There was a curious exchange on "Meet the Press" yesterday, with Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) arguing, with a straight face, that she and her party want American women to be able to "make their own choices for the future of their own bodies." No, seriously, that's what she said.
For those who can't watch clips online, the right-wing Minnesotan argued with a straight face:
"What we want is women to be able to make their own choices.... You see, that's the lie that happens under Obamacare. The president of the United States effectively becomes a health care dictator. Women don't need anyone to tell them what to do on health care. We want women to have their own choices, their own money. That way they can make their own choices for their future on their own bodies."
To be sure, I don't generally expect much in the way of coherence from Bachmann. She proudly embraces bizarre conspiracy theories; she routinely says ridiculous things on national television; she pretends to grasp public policies she doesn't understand; and her worldview is detached from reality. Even as the Republican Party leaps off a right-wing cliff, Bachmann stands out for her unique brand of madness. Her reference to a presidential "health care dictator" helps underscore the point.
But even if we put all of that aside, it's just odd to hear far-right Republicans who oppose women's reproductive rights speak passionately about far-right Republicans wanting women to "make their own choices" about "their own bodies."
Has Bachmann heard about her party's push to restrict contraception access? How about getting rid of Planned Parenthood? Or maybe the state-mandated, medically-unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds? Perhaps measures to force women to tell their employers why they want birth control have crossed the congresswoman's radar screen?
"What we want is women to be able to make their own choices." Bachmann keeps saying this, but I don't think it means what she thinks it means.