Bachmann's Campaign is Called Out

The Student for Bachmann posts the Bachmann campaign response to Krinkie's letter and posts the link on Residual Forces. Jeff, a Bachmann supporter adds: # Jeff Says: March 31st, 2006 at 9:25 pm In the reply today from the Bachmann campaign, their letter says "See for yourself that my lifetime rating through 2004 was 96% and Rep. Krinkie's lifetime score was 95%". Now, that is a true statement. However, if that is what the Bachmann campaign intended to say by their literature, they were not at all clear on that point. They certainly seemed to say that they were comparing the years 2000-2004, and not lifetime ratings. If just those years are compared, David Strom’s statement on the TL website is accurate. (Though, as stated above, it's understandable Bachmann would not include 2005, as she had a decision to make on whether or not so swallow a poison pill. That she sided with a pro-life issue is not in any way an indication of how she votes on fiscal matters.) Also, it is true that Krinkie said this in his letter: "My rating from the Minnesota Taxpayers League for each year from 2000 to 2004 was 100%." However, as the Taxpayers League documents show, Krinkie's rating in 2000 was not 100%, but was, rather, 92%. I now sit back and await the chorus that Krinkie is a liar, a slimeball, has no integrity, etc. . . (Now, I in no way think Krinkie is those things. Just wondering if those who are so venomous towards Bachmann will hold Krinkie to their same standard of truth.) I'd like to hear Bachmann explain publicly why she refused the opportunity to hear the TABOR bill when offered the opportunity by Larry Pogemiller. Her response posted by the Student for Bachmann rationalizes, but doesn't justify her leaving the 2005 Taxpayer League record off that lit piece. The piece was not talking about her record of opposing legalized abortion, it was about her fiscal record. She was busted in a blatant effort to fudge that record. From Bachmann's response: See for yourself that my lifetime rating through 2004 was 96% and Rep. Krinkie’s lifetime score was 95%, the reason I "broke my pledge" as they charge, is because we had one vote to cast on a single bill. That bill presented a choice to either oppose the cigarette tax or support a very good PRO-LIFE bill. I chose life; the life of an unborn child is something that you don’t say "No" to. I will ALWAYS defend life from conception to natural death; it is our duty to defend those who cannot defend themselves, no matter the cost. "I was wearing high heels and I just couldn't stand any more. I was not in the bushes." The MCCL doesn't give Phil Krinkie a break for voting against them - he was rated on this vote - and the pro-life groups and other candidates attacked him for this. Krinkie took responsibility for this vote and took his lumps. Commenter Jeff is correct on one thing - in 2000, Krinkie had a 92% rating. The bill they docked him for was voting in favor of a compromise tax cut. In the years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 - Phil Krinkie had a 100% taxpayer's league rating.