Republicans On House Census Subcommittee Rebuke Bachmann's Fearmongering As Illogical And Illegal

[Why Syzygy]

She is a disaster! She couldn't do more for the benefit of Democrats if she TRIED!

As ThinkProgress has repeatedly pointed out, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has been bragging about the fact that she plans not to answer Census questions this year, which is a violation of federal law punishable with a fine up to $5,000. Bachmann has been mocked by Stephen Colbert and criticized harshly by the largest Minnesota newspaper for her conspiratorial stance.

Now, in the latest rebuke of her off-the-wall claims about the Census, three out of the four House Republicans on the subcommittee that oversees the Census have released a statement calling her boycott plan "llogical, illegal and not in the best interest of our country".

"Boycotting the constitutionally mandated Census is illogical, illegal and not in the best interest of our country," Reps. Patrick McHenry (N.C.), Lynn Westmoreland (Ga.) and John Mica (Fla.), members of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Achieves, said in a statement Wednesday.

(A) boycott opens the door for partisans to statistically adjust Census results," the trio's statement said. "The partisan manipulation of census data would irreparably transform the Census from being the baseline of our entire statistical system into a tool used to wield political power in Washington."

According to Roll Call, the three Republicans approached Bachmann privately over the past few weeks and asked her to stop the boycott,” but “decided to go public because Bachmann appeared unfazed by their request.” Bachmann pushed her boycott plan on Monday in an interview with Sean Hannity.

Census officials have been meeting with Bachmann to try to talk her down from her illogical concerns. CongressDaily reports that McHenry even “showed her printed census materials in the attempt to dispel her fears.” But she remained skeptical. A GOP source said, “As long as Fox News keeps calling, she’s going to keep going.”

Update
Bachmann's spokesperson, Debbee Keller, told Roll Call that "Congresswoman Bachmann cannot be reached, but we appreciate their views and hope to be able to work with them to keep ACORN — which has earned public mistrust through its repeated voter registration fraud — out of the Census." PolitiFact found that Bachmann's claims about ACORN and the Census are "ridiculously wrong."

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/01/mchenry-bachmann-census/

[47of74]

1. And her inflammatory statements might

And her inflammatory statements might have been responsible in part for the death of that census worker. If it's proven that whoever killed that person was motivated in part by her statements the Republicans will be even further up shit creek.

[Why Syzygy]

4. She reminds me of a stripper

a friend used to date. She went nuts on Ice and the Fire Department had to get her out of a tree!

They haven't been able to "TALK HER DOWN"! She might need some serious intervention.


edit: Not to make light of the murder. It is ghastly. However. The mention of meth labs out there has to be considered. The way it came down makes is a little hard to believe that just your average run of the mill nutty republicon could do such a thing.

[atreides1]

9. Why?

Is it so hard to believe that some Rushbot could do this?

Those freaks at Abu Ghraib were probably considered run of the mill average soldiers, I bet no one would have believed that they were capable of doing what they did?

With all of the hatred that is being spewed by people like Bachman, Limbaugh, Beck, and the other mouth breathers, we all better start looking for the worst from their fanatical followers.

[Why Syzygy]

11. You've got a point. nt

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. I don't know if there's a 12-step program for recovering fundies...

...but there ought to be.

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. There are groups for recovering religious fanatics, but I am not sure if they are 12 step-like.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. That's really good to know!

Maybe there's an inkling of hope that fundyism can be exposed as a serious health problem rather than having folks accept it as a mere lifestyle preference.

[Chulanowa]

20. As I pointed out elsewhere...

The last thing a moonshiner / pot grower / meth cooker wants is publicity.

This murder is designed for publicity. From the method of killing, to the person killed to the message written on him. Someone wanted this murder to be noticed.

[CatWoman]

7. Bachmann dodges question about murdered Census worker.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/26/bachmann-census-worker/

[Why Syzygy]

10. How are we ever going to trick them into

giving up their liberties and fall for our conniving? :sarcasm:

“How to recognize living under Nazis & Communists.”

:sarcasm:

They are just too SMART and INFORMED for us! :sarcasm:

[Laelth]

2. They're afraid Republicans in red districts will not respond.

That might actually make up for the way in which the poor in blue districts are under-counted.

Make no mistake. In this instance (and others), these Republicans are not interested in what's best for this country--only what's best for the Republican Party.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Jackpine Radical]

3. The two most patriotic things Republicans can do for their country

is not to answer the census and not to vote.

If they aren't counted in the census, they will lose their Congressional districts, and if they don't vote, they will lose what few Republican Congressional seats are left.

Goddamn, it works for me.

[Why Syzygy]

5. I know it!

She cannot even see that she is destroying her own chances of being re-elected! :crazy:

[msongs]

6. most census questions are intrusive, unnecesary, and violate the constitution which says a

census is needed n necessary. a census is a head count, not an investigation into what your job is, who u shack up with, etc.

Msongs

[Jackpine Radical]

8. Your comment leaves me with really mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I'm as sensitive as anyone to privacy issues. On the other hand, I also see a need for the nation to have adequate statistical information about its citizens in order to properly direct resources and serve public policy needs.

As far as I know, census data has always been kept confidential for 70 years to preserve individual privacy. I don't know that I would continue to trust the government in the future, but in the past I know of now instances where anyone was ever harmed by giving self-revelatory information to the census.

[Posteritatis]

23. A census was a head count in the eighteenth century. Things change. (nt)

[laughingliberal]

12. I'm all good with Republicans boycotting the census

As already pointed out, they just lose representation in those really red districts. I can live with that.

[Historic NY]

15. well if she convinces enough people to boycott it we might p/up some more seats.

[Odin2005]

16. That woman is an embarrassment to my state.

The good folks in the St. Cloud area should be ashamed of themselves.

My rep (Colin Peterson) my be a Blue Dog, but at least he has his head screwed on straight.

[Why Syzygy]

17. I made a campaign

contribution to her rival. Many of us did. Minnesota didn't hear our plea.

[foxfeet]

19. "Congresswoman Bachmann cannot be reached . . ." pretty much sums it up.

[Why Syzygy]

21. That update is

a pretty good indication of mental illness. When someone isn't responsive to the matter at hand but interjects their own agenda item, that is sociopathic.

[Posteritatis]

24. Do we really need to do the "equate mental illness with Republicans" thing all the time? (nt)

[Why Syzygy]

27. I don't know about you,

but I don't do it "all the time".

Do we have to do that "correcting people for their thoughts" all the time?

[Posteritatis]

28. When it comes to DUers equating the two concepts, sure

This place pisses on the mentally ill too much as is.

[Why Syzygy]

29. You don't know me.

I am not "pissing on the mentally ill", nor would I. Maybe your vendetta net caught an innocent this time. That's the thing with broad brush. The reply from Bachman's assistant indicates a pathological condition. It isn't "REPUBLICON". It IS a mental disease. One for which there is no cure.

Take your soap box elsewhere.

[Why Syzygy]

30. And you know what else ...

I think you're wrong about "DU". (Not to mention that referring to a single individual with a label of "DU" is bigoted and lazy minded.)

AND I think YOU are the one disrespecting people with mental illness diagnoses. I haven't seen all these comparisons of republicons to mental disease that you attack from your rant box.

What I HAVE seen are multiple, numerous, DU MEMBERS post about their own diagnosis. They have been met with nothing but supportive understanding from other members. I have never seen anyone at DU disrespected for talking about their condition. If you HAVE, then limit your criticism to those guilty parties and leave the rest of DU out of it.

[Posteritatis]

22. Hee. (nt)

[malaise]

25. She should be removed from the House of Representatives

You cannot be a part of the government and publicly attacking federal laws.
Truthfully she should be locked up in a padded room.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. Censure or expel.

Enough of the bullshit. No more games.