Ignoring Her Own Anti-Union Record, Bachmann Claims ‘I Am Not Anti-Union’

THINK PROGRESS

Yesterday, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) appeared on Fox Business with former Ambassador Alan Wolff and author Philip Dine to discuss the punitive duties that the United States recently levied on tire imports from China, which China has brought up with the World Trade Organization. During the conversation, Dine, who wrote a book on unions, implied that the effort may have been the administration trying to “throw something labor’s way” because “they don’t have very much to show” for their support of Obama in 2008.

Later in the segment, Bachmann took “a contrary view,” claiming that “the administration has done a lot for the unions,” citing the stimulus bill. “And I am not anti-union, but I think its clear the unions has a very large say in Washington, DC,” said Bachmann. Watch it:

Responding to Bachmann, Dine said that “it’s absurd to say the unions are running the show in Washington. If they were, their number one priority, the Employee Free Choice Act, would not be languishing in Congress.” Ironically, though Bachmann claims she’s not “anti-union,” she has called their top priority “un-American.”

According to Project Vote Smart, Bachmann’s voting record can hardly be called pro-union. For instance, here is how union groups rated her in 2008:

– Representative Bachmann supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 14 percent in 2008.

– Representative Bachmann supported the interests of the Latin America Working Group 0 percent in 2008.

– Representative Bachmann supported the interests of the Service Employees International Union 16 percent in 2008.

– Representative Bachmann supported the interests of the Utility Workers Union of America 0 percent in 2008.

– Representative Bachmann supported the interests of the United Food & Commercial Workers 6 percent in 2007-2008.

In the same year, Bachmann received a 94 percent rating from the Chamber of Commerce. Though she now claims she’s “not anti-union,” Bachmann has an 85 percent lifetime rating from the Chamber of Commerce, which “earmarked $20 million in 2008 and 2009 to defeat card check, on top of $35 million to elect business-friendly lawmakers in 2008.”