home

You're Either a Republican Or You're Anti-American

Rep. Michele Bachmann, furthering the McCain campaign's attack on Barack Obama's patriotism, told Chris Matthews on Friday that she is "concerned that [Obama] may have anti-American views." Matthews asked Bachmann if Obama stood alone among elected representatives who harbor an anti-American agenda.

"What I would say - what I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating exposé and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an exposé like that."

What a great idea. Some intrepid reporter should be going door to door in the congressional office buildings with a survey. "How do you feel about America? For it or against?" Maybe elected representatives could be asked to sign a loyalty oath. Michael Tomasky explains why the reporter's first visit should be to Bachman's office: [more ...]

The call for an investigation into the beliefs of every federal lawmaker, and an exposé of those found wanting in their patriotism, certainly takes us into deeply creepy territory. I would not call Bachmann herself a fascist. Odd as it sounds, to do so would be to grant her far too much credit. For one to embrace an -ism, even a repugnant one, one needs to have read a certain amount of history and political philosophy. Bachmann is just an idiot. She wouldn't know Edmund Burke from Billie Burke (she played the good witch in the Wizard of Oz), and she obviously has no idea that, in her rejection of the two bedrock American principles of separation of church and state and freedom of thought, she is the one who is as anti-American as they come.

Colin Powell:

“This business of, for example, a congressman (sic) from Minnesota who’s going around saying, ‘Let’s examine all congressmen to see who’s pro-America and who’s not pro-America. We have got to stop this kind of nonsense and pull ourselves together and remember that our great strength is in our unity and our diversity,” he said.

Perhaps concerned by the fundraising boost her opponent received in reaction to her remarks, Bachmann has retreated a bit.

Bachmann appeared on a WCCO-TV show on Sunday to say she isn't saying that Obama's views are anti-American. She says, "That was a misreading of what I said."

By anti-American, Bachmann meant to single out policies that include "tax increases, socialized medicine and climate change taxes." Of course, however they are labeled (or mislabeled in the case of "socialized medicine"), if Obama's policies win popular support and are enacted into law by democratically elected representatives, those policies will be American by definition. What is anti-American is the suggestion that the only people who love America are those who support the Republican political agenda.

< A New WPA | Defining The Middle >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    A lot of us have never been good Americans (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Christy1947 on Sun Oct 19, 2008 at 08:22:16 PM EST
    except at tax time when we better pay, and when we had a draft, when we or our children better show up. At all other times, we are thought a cancer on the nation by people like Bachman.

    Great post, TChris (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by barryluda on Sun Oct 19, 2008 at 08:23:35 PM EST
    I heard Rep. Michele Bachmann on Hardball and it motivated me to both post here on an open thread and donate to El Tinklenberg.

    Sent him $50 this afternoon (5.00 / 2) (#5)
    by Radiowalla on Sun Oct 19, 2008 at 09:37:10 PM EST
    and I've already forgotten his name.  If he's running against her, then I'm for him!

    Parent
    Bachmann: (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by snstara on Sun Oct 19, 2008 at 08:32:34 PM EST
    Republican first, American second.  

    I'm not saying anything.... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by espeaks on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 02:55:14 AM EST
    but I think this is the big problem the GOP has. Their definition of America is wrong. This country has evolved using the foundation our forefathers gave us and applying logic and reason to shape America to make it better for all its' citizens. I am not saying we always make the right move, but we are always striving to find the perfect mix that will maximize the number of us who are able to find "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

    The GOP needs to come a bit more, well a lot more, to the center as party or I suspect their outdated platform will continue to be less and less attractive over time.

    Sounds like Palin when she (none / 0) (#7)
    by No Blood for Hubris on Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 10:56:12 AM EST
    was in NC talking about how much she liked visiting the "pro-America" parts of America.

    Sigh.