Republican Party

Bachmann & Social Engineering the Tax Code

By Jay Newton-Small | @JNSmall | February 17, 2011 | +

This morning, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) told George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America that the tax code needs to be changed – citing the example that the Internal Revenue Service recently deemed breast pumps a valid medical deduction. (This is related to Bachmann’s assertion that First Lady Michelle Obama’s encouragement of mothers to breast-feed in order to prevent childhood obesity is the latest example of the “nanny state,” though the IRS and Obama acted independently of one another.) Here’s Bachmann:

The tax code is used by government as social engineering. I spent years [as an attorney] in the United States federal tax court seeing the difficult burden of the tax code in people’s lives and I think the federal government should really stop social engineering.

I have to wonder what other pieces of “social engineering” of the tax code Bachmann opposes. The mortgage interest deduction that subsidizes home ownership? The dependent care credit that helps working parents pay for child care? Or the exclusion for combat soldiers, which gives soldiers putting themselves in harm’s way a break on income tax? What about the suspension of the marriage penalty or the child credit?

 

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Related Topics: Michele Bachmann, nanny state, Congress, Republican Party

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  • http://gum0nshoe.wordpress.com gumOnShoe

    What about the suspension of the marriage penalty?

    Hey, don’t go there. Marriage is sanctimonious, doncha know.

  • http://www.stevebeste.com Steve Beste

    Kind of neat how Michelle Bachmann has repositioned herself from an oppressed entrepreneur to Federal Tax attorney / authority.

    Neater still is how she’s getting away with it.

  • Ivy_B

    And the child credit?

    You betcha. Social engineering at its finest. Look at all those people having too many children to get that tax credit. Then I have to pay more school taxes to educate them. Talk about a “nanny state!”

  • afguy

    But she did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once…

  • Paul-no not that one

    “Marriage is sanctimonious”
    .
    That’s pretty funny. And often accurate.

  • afguy

    What’s with Stephanopolos?
    .
    Has he become the “go to” guy that the GOP/TP types visit to polish therir creds about having been interviewed by a so-called “lefty” commentator?

  • Ivy_B

    That sent me to Wikipedia to look at her bio. Eeeeuuuw.

  • http://www.stevebeste.com Steve Beste

    @ivy – eeeuuuw indeed.

  • 53_3

    Is “Social Engineering” the new euphemism for “implementing Social Darwinist agendas”?

  • afguy

    When they accused the “left” of doing it, it was most definitely a BAD thng…

  • apr2563

    A guberment employee???!!!

  • apr2563

    Did she mean she was a private tax attorney? Then she must have spent a great deal of time finding loopholes for her clients.

  • apr2563

    I would think Bachmann would be for any lowering of taxes. Isn’t that the Republican shtick?

  • 53_3

    Did you watch the View today?

  • http://grapemusing.blogspot.com/ grape_crush

    …citing the example that the Internal Revenue Service recently deemed breast pumps a valid medical deduction.
    .
    Why on earth wouldn’t they be? God forbid that the government actually do something that’s positive and helpful for families.
    .
    Bachmann’s an obnoxious moron.

  • freeinpa

    No mention of AMT the Democrats own Frankenstein. They tried to nail the rich and ended up screwing the middle class

  • afguy

    Speaking of…

  • constantweader

    So much for motherhood. Look out, apple pie.

  • shepherdwong

    “I have to wonder what other pieces of “social engineering” of the tax code Bachmann opposes.”
    .
    I have to wonder when journalists will stop being cute with these lying traitors. Just what will they have to do to this country to get you to tell the public the truth about them?

  • http://www.stevebeste.com Steve Beste

    @apr Yes. Ironically, Michelle is biting the hands that fed her.

  • jc46202

    On some levels our entire legal system and tax system are examples of social engineering because they reflect a values system of/for our society at any given point in time, rewarding or punishing individual or corporate behavior linked to the values of the law or line of tax code.

  • http://grapemusing.blogspot.com/ grape_crush

    Speaking of…
    .
    Obnoxious morons? Oh hell yeah, that’s Freeper in a nutshell.

  • shepherdwong

    The Republicans could have made a permanent fix of the ATM any of ten years they controlled the Congress or the six years they controlled the entire federal government. They own all of the monsters now.

  • gysgt213

    Thank you.

  • Ivy_B

    apr, I don’t think she was a private tax attorney. From wikipedia…
    .
    From 1988 to 1993, Bachmann was a U.S. Treasury Department attorney in the US Federal Tax Court located in St. Paul. According to Bachmann, she represented the Internal Revenue Service “in hundreds of cases”[10] (both civil and criminal) prosecuting people who underpaid or failed to pay their taxes.[11] She left her government position to become a full-time mother.[12] (And had 5 child credits.)

  • http://www.stevebeste.com Steve Beste

    @ivy Are you saying that Michelle Bachmann was a jack-booted thug?

  • Ivy_B

    In a word, yes! Taking all our moneys from us, when we could spend it so much better…

  • paulejb

    shepherdwong@9,
    .
    “…these lying traitors.”
    .
    Another statement of logic and reason by a typical example of the far out fringe left.
    .
    Is there still oxygen to breathe that far out, Wong?

  • http://erieangel.wordpress.com erieangel

    I wonder if Bachmann realizes that her belief that “original design” should be taught in public schools is social engineering.
    .
    Nope didn’t think so.

  • Matt

    I thought tax incentives for “good behavior” — not “handouts” — was a staple of conservative economic policy? I thought any tax cut was a good tax cut to Republicans? Has Bachmann gone so far over the cliff with her rage at the Obamas that she has insulted the very core of conservative thought?
    http://www.sunstateactivist.org

  • apr2563

    Thanks Ivy. She was a guberment employee!!! Actually, she still is.

  • rosseau

    This is what you culled from the interview? She also refused to rebuke the Birthers:

    http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/02/17/bachmann_birtherism/index.html

    Not that she actually believes them, but is using the ignorance to drive up votes. But it shouldn’t be ignored or taken for granted.

  • apr2563

    No, I’ll try to catch it online. Don’t tell me Hasselbeck (sp) was anti breast pump tax break?

  • shepherdwong

    Working against the interests of the United States: check.
    .
    Working in the parochial interests of multi-national financial entities: check
    .
    Telling slanderous lies to gin up political opposition to the democratically-elected president and the federal government: check.
    .
    Lying traitor: check.

  • nflfoghorn

    Maybe they’re under the impression that he’s still po’d at the Clintons.

  • nflfoghorn

    “The stupid, it burns.” –fellow Swamper

  • paulejb

    shepherwong@9.2,
    .
    Sounds like you are checking off a list of to do’s from Code Pink or the Daily Kos.

  • paulejb

    Replace the current tax system with a flat tax or consumption tax and the entire liberal agenda would collapse like a house of cards. The manipulation of the tax code would no longer be available for social engineering.

  • shepherdwong

    “Sounds like you are checking off a list of to do’s from Code Pink or the Daily Kos.”
    .
    When Code Pink or the Daily Kos take over half of the Congress and the federal judiciary and use their $billions to flood the halls of government with lobbyists to promise re-election and fat, post-government jobs for the right votes, I’ll take a look. For now, it’s plain to see, your side has all the traitors.

  • shepherdwong

    Does it hurt having Rush Limbaugh’s fingers up your butt all the time or are you one of those string-operated puppets?

  • sacredh

    I think there’s an argument to be made that churches not paying taxes is social engineering. I’m waiting for Bachman to weigh in on that.

  • paulejb

    sacredh@16,
    .
    Taxing churches would be violating the 1st Amendment. The power to tax is the power to destroy. If Congress can not “Establish” a religion it certainly cannot tax one out of existence.

  • paulejb

    shepherdwong@9.4,
    .
    Severe paranoia is not a valid political ideology, Wong.
    .
    The Daily Kos used to control more than 1/2 of Congress. The last election put paid to that.
    .
    And what can we say about Code Pink? Let’s just say that giving aid and comfort to the enemy is not patriotism.

  • sacredh

    Social engineering is social engineering whether there’s an amendment for it or not. Saying that children born on US soil even if their parents are illegal immigrants violates the 14th amendment but Arizona doesn’t seem to have any problem picking which constitutional amendments it wants to ignore. That would be another example of social engineering to fit a political agenda by a specific group.
    .
    I’m not religious but it really doesn’t matter to me if churches pay taxes or not (I’d prefer that they did but I don’t lose any sleep over it). I was just using that as an example.

  • artraveler

    How about churches pay taxes on all activities not directly related to worship?. Many operate a host of businesses and have an advantage over private businesses in the same town. They also need to have limits on what they can count as salary when you consider that a number own cars that not even Congress can afford and their own planes. If their members want to donate money without being able to write it off on their 1040 than so be it but many church heads are living like Wall Street robber barons but with no accountability.

  • 53_3

    No, they covered the Bachmann “non-response” to the question about Obama’s birth.
    .
    I won’t spoil it for you…

  • 53_3

    I’m a christian but I believe that we should tax any church involved in politics.
    .
    I don’t care what side the church might be on…

  • hippooath

    “The Daily Kos used to control more than 1/2 of Congress. The last election put paid to that.
    .
    And what can we say about Code Pink? Let’s just say that giving aid and comfort to the enemy is not patriotism.”
    .
    And another self proclaimed genius winger hits the stupid sauce.
    .
    Anyone with enough skill to type google.com and then search would probably find this pretty much bullsh!t, but maybe this is you being clever again. And we’re hamfisted? This is like being slapped with a silver fish when the other is armed with a sword wish (reference to a Monty Python sketch – you should know since you’re clever and all).

  • troubador222

    I think there things churches can do when they cross into political action groups that they do have to pay taxes on. I really dont think taxing churches is the answer, besides being a contentious point that does more to inflame the rhetoric. I am very big on both the idea of freedom of religion and the separation of church and state and I dont think we could have it both ways. It seems like more and more ideas I hear floated seem to be intent on targeting the other side for some kind of punishment and I think of taxing churches just as little as I think of the Republican effort to defund PBS and NPR. Maybe it’s the kind of thing we need to get beyond to try and get things done.

    .
    BTW I am very Liberal and not a Christian. But I recognize that there is a great diversity of political thought in churches and the idea that like minded people can congregate and express themselves about society is what I consider one of the great things about the country. The first thing that would happen once you taxed churches is idiots with political power would use the tax code against certain groups there. Idiots like Bachmann.

  • shepherdwong

    “Severe paranoia is not a valid political ideology…
    .
    …Daily Kos used to control more than 1/2 of Congress…    ”
    .
    (Unintentionally) hilarious again, my friend. Do keep sharing your world view with us, won’t you.

  • apr2563

    Liked “tanning and crying”

  • allthingsinaname

    I do not know why she would be opposed to that, think of the manufacture selling those pumps.

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