Michele Bachman, a Republican representative from Minnesota, has thrown herself into the Republican presidential candidate pool which is getting increasingly crowded. Like many conservatives, she presents herself as anti-big government. Just like most politicians of her ilk, her mouth and her actions are in direct opposition to each other.
Let's talk about her position on government subsidies. Naturally she's against them. Except when they benefit herself or her family. Her husband's mental health clinic, which she claims as an asset, received upwards of $30,000 in government funds. She says none of the money went to either her or her husband. Instead it went to train employees. Does she mean to say that well trained employees do not add value to a business? How stupid does she think people are? Getting an influx of money to improve or grow your business means less money out of your own pocket and more money in it. Claiming they received no monetary benefit from government funds is disingenuous at best and a bald-faced lie at worst.
$260,000 went to her family farm in Wisconsin in the form of federal farm subsidies. Her response is that the farm belongs to her father-in-law and she doesn't profit from it. Well, she's just a moron because she had to fill out financial disclosure forms as a partner in the farm that clearly state her profits from the farm as from $35,000 to $106,000 between 2006 and 2009. Really how can she think no one would check? Sounds like a nice fat return on federal subsidies to me.
Going even further, Congresswoman Bachmann decries the earmarks in the bills passed by Congress asserting that the states should be responsible for building bridges, etc. She criticized the Obama administration for the stimulus money program and yet she applied for those funds. Her stated rationale is that the state was legally entitled to the funds so it should get its share. Besides, using the money for transportation projects doesn't count as either earmarks or government aid. Is she nuts? You can't have it both ways. Oh, I hate big government but since you twisted my arm I'll take the dough.
Then we have a commodity purchase plan whereby the federal government buys up pig and dairy products to stabilize prices and keep them elevated. We don't call it a subsidy but if it walks like duck...well you know the rest. The LA Times dug around and got a copy of a letter written by Bachmann to the Secretary of Agriculture applauding the program and urging its continuation. Hmmmm...are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Yup, the real Michele Bachmann is a"subsidy slut" working the halls of Congress for cash.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Politicians (like celebrities) are obviously special people (no, not the type that used to ride the short bus) that are exempt from the rules they want to impose or that are already on the books. I think the masses must already understand this , or are not bright enough to care, and the sooner thinking people buy into this the happier they will be! Quit reading periodicals and news magazines and start to get your news from You-Tube and Fox!
ReplyDelete