Michele Bachmann Warns Of Link Between Census, Japanese Internment

[RedEarth]

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is taking her refusal to fully fill out her Census form, which is a crime punishable by a $5,000 fine, to a whole new level: Invoking the memory of the Japanese internment during World War II, and the evil role that the Census played in it!

During an interview this morning on Fox News, Bachmann mostly focused on the danger of her personal information falling into the hands of the dreaded menace ACORN. But at one point, she made a very interesting appeal to history:

"Take this into consideration. If we look at American history, between 1942 and 1947, the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt, and that's how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps," said Bachmann. "I'm not saying that that's what the Administration is planning to do, but I am saying that private personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up, in a violation of their constitutional rights, and put the Japanese in internment camps."

At this point even Megyn Kelly, who had been gladly dishing out the anti-ACORN talk along with Bachmann, had to take a step back and raise the point that the Japanese internment was a long time ago and we haven't had such abuses since then.

For some context on how this fits into Bachmann's overall worldview, keep in mind that she's previously warned of the threat of "re-education camps" where young people would be indoctrinated into the government's official philosophy.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/bachmann-warns-of-link-between-census-japanese-internment.php?ref=fpb

[YOY]

1. Sweet Jebus...the woman just gets fucking crazier every time she opens her mouth.

n..t

[dflprincess]

2. Like Bachmann wouldn't be all for internment camps (eom)

[EOTE]

3. What's next?

Will she compare the capital gains tax to the gas chambers of Nazi Germany? Also, is Bachmann aware that Roosevelt wasn't president in 1947? Not that this wasn't the darkest part of FDR's presidency, but she might want to get her dates right.

[Bucky]

4. Ms Bachmann exists to keep TPM readers amused. (Warning: heavy comic book images posted here)

Read 'em & weep. :rofl:

[Bucky]

7. more images: the Bachmann Bush smooch

More!

More!

Ew! Enough already!

[anigbrowl]

9. Agh, my eyes! Ze goggles, zey do nothing!

[peacetalksforall]

5. Except for 'Mexicans' and Muslims.

"Mexicans' meaning all Latinos who enter the U.S. illegally or legally (because business wants them). They are all referred to as Mexicans because those who resent them to the point of bigotry know where Mexico is and they don't know where El Salvador or Honduras is or any of the other countries that brings us migration for jobs.
We know that they are being rounded up and some are in prisons here.

What's the difference between and internet camp and a prison?

Then we have our specialty prisons. Loss of all rights, expensive torture rendition through white Lear jets. Holier than thou.

[rvablue]

6. Two things:

#1 What are the grounds for an official censure in the House of Represenatives, because several comments this nut has made seem like she might be a candidate for one.

#2 I hope that her constituents follow her advice and do not fill out the census. It is the method by with the federal government allocates funds to different congressional districts. So, don't fill it out, your area will be registered as being populated by ZERO citizens and you won't get a damn dime of federal money.

Then maybe you morons in that district will elect a representative who has both a few brain cells and a modicum of sanity.

Thank you.

[NoQuarter]

15. A little human decency

would help, too. Because this spontaneous eruption of batshit crazy is just veiled racism.

[rvablue]

20. "Spontaneous eruption"?!?!?!?! Harldly, Bachmann is pretty consistent with the batshit crazy! n

[blogslut]

8. Just another square on the crazy quilt

Is some Mayberry Machiavelli literally telling these wingnuts to play the wide-eyed conspiracy act? This is strategy?

[Milspec]

10. What a wack job

[kestrel91316]

11. Doesn't the U.S. Constitution REQUIRE a census every ten years

so that Congressional representation can be kept accurate???

Why does Michele Bachmann hate her fellow Minnesotans AND America???

[Moondog]

17. It does indeed.

[Flaneur]

12. I am embarrassed for Minnesota.

[miyazaki]

13. We are supposed to believe that she was against the

Japanese Internment? Lmfao. Would she by spouting this drivel if McCain were president?
She's as mad as a fucking hatter.

[Marr]

14. I don't think she's crazy-- I think she's a Congressional version of Glenn Beck.

She's trying to stir up paranoia and fear. After all, where was this concern during Bush's term? Or when Republicans controlled Congress?

[left is right]

16. I take major exception to her fruitcake accusations

I work for the Census Bureau. I have never mentioned this on any discussion board because I have always felt like this would somehow lead to a violation of the written and witnessed oath that I take each and every year that I will not divulge any information. Many years ago, during my new employee orientation, they emphasized that our data was so protected that no one/agency could receive any personal information from the census form. It could only be dispersed in the form of statistics that could not be linked to any individual. This was true for requests from the FBI, IRS, or any other combination of initials.
The oath I take carries a bigger fine and longer imprisonment for violation than the fine for failure to return the form.

[Ganja Ninja]

18. Time to call the men in white coats to come and drop a net over her.

Seriously can't the congress declare her unfit or demand she submit to a sanity test?

[Still Sensible]

19. Poster Child for Asshats ! n/t