Posted on 04/07/2011 7:45:16 PM PDT by Mozilla
With the government shutdown looming and Republicans looking increasingly obstinate before it, Rep. Michele Bachmann has staked her place squarely against it. In an interview with CNNs John King tonight, Rep. Bachmann reiterated her promise to donate money to the troops should their salaries fall victim and pleaded with her colleagues to avoid the worst case scenario.
King opened up the interview by asking Rep. Bachmann whether, as many have speculated, it is the Tea Party caucus that has Rep. John Boehner and the Republican leadership in a straitjacket over spending. The House Republicans have bent over backwards to assure there is not a government shutdown, Rep. Bachmann argued, then focusing on the individual issues at stake when discussing a shutdown rather than the proposition itself: I think that we should have a clean bill that makes sure that the paychecks get to the troops on time separate from the budget bill.
While she did not directly make any defiant statements towards the Republican leadership, her emphasis on moving away from a shutdown rang slightly awry from the rhetoric of many conservative pundits who have no real stake in a government shutdown, like Fox News Sarah Palin, who repeatedly tweeted in favor of a government shutdown today.
For most of the interview she kept the message on the future of the military, as troops would be the first to see their salaries halted. Confirming her Twitter statement earlier today that she would donate her salary to a military nonprofit should a shutdown occur.
Instead, she argued, we need to have the fight on Obamacare. So no, this is not a sign that Rep. Bachmann has gone soft she still very much opposes Obamacare and called it a central issue for 2012 and for the path to stabilizing the budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediaite.com ...
The Democrats got their way on defunding the Vietnam war because they controlled both the House and the Senate at that time. The Republicans don't have that advantage in 2011.
The Democrats got their way on defunding the Vietnam war because they controlled both the House and the Senate at that time. The Republicans don't have that advantage in 2011.
Yes it is. Meaningless.
To those who say Michele Bachmann is “talking out of both sides of her mouth,” that she is “being a legislator not a leader,” and that she is “compromising,” I say you’re not seeing the big picture.
Her strategy is different. She doesn’t think THIS is “a hill on which to die.” Why? Because The Republicans are insisting on $61 billion of cuts, and the Democrats say no more than $33 billion. What’s the difference? The Republican plan would mean our annual deficit is 4/10’s of ONE PERCENT LESS of the total Gross Domestic Product for the YEAR. .04%!
Bachmann is making the point that about $28 billion for what’s left of this budget year is CHUMP CHANGE compared to the BIG PRIZE — NEXT YEAR’S budget, when we can REALLY go after the big changes like ObamaCare. THAT, Michele says, is “the hill on which to die.” THAT is where we can literally save HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS next year, and TRILLIONS over the next 5-10 years.
Now, one might disagree with her strategy — but she isn’t compromising. I think she makes some valid points. Frankly, I don’t think it will matter whether the stand is made here, or with next years budget. Either way, the outcome will be the same, one way or the other. But Michele has GOOD REASON and VALID arguments to make the case she’s making. She’s one of the GOOD GUYS (er, gals? :-D ) — let’s NOT forget it.
I read the statement from Michelle Bachmann’s site several times and I really can’t figure out what she was trying to say. For a 7th generation Iowa Hawkeye, she really isn’t talking very straight. Maybe you can translate it?
Is the strategy that Ms Bachmann is proposing the same thing this group of Republicans ran on? I’m not so sure.
Congress alone does not have the power to defund... let's say as an example... Libya?
I never knew she was a republican.
At least she can say she talks only from one side of her mouth. At least she did before the face operation.
Now come on. You really think it's that simple? Newt (Republicans) had both both houses of congress in 2005 and yet caved to Clinton vetos. Pelosi had both Houses in 2007 and caved to Bush vetos on war spending.
Recall 2005 Newt announces he wants a shutdown, had the media crucify Republicans for it using his statements, public opinion turns against them, Newt caves in and gives into all of Clintons demands, he pays federal workers full pay and benefits for the three weeks off costing more than keeping it open royally pissing off voters. Then Clinton easily wins Re-election.
I want them to WIN this time and Bachmann appears to also. Unless we can turn public opinion against Obama and Reid on this, a brave stand will turn to a disaster. Bachmann is much smarter than she is being given credit for. If public opinion turns on Obama he will cave and vice versa.
perhaps, but if we can’t even get 28B this year, what does that say about our chances of getting 180B next year? It doesn’t fill me with confidence.
No. No compromise. Even if it means the FedGov is shut down until 2013.
Well, that's the difference between running the country with your finger in the air and running the country based on principles.
You are right... we have to make sure that public opinion is against Obama and Reid on this. That's who is at fault.
Not really. What she said was she thinks that both sides will reach an agreement. But, she will not vote for the agreement anyway. Hardly ambiguous. It seems very clear to me.
She is simply saying that if an agreement is reached that does not defund Obamacare, she will not vote for it.
If you say so.
So which side of both sides is she not on?
A shut down is a losing move. It also ignores the problem. If the givernment is going to shut down, do it over trillons, not paultry billions. This recent budget kerfuffle is a giant charade to hide unwillness to solve a massive problem. B rated movies have less transparent plot lines.
You need someone who has principles and can convince the fickle voters what he is doing is right all while making it through the political land-mine field set by Democrats.
There are still more elections coming in the future. You could ask a genie for someone in charge who agrees with you 100% but if he sticks his foot in his mouth and cant explain what he is doing you end up with Pelosi as Speaker again doubling the current spending on stuff we hate, then raising taxes and outlawing your use of who-knows-what next.
Fight to win!
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