Cole writes: "Sanity: Former US officials and academics (including me) call on the Congressional leadership to remove dangerous conspiracy theorist Michele Bachmann from the House Intelligence Committee."



Michele Bachmann announces the end of her presidential campaign, 01/04/12. (photo: Reuters)

Sanity and Insanity in American Politics (Bachmann, Sessions, Romney, and Chicken)

By Juan Cole, Informed Comment

anity: Former US officials and academics (including me) call on the Congressional leadership to remove dangerous conspiracy theorist Michele Bachmann from the House Intelligence Committee. Bachmann has not only embarrassed herself and Congress by saying that the federal government is riddled with “Muslim Brotherhood moles,” but her crackpot ideas have hurt US diplomacy in Egypt. Moreover, she is openly linked to the MEK terrorist organization. She shouldn’t be privy to intelligence or making intelligence policy!

Insanity: Michele Bachmann is a sitting representative in the US Congress!

Sanity: France has passed a tax on financial transactions. Since the finance sector has clearly become corrupt and a big casino in which our futures are gambled, this measure might rein in the irrational exuberance, and it is an obvious place to go in a recession for governmental resources for the public good.

Insanity Mitt Romney’s tax plan would cut taxes on the rich and increase them for you and me! He is campaigning on this plan and openly telling you that is what he is going to do. And no one thinks that is weird. Are we serfs, and he’s the candidate of the House of Lords?

Sanity: Today, 47 million women are now eligible for preventive care services, including prescription contraception, as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

Insanity: Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) compared birth control to Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

Sanity: The campus policeman who pepper-sprayed student protesters last winter no longer works for the university.

Insanity: The government has found a way around Posse Comitatus, the law that prevents the US military from arresting people on US soil. They have just turned local police forces like that in Anaheim into special forces operatives with full battle gear.

Sanity: Over 60 percent of Californians continue to favor the state’s greenhouse gas reductions program, and Californians say that the candidate’s position on climate change will affect how they vote in the presidential election.

Insanity Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, when told by Barbara Boxer that 98% of scientists reject his contrarian position on climate change, said he was “offended by that…” We’re offended that you’re playing Russian roulette with the lives of our children and grandchildren, senator. Plus, have you been back to Alabama this summer?

Sanity: KFC says it supports gay marriage rights.

Insanity: Evangelicals are lining up at Chick-a-Fill fast food joints to show support for the bigotry of the chain’s owner.

The gay chicken wars have come to America.