Michelle Bachmann (1 Viewer)

[cubd8]

Bachmann: We should ‘make a covenant, to slit our wrists, be blood brothers’ against health care reform.

Yesterday, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) delivered a “speech filled with urgent and violent rhetoric” at a gathering sponsored by the Independence Institute in Denver. During what was originally billed as a “personal legislative briefing,” Bachmann “got downright biblical” when describing her unwavering opposition to health care reform:

“This [health care reform] cannot pass…What we have to do today is make a covenant, to slit our wrists, be blood brothers on this thing. This will not pass. We will do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn’t pass…Right now, we are looking at reaching down the throat and ripping the guts out of freedom. And we may never be able to restore it if we don’t man up and take this one on.”

According to the Colorado Independent, Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.” She affirmed that “you’re either for us or against us on this issue” and bragged about being the country’s “second-most hated Republican woman.” Rather than spending quality time in her home district during August recess, some speculate that Bachmann’s trip signals her “branching out” and sowing some “rich, right-wing Western soil” in preparation for a future national run.

 

[Godsbrother]

sounds like a loon. Unfortunately there are a lot of loons in politics on both sides. How these people get elected is beyond me.

 

[H.K.]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

 

[djcolts]

It is because of gerrymandering. Too many congressional districts are non-competitive because of deals made to keep incumbents in power. It is a big problem. If Bachmann was not going to get booted out last year after putting her foot in her mouth on "Hardball" - she never will.

 

[Buckfast 1]

I like how when you search for the Michelle Bachmann on Google the most commonly searched terms that are suggested are:

Michelle Bachmann Minnesota

Michelle Bachmann crazy

Michelle Bachmann quotes

She really is a nutjob.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Rhetoric is over the top, but that is not unusual in politicians.

As a boy I use to watch Hollywood movies. I thought the ritual for being a blood brother was to slit the palms and clasp hands manfully. I never saw the wrist slit thing. (I thought the slit wrist was for feeding vampires in need of nourishment) Here's the thing, if this was the ritual wouldn't there have been a lot of fellows with some severe tendon and ligiment damage in their hands?

Also, does anybody know if there was actually any such ritual.

 

[Tom Servo]

Here I thought there were going to be pictures.

 

[acapella]

Sounds like the Republican version of Pelosi.

 

[finito]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that paying taxes, even A LOT of taxes, does not equal slavery.

 

[Gigantomachia]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

Clearly you have no clue what it means to be a slave.

 

[Gigantomachia]

Sounds like the Republican version of Pelosi.

How so? Or are ad hominem attacks the best you got?

 

[ericttspikes]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that paying taxes, even A LOT of taxes, does not equal slavery.

Yeah, I don't get that one either. Only in America do people want everything for free I guess. There are no taxes if you leave the grid and live in a clay hut somewhere in the desert or wander the woods and live off the land.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.

It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.

Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

 

[elcohiba]

She should go live in Texas when they secede.

 

[Gigantomachia]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.

It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.

Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Wow, and you were so close.Now I really want to have a beer with you!

 

[Andy Dufresne]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.

It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.

Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Wow, and you were so close.Now I really want to have a beer with you!

How so?

 

[Bull Dozier]

It is because of gerrymandering. Too many congressional districts are non-competitive because of deals made to keep incumbents in power. It is a big problem. If Bachmann was not going to get booted out last year after putting her foot in her mouth on "Hardball" - she never will.

Gerrymandering is an issue, but that wasn't the whole problem here. The biggest reason for Bachmann being in the House right now is the democratic party. Her district is quite large and sprawling. It probably leans right, but it isn't exactly a right wing stronghold. The Democrats could have beaten a right wing nut job if they would have run a moderate Democrat. They decided to run a very liberal candidate, which eliminated all hope of winning.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

It is because of gerrymandering. Too many congressional districts are non-competitive because of deals made to keep incumbents in power. It is a big problem. If Bachmann was not going to get booted out last year after putting her foot in her mouth on "Hardball" - she never will.

Gerrymandering is an issue, but that wasn't the whole problem here. The biggest reason for Bachmann being in the House right now is the democratic party. Her district is quite large and sprawling. It probably leans right, but it isn't exactly a right wing stronghold. The Democrats could have beaten a right wing nut job if they would have run a moderate Democrat. They decided to run a very liberal candidate, which eliminated all hope of winning.

That might be an understatement. It's amazing/crazy how far her district reaches.

 

[acapella]

Sounds like the Republican version of Pelosi.

How so? Or are ad hominem attacks the best you got?

Which of the women are you suggesting are being attacked by my comparison?

 

[djcolts]

It is because of gerrymandering. Too many congressional districts are non-competitive because of deals made to keep incumbents in power. It is a big problem. If Bachmann was not going to get booted out last year after putting her foot in her mouth on "Hardball" - she never will.

Gerrymandering is an issue, but that wasn't the whole problem here. The biggest reason for Bachmann being in the House right now is the democratic party. Her district is quite large and sprawling. It probably leans right, but it isn't exactly a right wing stronghold. The Democrats could have beaten a right wing nut job if they would have run a moderate Democrat. They decided to run a very liberal candidate, which eliminated all hope of winning.

That might be an understatement. It's amazing/crazy how far her district reaches.

Mine was more of a general statement than about Bachmann herself - the question was how to these people keep getting elected (loons from both sides).

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Mine was more of a general statement than about Bachmann herself - the question was how to these people keep getting elected (loons from both sides).

Sorry, I didn't even read your statment all the way through.Were you referring to he statement about fearing that Obama's policies might be un-American? Because I have an opinion on that, as you might imagine.

 

[djcolts]

Mine was more of a general statement than about Bachmann herself - the question was how to these people keep getting elected (loons from both sides).

Sorry, I didn't even read your statment all the way through.Were you referring to he statement about fearing that Obama's policies might be un-American? Because I have an opinion on that, as you might imagine.

I'm interested in your take on that, if you don't mind. I'll keep an open mind.

 

[Bull Dozier]

It is because of gerrymandering. Too many congressional districts are non-competitive because of deals made to keep incumbents in power. It is a big problem. If Bachmann was not going to get booted out last year after putting her foot in her mouth on "Hardball" - she never will.

Gerrymandering is an issue, but that wasn't the whole problem here. The biggest reason for Bachmann being in the House right now is the democratic party. Her district is quite large and sprawling. It probably leans right, but it isn't exactly a right wing stronghold. The Democrats could have beaten a right wing nut job if they would have run a moderate Democrat. They decided to run a very liberal candidate, which eliminated all hope of winning.

That might be an understatement. It's amazing/crazy how far her district reaches.

Yeah, it kinda kills the idea of local representation when you have people in Belgrade, Stillwater, and Woodbury with the same representative. Maybe that is more common than I realize, but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Mine was more of a general statement than about Bachmann herself - the question was how to these people keep getting elected (loons from both sides).

Sorry, I didn't even read your statment all the way through.Were you referring to he statement about fearing that Obama's policies might be un-American? Because I have an opinion on that, as you might imagine.

I'm interested in your take on that, if you don't mind. I'll keep an open mind.

It was during the debate over his relationship with guys like Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright, both guys which were rightly, IMO, accused of having anti-American veiwpoints.

All she was saying was that there are "legitimate questions". Regardless of what the association was, the fact that Obama was around the guy at all is disconcerting at the very least.

Where she dropped the ball in that interview, and where she lacks as a politician, is that she allowed Matthews to frame the terms of the debate. She allowed him to define and interpret her words for her which was a mistake.

She did repeat over and over again in that interview that "Ayers, Wright, et. al." were anti American and Obama associated with them. Matthews kept asking her if liberals in general are anti-American and she very consistently did not answer that to the affirmative.

 

[djcolts]

Mine was more of a general statement than about Bachmann herself - the question was how to these people keep getting elected (loons from both sides).

Sorry, I didn't even read your statment all the way through.Were you referring to he statement about fearing that Obama's policies might be un-American? Because I have an opinion on that, as you might imagine.

I'm interested in your take on that, if you don't mind. I'll keep an open mind.

I'll rewatch it tomorrow night (I can't tonight). I could use a fresh review of that interview since the election is well past and thus there's less emotion about it now than there was then.

 

[Gigantomachia]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.

It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.

Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Wow, and you were so close.Now I really want to have a beer with you!

How so?

Oh, just in my own mind as a hip dude Still like to have a beer with ya though

 

[Gigantomachia]

Sounds like the Republican version of Pelosi.

How so? Or are ad hominem attacks the best you got?

Which of the women are you suggesting are being attacked by my comparison?

Insofar as your claims rest on a fallacy, why should it matter?

 

[Gigantomachia]

Where she dropped the ball in that interview, and where she lacks as a politician, is that she allowed Matthews to frame the terms of the debate. She allowed him to define and interpret her words for her which was a mistake.

Much more going on here than meets the eye.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Where she dropped the ball in that interview, and where she lacks as a politician, is that she allowed Matthews to frame the terms of the debate. She allowed him to define and interpret her words for her which was a mistake.

Much more going on here than meets the eye.

Matthews is really good at crafting the debate to his liking, from what little I've seen of him.Of course, so is Bill O'Reilly so "all's fair...".

 

[kutta]

That's awesome! I bet she's great in bed.

 

[H.K.]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

Clearly you have no clue what it means to be a slave.

slavery: the state of being under the control of another person Tell you what, you stop paying your taxes and tell me how much control you have.

 

[H.K.]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that paying taxes, even A LOT of taxes, does not equal slavery.

Yeah, I don't get that one either. Only in America do people want everything for free I guess.

You might want to do your homework on who is footing the bill for things in this country.

There are no taxes if you leave the grid and live in a clay hut somewhere in the desert or wander the woods and live off the land.

Where can you do that this in this country? If you own the land, you'll owe property tax. If you don't own the land, you're trespassing. Either way, the government has the final say in the matter, not you.

 

[NCCommish]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Come on Andy. This isn't time to time. It's every week. Please tell me this is shtick.

 

[Chadstroma]

That is some odd language used. She may want to hire a speech writer.

 

[Christo]

Hot

 

[TobiasFunke]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

Clearly you have no clue what it means to be a slave.

slavery: the state of being under the control of another person Tell you what, you stop paying your taxes and tell me how much control you have.

Her math skills also leave something to be desired. More than half of their income? Really? Maybe if you're pulling down a high-seven-figure income and live in one of a handful of states with high state tax rates. You think those people feel like slaves? Go ahead, pitch that one to the masses, Michelle. I'm sure it will go over well.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Come on Andy. This isn't time to time. It's every week. Please tell me this is shtick.

She has poor communication skills and I would put the point differently myself. But in general, I agree with her viewpoints. Not that it matters. She's likely to lose the next election anyway.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Bachmann also claimed that many Americans pay more than half their income in taxes, adding “it’s nothing more than slavery.”

She's correct on this one.

Clearly you have no clue what it means to be a slave.

slavery: the state of being under the control of another person Tell you what, you stop paying your taxes and tell me how much control you have.

Her math skills also leave something to be desired. More than half of their income? Really? Maybe if you're pulling down a high-seven-figure income and live in one of a handful of states with high state tax rates. You think those people feel like slaves? Go ahead, pitch that one to the masses, Michelle. I'm sure it will go over well.

I'd wager that by the time you add up your local, state, federal, sales, property, excise, capital gains, etc. taxes, there are many people that at least approach if not exceed taxes of 50% of their income.If you're in the top brackets in Minnesota, you're paying 42.85% in income taxes.

 

[NCCommish]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Come on Andy. This isn't time to time. It's every week. Please tell me this is shtick.

She has poor communication skills and I would put the point differently myself. But in general, I agree with her viewpoints. Not that it matters. She's likely to lose the next election anyway.

Man she does your district and the things you support a huge disservice every time she opens her mouth. I am a little surprised to find out you support this trainwreck. Oh well your call. Enjoy.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Her math skills also leave something to be desired. More than half of their income? Really? Maybe if you're pulling down a high-seven-figure income and live in one of a handful of states with high state tax rates. You think those people feel like slaves? Go ahead, pitch that one to the masses, Michelle. I'm sure it will go over well.

I'd wager that by the time you add up your local, state, federal, sales, property, excise, capital gains, etc. taxes, there are many people that at least approach if not exceed taxes of 50% of their income.If you're in the top brackets in Minnesota, you're paying 42.85% in income taxes.

How can you say this without knowing what a particular person is making?Or are you confusing marginal rate with actual rate?I'm guessing you are, and so is Michelle.

 

[Gordo]

She's my representative. I kind of like her. She's not nearly as over the top as she's portrayed as being.

It's the same angle as "Bush/Reagan is stupid." Repeat it enough times and you believe it's true and wonder why everyone doesn't agree with you.

Still. I think she could choose her words more carefully from time to time.

Come on Andy. This isn't time to time. It's every week. Please tell me this is shtick.

She has poor communication skills and I would put the point differently myself. But in general, I agree with her viewpoints. Not that it matters. She's likely to lose the next election anyway.

Do you agree that the members of congress should be investigated for their anti-American views?

When asked about the Democratic Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader, Bachmann said "I am not going to say if they are anti-American or pro-American."[37] When asked by Matthews "How many people in the Congress of the United States do you suspect as being anti-American?" she replied "What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that."

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Man she does your district and the things you support a huge disservice every time she opens her mouth. I am a little surprised to find out you support this trainwreck. Oh well your call. Enjoy.

So she's ineloquent. Big deal.

 

[H.K.]

Her math skills also leave something to be desired. More than half of their income? Really? Maybe if you're pulling down a high-seven-figure income and live in one of a handful of states with high state tax rates. You think those people feel like slaves? Go ahead, pitch that one to the masses, Michelle. I'm sure it will go over well.

I'd wager that by the time you add up your local, state, federal, sales, property, excise, capital gains, etc. taxes, there are many people that at least approach if not exceed taxes of 50% of their income.

&

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that paying taxes, even A LOT of taxes, does not equal slavery.

"The Tale of the Slave"

from Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia, pp. 290-292.

Consider the following sequence of cases, which we shall call the Tale of the Slave, and imagine it is about you.

1. There is a slave completely at the mercy of his brutal master's whims. He often is cruelly beaten, called out in the middle of the night, and so on.

2. The master is kindlier and beats the slave only for stated infractions of his rules (not fulfilling the work quota, and so on). He gives the slave some free time.

3. The master has a group of slaves, and he decides how things are to be allocated among them on nice grounds, taking into account their needs, merit, and so on.

4. The master allows his slaves four days on their own and requires them to work only three days a week on his land. The rest of the time is their own.

5. The master allows his slaves to go off and work in the city (or anywhere they wish) for wages. He requires only that they send back to him three-sevenths of their wages. He also retains the power to recall them to the plantation if some emergency threatens his land; and to raise or lower the three-sevenths amount required to be turned over to him. He further retains the right to restrict the slaves from participating in certain dangerous activities that threaten his financial return, for example, mountain climbing, cigarette smoking.

6. The master allows all of his 10,000 slaves, except you, to vote, and the joint decision is made by all of them. There is open discussion, and so forth, among them, and they have the power to determine to what uses to put whatever percentage of your (and their) earnings they decide to take; what activities legitimately may be forbidden to you, and so on.

Let us pause in this sequence of cases to take stock. If the master contracts this transfer of power so that he cannot withdraw it, you have a change of master. You now have 10,000 masters instead of just one; rather you have one 10,000-headed master. Perhaps the 10,000 even will be kindlier than the benevolent master in case 2. Still, they are your master. However, still more can be done. A kindly single master (as in case 2) might allow his slave(s) to speak up and try to persuade him to make a certain decision. The 10,000-headed monster can do this also.

7. Though still not having the vote, you are at liberty (and are given the right) to enter into the discussions of the 10,000, to try to persuade them to adopt various policies and to treat you and themselves in a certain way. They then go off to vote to decide upon policies covering the vast range of their powers.

8. In appreciation of your useful contributions to discussion, the 10,000 allow you to vote if they are deadlocked; they commit themselves to this procedure. After the discussion you mark your vote on a slip of paper, and they go off and vote. In the eventuality that they divide evenly on some issue, 5,000 for and 5,000 against, they look at your ballot and count it in. This has never yet happened; they have never yet had occasion to open your ballot. (A single master also might commit himself to letting his slave decide any issue concerning him about which he, the master, was absolutely indifferent.)

9. They throw your vote in with theirs. If they are exactly tied your vote carries the issue. Otherwise it makes no difference to the electoral outcome.

The question is: which transition from case 1 to case 9 made it no longer the tale of a slave?

Link

 

[NCCommish]

Man she does your district and the things you support a huge disservice every time she opens her mouth. I am a little surprised to find out you support this trainwreck. Oh well your call. Enjoy.

So she's ineloquent. Big deal.

She's an idiot and a bomb thrower who is a pawn of the worst elements of the fringe right. You are far more qualified to have that seat then she will ever be. Heck probably than most members of Congress for that matter. But she is offensively insipid and a smart guy like you defends that? Really I am surprised.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Her math skills also leave something to be desired. More than half of their income? Really? Maybe if you're pulling down a high-seven-figure income and live in one of a handful of states with high state tax rates. You think those people feel like slaves? Go ahead, pitch that one to the masses, Michelle. I'm sure it will go over well.

I'd wager that by the time you add up your local, state, federal, sales, property, excise, capital gains, etc. taxes, there are many people that at least approach if not exceed taxes of 50% of their income.If you're in the top brackets in Minnesota, you're paying 42.85% in income taxes.

How can you say this without knowing what a particular person is making?Or are you confusing marginal rate with actual rate?I'm guessing you are, and so is Michelle.

Do you not think that there are people paying that as an effective rate? Do you think that's fair?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Do you agree that the members of congress should be investigated for their anti-American views?

When asked about the Democratic Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader, Bachmann said "I am not going to say if they are anti-American or pro-American."[37] When asked by Matthews "How many people in the Congress of the United States do you suspect as being anti-American?" she replied "What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that."

Of course not. See that's the part of the interview where Matthews got her tied in knots and she allowed him to state her position for her. She should have shut up at that point.I think you're all overstating my position on Bachmann. I think she's a lightweight and of little real consequence (on a national scale anyway).

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Man she does your district and the things you support a huge disservice every time she opens her mouth. I am a little surprised to find out you support this trainwreck. Oh well your call. Enjoy.

So she's ineloquent. Big deal.

She's an idiot and a bomb thrower who is a pawn of the worst elements of the fringe right. You are far more qualified to have that seat then she will ever be. Heck probably than most members of Congress for that matter. But she is offensively insipid and a smart guy like you defends that? Really I am surprised.

Don't think I don't know that. "Offensively insipid"? Come on NCC. I think you're overstating it just like her political opponents are just to make your point seem more valid. You're engaging in hyperbole.

And anyway, Henry Waxman says that people that oppose Cap & Trade are un-American and nobody says "boo". So let's be a bit fair here.

 

[MrPhoenix]

It is because of gerrymandering. Too many congressional districts are non-competitive because of deals made to keep incumbents in power. It is a big problem. If Bachmann was not going to get booted out last year after putting her foot in her mouth on "Hardball" - she never will.

Gerrymandering is an issue, but that wasn't the whole problem here. The biggest reason for Bachmann being in the House right now is the democratic party. Her district is quite large and sprawling. It probably leans right, but it isn't exactly a right wing stronghold. The Democrats could have beaten a right wing nut job if they would have run a moderate Democrat. They decided to run a very liberal candidate, which eliminated all hope of winning.

That might be an understatement. It's amazing/crazy how far her district reaches.

Here's my district. My congresswoman is Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete. Her backbone is about as strong as a foam noodle.

 

[NCCommish]

Man she does your district and the things you support a huge disservice every time she opens her mouth. I am a little surprised to find out you support this trainwreck. Oh well your call. Enjoy.

So she's ineloquent. Big deal.

She's an idiot and a bomb thrower who is a pawn of the worst elements of the fringe right. You are far more qualified to have that seat then she will ever be. Heck probably than most members of Congress for that matter. But she is offensively insipid and a smart guy like you defends that? Really I am surprised.

Don't think I don't know that. "Offensively insipid"? Come on NCC. I think you're overstating it just like her political opponents are just to make your point seem more valid. You're engaging in hyperbole.

And anyway, Henry Waxman says that people that oppose Cap & Trade are un-American and nobody says "boo". So let's be a bit fair here.

Hadn't read that, if he said it he is an idiot for saying it. But Waxman isn't on the front page every week for some whackadoodle crap he is spouting. She is.