Michele Bachmann: 'Welfare queen'?
Rep. Bachmann warns Obama's pushing socialism. Does it matter that her family farm gets subsidies?
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has decried government "handouts" as socialism, but an Environmental Working Group analysis of farm subsidies shows that the Bachmann family farm, managed by her father-in-law until his recent death, received $251,000 in farm payments between 1995 and 2006. Bachmann's stake in the Wisconsin farm is worth as much as $250,000. Is Bachmann being hypocritical, or is she a principled conservative working in a broken system?
Bachmann is a "welfare queen": Michele Bachmann is a an anti-subsidy "tea bagger" by day, says Yasha Levine in Truthdig, and a hypocritical "welfare queen" by night. "If American farms such as hers were forced to compete in the global free market, they would collapse." Bachmann says President Obama's health-care reform and other initiatives are part of a socialist takeover, but she's the one "padding her bank account with taxpayer money."
"Michele Bachmann: Welfare queen"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Obama's the hypocrite, not Bachmann: It's stupid to call Michele Bachmann a welfare queen, says Stephen Spruiell in National Review. "Bachmann voted against reauthorizing the farm bill in 2008. Barack Obama is the one who has flip-flopped -- after originally calling subsidies a "mutlimillion-dollar giveaway" for "big agribusiness," he "supported the awful 2008 farm bill anyway for crass political reasons."
Anti-competitive farm subsidies are the real problem: Michele Bachmann isn't the only hypocrite, says Alex Knapp in Outside the Beltway. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has also warned about Obama's "trend toward socialism," yet his family has received $1 million in federal handouts over 11 years. And there are plenty of Democrats who've collected, too. It's wrong for politicians of any stripe to cash in on subsidies, especially when they discourage competition and benefit wealthy, big farmers at the expense of smaller competitors.
"Members of Congress receive useless subsidies (apart from their salaries)"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How the Russia-Ukraine conflict has spread to Africa
The Explainer Ukraine is attempting to strengthen its alliances on the continent to counter Russia's growing presence
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
A history of Guantánamo Bay
The Explainer War of Terror's 'symbol of torture, rendition and indefinite detention' is subject of new Serial podcast series
By The Week UK Published
-
5 fun Easter activities from The Week Junior
The Week Junior Easter Activities Looking for some fun, simple Easter activities to do with the kids? Look no further – The Week Junior has you covered with these five fun and family-friendly activities.
By The Week UK Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published