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Bachman wins Iowa Straw Poll
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Anonymous
True, but the only reason the straw poll is at all relevant is because of the primary system - because Iowa will the first state to officially weigh in on the contenders. You're right that Pawlenty was doomed for a while. It's just a little sad that a fairly reasonable candidate can't hope to survive the primary season. Even Romney, who has spent 3 years moving right in anticipation of this primary season and has an enormous war chest, faces significant uncertainty because of the far right of the GOP. I mean, Bachman, Santorum, and Paul were three of the top four in the straw poll. I know it is a stunt and doesn't mean anything, but really? Paul? Santorum? If you name the three top vote-getters and Bachman is the most reasonable - by wide margin = holy shit. |
takoma
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Do you really think Bachmann is the most reasonable? Paul bases his political positions on a political philosophy, whereas Bachmann bases hers on religious evangelism. I don't agree with libertarianism on most issues, but I consider it, unlike Bachmann's radical Christianity, to be a reasonable basis for a political campaign. As for Santorum vs Bachmann, I won't split hairs about which is more of a religious zealot trying to undermine our secular state. |
Anonymous
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Most reasonable among those three is a little like being the best hockey player in Ecuador - not exactly a high bar to clear - but Paul is batshit crazy. A sample from his website:
* Refusing to further raise the debt ceiling so politicians can no longer spend recklessly. * Fighting to fully audit (and then end) the Federal Reserve System, which has enabled the over 95% reduction of what our dollar can buy and continues to create money out of thin air to finance future debt. * Eliminating the income, capital gains, and death taxes to ensure you keep more of your hard-earned money and are able to pass on your legacy to your family without government interference. * Introducing legislation to repeal the “Brady Bill” and the so-called “Assault Weapons Ban.” * Authoring legislation to end U.S. membership in the anti-gun United Nations to ensure American tax dollars are not used to fund global gun control schemes like the so-called “Small Arms Treaty.” * Remove restrictions on drilling, so companies can tap into the vast amount of oil we have here at home. * Repeal the federal tax on gasoline. Eliminating the federal gas tax would result in an 18 cents savings per gallon for American consumers. * Lift government roadblocks to the use of coal and nuclear power. * Eliminate the ineffective EPA. Polluters should answer directly to property owners in court for the damages they create – not to Washington. Yikes. |
takoma
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| Bachmann probably really believed John Wayne came from Waterloo rather than Winterset and that the Revolution began in NH rather than MA, but do you suppose she really thought that the vast increase in the number of employees at DOT making over $170,000 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/michele-bachmanns-too-good-to-be-true-stat-on-federal-workers/2011/08/15/gIQAZaqbHJ_blog.html) was either a meaningful statistic or was actually due to Obama rather than Bush, or do you think she consciously misled her listeners? |