Michele Bachmann and her husband own a mental health clinic. I am not kidding.
I didn't believe this at first when someone said it on a comments thread, but it is true.
http://www.bachmanncounseling.com/index.html
Make sure to take the time to go to the list of counselors and browse down. They must have found every Bible College mental health professional in Minnesota. Who knew there would even BE that many?
http://www.bachmanncounseling.com/counselors.html#LakeElmo
They accept most insurance plans, including, one assumes, payment from those dreadful government-run ones.
Ah, there's nothing like doing the Lord's work ministering to the populace for Caesar's good green money...much better than doing it for free like Jesus suggested.
***
This is really horrifying. It's one thing to think of the Bachmanns as rubes who don't understand health care, but these people have specific, high-level experience with the very issues they're bamboozling about.
They know perfectly well that a living will isn't the same as encouragement to commit suicide. They understand end-of-life and grief issues and in fact will counsel your kid about them (possibly throwing in a bit of religious opinion at the same time) for a fee.
Most of all, they understand, because they take insurance, how hard it is to get insurance companies to cover for mental health, and how poor people are just out in the cold if they try to get anyone to see them. (I learned this when I tried to help an adult with depression, ADHD and alcohol abuse issues get an appointment with a doctor. It seemed like it would be so easy but it was impossible.) They know this, but in order to protect their friends, their asses and their pocketbooks, they fight reform anyway.
It's even more disgusting that they use religion as a cover for this blatant, insular commercialism.
I bet Christ is SO pissed.
Actually for me the MOST disturbing thing is that she would be at all involved in the mental health industry based on the fact that she seems to be clinically insane. Why would I say that?
Because she said this:
“This cannot pass,” the Minnesota Republican told a crowd at a Denver gathering sponsored by the Independence Institute. “What we have to do today is make a covenant, to slit our wrists, be blood brothers on this thing. This will not pass. We will do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn’t pass.”
'slit our wrists'....
and she's allowed to be associated with mental health. In my book she should only act as the "poster wingnut politician" in a mental health ad reminding people to check with their doctors before stopping use of any medication.
September 4, 2009 12:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
They keep Michelle around as a benchmark - sort of like the signs on amusement park rides, only here it's "you must be less crazy than this" or something.
September 4, 2009 6:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
In fairness, there were some U of MN and U of Wisconsin grads in there, but yes - Argosy University? That's a step up from a mail-order diploma mill, though not a large step.
And did you notice this guy: http://www.bachmanncounseling.com/counselors.html#Kent
Kent Brockmann. I am not making this up. Kent Brockmann.
I looked, but Lisa Simpson was not there! (Have to admit, I was hoping to find Krusty...)
September 4, 2009 12:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I completely missed that. Good find!
September 4, 2009 12:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Erica - what role do you think Michelle Bachmann has in "running" the counseling center?
September 4, 2009 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, that's an interesting question. Since members of Congress are prohibited from having other employment (presumably Bachmann's $174,000/year is considered enough,) she cannot technically participate in the running of the center, at least not for compensation. So I have updated the headline language from "run" to "own" to resolve any controversy and to correspond with the language in Bachmann's bio. They own it together. (And by golly, they're a team!)
I also fixed the typo in her name. It is Michele Bachmann, not Michelle.
September 4, 2009 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was definitely a stretch that you claimed she "runs" the clinic. She may not even "own" it as you claim. But that doesn't really make any difference. The point is that you're using her husband's business to slam her. And that's not fair.
September 4, 2009 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
So there, Erica! MCB's got your Argosy college and your Kent Brockman covered right there! PLL-USSS,
GOD CAME AND TOLD HER TO BE A CONGRESSWOMAN! Came right on down, playing a ukulele and doing the hoochie-coo! What do you say about *THAT*, hmmmmnnnnnnnn?
September 4, 2009 11:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It says in her bio that they own it together.
I don't think I am using her husband's business to slam her. I think of it more as using the evidence of their lockstep hypocrisy to assert that they deserve not the public office, nor the professional respect, nor the moral high ground they appear to seek and cherish.
As for using a spouse's business to cast aspersions on a candidate, in the all's fair in love and politics game: Theresa Heinz Kerry. Good day, sir.
September 5, 2009 12:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Like I said, even if she "owns" it that doesn't mean she has any role in it. Way to go slamming her husband. What's next, are you going to write another blog slamming Palin's kids?
If you want to slam her - go ahead. But please leave husbands that you obviously know nothing about out of it. It would make you sound a lot more credible.
September 5, 2009 7:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Always a pithy comment from the Grouch! :)
September 4, 2009 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Michelle Bachmann and her husband recently escaped from a mental health clinic.
fixed
September 4, 2009 7:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
You give them too much credit, I think. I doubt they understand much about mental health. What they understand is how to get paid by insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid. And, I bet, they understand how to take advantage of every little tax deduction their business allows them. They're riding the gravy train and they don't want it to stop. The current system works just fine for them.
September 4, 2009 7:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have to disagree a little bit. They DO understand mental health. Their clinic employs 42 people, many of whom have advanced degrees (although only a few are from highly-regarded schools). They DO get it.
They DON'T care.
I think it is important to resist the temptation to dismiss clearly intelligent Republicans as somehow stupid or unthinking; i.e. their limited understanding contributes to a limited worldview which would change if we simply find the right way to explain it to them. It just ain't so, not at this level. They get it. They choose their actions.
And yes, since Bachmann is a tax attorney, they probably do take every possible deduction.
September 4, 2009 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
They except Medicare!? I wonder if someone should look at their books just to be sure they are not defrauding Medicare. Just saying ;)
September 4, 2009 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's "accept medicare" not except medicare. Sorry
September 4, 2009 7:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Aargh. Heading back to remedial english class ;)
September 5, 2009 12:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Heck there are folks all over the country running clinics and defense contracting firms and things like that where the principals have no expereince in anything but Republicam politics.
September 4, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well maybe they can treat her for free, cause she needs treatment.
September 4, 2009 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Holy Crap! Thanks for flagging this erica.
Reading through those bios scared the bejeezus out of me. I felt like something out of the Handmaid's tale. No wonder there are so many fucked up kids in this country. And we pay these religious proselytizers through medicare?
September 4, 2009 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, the faith-based initiatives! :)
September 4, 2009 11:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Might be a good place for glenn beck to get some peaceful meditation.
September 4, 2009 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha!
September 4, 2009 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
OMG -- You found something that scares me more than insurance companies!!! Amazing find.
September 4, 2009 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
That certainly explains where she gets her staff..
September 4, 2009 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't feel comfortable letting my kittens see any of those people. Could they make it any more obvious that all they want to do is preach?
September 4, 2009 7:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know about their state, but where I'm from the term "Therapist" really means you never got a license to be a Psychologist.
Hell, anybody can be a "Therapist."
I looked at their employee list, and it looks like it's a whole cast of uncertified people, with just one psychiatrist... who isn't "Dr. Bachmann" by the way. I guess you'd need one licensed person to sign for reimbursement purposes.
September 4, 2009 8:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyway, somebody call their office on Tuesday and see if they take Medicare or Medicaid.
September 4, 2009 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyway, somebody call their office on Tuesday and see if they take Medicare or Medicaid.
September 4, 2009 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Physician, heal thyself.
September 4, 2009 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Their slogan: "Because nobody knows crazy like crazy."
September 4, 2009 10:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
WOW. Just..wow. I always wondered who might be unfortunate enough to be Mr. Bachmann.
BTW it looks like his practice accepts "most insurance plans".
Does she need to recuse herself from voting on any legislation that further enriches the insurance companies?
September 4, 2009 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, God came to Bachmann and spoke to her about running for Congress...
And the Creator said, "Now listen here you grinning little whackjob Barbie Doll!"
NO!!! He didn't say that, sorry, sorry, he said, uh,
"Child of Grace" I think it was he called her...
Anyhow, the rest is history! So t was God's doing, totally.
September 4, 2009 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great Post Erica. Very fine.
September 5, 2009 1:12 AM | Reply | Permalink