthington is a town out towards the South Dakota border. Fergus Falls is a town between St. Cloud and Fargo. The Worthington Daily Globe and the Daily Journal of Fergus Falls ran the following piece: ...Michele Bachmann, who represents the 6th District, has said she will not fully complete her family’s census information form because she thinks most of the information it seeks is private. It’s an odd argument coming from someone whose job is to make laws, and it sets a very unfortunate example... ...We wonder whether Bachmann believes all Americans should make their own interpretations of the Constitution and act accordingly. If so, there will be no need for 95 percent of the laws Congress creates. And, of course, we would have chaos. Bachmann is in a unique position as one of the nation’s most powerful leaders. She has the ability to change the way the Census is conducted. Doing that, rather than flouting the law, would be the responsible thing to do. And, in fact, we wish she would lead a drive to make the Census less intrusive rather than arguing for near-anarchy. Michele Bachmann is setting a terrible example for her constituents and all Americans. What she ought to do is use the power of her office to change things for the better, rather than leading a rebellion of lawlessness. This is a sign that media across the state are committing themselves to making things less stupid and dangerous.

Michele Bachmann's Crock of Global Warming Denial

Last week, on KKMS, Bachmann made the claim that "the earth is cooling". Listen: Peter Sinclair's Climate Crock of the Week takes on that canard and other favorite canards of global warming skeptics: audiovideo Alan Carlin study B: Lisa is the head of the epa she made a big statement that this was going to ultra-accountable transparent EPA has ever seen science would drive the results, not ideology well just the opposite happened study written by a PHD graduate of MIT which showed our environment is not endangered by carbon dioxide as a matter of fact we've cooled for the last eleven years we haven't been warming we're seeing an increase in current change with the Atlantic ocean that just completely refuts and he said ? has more to do with whether we're cold than carbon dioxide. well the EPA in the emails that came out show they intentionally suppressed this important study from Congress why, because if there's no problem with global warming why have this radical solution which is a two trillion dollar tax increase. Obama administration told the EPA suppress this study so that members of Congress couldn't see it. That was appalling. we need to have an investigation on why that happened.

The Bachmann Prey-In

Originally Published in 2004: The Bachmann Prey-In From Checks and Balances.... Sen. Michele Bachmann (R-52, Stillwater) brought a number of people on the floor of the state Senate last week while it was not in session. This is not an unusual event because legislators often bring visitors onto the floor to show them the surroundings. The difference this time is Bachmann led the people she brought into the chamber to the various desks of members of the Senate that she believed would not be voting for her Gay Marriage ban and they prayed over the desks. People viewing this thought they were witnessing a séance or an exorcism as they watched these people move about the chamber. This is not the first time Bachmann has taken non-traditional approaches in the foisting her opinion and that of her acolytes into the political arena. She rallied her supporters to storm the Senate chamber earlier in the session when the Gay Marriage ban was voted down as an amendment. Sounds rather typical of Bachmann's cult following.