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Subscribe to RSSPERRY, Iowa -- In an event Saturday billed as the “Bachmann Takes it to Perry Rally,” Michele Bachmann took her anti-illegal immigration message to the small town just outside Des Moines that carries the last name of her GOP opponent, Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
But Bachmann only mentioned Gov. Perry by name once, and it came during the question-and-answer period. Instead, she focused on detailing the case for a major initiative Perry opposes: building a fence along the United State's border with Mexico.
“I will secure that border,” Bachmann said inside the ballroom at the historic Hotel Pattee. “That will be job No. 1. And it will be every mile; it will be every yard; it will be every foot, because the portion that you fail to secure will be the highway into the United States.”
The event marked the introduction of a new advocacy group exerting pressure on GOP presidential candidates to sign a pledge to secure the border. Bachmann’s signature on Americans for Securing the Border pledge binds her to completing a fence along the Southern border by the end of her first year in office. She is the first candidate in the Republican field to sign it.
“The politicians every election cycle always pay lip service to securing the border but nothing ever gets done. So we believe it’s time to have a pledge,” Americans for Securing the Border Chairman Van Hipp told NBC News. “We have issued the challenge to all the major presidential candidates and Michele Bachmann is the first one to step up to the plate.”
The Minnesota Congresswoman has staked her candidacy, at least in part, on the message of a fiscal discipline -- and as she made the case for the fence this afternoon, she framed it in fiscal terms.
“I want to talk to you right now a little bit about some of those very real costs that come across along with illegal immigration,” Bachmann told the crowd of roughly 75 people. “It’s actually $113 billion a year,” she said, citing research by a conservative non-profit group, Federation for American Immigration Reform. “That’s the cost of illegal immigration.”
Illegal immigration has been a continued point of contention in the 2012 presidential race, specifically the DREAM Act, which, in Texas, allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public universities. While Bachmann did not mention the Texas governor’s name, she harshly criticized Perry for the Texas law.
“In 2009 in Texas, there were 12,138 students that benefited from that,” she said. “That cost the taxpayers of Texas $25.9 million.”
Bachmann’s message did not please everyone in the room. After interrupting the congresswoman mid-speech, Eddie Diaz, a 32-year-old Perry resident and first-generation Iowan, was given the first question following her prepared remarks.
Diaz and Bachmann went back and forth on arguably the most sensitive element of the whole immigration debate -- the fate of the children of illegal immigrants.
“Under our system of government you cannot punish the children for the actions of their parents,” Diaz forcefully told Bachmann. The congresswoman countered that laws like these only encourage more illegal immigration.
Following the “Bachmann Takes it to Perry Rally,” the Perry campaign responded, touting Perry’s 10 years experience as governor of a border state.
“Governor Perry has been hard at work at this,” Perry’s Iowa Chair, Bob Haus, said in a statement. “Iowans will trust someone who's actually done the work to secure our border."
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You won't be taking it anywhere sweetheart, you're done!
Lets all sit back and enjoy the Michele show. Who has the popcorn?
I do... I do... ;o)
Gwad! I wish someone would build that fence. I have a business acquaintance in Monterey who makes and sells various hardware. Fact, I have a small financial interest. We could make a fortune selling ladders, saws, and wire cutters. Some of the Texans actually have made considerable money constructing and securing small foot bridges across the "Rio Grande" specifically for the use of the entering "adventuresome Hispanics" them charging them for the use.
No wonder she's confused. She has about a hundred or so first things she's going to do.
Over here, Smitty!
Ho hum...another day, another Bachmann pledge signing. Anybody know how many she's "pledged"? I've lost count.
Yawn...
It seems like it would take longer than a year for a project of that size.
Not that long, she plans on using immigrants from mexico to build the fence.
If Cain was taking it to Bachman would he be delivering a pizza?
Bachmann, Perry and Cain -- I can't decide if they remind me of Larry, Curly and Mo or Larry, his brother Darrell and his other brother Darrell
The GOP/RNC Clowns are back at it. Again! The "Bitchy Bachmann Show" is still mentally confused, cognitively disabled, political puking, and socially dangerous policies to America. Job ONE "Bitchy Bachmann" is JOBS!! The other GOP/RNC Clown is "Crazy Cain" of his very mentally simple 9-9-9 Con Man Plan. This Three 9 Plan is not so fine for the Middle Class, the elderly. and the disabled. Then the last GOP/RNC Clown is "Scary Perry!" Remember America this saying. "It is getting very scary with Perry!" This GOP Elephant can be bought for $10,000.00 or more, and the Koch Brothers are very well aware of this. That is fact!
While Mrs. Bachmann is entertaining to those of us of the progressive persuation: she is toxic to American politics.
We are still among the wealthiest, most developed nations on the planet. Yet we find ourselves with hateful Bachmann, clueless Perry and Mr. Cain-- whose economic plan is based on a pizza ad. They lower the bar and reduce national narrative to the level of a bad sitcom.
WE: conservatives, progressives and independents, deserve better.
We do deserve better. Is it any wonder that Mr Whitebread Romney is likely to the the GOP nominee when the opposition is toast attacking toast!?
and just how would this fence be paid for Ms Fiscally Responsible?
I'm sure they will find a fence company that donates big money to the RNC.They then would get the contract for around 500 million over the estimated cost off the job.then the company will proceed to hire as many undocumented workers as they can. so that they can lower the cost off labor, not provide insurance and increasing profits.
I wonder if her cost figures are just more grabs she's making at thin air... she has a knack for quoting grossly inaccurate statistics.
12.138 people paid 25.9 mil for one year of college damn remind Me to never send My kids there
Apparently you don't own a calculator..
$25,900,000 divided by 12,138 = $2,133.79 That's pretty cheap for a year of college.
would you want a doctor or plumber that only paid 2.133 a year in tuision I know that it sounds bad but they must be drive thru college
well it is amazing what you can find if you do 5 mins of research this is the group Bachmann has been getting the info from kinda makes you wonder
In December 2007, FAIR was called a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). In its declaration, the SPLC gave a detailed accounting of its determination. [29] FAIR has responded to this charge by claiming that there is no factual basis for the accusation;[30] that FAIR has compiled a long record of mainstream credibility and respect on immigration issues and has always opposed discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion; and that the accusation is an "act of desperation, resulting from the SPLC’s failure to convince the American people of their viewpoint."[31] FAIR president Dan Stein said of the SPLC, "They've decided to engage in unsubstantiated, invidious name-calling, smearing millions of people in this movement who simply want to see the law enforced and, frankly, lower levels of immigration"[32]
FAIR has also been criticized for accepting contributions from the Pioneer Fund. Between 1982 and 1994, FAIR received $1.2 million from the foundation.[33] The Pioneer Fund focuses on projects it perceives will not be easily funded because of controversial, racial, or pro-eugenics subject matter.[13] It was described by the Sunday Telegraph as a "neo-Nazi organization closely integrated with the far right in American politics" in 1989.[34] FAIR has responded to this criticism by asserting that the Fund clearly states that it supports equal opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, national origin, or ethnicity; that other major institutions, including universities and medical facilities in the United States and other countries, have also accepted grants from the Fund;[35] and that the Fund's contributions to FAIR were used only for the general operation of the organization.[31]
pro-eugenics otherwise known as selective breeding something the nazi's were working on back in the 1930's-40's
I agree with the border fence. I say put the Military along the border and let them build the fence. Many of them are coming back to NO JOBS and this would not only give them employment but would also secure the border at the same time.
Mexico has already become a Terrorist State and just yesterday it was announced that parents should warn their kids because the Drug Cartels are now attempting to recruit teens at high schools to join them.
Last week, several were arrested in Corpus Christi, Tx because these terrorists were working with the Mexican Drug Cartels on a bomb plot. How much closer to home does this all have come. The cartels and Zetas are already in Texas.
All the more reason for controlling illegals and protecting the borders. Especially the Mexico/US border. How about spending the billions of dollars we spend in Iraq and Afghanistan on protecting our own border. Our military protects Iraq/Afghanistans borders but we do nothing about our own borders. Rick Perry promised many times to enforce border protection but has failed to do anything about it. He just turns his back on it after he gets re-elected.
"I WILL secure the border!!"- Michele Bachmann.
How in the hell can you do that; considering that YOU couldn't repel a "gay barbarian" horde from laying siege to your husband's clinic!!!!! (No offense to the LGTB Community.)
this Just in Mrs. Bachmann's campaign is spending money faster than she can take it in and this is the woman that says she want to stop government over spending when she cant even stop over spending on her campaign.
Lincoln signs pledge not to end slavery. Jefferson signs pledge not to acquire land. How about all these Republicans sign a pledge not to sign anymore pledges. Churchill asked a colleague what drove events and the colleague said "Events, dear boy". No one knows what will happen tomorrow, let alone three years from now. To tie your hands in advance is stupid.
Quick memo to Bachmann: U R Toast!