MSM's Glaring Double (Federal Money) Standard

I just don't get the supposed "scandal" that Bachmann or her family has legally received federal funds.  The logical extension of the media's presumption that it's unacceptably hypocritical is that every small-government conservative would have to continue paying taxes but forgo every benefit those taxes are supposedly providing.  Obviously, that makes no sense.  As it is, a good number of Americans already pay much more in taxes than they will ever see in benefits.

Finally, I'm puzzled about why this is a big deal, when the fact that rich Democrats -- from Ted Kennedy to John Kerry to Herb Kohl to Claire McCaskill and so many more -- have repeatedly supported high taxes, but nonetheless continue only to pay lower tax rates that are in effect.  

If it's wrong for Michele Bachmann to support smaller government but still accept the federal benefits still on the books, why is it OK for liberals to support higher taxes but continue to pay the lower rates still on the books?  If Bachmann is supposed to forgo federal benefits to be consistent, shouldn't the left be paying higher taxes in the same cause?