(CNN) – Fresh off a win at the Iowa straw poll, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann stood by her principles Sunday, saying in an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union” that she won’t compromise her values on “big issues.”
Facing criticism that tea party members resisted compromise to reach an agreement on the debt ceiling, the Republican presidential candidate was asked to identify legislation that represented a compromise between herself and lawmakers of an opposing or alternate view. “I stand on a core set of principles but you want to continue to move in a positive direction,” Bachmann told Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. “I’ve done that throughout my legislative career.”
“On big issues, I don’t compromise my core sets of principles.”
And in her experience, the public doesn’t favor a compromise between spending cuts and raising revenue through tax increases as a method of battling the deficit.
“I haven’t gone one place in Iowa or South Carolina or New Hampshire where anyone said, ‘Please raise my taxes,’” she argued. “Never happened.”
“People are not saying yes, raise the debt ceiling, we want you to borrow more money - it doesn’t happen…people are very upset and nervous about where the economy’s at right now.”
And for Bachmann, a win at the straw poll in Ames, a contest that measures candidate strength and organization in Iowa, also communicated a bigger message.
“People sent a message to President Obama. They said, ‘We are done with your policies, we want something very different.’”
Bachmann believes that the 2012 election will be an “economic selection,” in which she will fare well because “people want to know who can turn the country around.”
“People want job creation,” she stated. “They want the economy to turn around and [they want to] work. I have that background.”
And if she reaches the White House, Bachmann said she would revisit the policy that prevented gay service members from openly serving in the military known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
“The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy has worked very well,” she said. “I would be in consultation with our commanders but yes, I probably will [reinstate the policy].”
Though she hasn’t yet decided whether to end the gas tax when it expires in September, Bachmann did say that on the matter of gay marriage she thought it imperative that judges refrain from “legislating from the bench.”
“I think it’s more important that people have a right to weigh in on the laws that they choose to live under,” she asserted. “That was the problem here in Iowa.”
Watch State of the Union with Candy Crowley Sundays at 9am ET. For the latest from State of the Union click here.
From CNN Politics
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My favorite thing about Bachman and her ilk is that her ideology always seems to fly in the face of bold fact. The interview this morning was quite telling.
Bachmann voted against the debt deal even though it had 98% of what the GOP wanted. Then, when that resulted in a downgrade, she blame it on Obama. I guess in her mind it must have been that 2% that they didn't get that resulted in the downgrade. Never mind that the S&P specifically points to the debt debacle as the primary reason for the downgrade. Never mind that they cite the not coming up with a viable plan to address the deficit (one that includes both spending cuts and revenue increases, not just spending cuts alone) and having a dysfunctional government owing to a faction that refuses to compromise or cooperate as the reason for the downgrade.
It is obvious to about 80% of the people in this country that we need to do both, cut spending AND raise taxes, at least on people who make over $250,000 a year. Bachmann, simply wants to cut Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security before raising the taxes on the rich.
If you are a senior citizen making less than $250,000/year and vote Republican, then you are a complete fool. Sorry, but there is no other way to put it.
Typical GOP, my way or the highway. I guess that must be what it says in the Bible.
A true intellectual giant!
That's true......and precisely why she is leading in Iowa. The people in Iowa like face to face, with candidates, because they prefer candidates that are genuine, and not phoney politicians. That is much easier to determine when you are face to face.
What doesn't she understand about NO? I don't want some evangelical telling me how to run my life.
Nope, she doesn't compromise. She's all crazy, all the time.
No compromise get us nowhere. Politics is the art of compromise – whilst people might like to hear the rhetoric of no compromise they do not want the dysfunction it brings.
When you have 2 side with different principles then compromise is implied if we are to move forward.
In the GOP debate they were ask if they would take a 10:1 ($10 in spending cut to every $1 of tax increase). Every single Republican candidate said "NO". I think we need leadership that isn't under the thumb of some special interest pledge, don't you?
And, why was the press not all over this? I heard lots of silly quips but on this extremely important policy issue – almost nothing.
I personally think it is a good thing for our country to have somebody like Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin involved in politics. Sometimes, I disagree with what Obama is doing, sometimes I don't think he is being a good leader, but then I hear something Michelle Bachmann or Sarah Palin said or did and it reminds me that regardless of how bad things are right now, they could be much, much worse. That contrast would not be nearly as pronounced without them around. Michelle, Sarah, please continue doing what you are doing, it really helps to keep everything in perspective.
Ms Bachmann is not literate enough to understand that we the citizens have no right to legislate the rights of others. Gay marriage is not a voting decision, it is a constitutional right. Either you believe in the bill if rights or you don't, it is not a matter of majority vote. Being a law school grad you would think she understood our constitution better. But, the constitution is an abstract document that many Americans don't understand- I do expect a higher understanding from our leaders.
Iowa straw poll, a paid for event, has a dubious track record with nominating.............. in 1987, President Pat Robertson...in 1995 President Phil Graham,................and in 2007 President Mitt Romney. So if you want to win in Iowa, just pay for "delegates" and their votes and win the Presidency. I guess in 4 years , we could buy enough "tickets" for entry and have Alfred E. Newman nominated and become the next President of the USA.
George W. Bush has a better chance of becoming POTUS again than does Michelle B.
Well, you have to give her credit – though a woman, she shows that she can play the right-wing, gay-hating, Christian intolerance angle as well as any of the guys.
So she blasts Democrats for not compromising and turning their back on their principles and embracing hers but refuses to do the same. Does this woman even listen to herself? America you are making the world a more dangerous place every damn day.
The Iowa Straw Poll was a joke. You had to pay to participate and vote. To say out load that she didn't care if America defaulted on it's debt is ludicrous. I wonder how many Teabaggers paid to vote for her? It shows how some people can't see past their nose; dig a little deeper people!
Bachmann, you are an idiot in the most serious degree. This whole country's government was founded on the principle of compromise, that's why the framers agreed on seperation of powers. You fail to understand the simplist of our governmental structures. Please go away. Immediately.
Homepage title "Bachmann: I don't compromise." I also saw the interview, and I really feel embarrassed for CNN. She didn't say "I don't compromise" and stop there. You are really making yourself look bad by these dishonest portrayals.
OH...and does this mean she still believes the whole terrorist anchor baby nonsense she was supporting to no end a while back? Even though the CIA said there is no evidence of any such thing? Idiot.
All of you have typical CNN groupie comments...You listen to the liberal media and believe it. And the hateful comments are not a example of good character.
I wonder if she realizes that not compromising will result in absolutely nothing being accomplished in her presidency.
In the first day of Political Science 101, our professor defined politics as "the art of compromise". I think that is where the politicians like Bachman get it all wrong. It is not, as someone said early, "my way or the highway". It's not about what can raise the most money for the GOP or the Democratic parties. It's about doing what is right for the American people. That often isn't a simple choice of black or white ... sometimes, the right answer is gray. These folks just don't get it, and we're the ones suffering because of their ignorance and arrogance.
All her pictures need to be shot from the side, otherwise she looks crazy. Ha...how's that gonna work for a President?
Bachmann: One sentence fragment about job creation, four paragraphs about dumping on gays. Bang that drum, Baby...!
So Bachman's big principle is the rich and big corporations should not pay taxes. They don't pay their fair share now after all the Republican tax cuts, tax breaks and tax loopholes and subsidies in the tax code put there by Republicans.
Another big principle of Bachman's is to gut Medicare and Social Security seniors depend on to pay for the gap by the rich and business not paying fair taxes. And, she won't compromise as the national debt grows ...
Has Bachman introduced any jobs bills in Congress? No. Is she believeable? No.