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Bachmann Learns To Support The Census
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
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Hmm, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) seems to be getting more and more supportive of the Census.
The Hill reports that Bachmann will vote yes on a resolution today to encourage Americans to participate in the Census, and promote March 2010 as "Census Awareness Month." "We are where we are right now in 2010, and she hopes the population is counted accurately as the resolution calls for," said Bachmann's communications director David Dziok.
What makes this really interesting is that Bachmann spent a decent amount of time last year repeatedly trashing the Census. Let's take a trip down memory lane.
Last summer, Bachmann declared that she would not completely fill out her Census form, that she would only give the number of people in her home and not provide any personal information beyond that. This is in fact illegal, and could have resulted in her family not being counted. Bachmann said she was doing this in order to prevent her personal information getting into the hands of the government or ACORN.
Bachmann also warned that Census data could be used for nefarious purposes, linking it to the Japanese-American internment during World War II. Bachmann also questioned the kind of data that the government collects in both the Census and the longer American Community Survey, which is conducted on a monthly basis by the Census Bureau in order to maintain the government's demographic data. Among other things, Bachmann objected to questions about people's mental health.
At about that time, a group of Republican congressmen released a letter criticizing any attempts to boycott the Census, calling it "illogical, illegal and not in the best interest of our country." The letter did not directly name Bachmann, but it's topicality was pretty obvious.
In January, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune published an editorial calling upon the state's citizens to actively participate in the Census, due to the fact that Minnesota is in a close competition with other states that could result in it losing a House seat. The paper noticed that Bachmann had long since stopped criticizing the Census -- and that the most logical outcome of such an event would be that her own district would be cut up and spread among its neighbors, given the nature of the boundaries.
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mans_best_friend
March 3, 2010 10:29 AM
"...the most logical outcome of such an event would be that her own district would be cut up and spread among its neighbors, given the nature of the boundaries."
She may be crazy but she's not stupid.
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cwnidog
March 3, 2010 11:09 AM in reply to mans_best_friend
In fact, the only thing consistent about Michele is the crazy.
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Rick Jones
March 3, 2010 11:47 AM in reply to mans_best_friend
"...objected to questions about people's mental health." Her own and those who would vote for her.
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Morbo
March 3, 2010 1:13 PM in reply to Rick Jones
Bachman is the poster child for outlawing gerrymandering.
Cherry-picked to be 96% white and suburban:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota's_6th_congressional_district
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ariseatex
March 3, 2010 1:37 PM in reply to Morbo
Minnesota districts are drawn by a 4-member bipartisan council before approved by the legislature (similar to AZ & WA). 96% White doesn't mean gerrymandering, it means Minnesota outside of Minneapolis.
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ericf
March 3, 2010 4:51 PM in reply to ariseatex
That's correct. Minnesota is one of those rare states that wasn't gerrymandered. Some districts were drastically redone to the dismay of incumbents. Bachmann's problem is the 6th is the only one that's not a reasonable geographical unit. She also lives in one corner, she she could easily find herself having to move in order to run in a district with most of her current constituents, or at least the conservative ones. Her own corner is pretty purple, and could end up in the district that now includes St. Paul, which is safely Democratic.
My guess is she'll move to run in a friendly district, and her conservative supporters have to be put somewhere.
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AhTrini1
March 4, 2010 9:26 AM in reply to Rick Jones
LOL
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ukobserver
March 3, 2010 10:53 AM
Somone must ahve sat her down and explained things to her.
Using very small words, short sentences, and a highly coloured chart.
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mmanion
March 3, 2010 11:14 AM
Damn. I was counting on that whole 'Darwin Awards' concept to finally remove her from the political gene pool.
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psyclone
March 3, 2010 11:15 AM
I thought only Dirty Fucking Hippies showed a willingness to change their minds when confronted with new information. Sounds like Michelle is soft on crime, communism, etc.
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Leftflank
March 3, 2010 11:31 AM
She has a history of saying very ignorant things, like we need to find out who the real Americans are in the senate. She apologized by saying, I may not get my words right, but I mean well. She won obviously & has gone straight back to her loose-lips ways. Her MO is to throw out flaming rhetoric then get all nicey nice right before her psychotic behavior is pinned to her forever. This can't be allowed to happen again. If she's capable of learning (read; quit obstructing) about the census, she is then also capable of backing away from all her other completely b.s. false statements & doing something really crazy, like actually helping America & Americans by doing her job.
I know, it's a fart in whirlwinds chance, but it sounds good.
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blkblt
March 3, 2010 12:06 PM
I like the crazy, I hope she keeps talking forever.
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libdevil
March 3, 2010 12:06 PM
Isn't she wearing a sleeveless dress in that picture? I thought it was standard Republican spew that women (well, at least Michelle Obama) wearing sleeveless dresses was a sign of the impending apocalypse.
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bluesplashy
March 3, 2010 1:05 PM
"We are where we are right now in 2010,.." Yes we are aren't we? Nevermind all that other stuff. LOL What do her constituents think?
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bibimimi
March 3, 2010 1:42 PM
Michele tipped her hand. She should be unemployed.
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willia451
March 3, 2010 1:42 PM
Rep MB is a symptom of a much deeper reactionary "acting out".
It was one thing to lose the House. It was another to lose the Senate. But to lose the Presidency as well? And to an African-American (substiute the "N" word here if you'd like) on top of it?
Well. Let's just say these types of folks making heros out of willfully ignorant wingnuts should have been the LEAST we should have expected.
Hopefully, it will stop there.
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congoman
March 3, 2010 1:48 PM
More self-serving positioning from Queen of Batshit Nation.
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NobleCommentDecider
March 3, 2010 1:54 PM
DO NOT BULIEVE THIS LIBURAL PROPAGANDA FREINDS! MICHELLE WAS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
Why do they call it the Minneaploice STAR Tribune? Do you remember the Communist Flag? Yeah, it had a big RED STAR which means this paper is a socialist tool of the gun confustcating goverment.
Bottom line is simple.
Do not fill out the census form fellow Minnesota Teabaggers. Unless you are ready to hand over your guns. Glock, stock and barrel.
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crashmodem
March 4, 2010 9:53 AM in reply to NobleCommentDecider
Off the meds today?
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Sailormarlowe
March 3, 2010 7:05 PM
As Ralph W. Emerson said: "A foolish consistency is the hob-goblin of little minds." Michele Bachmann has a brilliant intellect, uncanny strategic perception, a seductive smile, and a melodious voice.
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lousgirl84
March 3, 2010 7:43 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
And you've got a picture of her and Sarah pinned to your bedpost. LOL.
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Marinus van der Lubbe
March 3, 2010 7:45 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
...And a mouth that looks like the labia of a cow on fire.
Have you missed me sailorfelchingdog?...
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lousgirl84
March 4, 2010 8:50 AM in reply to Marinus van der Lubbe
Good morning Marinus
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Marinus van der Lubbe
March 4, 2010 9:16 AM in reply to lousgirl84
Hello....whats up?
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lousgirl84
March 4, 2010 9:22 AM in reply to Marinus van der Lubbe
You tell me!
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Marinus van der Lubbe
March 4, 2010 11:52 AM in reply to lousgirl84
My lips are sealed.
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