Attacks on ACORN Based Not on Facts, But on Fear of 1.3 Million Poor People Registering

The Republicans tried to make fun of Barack Obama as a community organizer at their national convention in Minnesota, which I guess just goes to show how little Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have to fear from right-wing "humor."

Now they've gone further: Now they're attacking ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), one of the strongest, hardest-working, most dedicated community organizations in both Chicago and in 40 states across the U.S.

Why are they after ACORN? Well, I'm sure they're going to come up with a lot of "reasons" in the coming days. But the real reason is obvious: Because ACORN, along with Project Vote, just announced that they had successfully registered 1.3 million poor people this year.

Get that? 1.3 million, including 148,000 in Pennsylvania, 152,000 in Florida, 217,000 in Michigan, and 238,000 in Ohio. No wonder the GOP is up in arms. They're scared of too many poor people preparing to vote this year.

In the last week, the right wing has tried to blame ACORN for the collapse of the globalized financial system--yeah, that's a viable argument. They got excited because they found a some possible fake registration forms in Florida, which predictably led to a bunch of whining from the party that stole an entire presidency from Al Gore by blocking vote counts, mischaracterizing voters as felons, refusing to recount entire counties, sending congressional staff down to riot and intimidate volunteer vote-counters, and topped it all off with the most partisan, badly-reasoned, illegitimate Supreme Court decision since Plessy v. Ferguson. A decision so illegitimate that the partisan majority, to their eternal discredit, themselves damned by writing into their own decision that it should never be used as a precedent for any other court ruling.

This week, the right-wing is hyperventilating because apparently Democratic election officials raided an ACORN office after they found the names of some Dallas Cowboy football players among the 80,000 new registration forms that ACORN helped to get done in Nevada.

Obviously it's not right for a fake "Tony Romo" to be registered in Las Vegas, so someone was probably playing a not-very-funny joke, or trying to pad their registration numbers to get paid a little more money rather than doing the hard work in the hot Nevada sun that helping voters to register requires, or maybe a provocateur was setting up ACORN for some bad press. But remember the basic point--it's not voter fraud unless someone shows up at the voting booth on election day and tries to pass himself off as "Tony Romo." And who would try to do that? No one is going to be that stupid.

The truth is, the main voter fraud efforts going on in my lifetime--and I was born the week of the Selma march in 1965--have been repeated conservative attempts, far too many of them successful, to demonize and suppress the vote of African-Americans and Latinos in election after election, a history for which former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman actually apologized a few years ago, while promising the GOP would no longer engage in such tactics.

So they stole an election from Gore, made the Department of Justice into an outfit for partisan hacks, allowed New Orleans to drown, lied us into a war against a country that did not threaten us, replaced science with bad ideology, indebted our grandchildren to China, and turned our banking system into a deregulated casino--but thank the Lord that "Tony Romo" will not be able to sneak in to vote in Nevada next month.

This time, there are already fake flyers mysteriously appearing on the streets of minority areas of Philadelphia, illegal voter purges in numerous states, "caging" tricks, threats of using home foreclosure lists to strike voters from the rolls, and "black box" electronic vote-counting systems under the control of private companies--and we haven't even gotten to election day!

Meanwhile, I say thank you, ACORN. Thank you, Project Vote, for taking our democracy seriously enough to try to include 1.3 million more poor people in a more perfect union.

Comments

[PhysicsProf]

I agree with commentors that this all smells like a right-wing plot to sabotage ACORN -- though not a very good one. Voter registration forms are readily available and the only effort required would be to drop off bad forms to an ACORN office. And the good Reverend is right: there is no way a voter with such names would actually turn up, so clearly it's either an annoying prank or a lame-brained attempt at sabotage. What makes the conservatives even more suspicious is that they were so quick to accuse fraud before any investigation has been made. If McPalin ever bring up the issue, that will be their final masterpiece of idiocy.

[pandaemonia]

Link

http://cha.house.gov/UserFiles/184_testimony.pdf


Within is a history of convictions, gulity pleas and indictments of ACORN members from 2004 to 2008, source references and current investigations.

[Friday025]

Granted, ACORN has got some issues, namely with management and communication. But with all of the "convictions" "guilty pleas" and "indictments" the report mentions - where has it gotten them? Not far with regards to manipulating elections. GW still ended up being President (TWICE), and up until 2006 we had a republican­-controlle­d Congress.

Seems to me like these blunders were a result of lax management and not a full-fledge attempt to manipulate elections. Besides, like Mr. Jackson wrote "it's not voter fraud unless someone shows up at the voting booth on election day and tries to pass himself off as [someone else]."

My advice for ACORN: keep helping poor folks around the country get registerd, clean house if need be, but always remember your mission.

[Beachrunner]

This is all a Republican plot! THEY are the ones filling out Democratic voter registration forms with names like "Tony Romo," "Tinkerbell," "Fred Flintstone," "Mogilla Gorilla," and "Popeye."

Come on, are ACORN employees that stupid? No way! Even if a few HAVE been convicted of voter registration fraud, that doesn't mean that they ALL are a bunch of crooks.

No, this is all a Rovian attempt to sway the undecided voters . . . . . .

[bigedross]

I truly believe this is a setup. Truly ACORN could not be this dumb. I remember back in the sixties when the FBI would infiltrate militant parties even sometimes instigating rioting and other inappropriate behavior. This is no different. I believe someone filled out all of those registration forms and planted them to make it look as though ACORN was doing fraudulent registrations.

[not one of the sheep]

You are all probably right. Convicted felons and homeless people being paid on commision on the amount of registrations they submit would never do anything so stupid. What type of drugs are you all on! Of course they would, have, and are continuing to commit voter fraud! What do you mean fraudulent votes can't be cast in Ohio, where I live. Early voting is allowed with only an ID and there are documented cases currently under prosecution where bus loads of out of state homeless people were bused to Columbus to vote. This is going to to take months to sort out and has been going on for years with orgs like ACORN. People are outraged, rightly so, at groups like ACORN for their continued illegal actions. It is sad the Jesse Jr. would knowingly try to prop up an outrageously disingenuous group like ACORN.

[Navy VET EOD]

As a pretty well-educated, well-rounded, fiscally conservative, socially progressive, middle-aged American citizen I'm more inclined to believe that the fraudulent registration forms were submitted by right wing extremists seeking to tear the organization down, rather than ACORN management.

Bertha Lewis is correct. It's nothing but another smear job.

I became of age during the Vietnam War, served in the US Navy during the attack on the Marine barracks in Lebanon and Desert Storm. I witnessed with the rest of the nation Watergate, the coup de tat known as the 101st Congress, Black Tuesday, 9/11, the unabated piece-by-piece crumbling of constitutional democracy, and the political appointment of grossly unqualified 30-something Regis University "lawyers" to top positions in the Justice Department, to cite just a few.

In spite of all that, I firmly believe that we are seeing only now---during this election cycle---our darkest days to date. Will they become even darker? I hope not.

[Navy VET EOD]

"maybe a provocateur was setting up ACORN for some bad press"

Maybe?...P­robably?..­.sure does fit the right wing MO, though, doesn't it?

The auditor in me says it was probably not just one right wing provocateur, but many, and with explicit intent to defraud and sabotage the election. It's a shame there's no way to trace the cards back to their source. ACORN just collects them, and BY LAW is required to submit ALL of them to the state elections commissions for registration.

There's a damn good reason the financiers of these provocateurs want to get rid of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the CRA and much needed community service organizations like ACORN.

[realpolitic]

Why is the Republican party so mean spirited? A party that consistently tries to suppress voter turnout has little future among working class Americans. The greatest fear of Republicans is massive amounts of poor and disenfranchised people coming out to the polls on election day. They must perceive it as some kind of zombie movie. Yet as Rep Jackson Jr. explains they stole the presidency "from Al Gore by blocking vote counts, mischaracterizing voters as felons, refusing to recount entire counties, sending congressional staff down to riot and intimidate volunteer vote-counters, and topped it all off with the most partisan, badly-reasoned, illegitimate Supreme Court decision," but when it comes to allowing Tony Romo to vote, Republicans draw the line and shout "What bad behavior!" The tactics of the RNC are despicable and people are tired of their appeals to divide the country.

[TiaL27]

GOP Cyber Security Expert Stephen Spoonamore Says Elections Rigged

http://www.velvetrevolution.us/prosecute_rove/images/Spoon_Full.wmv

[Vanity357]

Where did all these trolls come from? Anxiety must be high on the other side. GOP members-one question for you. How in the world did so many of you vote for a candidate that none of you liked? That really speaks to the intellect of the GOP base when they have someone that none of them can stand. Who were the millions among you that voted for McCain? And why can't you be happy that we actually like our candidate? LOL. Wow!

[realpolitic]

You know, I think all the "trolls" concentrate on a specific article to focus on. I have noticed many of them here too.

[Bam-Bam]

How many of the 1.3 million were duplicates (up to 27 times) or the Dallas Cowboys starting lineup? I'd like to see the real numbers

[realpolitic]

I'd like to see the Cowboys play better football!

[roboman]

If liberals who supposedly care about voter fraud can't stand up and say what ACORN has been doing is wrong, then they have no credibility the next time they make claims about voter machines being rigged, etc.

[HoosierRadical]

You need to go back to school at retake logic. Your argument lacking.

[realpolitic]

Did you even read the article? It is not voter fraud unless someone shows up at the voting booth on election day and tries to pass himself off as someone who is falsely registered. Get it!!

I mean, Republicans after the last election illegally fired attorney generals who would not bring false voter fraud cases when their own investigations showed no voter fraud. Republicans overturned the Gore win in Florida by suppressing the vote, denying a recount, a staging a mock riot of RNC hacks. It is Republicans who attempt to win elections by dividing us and playing to our fears.

Republicans are the party of the past. They often can win elections. They can not govern!!

[HoosierRadical]

It is against the law for citizens to discard voter registration cards even if there are mistakes on it , that is the sole responsibility of the county registrar's office. Lou Dobbs and the rest of the MSM keep forgetting to mention this pesky little fact.

[realpolitic]

Excellent point!! If ACORN throws some registration forms away on the premise that they are invalid it would look even worse. Republicans would then say they were throwing Republican registration forms away.

[HoosierRadical]

ACORN has and continues to be on the frontlines against predatory lending practices. ACORN Housing, Inc. has been the leader in preventing foreclosures and working out agreements that homeowners can afford.

[standup2them]

Acorn not only helps with poor people. But has guys that helped out Hurricaine Ike. To help with fixing some of the mess that happened there. When fema didn't show up acorn helpers were there to help. So don't go there. Acorn is in almost every state for years and years. You're barking up the wrong tree and I can see you!

[Bam-Bam]

You forgot to mention bullying banks to give loans to people who cannot afford them in the first place. A big factor in our current economic meltdown

[pkafin]

Please describe this "bullying".

This is America. The institutions of Capitalism are well protected. Show me how an organization like ACORN can and has "bullied" any major banking institutions.

I eagerly await your response.

[realpolitic]

Yes, I can see a community organization with a few minimally paid workers and a couple more volunteers "bullying" the poor banks. Oh, the banks must feel so picked on. A Republican view of the world where the poor and disenfranchised have the power and the rich are the "piked on" ones is more crazy than it is surreal.

[HoosierRadical]

ACORN with all of its' flaws (thank God Wade and his crooked brother are gone) is still the most effective grassroots direct action social/economic justice organization in the nation. You damn right the Republicans are scared, they do not want poor people voting in mass numbers. As a social worker, I would always try to encourage the people I served to register and vote. I would tell them that they and their families had to much at stake not to vote, with their basic housing, healthcare, job and educational opprtunities , and ability to feed their children at great risk, they should not only vote, but be first one in line when the polls open.

[roboman]

I love this!!! The Democrats and their double standard. You scream bloody murder, claiming voter fraud, only in borderline Republican areas where you have a shot at swinging the tide toward the Dems. But when an organization like ACORN with a very clear track record of voter fraud, you shrug your shoulders, you claim "oh, they're just out to get ACORN." Rep Jackson, I like the way to gloss over ACORN's horrible track record, prosecutions and numerous examples of voter fraud. You failed to mention Lake County, Indiana, closer to home for you, where ACORN is committing massive voter fraud. Why should I be shocked. You're from Chicago, where Democrats each election follow the age-old advice: "vote early and often." Apparently, according to ACORN and the Democrats, when they say "count every vote" they believe that also applies to dead people. Yes, we should not discriminate against the deceased just because they're six feet under. The ugly truth is that the Democrats really don't care about voter fraud.

[HoosierRadical]

You guys, here is a classic example of a misinformed citizen. Dude you should really stop watching Faux News. While you are on the Huffpost, try and learn something instead of repeating lies. Anyway, if any of this is true, I don't see the point in sending in fraudulent voter registration forms , you can only vote here in Indiana if you have a valid drivers' license or state i.d. Absentee voter forms are match against other records to determine if the person is actually who they claim to be. No my friends it would be a waste of time and energy to engage in such a practice.

[standup2them]

You tell Hoosier! Quit watching faux news! They are talking lying. lying. Shock and awe.

[JerryCaldwell]

Show me the convictions! ACORN has never been successfully prosecuted for voter fraud, has always fully cooperated with investigators and has continually improved their highly successful voter registration machine. The investigations will be dropped after the election.

[Chbronze]

3 guitly pleas and a 25k fine in Seattle nov 2007. 8 guilty pleas in St. Louis Oct 2006, should I keep going ? I can.

[pandaemonia]

http://cha.house.gov/UserFiles/184_testimony.pdf

[realpolitic]

As the article said, it is not voter fraud unless someone shows up at the voting booth on election day and tries to pass himself off as a falsely registered voter. Their have been very, very few documented cases of voter fraud. And like HoosierRadical said above: "It is against the law for citizens to discard voter registration cards even if there are mistakes on it , that is the sole responsibility of the county registrar's office."

You conservatives should occasionally read the article that you are responding to. It would help!

[TheAndrew]

From the volume of negative posts on this thread, it is apparent that Acorn is suffering from the classic tactics of psychological warfare. Your tax money is paying shills to flood the net with fake stories. Targeted harassment.