Bachmann: Reform Plan Will Burden Future Taxpayers

Rep. Michele Bachmann speaks at a Tea Party at Lake George in St. Cloud after a town hall meeting, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. (Photo credit: Jason Wachter / St. Cloud Times)

By TaLeiza Calloway
St. Cloud Times
September 12, 2009

Hundreds of residents met with U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., today to talk about a health care reform package the congresswoman has fought.

Freedom of choice was at the heart of Bachmann’s message.

“I agree with President Obama that we want to fix what doesn’t work and keep the best that does work,” Bachmann said. “We can all agree there that’s a good place to start.”

Bachmann said she sent a letter to President Obama to take him up on an offer to meet with Republicans to hear their “positive alternatives” to the Democrats’ health care proposal.

“I’d like to share with you what that positive alternative is,” Bachmann said. “It is simply this: Americans as individuals, we can own our own health care policy, not the government, not our employer.” …

“Why don’t we try a positive solution first before we have government takeover and put the burden of trillions of dollars in spending on the next generation?” she said. …

Supporters of Rep. Michele Bachmann display signs at a Tea Party at Lake George, St. Cloud, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009. (Photo credit: Jason Wachter/ St. Cloud Times)

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Related reports

Dusty Trice reports that only about 60 people attended Rep. Bachmann’s town hall meeting in St. Cloud, as shown in the photo composite below.

Constituents at Rep. Michele Bachmann's town hall meeting at St. Cloud Technical High School, Sept. 13, 2009. Blogger Dusty Trice estimated the audience at about 60. (Photo: Dusty Trice)

Michele Bachmann: “Thank God for Joe [‘You Lie’] Wilson”

Michele Bachmann Appears on Fox News’ “Geraldo At Large”

Cavalcade of Crazy — Ann Coulter and Rep. Michele Bachmann appear with Geraldo Rivera on Fox News’s “Geraldo At Large,” Sept. 12, 2009, along with commentators Julian Epstein and Gov. Mike Huckabee.

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Thousands Pack D.C. to Protest Spending, Taxes

Demonstraters fill the streets in the nation’s capital Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009 to protest what they consider the federal government’s out-of-control spending. (Photo credit: Jose Luis Magana / AP)

September 12, 2009

WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of protesters fed up with government spending marched to the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, showing their disdain for the president’s health care plan with slogans such as “Obamacare makes me sick” and “I’m not your ATM.”

The line of protesters clogged several blocks near the Capitol, according to the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

Demonstrators chanted “enough, enough” and “We the People.” Others yelled “You lie, you lie!” and “Pelosi has to go,” referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Video Anger at Obama, government (NBC Nightly News, Sept. 12, 2009) — Fiscally conservative demonstrators rally against the president’s health care plan and what they say is out-of-control spending. NBC’s Tom Costello reports.(03:19)

Throngs of people waved U.S. flags and held signs reading “Go Green Recycle Congress” and “Obama Bin Lyin’.”

Men wore colonial costumes as they listened to speakers who warned of “judgment day” — Election Day 2010.

Other signs — reflecting the growing intensity of the health care debate — depicted President Barack Obama with the signature mustache of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

Many referred to Obama as a socialist or communist, and another imposed his face on that of the villainous Joker from “Batman.”

‘It’s going to cost too much’

Richard Brigle, 57, a Vietnam War veteran and former Teamster, came from Paw Paw, Mich. He said health care needs to be reformed — but not according to Obama’s plan.

“My grandkids are going to be paying for this. It’s going to cost too much money that we don’t have,” he said while marching, bracing himself with a wooden cane as he walked.

FreedomWorks Foundation, a conservative organization led by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, organized several groups from across the country for what they billed as a “March on Washington.” Organizers say they built on momentum from the April “tea party” demonstrations held nationwide to protest tax policies, along with growing resentment over the economic stimulus packages and bank bailouts. …

‘Deficit spending is out of control’

Terri Hall, 45, of Starke, Fla., said she felt compelled to become political for the first time this year because she was upset by government spending. “Our government has lost sight of the powers they were granted,” she said. She added that deficit spending is out of control, and said she thought it was putting the country at risk. …

Video Protester: We’re standing ‘up for freedom’ (MSNBC, Sept. 12, 2009) — Tea Party protesters march from the Freedom Plaza to the U.S. Capitol. WRC’s Derrick Ward reports. (02:24)

Lawmakers also supported the rally. Rep. Mike Pence, chairman of the House Republican Conference, said Americans want health care reform but they don’t want a government takeover.

“Republicans, Democrats and independents are stepping up and demanding we put our fiscal house in order,” Pence, of Indiana, told The Associated Press.

“I think the overriding message after years of borrowing, spending and bailouts is enough is enough,” Pence said. …

“This isn’t some right-wing conservative agenda,” said 30-year-old Adam Moore of Rochester, Mich. “This is a true grass-roots movement.” …

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Coverage from the right

A million or more rock Washington
(WorldNetDaily, Sept. 12, 2009)

Fox News live footage shows thousands of demonstrators at anti-Obama march on Washington, Sept. 12, 2009 (Photo credit: WorldNetDaily / Fox News)

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7/24/10 Update

Inside Bachmann’s Tea Party Caucus (Tim Mak, FrumForum, July 24, 2010) — The Tea Party caucus unveiled this week is full of controversial characters – you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. From Representative Michele Bachmann to Joe “You Lie” Wilson to the BP-groveling Joe Barton, the caucus is sure to be a “receptacle” for contentious tea party interests. … Full story

Video

Tea Party in Trouble? (MSNBC “Countdown,” July 23, 2010) — The Washington Post’s David Weigel explains whether the movement itself will cause its own downfall. (07:56)

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AFGHANISTAN WAR

5 U.S. Troops Killed in Afghan Violence

September 12, 2009

KABUL — Roadside bombs, gunbattles and a suicide strike killed five American service members and dozens of Afghan civilians, troops and police, officials said on Saturday.

The attacks Friday and Saturday reached a broad swath of the country, demonstrating the spread of the Taliban insurgency, which had been largely confined to the country’s south and east in the years after the 2001 U.S. invasion. Half of those killed in the most recent attacks were civilians, who often find themselves caught in the grinding war between the Taliban and U.S. and NATO forces.

Bombs caused most of the casualties — including homemade blasts in the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar and a neighboring province that together killed 20 civilians.

A roadside bomb and gunfire attack in western Afghanistan killed three Americans, while another roadside bomb killed two Americans in the east, said Chief Petty Officer Brian Naranjo, a spokesman for the U.S. military command in Kabul. No other details were available.

American shot over drink of water

In Kabul, the capital, an American service member and an Afghan police officer got into an argument because the American was drinking water in front of the Afghan police, who are not eating or drinking during the day because of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, said the district chief, Abdul Baqi Zemari.

The police officer shot the American and seriously wounded him, while other American troops responded and seriously wounded the police officer, Zemari said. …

Authorities reported a string of deadly militant attacks in the south and east.

In Kandahar, two suicide bombers on a motorbike tried to attack an office of the country’s intelligence agency on Saturday. Officers and the bombers traded gunfire. One bomber blew himself up and killed an intelligence officer, while the other bomber’s explosives went off but didn’t kill anyone, said Kandahar deputy provincial police Chief Fazel Hamid Sherzad.

Also in Kandahar, six civilians were killed by a homemade bomb Friday in Maiwand district, said district police Chief Bashir Hamad.

In neighboring Uruzgan province, 14 civilians were killed Friday when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Churra district, the Interior Ministry said.

Civilians at risk from bombs

Roadside bombs planted by militants are usually aimed at NATO or Afghan troops, but hundreds of civilians have been killed by them.

A Taliban ambush, meanwhile, killed six private security guards working for a construction company in the eastern province of Kunar on Saturday, said Gen. Khalilullah Ziayi, the provincial police chief. Ten guards were wounded, he said.

Also in the east, a suspected militant rocket attack killed three civilians in Sabari district of Khost, said Wazir Pacha, spokesman for the provincial police chief.

Four police were killed in Nangarhar late Friday when militants attacked a border police checkpoint, said Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, spokesman for the governor.

In eastern Paktika province, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in Bermel district. Only the bomber died, the Interior Ministry said.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — September 13, 2008

After the Primary Election: Day 4

One year ago today, on the fourth day after losing my 2008 primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, in line with my focus on national security, I reported on a car bombing in Iraq that killed at least 32 people and wounded more than 40.