Historian Michele Bachmann Blames FDR's "Hoot-Smalley" Tariffs For Great Depression

[sufrommich]

"Make no mistake: When it comes to economics, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) knows her history -- even if that history is from another planet.

On Monday night, our friends at Dump Bachmann reported, Bachmann took to the House floor and paid tribute to the economic policies of Calvin Coolidge and the "Roaring 20s" (the era that ended with a massive monetary contraction and the Great Depression). One particular line really does stand out, though -- saying Franklin Roosevelt turned a recession into a depression through the "Hoot-Smalley" tariffs.
Here's what really happened: When Franklin Roosevelt took office, unemployment was already about 25%. And the tariff referred to here was actually the Smoot-Hawley bill, co-authored by Republicans Sen. Reed Smoot of Utah and Rep. Willis Hawley of Oregon, and signed into law by President Herbert Hoover.

Interestingly, this speech also happened on the same day as when Bachmann connected the 1970s swine flu outbreak to Democrat Jimmy Carter being president, even though it was actually Gerald Ford in office at the time.

Late Update: A shout-out to Liberal in the Land of Conservative for also noticing Bachmann's false attribution of the tariff bill to Roosevelt -- and also to Matt Yglesias for pointing to the metaphysical possibilities.


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/historian-michele-bachmann-blames-fdrs-hoot-smalley-tariffs-for-great-depression.php?1

I'm beginning to think this woman is a troll for the Democrats, there is no other logical explanation for her.

[malaise]

1. KO had a good laugh at this last night

How is this lunatic allowed to speak in public? Bet she thought she was spouting words of wisdom.

[life_long_dem]

15. KO also said these statements:

"Congresswoman, you're a buffoon!"

"We let this woman vote on actual pieces of legislation!"

[Hannah Bell]

2. Written by Reps Hoot Gibson & Stewart Smalley.

[DrDan]

3. Oberman's coverage was hilarious

[Thor_MN]

4. She really is that stupid.

I think she is trolling to become the next Caribou Barbie, because she thinks she has less baggage and can fancy pageant walk with the best of them. She doesn't realize that she is creating her baggage by trying to ad lib with RW memes.

[KharmaTrain]

5. She's Auditioning For Her Own Teevee Show

This lady is comedy gold...but the wingnuts love her. She throws the red meat...actually it's lean meat as it's free of any real value...fact free...but she's the darling of hate radio.

Several months ago, I think it was Glenn Greenwald who noticed her con game...she says these outrageous things to deflect attention from a more serious matter. She'll use it in a floor debate (which is where many of these turds are laid) which catches the opposition by surprise and sidetracks things. Instead of debating the budget, now we're running for history books to see how off-the-wall Bachmann's latest stunt it.

Remember...the House GOOPers are irrelevant...with little power. So like the children they are, they throw tantrums...and Bachmann is in a pissing contest with a bunch of others to be the most petulant.

[Somawas]

6. Bachmann is my very favorite Republican. Absolutely the best.

[Vinca]

7. My dream 'puke ticket is Palin/Bachmann.

:rofl:

[old mark]

Absolutely! They will get the GOP's "message" across -

Loud and clear!
I feel like I should send her a contribution - I'd hate to lose the entertainment....:popcorn:

mark

[old mark]

8. Absolutely! They will get the GOP's "message" across -

Loud and clear!
I feel like I should send her a contribution - I'd hate to lose the entertainment....:popcorn:

mark

[sufrommich]

10. Wouldn't that be great? A treasure trove of dumb. nt

[Robb]

23. I googled this for a joke

...And they are quite serious about it at the "Team Sarah" website. :wow:

:rofl: Please, dear Lord, oh please.... :rofl:

[Daphne08]

25. OMG

I'm having breakfast. :spray:

Well, I was.

[Vinca]

32. OMG - "Team Sarah" is actually proposing Palin/Bachmann??

The comedians of America need to know this . . . RED ALERT, RED ALERT.
:rofl:

[TahitiNut]

33. This is why the art of parody is dying ... how can a parody be even more ridiculous?

How can people who think this way even feed themselves?

[walldude]

13. The Katherine Harris replacement doll...

And I thought I was going to miss ol' Harris :rofl:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

22. That's Gold, Jerry, GOLD!

[DefenseLawyer]

39. Soup and a sandwich!

That is a meal!

[PA Democrat]

9. Where does she do her "research"? The Free Republic?

[chat_noir]

11. Hoot Smalley: Songs of the Permanent Minority

courtesy of Balloon Juice http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=20601#comments

[sufrommich]

12. lol. nt

[ShortnFiery]

20. almost as comical as ...

Historian Michele Bachmann :spray: :rofl:

[Arugula Latte]

43. I didn't know Stewart Smalley had anything to do with tariffs.

[tanyev]

14. What a hoot!

:rofl:

[Gold Metal Flake]

16. We Need To Know Something...

We need to know who writes her comments for her. She is reading this stuff. Who writes it? From who is she taking this shit? It's not the CEI or the other usual suspects because they are not usually this spectacularly inaccurate.


Edit: e

[dgibby]

18. A liberal mole?

[jberryhill]

21. Who writes it?

Some of Stephen Colbert's people have too much time on their hands, methinks.

[Gold Metal Flake]

28. I just want to know where the puppet strings lead.

I'll bet the puppeteer has a trust fund and a cash & carry degree from a prestigious east coast university.

[jberryhill]

35. Nawww.....

It's something along the lines of the DeMoss family.... wingnut cheerleaders of the apocalypse.

[dflprincess]

36. I wish Colbert would do one of his "Better Know a District" with her

I'd bet she's one who wouldn't be able to grasp Colbert is playing a character.

[Gold Metal Flake]

37. Shwiiiiing!

Hell of an idea! Alas, she was probably warned off long ago.

"What are the Ten Commandments?"

[peekaloo]

17. She truly is nucking futs.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

19. I wish I could change my DU name to Hoot-Smalley

[MineralMan]

24. Stewart Smalley? Morana Bachmann has dreams about Al Franken?

[MasonJar]

26. And Virginia Foxx for Secretary of State.

[Zynx]

27. Nothing she said was correct. Not one thing in that statement was right.

[blueworld]

29. I think she's a "largely-hoot"

Although I truly pity MN, and frequently wonder how she keeps escaping her keeper, I think she performs a vital national function.

Now that we have a well-educated, logical President who speaks English fluently, Michele is providing the necessary fodder for Letterman & "The Daily Show". Before her frequent trips to the mike, those writers were on anti-depressants. Hannity has worn pretty thin and Gingrich is nauseating. Palin is erratic - Michele is 100% dependable. :eyes:

[JVS]

30. What a dumbass

[crimsonblue]

31. She also states that Coolidge dealt with a recession in the early 20s...

Well... Warren G Harding was President in the early 20s, and there were no visible signs of recession by the time that Coolidge took office. You'd think that even being batshit crazy would mean you could at least get 1 detail of your diatribe correct, but I guess that's expecting too much from the World's Stupidest Woman.

[jfkraus]

34. Asshat.

[Vidar]

38. She has a fine future at FOX news.

[DefenseLawyer]

40. She obviously was not paying attention to Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Anyone...? Anyone...?

[TheTimmer]

41. Her tinfoil hat ain't cutting it

Time to wrap her head in a Faraday cage

[Mopar151]

44. My professional opinion

As a manufacturing engineer versed in Faraday Cages and specialised magnetic shielding, I can tell you the tinfoil ain't makin' it.
You need MuMetal shielding, with hydrogen atmosphere annealing, and it has to be electrically grounded. Most Faraday cages will not work, as the wavelength of hate and ignorance is small enough to pass through the mesh.

[TheTimmer]

45. I'm guessing

that that particular waveform looks something like this

______________________________________________

which perfectly matches her EEG

[Mopar151]

46. I concur

A submicron wavelength, matching the functional IQ of the fool.

[Orsino]

42. Fortunately, alert, prepared TV journalists are there to debunk her claims.

:eyes: