First, I admire her courage and her convictions. I don’t think Bachmann will take it, of course. She’ll probably issue some statement about how great it is that a kid is taking an interest in politics, but this is a no-win situation for her. If she beats down the kid in a debate, she’ll look like a bully and/or everyone will simply say that she was supposed to win anyway
Second, given Bachmann’s belief in some crazy shit, there’s a outside chance she’ll lose if she accepts, which would just make her more of a joke than she is now, though I don’t know if the sycophants in her district would be moved. If they’ve reelected her, then they’ve shown that they simply don’t care about crazy shit or facts
Third, however, I don’t especially like the kid’s framing of the issue from a gender politics standpoint. Yeah, she gets teased for being female and running for class president, and sexism is a lot less taboo than racism, if it’s taboo at all, but I fear it would just distract from the real issue here: and that’s that Michele Bachmann is a psychotic nutcase who doesn’t know shit
I see the kid’s point, and Bachmann-not-knowing-shit is part of it. Other than Hillary Clinton, the women who have been most notable as candidates in the last few years have also been notable dimwits. Part of this is a Republican Party problem and part of it is a media problem, but what it shouldn’t be is a problem with women running for office.
I would like to see this- Not just with Bachmann, but any politician. Since HS students would be more black & white vs. a politician’s gray areas, it would make for a very entertaining (and politician squirming) debate.
Your typical high school students (and for that matter, a great many exceptional ones) do not understand the limitations of their knowledge or its real-world implications. I suspectt that’s true in this case – and I say this without arguing for or against Michelle Bachman.
What if Michele Bachmann beat Amy in the debate/pop quiz. Would you then have to give Bachmann your political support? Or is that only Bachmann’s supporters should be held accountable once the results are in? If it’s the latter, then this whole thing doesn’t seem to have much upside for the congresswoman, does it?
Bachmann can and should win. Not on facts, but on resources. Let’s be honest, American political debate is not a serious exercise in argument and persuasion using facts. It’s all about hitting the talking points, saying as little as possible so that both sides have a reason to like you, or doubling-down on your base. Nobody debates to have the truth win out, they debate to make themselves look good
Bachmann has said too many dumb shit things for me to support her. She’s a crazy loon that belongs more in a circus side-show than politics, where her insanity actually affects people.
But there is an upside for her, a path that would make me grudgingly support her, if genuine. Recant her insane ramblings and admit mistakes. Debate the kid for real, use facts, not obfuscation, and when the kid catches her on hypocrisy or ignorance, admit, apologize, and change her beliefs. You know, go in to it honestly, not to push her psychotic agenda.
Given that this 16 year old isn’t even one of Bachmann’s constituents, I don’t much reason why this should take place.
If it did, Bachmann wins, hands down and without taking a deep breath. I am sure this is a smart and engaged 16 year old. But against a professional politician? In a real debate?
And Bachmann would smile and do the whole “you did really well, honey - too bad when you started to cry” schtick.
All Bachmann has to do is mention some of the details of the bills before Congress, and this high school student is going to be completely out of her depth.
These revenge fantasies about how any Republican is going to fall apart the first time she encounters a loaded question are entertaining, but naive. They get this all the time, and from people who have been at it a lot longer than a 16 year old.
The only problem would be that Bachmann would have is not to make it too obvious that she is taking it easy on the kid.
While I agree that the SDMB (the group that collectively insisted Palin was wrong when she described the VP’s constitutional role of presiding over the Senate to a third grader as “in charge of the Senate…”) is not the correct neutral authority, I also believe that a truly reasonable and neutral group would not judge her a winner in a debate with a well-informed and prepared sixteen year old.
Why do you say otherwise? This is the woman that stumbled when trying to name a Supreme Court case (other than Roe v. Wade) she didn’t agree with.
That’s almost certainly un-true. An intelligent 16 year-old would have no problem beating Sarah Palin in a debate on the constitution. There’s not a doubt in my mind. Have you ever seen the more intelligent members of a high-school debate team perform? They’re not dumb, and they know how to debate.
Palin got ripped to shreds by reporters not even trying to rip her to shreds. And she didn’t even try to debate Biden. From reports on the campaign, Palin didn’t even want to learn anything when the Vice Presidency was at stake. You think she’d try harder for this?
As for Bachman, details of current bills wouldn’t be likely have much to do with fundamental constitutional questions. I haven’t ever heard her say anything intelligent or cogent about constitutional matters, but then I try to avoid crazy when possible.
I wouldn’t be prepared to place a bet on a debate, but as far as the proposed “Fact Test on The Constitution of the United States, United States History and United States Civics,” the smart money’s on the high-school student.
Ms. Bachmann makes frequent assertions on these subjects and has consistently demonstrated a truly remarkable depth of ignorance and confusion on them. I’m a middle-aged Canadian and would go into a pop-quiz on these subjects feeling quite confident that I could outscore Michele Bachmann. A young person currently going through a U.S. high school curriculum, with access to its libraries and a particular interest in the subjects? Michele Bachmann would be utterly crushed, even if she crammed for it.
I do suspect that Michelle Bachman is putting on an act to some extent. But there is overwhelming evidence that we’ve seen the real Palin. Still, I’d give the high school student the edge against Bachman. I think people who spend too long willfully ignoring reality eventually lose touch with it.
I disagree, not because I think the the 16 year-old would be more knowledgeable or a better debater, than a precocious 16 year-old (although it might be arguable), but because Bachmann, having to pander to the electorate, would have one hand tied behind her back. The High schooler would be able to say what ever she thought would help her win points in the debate regardless of how politically popular or unpopular those stands are. Bachman on the other hand would have to worry what her constituents would think about every word she said. Same goes for the Quiz. Agreeing with inconvenient facts is a political liability.