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Mar 24th, 2009


On Saturday afternoon, March 21, 2009 Michele Bachmann said on WWTC 1280 AM radio that she wants people in Minnesota “armed and dangerous” on the issue of an energy tax, “because we need to fight back” and “having a revolution every now and then is a good thing.” Eric Ostermeier reported Bachmann’s remarks on “Smart Politics,” the blog of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, where it was picked up by other media outlets, as reported below.


Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) at the Sartell SummerFest Parade, Saturday, June 14, 2008, promising $2 gas with a “Drill Here, Drill Now” strategy of increasing the oil supply. (Photo credit: St. Cloud Times)

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Michele Bachmann on DC: “I’m a Foreign Correspondent on Enemy Lines”

By Eric Ostermeier 
Smart Politics
March 22, 2009

During a Saturday afternoon interview on WWTC 1280 AM with The Northern Alliance’s John Hinderaker and Brian Ward, Minnesota Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann discussed her staunch opposition to several Democratic-led efforts on Capitol Hill this session — such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the recently passed HR 1586 tax on bonuses for TARP recipients, and President Barack Obama’s cap-and-trade energy plan to reduce greenhouse gases.

Bachmann then began to talk about her role as Representative at the nation’s Capitol. Explaining the resources available at her U.S. House website which enable her to communicate what is happening in D.C. to the public, such as her Bachmann Bulletin, Bachmann Blog, and links to her Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace pages, the Congresswoman said, “I’m a foreign correspondent on enemy lines and I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington.”

[I]t was no accident for Representative Bachmann to conjure up images of war and battlelines in reference to Washington Democrats (instead of referring to them with the customary “loyal opposition” tag). For this was not the first time Bachmann referred to herself as a “foreign correspondent” nor her political opponents in D.C. as “enemies.”

During a January 14, 2009 interview with conservative talk show host Glenn Beck, Representative Bachmann explained how she is one of only a handful of members of Congress who are “keepers of the flame” — fighting to prevent the federal government from taking freedom (and money) from the American people:

“I would say there are probably 30 keepers of the flame over here. … The main thing we can do right now is be foreign correspondents reporting to you from enemy lines.”

On the issue of Obama’s proposed cap-and-trade energy tax on Saturday’s radio show, Representative Bachmann expanded on the war metaphor:

“I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us ‘having a revolution every now and then is a good thing,’ and the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States.”

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Related report

Michele Bachmann: I Want People “Armed and Dangerous” over Obama Tax Plan

By Rachel Weiner
The Huffington Post
March 23, 2009

Controversial Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said this weekend that she wants residents of her state “armed and dangerous” over President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce global warming “because we need to fight back.”

Asked about the White House-backed cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions, Bachmann told WWTC 1280 AM, “I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us ‘having a revolution every now and then is a good thing,’ and the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States.”

Bachmann also told her constituents she was “a foreign correspondent on enemy lines,” sending Minnesotans warnings through her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. “I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington.”

The comments have been picked up by local blogs Smart Politics and Dump Bachmann.

Bachmann has encouraged resistance against President Obama before, saying that the Republican party needs “to do everything we can to thwart [the Democrats] at every turn to make sure that they aren’t able to, for all time, secure a power base that for all time can never be defeated.”

Listen:

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The Fallout

On March 23, the Common Sense blog, linking to U.S. laws on treason, sedition, and subversive activities suggested that Rep. Bachmann’s incendiary rhetoric could “incite enough crazies that they may pose a serious threat” to the President of the United States and that the Secret Service might take a penetrating look at the congresswoman from Minnesota.

Glenn Thrush

Also on March 23, Glenn Thrush, in a post titled “Bachmann urges ‘armed’ revolt over climate plan,” reported in Politico that “Rep. Michele Bachmann, the firebrand Minnesota conservative Republican, may have gone a bit over the rhetorical line last weekend when attacking the Obama administration’s cap-and-trade proposal.”

As might be expected Bachmann’s remarks prompted outrage on Internet sites.

“Anna,” posting at Dump Bachmann on March 23 at 7:35 p.m., wrote:

Other famous terrorist leaders have been known to call their terrorist cells to action through just such code speak and public broadcasts.

A member of our own Congress is making treasonous speeches … this usually happens in banana republics, not the United States. We have a Democratic process, and she’s effectively calling for an overthrow and dictatorship.

We have elected representation … these are not “the enemies”; they are the people we have chosen (including her) to represent us, elected by a democratic process.

“OldLeatherneck,” posting on the same site on March 23 at 7:36 p.m., added:

It is time for progressives to do more than just contact their local elected officials and complain. It is time to initiate formal complaints with the DOJ and FBI, as well as let the Republicans know what we feel about a representative of their party inciting violence and armed insurrection.

The poster then goes on to provides contact information for the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, the FBI’s Minneapolis field office, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party of Minnesota, and the Republican National Committee.





30 Responses to “Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt?”
  1. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Remembering Oklahoma City Says:

    […] I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous … and the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. […]

  2. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Honors for Michele Bachmann Says:

    […] Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? (March 24, 2009) […]

  3. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Bachmann: œSlit Our Wrists Says:

    […] Although Bachmann has frequently made public utterances indicative of political paranoia (“reeducation camps,” “armed and dangerous,” census noncompliance), I do not recall any of her speeches so liberally laced with violent and sadistic imagery […]

  4. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Al Eisele Pans Michele Bachmann Says:

    […] Maybe [Bachmann] will declare, as she did last March, that she wants Minnesotans “armed and dangerous” to fight Obama’s proposed cap and trade tax policy to limit greenhouse gas emissions. […]

  5. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Bomb-Throwing Bachmann Says:

    […] On the one hand, the base loves [Bachmann] and she’s frequently invited on television. On the other hand, she calls for revolution and warns against the government using Census data to round people up into internment camps. […]

  6. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Bachmann Headlines British Press Says:

    […] Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? (March 24, 2009) […]

  7. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Bachmann Reels in CNN Says:

    […] “If you look at FDR, LBJ, and Barack Obama, this is really the final leap to socialism,” [Bachmann said] “… they’re trying to consolidate power, so we need to do everything we can to thwart them at every turn to make sure that they aren’t able to, for all time, secure a power base that for all time can never be defeated.” […]

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    […] Sidebar: Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? […]

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    […] Palin called to “repeal and replace” the new health-care law. And she said: “Don’t retreat, reload,” adding that the phrase “is not a call for violence.” […]

  12. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Bachmann Bats for End Times Says:

    […] “Armed and Dangerous”?  […]

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    […] Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? (March 24, 2009) […]

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  20. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Bachmann Suckers St. Cloud Times Says:

    […] Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? (March 24, 2009) — Q: Gov. Tim Pawlenty said on MSNBC that moderates need to fall in line with the conservative base of the Republican Party. Do you agree? […]

  21. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Giffords Assassination Attempt Says:

    […] Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? (March 24, 2009) […]

  22. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » The Psychological Profile of Giffords Shooter Jared Loughner Says:

    […] There is no direct evidence that Jared Loughner’s thoughts or actions were specifically influenced by the incendiary political rhetoric of the recent past, such as Sarah Palin’s “target list” or Michele Bachmann’s provocative “armed and dangerous” remarks or her paranoid conspiracies — for example, AmeriCorps youth brainwashing, “one-world currency,” or the U.S. census. […]

  23. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Jared Loughner’s Mental State Says:

    […] I had insufficient information to determine whether Loughner met the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, but concluded that there was no direct evidence that his thoughts or actions were influenced by vitriolic political rhetoric such as Sarah Palin’s “target list” or Michele Bachmann’s inflammatory “armed and dangerous” comments or politically paranoid AmeriCorps brainwashing and “one-world currency” conspiracy theories. […]

  24. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Extremism Explodes in America Says:

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  28. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Michele Bachmann for President 2012: I Will ‘Stand Up to Obamacare’ Says:

    […] Bachmann: “We need someone who is committed to taking that thing out [the health care law], because it is the crown jewel of socialism, and if it’s allowed to stand we will never get our country back.” […]

  29. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Michele Bachmann Set to Make Presidential Run Official Says:

    […] Michele Bachmann doesn’t just speak Tea Party fluently, but as a first language. After all, it was all the way back in March 2009, when the Tea Parties were just barely being formed, that she called for revolution in America against President Obama. […]

  30. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Norway Christian Extremism Terrorist Threat Says:

    […] Bachmann Call for Armed Revolt? (March 24, 2009) […]

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