Bachmann HASN'T VOTED IN CONGRESS SINCE AUG. 1
54 percent of the time since announcing her presidential bid June 13 — missing 150 votes and every vote during the month of September, according to data compiled by Congressional Quarterly.

When Standard and Poor’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating in August, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) did her normal rant for Congress to return ASAP or sooner from its recess to restore the nation’s AAA rating. When they did return to D.C. in September, Bachmann was a no show. The House held 60 votes during the month of September, and Bachmann missed them all.

She did show up the day after Obama gave his address to the joint session of Congress long enough to give a press conference.

Bachmann spent the month on the presidential campaign trail, where she sought to build on her August victory in the influential Iowa straw poll.

Before congressional recess, she had missed around 40 percent of House votes since announcing her candidacy. Bachmann had missed more House votes than any other member of the Minnesota delegation.

Bachmann’s scant voting record complicates her argument on the campaign trail that she is leading the fight against over-spending in Washington. She did not participate in the congressional dispute last month over spending levels for fiscal 2012, and she did not vote on measures to keep the federal government running past Sept. 30.

Bachmann frequently against her party, GOP leaders don't put much of a fuss when she doesn't show up.

"The Tea Party rhetoric doesn't always match the record. Bachmann would likely find herself defending a slew of questionable votes and decisions, including on earmarks, pardons and farm subsidies." "The federalist argument is also severely undercut by the fact that since joining the U.S. Congress in 2007, Bachmann has appropriated more than $3.7 million in earmarks. What is more, when Republicans sought an earmark moratorium, Bachmann pushed to exclude transportation projects from the ban. Bachmann may also be plagued by her involvement in a controversial pardon. In 2007, Bachmann wrote a letter requesting a presidential pardon for a convicted drug-smuggler and money-launderer named Frank Vennes... Making matters worse, he and his wife donated a total of $27,600 to Bachmann's 2006 and 2008 election http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/16/bachmanns_questionable_record.html

CHECK HOW SHE DOES VOTE..

Bachmann plan would cut veterans benefits: Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, said cutting veterans’ health care spending is an ill-advised move at a time when the number of veterans continues to grow as troops return from Iraq and Afghanistan. Sullivan said he finds it difficult to see how VA could freeze health care costs without hurting veterans. “It is really astonishing to see this,” he said http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/01/28/bachmann-plan-would-cut-veterans-benefits/

Michele Bachmann Using Taxpayer Dollars On Her Rallies? http://youtu.be/uwbL_2_V9r8

 Bachmann voted YES. Hr2219: "The bill increases DoD spending by $17 billion (excl. Afghanistan and Iraq spending). It funds wasteful projects, doesn't explicitly prohibit the Pres. from diverting funds to the unconstitutional Libya war, and supports an *Auth. for Use of Military Force that allows the Pres. to attack anyone, anywhere, anytime w/o further congressional approval.*" ~Justin Amash

S.990 PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 (4-year extension of PATRIOT Act surveillance): Bachmann votes yes.

Bachmann votes for Internet Censorship: H.R.4279 - PRO-IP Act of 2007 and H.R.4061 Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2009, Sponsored by John Conyers, (D-MI) http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/258311

Bachmann voted for almost unlimited Presidential war powers: http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/7648-houses-amash-seeks-limits-on-presidential-war-making

H.R. 1955 [110th]: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism (this could be you if you speak out against the government): Bachmann voted yes. http://www.freestatevoice.com.au/politics/item/567-obama-wants-to-jail-americans-with-new-law

Bachmann votes against beleagured soldiers: H.R.3159 Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act of 2007.

 H.R.5486 Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010: Bachmann voted no.

Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008: Bachmann voted for Bigger Government and new property seizing powers via S.3325 - The sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Learn more: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/stop-revised-riaa-ip-enforcement-bill-s3325

H.Con.Res.28 Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from Afghanistan (Accelerating Afghanistan withdrawal). Bachmann, no.

 Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007 - Expands the types of whistleblower disclosures protected from personnel reprisals to include disclosures without restriction as to time, place, form, motive, context, forum, or prior disclosures made to any person by an employee or applicant for employment, including a disclosure made in the ordinary course of an employee's duties, that the employee or applicant reasonably believes is a violation of any law. Bachmann voted no.

H.R.4 Part D Medicare Drugs Price Negotiation: Bachmann, no.

H.R.1404 Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act. Bachmann votes yes.

Ten percent across-the-board cut to the Department of Homeland Security's budget: Rokita of IN Amendment 1 to H R 2017, requires a (except for Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The underlying bill reduces DHS spending only to FY 2009 levels. It failed 110-312. Bachmann voted NO.

Prohibit TSA from using full-body image scanners as "mandatory or primary" screening devices: Look what Bachmann and West voted against: Amash/Chaffetz Amendment 2 to H R 207, which prohibits TSA from using full-body image scanners as "mandatory or primary" screening devices. In other words, they can be used only as an option during secondary screening. The amendment failed 123-300. No radiation liberty for Tea Partiers! http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll400.xml

College Student Relief Act of 2007 - phases-in cuts in the interest rate charged undergraduate student borrowers under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and Direct Loan (DL) programs, thereby reducing such rate from 6.8% in July 2006 to 3.4% in July 2011. Limits FFEL lender insurance to 95% of the unpaid balance of such loans. Bachmann voted no.

Bachmann votes for government interference and for increased spending. SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act - Title I: Modernizing the SBIR and STTR Programs - Amends the Small Business Act to extend through FY2010 (currently scheduled to expire at the end of FY2008) the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Increases, for both the SBIR and STTR programs, the individual small business award levels from:(1) $100,000 to $300,000, for participation at a Phase One level; and(2) $750,000 to $2.2 million, for participation at a Phase Two level. Allows participating federal agencies (agencies) to exceed such award levels if such agencies notify, and provide annual reports concerning such increase to, the congressional small business committees.

Bachmann votes for college scholarship bills H.R.362 and H.R. 363: while America is broke and borrowing from China.

 H.R.1255 Government Shutdown Prevention Act of 2011: Bachmann, yes. http://youtu.be/uwbL_2_V9r8

This is mostly from the 112th congress and doesn't include much from the 111th.
Source: Political Wire
American Freedom Staff