"When I saw these videos, I couldn't help thinking, this is the Abu Ghraib of the Great Society."

The Wash Post discusses the provenance of the ACORN videos that helped to kill federal funding for the group:

"When I saw these videos, I couldn't help thinking, this is the Abu Ghraib of the Great Society," said Breitbart, who put the videos on BigGovernment.com. "Everybody that is a conservative news junkie thinks that ACORN is the most important institution for us to uncover to the American public."…

According to O'Keefe's account, ACORN was laid low by a stunt with a $1,300 budget, O'Keefe…. He and [partner Hannah] Giles rolled up and down Interstate 95 munching on Subway and Quiznos sandwiches between visits to the organization's branch offices.

O'Keefe, who described himself as an investigative journalist with no formal training, said he bought his own $300 plane ticket to California to visit ACORN sites in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego.

"We'll be providing receipts, documented proof that this was an independent piece of journalism done by myself and Hannah Giles," he said.

Whole story here.

Watch the videos, which show O'Keefe and Giles pretending to be a pimp and prostitute who get incriminating advice at various ACORN offices around the country, at Big Government.

Comments

[ACORN = Enron]

If you click my name, you will see that what ACORN has done could fall under RICO.

Here's the Definitions link:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00001961----000-.html

"enterprise" includes any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity"

"pattern of racketeering activity" requires at least two acts of racketeering activity,"

"sections 1581-1592 (relating to peonage, slavery, and trafficking in persons)"

"section 1954 (relating to unlawful welfare fund payments)"

"sections 2251, 2251A, 2252, and 2260 (relating to sexual exploitation of children)"

"(F) any act which is indictable under the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 274 (relating to bringing in and harboring certain aliens), section 277 (relating to aiding or assisting certain aliens to enter the United States), or section 278 (relating to importation of alien for immoral purpose) if the act indictable under such section of such Act was committed for the purpose of financial gain, or (G) any act that is indictable under any provision listed in section 2332b (g)(5)(B)"

[P Dier]

I love this. not only for exposing these idiots, but it's a little spit in the eye of the professional investigative "journalists" that are always dogging on the new media and saying they can't do investigative journalism without a big network budget.

[sage]

My democratic rep was one of the ones that voted to defund ACORN. Gotta hand to him for that since I don't respect him for anything else. We'll see where that goes, though.

Next year's election should be fun to watch.

[R C Dean]

Agree, P. ACORN is a cancer on this country, and these two have done considerable damage to it.

Of course, ACORN will probably just reconstitute under one of its many shell subsidiary/affiliates, and be back in business as usual. Absent, of course, aggressive enforcement (which Aint Gonna Happen in the Obama/Holder DOJ).

[P Dier]

Yeah, I don't see these folks going away... they'll just change their name and go on.

[Charles]

How could anyone think those two were a real pimp and prostitute? They look like two suburban college kids dressed up for a costume party.

[Lester Hunt]

The creepiest thing about ACORN, to me, was the fact that though it was clearly ideological and activist, it was getting $millions from the feds. There may have been some provision to the effect that the money was only to go to their charitable work -- but we now have plenty of reason to suspect that ACORN was far too chaotic to be competent to keep sources of money separate.

Anyway, good riddance.

[The Gobbler]

"How could anyone think those two were a real pimp and prostitute? They look like two suburban college kids dressed up for a costume party."

I have no problems seeing Giles as a prostitute. In fact, I'd pay $1,000+ to see her as a prostitute.

[prolefeed]

The Democratic rep who purports to represent me (Hirono) was one of the few dozen idiots who voted against defunding ACORN.

Wasn't planning on voting in any major party primary, but for her I'll make an exception and vote for her primary challenger, if any.

Which says a lot about Hawaii politics, that there is a significant chance she'll have an unopposed primary despite this.

[John Tagliaferro]

ACORN is more poisonous than soda pop.

[Tomcat1066]

have no problems seeing Giles as a prostitute. In fact, I'd pay $1,000+ to see her as a prostitute.

You cheap bastard.

[The Gobbler]

"You cheap bastard."

FTR, I am a legendary tipper.

[JB]

These 2 should get a Pulitzer. Better investigative journalism than any 'journalist' has produced this year.

Rasmussen Poll:

15% have favorable opinion of ACORN

67% unfavorable

[John]

"I have no problems seeing Giles as a prostitute. In fact, I'd pay $1,000+ to see her as a prostitute."

She is a minister's daughter. I will leave the rest to your sick imagination.

[Eliot \"Another Chance\" Spitz]

Hannah "Eden" Giles is such a cock-tease. What right does she have pretending to be a hooker. I mean finding a good whore in this town is hard enough...

[Tomcat1066]

She is a minister's daughter. I will leave the rest to your sick imagination.

So, she's hardly inexperienced? Nice!

[John]

If nothing else ACORN will be a national punchline for the rest of time. Jay Leno was doing jokes about them for God's sake.

Sadly they will just reform under another name and continue to rip of the country and screw the people they claim to help.

[Nick]

New York, in the House...

Both of the Capital Region's congressman, Scott Murphy and Paul Tonko, voted in favor of a measure added to a college loan bill that would ban ACORN from receiving federal funds.

Voting against the measure were upstate Democrats Maurice Hinchey and Louise Slaughter, plus a raft of NYC Democrats including Eliot Engel, Jose Serrano, Joseph Crowley, Jerrold Nadler, Yvette Clark, Charles Rangel, Gregory Meeks and Edolphus Towns.

The vote was 345-75.

[T]

I will leave the rest to your sick imagination.

Leave? My sick imagination has been on this for days now. Y'all are late.

The community-organizing group is of course all over the news for employing workers avid to assist pimps and prostitutes in sex-trafficking schemes and housing fraud. This, on top of having a reputation for aggressively shaking down corporations and having long been charged in many states with voter-registration fraud.

But it may come as a surprise to some that ACORN, no matter what its transgressions, is still being allowed to co-run high schools, at least in New York City. The editors of the New York Post "wonder what they teach there!" So should we all!

http://www.nypost.com/f/print/news/opinion/editorials/outing_acorn_q0mlOczlqFZkoBGLWHb99M

[Your Good Buddy Johnny Clarke]

If you'd pay $1,000 for a prostitute's services, you've got entirely too much money.

[sage]

Rasmussen Poll:

15% have favorable opinion of ACORN

67% unfavorable

Let's break down that 15%:

65% deceased

15% Disney characters (animated)

12% Unicorns

4% community organizers

4% pimps / hookers

[PapayaSF]

I think ACORN will have a hard time surviving for a number of reasons: private and corporate donations will dry up. Memberships will drop. The IRS will look at their 501(c)(3) status. States and localities will stop funding and state AGs will start probes. More scandals will come to light. Insiders will talk to save their own skins. Etc.

"So, she's hardly inexperienced? Nice!"

Minister's kids tend to be hellians and the bane of their parents.

[Nick]

they will just reform under another name and continue to rip of the country and screw the people they claim to help.

No, they just find ways to make available underage immigrants to screw people.

[Kungfoochimp]

Hirono (Hawaii 2nd District) "represents" me as well. I called her office yesterday after the vote. I spoke with a very nice woman. I asked her "Can you tell me why Rep. Hirono voted to continue funding ACORN?" "I'm not sure sir, can I get your email?" "No, I'd actually prefer a call. I can't wait to hear in person why Hirono is in favor of funding child sex slavery."

[sage]

Voting against the measure were upstate Democrats...Charles Rangel,

Get the hell outta here!

[The Gobbler]

"If you'd pay $1,000 for a prostitute's services, you've got entirely too much money."

I do.

It's great!

[John Tagliaferro]

Obama wants me to report this thread to the White House Offices of Scare Speech and the secret one.

[Tomcat1066]

"So, she's hardly inexperienced? Nice!"

Minister's kids tend to be hellians and the bane of their parents.

I know. I'm the grandson of a minister 😀

[Tomcat1066]

Obama wants me to report this thread to the White House Offices of Scare Speech and the secret one.

No. Obama wants ME to. He likes me more than you.

[John Tagliaferro]

"No, I'd actually prefer a call. I can't wait to hear in person why Hirono is in favor of funding child sex slavery."

I can't either. I wonder if they are much different than mine.

[sage]

Obama wants me to continue reading this hilarious thread while eating my lunch.

[John Tagliaferro]

He likes me more than you.

No he doesn't, He just wanted you to say that.

[?]

How could anyone think those two were a real pimp and prostitute? They look like two suburban college kids dressed up for a costume party.

The look adopted by many pimps and prostitutes is based on suburban college kids' pimp and prostitute costumes.

Hall of mirrors, yo.

[P Dier]

Obama wants us ALL to help him in any way we can

[John]

Giles looks like she belongs on Girls Gone Wild. She doesn't look like much of a hooker. But, perhaps all white girls look the same to ACORN.

[P Dier]

How could anyone think those two were a real pimp and prostitute? They look like two suburban college kids dressed up for a costume party.

well to his credit, he was new at the pimping thing... and, from what i've heard, pimpin ain't easy

[Tomcat1066]

No he doesn't, He just wanted you to say that.

Of course he wanted me to say it. But it's true. He wanted me to tell you that I'm his favorite.

[T]

Giles looks like she belongs on Girls Gone Wild.

Yeah, I'll settle for that.

[TGGP]

If only Breitbart was as concerned about the ACTUAL ABU GHRAIB, along with Guantanamo, Bagram, etc.

I'm glad to see ACORN go down in flames, but they're really a drop in the bucket. An amazingly stupid drop (would you buy a used prostitute from that "pimp"?), but a drop nevertheless.

[John Tagliaferro]

But it's true.

Obama wanted me to tell you that it is not true. Now He wants me to shine His shoes.

[John]

"If only Breitbart was as concerned about the ACTUAL ABU GHRAIB, along with Guantanamo, Bagram, etc."

You know the actual people who were responsible for Abu Ghrib went to jail for years. It is not exactly like they walked away scott free.

[John Tagliaferro]

If only Breitbart was as concerned about the ACTUAL ABU GHRAIB, along with Guantanamo, Bagram, etc.

I missed the Breitbart position on that. Have links? I think the terrorist resort at Guantanamo needs more funding.

[sage]

If only Breitbart was as concerned about the ACTUAL ABU GHRAIB

Didn't some of the first photos from there get shown on Drudge, when Breitbart was the editor?

[John]

TGGP,

What does one have to do with the other? If someone had said on an Abu Ghrib thread, "but what about ACORN" they would have been laughed out of the room. And rightfully so.

[Xeones]

sage, where does joe fit into your statistical breakdown?

[Hazel Meade]

I just thought I would let you all know that ....
I was raised Catholic.

That is all.

[Warren]

I'd sooner my government support a thousan prostitutes than a single act of torture.

ACORN should be defunded. Bush and Rumsfeld should be tried and executed.

[sage]

sage, where does joe fit into your statistical breakdown?

He's not in the margin of error - HE IS THE ERROR.

[PapayaSF]

Warren: Even child prostitutes?

[Amy Sterling Casil]

"Nobody" from ACORN came around my blog. They are a disgrace.

http://asterling.typepad.com/incipit_vita_nova/2009/09/protect-yourself-from-credit-scams.html

As this develops, I hope the legitimate, genuine, hard-working nonprofit community that is truly from America will finally say "no" to these abusers. Go look at what that idiot said. I know of no "needle park" in America. And they don't do anything for anybody except apparently, assist pimps and hos to get low-cost housing, cheat on their taxes, and bring children into the U.S. as sex slaves.

[John Tagliaferro]

Bush and Rumsfeld should honored and Jimmy Carter should be tried and executed.

FTFY

[toxic]

It's not amazing that Democrats are dropping ACORN. Dead girls and live boys, after all. ACORN would have (and probably still will be) a major problem for the left for a while. If they hadn't disavowed it at the first chance, ACORN would have hung them all.

I don't mean that in any sort of disparaging way; I"m sure pretty much everyone is horrified by ACORN. But Machiavelli would be defunding ACORN as well.

[BeesInTheBrain]

Though I don't disagree that ACORN shouldn't be receiving government funding, I do have an issue with "government through anecdote" and the reactionary-ism that the funding was cut. If they were de-funded for ideological reasons, or because there was more evidence than a few video tapes it would be one thing. But for the funding to be cut so quickly shows the same "do something now" because of emotional anecdotal evidence that I find troublesome about the health care debate. So the damage done to ACORN may be warranted or even worthy of celebrating, but the knee-jerk reaction of cutting their funding just show the inability of our elected officials to put prior thought into their actions.

[Hazel Meade]

It's not amazing that Democrats are dropping ACORN. Dead girls and live boys, after all. ACORN would have (and probably still will be) a major problem for the left for a while. If they hadn't disavowed it at the first chance, ACORN would have hung them all.

It is likely that ACORN will simply disband and reconstitute itself under a new name, or as a set of smaller linked organizations.

[Warren]

PapayaSF | September 18, 2009, 3:02pm | #
Warren: Even child prostitutes?

OK good point. Child prostitution is the ethical equivalent of torture. Even so, there's no reason to believe that ACORN had anything to do with any actual child prostitution.

[Les]

What does one have to do with the other? If someone had said on an Abu Ghrib thread, "but what about ACORN" they would have been laughed out of the room. And rightfully so.

Rightfully so, IF no one had compared Abu Ghraib to ACORN in the first place. But in this case, someone did, in the title of the post, compare Abu Ghraib to what happened at ACORN.

Again, I don't think ACORN should ever have been federally funded, but comparing this to Abu Ghraib is actually laughable.

1. ACORN's biggest union backer, SEIU, gave more than $4 million to the community organization and its affiliates from 2006 to 2007, according to Department of Labor filings.

2. SEIU president Andy Stern sits on ACORN's advisory council.

3. One SEIU local, the Illinois Homecare Workers and Home Childcare Providers, sprouted from ACORN's organizing efforts and pays rent to ACORN.

4. SEIU locals 100 and 880 are identified as allied organizations on ACORN's website.

5. U.S. Department of Labor LM-2's (financial disclosure forms) point to over $600,000 in transactions between SEIU locals 100 and 880 and other ACORN operations.

6. ACORN founder S. Wade Rathke referred to mega-union SEIU 880 as "one of the pillars of the ACORN Family."

[Hazel Meade]

Again, I don't think ACORN should ever have been federally funded, but comparing this to Abu Ghraib is actually laughable.

He's nOT suggesting that what ACORN actually did is equivalent to torture. He's saying that it's a jounalisttic "scoop" that will radically alter the political discourse about a topic.

In the case of the Iraq War, the Abu Ghraib photos were a shocking revelation that changed the direction of public opinion. Same with ACORN.

[John]

"Again, I don't think ACORN should ever have been federally funded, but comparing this to Abu Ghraib is actually laughable."

Only if you don't understand what he is saying. He is not saying they are the same events. He is saying that they are having similiar effects. Both are pictures/videos that did real damage to one side. That is the extent of the comparision. To give you another example, if someone said after watching a football team go down 35-0 at half, "that first half was like Pearl Harbor for ESU", they would not be saying that losing a football game to 1000s of people dying in a surprise enemy attack is really the same thing as going down 35-0 in a football game. It is called a metaphore.

[John]

Hazel beat me to it.

[WWJGD]

Abu Ghraub:Bush's Iraq/World Vision::ACORN:Great Society
Seems grounded enough for me

[Xeones]

What ACORN did is not being compared to what happened at Abu Ghraib, Les. The effects of the publicity of what ACORN did is being compared to the effects of the publicity of the events at Abu Ghraib.

[WWJGD]

Hazel and John beat me 🙁

[dhex]

"If only Breitbart was as concerned about the ACTUAL ABU GHRAIB, along with Guantanamo, Bagram, etc."

oh, to live in such a world.

who knows, though? partisanship might push bagram into the spotlight out of spite.

[Xeones]

Damn, scooped again. Curse these slow-typing sausage fingers!

[ACORN = Enron]

"It is likely that ACORN will simply disband and reconstitute itself under a new name, or as a set of smaller linked organizations."

Not likely given the pile-on investigations into there finances. There is no way that substantial fraud won't be discovered.

Enron was a tangle of smaller entities as well. Acorn should be charged under RICO (ibid.)

[Hazel Meade]

I love this. not only for exposing these idiots, but it's a little spit in the eye of the professional investigative "journalists" that are always dogging on the new media and saying they can't do investigative journalism without a big network budget.

The professional investigative journalists won't investigate groups like ACORN because they don't think any public service is performed by doing so. They think these groups are doing good work, community service, helping people, and any small crimes they commit along the way are excusable, because of their good mission. They are much more focused on investigating the people they consider bad actors - i.e. people that want to make a profit, right win politicians, the business class, etc. In other words, it's basically the liberal bias. The innately consider community "activist" groups to be "good" - and hence not the proper subjects of intense scrutiny, and profit seekers to be "evil" - and hence in need of intense scrutiny.

[T]

I'm sory, I don't get the Abu Ghraib reference. Could one of you explain it to me?

[ACORN = Enron]

"Even so, there's no reason to believe that ACORN had anything to do with any actual child prostitution."

Even so, the child perverts popped in internet strings never had anything to do with any actual child pervert encounters.

[T]

Sory? I'm not green vitriol, or an earth impregnated with it. I apologize for the error.

Although I do suffer from an excess of black bile...

[ACORN = Enron]

Internet "stings:

[WWJGD]

I'm sory, I don't get the Abu Ghraib reference. Could one of you explain it to me?

Abu Ghraib : Bush's Iraq :: ACORN : Great Society

It's not that far of a stretch.

[ACORN = Enron]

"strings"

AAAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!

[Hazel Meade]

Not likely given the pile-on investigations into there finances. There is no way that substantial fraud won't be discovered.

Enron was a tangle of smaller entities as well. Acorn should be charged under RICO (ibid.)

Good luck with that. Will Obama allow the justice department to investigate ACORN's finances fully? What might they discover about his ties to the group? I'm sure ACRON donated money to his campaign. He once represented ACORN and worked for an ACORN affiliate. It's entirely possible that a serious investigation could reveal things embarassing to the president.

[P Dier]

Good luck with that. Will Obama allow the justice department to investigate ACORN's finances fully? What might they discover about his ties to the group? I'm sure ACRON donated money to his campaign. He once represented ACORN and worked for an ACORN affiliate. It's entirely possible that a serious investigation could reveal things embarassing to the president.

conspiracy theorists are typing madly as we speak...

as much as I'd like to believe it, beyond taking campaign money from the group, I don't think anyone is going to be able to make anything stick to Obama on this.

[J sub D]

Minister's kids tend to be hellians and the bane of their parents.

? The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacher man
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacher man
Yes he was, he was, mmm, yes he was ?

[Hazel Meade]

as much as I'd like to believe it, beyond taking campaign money from the group, I don't think anyone is going to be able to make anything stick to Obama on this.

Oh probably not, but it would be nice to watch him squirm while every detail of his connection with them is scrutinized under a media microscope.

[John Tagliaferro]

I'm sory, I don't get the Abu Ghraib reference. Could one of you explain it to me?

The Army announced that thy had begun an investigation about inappropriate activity at the Abu Ghraib prison and detention center. The press ignored it for months. Some reporter finally did a story about it and got hailed as some great reporter for "discovering" this "cover up" by the mean, nasty soldiers.

Yea, I am not getting the comparison either, past the part of MSM ignoring the bad deeds of ACORN.

[24AheadDotCom]

WHAT!?!? ACORN has torture dungeons now?

But, seriously, there need to be orgs like them. The problem is that the Dems used them to obtain and maintain power, and that should be stressed: how the Dems have used them for their partisan goals.

P.S. How many days elapsed between this story breaking and Reason covering it? No matter how long you wait, don't expect Reason to mention that Joe Arpaio is also going after ACORN. He might just be fishing and trying to get his name in the news, but if he gets anything it would be big.

[John]

J Sub D,

Son of a Preacher man was written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins. One of whom, I forget which, was gay. It actually one of the gayest songs ever written. Not that that it is not a great song. It is. But, once you know who wrote it and that it really is a guy singing the lyrics, you will neer hear it the same way again.

[Tomcat1066]

Where's SugarFree with the Joe quote? That would be the icing on the cake.

Besides...Obama wants him to.

[Tomcat1066]

Obama also wants LoneWhacko to shut the fuck up.

[Joe M]

P.S. How many days elapsed between this story breaking and Reason covering it?

Dude, you're an idiot. They linked to the big government website the first day it was up, and the first story on it was the ACORN story.

[John Tagliaferro]

It actually one of the gayest songs ever written.

Why wasn't it in the Top Gun soundtrack?

(Thanks SF for hipping me to that, dude.)

[Joe M]

Here's the link, LoneWackJob.

[Joe M]

God, YOU COMMENTED IN THE THREAD. I understand more and more why people just tell you to stfu.

[Michael]

I'm sory, I don't get the Abu Ghraib reference. Could one of you explain it to me?

Abu Ghraib : Bush's Iraq :: ACORN : Great Society

It's not that far of a stretch.

To further clarify...

Abu Ghraib : Bush's Iraq :: ACORN : Great Society =/- Kevin Bacon : Purple Monkey Dishwasher

Dig?

[ChrisH]

Damn, scooped again. Curse these slow-typing sausage fingers!

It's only because they're using "flash trading" comment software. Soon it will be banned, and life will be better for everyone. And it'll be fair.

[J sub D]

It's this lady singing the lyrics.

I didn't mind Pat Trvers singing John Denver lyrics (Leaving on a Jet Plane) or Janis singing Kristofferson lyrics (Me and Bobbie Magee) either.

It's a sexually charged love song and if a gay guy wrote it, I don't give a rat's ass.

[Michael]

Damn, LoneWacko beat me to it.

[J sub D]

Oh yeah, Wiki says it was first offered to Aretha Frankin and she turned it down.

[John]

Damn J sub D. I really touched a nerve there. Yes, they did offer it to Aretha. They had to offer it to a woman. It was the 1960s, no guy was going to sing it. I mean Barry Manilo didn't have a record contract yet.

But, it was written by a gay man. We will never know but I am betting that he was writting it from memory.

[ACORN = Enron]

"Good luck with that. Will Obama allow the justice department to investigate ACORN's finances fully?"

The State of Louisiana has supenaed their financial records. Other states such as CA look to be doing the same. Obama can't stop the states from doing this.

[ACORN = Enron]

subpoenaed

AAAARRRGGGHHH!

"It's a sexually charged love song and if a gay guy wrote it, I don't give a rat's ass."

HE BROUGHT AIDS TO THE COMPANY PICNIC!!!

[Janeane Garofalo]

How could anyone think those two were a real pimp and prostitute? They look like two suburban college kids dressed up for a costume party.

Obama wants me to say "This is racism straight up."

[Lamar]

The GOP is making a big deal out of beating up on ACORN because ACORN is one of the few institutions less organized than the GOP. ACORN deserves to die for its failure to have its shit together. But really, stomping on a dead fish somebody threw in the road doesn't make you a fisherman.

"But, once you know who wrote it and that it really is a guy singing the lyrics, you will neer hear it the same way again."

Well sure. If your a homophbe.

"But really, stomping on a dead fish somebody threw in the road doesn't make you a fisherman."

They were slated to get $8B in stimulus money, dumbo. Not exactly a dead fish.

[R C Dean]

If only Breitbart was as concerned about the ACTUAL ABU GHRAIB, along with Guantanamo, Bagram, etc.

This complaint would make a lot more sense if Breitbart wasn't running a brand new site focussing on domestic politics.

The GOP is making a big deal out of beating up on ACORN because ACORN is one of the few institutions less organized than the GOP.

Oh, I disagree. ACORN is extremely well organized. Surely you don't believe that all the voter registration fraud wasn't well known and actively facilitated from the top? That what we see on this tapes is an aberration, rather than exactly what ACORN was designed and built to be?

ACORN workers in King County were convicted of committing voter fraud in 2006. Similar accusations were made during last year's presidential election, when ACORN volunteers registered an estimated 1.3 million voters. Eleven ACORN employees in Miami were arrested last week and charged with voter registration fraud.

No such accusations have been made against the local ACORN office, which has been in Snohomish County since 2007, where they share an office with the county's Democratic Party and the Snohomish County Labor Council.

http://heraldnet.com/article/20090918/NEWS01/709189842&news01ad=1#Local.ACORN.event.called.off

[John]

Lamar,

ACORN is a multi-state criminal organization that has stolen millions and done untold harm to the people it is supposed to help. As Sidoneus once said, "people don't just become depraved". They were able to get multiple offices to agree to commit multiple crimes. Do you think that it was the first time those people agreed to abet crimes? No. God only knows what kind of horrible things these people have done. The world is a better place without ACORN. Who cares if it is the GOP or the BPE who did it. Good riddence.

[24AheadDotCom]

------------ CLIP 'N' KEEP --------------
| APOLOGY TO: Reason |
| FOR: Forgetting they can read |
| press releases and promote |
| others' sites. |
| |
| I apologize |
------------ CLIP 'N' KEEP --------------

[ACORNs are for squirrels]

Way to go Hannah Giles.

[Les]

Hazel and John, points taken. But the metaphor is still stinky. Abu Ghraib doesn't appear to have changed anything (in this country), and neither will this. The government will continue to give money to bad people doing bad things. And ideologues will continue to judge the significance of those things on who the perpetrators were, instead of how bad the things they did were.

[Eric S.]

I think Breitbart's second sentence is more revealing:

"Everybody that is a conservative news junkie thinks that ACORN is the most important institution for us to uncover to the American public."...

Really? ACORN, is the worst bogeyman you can come up with?

Yesterday, 26 members of the Congressional Black Caucus--25 in the House and one, Ronald Burris, in the Senate--voted against resolutions to defund Acorn, the scandal-plagued advocacy group. Two additional Black Caucus members voted "present" in the House, and one was absent.

Only seven Congressional Black Caucus members voted to defund Acorn, and here's the honor role (all are Democrats):

? Sanford Bishop (Ga.)

? William Lacy Clay (Mo.)

? John Conyers (Mich.)

? Artur Davis (Ala.)

? Hank Johnson (Ga.)

? Kendrick Meek (Fla.)

? Laura Richardson (Calif.)

That is to say, fewer than 1 in 4 Black Caucus members voted to stop spending taxpayers' money on an organization that has been caught on video at least five times offering advice on how to practice slavery

[Xeones]

Shut the fuck up, LoneWacko. You're as shitty at formatting faux-clever comments as you are at, well, everything else.

[0%]

Time magazine archives for this story from April 1976, when Carter was running a presidential campaign that, shockingly, turned out to be successful:

The furor began when Carter was asked in Indianapolis to explain his recent statement that there was "nothing wrong with ethnic purity being maintained" in neighborhoods. Carter replied that he wholeheartedly supports open-housing laws that make it a crime to refuse to sell or rent a house or apartment on the grounds of race, color or creed. But he opposes Government programs "to inject black families into a white neighborhood just to create some sort of integration." Said he: "I have nothing against a community that is made up of people who are Polish, or who are Czechoslovakians, or who are French Canadians or who are blacks trying to maintain the ethnic purity of their neighborhoods. This is a natural inclination."

[T]

Really? ACORN, is the worst bogeyman you can come up with?

Well, there's always the federal government, but one doesn't have to 'uncover' it. It's laying out there in the open for anyone to see, like a rotting beached whale carcass.

[sage]

Wow, most of the "defenses" I'm seeing of ACORN amount to "yeah, but they aren't as bad as__________________."

I'm againt torture. I'm against theft. I'm against rigging elections. I'm against pimping out 13-year-old girls. They should all be hung with equal lengths of rope. You hear that, Nancy Pelosi?

[NCDan]

How long before making videos of this kind is made illegal? Anybody want to guess?

[Troy]

Obama wants me to cornhole Giles as part of my Porno Czar duties.

[Joe M]

LoneCrackHo should upload videos of himself moving the goal posts to youtube.

[Xeones]

Shit, Joe M. Shit. You trying to get me in trouble at work?

[Joe M]

Obama wanted me to.

[TrickyVic]

"""You know the actual people who were responsible for Abu Ghrib went to jail for years. It is not exactly like they walked away scott free."""

John, what was done at Abu Ghrib was done at other sites too. Didn't you make the case that ACORN, not just the lower level people, are involved because it was done at other locations? Why wouldn't you apply that same philosophy to Abu Ghrib?

[John]

"John, what was done at Abu Ghrib was done at other sites too. Didn't you make the case that ACORN, not just the lower level people, are involved because it was done at other locations? Why wouldn't you apply that same philosophy to Abu Ghrib?"

Yes, and people have been prosecuted at other sites to. Do I think the President of ACORN was telling his people to abet crimes? I doubt it. Is she responsible for not controling her organization? Yes. Just like the officers in charge at Abu Garhib were responsible for not controling the perverts on the night shift.

Of course you miss the big difference here. The abuses at abu gahrib and other places were uncovered by the government investigating itself. You wouldn't know about any of them had the government not investigated itself. In contrast ACORN hasn't uncovered these things. It was someone from the outside, which makes the leadership of ACORN a hell of a lot more culpable than the leadership during Abu Gahrib.

Nice try though.

[MNG]

There's no defense for ACORN, they got cold busted and now should take their punishment.

[MNG]

"most of the "defenses" I'm seeing of ACORN amount to "yeah, but they aren't as bad as__________________.""

When a person gets to this point, it's time to start defending someone or something else. Really.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Personally, one of the most fascinating stories on the periphery is that that Rep. Nadler would have the brass to complain that the ACORN defunding bill was "unconstitutional".

That is, in light of the fact that he and his ilk have been voting for unconstitutional funding bills since practically before the ink was dry on the Constitution.

If 95% of Federal spending made possible by Legislation is not dishonest and intentional evasion of the meaning of Article I, Section 8 of the USC, and the Tenth Amendment I will eat my hat.

[John]

"most of the "defenses" I'm seeing of ACORN amount to "yeah, but they aren't as bad as__________________.""

When a person gets to this point, it's time to start defending someone or something else. Really."

Pretty much. As a liberal, I would think you would want a tactical retreat here. What is to be gained by defending ACORN?

[TrickyVic]

Not defending ACORN, but with respects to the videos what crime are they committing?

I would think telling someone how to cheat the taxman is free speech. It's cheating the tax man that's a crime. Did anyone fill out any forms with false information? Did this go beyond talk?

One side didn't have the ability to cheat the taxman, they only had the ability to help the other party cheat the taxman. The other party had no intent to cheat the taxman.

If someone helps you fill out documents in a false manner, it's still you committing the crime, the person helping you is just a co-conspirator. In the voting issue, ACORN was doing it themselves making up names and writing those names down as if they were real people for bonuses. That's different than helping others cheat the system.

[John]

Here is what I don't get MNG. Under Clinton they called it a "Sister Soulja moment". Obama is getting killed right now for being too liberal and not listening to the other side. If I were Obama, I would be out in front of this. I would be having my "Sister Soulja moment" and be killing ACORN. I would be preaching to the world about how horrible this is and how we were going to get to the bottom of it. I would have DOJ so far up their ass, they wouldn't know what hit them. It would totally defang a lot of the criticism of Obama. And ACORN is done anyway. I just don't get the defense of them.

[John]

"Not defending ACORN, but with respects to the videos what crime are they committing?"

You have an organization that is taking tax money and using it to hire people who seem to be very willing to help criminals commit pretty heinous crimes. Is there anything else that needs to be said?

[Pro Libertate]

I think a problem some left-wingers have is that they went to the mat defending ACORN before all of this. ACORN was always a questionable organization with many concerns about corruption. Now, of course, they can either cut and run or attempt to play the race card and employ other spinning techniques to avoid the truth.

Sad thing is, ACORN will just come back as something else, like ValuJet, assuming it really gets killed in all of this purported defunding.

[Hazel Meade]

I would really like to see someone go after the PIRGs. (Public Interest Research Groups).

Those are like ACORN, only much better at disguising their progressive agenda, and staffed by college graduates trained in campus activism.

Also, they are largely funded by exproporiating money from student fees, even though they have a clear ideological agenda.

[Andrea]

And they made fun of those "Take Back the Government" protestors?

[roystgnr]

"Do I think the President of ACORN was telling his people to abet crimes? I doubt it."

Good point. It's not like we've got a
bunch of incriminating memos or anything.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Oh, the lefties with absolutely NOTHING to lose will continue to cry and scream foul, and will defend these thugs to the last drop.

OTOH, look at the congresscritters run for cover! LOL

[BDuece]

These "elected representatives" must be so dependent on Acorn for votes that they wouldn't even vote to defund an entity that advises criminals engaged in the worst kind of illegal activities imaginable not only in matters like defrauding the IRS and private banking institutions, but actually how to best engage in thier human sex slave trafficking business with underage illegal immigrants.

While some are celebrating the fact that 175 D congressmen and ~50 D senators made of the only morally justifiable position possible, to defund this curropt and vile entity, still something close to 20% of the congress and 7% of the senate voted against this. I find that sickening and do not want any single one of those people involved in the governing my country. How do we take our country back from these shameless and morally bankrupt hooligans?

DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY OF THEM. DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO WORK AGAINST THE RE-ELECTION OF ALL OF THEM. GET RID OF THE CANCER OF CURROPTION EMBODIED BY THE NAMES ON THIS LIST:

REPRESENTATIVES Who Voted AGAINST De-Funding ACORN
Baldwin D WI No Becerra D CA No
Brady D PA No Brown D FL No
Capuano D MA No Cleaver D MO No
Cummings D MD No Davis D IL No
Delahunt D MA No Doyle D PA No
Edwards D MD No Ellison D MN No
Engel D NY No Fattah D PA No
Filner D CA No Fudge D OH No
Green, Al D TX No Grijalva D AZ No
Hinchey D NY No Hirono D HI No
Holt D NJ No Honda D CA No
Jackson D IL No Jackson-Lee D TX No
Kilpatrick D MI No Kucinich D OH No
Lee D CA No Lewis D GA No
Markey D MA No McDermott D WA No
McGovern D MA No Meeks D NY No
Moore D WI No Nadler D NY No
Olver D MA No Payne D NJ No
Polis D CO No Roybal-Allard D CA No
Rush D IL No Schakowsky D IL No
Scott D VA No Serrano D NY No
Thompson D MS No Towns D NY No
Velazquez D NY No Waters D CA No
Watson D CA No Wexler D FL No
Woolsey D CA No

SENATORS Who Voted AGAINST De-Funding ACORN
Durbin D IL No Burris D IL No
Casey D PA No Gillibrand D NY No
Leahy D VT No Sanders I VT No
Whitehouse D RI No

Notice the unelected and illegitimate Roland Burris, appointed by the illegitimate ex-governor of IL Rod Blagojevich who has been indicted on 16 federal felony charges including trying to sell the Senate seat he ultimately gave to Burris who then lied about his contacts with Blagojevich -- shocking that this guy shows up in support of the utterly morally bankrupt and corrupt Acorn -- CORRUPTION! STOP THE CORRUPTION!

[0%]

"Yes, and people have been prosecuted at other sites to. Do I think the President of ACORN was telling his people to abet crimes? I doubt it. Is she responsible for not controling her organization? Yes."

Louisiana has it right on ACORN. They're following the money. And Bertha knows where the money goes (as does Rathke), which is why she has refused to open the books. But she can't buck a subpoena for her financials unless she wants to sit in the slammer for contempt.

If any state understands financial corruption, it's Louisiana.

THAT is what will bring this organization down.

[Hazel Meade]

"most of the "defenses" I'm seeing of ACORN amount to "yeah, but they aren't as bad as__________________.""

When a person gets to this point, it's time to start defending someone or something else. Really.

Sort of the "yeah, but we're not as bad as Saddam" moment on Iraq.

[TrickyVic]

"""You have an organization that is taking tax money and using it to hire people who seem to be very willing to help criminals commit pretty heinous crimes. Is there anything else that needs to be said?""

Willing to help criminals isn't a crime. Helping is.

Otherwise Congress would get locked up.

[0%]

"If someone helps you fill out documents in a false manner"

Acorn Worker: You can just put down Performance Artist.

That is conspiracy to defraud.

[0%]

"Ellison D MN No"

A muslim group paid for his trip to Mecca.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

TrickyVic | September 18, 2009, 5:21pm | #
"""You have an organization that is taking tax money and using it to hire people who seem to be very willing to help criminals commit pretty heinous crimes. Is there anything else that needs to be said?""

Willing to help criminals isn't a crime. Helping is.

True enough, TV. But this is going to be the foot in the door that will force subpoenas and investigations. Those action will uncover the true criminal conspiracies when the money trail is followed.

And OMG, I am just loving the fact that Giles and O'Keefe are using Alinsky's own playbook against them. Something about poetic justice?

[Hazel Meade]

Willing to help criminals isn't a crime. Helping is.

Otherwise Congress would get locked up.

I don't exepect any criminal charges to stem directly from the stuff in these videos. But do you really have to commit an actual felony to be disqualified for federal funding?

I WOULD expect investigations that will likely uncover some criminal activity from which some kind of criminal charges will come. We'll have to wait and see. Regardless, I expect ACORN's political future is dead. Your political career can be dead without committing an actual felony too, can't it?

[MNG]

John
I agree, it's foolish for liberals to defend these done turkeys.

[Andrea]

Good move not releasing the videos all at once.

[MNG]

I imagine if joe were here he would say that you can't condemn the whole organization for the acts of a few employees and the good ACORN does outweighs the bad.

I think regardless of the merits of that kind of thing, politically their goose is cooked, there is nothing in defending. The video, other than being hilarious, is so damning.

[TrickyVic]

"""That is conspiracy to defraud."""

I've been thinking along those line but ACORN did not have the ability to defraud by themselves, it would have required a committment from the other party that would have signed off on the paperwork. They can help others commit fraud but they would be the co-conspirators. No?

[MNG]

"Those action will uncover the true criminal conspiracies when the money trail is followed."

I will say this kind of statement is pretty bizarre. "I just know they're gonna find those goodies now that we got the chance to look!" Who the fuck knows what they will find? Not you and me.

[MNG]

Vic
By that logic you could never, in a sting operation, get someone on conspiracy to commit fraud. Right?

[TrickyVic]

"""True enough, TV. But this is going to be the foot in the door that will force subpoenas and investigations. Those action will uncover the true criminal conspiracies when the money trail is followed."""

The videos can establish enough suspicion to warrant probable cause for a search of their records. But that's different than claiming they are guilty.

[J sub D]

If someone helps you fill out documents in a false manner, it's still you committing the crime, the person helping you is just a co-conspirator.

I didn't rob the bamk. I just drove the getaway car. Driving a car isn't illegal, is it?

Assisting others in the commission of a crime is a crime.

[TrickyVic]

MNG, I don't think so. I don't think regular joes get the same benefits cops get.

Investigative reporting is not the same as a law enforcement sting operation. Even Dateline's porn stings, it was done with the cooperation of law enforcement. Unless the folks that did this were working with the police, then it's not a sting operation.

[Wicks Cherrycoke]

"Voting against the measure were ... a raft of NYC Democrats including ...Charles Rangel."

Hell...he probably got his tax advice from ACORN. "Just tell them you forgot about that villa in the Dominican Republic...."

[TrickyVic]

"""I didn't rob the bamk. I just drove the getaway car. Driving a car isn't illegal, is it?

Assisting others in the commission of a crime is a crime."""

You were part of an actual crime. ACORN was talking to people that were not actually committing a crime, so how is that analogous.

Like I said, If the people were actually filling out, or planned to fill out the form with ACORNs advice then a crime would have been committed, and both party would have committed the crime, the person(s) would filled out the form is responsible for accurately filling out that form, ACORN would have been a co-conspirator.

[J sub D]

But that's neither here nor there as the ACORN yahoos caught on tape will not be prosecuted. They'll just no longer be funded with your tax dollars. Notwithstanding certain legilators, I would think anyone, left, right, libertarian or socialist, would be aghast at sending any more money to these criminal assholes.

My own representative, Kwame's Mommy, voted against defunding ACORN. She's in a safe Dem seat but will probably be sent packing in the 2010 primaries. If she wins the primary she'll get re-elected with 80-90% of the vote.

Beelzebub (D) would beat J. Christ (R) in my district. By a landslide.

[TrickyVic]

""Assisting others in the commission of a crime is a crime.""

What crime did the others commit that ACORN was assisting? That's the problem. ACORN, being the people to help you fill out the forms can't commit the fraud against the government, they can only help you commit fraud against the government. If you were not intending to fraud the government, how could ACORN assist?

[Hazel Meade]

Methinks TrickyVic is just really bored today or something.

I can't really see what the point is of arguing that ACORN didn't actually commit any felonies in the actual videos.

Can someone help me out here?

[hmm]

I'm absolutely amazed that Russ Carnahan voted to defund ACORN. He is so far in bed with that group I think their breath smells like each others ass.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

MNG | September 18, 2009, 5:32pm |

I will say this kind of statement is pretty bizarre. "I just know they're gonna find those goodies now that we got the chance to look!" Who the fuck knows what they will find? Not you and me.

Agreed, but apparently unlike you, I just can't wait to find out.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

I'm absolutely amazed that Russ Carnahan voted to defund ACORN

Hmm, As I said before, the New Left mouthpieces will continue to howl, but any Congresscritter who doesn't run for cover has a poorly developed survival instinct.

[hmm]

His sister, who is running for the senate, hasn't said a word. The whole family is damn near as close to ACORN as IL politicians are. I really am amazed he didn't vote the other way. Although his district is mostly white union liberals, which probably how he justified it. Just doing business.

[Clich? Bandit]

While I am in Mike Coffman's district the fact that Jared Polis voted against defunding is also midboggling. That man is a complete idiot. OHH and watch the 2010 CO senate race. Andrew "I love communism" Romanoff is going to beat the pants off of Michael Bennet. And Obama even endorsed Bennet...ALREADY!. The left's recent gains in the Centennial State are in great jeopardy. The libertarian message resonates strong here and sometimes the LP plays kingmaker.

I can't wait.

Here comes the rain

[hmm]

Is it chocolate rain?

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Yes, chocolate rein(s) on a gumdrop unicorn.

[Hyperion]

Come on now folks. We can't be killing the funding for Acorn. We could destory the morale of our noble and hard working members of Congress. Afterall, how can they expect to find good cheap prostitutes from 3rd world countries in Balmer and DC if not for the good work from Acorn?

Damn, Glenn Beck was so wrong about Acorn, you just cannot believe a word that he has to say from now on. Especially after he was so wrong about Van Jones too. Who knows, good people like Nancy Pelosi may fall victim to his conspiracy theories next.

[hmm]

Beck was a little late to the table. A few unknown people have been trying like mad to get ACORN exposed. Beck does get huge credit for finally taking it national, although he needed a rating motive and Obama to dislike to do it.

[ransom147]

hmm:

beck has been after acorn for months, he just failed where these guys succeeded.

[Hyperion]

Not trying to give Beck all the credit for exposing Acorn. But, I do give him credit for being the one to bring national attention to the story. I don't know the whole story behind the kids who got the tapes, but not knowing, I still wonder if it would have received any prime time media exposure at all without Fox. I doubt it. I still have to laugh at how stupid these people at Acorn were to fall for these 2 kids, even when the guy was wearing that ridiculous pimp outfit with the fur, lol. Well, I work in downtown Balmer, hon, so I guess I should not be that surprised...

[hmm]

There have been journalists doing articles on ACORN for years. Starting with what's his pusses embezzling money and a history of voter registration fraud.

Beck gets credit, but he didn't care about ACORN until Obama was in office. ACORN has been rigging small town politics for years and no one has said anything nationally. Hell the level of corruption between unions, ACORN, and the DNC in IL is a running joke, that is now nationally recognized to at least some degree.

[hmm]

Hell people complained about ACORN when it was in Arkansas and Texas politicking for democrats. Although at first they were more of a group trying to influence the party rather than a close ally.

You do know who was running Arkansas when the Arkansas Community for Reform Now. Right about the time ACORN started its large scale voter frauds drives.

[hmm]

...when the Arkansas Community for Reform Now started growing significantly.

le fixed.

[Hyperion]

hmm,

Beck gets credit, but he didn't care about ACORN until Obama was in office

Why do you think that is so?

[hmm]

Because ACORN has a long history of corruption starting about the time they started voter drives(20-30ish years). I'm not faulting Beck. He had no motive to drive him to look into ACORN until Obama, who flaunted the connection, was on the scene. But the fact remains he did not discover something that was unknown. He just took it national and exposed it to everyone. Which is itself a commendable thing.

[hmm]

Look up old articles about ACORN and squatting or ACORN and signatures to force local referendums. The organization has been corrupt and fucking people for a long time.

[Hyperion]

You seem to have some knowledge of the history of Acorn, going back a few years. Maybe that is because you have been involved in politics, directly or indirectly for longer than some of us. I only started paying attention to politics during the 2nd term of Bush, when I started to get this uneasy feeling that big government was encroaching on our rights and freedoms(patriot act). That and the Iraq war which did not make any sense to me at all. I only started watching Beck about 6 months ago, before that, I did not even know who he was. That being said, I started to watch him on Fox and I noticed that there seemed to be some verifiable evidence behind some of the things he was saying. Things that I did not hear anywhere else on cable or network news. Anyway, Glenn does have a tendency to come off as a conspiracy theory goofball sometimes, but compared to the fluff that I see on NBC, CBS, ABC, etc., I have to commend him. Why so many people here dislike the guy, I am not sure. I will not really accept his claim to be a Libertarian until I see him say 'ON FOX NEWS' that he is opposed to the WOD. I think that will get him fired from Fox, unfortunately, as they are controlled by conservatives, who all seem to have learned nothing from the prohibition of alcohol.

[TeamBarstool]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra?l_Grijalva

My Congresscritter voted not to defund them. And He will enjoy 60% of the vote next election.
I hate my neighbors.

[Gilbert Martin]

"The professional investigative journalists won't investigate groups like ACORN because they don't think any public service is performed by doing so. They think these groups are doing good work, community service, helping people, and any small crimes they commit along the way are excusable, because of their good mission. They are much more focused on investigating the people they consider bad actors - i.e. people that want to make a profit, right win politicians, the business class, etc. In other words, it's basically the liberal bias. The innately consider community "activist" groups to be "good" - and hence not the proper subjects of intense scrutiny, and profit seekers to be "evil" - and hence in need of intense scrutiny."

Yes that is correct.

Also they are determined never to acknowledge that any of alternative media sources be it talk radio, blogs or whatever could ever have anything legitimate to report - if they are from the right of course.

Even after they were forced to say something about ACORN, they reported it as more of a political hit job by right wingers with precious little acknowledgment of what ACORN was doing - just as they'd had precious little interest in all the prior vote fraud and other stuff they'd been doing for years.

The same thing with the Van Jones deal. They weren't interested in anything about Van Jones himself. He was just another victim of right wing smears as far as they were concerned.

[Hyperion]

The organization has been corrupt and fucking people for a long time.

The entire left wing / socialist special interest collective has been fucking people for far too long in this country. The old phrase 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease' is too true in reality. The only way for the silent majority to stop big government is to become 'the squeaky wheel'. I think this is happening and Nancy Pelosis recent crocodile tears rant is a testament to this.

[ransom147]

Hyperion:

if you think beck would be fired for coming out against the WOD; maybe you should check out Red Eye. it's a great show...

TeamBarstool:

being from AZ's 8th, i feel your pain... of course now i'm in SC's 4th, and i have a new douchebag to contend with. grijalva and gabby gifftard could not put enough braincells together between them to pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were written on the sole.

[Hyperion]

ransom147,

Red Eye? Got an URL?

Thanks

[ransom147]

Hyperion:

http://www.hulu.com/red-eye

also reason tv w/ the host greg gutfeld: http://reason.tv/video/show/784.html

[JB]

ACORN should be defunded. Bush and Rumsfeld should be tried and executed.

What about Obama? That dickless bitch has no problem sentencing people to anal rape for getting high with a drug less dangerous than alcohol.

If you don't consider anal rape to be torture, then list your address coward, and I'm sure one of the commenters here can recommend that Old Joe come over and service you when you aren't expecting it.

[Hyperion]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[ransom147]

JB:

jeesh, we don't worry about that kind of torture! duh! it's for the greater good!

and i forgot who wrote that about bush and rummy, but why bother with the trial if you've already determined the outcome?

[ransom147]

NP Hyperion, i hope you enjoy.

[Hyperion]

JB, so true. Obama is not opposed at all to the minorities in our inner cities getting gang raped in prison for possesion of an herb, a fucking plant, as long as they are so ignorant as to keep voting for him and his accomplices. Give them meager socialist handouts so they can subsist and keep them living in a government created warzone. Obama is a fucking socialist pussy. He is the racist against his own people, all the while accusing anyone opposed to his socialist agenda of being racist. I don't use any drugs besides alcohol(yes, it is a drug, legality does not negate that fact), but I have friends that do smoke pot and I am very convinced that it is not more dangerous than alcohol, maybe less. Our federal government is one FUBAR POS, it is up to us to change it.

[hmm]

ACORN got its name squatting and taking peoples property. That's where my interest started. I get a little pissy when I see people taking things from others, especially through legal means. The organization also used, or uses, the same union thug tactics to force section 8 and referendum based policies to manipulate local ordinance and laws.

I've had a long and deep hatred of the organization. They are, or were, hailed as the saviors of the disenfranchised when all they did was piss off the people who were trying to improve the ghettos they were creating. The other thing that pisses me off, taking advantage of people and telling them you are helping.

Beck held their feet to a fire on a national stage. He gets a ton of credit for it, but this is one of the later chapters in ACORN history. I'm still on the fence about Beck, he has supported some things in the past that I disagree with and the showmanship gets old. That said he is destroying ratings(out of prime time at that) and he seems to believe what he is saying. So more power too him, I'm just a little cynical.

[Hyperion]

hmm,

not sure if you are a Libertarian or not, but if you are, I think being a little(or a lot) cynical goes with the territory. Afterall, being a Libertarian is all about not being sold on everything that is handed to you.

You may think I am a big Beck fan, but really I am not, at this point. I am just taking what good I can find in the media(internet excluded), and it is little. He is the only one saying much that I agree with, and the corruption in DC has got to stop and he is starting to expose it and getting results.

What you just said about Acorn reminds me of the current situation in Brazil. My girlfriend is Brazilian, and they now have in power a president, Lula, that reminds me a lot of Obama. He is left leaning and is all for Socialist type programs. Of course, like Obama, he cares nothing for the poor and only wants their votes. He just allowed a LOT of illegal immigrants, mostly from Bolivia to become citizens of Brazil. There is now a problem with these Bolivians squatting on land that does not belong to them and many middle class citizens there are starting to wake up and get very pissed about the fact that they are going to foot the bill for illegal immigrants in their country. Obama wants the same for us.

[ransom147]

hmm:

your cynicism is certainly understandable. beck is far from the ideal liberty loving person we would all love to see on tv, but he's taking baby steps and i believe he's headed in the right direction...

[Hyperion]

ransom147,

Agree with your analysis of Beck. Really, if you want to sit down on your sofa and watch the news, what better do you have to choose from? Glenn does need a little direction, but in general, he is light years ahead of his competition. CNN is the only other news network besides FOX that I can stomach watching some of the time. I actually think they did a better job of covering the Iranian election protests. BTW, looks like more protests have sprung up in Iran. I think it is very important that we handle the Iran situation correctly. Obama cannot I am sure. I wonder if he will bow to AhmoodMidgetInaJacket when he meets him? I know a few Iranians working here in the US and they are great people and I think the Iranian people in general are good people and AhmoodMidgetInAJacket does not represent them anymore than Obama or Bush represents Americans. Makes me wish for the Reagan days, except for his WOD...

[B]

"O'Keefe, who described himself as an investigative journalist with no formal training..."

Hahahahahaha, who still clings to the ridiculous fucking conceit that it takes training to be a journalist?

[B]

"Bush and Rumsfeld should be tried and executed."

And you should be made to sit on a stool in the corner, with a big pointy white hat on, because you are obviously a fucking dunce.

[B]

"Beck gets credit, but he didn't care about ACORN until Obama was in office

Why do you think that is so?"

Jesus fucking Christ, now we have assholes on a libertarian site of all places playing the fucking race card. If you are going to do that kind of shit, go over to the rest of the Huffington Post with the rest of the sub-50 IQ Obama sycophants.

[ransom147]

B:

i don't think hmm was playing the race card there...

[Hazel Meade]

I've had a long and deep hatred of the organization. They are, or were, hailed as the saviors of the disenfranchised when all they did was piss off the people who were trying to improve the ghettos they were creating. The other thing that pisses me off, taking advantage of people and telling them you are helping.

The problem is these people think they are doing good by squatting and expropriating property, but by undermining institutions like private property and cotnract enforcement they are actually destroying the very mechanisms by which prosperity is created.

They've got exactly the same mindset as people who believe that crime is a legitimate means of seizing wealth from "The Man". Not only do they drive away any legitimate investment that mgiht be attracted to a depressed area, they destroy the conditions by which local entrepreneurs mgiht actually begin to build an economic base. Thereby perpetuating and deepening the level of poverty. It's fucking socialism on a micro scale.

[TeamBarstool]

ransom147

At least back in the day, Gifftard looked kinda cute drunk off her ass at Club Congress. That could have been my beer goggles though.

What was pathetic was watching Grijalva & Ray Carrol drink tequila at Che's while everyone was kissing his ass. And that was when he was only on the county board of stupidvisors

and I still hate my neighbors

[Hazel Meade]

WTF, someone else lives in Tucson?

[ransom147]

ahh.. i miss club congress.

[hmm]

Again, don't get me wrong. I don't watch Beck to often due to the showmanship. It gets a little old or me. I get his schtick and style and while I'm not a fan of the hyperbolic the sky is falling genre I'm all for anyone who is willing to kick the teeth of government in and hold elected officials responsible or at least expose them. Beck destroys the ratings for a reason, he found what resonates with people and is going with it. Whether he actually believes the little "l" ideals he espouses will be tested with time. But for now I'm all for what he is doing, or at least what I think he is doing.

There's only one TV personality that I really really hate. But he is inconsequential and nothing more than a pimple on the ass of humanity. And his ratings are dismal.

"Beck gets credit, but he didn't care about ACORN until Obama was in office

Why do you think that is so?"

Jesus fucking Christ, now we have assholes on a libertarian site of all places playing the fucking race card. If you are going to do that kind of shit, go over to the rest of the Huffington Post with the rest of the sub-50 IQ Obama sycophants.

Did you put your orange spandex Mr. Logic suit with the pink and purple cape to make that leap of logic?

[TeamBarstool]

Hazel Meade

I would have expected something more like this.- WTF, someone else lives in Tucson? That believes in freedom?

and on that note , I'm heading to Whetstone for an Oktoberfest party.

[MemeGenerate]

ACORN: Child "Services" / Financial "Services" / "Voter" Registration --Democrat Funded

http://www.makestickers.com/

ACORN: Assisting Call-girls, Obama, Reid, and Nancy

Other ideas?

[Liberty Gal]

"Bring It On!"
James O'Keefe's response to Fox News 'what if ACORN sues'

[Hazel Meade]

I would have expected something more like this.- WTF, someone else lives in Tucson? That believes in freedom?

Sadly, Arizona is one of the more libertarian parts of the country. Cities in general are just more left-leaning. But havn't you ever been up Remington - er - Reddington Pass on a weekend?

[M o n k e e]

what from what I saw of the video
the reason why conservatives are pissed off is because of

1) the prostitution
2) illegal immigration
3) tax evasion

surely those are things that anarcho-capitalist type libertarians don't care about?

Now that ACORN don't get government funding
surely anarcho-capitalist libertarians should actively support ACORN as a private group that supports:

1) freedom of the body from state regulation
2) the free movement of workers
3) tax resistance

[The Angry Optimist]

Monkee - by that logic, I should support drug-kingpins who murder as well.

[R C Dean]

Jeez, Monkee, ACORN's entire purpose for existing is to drive a hard-left agenda and support uber-Statist Dems, using a variety of fraudulent and borderline-coercive tactics. Nothing there for even an anarcho-capitalist to like.

[Acton]

Congress is really not going to defund ACORN. The House will pass an amendment to one bill, and it will come out in conference, because the same language is not in the Senate bill, and the Senate will pass an amendment to one bill, and it will come out because of the lack of a corresponding House bill. And all the Dems will go back home and say, "I voted to defund ACORN," when they know that such a thing is impossible and ACORN is still going to get $8 BILLION in the Stimulus Bill.