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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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71regiment | Aug 15, 2011, 03:10 PM EDT

Cahir sounds off like most of the liberals. Your opinion on Michele Bachman is completly upside down. What is wrong with puting our government on a balanced budget track,& reduce spending money we do not have? If any family in the USA, ran its finance's the way our government does, they would be bankrupt. The "Tea Party" folks are common ordinary Americans, who do not like what our country is turning into, under the current crowd in Washington. They are tired of being taxed, while others are getting all kinds of handouts, they watched the Democratic controlled Congress pass Obamacare, with a bill 2700 pages long, that none of them read, and Pelosi said cross your fingers and lets see what happens. Why did they not spend their time balancing the budget, all they want is more power, and the average American can see that and they do not want any more of the "Chicago Crowd" in the White House and in the Congress.

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Opoets99 | Aug 15, 2011, 02:44 PM EDT

So your idea of a "mature alternative" is allowing Obama and the demos to bankrupt the country so the government can take over?

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Opoets99 | Aug 15, 2011, 02:38 PM EDT

Did you say the same about the newly elected Obama when he told the Republicans "I won the election, I don't care what your opinions are"

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feeneycj | Aug 15, 2011, 02:26 PM EDT

ABO - Anybody But Obama. Obama's "YES WE CAN" turned into "NOPE WE WON'T BALANCE OR HAVE A BUDGET and SPEND MORE SO I CAN KEEP MOANING TAX MORE".

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Gaelicpiper | Aug 15, 2011, 02:22 PM EDT

Well, what we smell from O'Doherty's little rant is fear. While I do not like that women, her many stated positions on the problems confronting the Nation, are shared by a vast majority of American Citizens. The only thing Nixon, and Spiro Agnew, got right was the fact that there is a Silent Majorityin this Nation; that, from time to time, will rise up and slap idiots such as O'bumma, and his minion, with a lot of political reality. What we are witnessing is a perfect storm-- what we do not know is- who will survive-- the O'Dohertys of the world, or the silent majority.

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mikehoulihan | Aug 15, 2011, 01:33 PM EDT

Cahir Doherty, another example of why Irish Central has evolved into a Catholic bashing, gay agenda rag.

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peterquinn | Aug 15, 2011, 01:21 PM EDT

Not to be negative, but the woman is a mendacious dope. I sincerely hope she's the Republican nominee for '12.

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Parents | Aug 15, 2011, 01:20 PM EDT

I think she is downright scary!

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hybernia | Aug 15, 2011, 01:16 PM EDT

The audacity of a dope.

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PatriciaMarya | Aug 15, 2011, 01:07 PM EDT

I am confused how Bachmann's clinic, which is not a medical facility, is allowed to get reimbursements from Medicaid. Can Bachmann prescribe medications? No, he does not have a medical degree; only psychiatrists and MDs can prescribe medication. So how does this unsubstantiated system of psychotherapy get the imprimatur of being allowed to be considered medical, thus allowing for Medicaid reimbursement? Anybody know why? And another thing: she and her husband get agricultural subsidies for some property they own. Why? When Bob Schieffer asked her if she and her husband would be willing to forego these agricultural subsidies, she talked about the amount of limos used in government. By the way, an amazing amoung of these agri-subsidy checks are mailed to people who live in major cities. Just another wonderful shuck and jive to give subsidies to real estate loopholes and agribusiness while the family farmers are left to fight for crumbs. The Bachmanns of the world will not carry their fair share of responsibility but are more than happy to collect their fat checks for their use of loopholes!

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TheOldPerfessor | Aug 15, 2011, 12:41 PM EDT

Anybody want to dispute the quotes here? Don't bother because they're all easily accessible in Westlaw. Just go back to childish name-calling.

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Ed.Shevlin | Aug 15, 2011, 12:33 PM EDT

Regretably Cahir is enveloped in culpable ignorance or wearing blinders. (Oops, blinders do not go on the posterior portion of an equine quadriped.) Don't blame Bachmann and the Tea Party for the legislative gridlock. Less than 90 out of 435 House members are affiliated with the Tea Party. You seem to ignore the fact that more than 150 Democrats refused to compromise and after the House sent a compromise plan to the Senate, Harry Reid and the Democrat controlled Senate refused to even consider the plan, but declared it DOA and tabled it! Obama's February budget was defeated unanimously by both Democrats and Republicans and Harry Reid's plan was more smoke and mirrors. Not one Democrat in the House of Senate was willing to compromise on any issue and neither Obama nor any Democrat in the Congress offered a reasonable alternative. Please aim your criticism where it belongs!

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hollabackgurl | Aug 15, 2011, 12:10 PM EDT

Bachmann stands for Christian Dominionism, meaning that Christians have a God-given right to rule all earthly institutions. Now, thanks to the Tea Party, we have the most theocratic Republican field in American history.

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Nicomax | Aug 15, 2011, 12:09 PM EDT

Electing her POTUS will require a companion rewrite of various Articles and Amendments to the Constitution. The 'establishment clause', and the 'no religious test for public office in the US' article would need to be significantly changed, if not totally removed. Throughout her life, she believes only one religious sect is true, so that's why she frowns upon the Enlightenment.

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kelauggie1 | Aug 15, 2011, 11:58 AM EDT

Your uber liberal stance is showing again. Bachmann stands for something - not like the "I feel strongly both ways" crowd now in power. And it sounds like you primarily don't care for her statements on gays - if that's your biggest beef, get over it. We have many more crucial areas in need of correction - those we are suffering through, compliments of our current administration. The only thing you left out is "It's Bush's fault".

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