Say what?


Speaking of incessant, grating whines…here’s another Minnesota pest, Michele Bachmann. She spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (by invitation…how deranged have the Republicans become, anyway?) and offered this jewel of logic:

I just wondered that if our founders thought taxation without representation was bad, what would they think of representation WITH taxation?

Don’t even try to comprehend the strange thoughts that flit through that tiny brain.

Comments

  1. IST says

    Well Michelle, it’s like this… the problem the founders had with that whole ‘taxation without represention’ thing was the 2nd part of it… as in not being represented. I’m sure that if they didn’t want any taxes at all, they might not have given Congress the power to levy taxes. Ugh, what was I thinking, these people don’t read the Constitution, they use it as toilet paper.

  2. Aaron Baker says

    A good comment on Bachmann is this posting from Hilzoy at washingtonmonthly.com:

    Michele Bachman: Keeping It Real

    From CNN, via TPMDC:

    “As he concluded his remarks, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann — the event’s moderator — told Steele he was “da man.”

    “Michael Steele! You be da man! You be da man,” she said.”

    Dat Michele Bachmann is sho’ nuff hep to da black man’s lingo. She down with Malcolm and the Panthers. Any moment now she gwine get wise to da special secret code words like ‘bling’ and ‘bitch’ and ‘chill’ and ‘whack’.

    She keep conversatin like dis, black folks gwine realize dat Barack Obama ain’t the only hep cat on da scene.

    —Hilzoy

  3. mister slim says

    I can see how Minnesota residents might take issue with their taxation paying for that quality of representation.

  4. bob says

    WHAT?!?!

    In an ideal situation, such an embarrassing and ridiculous display of stupidity would be enough to ensure someone would never be elected to a position of power again (assuming it wasn’t an honest mistake). In our current situation, it will be a badge of honor. Sad. And scary.

  5. says

    Okay, I think I understand what she’s saying, but… she does realize that taxation is the price of representation, right? Even Michelle Bachmann isn’t that stupid, right?

    Please… tell me she can’t possibly be…

  6. says

    She keep conversatin like dis, black folks gwine realize dat Barack Obama ain’t the only hep cat on da scene.

    “Oh stewardess! Michelle speaks jive.”

  7. cactusren says

    W…T…F?

    Michele Bachman: Please learn some basic reasoning skills before speaking again. If you don’t, we will continue to point and laugh. You have been warned.

  8. JThompson says

    It looks like Limbaugh has been sharing his pills again.
    When can we have the DEA start kicking in the doors of these Republicans? As a taxpayers we deserve to know what the hell they’re on. Especially since they won’t let us have whatever it is.

  9. ckerst says

    At a convention yesterday she also told Michael Steele, “you be ‘da man.”
    She doesn’t seem to have brain.

  10. Bob L says

    Considering they sided with President Washington in putting down the Whiskey Rebellion they would think taxation with representation is just peachy Representative Bachmann.

  11. Knockgoats says

    I don’t even understand what she’s trying to say. – Bacopa

    Don’t worry; nor does she.

  12. says

    I watched the video clip of this speech on Greg Laden’s blog (linked above). The woman’s voice is incredibly irritating and grating; do her constituents not get fed up with this?

    And I just find it depressing that the loudest voices in politics and the media opposing the stimulus bill are generally spouting this kind of illiterate drivel. Rep. Bachmann is clearly just not terribly bright.

    The stimulus bill is, in fact, an extremely bad idea, and a variety of articulate, economically literate and sound arguments against it can be found on various libertarian blogs, websites and journals. But unfortunately, the average American voter doesn’t read any libertarian blogs, websites or journals. S/he gets his or her information about politics from the news media, and so s/he probably thinks that the likes of Michele Bachman represent the mainstream of opposition to big government. They do not – which is why an independent libertarian voice is desperately needed in the American political arena, IMO.

  13. says

    Pierce, since you moved it here,

    How do you suggest crashing that poll?

    Obviously the answer is not compatible, but that’s probably the way that most readers of that site will vote anyway.

  14. Kate says

    Watchman, thanks to you I now have a new “favorite phrase”:

    buttered-cat array.

    I intend to use it almost as much as I use “Maple and Bacon”. (Which I use often because Maple + Bacon can solve so many of life’s problems.)

  15. mandrake says

    As a taxpayers we deserve to know what the hell they’re on. Especially since they won’t let us have whatever it is.

    Good point.
    “What is that, CIA stash?”

  16. the helvetica scenario says

    @19: By the way that poll is worded, the answers should be 100% yes. I mean, people can believe in whatever they can imagine. Like Scientology.

  17. Knockgoats says

    a variety of articulate, economically literate and sound arguments against it can be found on various libertarian blogs, websites and journals. – Walton

    *Chuckle* Good one Walton!

  18. Pierce R. Butler says

    Rev BDC @ # 26: How do you suggest crashing that poll?

    Now that you mention it, “Yes, No, Not sure” doesn’t allow much room for edification, does it? (In the mode of the present thread’s inspiration: … do it?)

    It might be an interesting experiment to swamp ’em with the third answer to see how they go about “educating” the “ignorant”…

    Ludlum’s typesetter @ # 30: the OneNewsNow related article offers an unambiguous hint as to the theologically correct answer, and yours, alas, ain’t it (ahem: don’t be it). Rev. Wildmon thanks you for playing!

  19. Raynfala says

    I tried to follow her trail of thought, and my brain ended up throwing a rod in the process.

    Thanks a lot, Michelle. Now my brain’s gonna be in the shop all weekend.

  20. says

    hmmm… buttered cat array teeshirt design….

    I’m sure there’s a tiny buttered cat inside Bachmanns head, that’s what makes those words come out like that. That or a block of Gouda is just rattlin’ ’round in there.

  21. black wolf says

    She probably also owns a complete collection of Ray Comfort’s masterful works on logic and irrefutable argumentation techniques.
    Actually, she’s much worse than Ray – she has some actual influence on real-world policy apparently, and she has actually studied the subjects she’s ignorant about.

  22. Newfie says

    Maple + Bacon can solve so many of life’s problems.

    But not together. I hate maple smoked bacon. My bacon should not taste like my pancakes.

  23. says

    How does Michele Bachmann not fall down or walk into walls all the time? Or maybe she does and it just doesn’t make the news. Christ on a cracker my head hurts from reading her remarks. She needs to wind up the monkey playing cymbals in her head more often so she’s distracted from making stupid statements. Heh heh! Funny monkey.

  24. skyotter says

    […] what would they [have thought] of representation WITH taxation?

    it would have avoided a revolt, and we’d be British. so i guess i sort-of agree with her* that we’re lucky it didn’t come up

    [*gargles w/ bleach]

  25. black wolf says

    Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, speaking to an assembly of 900 Israelis in Tel Aviv:

    “The German youth has no problem with Judaism. I occasionally take a stroll across the Jewish cemetary in my hometown with my boys.”

  26. Michael the G says

    The dissonance! It burns us!

    A commenter above (I forgot who) stated that he thinks he got what she was trying to say. How in the sweet baby jeebus could you get any sort of logic out of that drivel? Like, I have attempted to do the “other mind” exercise to understand Bachmanns point but it still doesn’t grock. (To borrow the already out of date vernacular of those hip gamer kids)

    What no one has pointed out is that the founders probably would’ve thought, “Prithy, whom is this women and why is she not in the home?” Not to knock the fathers of our country but it was over a hundred years before women would even be able to vote let alone hold office so maybe framing a question of any type under the auspices of “what would the founders make of this” is a bat-chit stupid place to start anyway. I compare it to asking what an 18th century barber/surgeon would think of an MRI machine. Lack of mental traction much?

  27. Kate says

    Well, I didn’t mean the Maple + Bacon thing for just flavour. It has other applications, as well.

    Need a floor tiled…. DELICIOUSLY?… MAPLE AND BACON!

    Need a quick way to patch a hole…. DELICIOUSLY? MAPLE AND BACON!

    But yes, if you’re buying that store brand fake maple crap, it’s sucks. If you’re buying the good stuff, locally made and using REAL maple syrup/maple wood it’s ever so much better. But not on pizza, or in a blt. I like to use maple bacon on a turkey, or perhaps on a fruit based salad or in peanut-butter and bacon sandwiches.

    I prefer to get the salt cured, smoked bacon for enjoyment with eggs. Goes better with hasbrowns.

  28. EE in MN says

    How about this ironic statement.

    Michele Bachmann is my representative, but she doesn’t represent me.

  29. Martin says

    I… err…

    Can someone explain what she was trying to say there? I’m really struggling with that one.

  30. JustaTech says

    Oh, please, somebody tell Ed. He needs a new “stupidest statement ever” winner.

    Has this crazy person ever been to DC? Perhaps she was confused by the license plates?

  31. Siveambrai says

    @46 They didn’t just think women needed to stay home but also any male that wasn’t of European descent, owned land, and was in a reasonable distance to a polling site.

    Even today the government isn’t totally about taxation only with representation because DC still is excluded.

    I mean she’s obviously pulling the “small government, minimal taxation” line or attempting to at least. However, I really think someone should have explained it better to her. This makes less sense than the republican rebuttal to Obama’s speech.

  32. Kate says

    @mandrake

    Yep. :) I have many bacon related websites bookmarked for daily perusing and “Bacon Unwrapped” is one of them. I am, unfortunately, a bacon addict. I don’t tend to eat it often, but only because I’m interested in maintaining healthy blood pressure and not gaining so much weight I begin to pull satellites from orbit.

    It’s not easy, though. Especially since I discovered the “Bacon Explosion”. That’s just pure food/bacon porn. Porn with bacon and bbq sauce.

  33. says

    Typically when I cure my bacon I do not use maple, but I have and will in the future occasionally do it.

    Not sure what’s next.. I need to get some cherry wood for smoking it I think.

  34. dean says

    “variety of articulate, economically literate and sound arguments against it can be found on various libertarian blogs, websites and journals”

    ? You did say this knowing it’s bullshit, correct? Sound arguments from libertarians? That’s as likely as lips on a duck.

  35. Newfie says

    Not sure what’s next.. I need to get some cherry wood for smoking it I think.

    How about apple wood, Rev?

  36. Julie K says

    This reminded me of a passage from Patrick O’Brian’s great series concerning the naval adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and Steven Maturin. At least this is funny where Bachmann is just sadly incomprehensible.

    ‘For example, I am not sure that me and my messmates overhauled the burton-tackle is grammar. However, we will leave that . . . What do you know about the last American war?’

    ‘Not very much, sir, except that the French and Spaniards joined in and were finely served out for doing so.’

    ‘Very true. Do you know how it began?’

    ‘Yes, sir. It was about tea, which they did not choose to pay duty on. They called out No reproduction without copulation and tossed it into Boston harbour.’

    Jack frowned, considered, and said, ‘Well, in any event they accomplished little or nothing at sea, that bout.’ He passed on to the necessary allowance for dip and refraction to be made in working lunars, matters with which he was deeply familiar; but as he tuned his fiddle that evening he said, ‘Stephen, what was the Americans’ cry in 1775?’

    ‘No representation, no taxation.’

    ‘Nothing about copulation?’

    ‘Nothing at all. At that period the mass of Americans were in favour of copulation.’

    ‘So it could not have been No reproduction without copulation’

    ‘Why, my dear, that is the old natural philosopher’s watchword, as old as Aristotle, and quite erroneous. Do but consider how the hydra and her kind multiply without any sexual commerce of any sort. Leeuenhoek proved it long ago, but still the more obstinate repeat the cry, like so many parrots.’

    ‘Well, be damned to taxation, in any case. Shall we attack the andante?’

  37. Patricia, OM says

    Rev.BigDumbChimp – Damn! Too bad shipping is so high. I live in the cherry wood capitol of America. We have a boxcar load of it out at the farm. I’d give you all you wanted. The wild sage here is incredible to open fire pit cook with.

    I’m making lentil soup for lunch, with chopped bacon. It may or may not be edible, I’m adding some garam masala powder to it.

  38. S. Fisher says

    Watch what you say…you know Michelle Bachman has the inside track on all unAmerican activities, not just in Congress and the Presidency, but everywhere. She could be hiding behind in the bushes watching anytime.

  39. mikecbraun says

    I bought some of that major-brand maple bacon, and, yeah, it’s complete crap. I was excited to have my chicken livers, bacon, and onion, and the nasty, cloying flavor of the bacon ruined the whole dish. Good thing it only costs me about two bucks to make it again. Chicken liver = great taste at a bargain-basement price.

  40. Patricia, OM says

    All is not lost Chimpy – The wild sage weighs very little when dried. I can ship you some of that this summer when it blooms. It smells so sweet it almost makes you high. ;)

  41. The Other Ian says

    Michael the G:

    Like, I have attempted to do the “other mind” exercise to understand Bachmanns point but it still doesn’t grock. (To borrow the already out of date vernacular of those hip gamer kids)

    You’re using and spelling it wrong. Also, the word is from the 60s — not exactly the era of “gamer kids”.

  42. davidstvz says

    If she was intelligent, she might have said something like “taxation without representation is bad, but is excessive taxation with representation any better?”

    Except it’s still not that poignant a point.

  43. Brainstem says

    I have no words.

    In English, anyway.

    Luckily, there’s still Japanese.

    Honto ni anta tte,
    Mataku anta tte,
    Tonikaku anta tte,
    Baka ne! Baka! Baka!

    Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!
    Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!
    Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!
    Baka! Baka!

  44. 2-D Man says

    Do you ever involuntarily facepalm? I’ve done it deliberately before, but today was the first time it ever happened on its own. Thanks, PZ[ed].

  45. Psuedodog says

    I think it’s a bit disingenuous of people to claim that they don’t understand what she could have meant when she said “taxation with representation”.

    I think it’s pretty clear that she meant that she wondered how people feel about this specific taxation with the current representation (the Democrat dominated congress).

    So, she didn’t express herself very well.

    But, I think it’s also pretty clear that she was just riffing on the idea that “Democrats are bad cuz they raise taxes and spend it on dumb stuff”

    She may be dumb, and what she said was certainly dumb, but I find the non-critical chiming in of “She is so dumb I can’t understand what she was thinking” to be pretty dumb too.

  46. Alyson Miers says

    As a writer, I couldn’t make up a character as wacky as Michelle Bachmann. This shit is stranger than fiction.

  47. The Other Ian says

    Psuedodog:

    I think it’s a bit disingenuous of people to claim that they don’t understand what she could have meant when she said “taxation with representation”.

    I think it’s a bit disingenuous that you’ve misquoted her, making her appear to be more lucid than she actually was. She said “representation with taxation”, not the other way around.

    And yes, the fact that she used the word “taxation” within what appears to be a complaint, combined with the context that she’s a modern Republican, does lead to the conclusion that she’s somehow making a comment about “tax-and-spend” Democrats. Exactly what that comment is is far from clear.

  48. Arnold Facepalmer says

    After her call for investigation of Anti-American activities of certain (Democratic) Senators prior to the election this is chump change. The fact is that even after that kookfest she was re-elected by her district because they too are apparently a kook majority. Sad, but that’s how the system works.

  49. says

    @#74 Psuedodog
    “I think it’s pretty clear that she meant that she wondered how people feel about this specific taxation with the current representation (the Democrat dominated congress).”

    But the people of Washington D.C. have no representation and are still taxed. She opposes giving Washington D.C. representation.

  50. opheliagonemad says

    Ugh…I have bronchitis right now, so I tried taking nice big dose of my really heavy cough meds, waiting half an hour, and rereading to see if the crazy made any more sense. It didn’t. Now I’m just dizzy. Mainly from trying to shift my brain into Bachmann-logic mode.

  51. nothing's sacred says

    I think it’s a bit disingenuous of people to claim that they don’t understand what she could have meant when she said “taxation with representation”.

    I think you’re more than a bit of an ass. Not only have you misquoted her, but you’ve snipped her words out of context — she presented “representation with taxation” as something even less desirable than “taxation without representation”. If you “understand” her logic, that makes you at least as stupid as she is.

  52. nothing's sacred says

    Let me make it even more explicit:

    Bachmann contrasted

    a) “taxation without representation”
    b) “representation WITH taxation”.

    In case a), there isn’t representation, but in case b) there is.
    In case a), there is taxation, but in case b), there IS.

    Now what, exactly, was Bachmann’s point? Saying this isn’t understandable isn’t disingenuous, it’s displaying intelligence — far more than psuedodog appears to possess.

  53. nothing's sacred says

    a variety of articulate, economically literate and sound arguments against it can be found

    The first two, perhaps, but the third is an example of petitio principii.

  54. says

    @#84 nothing’s sacred

    I am guessing that she meant that… actually I don’t know. I was about to say, “she thinks representation with taxation is worse than taxation without representation,” but that really does not make sense. Of course, she opposes giving representation to Washington D.C., so that could explain it.

  55. Kristin says

    Psuedodog also refers to the “democrat” controlled Congress – which is a sign that he’s a wingnut right there. Also – learn to spell “pseudo”.

  56. Ragutis says

    On a somewhat related note (the intersection of batshit crazy and politics) the guys that wrote that Left Behind dreck are going to be on The Rachel Maddow Show in a bit, apparently explaining how Obama’s election means the Rapture is coming or something.

    Should be worth a laugh.

  57. fiisi says

    I dunno, Batshit Crazy Lady from the 6th District, but I think if you reverse the polarity, decrease the field strength, and add a Herschel, it becomes orthogonal.

  58. says

    I recognize that Bachmann is a local representative. However, it seems to me that her being in Congress is a much larger issue than a simple Minnesota congressional district – she’s a national embarrassment, not just a local one. With 90+ comments on this post alone, it seems that all of us should be paying attention to what it takes to find an adequate challenger in 2010.

  59. Ktesibios says

    Posted by: Psuedodog | February 27, 2009 6:02 PM
    I think it’s pretty clear that she meant that she wondered how people feel about this specific taxation with the current representation (the Democrat dominated congress).

    How like a fawning publican he looks.

  60. nothing's sacred says

    Psuedodog also refers to the “democrat” controlled Congress – which is a sign that he’s a wingnut right there.

    It’s the use of “Democrat” as an adjective, as in “The Democrat Party”, that is a sign of wingnuttery. OTOH, “The Democrat dominated Congress” is correct (or would be if a hyphen were inserted), whereas “The Democratic dominated Congress” would not be correct.

    Also – learn to spell “pseudo”.

    Again being charitable, I take that as a joke: “psuedodog” is dyslexic for “pseudogod”.

    But accusing people here of being disingenuous by saying that Bachmann’s statement doesn’t make sense — that was immensely stupid, regardless of psuedodog’s politics or spelling abilities.

  61. Jonathan says

    Attention:
    On the grounds that the original disagreement can be resolved in an agreeable fashion (to whit: the nation in question shall join the commonwealth and hence be independent but nonetheless included within the grouping that includes Canada, Australia etc.) and that the inhabitants no longer understand their own history, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hereby declares the Treaty of Paris null and void. Please return your flag to the pre – revolution state and await the arrival of Crown Governor Stephen Fry.

    (Joking)

  62. Jonathan Flint says

    Attention:
    On the grounds that the original disagreement can be resolved in an agreeable fashion (to whit: the nation in question shall join the commonwealth and hence be independent but nonetheless included within the grouping that includes Canada, Australia etc.) and that the inhabitants no longer understand their own history, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hereby declares the Treaty of Paris null and void. Please return your flag to the pre – revolution state and await the arrival of Crown Governor Stephen Fry.

    (Joking)

  63. Twin-Skies says

    Bachmann. The same lady that called for an investigation for those she considers “Un-American,” among other baffling acts.

  64. says

    Judging by the other comments to this post, I suspect the answer to my question is No, but I’ll ask it anyways: Did she just forget to say a few things? Like (added bits in bold), “I just wondered that if our founders thought taxation without representation was bad, what would they think of useless representation like me WITH taxation?”

  65. says

    Please return your flag to the pre – revolution state and await the arrival of Crown Governor Stephen Fry.

    Governor-General, surely? Otherwise America would be a dominion of a lower rank than Canada or Australia… we can’t have that.

  66. Richard says

    You’re always making mean and hateful comments about people you don’t agree with. Yesterday you called Lew Dobbs odious, and now you say that Michele Bachmann has a tiny brain. You’re oh so cute with your Cephalopod Friday feature, but you have a mean heart. I guess that narrow-minded, militant atheism has made you bitter. If I weren’t an atheist, I’d pray for you.

  67. Nerd of Redhead, OM says

    Aww, Richard’s concern shows Richard is an ignorant twit. Our overlord wishes us to be lewd, crude and rude. So, either join in or shut up.

  68. KI says

    In case it has not been mentioned, Rep. Bat-shit-crazy-lady’s district is mostly made up of Stillwater and St. Cloud and the area in between. Stillwater is a center of the psychopathic kleptocracy in MN, and St. Cloud is the county seat of Stearns County. In the 1930’s, a study was done of the deleterious effects (physically and mentally) of inbreeding over multiple generations. The study named these problems “Stearns County Syndrome”, because of the prevalence of the problems in this area. It’s Minnesota’s ground central for Aryan Supremacists, fundie creotards, and Toby Keith record sales.
    I like to pour maple syrup on both my bacon and waffles.

  69. Allen N says

    Richard…
    WTF is a “militant” atheist? Is it someone who dares speak out instead of remaining in the closet about their lack of belief in “god”, whatever that is? What, specifically, is the link between being a “militant” atheist and being mean? Should atheists be more respectful of the delusions (Dawkins) of others? I know – let us be more kindly when we point out that true believers are full of pig doots.

    Lew Dobbs is odious . He has a track record of saying a number of things at odds with reality such as his “War on Christmas. That’s offensive to anyone with a brain. PZ was being kind when he stated MB had a tiny brain. At least there is the remote possibility she is using what little she has available to the fullest extent. The other case would be she has a normal size brain but it is none to functional. There seems little else to conclude from her comments.

  70. Ryan F Stello says

    What is it about hardcore Xians that they fight for jobs without any knowledge base for that job?

  71. says

    I happen to like Toby Keith’s music… is that so wrong?

    I’d never heard, or heard of, Toby Keith. According to the Pffft of all Knowledge, Wikipedia, Toby is a country music singer-songwriter. So, Yes, it is wrong. Country music is not music, but it does smell so bad it probably did come from a dungheap, which is usually found in the country. I think the only alleged music I actively dislike more than the country shite is French rap. Can you say putrid? Yesh it’s bad…

    You did ask! ;-)

  72. says

    I love country, bluegrass, gospel and all related styles. Along with choral and organ music, these are the only types of music I actually listen to. (I dislike most pop and rock.)

    Yes, I would admit to being weird.

  73. KI says

    I object to Mr. Keith’s jingoism and the “Kick you in the ass” foreign policy. His music is trite, however blf’s opinions are uncommonly narrow-minded (remember the 90% crap rule means that 10% isn’t crap, and anyone who disses Buck Owens or Johnny Cash has some ‘splainin’ to do).

  74. David Marjanović, OM says

    I have no words.

    In English, anyway.

    Luckily, there’s still Japanese.

    Please explain…

    You’re always making mean and hateful comments about people you don’t agree with. Yesterday you called Lew Dobbs odious, and now you say that Michele Bachmann has a tiny brain.

    PZ is a scientist. He has trained long and hard to call a spade a spade — not a stick, not a shovel even, but a spade.

    You see, Lou Dobbs is odious, and Michele “male Italian by name” Bachmann does act as if important parts of her brain were just not there.

  75. Alex Deam says

    I think the only alleged music I actively dislike more than the country shite is French rap.

    You obviously haven’t heard Chinese hip hop.

    No, seriously…

  76. killyosaur says

    He bought a second hand Nova from a Cuban Chinese
    And dyed his hair in the bathroom of a Texaco
    With a pawnshop radio quarter past four
    He left Waukegan(8) at the slammin’ of the door
    Left Waukegan at the slammin’ of the door

    I said, John, John, he’s long gone
    Gone to Indiana, ain’t never comin’ home
    I said, John, John, he’s long gone
    Gone to Indiana, ain’t never comin’ home

    Completely irrelavant to the topic at hand but the city (Waukegan) mentioned and the fact that I am listening to a fair bit of Tom Waits as of late caused me to feel the need to post it.

  77. Brainstem says

    Luckily, there’s still Japanese.

    Please explain…

    English doesn’t have any good substitute for baka. “Moron”, “idiot” et al are too stuffy and lack its invigorating plosiveness. “Fool” is archaic and barely registers as an insult any longer. “Jackass” comes close but carries extra connotations. Other alternatives double as slurs against the handicapped. Ah well…

  78. Olorin says

    “if our founders thought taxation without representation was bad, what would they think of representation WITH taxation?”

    Poor Michelle. She couldn’t even get the quotation right. The correct quotation is:

    “If you think taxation without representation is bad, you should see it WITH representation.”

    And, like any true creationist, she did not acknowledge that she plagiarized it.

  79. astrounit says

    Ah…the sun-ripened raisin-brain cacks forth another brilliant bon mot.

    Don’t look now girl, but the founders had something just like you in mind when they fretted over taxation without representation. In that light, incredibly, the rest of your statement almost begins to make some kind of sense. In an alarming sort of way. I need some aspirin.

  80. Pseudodog says

    Addressing “nothing’s sacred” (and a few others) comments:

    1) Psuedodog vs Pseudodog.
    Yup. I misstyped that one.

    2) Using “Democrat” as in “Democrat controlled congress” is a sign of wing-nuttery.
    Perhaps I’m a wingnut (though how would you know anything about my mindset?), but I think you’re reading a lot into my comment that I didn’t intend. I only meant to reference the fact that Democrats (members of the Democratic Party) control congress. I could have written it differently.

    3) I misquoted Michelle Bachman
    Yes, I did. Sorry about that. I don’t think it changes the substance of what she was implying.

    I think she was implying that although taxation without representation is bad, having representation and then getting over-taxation (or whatever in the current tax situation that she disagrees with) is worse.

    In hindsight, I shouldn’t have posted anything. My only point was “Duh, you guys know what she means, even if she is inarticulate” Rethinking it, though, perhaps I am reading too much into what she said and drawing unsupported conclusions from it based on stereotypes of Republican talking points.