Rolling Stone's piece on Michelle Bachmann

[dawn9476]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/ne ... 622?page=1

Talks about "God" instructed her to go into politics and how her husband made her study tax law though of course she says it was "God" who told her to do study it. :lol:

[defrauding]

The author seems to lack self-awareness: despite writing an article heavy on vitriol and light on facts -- most of which you can find by reading the Michele Bachmann entry on Wikipedia -- he argues that Bachmann has succeeded politically because people mock her and her beliefs.

Snickering readers in New York or Los Angeles might be tempted by all of this to conclude that Bachmann is uniquely crazy. But in fact, such tales by Bachmann work precisely because there are a great many people in America just like Bachmann, people who believe that God tells them what condiments to put on their hamburgers, who can't tell the difference between Soviet Communism and a Stafford loan, but can certainly tell the difference between being mocked and being taken seriously. When you laugh at Michele Bachmann for going on MSNBC and blurting out that the moon is made of red communist cheese, these people don't learn that she is wrong. What they learn is that you're a dick, that they hate you more than ever, and that they're even more determined now to support anyone who promises not to laugh at their own visions and fantasies.

[JesusFightClub]

Defrauding (cool nick ;)) that's Matt Taibbi (sp) though. Is that not generally just how he rolls?

Mind you, if I heard a voice telling me to study tax law I'd be fairly certain it was the man from the hot place, not God... :twisted:

[amie]

..........

[camdendayton]

I learned a lot reading the article, but I haven't been following bauchman, or any of the republican straw (wo)men beyond bill maher and on and off daily show. Maher and Chris Matthews made essentially the same argument in the latest ep of real time to the mockery of the 2 republican guests. Seems they maybe right.

Ps - is it possible to write an article about this women that doesn't mock her? At least he put $#!+ in context.

[Angri-la]

God told me not to take Michelle Bachmann seriously.

[demgirl]

Ps - is it possible to write an article about this women that doesn't mock her? At least he put $#!+ in context.

No. Literally, no. It's not. Because everything she says, does and stands for deserves only mockery. Taking any of it seriously would be like wandering off the path in the woods into dark thickets, with stinging plants, with no food or water or compass and knowing there's an axe murderer on the loose. Or something.

[Guest Anonymous]

No. Literally, no. It's not. Because everything she says, does and stands for deserves only mockery. Taking any of it seriously would be like wandering off the path in the woods into dark thickets, with stinging plants, with no food or water or compass and knowing there's an axe murderer on the loose. Or something.

Especially if the "something" is any of the Botkins, Dougiie or Ray Comfort

[GolightlyGrrl]

Defrauding (cool nick ;)) that's Matt Taibbi (sp) though. Is that not generally just how he rolls?

Mind you, if I heard a voice telling me to study tax law I'd be fairly certain it was the man from the hot place, not God... :twisted:

Matt Taibbi is one of my favorite journalists, and he's known for being quite snarky.

[JesusFightClub]

Golightly, aye, exactly ;) Taibbi is not one's go to guy for a "balanced" piece on Bachmann and the minutiae of her views. He is snarky and that makes him enjoyable to read.

[defrauding]

No. Literally, no. It's not. Because everything she says, does and stands for deserves only mockery. Taking any of it seriously would be like wandering off the path in the woods into dark thickets, with stinging plants, with no food or water or compass and knowing there's an axe murderer on the loose. Or something.

We've seen what happens when politicians don't take Bachmann seriously, though: they lose. That's one of the major points Taibbi makes in his article -- one with which I agree wholeheartedly, despite my opinion of the article itself.

Believe me, I enjoy snark as much as anyone else here, and I loathe Bachmann as a politician and find her disastrously incompetent. It's hard for me to enjoy this sort of piece in a major publication, though, since it's precisely what leads to people voting her into major political offices.

(In fairness, though, I wouldn't mind the article so much if news outlets like the New York Times did their job and produced hard-hitting reporting on Bachmann.)

Edit: JesusFightClub, I hate "balanced" reporting, too, but I've already used up all my curmudgeon points for the evening :D

[treemom]

I think even a serious article on her sounds like mocking. She said one of the stupidest science things I have ever heard the other day. As bad as Esther Kellers radiation clinging electrolytes and ?latisha and the chad's fear of microwaves.

[Austin]

Matt Taibbi is one of my favorite journalists, and he's known for being quite snarky.

ITA. Those familiar with his writing would think he had fallen on his head if he wrote about the uniquely-BSC Bachmann in any other way.

She is a real threat, and has been elected to office more than once. This is a sad commentary on her constituency (sorry, don't mean to offend anyone), but Taibbi is absolutely correct in his assessment of her base. She may be whackadoodledoo and just itchin' to turn this country into her version of the Handmaid's Tale, but disturbingly, this either does not resonate with her constituency or they just don't care (I don't know) because Jesus talks to her directly (to hear her tell it).

[daharyn]

Her constituency is what it is because that district was gerrymandered within an inch of its life. (Some of my relatives live in it.) Look at it, physically--it's long and skinny and makes next to no sense as to what geography it includes--unless you wanted to create an ultra-conservative district within the state, and then it is perfect. Compare MN-6, Bachmann's district, with one of the two districts to her immediate south: MN-5, represented by Ellison, the first Muslim ever elected to Congress. Minnesota is a very good example of a state where a long history of moderation is devolving into two markedly divergent perspectives.

(Edited because I forgot a sentence!)

[alphaeta08]

Interesting about the gerrymandering (thank you sort-of-recent high school government class for that definition!), because I was wondering who the hell was voting for this woman. Then I thought maybe she hid the extreme crazy until after she was elected, but it looks like she didn't have to. I spent the other night perusing her greatest hits on Youtube, and it would've been hilarious... if she'd lost. :|

[Austin]

Interesting about the gerrymandering (thank you sort-of-recent high school government class for that definition!), because I was wondering who the hell was voting for this woman. Then I thought maybe she hid the extreme crazy until after she was elected, but it looks like she didn't have to. I spent the other night perusing her greatest hits on Youtube, and it would've been hilarious... if she'd lost. :|

According to the piece, her gerrymandered district is 95% white.

[dawn9476]

According to the piece, her gerrymandered district is 95% white.

I have heard that it is very Catholic, too and she appeals to a lot of them who are pro-life.

[camdendayton]

We've seen what happens when politicians don't take Bachmann seriously, though: they lose. That's one of the major points Taibbi makes in his article -- one with which I agree wholeheartedly, despite my opinion of the article itself.

Believe me, I enjoy snark as much as anyone else here, and I loathe Bachmann as a politician and find her disastrously incompetent. It's hard for me to enjoy this sort of piece in a major publication, though, since it's precisely what leads to people voting her into major political offices.

(In fairness, though, I wouldn't mind the article so much if news outlets like the New York Times did their job and produced hard-hitting reporting on Bachmann.)

Edit: JesusFightClub, I hate "balanced" reporting, too, but I've already used up all my curmudgeon points for the evening :D

I get what you're saying and I agree. I will spend time in the prayer closet looking for the strength not to laugh ;-)

[emmiedahl]

I have heard that it is very Catholic, too and she appeals to a lot of them who are pro-life.

It's interesting if that is the case, because Catholics are as a group liberal voters. While the Church is pro-life, it is also pro-social services, anti-war, anti-death penalty, etc. I know things have changed since Pope Benedict came in, but I have always seen a lot of support for Democratic candidates among Catholics. In California, most of the liberal politicians seemed to be Catholic. And then there's the Kennedy's, also.

[thoughtful]

She just announced officially.

Blech.

[Austin]

OMG. She's like Sarah Palin, but BSC. Srsly BSC.

It will be an interesting election season. I sure the comedians are doing the happy dance over her announcement. She will be another gift that just keeps on giving. :D

[dawn9476]

OMG. She's like Sarah Palin, but BSC. Srsly BSC.

It will be an interesting election season. I sure the comedians are doing the happy dance over her announcement. She will be another gift that just keeps on giving. :D

In a lot of her beliefs, she is but it looks like she is way, way, way more disciplined than Sarah. She doesn't have a problem with doing the work while Sarah is lazy.

[clarinetpower]

I was born in Minnesota.

88% of Minnesota is white. The non-whites are mainly Indians on the res and people that live in Minneapolis/St. Paul area. The rest of MN is primarily white, German/Norwegian/Swedish, etc. Most non-whites live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. That is the densest population area, with 60% of the Minnesota people living there.

The area she represents is just north of the Minneapolis area, and stretches to include St. Cloud. It is a more conservative, agricultural area. My aunt and uncle live in her district.

Minnesota is definitely a state of contradictions. They elected Jesse Ventura governor (former pro wrestler--Jesse "The Body" Ventura. I met him. He was freaking HUGE. The man's fingers were like kielbasa. Seriously. I thought he would crush my hand.) They also gave us Pawlenty (whom even liberals like because he's a good guy and does what he says he'll do and isn't a sleazy jackwipe). Walter Mondale (the VPOTUS) is from MN.

But I still wish Garrison Keillor would run. :)

[Gizmola]

Garrison Keillor is also BSC. He came to our PAC and he bypassed the holding area in order to go sit, fully dressed, on the floor of his dressing room and shaved with an electric shaver for 25 minutes. Further, he talked to himself the entire time I was leading him backstage. After the event, instead of going to the post-event dinner, he just randomly walked out the door into the night. A little unsettling, honestly.

[clarinetpower]

Well, at least he's a liberal whacko. ;-)