Posted on 09/14/2011 6:05:05 AM PDT by freespirited
Up to now Ive thought Michele Bachman was the most impressive performer in the GOP field, going toe-to-toe with the big boys in the field, out-arguing them on several occasions, and introducing serious constitutional arguments that the rest of the field (even Perry) are too timid to attempt. Shes right to go after Rick Perry on the issue of mandating the use of the Gardisil vaccine, along with the issue of crony capitalism, both of which get at the issue of a potential presidents sense of the reach and limits of state power. Perry is a mixed bag on this (as is Romney obviously) and he should be pressed hard to explain himself and refine his views.
But her embrace of the wacko idea that the vaccine is dangerous or causes autism, mental retardation, or other risks is simply irresponsible. Is Bachman, Glenn Reynolds quipped, trying to go after the Jenny McCarthy vote? (Glenn also links to Jonathan Adlers quick take on this, which is the same as mine.)
Bachman passed along with complete credulity the claim of someone who she says came up to her after the debate attributing her childs mental issues to the vaccine. Ive heard a few people speculate darkly about whether such a person actually exists, or whether Bachman made it up or is trimming a bit from something she was told another time. Youd think our inquisitive news media would find this person and investigate, or that the person would now step forward (or that other people with similar claims would now step forward). Above all, this is a political mistake as well as a scientific one, as it has shifted the focus from Perrys use of power to Bachmanns scientific credibilitya lose-lose for everyone.
Which raises the last point. NBC Nightly News last night went to some trouble to attack Bachmans views on the Gardisil vaccine. Fine; but why doesnt NBC or the other major media perform the same service when anti-vaccine quackery comes from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Jenny McCarthy? No mystery here.
OK. You’ve made it clear. You’re unhinged. Meds might help.
No, I’ve made arguments that you can’t counter, so you call me names. That’s just fine with me.
Clickable link for that:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/39184408/ThromboVision-Timeline-With-Contributions
No, you’ve just demonstrated that you aren’t worth the effort.
LOL...really? I’ve just shown you a blatant pay-to-play scheme and all I get from you is that I’m ‘unhinged’, ‘need meds’ and I’m ‘not worth the effort’?
That’s just fine. Support your corrupt candidate. Just don’t try and pretend he’s anything else, because he’s not.
Not, Palin, she’s not weak. Your comment is weak.
>> If you don’t, have a look at the injury stories and death memorials <<
I did look. Nine anecdotes about deaths aren’t the least bit probative.
>> whenever the word ergo starts cropping up in a Free Republic post, my eyes tend to glaze over <<
Sorry to have bored you.
But I really think you should take it as a something of a compliment, or a sign of respect, that I assumed you had appreciation for the standard practices of formal logic.
No one comes on FR to be lectured or taught formal logic. Surely you know that. I’ve read and reread your post and what you are basically saying is that I will always suspect that female politicians are going to be dissed by conservatives. You may be right about that or you may be wrong. Right now I believe that among conservatives there is NO place for a female presidential candidate. I find that sad and infuriating. (Conservative women are among the worst!)
I’m sorry if I was snarky to you. I enjoy taking the mickey out of people sometimes and when I saw the latin word, I just had to go for it! I apologize.
You take care.
>> Right now I believe that among conservatives there is NO place for a female presidential candidate <<
Correct. The two leading female possibilities have shown themselves to be “unpresidential” — Bachmann by her demagoguery on vaccines and Palin not only by her abandoning the Alaska battlefield under fire, but also by her playing cutesy games about whether she will/won’t enter the POTUS sweepstakes.
The key phrase in your post, however, is “right now.” I’m firmly convinced that the overwhelming majority of conservatives were intially willing to give both women full and fair consideration. I think that initial reaction by conservatives falsifies your hypothesis that most conservatives are irretrievably biased against female candidtates.
So, “right now” the situation is this:
Michelle and Sarah have shot themselves metaphorically in their feet and have shown themselves not ready for POTUS-style prime time. But let’s reserve judgment for a few years. Come 2020, when Marco Rubio picks his VP running mate, Nikki Haley may surprise you!
>> Im sorry if I was snarky to you. I enjoy taking the mickey out of people sometimes and when I saw the latin word, I just had to go for it! I apologize. <<
Very gracious of you. But really, no need to apologize. I can take it!
I like Nikki Haley very much although I don’t know much about her.
I wish I shared your optimism about female candidates but I think that the level of vitriol spewed at Bachmann and Palin will keep many good women from coming forward for years to come.
Do you read some of the post here? There was one guy who compared Bachmann’s speaking voice to overhearing a rectal exam on a bus. As a woman, I was so disgusted and offended. And depressed. I am not the only woman here who feels this way. For some reason, most of these women will not go public with their feelings about FR and conservatives. We post private messages to each other.
All this will probably change one day. But I’m sure I’ll be dead before it happens, lol!
Again, take care.
>> Did you read any of the more than three dozen “anecdotes” about debilitating injury? <<
Three dozen anecdotes when hundreds of thousands of females have taken the shots? Get real, my FRiend, get real.
>> Do you read some of the posts here? <<
Sure. But don’t take them all so seriously. The number of whacky and irresponsible posts on FR seems to have increased a lot in recent months. I suspect that many of them are from trolls who want deliberately to stir up dissension among conservatives.
Was that opt-out path made clear when the bills were introduced, as opposed to being put in "page 8" where you would have to search for it?
If it was not made clear without having to search for it, then considering it was a "mandate" the Bachmann would have a point.
If the opt-out path was made clear, then, well, I had high hopes for Bachmann, but this might do it.
That’s an interesting point of view. Maybe you’re right! Trolls. Ergo - YUCK, lol!
Things that in themselves are not important, but reveal a person who shoots off her mouth before thinking things through:
1) Wishing Elvis a Happy Birthday on the day he died.
2) Praising Waterloo, Iowa’s most prominent citizen, John Wayne (Gacy)
3) Saying Gardisil causes mental retardation
I like you, Michelle, but if you are not smart enough to learn from your mistakes, you are not smart enough to be president.
Good point. Also, at the last debate she asserted that Merck had made “millions of dollars” off Perry’s order. Of course this is ridiculous, since it was never implemented.
She’s too much of a loose cannon.
Why do you think Bachmann joined Romney in attacking Perry?
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