Finally: This is what I was waiting for. The press will try to do what they did with Sarah Palin, but this time it will backfire. She's not stupid. A casual person will enter the debate with a low expectation on her because of this and will be impressed over and over.
I think you are right about this. I'm not a Bachmann fan by any means, but she is not an airhead that got a reality career gift-wrapped to her by the McCain campaign.
She seems smart and it appears her handlers are ready for the challenge. I'd prefer other candidates but I think all the liberals may give her too much focus and soon live to regret it.
Palin ran a state, regardless of whether you like the state or not... it's a state. That state did well economically with her at the helm. Any political person would agree that typically in U.S. elections Governors trump Senators. Palin was a Governor. Obama was a Senator and for only two years.
No, they didn't have a chance from the get-go. Had the economy remained stable (like it was, maybe in early summer), then they would have had a shot, but still it would have been an upward battle. She was picked because of the gas price problem. If you recall back before Lehman went down, that was the issue. Once the economy became the issue, the result is always the same... blame the incumbent party.
That's why the Dems were destroyed in the last election, and that's why, I believe Obama will be a one term President.
it has nothing to do with whether i like the state (and for the record - i think alaska is awesome, been twice) ... it's about her job as governor ... alaska has like 720,000 ... that's not very large ... it's like saying someone who was the ceo of a small hardware store in some town is more experienced than the ceo of home depot based strictly on years ...
also ... she didn't even finish her term because of the scandals and her addiction to fame ... doesn't that concern you that she could not even finish her term in a small state and that she was embroiled in scandal after scandal!??
it has nothing to do with whether i like the state (and for the record - i think alaska is awesome, been twice) ... it's about her job as governor ... alaska has like 720,000 ... that's not very large ... it's like saying someone who was the ceo of a small hardware store in some town is more experienced than the ceo of home depot based strictly on years ...
I'd like to go there some day.
I don't think it's like saying that... it's like saying this:
someone who was the ceo of a hardware store is more experienced to run a company than a person who's never run anything in his life.
also ... she didn't even finish her term because of the scandals and her addiction to fame ... doesn't that concern you that she could not even finish her term in a small state and that she was embroiled in scandal after scandal!??
Obama didn't finish his term either.
I don't like Sarah Palin too much. I don't know of any huge scandals that she had though. Personally, I think she should not have left office. But, this really has nothing to do with my points. I said McCain and her had more experience than Obama.
I don't think it's like saying that... it's like saying this:
someone who was the ceo of a hardware store is more experienced to run a company than a person who's never run anything in his life.
***************
Obama didn't finish his term either.
I don't like Sarah Palin too much. I don't know of any huge scandals that she had though. Personally, I think she should not have left office. But, this really has nothing to do with my points. I said McCain and her had more experience than Obama.
it's very beautiful ... of course much of that beauty lies within the pristine nature ... something that would be disrupted by more drilling ...
the problem is you are interchanging experience and qualifications when they are in fact two different things ...
here's another example ... it's game 7 of the world series ... do you go with your 10-year vet who has a 4.95 era or a rookie who has a 1.30 era? ... experience is a factor but it needs to be in context ...
also, it's one thing to quit being a senator so you can be president vs quitting so you can go on a book/speaking tour ...
The president actually served as a senator. Like a real one.
129 times
Palin "We don't have a 'present' button as governor,'' Palin said after an appearance before fellow Republican governors in Minneapolis. "We are expected to lead, we are expected to take action and not just vote 'present.' "
The president actually served as a senator. Like a real one.
129 times
Palin "We don't have a 'present' button as governor,'' Palin said after an appearance before fellow Republican governors in Minneapolis. "We are expected to lead, we are expected to take action and not just vote 'present.' "
you can not vote "present" in the us senate.....
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
here's another example ... it's game 7 of the world series ... do you go with your 10-year vet who has a 4.95 era or a rookie who has a 1.30 era? ... experience is a factor but it needs to be in context ...
Ok. I get your point. But, I still see qualifications and experience as linked. I would respond back why did Obama have better "batting average" (so to speak) going in? Not only did he have less experience, he did not many statistics on his qualifications behind him. I mean, what exactly did he do besides a speech?
It was like picking someone who said he was great at baseball, but you have no statistics on whether that was true or not. You have to decide between him and a guy/girl you know has a certain batting average. Sure, you can take a chance... I think that's exactly what America did. They took a shot with the no name guy. Unfortunately, I think we're all sitting in the dugout right now wishing we never did.
Ok. I get your point. But, I still see qualifications and experience as linked. I would respond back why did Obama have better "batting average" (so to speak) going in? Not only did he have less experience, he did not many statistics on his qualifications behind him. I mean, what exactly did he do besides a speech?
It was like picking someone who said he was great at baseball, but you have no statistics on whether that was true or not. You have to decide between him and a guy/girl you know has a certain batting average. Sure, you can take a chance... I think that's exactly what America did. They took a shot with the no name guy. Unfortunately, I think we're all sitting in the dugout right now wishing we never did.
my example used "era" ... but either way, the point is simply that experience does count for something but it's not everything and within that - experience has to be in context ... also, similar to the angle sarah palin used - too much experience may just mean you have too many ties to an already corrupt system ...
as for obama ... he was a state senator for 3 terms before become us senator ... the thing is tho ... to be president, it can't always be about the resume ... you need someone who can bridge differences, show some integrity, not have too many ties to special interest ... i dunno if obama were all those things - just simply that years in office don't matter as much to me in terms of whether one is qualified ... understanding the constitution is a must tho ... and he definitely knows it ...
Ok. I get your point. But, I still see qualifications and experience as linked. I would respond back why did Obama have better "batting average" (so to speak) going in? Not only did he have less experience, he did not many statistics on his qualifications behind him. I mean, what exactly did he do besides a speech?
It was like picking someone who said he was great at baseball, but you have no statistics on whether that was true or not. You have to decide between him and a guy/girl you know has a certain batting average. Sure, you can take a chance... I think that's exactly what America did. They took a shot with the no name guy. Unfortunately, I think we're all sitting in the dugout right now wishing we never did.
Personally? Had McCain not sold his soul, shifted far right, and selected Palin as his running mate, I might have voted for him. Unfortunately, he shifted far right, became the opposite of what he used to be, and picked an absolute idiot of a running mate. That wrecks his ERA alone.
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
Why else would there be 25 pages/ 3 threads hatin on her.....
Huntsman or Romney scare me, Bachman is just an idiot.
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
black people voted in droves for our first black President. Because he was black in MANY cases. I presume women will do the same if she gets the nom.
OK ok... not quite. Those black voters have traditionally always been democrats. The fact that the Democratic nominee was a black man was HUGE plus for them... but if he'd run for a Republican ticket... most of them probably wouldn't have voted for him.
black people voted in droves for our first black President. Because he was black in MANY cases. I presume women will do the same if she gets the nom.
OK ok... not quite. Those black voters have traditionally always been democrats. The fact that the Democratic nominee was a black man was HUGE plus for them... but if he'd run for a Republican ticket... most of them probably wouldn't have voted for him.
i don't support her policies. supporting intelligent design is ridiculous to me and she's blasted earmarks so many times but requests them in bills then goes on to say "oh money for building this bridge isn't an earmark." well it is...that's exactly what they are..which makes me think less of her because earmarks a worthless cause for people to be going after as far as wasteful spending goes. She's put her foot in her mouth many times...and what are her solutions? What CONCRETE agenda has she put out there? Honestly, can you guys educate me on some of her solutions to our economy, energy, and foreign policy problems? She will get the VP nod from somebody tho.
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,436
When I read articles like this, I have two thoughts:
1) My first thought is a tiny bit of worry. Could someone who is this bad at doing their homework actually reach a position of power? My next thought is,
2) Oh man, I did it again-- got got up in this nonsense. Surely there must be a better way to spend my time--plant another tree, do something nice for someone, find another way to lessen my impact on this tortured world. America, the world is falling apart and we are burning our bridges way too fast. :(
"Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!" -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Tom Petty may be taking legal action to make sure Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann stops using his songs at her campaign events.
“NBC News: @TomPetty unhappy with Michele Bachmann’s use of ‘American Girl’ and in process of issuing [a cease and desist] letter,” Matt Ortega reported on Twitter only hours after hours after Bachmann used the popular song to kick off her campaign.
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell confirmed that report Monday night.
“And details matter, and when Bachmann left the stage here, her campaign played the Tom Petty hit song, ‘American Girl,’” O’Donnell said. “Turns out petty isn’t pleased. His manager says they will ask the Bachmann campaign not to use that song.”
Petty also issued a cease and desist letter to then-Governor George W. Bush for illegally using “I won’t back down” at his rallies.
“The impression that you and your campaign have been endorsed by Tom Petty, which is not true,” music publisher Wixen Music Publishing Inc. told the Bush campaign.
To make matters worse for Bachmann, former RNC Online Communications Director Liz Mair made this observation about the use of the Petty’s tune: “Isn’t that what the kidnapped politician’s daughter was singing in ‘Silence of the Lambs?’
Mair appears to have since deleted that tweet.
It’s been a tough campaign roll out for the Minnesota Republican. On Sunday, Fox News’ Chris Wallace asked if she was a “flake.” And prior to Monday’s official announcement that she was seeking the presidency, Bachmann confused actor John Wayne with serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
why do so many Republicans on this board whine that "there is no middle ground on this left-leaning board" just because people don't agree with you? it's a tired argument. stop whining.
it's laughable that people are "scared" of Bachmann. She's no more a threat than Big Bird. Oh, and I love the "she's real, that's why she makes mistakes" idea. Do you really want someone who doesn't know the difference between a fictional hero and a real life serial killer or presidents and founding fathers to be the creator of foreign policy in times of war?? Come on, people, this isn't your union rep you are electing, it's the fucking president. get real.
Joke as you must about the "president vs founding fathers" quote as being inconsequential. But knowing US history is a HUGE part of being able to make informed decisions as the president. this is a major character flaw (for a sitting president) that shouldn't be ignored.
Gimli 1993
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
While Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., has forcefully denounced the Medicaid program for swelling the "welfare rolls," the mental health clinic run by her husband has been collecting annual Medicaid payments totaling over $137,000 for the treatment of patients since 2005, according to new figures obtained by NBC News.
The previously unreported payments are on top of the $24,000 in federal and state funds that Bachmann & Associates, the clinic founded by Marcus Bachmann, a clinical therapist, received in recent years under a state grant to train its employees, state records show. The figures were provided to NBC News in response to a Freedom of Information request.
The clinic, based in Lake Elmo, Minn., describes itself on its website as offering "quality Christian counseling" for a large number of mental health problems ranging from "anger management" to addictions and eating disorders.
The $161,000 in payments from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to her husband's clinic appear to contradict some of Michelle Bachmann's public accounts this week when she was first asked about the extent to which her family has benefited from government aid. Contacted this afternoon, Alice Stewart, a spokeswoman for Bachmann, said the congresswoman was doing campaign events and was not immediately available for comment.
Questions about the Bachmann family's receipt of government funds arose this week after a Los Angeles Times story reported that a family farm in which Michelle Bachmann is a partner had received nearly $260,000 in federal farm subsidies.
When asked by anchor Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday" about the story's assertion that her husband's counseling clinic had also gotten federal and state funds, Bachmann replied that it was "one-time training money that came from the federal government. And it certainly didn't help our clinic."
At another point, she said, "My husband and I did not get the money," adding that it was "mental health training money that went to the employees."
But state records show that Bachmann & Associates has been collecting payments under the Minnesota's Medicaid program every year for the past six years. Karen Smigielski, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services, said the state's Medicaid program is funded "about 50-50" with federal and state monies. The funds to Bachmann & Associates are for the treatment of low-income mentally ill patients and are based on a "fee for service" basis, meaning the clinic was reimbursed by Medicaid for the services it provided.
Smigielski added that these were not the only government funds that Bachmann & Associates has received. The clinic also participates in managed-care plans that are reimbursed under a separate state-funded Minnesota Health Care program. But the state does not have any records of payment information to the individual clinics that participate. (During her Fox News appearance, Bachmann was not asked about Medicaid payments, and she made no mention of them.)
Another state official, Patrice Vick, communications manager for the Human Services Department, said she was puzzled by Michelle Bachmann's assertion on the broadcast that the funds under the state grant went to employees. While the grant was to train employees to help them treat chemical dependency, the money did not go directly to those being trained, she said. "It went to the clinic," Vick said.
"The contract was with the clinic," Vick added later. But she had no immediate information about whether the clinic passed it along directly to the employees being trained or used it to cover its costs of training.
The issue of her receipt of government aid has gotten attention because Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite, has been a fierce critic of federal spending programs and has called for drastic cutbacks. This has especially been the case on health care, including the expansions of Medicaid called for under the new health care law.
When Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signed an executive order earlier this year expanding the state's Medicaid program for more than 95,000 state residents, Bachmann was joined state Republican lawmakers in denouncing the move.
"Right now, Governor Dayton is wanting to commit Minnesota taxpayers to add even more welfare recipients on the welfare rolls at a very great cost," Bachmann said at a news conference in St. Paul in January.
"She's giving hypocrisy a bad name," said Ron Pollock, executive director of Families USA, a consumer health care advocacy group, when asked about the Medicaid payments to Bachmann & Associates. "It's clear when it feathers her nest she's happy for Medicaid expenditures. But people that really need it — folks with disabilities and seniors — she's turning their backs on them."
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
why do so many Republicans on this board whine that "there is no middle ground on this left-leaning board" just because people don't agree with you? it's a tired argument. stop whining.
it's laughable that people are "scared" of Bachmann. She's no more a threat than Big Bird. Oh, and I love the "she's real, that's why she makes mistakes" idea. Do you really want someone who doesn't know the difference between a fictional hero and a real life serial killer or presidents and founding fathers to be the creator of foreign policy in times of war?? Come on, people, this isn't your union rep you are electing, it's the fucking president. get real.
Joke as you must about the "president vs founding fathers" quote as being inconsequential. But knowing US history is a HUGE part of being able to make informed decisions as the president. this is a major character flaw (for a sitting president) that shouldn't be ignored.
True, but when all is said and done, the big money in America will get behind whoever does their bidding. What they want is a rubber-stamp, period.
If it means I get to keep more than half of my hard earned money.
Stamp it
If it means I am for a strong military.
Stamp it
If it means The American Dream can be resurrected.
Stamp it
Regarding point 3, the American Dream will never become a reality as long as the greed of a few (point 1) and the suffering of millions abroad at the hands of the U.S military (point 2) continue unabated.
and don't be pissed when we print more money to make our debt to China (and everyone) worth less. It's part of the ongoing plan of
WINNING
(and yes to all you "all i want is the truth" google scholars, I understand the consequences of printing more money. Doesn't mean it's not still part of the plan) :?
woot
winners win. losers lose. GW won two elections AFTER his pops. Do you really think the current occupant will win another?
black people voted in droves for our first black President. Because he was black in MANY cases. I presume women will do the same if she gets the nom.
OK ok... not quite. Those black voters have traditionally always been democrats. The fact that the Democratic nominee was a black man was HUGE plus for them... but if he'd run for a Republican ticket... most of them probably wouldn't have voted for him.
I seriously doubt that man he would have got 90% of the black vote no matter what party he ran under it was historical election to say the least..for the first time in history a black man had a shot at being elected president,that alone was enough to win just about every black vote in the country..maybe not every one but way more than enough to tip the scales.
Anyone who is dumb enough to advocate teaching intelligent design in a science classroom will never get my vote.
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
It's very petty of Tom to take offense of Bachmann using his song.
I disagree. If someone you regard as a dangerous idiot uses your art to promote their ambition to gain control of your country then it's perfectly reasonable for you to object.
Comments
She seems smart and it appears her handlers are ready for the challenge. I'd prefer other candidates but I think all the liberals may give her too much focus and soon live to regret it.
it has nothing to do with whether i like the state (and for the record - i think alaska is awesome, been twice) ... it's about her job as governor ... alaska has like 720,000 ... that's not very large ... it's like saying someone who was the ceo of a small hardware store in some town is more experienced than the ceo of home depot based strictly on years ...
also ... she didn't even finish her term because of the scandals and her addiction to fame ... doesn't that concern you that she could not even finish her term in a small state and that she was embroiled in scandal after scandal!??
I'd like to go there some day.
I don't think it's like saying that... it's like saying this:
someone who was the ceo of a hardware store is more experienced to run a company than a person who's never run anything in his life.
Obama didn't finish his term either.
I don't like Sarah Palin too much. I don't know of any huge scandals that she had though. Personally, I think she should not have left office. But, this really has nothing to do with my points. I said McCain and her had more experience than Obama.
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href=" - In the Fire (demo)</a> by <a href="
it's very beautiful ... of course much of that beauty lies within the pristine nature ... something that would be disrupted by more drilling ...
the problem is you are interchanging experience and qualifications when they are in fact two different things ...
here's another example ... it's game 7 of the world series ... do you go with your 10-year vet who has a 4.95 era or a rookie who has a 1.30 era? ... experience is a factor but it needs to be in context ...
also, it's one thing to quit being a senator so you can be president vs quitting so you can go on a book/speaking tour ...
No doubt.
129 times
Palin "We don't have a 'present' button as governor,'' Palin said after an appearance before fellow Republican governors in Minneapolis. "We are expected to lead, we are expected to take action and not just vote 'present.' "
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Ok. I get your point. But, I still see qualifications and experience as linked. I would respond back why did Obama have better "batting average" (so to speak) going in? Not only did he have less experience, he did not many statistics on his qualifications behind him. I mean, what exactly did he do besides a speech?
It was like picking someone who said he was great at baseball, but you have no statistics on whether that was true or not. You have to decide between him and a guy/girl you know has a certain batting average. Sure, you can take a chance... I think that's exactly what America did. They took a shot with the no name guy. Unfortunately, I think we're all sitting in the dugout right now wishing we never did.
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href=" - In the Fire (demo)</a> by <a href="
my example used "era" ... but either way, the point is simply that experience does count for something but it's not everything and within that - experience has to be in context ... also, similar to the angle sarah palin used - too much experience may just mean you have too many ties to an already corrupt system ...
as for obama ... he was a state senator for 3 terms before become us senator ... the thing is tho ... to be president, it can't always be about the resume ... you need someone who can bridge differences, show some integrity, not have too many ties to special interest ... i dunno if obama were all those things - just simply that years in office don't matter as much to me in terms of whether one is qualified ... understanding the constitution is a must tho ... and he definitely knows it ...
Why else would there be 25 pages/ 3 threads hatin on her.....
OK ok... not quite. Those black voters have traditionally always been democrats. The fact that the Democratic nominee was a black man was HUGE plus for them... but if he'd run for a Republican ticket... most of them probably wouldn't have voted for him.
What will the black women do? Will their heads explode?
"With our thoughts we make the world"
When I read articles like this, I have two thoughts:
1) My first thought is a tiny bit of worry. Could someone who is this bad at doing their homework actually reach a position of power? My next thought is,
2) Oh man, I did it again-- got got up in this nonsense. Surely there must be a better way to spend my time--plant another tree, do something nice for someone, find another way to lessen my impact on this tortured world. America, the world is falling apart and we are burning our bridges way too fast. :(
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
hit with a cease and desist letter from tom petty...
Tom Petty To Michele Bachmann: Stop Playing 'American Girl'
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/ ... -bachmann/
Tom Petty may be taking legal action to make sure Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann stops using his songs at her campaign events.
“NBC News: @TomPetty unhappy with Michele Bachmann’s use of ‘American Girl’ and in process of issuing [a cease and desist] letter,” Matt Ortega reported on Twitter only hours after hours after Bachmann used the popular song to kick off her campaign.
NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell confirmed that report Monday night.
“And details matter, and when Bachmann left the stage here, her campaign played the Tom Petty hit song, ‘American Girl,’” O’Donnell said. “Turns out petty isn’t pleased. His manager says they will ask the Bachmann campaign not to use that song.”
Petty also issued a cease and desist letter to then-Governor George W. Bush for illegally using “I won’t back down” at his rallies.
“The impression that you and your campaign have been endorsed by Tom Petty, which is not true,” music publisher Wixen Music Publishing Inc. told the Bush campaign.
To make matters worse for Bachmann, former RNC Online Communications Director Liz Mair made this observation about the use of the Petty’s tune: “Isn’t that what the kidnapped politician’s daughter was singing in ‘Silence of the Lambs?’
Mair appears to have since deleted that tweet.
It’s been a tough campaign roll out for the Minnesota Republican. On Sunday, Fox News’ Chris Wallace asked if she was a “flake.” And prior to Monday’s official announcement that she was seeking the presidency, Bachmann confused actor John Wayne with serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Woot!
it's laughable that people are "scared" of Bachmann. She's no more a threat than Big Bird. Oh, and I love the "she's real, that's why she makes mistakes" idea. Do you really want someone who doesn't know the difference between a fictional hero and a real life serial killer or presidents and founding fathers to be the creator of foreign policy in times of war?? Come on, people, this isn't your union rep you are electing, it's the fucking president. get real.
Joke as you must about the "president vs founding fathers" quote as being inconsequential. But knowing US history is a HUGE part of being able to make informed decisions as the president. this is a major character flaw (for a sitting president) that shouldn't be ignored.
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
a fucking liar and a hypocrite....
Bachmann's husband got $137,000 in Medicaid funds
Presidential candidate has often blasted growing welfare programs
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43570552/ns ... sion_2012/
While Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., has forcefully denounced the Medicaid program for swelling the "welfare rolls," the mental health clinic run by her husband has been collecting annual Medicaid payments totaling over $137,000 for the treatment of patients since 2005, according to new figures obtained by NBC News.
The previously unreported payments are on top of the $24,000 in federal and state funds that Bachmann & Associates, the clinic founded by Marcus Bachmann, a clinical therapist, received in recent years under a state grant to train its employees, state records show. The figures were provided to NBC News in response to a Freedom of Information request.
The clinic, based in Lake Elmo, Minn., describes itself on its website as offering "quality Christian counseling" for a large number of mental health problems ranging from "anger management" to addictions and eating disorders.
The $161,000 in payments from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to her husband's clinic appear to contradict some of Michelle Bachmann's public accounts this week when she was first asked about the extent to which her family has benefited from government aid. Contacted this afternoon, Alice Stewart, a spokeswoman for Bachmann, said the congresswoman was doing campaign events and was not immediately available for comment.
Questions about the Bachmann family's receipt of government funds arose this week after a Los Angeles Times story reported that a family farm in which Michelle Bachmann is a partner had received nearly $260,000 in federal farm subsidies.
When asked by anchor Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday" about the story's assertion that her husband's counseling clinic had also gotten federal and state funds, Bachmann replied that it was "one-time training money that came from the federal government. And it certainly didn't help our clinic."
At another point, she said, "My husband and I did not get the money," adding that it was "mental health training money that went to the employees."
But state records show that Bachmann & Associates has been collecting payments under the Minnesota's Medicaid program every year for the past six years. Karen Smigielski, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services, said the state's Medicaid program is funded "about 50-50" with federal and state monies. The funds to Bachmann & Associates are for the treatment of low-income mentally ill patients and are based on a "fee for service" basis, meaning the clinic was reimbursed by Medicaid for the services it provided.
Smigielski added that these were not the only government funds that Bachmann & Associates has received. The clinic also participates in managed-care plans that are reimbursed under a separate state-funded Minnesota Health Care program. But the state does not have any records of payment information to the individual clinics that participate. (During her Fox News appearance, Bachmann was not asked about Medicaid payments, and she made no mention of them.)
Another state official, Patrice Vick, communications manager for the Human Services Department, said she was puzzled by Michelle Bachmann's assertion on the broadcast that the funds under the state grant went to employees. While the grant was to train employees to help them treat chemical dependency, the money did not go directly to those being trained, she said. "It went to the clinic," Vick said.
"The contract was with the clinic," Vick added later. But she had no immediate information about whether the clinic passed it along directly to the employees being trained or used it to cover its costs of training.
The issue of her receipt of government aid has gotten attention because Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite, has been a fierce critic of federal spending programs and has called for drastic cutbacks. This has especially been the case on health care, including the expansions of Medicaid called for under the new health care law.
When Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signed an executive order earlier this year expanding the state's Medicaid program for more than 95,000 state residents, Bachmann was joined state Republican lawmakers in denouncing the move.
"Right now, Governor Dayton is wanting to commit Minnesota taxpayers to add even more welfare recipients on the welfare rolls at a very great cost," Bachmann said at a news conference in St. Paul in January.
"She's giving hypocrisy a bad name," said Ron Pollock, executive director of Families USA, a consumer health care advocacy group, when asked about the Medicaid payments to Bachmann & Associates. "It's clear when it feathers her nest she's happy for Medicaid expenditures. But people that really need it — folks with disabilities and seniors — she's turning their backs on them."
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
True, but when all is said and done, the big money in America will get behind whoever does their bidding. What they want is a rubber-stamp, period.
Stamp it
If it means I am for a strong military.
Stamp it
If it means The American Dream can be resurrected.
Stamp it
Regarding point 3, the American Dream will never become a reality as long as the greed of a few (point 1) and the suffering of millions abroad at the hands of the U.S military (point 2) continue unabated.
So dream on.
and don't be pissed when we print more money to make our debt to China (and everyone) worth less. It's part of the ongoing plan of
WINNING
(and yes to all you "all i want is the truth" google scholars, I understand the consequences of printing more money. Doesn't mean it's not still part of the plan) :?
woot
winners win. losers lose. GW won two elections AFTER his pops. Do you really think the current occupant will win another?
I seriously doubt that man he would have got 90% of the black vote no matter what party he ran under it was historical election to say the least..for the first time in history a black man had a shot at being elected president,that alone was enough to win just about every black vote in the country..maybe not every one but way more than enough to tip the scales.
Godfather.
I disagree. If someone you regard as a dangerous idiot uses your art to promote their ambition to gain control of your country then it's perfectly reasonable for you to object.