A letter from a New Jersey high school student to Michele Bachmann challenging her to a debate or test of Constitutional knowledge has received a lot of mileage on the internets recently. The student named Amy Myers shows a tremendous amount of chutzpah as she goes immediately on the offensive. This is her letter:
Dear Representative Bachmann,
My name is Amy Myers. I am a Cherry Hill, New Jersey sophomore attending Cherry Hill High School East. As a typical high school student, I have found quite a few of your statements regarding The Constitution of the United States, the quality of public school education and general U.S. civics matters to be factually incorrect, inaccurately applied or grossly distorted. The frequency and scope of these comments prompted me to write this letter.
Though I am not in your home district, or even your home state, you are a United States Representative of some prominence who is subject to national media coverage. News outlets and websites across this country profile your causes and viewpoints on a regular basis. As one of a handful of women in Congress, you hold a distinct privilege and responsibility to better represent your gender nationally. The statements you make help to serve an injustice to not only the position of Congresswoman, but women everywhere. Though politically expedient, incorrect comments cast a shadow on your person and by unfortunate proxy, both your supporters and detractors alike often generalize this shadow to women as a whole.
Rep. Bachmann, the frequent inability you have shown to accurately and factually present even the most basic information about the United States led me to submit the follow challenge, pitting my public education against your advanced legal education:
I, Amy Myers, do hereby challenge Representative Michele Bachmann to a Public Forum Debate and/or Fact Test on The Constitution of the United States, United States History and United States Civics.
Hopefully, we will be able to meet for such an event, as it would prove to be enlightening.
Sincerely yours,
Amy Myers
My response is as follows:
Dear Amy,
Allow me to commend you on expressing yourself so clearly. I have no doubt that you are a great student who has made your parents and teachers proud in your time in high school. I predict a very bright future for you once you mature young student and embrace the GOP.
Michele Bachmann is one of the finest Constitutional scholars I have ever known. I am not just saying that because she is a woman either. I honestly learn something new every single time she talks about the Constitution. The Constitution is the result of the greatest men of all 13 original colonies who got together on an excessively hot July 4th to write down the rules for how our government would work. They made history.
As much as I salute your intelligence, I am afraid you need to learn humility. In my day, that would have happened already during your PE classes, but I understand things have changed. If you want to challenge somebody to a test of Constitutional knowledge or a debate of any kind, then I will gladly accept on behalf of all Republicans in the 112th Congress. Just realize that if you accept, I will crush you. I know nearly all 2 dozen amendments backwards and forwards and with a little brushing up I will be ready for any challenge. If you want a challenge little girl, bring it.
Congressman Jack Kimble
Congressman CA-54
Update: If I appeared harsh to Amy I apologize. She is obviously quite gifted for one so young. However, the young student will never achieve her destiny until she embraces the power of the GOP. In time she will realize she is mistaken about a great many things.
aww man Congressman, you're awesome man. I can't wait to vote for you again man. I hope the Black Jaguars don't keep me from voting.
ReplyDeleteYour letter contains a serious word choice error.
ReplyDeleteYou should spend some serious time "brushing up". The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4th, not the Constitution (which was signed September 17, 1787). That's why July 4th is Independence Day. Also, there are 27 Amendments to the Constitution.
ReplyDelete"If you want a challenge little girl, bright it."
ReplyDeleteApparently, you didn't learn English as well as Civics...
Lame. If Bachman was such a Constitutional Scholar, why would you offer to do the debate for her?
ReplyDeleteKimble knows Bachmann is too dumb to take the challenge herself. This is ridiculous. And plus, I don't remember anyone signing the Constitution on July 4th.
ReplyDeleteApparently you didn't understand the letter..she challenged Michelle..not you. If she's so knowledgeable, why are you offering to stand in for. You must not have much faith in her after all..and like anonymous said..you've already made a mistake. Bad start Mr.Kimble! Also, Amy sounds way too smart to get involved with the GOP.
ReplyDeleteUm... I think you lose already if you think they wrote the constitution on July 4th. Dude she'll make mincemeat out of you.
ReplyDeleteYou would think he would at least check the facts in the letter before sending it. Or get someone else to fact check for him. I am up for watching this debate. I think it would be a nice way for Amy to warm up.
ReplyDeleteWhere to begin.
ReplyDeleteAs has already been pointed out, you made two errors in your egotistical challenge to this brave and confident young woman. That should give you pause right there.
Secondly, I find it embarrassing for you to feel the need to denigrate this young womans motivations. Obviously you didn't learn the lesson from PE.
You're stated ability to "crush" this woman is in doubt. Personally, I'll put $20.00 on her giving you AND Ms. Bachmann a run for your money.
How did people vote for nudnick like you in the first place?
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is bliss. You seem very blissful.
ReplyDeleteSo this young woman wants a chance to expose Bachmann for the empty shill she is, calling her out on her fabricated half truths and fox news style distorted misinformation, and all you have are threats and put downs? You're OUR elected official??? GAWD!! No wonder OUR country is in such dire straights! "Crush" a highschool student? Ooooo, tough guy, tough talk, but no ideas for doing what's good and true...typical republicant, and simply disgusting!
ReplyDeleteYou rock, Jack! So glad you're my congressman even though I reside in Alabama. Go git 'em, tiger!
ReplyDelete"The Constitution is the result of the greatest men of all 13 original colonies who got together on an excessively hot July 4th to write down the rules for how our government would work...."
ReplyDeletelol. You don't even know when the constitution was signed?
"Michele Bachmann is one of the finest Constitutional scholars I have ever known. I am not just saying that because she is a woman either."
ReplyDeleteWhy does her gender matter? It wouldn't be so if she were a man?
This letter sounds more like it was written by a high school girl than Amy's.
ReplyDeletewow, you couldn't even get through one paragraph without screwing up a sentence. No wonder the congress is such a shambles. And nice ego, I hope accepting a challenge you had nothing to do with made you feel like a big man.
ReplyDeleteOh my . . . . .
ReplyDeleteCongressman Kimble; besides proving that you know absolutely nothing about the Constitution (NOT signed on July 4th.) you add silliness to cluelessness by threatening to crush a child to defend a woman who should be able to defend herself. Consummate fail!
Mr. Kimble, if you are what the GOP is now offering, Ms. Myers should definitely look to other political parties.
I LOVE YOU, JACK KIMBLE! ALL YOU HATERS, BEGONE!
ReplyDeleteIt appears, Jack, that there are a lot of people out there who don't know Jack about Jack.
ReplyDeleteIf you schedule after 5/21 no worries, so go get her Jack
ReplyDelete. . . And as far as your update is concerned, it is not what you perceive as harshness that makes you ridiculous or people come here to comment. It is the idea that this had nothing to do with you in the first place. You have simply made Bachmann and yourself absolutely laughable by PROVING you two know nothing about the Constitution or anything else.
ReplyDeleteHas someone hacked your website Congressman? You sound like a know nothing adolescent bully. I don't think Ms. Bachmann will thank you.
You didn't appear harsh, you appeared dumb. Really, really dumb.
ReplyDelete*facepalm*
ReplyDeleteDude, y'all should check out the rest of this blog before getting your panties in a twist.
Sir, you are an embarrassment to this nation. Your letter contains several inaccurate statements, your tone is demeaning, and your sentence structure and writing style resembles that which a middle school student would use.
ReplyDeleteIf you truly believe that Representative Bachman is one of the finest constitutional scholars you have ever known, then I would suggest you have never met a true constitutional scholar.
There are so many things wrong about your letter. Your last line, especially, is an attempt to demean and marginalize Miss Myers. By calling her "little girl", you
seek to portray her as a child who needs to be schooled because she dared to
question "the adults". Shame on you.
Miss Myers is an intelligent, articulate young woman who understands that many
of the things Representative Bachman says about the constitution are not factual.
Rather than encourage her interest in the constitution and politics, you mock her
about having a bright future once she "matures" and embraces "the GOP". I don't recall Miss Myers stating her political affiliation in her letter.
It might surprise you to know, Sir, that there are many conservatives who cringe when Representative Bachman opens her mouth. That a high school student has a better understanding of the constitution than Representative Bachman, and apparently, you, too, Sir, should be a wake up call to our party.
What is particularly interesting is that if one compares your letter to Miss Myers'
letter, it is easy to see which author was immature, patronizing and arrogant. It
wasn't Miss Myers.
Kimbel says: "However, the young student will never achieve her destiny until she embraces the power of the GOP"
ReplyDeleteWow. That statement is a perfect example of the Darth Vader mindset of the GOP.
HEY PEOPLE..
ReplyDeleteCheck out other parts of the blog before you go all 'high horse' on this guy.
It's all pretty great stuff (for reals - you'll see)
The Constitutional Congress first convened May 5, 1787 and was ratified Sept. 19, 1787. Maybe they were working on it on July 4th and maybe it was hot, but the U.S. Constitution was written and ratified a full decade after The Declaration of Independence.
ReplyDeleteSir,
ReplyDeleteAre you aware of how many mistakes Michele Bachmann had made, with regard to the Constitution, and everything else? And you think she is "Michele Bachmann is one of the finest Constitutional scholars I have ever known."
That tells me you know about as much of the Constitution as Michele. The little girl might beat you yet.
And come on. A big man like you beating up on a little girl? You have no shame.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteAn hour ago I wrote a comment viciously attacking your challenge to debating Amy.
I changed my mind. If you don't mind, I would like to debate this obnoxious brat. I propose we make this a three way.
Yours truly,
D Woo
You have to feel for a guy who is too STUPID not to pick on a 14 year old, or LOATH a guy who would do it to make a political point. Who voted for this ass anyway. The people of his district just might be less intelligent than the people in Backmann's.
ReplyDeleteCongressman, this might be a bit subtle for you, but we ALL learn something new about the constitution whenever Rep. Bachman talks about it. There's a reason for that, and it's NOT the depth and breadth of her knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why everyone thinks the constitution is so great. Those guys drank a lot of hard cider back then. It was probably just the hard cider talking while they were writing it.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see Chivalry is not dead. While assuming Amy is not a Prepublican, your rush to the defense of Michelle Bachman seems to convey Michelle Bachman is incapable of reponding, not responding, or for that matter, taking Amy up on her offer.
ReplyDeleteWe're talking about a sophomore in high school, and you think she needs a lesson in humility, The constitution, and the art of debate?
Love the "Upadate" apology/non apology in case your response seemed a little harsh, shows you've embraced the power of the GOP, you know, in case your response seemed harsh or offended anyone.
A real apology to both Michelle Bachman, Amy, Amy's Parents, Teachers, Classmates, and your readers would go a long way to demonstrating a bit of maturity and humility on your part.
I'm so proud to have voted for Congressman Kimble.
ReplyDeleteGo away, haters!
~mimi, from Real America.
Congressman Jack Kimble, she is a high school girl. You are the reason why people do not like the republican party. Honestly, I hold assholes like you responsible for the decline of the GOP. The only reason you are even defending Michelle Bauchman is because you know yourself she is not capable of responding; you know that this is the end for her. Yes, you might know the constitution but the issue here is that Michelle Bauchman does not.
ReplyDeleteif you say that "Michele Bachmann is one of the finest Constitutional scholars I have ever known." then you are not acknowledging how she had made many mistakes. maybe you don't know all that much about the constitution yourself.
Grow up.
ReplyDeleteVery noble of you sir. Very noble indeed, to step in like that. Why is it, I wonder, that yuou feel the need to take this fight on for Rep Bachmann? If she is such a fine scholar, then she should have no trouble accepting a respctful request to a simple debate against a high schooler.
ReplyDeleteAlso, way to use threatening rhetoric against a 16 yr old girl. You're saying that you will CRUSH her, eh? I would hope that, given your advanced age and career, that you WOULD have more constitutional knowledge than a highschool sophomore. Decency as a man and human being? Not so much.
OK, I will wrap this up so you can head on down to your local daycare and pick a fistfight with a 3 year old. Who the hell does he think he is in taking YOUR rug for naptime?
PS
Your "embrace the full power of the GOP" makes you sound EXACTLY like Darth Vader, by the way.
Jack, Jack, Jack,
ReplyDeleteYou know you can't debate a little girl. Just makes you look like a bully. Besides, Michelle is the preeminent intellect of our wonderful party, and she can probably handle Amy by herself. When Amy is grown, she will realize the true nature of feminism as exemplified by our own brilliant Michelle Bachman, lovely Christine O'Donnell, and hardbody Sarah Palin, total hotties all.
I noticed one of you commentors "corrected" you on the number of amendments to the constitution. This person obviously is unaware of our God-given constitutional right as the Chosen Party to have the Heritage Foundation adjudicate all constitutional questions, including which amendments are constitutional. Some people just don't pay attention. What're you gonna do?
Well, gotta go. Dick wants to talk about why torture is not a war crime, again (sigh). Take it easy, and try to be nice to children, for pete sake.
The Architect
Jack,
ReplyDeleteIt's about time someone take on liberals for there logical phallusees. I wasn't able to vote for you in 2006 because I wasn't in your district but I made up for it last your by voting for you twice. Once in Wisconsin and then absentee at my summer home in Az.Its nice that you are taking time out of your busy Presidential run to educte the young people that are getting taught wrong in todays schools. For the first time since 1968 I will vote fore someone other than Paulson in my caucuses.
"The Constitution is the result of the greatest men of all 13 original colonies who got together on an excessively hot July 4th to write down the rules for how our government would work."
ReplyDeleteumm... I'm Canadian and even I know that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4.
Also the Declaration was not written on July 4, 1776. The Committee of Five was commissioned on June 11, 1776 to draft the case for American independence. The final draft was signed on July 4, 1776.
I learned that in a Canadian high school in 1982. I would expect a US Congressman to know that the Declaration of Independence wasn't written in a day.
The congressman is one mean jerk. Grow up. This young girl is to be commended!
ReplyDeleteCongressman Kimble,
ReplyDeleteI find your slapdown of Amy Meyers as uninformed as it is inappropriate.
The Constitution - a subject about which you boast an ability to "crush" your more gracious, pint-sized opponent - was not penned on the 4th of July. You’re confusing the Constitution with the Declaration of Independence. Young Amy might help you discern the difference, as well as straighten you out on those silly, insignificant dates.
Were Michele Bachmann truly the Constitutional academic you insist, she’d be less inclined to spout the litany of inaccuracies covered almost daily in the news. Your quick leap to Bachmann’s defense demonstrates at best, a serious doubt in her abilities. A genuinely erudite colleague would need no such intervention.
As for a lesson in humility, that's something just handed you by a 16 year-old girl.
Dear Jack,
ReplyDeleteFor a little boy you have excellent grammar, similar to what I'd see in an 8th grade class! Additionally, your knowledge of the Constitution is also impressive for an elementary student (just a few minor facts wrong). Clearly that is what you are being as the basic facts of the Constitution are taught later, say in 6th grade.
Not only could Amy out think you, so could my high school student son. No wonder this country is in a free fall.
Uh, Jack, I think July 4 was the big day for that other historic document housed at the Archives. You know, the one that begins with the "D"... As for the Constitutional convention, it figures that according to the Archives' web site:
ReplyDeleteby July 10 1787 George Washington was so frustrated over the deadlock that he bemoaned "having had any agency" in the proceedings and called the opponents of a strong central government "narrow minded politicians . . . under the influence of local views."
George Washington could have just as easily been describing Jack Kimble.
Dude, you need to brush up on your grammar! I hope she corrects your errors and returns it to you with a grade.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe you need to brush up on your history too. July 4th? That's the Declaration of Independence, you dummy!!
Finally, insulting a high school kid? What a douche!
Isn't "mistaken about a great many things" what Emperor Palpatine said to Luke Skywalker in the middle of Episode VI? Yet he lost that battle, and the war.
ReplyDeleteI wish you were my Congressman, Rep. Kimble. I'm stuck with Rep. Betty "Global warming is a greater threat to the nation's security than terrorism (she actually said this in a debate last year)" McCollum here in St. Paul, MN.
ReplyDeleteIf this Rep thinks Bachman is a great scholar of the US Constitution, then he must also think that "shit" is a great ice cream flavor.
ReplyDeleteRep. Kimble,
ReplyDeleteIf you want an ACTUAL Constitutional scholar, I can think of one. He was born in Hawaii. Currently resides in that big white house at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Answers to "Mr. President."
Wow, anyone else hear shades of Darth Vador? "The force is strong with you, young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet!" and "If you only know the power of the Dark Side, I must obey my master!" Is there a functioning Republican Death Star this poor 16 year old threatens, or what? As a side note, to paraphrase Reagan... "Mr. Kimble, I know political scientists, and YOU sir, are not one!"
ReplyDeleteThere are so many factual errors in his response, I had presumed that it was a joke. Honestly. I really thought the response was tongue-in-cheek. Then I realized that it was serious. Wow...
ReplyDeleteNo, wait. This must be Kimble's attempt to upstage Stephen Colbert (who, one might remember, managed to punk Rep. Lynn Westmoreland who, after proposing that the 10 Commandments should be displayed in both Houses, couldn't even name them).
ReplyDeleteInstead of requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote, perhaps the states should require a "B" or greater in Civics 101.
Of course, if that were a requirement to hold office, Kimble would't have a job!