Michele Bachmann: Marriage equality a "frivolous," "fringe" issue...

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 8:28pm

You can't make this stuff up...
No fringe issues for Michele!

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 8:35pm

Updated On: 8/7/11 at 08:35 PM

[romantico]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 8:47pm

Does this woman look sane? Just look at those eyes.

[Q]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 9:47pm

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but within the context of what's going on in the world right now - economic collapse and wars, just for starters - I, also, consider it a 'fringe' issue. It certainly wouldn't be amongst the first items on my agenda.

I don't think I would use the term 'frivolous', however.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 10:57pm

Equality is neither a fringe nor a frivolous issue. Examples of fringe or frivolous issues would be the GOP's obsessions with limiting abortion rights and making voting rights less accessible.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 10:58pm

Q, you have to see it as part of a larger context, and that's what Michelle Ma DingaLing Bell is precisely not doing.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 11:00pm

And just for giggles, if this is such a fringe issue that affects such a supposedly tiny part of the population, then why do so many people make such a big thing about it?

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 11:00pm

And just for giggles, if this is such a fringe issue that affects such a supposedly tiny part of the population, then why do so many people make such a big thing about it?

[strummergirl]

Posted: 8/7/11 at 11:04pm

Those eyes. Those eyes. Those eyes seer into my soul. It burns!!!

[Q]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 12:57am

mad - I would say the voting issues are fringe, but I can't see something that potentially compromising as frivolous.

And I can't see anything about the abortion issue being either, frankly. It may be a simple issue if you have it worked out a particular way in your own mind, but as a society we are far from coming to any sort of agreement.

While I understand the representative nature of the equal rights issue, it still wouldn't be a priority of mine right now. The other issues constitute emergency, to me.

Besides, I would have focussed on ENDA before the marriage issue, anyway (with the exception of the immigration policy affected, which could have been addressed separately through those channels.) Updated On: 8/8/11 at 12:57 AM

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 1:39am

I think Michele Bachmann is a frivolous, fringe issue!

[Kad]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 1:46am

Sadly, even though I think the woman is crazy, she is neither frivolous nor fringe. Which makes her dangerous.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 1:52am

I think she's both, but to each their own. I don't think she represents the majority of Americans in any way. Her goal is to use people's ignorance to climb up the political ladder and spread her hate speech.

We'll see how much this issue is frivolous and fringe to her when she uses it as a talking point to get ignorant, homophobic Americans to vote for her. But I guess she would disappoint if she didn't contradict herself constantly.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 7:01am

What continually bugs me (and to be fair, Bachmann is not the first politician to do this) is the "we have other things to worry about first" argument. I find it highly insulting that politicians seem to think the American people (and the government, for that matter) don't have the ability to multi-task.

[Q]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 7:30am

I'm not convinced they can single-task

And I agree with Mildred, she's the one who is fringe. I think (hope?) all this recent awareness of 'them' is ultimately going to show how fringe they really are.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 9:07am

I'll try to clarify my remarks, knowing full well that I may only muddle them further. The frivolous issue that the GOP is using is voter fraud. There is no evidence of any widespread voter fraud, but the GOP is using the perception to make it much more difficult to vote, putting in restrictions that are aimed at young voters, the poor, and minorities.

They're also making up various issues to undermine the right to choose. From state to state, these folks who are supposedly against regulations are putting in regs about office space, bathrooms, etc, that are specifically designed to shut down or impede access to a legal medical procedure.

The issues of voting rights and abortion are indeed important issues. However, the GOP is using frivolous issues to circumvent taking these issues on directly.

[Q]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 9:28am

mad - that made perfect sense, and I see exactly what you mean.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 10:47am

What utterly astounds me is that she's served five terms. Who keeps electing this woman???

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 11:00am

As you might expect, she represents a very far right district. Plus, she can raise money like no other Republican. Interestingly, back in 2010 she was railing against the census, claiming it was an invasion of privacy. She was advocating that her constituents break the law by not complying, until she learned that her actions could actually lose one or more seats for Minnesota, and she could be redistricted out of a job. She then walked back her anti-census rhetoric.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 11:45am

Equality is neither a fringe nor a frivolous issue.

You're absolutely right. I'd imagine that in 1964, folks like Strom Thurmond or Jesse Helms might have said the same things about integration, racial equality, and ending miscegenation laws as Bachmann is now saying about gay equality. And when people make the argument that we have more important things to focus on, I think back to Martin Luther King, Jr.: "A right delayed is a right denied."

[romantico]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 12:22pm

Here we go. It was only a matter of time. They did this last year with Sarah Palin because they did not approve of the picture Newsweek used of her. I swear, these cry babies are never happy.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/conservative-site-newsbusters-michele-bachmann-newsweek-cover-makes-her-look-crazy/

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 1:05pm

That cover absolutely does not make her look crazy. She can do that all by herself.

[romantico]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 1:09pm

I agree. They make it sound like NEWSWEEK photoshopped the picture to make her look crazy.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 1:49pm

But Newsweek did indeed use an unflattering image knowing full well the impliciations, I think.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 8/8/11 at 2:03pm

The woman looks unflattering in *every* photo. It's just the way she looks.

If the Baggers are so upset about it, maybe they could have taken her to one of those shopping-mall places where they make you look "glamorous" for $149.50... plus, of course, tax (which of course no one will want to pay).