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Michele Bachmann Steps Up to Plate, Scores on Rick Perry
Around the State
Michele Bachmann needed a home run at the CNN Tea Party debate. She hit a triple.
Batting around front-runner Rick Perry, the Minnesota congresswoman scored with sharp attacks on the Texas governor's penchant for "crony capitalism" and his squishy soft stand on immigration.
Bachmann, who has been fading in the polls since winning the Iowa straw poll, came out swinging Monday night in Tampa. Reiterating her hard line against Obamacare, she assailed Perry for requiring that Texas schoolgirls be inoculated for the HPV virus.
It was all red meat for the tea party crowd that gathered at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds and gave Bachmann some of the loudest applause of the night.
Perry, by contrast, was roundly booed for his defense of a Texas-style DREAM Act that awards in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants.
Though leading the GOP field in the national polls and carrying media momentum into the debate, the Texas governor was knocked off stride by Bachmann, Mitt Romney and even Jon Huntsman, who, with a wink, jabbed Perry's dismissal of a border fence as "treasonous."
Tea party groups such as Freedom Works and Red State continue to promote the notion that Perry has the best chance of beating Barack Obama. But that was far from the consensus after Monday night's debate.
The British press weighed in first, with the Daily Mail all but declaring Bachmann the winner.
"In what was seen as a make-or-break opportunity for the Minnesota congresswoman, she roared back into contention with outspoken attacks on two main targets, President Obama ... and Governor Perry," the Mail reported.
In the Telegraph, Tim Stanley, an American history specialist at Oxford University, wrote:
"Bachmann struck Perry hard, accusing him of running Texas like a dictatorship. She added that the drug company that benefited from the vaccination was linked to Perry’s then-chief of staff, and that the company had given the governor campaign money.
"Perry looked angry. Mitt Romney continued to smile glacially. Inside his head he could probably hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing 'O Happy Day!'"
In Florida, views were mixed.
Sarasota GOP Chairman Joe Gruters' scorecard ranked longshot Rick Santorum No. 1, followed by Bachmann. He had Perry seventh, followed by Ron Paul.
Roger Stone, a veteran Republican operative in Miami, said Bachmann made a strategic mistake by going after Perry.
"Bachmann should be attacking Romney -- not Perry -- ZERO chance at nomination now," he tweeted. At the top of his grading chart, Stone gave Perry a B+ and Romney a B-.
Other critics said Bachmann deviated from tea party orthodoxy by pledging to bolster Social Security. On that issue, Perry's "Ponzi scheme" description of the program resonates with the conservative base.
But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Sarah Palin paid Bachmann a significant compliment by repeating the congresswoman's "crony capitalism" charge against Perry after the debate.
A Florida tea partier, who declined to be identified by name, said Bachmann showed "a lot of class" by staying around the auditorium to shake hands, sign autographs and pose for photos.
"Perry looked lost," this tea party activist said.
While Democrats and liberals took to Twitter to express their "horror" at the tea party affair, Republican activists seemed pleased by the debate format and its outcome.
"What really made the debate is that CNN allowed the audience to participate, and not just in asking questions. They allowed them to cheer! They allowed them to boo. What a concept -- allowing people to voice their support," said one observer.
With a virtual consensus on market-driven policies to boost jobs and the economy, the GOP candidates looked for ways to differentiate themselves from the rest of the field.
Bachmann hit pay dirt on immigration, scoring one of the biggest applause lines of the night.
"I think that the American way is not to give taxpayer-subsidized benefits to people who have broken our laws or are here in the United States illegally. That is not the American way," Bachmann said, in sharp contrast to Perry's pontification about the DREAM Act and other Texas government programs that benefit illegals.
Going forward, most pundits expect Perry's stratospheric poll numbers to come back to Earth.
The governor's failure to effectively respond to Bachmann's barbs stripped away any aura of invincibility, and breathed new life into the congresswoman's sputtering campaign.
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 801-5341.
Batting around front-runner Rick Perry, the Minnesota congresswoman scored with sharp attacks on the Texas governor's penchant for "crony capitalism" and his squishy soft stand on immigration.
Bachmann, who has been fading in the polls since winning the Iowa straw poll, came out swinging Monday night in Tampa. Reiterating her hard line against Obamacare, she assailed Perry for requiring that Texas schoolgirls be inoculated for the HPV virus.
It was all red meat for the tea party crowd that gathered at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds and gave Bachmann some of the loudest applause of the night.
Perry, by contrast, was roundly booed for his defense of a Texas-style DREAM Act that awards in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants.
Though leading the GOP field in the national polls and carrying media momentum into the debate, the Texas governor was knocked off stride by Bachmann, Mitt Romney and even Jon Huntsman, who, with a wink, jabbed Perry's dismissal of a border fence as "treasonous."
Tea party groups such as Freedom Works and Red State continue to promote the notion that Perry has the best chance of beating Barack Obama. But that was far from the consensus after Monday night's debate.
The British press weighed in first, with the Daily Mail all but declaring Bachmann the winner.
"In what was seen as a make-or-break opportunity for the Minnesota congresswoman, she roared back into contention with outspoken attacks on two main targets, President Obama ... and Governor Perry," the Mail reported.
In the Telegraph, Tim Stanley, an American history specialist at Oxford University, wrote:
"Bachmann struck Perry hard, accusing him of running Texas like a dictatorship. She added that the drug company that benefited from the vaccination was linked to Perry’s then-chief of staff, and that the company had given the governor campaign money.
"Perry looked angry. Mitt Romney continued to smile glacially. Inside his head he could probably hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing 'O Happy Day!'"
In Florida, views were mixed.
Sarasota GOP Chairman Joe Gruters' scorecard ranked longshot Rick Santorum No. 1, followed by Bachmann. He had Perry seventh, followed by Ron Paul.
Roger Stone, a veteran Republican operative in Miami, said Bachmann made a strategic mistake by going after Perry.
"Bachmann should be attacking Romney -- not Perry -- ZERO chance at nomination now," he tweeted. At the top of his grading chart, Stone gave Perry a B+ and Romney a B-.
Other critics said Bachmann deviated from tea party orthodoxy by pledging to bolster Social Security. On that issue, Perry's "Ponzi scheme" description of the program resonates with the conservative base.
But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Sarah Palin paid Bachmann a significant compliment by repeating the congresswoman's "crony capitalism" charge against Perry after the debate.
A Florida tea partier, who declined to be identified by name, said Bachmann showed "a lot of class" by staying around the auditorium to shake hands, sign autographs and pose for photos.
"Perry looked lost," this tea party activist said.
While Democrats and liberals took to Twitter to express their "horror" at the tea party affair, Republican activists seemed pleased by the debate format and its outcome.
"What really made the debate is that CNN allowed the audience to participate, and not just in asking questions. They allowed them to cheer! They allowed them to boo. What a concept -- allowing people to voice their support," said one observer.
With a virtual consensus on market-driven policies to boost jobs and the economy, the GOP candidates looked for ways to differentiate themselves from the rest of the field.
Bachmann hit pay dirt on immigration, scoring one of the biggest applause lines of the night.
"I think that the American way is not to give taxpayer-subsidized benefits to people who have broken our laws or are here in the United States illegally. That is not the American way," Bachmann said, in sharp contrast to Perry's pontification about the DREAM Act and other Texas government programs that benefit illegals.
Going forward, most pundits expect Perry's stratospheric poll numbers to come back to Earth.
The governor's failure to effectively respond to Bachmann's barbs stripped away any aura of invincibility, and breathed new life into the congresswoman's sputtering campaign.
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 801-5341.


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ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOT JUST A VIOLATION OF AMERICANS SOVEREIGN RIGHTS, BUT THEFT OF MILLIONS OF JOBS AND A VISIBLE DOWNGRADE OF OUR ECONOMY. REP. LAMAR SMITH IS ON RECORD THIS THURSDAY TO CHANGE THE LAWS AND MAKE E-VERIFY MANDATORY. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN MY COMMENTARY TO SPREAD THE WORD. BUT EVERYBODY APPLYING FOR ANY JOB WILL HAVE TO BE VERIFIED. NO MATTER IF YOU’RE BLACK, WHITE, HISPANIC OR ANY OTHER RACES; THIS WILL BE OF MASSIVE ADVANTAGE TO YOU AND YOUR JOB SEARCH IF YOU CAME TO AMERICA THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR. H.R. 2885 New Bill Number for Lamar Smith's "Legal Workforce Act" IS GOING TO THE FLOOR AND CAN SAVE YOUR JOB BY YOU CONTACTING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE THROUGH THE WASHINGTON DC SWITCHBOARD AT 202-224-3121. INSISTING YOUR SENATORS AND HOUSE VOTE FOR H.R. 2885.
Go to the Heritage Foundation website, NumbersUSA or Judicial Watch and read for the dollar figures that should push you to vote. Discover information at American Patrol, the Liberals and Democrats want to keep concealed, of the daily criminal and illegal alien activities in local and national news media. If you believe in the “Rule of Law.” and citizens rights established in the US Constitution.
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and major forces have attempted to get him to keep postponing the moving of H.R. 2885.
All stops will be ripped out, to ensure that—ONLY—A --TRUE--TEA PARTY politician gain control, in the House or Senate. Already the Republican power mongers are influencing debates by pushing Rick Perry, but he has bad karma on illegal immigration, that will forever be a prominent decider in the Presidential or any elections until our laws are strictly enforced. Mitt Romney has settled into a D-, as he hasn't convinced the millions of TEA PARTY membership of his record on immigration. Most others except Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain have the strong supporters of stopping the out-of-control occupancy of foreigners, who have steadily poured into this nation, with no true deterrent of any administration. ALWAYS REMEMBER THE TEA PARTY PEOPLE, ARE JUST THAT ORDINARY AMERICANS LIKE YOU. THEY ARE NOT ATTORNEY-POLITICANS OR HARD CORE COMMUNIST INSPIRED LEFTIST.
President Obama for a time has illustrated some strong enforcement, up to this latest period in the White House, but eventually being intimidated by the czars in his circle of far left wing influence. Today--in this dreary recession, when millions of workers throughout America are living on food stamps and limited unemployment benefits, Obama has decided to only to process heinous criminals, instead of following through with the law and deporting every alien who falls into the clutches of ICE. Millions of Americans stand on the edge of miserable poverty, but millions of foreign nationals have been hired by dirty business owners who refuse to follow the law. The 20 million plus population of foreign invaders began in 1986, which was the start of the government’s unceasing engineered encouragement of covertly finding ways to promote millions from pouring through undermanned border regions.
IT’S AN OBVIOUS CONCLUSION THAT IF THEIR WAS ANY REAL INDUCEMENT TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS, THE BORDERS WOULD BE SEALED SHUT AND UNLAWFUL ENTRY WOULD BE A FELONY? THE 1986 IMMIGRATION LAWS WAS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY, AS BUSINESSES WERE NEVER PUNISHED AND THE WHOLE THING WAS A TRAVESTY.
THE 3.5 Million illegal aliens who received AMNESTY and poor processing (Much of what was tantamount to fraud, concluded with millions more slipping across the borders and flying in from foreign countries. America is now crippled with millions of originally Chain Migration recipients, who survive on welfare handouts? We must draw the line on desperate nationals from other lands, when 15.1 percentage of America lives in poverty. Every year we take in at least a million newcomers, who supposedly are highly skilled in numerous occupations? In truth many have mediocre job skills, that out or work Americans have the experience to do. This is about importing cheap labor and not top notch scientists, engineers, who should receive expedited visas. Thousands of the poorly skilled come here on fraudulent applications, drawn up by incorrigible corporations and their well-paid attorneys.
She also proved that she is, once and for all, "a neo-con."
Make no mistake! Crony capitalism is not acceptable. But it will not be something that can be used decisively against Republicans by Barack Obama in the general election. It is good that it is coming into the open. But most Americans are more concerned with jobs and getting the economy moving again. The question about allowing illegal aliens exemption from out-of-state tuition is more complicated than meets the eye. Waiving out-of-state tuition doesn't translate to free tuition. It is a "states rights issue." When you have all but four legislatures voting in favor of such a measure, it's pretty much what the people of Texas wanted. For Tea Party members to make a big deal about this is "cheap." The bigger picture can be summed up as "if Republicans want to win the election, they must win 40% of the Latino vote." Perry won 39% in the 2010 governors race! Unlike Bachmann, he is pragmatic. Like Merck or Crony capitalism, this will not be an issue that Obama can capitalize upon in the general election. Republicans need to remember who the real opponent is. Maybe the big winner from this "overflow of fuzzy facts" was Romney. He represents the parties past. His appeal to Hispanics is minimal. Evangelicals don't trust him. "Blue collar Democrats" see him as the "slick, rich guy." These are voters who will break for Perry in the general election. Can Romney say that? Or, for that matter Bachmann?
Which is the bigger threat to our environment as it pertains to our health and our long term sustainability- no EPA or over population?
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