Bachmann, speaking during a Sunday morning appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," produced the 73 percent figure when asked about whether or not cuts for farm subsidies should be on the table for Congressional negotiators seeking to cut the federal budget.
"I think everything needs to be on the table right now, every part of government," Bachmann said. But, she added, "I'll tell you one thing that should be on the table: Under Barack Obama, the last two years, the number of federal limousines for bureaucrats have increased 73 percent in two years.
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Bachmann appears to have been referring to a recent report on the iWatchnews.org, an arm of the Center for Public Integrity, which initially pointed to a 73 percent increase of federal limousine use during the first two years of the Obama administration.
The initial report, which quotes figures from the General Services Administration, notes that most of the increases were for the State Department for "law enforcement and security vehicles." Documents also show that the vehicle requests likely date back to 2007 and thus would have been made under the Bush administration. The iWatch article also suggested that Fiscal Year 2009 spending was tied to President Obama when that budget would have been approved in 2008 under President Bush.
In fact, according to the GSA's Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Fleet Report, the largest increase in the government-owned limousine fleet was between FY 2008-2009 (46%), compared to FY2009-2010 (18%).
The same report, however, indicates that the term "limousine" is loosely defined, and could encompass everything from an armored vehicle to a sedan. "The categories in the Fleet Report are overly broad, and the term 'limousine' is not defined," GSA spokeswoman Sara Merriam told iWatch. "Vehicles represented as limousines can range from protective duty vehicles to sedans."
The GSA "cannot say that its report accurately reflects the number of limousines," she added.
A follow-up to the initial study notes that the initial figures may have been "skewed" by an "overly broad definition of 'limousine.'"
"When iWatch News reported that the number of federal limousines increased by 73 percent during the Obama administration, the General Services Administration suggested that an overly broad definition of 'limousine' in its annual fleet report may have skewed the numbers," reads the June 23 post.
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Crazy-eyed right wing Representative Michele Bachmann?s campaign to whip up anti-census paranoia in her America-hating supporters in an attempt to convince that our democratically elected government is the enemy just may have claimed another victim.
The FBI is currently investigating whether the death of Bill Sparkman, 51, found hanged from a tree near a Kentucky cemetery with the word ?fed,? scrawled on his chest, was a victim of anti-government violence.
Crazy Eyes Bachman has been appearing regularly on Corporate America?s propaganda outlet, Fox News, to vomit rambling, nonsensical musings from the nooks and crannies of her twisted mind, suggesting that the Census was a slippery slope to Republican internment camps.
With the death of Mr. Sparkman, a single father of two children who also worked as a substitute teacher, Ol? Crazy Eyes Bachmann may have inspired the latest right wing killer in the long tradition of right-wing hate-speech inspired murders.
Recently, Bill O?Reilly?s constant rhetoric against Dr. George Tiller was cited as an inspiration for his murder as well as the shootings at the Knoxville Unitarian Universalist Church.
While crashing Mitt Romney?s formal announcement of his bid for the Rethuglican presidential nomination, world class media whore Sarah Palin had this to say about the real purpose of Paul Revere?s historic ride:
?He who warned, uh, the British that they weren?t going to be taking away our arms uh by ringing those bells and making sure as he?s riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free and we were going to be armed.?
As the Minnesota Republican kicks off her run for the presidential nomination, she responds to a Los Angeles Times report about federal money that went to her family's farm and her husband's counseling clinic.
Rep. Michele Bachmann deflected allegations Sunday that she and her immediate family had benefited from government assistance despite her demands to cut the federal budget, saying hundreds of thousands of dollars for her family farm and a counseling clinic went to employees and her in-laws.
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"My husband and I did not get the money," the Minnesota Republican said on Sunday news shows one day before officially opening her presidential campaign in Waterloo, Iowa — her birthplace.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Bachmann, a "tea party" favorite, had benefited from government funds and federal farm subsidies.
An examination of her record and finances showed that a counseling clinic run by her husband received nearly $30,000 from Minnesota and the federal government in the last five years. And a family farm in Wisconsin, where she is listed as a partner, received about $260,000 in federal subsidies.
In Bachmann's financial disclosure forms, she reported receiving between $32,503 and $105,000 in income from the farm, at minimum, between 2006 and 2009.
Bachmann and her staff had declined to comment to The Times. But asked about the issue on "Fox News Sunday," she insisted that she and her husband had not benefited at taxpayers' expense.
"First of all," she said, "the money that went to the clinic was actually training money for employees. The clinic did not get the money. And my husband and I did not get the money either. That's mental health training money that went to employees."
As for the farm, she said, it belonged to her father-in-law. "It's not my husband and my farm. And my husband and I have never gotten a penny of money from the farm."
She was not asked about her financial disclosure forms.
Bachmann repeated her opposition to federal earmarks that fund politicians' pet projects, saying "the states have to build roads and bridges," not the federal government.
Bachmann also was asked about the farm subsidies on CBS' "Face the Nation." She suggested the public instead should be outraged about a sharp increase in government limousines in the two years since President Obama took office.
She also said she had been a Christian since she was 16 and that God often steered her political course.
"When I pray, I pray believing that God will speak to me and give me an answer to that prayer," she said. "That's what a calling is. If I pray, a calling means that I feel like I have a sense from God."
She was buoyed by a Des Moines Register poll of likely Iowa caucus-goers, released Saturday night, which showed her with 22% support, statistically tied with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 23%.
"Part of it is because I was born in Iowa," she told Fox News. In addition, she said, since this month's GOP debate, people have "recognized that I am very serious about what I want to do."
Asked by Fox interviewer Chris Wallace whether she was a "flake" because of a "history of questionable statements" and "gaffes," Bachmann was clearly irritated.
"I think that would be insulting to say something like that," she said, "because I'm a serious person."
"because I'm a serious person."
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I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
the federal limousine budget I would bet is pennies compared to just about ANYTHING else on the budget, it's just a diversionary tactic. I worry about someone so close to potentially being a serious runner for president and not basing her decisions on economics but based on what she hears from god......
even christians refer to most people who have god talk to them as nuts, so why not bachman?
But all these "pennies" add up to some major bucks. Do you feel the same way about Michelle's worldwide trips with her distant cousins traveling to all reaches of the world, utilizing Air Force One and her contingent of 55 security personnel?
But all these "pennies" add up to some major bucks. Do you feel the same way about Michelle's worldwide trips with her distant cousins traveling to all reaches of the world, utilizing Air Force One and her contingent of 55 security personnel?
but do they? do these two issues even begin to compare to farm subsidies, sure everything needs to be looked at but do you really not see it's a diversion, whenever side 'A' points something that can be cut, side 'b' will say everything should be on the table but look at this abuse on side 'a' (that is tiny compared to the original issue); while side 'b' has absolutely no intention of cutting spending on the larger issue.
it's a game, don't fall for it. yes all spending matters but the areas where we spend A LOT of money is far more important, why spend the time saving millions when you can instead spend the time to save billions?
I thought I'd never say it, but I do agree with you on this one . My concern is the general fiscal responsibility has to come from the top, all the way down to the peasants.
AF-1 could use a rest too, it costs over a million in direct and collateral costs every time it flies to a union picnic. Also some C-130s (or equal) to haul those limos and black SUVs.
I could just imagine the president, whoever happened to be in at the time, riding the bus everywhere they went. I guess the VP does in fact ride the Amtrak home?
I could just imagine the president, whoever happened to be in at the time, riding the bus everywhere they went. I guess the VP does in fact ride the Amtrak home?
You make the assumption that all his trips are necessary, since in reality most are campaigning for either himself or his failed programs he would do well just to stay home.
. My concern is the general fiscal responsibility has to come from the top, all the way down to the peasants.
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