Is Newt Gingrich a “frugal socialist”? That’s what Congresswoman Michele Bachmann called him during her appearance on the Glenn’s radio program today.
In response to Newt’s comments about his support of the Medicare prescription drug program, Bachmann said, “Well, my response is it doesn't help to have a frugal socialist. That's really what we're talking about is managing socialism and trying to be a frugal socialist.”
“Because you're looking at proposals and programs that are in effect redistribution of wealth and socialism based. And are we going to have real change in the country or are we going to have frugal socialists,” she added.
What would Bachmann do?
“What I would do is have free markets and healthcare. The problem has been the federal government intervening in the free market system in healthcare and that has driven the cost up everywhere. And so what we need to do is go back to allowing people to buy any health insurance policy they want anywhere in the United States with no federal minimum mandate requirements,” she said.
“Across state lines and then pay for their policies with their own tax free money, their copays, their deductibles, anything that's related and then have true medical malpractice reform. Because the real problem in healthcare is cost. And it's the federal government that's driving up the cost.”
Bachmann also addressed some accusations that have been hurled her way, including that she is homophobic. Recently, a young child whose mother is a lesbian confronted her on accusations that she and her husband think homosexuals need “fixing”.
“Well, of course not. You know, I believe that we love all people, and I do. I love everyone. I don't necessarily agree with them but I love them, I'm kind to them, I'm gracious to them because the golden rule is treat others as you want to be treated,” she said.
“I think it's shameless to use a little boy and to put that little boy forward to advance an agenda issue.
“I believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman,” she added.
Glenn wanted to know why she was so firm on her stance on this.
“Why? Well, because number one, it's foundational in the scriptures and in the scriptures of, you know, Christian and Judeo. And if you go through the major religions of the world and really through 5,000 years of recorded human history, you can't find a tribe or a nation or a people group where marriage has been anything other than between men and women. Now, some of have had more than one man or more than one woman, but it's always been between man and woman,” she said.
“I believe it's morally right,” she said.
Bachmann also said she does not support civil unions because “they are the equivalency of marriage.” When situations arrive regarding hospital visitations or money, she felt those were “contract situations”.
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