(Photo: Reuters / Jonathan Ernst)Republican candidate for president U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN) takes part in a news conference to discuss the debt ceiling and military benefits at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, July 13, 2011.
Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann will sign the Cut, Cap and Balance pledge today in the key early primary state of South Carolina.
“We are happy that Congresswoman Bachmann has joined with the other GOP hopefuls and more than 190,000 citizens that have signed the Cut, Cap and Balance pledge to take a stand to end backroom deal fatigue and restore permanent fiscal accountability in Washington,” said Joe Brettell a spokesman for the Cut, Cap and Balance Coalition.
Bachmann originally opposed the pledge, which entails opposing a debt limit increase without significant spending cuts, enforceable spending caps and congressional approval of a balanced budget amendment. However, she has decided to change her stance on signing due to pressure from fellow conservatives.
According to Senator Jim DeMint, a favorite among conservatives, Bachmann’s support of the pledge was key to earning his support for her in the upcoming election.
Bachmann initially refused to sign the pledge saying it did not go far enough in helping the country’s debt crisis. She also wanted it to include a promise to defund president Obama’s health care law.
According to Fox News the bill slashes spending by $111 billion in the first year, but makes no immediate changes on entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare.
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Bachmann also remains opposed to the raising of the debt ceiling, which she already cast a vote on. “I will not vote to increase the debt ceiling,” said Bachmann in her first television campaign ad, “it is a sign of leadership failure that he [Obama] has failed to cut spending and control the growth of government.”
Bachmann will join fellow Republican presidential contenders Herman Cain, Gary Johnson, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul when she signs the pledge.
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