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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Michele Bachmann: The audacity of nope

Posted on Monday, August 15, 2011 at 09:47 AM

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Michele Bachmann is a very new kind of American politician – one who seems to have nothing but contempt for politics and for her political opponents.

For Bachmann, and her Tea Party fellow travelers, there is only one RIGHT WAY and there is no longer any need to examine mature alternatives.

We can thank the Tea Party for the creation of this new kind of American candidate: a candidate who runs for government office whilst simultaneously hoping to completely dismantle all functioning democracy.

Last week's US credit rating downgrade was just the beginning, because these are candidates who prefer crisis to compromise. You'd all better get used to hearing the word no.

Politics used to be the art of the compromise, but for the GOP these days compromise means a quick demotion to the also-ran's. Thank the Inquisitor General of talk radio Rush Limbaugh for that, he will not suffer a heretic and he maintains the climate of dread.

Thanks to him and his fellow travelers at Fox News, we now live in a hardline era of far-right ideological purity tests and pledges. It's an age where candidates must sign up to out-oppress all unfavored minorities - or they'll be forced off the stage.

So Bachmann, like her other far right cohorts, no longer troubles herself with the idea she represents all the people - there's no need for pretense anymore - she is instead pandering shamelessly to her white, evangelical midwestern and southern base and if elected she would only represent them (because for her there is no other American viewpoint to examine, and no need for further consideration at all).

It's bad enough that some of the Minnesota electorate put this absurd candidate (Bachmann actually thinks that the Renaissance and the Enlightenment were disasters for humanity) into public office, but it's unthinkable to put an ignoramus of this magnitude into the White House.

This is a woman who's husband touts (and reportedly practices) quack ex-gay therapy. Bachmann has also called for the reinstatement of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

These anti-gay perspectives aren't sideline issues: they are absolutely definitional. The Bachmann's both believe the gays hail directly from the Devil and are under his baleful rule. Please read that previous sentence again. That kind of abject lunacy would be fine if this were AD 1011 instead of AD 2011. But as it stands, they're a pair of ahistoric, backwoods theocratic zealots who can not and will not countenance the modern world.

Whilst decrying government spending it's interesting to note the Bachmann's were very happy to take government bucks to 'pray away the gay' at their 'clinic.' That's why just yesterday on NBC's Meet the Press, host David Gregory asked her to reply to her utterly infamous 2004 comment that being gay is 'part of Satan.' Bachmann sat there not blinking until she eventually remarked, 'Well, I'm running for the presidency of the united states; I'm not running to be anyone's judge.' Oh please, what nauseating hypocrisy - calling gay people agents of Satan is what else?

In 2012 we are being asked to trade hope and change for a brand new era of fear and repression. The Bachmann's apparently like the Dark Ages so much they're prepared to take us all back to them spiritually, economically, culturally and politically.

But Bachman hasn't figured it out - it's dictators who never compromise - politicians are elected to. She's running for president, not Queen.

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39 comments

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maloney | Aug 22, 2011, 03:59 PM EDT

You need not fear Bachmann, you need fear Perry!!

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JimMcGarity | Aug 19, 2011, 10:30 PM EDT

A woman should never be our president.

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Ratslayer | Aug 16, 2011, 06:04 PM EDT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS on yer DEATH DAY!!!

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rgray222 | Aug 16, 2011, 02:18 PM EDT

The audacity of "nope" is exactly what the country needs. Nope..no more spending, nope..no more bailouts, nope..no more entitlements, nope....no more false promises, stop wars, lobbyist, earmarks, close gitmo, immigration reform, transparency, cut unnecessary spending (LOL), no more financial downgrades, no more spending, nope no more spending no more spending. Bachman gets it and Obama does not have a clue yet that the "vast majority" of Americans are not tea party members but they agree with their premise. The spending party is over, the taxing party is over. Things have changed, get with it or get out!

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thumpdrum | Aug 16, 2011, 12:46 PM EDT

Keep drinking the Kool-aid, Cahir. You're buying the White House line, hook line and sinker. The problem is, Obama doesn't need to win you and your kind over. Politics is, as you said a means of compromise but ONLY when the Democrats don't have the power. If they do, compromise goes out the window. Look up Obama's racist remarks in the speech stating that they're in charge and if the Republican's want to come along, they'll have to sit at the back,

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bogsidebunny | Aug 16, 2011, 07:55 AM EDT

Re-elect obama and the United States will move closer to an Irish Socialist, poor government healthcare, welfare State. Bachmann is merely standing up for her principles. And the irish don't like someone they can't browbeat and bully into submission, so the only other tactic is to destroy the person with inuendo.

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hollabackgurl | Aug 15, 2011, 11:25 PM EDT

What it says about Obama is that he'll win re-election in 2012. These candidates are too far to the right. And Rick Perry? A former pilot and Christian evangelist who was a weak student and a governor of Texas? Wait, didn't we try that recently and it didn't work out?

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jflanagan | Aug 15, 2011, 09:55 PM EDT

I'm not endorsing anyone but just want to point out that Canada is doing very well economically and a great part of that is lessening their spending and debt. Here's an article by the L.A. Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/11/business/la-fi-econ-canada-20100711

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Pittsburghkid | Aug 15, 2011, 07:59 PM EDT

Someone has to be the Adult and say no. You used a cover of Newsweek. Newsweek was sold for $1. by the Washington Post. The Washington Post got the best of the deal. Newsweek is a symbol of the liberal movement, but their is no one willing to pay $1. for the liberal movement. If Bachman is so lame, then what does that say about Obama.

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seanomelbourne | Aug 15, 2011, 06:26 PM EDT

Bachmann is an ignorant right wing christian fascist following the teahadist mantra "It's our way or the highway".No common sense,no honour,no respect for others except the wealthy who support them.

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fankkburns | Aug 15, 2011, 05:15 PM EDT

If she is right, and "submit to" means "respect" why doesn't God also tell husbands to "submit to" their wives?? But of course she really believes it says they should submit -- hence her comment about yielding to his wishes about law school, even though she didn't want to go. The upshot? We saw a point where Bachmann had to choose between publicly affirming her religious beliefs and saying what she figured was necessary politically -- and I guess we all know what she did.

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eiriamach | Aug 15, 2011, 05:10 PM EDT

This is crazy from Gaelicpiper: "her many stated positions on the problems confronting the Nation, are shared by a vast majority of American Citizens"-- not anywhere near a majority of Americans are so ignorant as to vote for this flunked-third-grade-history TP zealot. And mikehouihan's comment is sheer bigotry-- very offensive-- and not the only one! There are real issues at stake in the next presidential election. Let's stay with issues, please. Enough of the gay-bashing and liberal baiting and presuming to speak for a majority!

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allentown | Aug 15, 2011, 04:53 PM EDT

What is a " mature alternative" to extremists liberals?

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hollabackgurl | Aug 15, 2011, 03:54 PM EDT

George W Bush inherited a record surplus and turned it (via the biggest tax give away's to the rich in American history and two idiot wars) into the biggest deficit in American history. If you want to ascribe blame for America's deficit start at the source.

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ciarrai | Aug 15, 2011, 03:47 PM EDT

Just as soon as Bachmann's husband and his "therapists" turn homosexuals straight they will move Mt. Everest to New Jersey.

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