Congresswoman Bachmann attended the Restoration Weekend and received no less then 3 standing ovations.

Bachmann gets standing ovations at conservative conference

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann attended the Restoration Weekend conference in Palm Beach, Florida over the weekend. The event appeared to be a who's who of conservative activists and conservative leaders. Newt Gingrich, Phyllis Schlafly and Ann Coulter are just some of the names in attendance. But it appeared that Bachmann got the biggest ovation for saying Al Franken stole the election and she's the "left's number one target."

Conservative blogger Steven Rosenblum had this snapshot from Bachmann's appearance:

The best and most well received speech was given by the fantastic Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota. She made no secret of the fact she believes Al Franken stole the US Senate election from Norm Coleman. She spoke of being the left's number one target (maybe number 2 after Sarah Palin), speaking as a victim, but pointing to the fact that the left knows it's ideas are failing and that their arguments fall short, so they attack the messenger. Bachmann got 3 standing ovations from a receptive audience that obviously would like to see her lead the conservatives back into the leadership of the House GOP. After her rousing speech Rep. Bachmann was inundated by the crowd, looking for photo-ops and the chance to shake her hand and thank her for her efforts.

Bachmann is quickly becoming a leader in the battle for freedom, liberty, and free markets in America. 6th District residents are well served by her leadership and passion to defend the Constitution. And freedom loving Americans from across the nation are envious that their member of Congress is not named Bachmann.

The following is an Wall Street Journal Op Ed by Rep. Ron Paul & Sen. Jim Demint.

Americans Deserve a Transparent Fed
Trillion-dollar interventions in the economy merit scrutiny by taxpayers and their representatives.

By RON PAUL AND JIM DEMINT

For nearly a century the Federal Reserve has operated in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of Congress, journalists and the American people. Created in 1913, the Fed was given enormous responsibility to protect the value of our currency. Yet in the last 96 years the U.S. dollar has lost more than 95% of its purchasing power. The Fed's unprecedented actions over the past year in attempting to stabilize the financial system have now forced it into the spotlight, and caused millions of people around the country to question the opacity of the Fed's financial transactions.

While the Fed is more transparent now than it was 20 or 30 years ago, there is still a long way to go. If the Fed were fully transparent, organizations such as Bloomberg and Fox News wouldn't have to sue its board of governors to receive materials that should be available through Freedom of Information Act requests. These include information on which banks and companies received loans and for what amounts after the 2008 financial meltdown.

One puzzling assertion made by the Fed and its supporters is that the Federal Reserve has some sort of independence from the government and independence in undertaking monetary policy. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Federal Reserve is a government-created banking monopoly, and its top decision makers are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. If they do not perform satisfactorily in the eyes of politicians, they will not be renominated.

The Fed has also, for the past three decades, been required to engage in monetary policy with the goal of maintaining stable prices and full employment. Since the natural trend over time is for prices to decrease, a mandate to maintain stable prices is a mandate to pursue an expansionary monetary policy and inflate the money supply to counteract the lower prices we would expect from increased productivity.

The Fed chairman is required to appear twice a year before Congress to explain the Fed's actions, and how the Fed is complying with its mandates of stable prices and full employment. However, the idea that this constitutes any sort of oversight is laughable.

Each congressman who questions the chairman receives only a few minutes in which to ask questions and receive answers. Having been on the receiving end of Alan Greenspan's notoriously obtuse "Greenspan-Speak" answers and Ben Bernanke's similarly convoluted statements, we can assure you that the process is completely ineffective at getting any real answers.

No matter how direct the questions are, Fed chairmen answer with a vagueness common to bureaucrats. The whole process is window dressing for public consumption, not any sort of attempt to exercise oversight or gain any real insight into the Fed's actions.

What is needed is a full audit of the Fed, something that has never happened. We need to know who the Fed is giving money to, what types of securities are being purchased and what backs those securities, how much money is being paid for those securities, etc.

While Rep. Mel Watt's (D., N.C.) efforts to audit the new lending facilities authorized to bail out private firms such as AIG is a step in the right direction, it is still just a first step. These facilities have the same effect on the money supply as securities purchased through open market operations. Why should securities placed on one line of the Fed's balance sheet be subject to audit while the exact same securities placed elsewhere on the balance sheet are not subject to audit? The loopholes need to be closed.

In coming weeks we plan to offer companion amendments to legislation already before the House and Senate that will open the Fed up to a complete audit. The amendments set a six-month time lag on the publication of previously unreleased audit data to address the Fed's concerns that actions undertaken in support of monetary policy would immediately be politicized. The transcripts and minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee meetings would continue to be made public at the Fed's discretion, with unpublicized details of meetings not subject to any additional scrutiny. Finally, the amendments make clear that the purpose of the audits is not to interfere with or dictate monetary policy.

As strong opponents of government intervention into the economy, we do not want to see Congress directly dictate monetary policy. But while the Fed is involved so heavily in monetary policy and its actions so heavily influence the future of our economy, it is necessary that it be fully transparent. Interventions into the economy on the order of trillions of dollars cannot continue to escape public scrutiny. American taxpayers deserve better.

Mr. Paul is a Republican congressman from Texas. Mr. DeMint is a Republican senator from South Carolina.

Copied from the WSJ online

There is a brand new term that the media, liberal Democrats and special interests, and the Obama administration are trying to sneak into the American conscious with out anyone realizing.

Repeat after me: Abortion coverage.

Again: Abortion coverage.

One more time: Abortion coverage.

Women face tough choices on abortion coverage

"Abortion coverage"

Should you wear the comfy shoes with the boring suede purse or the hot little heels and sleek black purse - is now rivaled with what kind of abortion coverage one should get.

"It forces insurance companies and women to navigate a series of chutes and ladders to get abortion coverage at the end of the day," said Donna Crane, policy director for NARAL Pro-Choice America.

I never thought I would see the day ......

Crossposted at Residual Forces

The following was Jon Voight's speach given yesterday at Bachmann's House Call presser/rally at the US Capital

"...I am honored to be at the side of Michele Bachmann. A great Congresswoman, a great human being and a true American patriot (roar of applause) to hopefully be a voice for all Americans who do not want to pass Obama government-run health care. We do not want our freedom of choice taken away from us.

"President Obama has his own obsession with trying to ram this health bill through to create a socialist America. We would be no better off than the European countries, Canada, and New Zealand who suffer greatly from a poor health care system. They're rationing system creates many deaths. Is that what we want?  (Crowd shouts "NO") I agree with you. I say No as well.

"We as freedom-loving Americans must not be scared into Obama's radical Chicago tactics. His agenda is not for the poor. It is solely for his own political gain...His only success in his one-year term as president is taking America apart piece by piece. Could it be he has had 20 years of subconscious programming by Rev. Wright to damn America?

"Let them hear our concerns and deep commitment to our love of liberty, freedom and protection of our great America? President Obama, how long is it going to take you to bring victory in Afghanistan and not sit idly by while we watch our soldiers being killed? (Roar of applause)

"God bless our great nation and may God give us strength to prevail." (Actor Jon Voight, today at Bachmann press conference on steps of the U.S. Capitol)

HT CCHC email

SOTH Pelosi has scheduled the vote for her Constitution shredding Obamacare for this Saturday.

But we can still stop this. Congresswoman Bachmann is leading the charge to defeat this Trillion Dollar government takeover of the Health care industry. She is holding a rally on the steps of the US Capital today. It sounds like this protest, despite a weeks worth of time to throw it together, is going to draw thousands of average Americans from mainstreet to Washington to petition their members of Congress to vote against this bill.

Now that alone speaks to the passion in America to remain free and live our lives outside of the iron fist of Federal bureaucrats. Of course, not everyone can drop everything and race to Washington to remind Congresscriters that they work for us, and that is Pelosi, Reid, and Obama's plan. They think we aren't watching, they think they can do everything under the cover of the Potomac.

And it looks like Pelosi may be afraid that Constituents be allowed to exercise their rights and is thinking about deploying her iron curtain around Democrats who may know that Obamacare is wrong.

But you don't have to make it to DC to show your opposition. There are opportunities to do things locally too. There is a Youth Rally at the State Capital today at noon too.

It would also be noticed if you would show up at your House member's local offices. More info here. Here's some more info, including resources for sending your members an email or message saying that you don't support Obamacare.

Now since it is a Saturday vote, a big mistake if you ask me, we can affect their change. During a weekday it is hard for most of us to spend time calling, but on a Saturday, we can light up those phone lines.

Please make sure you call your members and let them know you want them to vote NO! And if they tell you to pound sand, make sure you let them know that come election time in 2010, you won't forget this vote!

You can find their contact info at the links below. (for those in other states, you can find yours here)

Minnesota

• Bachmann, Michele, Minnesota, 6th
• Ellison, Keith, Minnesota, 5th
• Kline, John, Minnesota, 2nd
• McCollum, Betty, Minnesota, 4th
• Oberstar, James L., Minnesota, 8th
• Paulsen, Erik, Minnesota, 3rd
• Peterson, Collin C., Minnesota, 7th
• Walz, Timothy J., Minnesota, 1st

And don't forget about the Senators. if you can't get through to your Representative, call your Senators!!

Crossposted at Residual Forces

Congresswoman Bachmann is calling on us to help stop Pelosicare. If you were listening to Rush Limbaugh today, you probably heard him read an email from her about her call to action for Thursday. Bachmann says that Pelosi doesn't have the votes yet to pass Pelosicare if the vote were held today. She also said that members of Congress are no longer listening to their constituents and that they are ignoring calls and emails from back home urging them to vote no on Government run health care.

So Bachmann is urging Americans to come to the steps of the US Capital this Thursday at noon to show Congress how we really feel.

Can you come to Washington this Thursday, November 5th?

You've spent months now at tea parties and town halls. Your message has been loud and clear: Keep your hands off my health care!

But, Congress hasn't noticed. Speaker Pelosi is plowing full-steam ahead with her budget-busting government takeover of your health care.

It's time to take the town hall to Congress. Come this Thursday to Washington and see your Member of Congress. Tell him or her face to face what you think of their health care bill.

Jon Voight will be there! Will you?

You can find more info on her website.

Minnesota's Democrats have all eluded that they will vote for that. Some boldly embrace socialized medicine, others are much more coy about their radical liberalism. But we can change their minds if we can show them that life outside Washington is much different then the hue cast by the rose colored lenses of Congress.

I know I can't drop everything and trek to DC, but maybe we can throw together a local event, or series of them and show our support for the idea. It is incredibly short notice, but maybe we can put something together to have a rally here in MN.

Maybe a spontaneous rally on the Capital steps with lots of coverage and video? Adding a few thousand people with virtual pitchforks demanding that Congress listen to them would help save our country.

Anyone out there interested?

Crossposted at Residual Forces

Here's something from Congresswoman Bachmann on Pelosi care that was unveiled today at a private invite only event that included metal gates and Capital Police.

by: Congresswoman Michele Bachmann

This morning, House Democrats held a press conference to unveil their health care reform bill, which they claim will expand coverage for all and decrease costs. Sounds good, but once you peel away the “feel good” rhetoric, there’s nothing to be excited about. This 2,000-page bill includes a job-killing employer mandate, an individual mandate that requires Washington bureaucrats to define what kind of coverage is acceptable, burdensome tax increases, Medicare cuts, and a huge expansion of Medicaid that will break already strained state budgets.

You see, the Democrats are playing a game of bait and switch when they talk about the costs of this legislation. For instance, they say that costs will be kept under the arbitrary $900 billion cap that President Obama has requested. Well, they’ll stay under the cap simply by expanding Medicaid eligibility. In other words, they’ll be shifting the costs off one set of taxpayer-funded books to another set of taxpayer-funded books. And, don’t forget: we just had to bail out those states in large part because their Medicaid budgets were bleeding them dry!

Social Security is broke, Medicare is broke, Medicaid is broke – and all of them were created with the best intentions. But we have to face reality. Our deficit is at an all-time high. Our debt is nearing $12 TRILLION with no signs of slowing. We’re on a crash course for financial ruin. This isn’t conjecture, it’s basic economics.

Republicans have put forth alternative after alternative taking a patient-centered approach -- not focused on government, focused on you -- that will keep costs down, but each and every one of them has fallen on deaf ears. They weren’t even considered by Democrat leadership. Yesterday’s Chicago Tribune did a great job highlighting several of these Republican alternatives that won’t break the bank (a bank that’s already bankrupt).

As the Tribune points out:

“Let insurers sell policies across state lines. That would loosen the strangling state-by-state regulations and unleash competition to drive premium prices down.”

“Give people who buy insurance in the private market the same tax breaks as those who get it through employers. Now, employers that offer coverage get a tax break on the premiums they pay for employees. And employees don't pay taxes on the value of the coverage they receive. People who want to buy insurance in the individual market should get the same tax breaks. That would help millions of people acquire coverage.” (That’s what my Health Care Freedom of Choice Act does!)

“Expand the ability of small businesses, trade associations and other groups to set up insurance pools to offer coverage at more attractive rates.”

“Control health costs in part by reining in the medical malpractice system that raises insurance premiums and forces doctors to order tests to protect themselves from lawsuits. Limiting certain kinds of damage awards would reduce spending on health care by about $11 billion in 2009, or about one-half of 1 percent, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. Think about that in human terms: Reform would save millions of patients the expense and trauma of unnecessary tests and procedures.”

As this health care debate plays out, please don’t fall for the rhetoric and take a closer look at what the Democrats’ bill really means. If you do, you’ll realize that it’s a prescription for economic disaster.

Post from Congresswoman Bachmann's blog