Bachmann self-congratulates: Her presidential bid elevated the importance of ending Obamacare. If so, it would appear odd the GOP has settled upon the single least credible anti-Obamacare candidate--who she's called a 'frugal socialist.'
Running for president, Bachmann missed a number of House votes. I'd have preferred her missing even more--though Graves invokes a standard campaign ploy, bashing Bachmann for absenteeism: 'If you don't show up for work at Graves Hospitality you get fired.' More political cheese; the Strib takes him seriously as he's 'a successful Democratic business entrepreneur with roots in St. Cloud and who has labor support.'
'Having labor support,' of course, assumes everyone agrees: 84% of Minnesota workers don't exist. 'Labor' refers to the 16% of Minnesota laborers who are represented by unions. The political viewpoints of the remaining 84% are not considered worthy of interest, as the paper of record assesses the policy preferences of the state's labor force.
To its credit, the Strib calls Bachmann out on her crazy drill baby drill claim. No, the US doesn't have more untapped oil than Saudi Arabia.
Graves' position on abortion?
"I believe it's a woman's issue. It's a health issue. At the end of the day, it's going to be between a woman, her doctor and her god." He said he supports attempts to reduce unwanted pregnancies, adding, "Abortion is always a tragedy."My position on abortion differs with Jim Graves': I believe it's entirely the woman's decision--and I can't think of a sensible reason for giving the doctor any say in the matter, let alone inviting the purported views of Ganesh, Thor or Jesus. Some abortions are induced to save the life of the mother; some abortions take place before the fetus' nervous system has formed. Graves is wrong: At a minimum, such abortions are no 'tragedy' at all.
The effort to stigmatize abortion and abortion providers has a loathsome, reactionary history--and it is incumbent upon politically active people to stand up for what's right.
In addition to Graves, the CD6 DFL field includes what the Strib calls 'two lesser-known candidates.' Lesser-known to whom?--I'm curious. Congressional campaigns occur within an imagined 1952, of course--wherein institutions such as the Star Tribune assume a rich political cipher is 'well-known,' whereas a civic-minded anti-McCarthyite blogger is 'extremely unknown.' Garbage in, garbage out.
To the dustbin!
