Michele Bachmann's Rising Stock
The nation’s recent economic recession has sent the stock market in unpredictable directions, making it difficult to know if an individual stock will rise or fall on any given day.
But right now, Michele Bachmann’s stock is heading north with no end in sight.
The Minnesota Congresswoman has become a darling of Tea Party activists and serves as the chair of the Tea Party’s congressional caucus. It also doesn’t hurt she is originally from Iowa. The only thing lacking is her ability to claim she spent summers in New Hampshire and divided her winter months between South Carolina and Florida.
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As Renee Zellweger told Tom Cruise in the hit movie, “Jerry Maguire,” “You had me at hello.”
Such appeared to be the case when Michele Bachmann took the stage on Saturday toward days end at the RightOnline conference in Minneapolis.
Bachmann’s ability to fire up the conservative base has her not only appealing to Tea Party regulars, but also attracting social conservatives. This spells trouble for Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
However, to broaden her appeal to the more mainstream conservative voter, Bachmann must speak knowledgeably and simply on fiscal issues.
Bachmann asked those in attendance to take out a $1 bill, fold it about 40 percent and look at the remaining 60 percent.
“Every time Congress spends a dollar, 42 cents is borrowed money…Think about that for a second? Could you live that way?”
Minnesota is known for the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and from all accounts, they work well together and both contribute to the state’s economic viability. In fact, Bachmann represents the northern area of St. Paul.
The next question may be can the nation handle Minnesota’s twin candidates in its former governor Tim Pawlenty and Bachmann?
Most political analysts agree that Bachmann’s entry does more damage to Pawlenty than his presence does to Bachmann. After all, Bachmann has shown she’s willing to directly take on former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the current frontrunner – in sharp contrast to Pawlenty’s preference of firing shots over the bow of Romney’s ship.
Bachmann also knows her audience. Two weeks ago she spoke definitively on social issues at the Faith and Freedom conference in Washington. D.C. During Saturday’s remarks she stayed away from social issues, saying only that the Republican Party should focus on the “three-legged stool,” consisting of fiscal, national security, and social issues.
For all her increasing support, Bachmann is not without her detractors. She, like Sarah Palin, is routinely criticized for not getting her facts right; an example, her consistent statement that the IRS will be adding 16,500 new agents to enforce Obama’s new health-care law.
Homosexual activists are no fan of Bachmann either. A gay rights activist threw glitter at Bachmann as she was leaving the RightOnline conference. Several weeks ago, Newt Gingrich received the same at a book signing.
Rachel Lang was identified as the person throwing the glitter. She later remarked to conservative blogger Ed Frank, “She can run but she can’t hide from her record of support of anti-gay extremists. So today, I welcome her to the glitter hall of fame.”
Homosexual activists are using glitter as a form of protest for candidates who don’t agree with their radical agenda.
Yet it is highly unlikely Bachmann’s success will hinge on those advocating homosexual rights.
A born-again Christian, Bachmann told The Christian Post earlier this month she surrendered her life to Christ when she was 16 years old. She and her husband of 33 years, Marcus, are the parents of 5 children and helped raise 23 foster children.
“For the most part, we make our decisions, together as a couple and a family, through prayer,” said Bachmann in the interview. “We’ve made like decisions, from going to school, to starting a business, and to raising children after thought and prayer.”
In one of the more insightful reviews of Bachmann’s Saturday performance, political blogger Eric Black remarked in today’s MinnPost.com, “Bachmann just flat stole the show.”
At least for now, it appears Bachmann’s stock is still rising.
