Assume that Michelle Bachmann gets the Republican nomination and is eventually elected your President.
Having gained power, what policies do you believe she will REALISTICALLY attempt to get through Congress? For instance, she’s an ardent creationist. Do you think she will actually attempt to have creationism included as a part of the national educational curriculum? (Don’t get hung up on details in my example: if you folks have no national curriculum, that’s besides the point. Work with something your system allows.)
What do you feel she will really try to get done? Policies could be fiscal, social, education-related, environmental on the local level, or affecting foreign policy and the global economy on the international level. Policies could also attempt to revert what Obama hath wrought.
Politicians make campaign promises all the time that they eventually volte-face on. Which ones do you feel she’ll stick with?
Can we get a summary of her various congressional votes and lists of what, if any, legislation she’s sponsored?
That might prove more informative than various nutty quotes of hers. From those quotes alone, I suspect she will not be a president with an above-average regard for civil rights, but I’m prepared to be corrected.
I’ve no idea of Obama’s congressional record, except what dribs and drabs have been used in various arguments to praise or condemn him. I was hoping somebody had a link to a “bachmannwatch.com” website that summarized (without commentary) her congressional record.
My chief concern would be Supreme Court Appointments, spending cuts, rollbacks of some environmental policies, and war-mongering. Unless she really changed in office she could set back US diplomatic relations to the early 1800s.
Realistically? She will have the same problems that Obama does trying to get stuff through the opposition party, as well as trying to get truly nutty stuff through the few Republican moderates left. I don’t see her getting through any sort of religious agenda, much as I didn’t see Bush getting through all of the bed wetting stuff that liberals were afraid of before he took office.
The problem is that if there is another perfect storm of events and you could get a large number of Democrats on board with something crazy because it’s suddenly become popular due to something catastrophic like 9/11, well…THAT is something to REALLY worry about.
On a national level? Not a chance. I doubt she would even try, and if she did she would find scant support except in some fairly small areas and even with her own party. I doubt even most Republicans would go along with something like that, whether they secretly agreed or not…it would be like Obama coming out and saying that the US should go socialist or something (not that he would…it’s just an example). Even if there were Democrats who secretly agreed and thought it a great idea, how many would come out publicly for it? Only the ones who knew that the majority of their voters would like it…which would be very few.
The president isn’t a God King or Emperor, despite what people seem to think, and a President of the US HAS to run from more or less the political center…if they ever want to get re-elected OR if they want to actually get anything done during their term.
My guess is she would focus on domestic issues, especially unemployment and the economy. Unfortunately, based on Bush (I’m guessing as I don’t actually know that much about her), she probably would try for some sort of stimulus and Keynesian solution that, while differing from Obama in the focus would be basically the same thing in principal. If the economy still sucks (which it would almost have to, if she got elected over Obama), she might be able to get some fairly substantial things through the Congress on a bi-partisan basis, but it wouldn’t be anything profound like repealing Social Security or getting rid of Medicare/Medicaid…anything like that would be pure fantasy. But another stimulus? Sure. Maybe even some other pro-business plans or even a dreaded Tax Cut For The Rich(aar) or something along those lines. It will depend on how desperate people are and how shitty the economy is…and where the majority of the voting public puts the blame (obviously it would be on Obama and the Democrats if they were loopy enough to elect Bachmann for president :p).
H.R.86 : End Tax Uncertainty Act of 2011
H.R.87 : To repeal the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
H.R.849 : Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act
H.R.850 : To facilitate a proposed project in the Lower St. Croix Wild and Scenic River, and for other purposes.
H.R.1285 : Military Health Care Affordability Act
H.R.1286 : Healthcare Fiscal Accountability Act of 2011
H.R.1450 : To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to eliminate any time limitation for granting equitable innocent spouse relief.
She has also co-sponsored ninety-six bills:
H.R.2 : Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act
H.R.3 : No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
H.R.4 : Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act of 2011
H.R.5 : Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011
H.R.10 : Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011
H.R.24 : To redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
H.R.49 : American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act
H.R.96 : Internet Freedom Act
H.R.97 : Free Industry Act
H.R.122 : Federal Employee Accountability Act of 2011
H.R.125 : Enumerated Powers Act
H.R.126 : Fairness in Firearm Testing Act
H.R.127 : To deauthorize appropriation of funds to carry out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
H.R.141 : To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
H.R.144 : Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011
H.R.153 : Ensuring Affordable Energy Act
H.R.154 : Defund the Individual Mandate Act
H.R.178 : Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act
H.R.186 : To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation to include all members of the uniformed services who are retired under chapter 61 of such title for disability, regardless of the members’ disability rating percentage.
H.R.217 : Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act
H.R.290 : War Memorial Protection Act
H.R.358 : Protect Life Act
H.R.361 : Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2011
H.R.369 : Health Savings and Affordability Act of 2011
H.R.371 : Health Care Choice Act of 2011
H.R.374 : Life at Conception Act
H.R.408 : Spending Reduction Act of 2011
H.R.409 : Chiropractic Health Parity for Military Beneficiaries Act
H.R.412 : Kids Just Want to Ride Act
H.R.421 : Full Faith and Credit Act
H.R.436 : Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2011
H.R.452 : Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011
H.R.459 : Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2011
H.R.509 : To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that Act shall not apply to the gray wolf (canis lupus).
H.R.546 : Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Act
H.R.567 : Public Employee Pension Transparency Act
H.R.605 : Patients’ Freedom to Choose Act
H.R.620 : Recovering Excessive Stimulus Expenditures for Taxpayers (RESET) Act
H.R.637 : Fairness for Military Recruiters Act
H.R.642 : Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2011
H.R.674 : To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities.
H.R.680 : To prohibit United States contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
H.R.700 : To provide a moratorium on the issuance of flood insurance rate maps, to assist property owners in adapting to flood insurance rate map changes, and for other purposes.
H.R.719 : To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol.
H.R.750 : Defending America’s Affordable Energy and Jobs Act
H.R.787 : No Social Security for Illegal Immigrants Act of 2011
H.R.801 : Truck Weight Uniformity Act of 2011
H.R.822 : National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011
H.R.838 : Western Great Lakes Wolf Management Act of 2011
H.R.875 : Marriage Protection Act of 2011
H.R.910 : Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011
H.R.984 : Health Care Waiver Fairness Act of 2011
H.R.997 : English Language Unity Act of 2011
H.R.1002 : Wireless Tax Fairness Act of 2011
H.R.1041 : Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act
H.R.1058 : Seniors’ Tax Simplification Act of 2011
H.R.1070 : Small Company Capital Formation Act of 2011
H.R.1081 : Consumers Payment System Protection Act
H.R.1112 : National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act of 2011
H.R.1121 : Responsible Consumer Financial Protection Regulations Act of 2011
H.R.1134 : Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act
H.R.1154 : Veterans Equal Treatment for Service Dogs Act
H.R.1161 : Community Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act of 2011
H.R.1181 : Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act of 2011
H.R.1182 : GSE Bailout Elimination and Taxpayer Protection Act
H.R.1229 : Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act
H.R.1230 : Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act
H.R.1231 : Reversing President Obama’s Offshore Moratorium Act
H.R.1297 : Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act of 2011
H.R.1391 : RCCRA Act of 2011
H.R.1479 : Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act 2011
H.R.1558 : To amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency with respect to certain sporting good articles, and to exempt those articles from a definition under that Act.
H.R.1633 : Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011
H.R.1905 : Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011
H.R.2040 : National Right-to-Work Act
H.R.2250 : EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011
H.R.2299 : Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act
H.R.2426 : To amend title 23, United States Code, to limit claims in connection with decisions to issue permits, licenses, and approvals for highway and public transportation capital projects, and for other purposes.
H.R.2496 : Payment Reliability for our Obligations to Military and Investors to Secure Essential Stability Act
H.R.2527 : National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act
H.R.2815 : To revise the Federal charter for the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., to reflect a change in eligibility requirements for membership.
H.J.RES.1 : Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
H.J.RES.2 : Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
H.J.RES.45 : Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage.
H.CON.RES.25 : Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the Obama administration’s discontinuing to defend the Defense of Marriage Act.
H.CON.RES.58 : Expressing disapproval of United States intervention in Libya.
H.RES.15 : Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that general appropriations for military construction and veterans’ affairs be considered as stand-alone measures.
H.RES.44 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that an effective moratorium by the Executive Branch on offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling should be terminated.
H.RES.60 : Urging the Secretary of State to remove the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran from the Department of State’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
H.RES.71 : Honoring the life of Dr. D. James Kennedy.
H.RES.98 : Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives that the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration should give the greatest weight in making critical policy decisions to readily available hard science data, including evidence from the natural sciences, physical sciences, and computing sciences.
H.RES.111 : Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
H.RES.143 : Directing the Speaker, or his designee, to take any and all actions necessary to assert the standing of the House to defend the Defense of Marriage Act and the amendments made by that Act in any litigation in any Federal court of the United States.
H.RES.242 : Recognizing May as “National Foster Care Month”.
H.RES.268 : Reaffirming the United States’ commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and for other purposes.
H.RES.271 : Expressing support for the State of Israel’s right to defend Israeli sovereignty, to protect the lives and safety of the Israeli people, and to use all means necessary to confront and eliminate nuclear threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the use of military force if no other peaceful solution can be found within reasonable time to protect against such an immediate and existential threat to the State of Israel.
In all seriousness, the areas of vulnerability are the Supreme Court and what would undoubtedly be a Cabinet of deregulating, corporate toady scumbags.
She might not be able to push through a legislative agenda, but she might be childish enough to try to veto anything that calls for the slightest bit of compromise on her part.
Fortunately, this is a completely academic exercise, since this woman has no more chance of becoming President than I do.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
In all seriousness, the areas of vulnerability are the Supreme Court
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Yeah, that parts a good point (I won’t comment on the rest). That said, I have to wonder what sort of nomination she would actually (realistically) be able to push through in the current, rather rancorous political environment. Unless there was a huge shift to the Republican party across the board, and assuming a similar composition to what we currently have, I’m not seeing her being able to push anyone really radical through.
Probably less chance than you, actually. I doubt she will even get the nomination, but if she does it would be a dream for the Democrats…assuming you guys don’t manage to shoot yourselves in the collective, um, foot and nominate someone other than Obama.
I’ve actually been wondering about this ever since her remarks about women being submissive to their husbands…does this mean her husband would be controlling her actions in office? Is he “making” her run for president the way he “made” her go back for another degree?
My bet is that she gets the nomination. To hedge this bet, there’s a decent chance that Perry will win; I’d put my money on Bachmann. To dismiss her merely because she is a lunatic is to miss the lesson of the last election cycle: the Republican party primaries have been largely taken over by extremists. She is very well positioned to win the nomination.
A Bachmann victory in the general election would require rank incompetence on the part of the Obama campaign, though.
(For the record, I’m no great fan of Obama. The Republican party, in its current incarnation, utterly freaks me out. Still, his negotiating strategy seems to be, “Please don’t hit me, I’ll do whatever you want!”) Blech…
Of course she hasn’t done any legislation in DC. At home, she demanded a bill where gays can’t marry, even though they already have one!! So, they didn’t vote on it. That’s her congressional career in a nutshell.
I’m sure she would only do two things: pass bills banning gay marriage in the US and all schools, including private one, must teach creationism and that the world is flat and it’s only 6,000 years old.
I’m not worried about the stupidest woman in the country becoming president, but oddly, I like her. Whenever she speaks, she makes religion look ridiculous and education HAS to get better, 'cause look at the batshit mess our country has created to think she’s qualified to run a country? ANY country.
What I DON’T like about her is that dumb ass people who think the moon is made of cheese look credible.
Even though the President doesn’t have dictatorial powers, there’s still a lot of power she would wield on her own, especially with regards to the military. Given some of the other crazed outbursts she has a history of, I wouldn’t be particularly surprised if she did something like ordering the bombing of an ally. I’d hope that the generals would resign rather than carry out an order like that, but forcing the resignation of a large number of top brass would itself do a fair bit of harm to the country.
[QUOTE=Locrian]
I’m sure she would only do two things: pass bills banning gay marriage in the US and all schools, including private one, must teach creationism and that the world is flat and it’s only 6,000 years old.
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And she would do this because she would be Goddess Queen of America, her word law…right?
[QUOTE=medicated]
My bet is that she gets the nomination. To hedge this bet, there’s a decent chance that Perry will win; I’d put my money on Bachmann. To dismiss her merely because she is a lunatic is to miss the lesson of the last election cycle: the Republican party primaries have been largely taken over by extremists. She is very well positioned to win the nomination.
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I suppose it’s possible that she gets nominated, since in both parties getting the nomination comes down to meeting the expectation of the base, left or right. But her getting that nomination is an outside chance at best, IMHO…on par with the Dems nominating someone like Kucinich. It COULD happen…but it’s not very likely. My guess is that it will be Romney, with some sort of ‘conservative’ to balance the ticket.
The only way I could see her winning is if the Dems do what the Dems do best…snatch defeat from the slavering jaws of victory. And the only way I see that happening is if the left wing gains control and ousts Obama in the primary (something that I think is, happily, very remote, probability wise) and put in someone like, well, Kucinich.
I doubt she will even get the nomination, but if she does it would be a dream for the Democrats…assuming you guys don’t manage to shoot yourselves in the collective, um, foot and nominate someone other than Obama.