Liar. Fraud. Bachmann.

Michele Bachmann is running for president on a platform of crazy, misinformed, pandering, and downright lying.

I mean, we all know that, right?

Well, all of us except for those Teabaggers to who she panders the most. Whatever the 'Baggers say they want, Michele just repeats it ad nauseum like it was her own brilliant idea. One of the 'Baggers biggest complaints, besides, well, everything else, is that government is too much in their business, and they want less government, and less government control.

So Michele says, Hey! I want that, too, and I'm just the one to give it to you.

Um........liar.

See, back on November 5, 2009, when Bachmann and her Hounds Of Hell saw an opportunity for her to run for--and ultimately lose--president, she wanted to hold a Tea Party for her minions. And on that day, thousands of 'Baggers descended on the Minnesota state capitol to vent their anger over many things, from health care reform--even though it might benefit them most of all--and big government.

Sounds like a lovely day, right? i mean, if you're into listening to a Crazy Eyed Moron speak.

But her masses of Teabagging activists gathered and ranted, meandered and chanted..."Kill the bill! Kill the bill!"...and waved their signs--many of which were unfortunately misspelled--and had no idea that the very government that they were protesting, had paid for the event.

At the request of their Leader, Michele Bachmann.

According to House expense reports, Bachmann and three of her kin, er, conservative GOP colleagues--Tom Price of Georgia, Steve King of Iowa, and Todd Akin of Missouri--each paid $3,407.50 that day to a sound and stage company called National Events, apparently for the sound system used at the rally.

Nice that they could do that, you know, pay for the rally. Except they didn't.

The money came from the Members' taxpayer-funded office accounts, despite House rules prohibiting the use of these funds for political activities. Michele Bachmann's office insists the expense was a proper use of official funds because they called the event a "press conference." Press conferences can be funded from official accounts, but aren't press conferences designed for, um, the press.

Not at Bachmann's Tea Party.
Her press conference took no questions from the press.
Her press conference opened with a prayer.
Her press conference included the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.
And her delighted throng of 'Baggers paid for it.

A few days earlier, Bachmann appeared on Fox News--naturally--and appealed to Teabagger activists to come to Washington DC for her event, promising to help them lobby Congress against the bill: "I'm asking people to come to Washington, D.C., by the carload. I'd love to have every one of your viewers join me so that we can go up and down through the halls. Find Members of Congress, look at the whites of their eyes and say, 'Don't take away my health care.'"

Now, did she doing anything legally wrong in using taxpayer funds to have her Tea Party. Sadly, no, because, although House rules prohibit the use of official resources for political purposes, the definition of what is political is murky and House "Members often have discretion in determining whether an event will be 'political' or 'official.'"

Still, while it might not have been legally wrong, I wonder how the Teabaggers feel, knowing that their champion for less government involvement and lower taxes, used their tax money to hold a rally? Did Bachmann tell them? Of course, not, because Michele Bachmann wouldn't know the truth if Mama Grizzly Bore delivered it to her on a dog sled.

Hopefully, though I seriously doubt it, Teabaggers will remember this when they begin voting in the primaries. The woman who says she wants to ease the burden of taxpayers uses taxpayer money to promote herself and her causes.

In the end, I guess, you get what you pay for.

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Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton Symbolically Vetoes Anti-Marriage Equality Bill

This morning, in what is seen as it truly is, a symbolic act, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton vetoed the state Legislature's constitutional amendment defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman. Now, constitutional amendments do not require a governor's signature, so Dayton's veto has no real power, but he simply wanted to make his strong condemnation of the discriminatory legislation known:

"I do not have the power to prevent this divisive and destructive constitutional amendment from appearing on the ballot, in November 2012, the Legislature sent it to me in the form of a bill. Thus, symbolic as it my be, I am exercising my legal responsibility to either sign or veto it...The path of social progress, of human compassion and understanding, would be tragically reversed by this amendment. Minnesotans are better than this. I urge Minnesotans to reject this amendment."

Bravo, Governor Dayton, bravo.
His letter follows:

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As If We Needed MORE Proof That The GOP Isn't Listening To The People

Out there in Minnesota, home to anti-gay Tom Emmer, anti-gay Target Corporation, and anti-gay Michele Bachmann, among others, the GOP wingnuts who are in control of the state house, are trying to amend the state Constitution to ban same-sex gay marriage.

You know, because they've already repealed Health Care reform, and they've fixed the economy and created millions of new jobs......oh.........they didn't? They're just working to write discrimination into law?

Trouble with that is that a majority of Minnesotans are actually opposed to amending the state Constitution. Some 55% of respondents said they oppose adding such an amendment while 39% favor a constitutional ban--a sharp reversal of poll results seven years ago.

But will the GOP listen? Of course not. See, they can't do anything they set out to do, so they'll try to do this, and then gloat about how they saved marriage from the Evil Homosexual Empire.

Still, even though the people have spoken, the Minnesota Senate approved the amendment this week, and the House is expected to goosestep right behind them. Of course, just because a bunch of ignorant, GOP bigots want to do this doesn't actually mean it will happen. The proposed Discrimination Amendment would then be placed on the 2012 ballot, and the people of Minnesota would have the final say.

And, um, GOP? They've spoken. So, perhaps you should listen for a change.

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Reverend Welcomes The Chance To Bless Same-Sex Unions

Wesley United

After being in existence for 150 years, Wesley United Methodist Church closed in 2008 due to a steep decline in membership. It was one of the first megachurches in the Twin Cities, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Then, in 2010, representatives with Minnesota's United Methodist Annual Conference expressed "considerable concern" over the cost of the building's upkeep, says Reverend Greg Renstrom, but Methodist leaders agreed with him that the building, and the congregation deserved a second chance. Renstrom said that Wesley was suited to welcome the gay community in the nearby Loring Park area.

Reverend Greg Renstrom

So, the Reverend Greg Renstrom came out of retirement at age 64 to lead the congregation; he agreed to a yearly salary of one dollar. And Reverend Renstrom has more plans for Wesley, plans that could get him defrocked.

He plans to bless same-sex unions.

Renstrom wants to hold ceremonies to bless same-sex unions, even though they would be in conflict with Methodist policy, because, as he says, "[s]omebody has to do it. I cannot imagine that Jesus would ever refuse to bless a responsible, mutually respectful and reverent relationship."

Renstrom sees the change as a key part of Wesley's revival, and growth, as a Methodist church. Many in the Minneapolis-St Paul's large gay community are coming to Wesley for Sunday services.

To get the word out to the gay community, Renstrom placed ads in Lavender magazine and church representatives recently attended a GLBT wedding show in Bloomington. Renstrom said that, although he hasn't blessed any same-sex unions yet, he plans on doing so, even though he has no idea how the church officials will react. He admits that some people will be "madder than the dickens," but he believes the move is worth the censure that may arise.

"I have so many friends who are gay and lesbian," Renstrom said. "I've seen the absolute anguish they've been placed in because of the refusal of most churches to bless what is a basic relationship. I see this as something we will try to provide in our small way."

And he knows, that although gay people deserve the same rights in and out of the church, that his plans could lead to him being removed from his position and defrocked.

But he's going to do it anyway.

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