House Votes to Suspend Acorn Funds After Video Uproar

[GG]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=alHxUmFKCLC8

Sept. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to cut off all federal funding for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now after reports that some of the group's employees gave tax and housing advice to people who said they ran a prostitution business.

The motion passed 345-75 during debate on legislation to end federally subsidized private student loans. The bill now goes to the Senate.

"Acorn's abuse of the public trust and disregard for the responsibilities that come with receiving taxpayer funding are disturbing," said Representative Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican.

Acorn, a nonprofit organization that provides housing and other assistance for low- and moderate-income families, has received more than $53 million in federal funds since 1994, according to a report by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Republicans.

Earlier today, Acorn announced that it would examine its operations and policies. In a memo to supporters, Acorn Chief Executive Officer Bertha Lewis and Executive Director Steven Kest said the group had suspended all interviews of people seeking assistance, and its advisory board would begin an independent review of its programs.

[GG]

The Tulsa World has a good take on this...........................

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=63&articleid=20090917_63_A14_tworld536120

[we vs us]

ACORN screwed up in two ways: 

1) Their internal management, training, and/or employment controls were obviously piss-poor.  Some of what was caught on camera can be chalked up to dodgy gotcha-style journalism; the worst of it can't.  The 12 year old sex slave stuff is particularly awful.  There's no real way around it. 

2)  ACORN's been a prime target of right wing activists for over a year now; that they're not minding their p's and q's when they know they're under continuing scrutiny just reinforces the idea that whoever's at the helm has a fundamentally flawed idea of how to run a national outfit.  There's been plenty of warning.  No good reason for them NOT to have cleaned up their act at this point.

This will be a good opportunity for a top to bottom reorg and hopefully a roundabout path back to federal funding.  Because honestly, ACORN's goals are laudable, and worth federal support.  Just not without reform.

[Conan71]

So, the Feds have funded ACORN to the tune of $53mm since 1994, that's what, $3.5mm a year?  How do they manage to provide substantive help to the people who need it at that rate?  I'm guessing at least 40 to 50% being eaten up in administrative, lobbying, and overhead costs, if not more.  What are ACORN's other sources of funding?  Might be time to pay attention to more of these non-profit, government-assisted organizations. 

Kind of an eye-opener.

[FOTD]

So, the Feds have funded ACORN to the tune of $53mm since 1994, that's what, $3.5mm a year?  How do they manage to provide substantive help to the people who need it at that rate?  I'm guessing at least 40 to 50% being eaten up in administrative, lobbying, and overhead costs, if not more.  What are ACORN's other sources of funding?  Might be time to pay attention to more of these non-profit, government-assisted organizations. 

Kind of an eye-opener.

Yes. You need eye opening. The reactionaries are using this to divert attention from the health care debate and  as a way to say enough of this funding for the administrators assisting the under class.

IT'S ABOUT ACORN ALRIGHT! MORE IMPORTANTLY IT'S ABOUT GIVING A HAND UP NOT A HAND OUT. But because you hate what your government does to help the sick, the poor, and the uneducated you insist on saying this money, every dime, is abused.

And get it in perspective. $53 million a week in Iraq for 8 years....duh. Never heard you b it ch bout dat.

Dolt

[we vs us]

So, the Feds have funded ACORN to the tune of $53mm since 1994, that's what, $3.5mm a year?  How do they manage to provide substantive help to the people who need it at that rate?  I'm guessing at least 40 to 50% being eaten up in administrative, lobbying, and overhead costs, if not more.  What are ACORN's other sources of funding?  Might be time to pay attention to more of these non-profit, government-assisted organizations. 

Kind of an eye-opener.

Well, you know . . . they're a nonprofit.  So they probably get funding the way any nonprofit does: corporate donations, public and private fundraising, and gov matching funds (state, local, federal). 

I might be more rah-rah for an audit of all the federally supported charities out there if 1) the sums weren't so piddly (I mean $3,5 mm a YEAR?  What a bank breaker) and if we didn't have so many other freakin' balls in the air, all of which worth hundreds of billions of dollars. 

Also, while what was uncovered at ACORN was legitimately awful, it was still conservative activists who did it, and using methods that were . . . well, not so savory.  Point being that, if you want to get into a nickel and dime pissing match over whose pet nonprofits are more corruptly run, then we'll nothing but partisan gridlock for years to come. 

[Red Arrow]

Also, while what was uncovered at ACORN was legitimately awful, it was still conservative activists who did it, and using methods that were . . . well, not so savory. 

Is what you are saying it that it would have been OK for the mainstream media to uncover it using unsavory methods?  I have seen spots on mainstream TV that used undercover cameras and asked questions that were similar to the proverbial "have you stopped beating your wife?".  I have watched enough 60 Minutes shows to know why they frequently do not get an interview with a person of interest.

[nathanm]

Is what you are saying it that it would have been OK for the mainstream media to uncover it using unsavory methods?

What would have been OK were people who weren't bald faced liars spewing forth this noise. I'd be interested to see all the raw footage so we can see what else they're covering up.

It's not OK to go on national TV and say that "none of the facilities kicked us out," when that is demonstrably false. It makes me think you're an attention whore rather than someone interested in exposing the truth.

[cannon_fodder]

Some info on ACORNS funding from the election time frame:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/secretmoney/2008/10/acorns_money_tree_has_many_bra.html

It's true that much of their money is Federal (not just appropriates but grants from HUD, the EPA, etc.), but they also get funding from tons of other sources.  That includes classic liberal funds (unions, George Soros) but also mainstream or even conservative sources (including investment banks).  They also have some 527s to do their own fund raising.

On the whole, the group probably did more harm than good.  But they DID do harm.  Some of that harm was political in nature (voter fraud in favor of Democrats) and put a target on their back.  They then failed to reign in their issues and were further exposed.  Fairly simple.

But don't fret FOTD.  ACORN is done for but that doesn't mean the funding for the work they did will dry up.  And being critical of a group also doesn't equate to hating poor people or charity.  Try to stay a bit rational.

[Conan71]

I see at least two things going on here which I take as nothing more than trying to excuse the bad behavior of an agency which is intertwined with liberals and other liberal interests for the sake of protecting the fold.  It all boils down to partisans trying to excuse the inexcusable.

I don't see how $53mm a week or month or whatever in Iraq justifies funnelling money to a "non-profit" special interest group.  How do you justify idiotic spending with more idiotic spending?  Do you do that in your personal life?  I bet not.  Who's the dolt here, FOTD? 

I also don't agree with the "It's only $3.5mm" mentality. 

How many other "only $3.5mm" sink-holes are there in the national budget?  Thousands upon thousands.  This mentality is incredibly narrow-minded.  Washington insiders have lost total touch with fiscal reality.  "It's only a billion dollars".  It adds up. 

If this had been one of GWB's faith-based organizations, you libs would be screaming for them to be shut down.

Sorry guys, fiscal responsibility needs to be a lot less partisan.  If ACORN were closely affilliated with the GOP, I'd be saying the exact same thing.  If there are some GOP-related special interest groups which wind up in the same trouble, you sure as heck won't hear a bunch of apologetic clap-trap from me to try and justify it.

There's a 5% drop in Oklahoma school budgets just announced, how many other states are losing school funds due to lower reciepts this year?  How many other creepy special interests are sucking up federal funds which could be put to better use through educational funding?  I say flush them out and get them off the tit.  I hope ACORN is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Cats Cats Cats]

Well, you know . . . they're a nonprofit.  So they probably get funding the way any nonprofit does: corporate donations, public and private fundraising, and gov matching funds (state, local, federal). 

I might be more rah-rah for an audit of all the federally supported charities out there if 1) the sums weren't so piddly (I mean $3,5 mm a YEAR?  What a bank breaker) and if we didn't have so many other freakin' balls in the air, all of which worth hundreds of billions of dollars. 

Also, while what was uncovered at ACORN was legitimately awful, it was still conservative activists who did it, and using methods that were . . . well, not so savory.  Point being that, if you want to get into a nickel and dime pissing match over whose pet nonprofits are more corruptly run, then we'll nothing but partisan gridlock for years to come. 

Corruptly run?  They just answered the question!  And to top it of they (in theory) helped the US Government get more tax money.  They are patriots!  And cannon fodder, they it wasn't voter fraud.  It was voter registration fraud.  It is a bit different.  Registering Mickey Mouse for the vote so you can get your 50 cents or $1 a voter registered is a bit different than going down as Mickey Mouse and voting for somebody.  This organization is a good example of a non profit hiring trashy people to work for them.  They need to purge the horrible employees and try to rebuild with college interns, etc.

[Conan71]

This organization is a good example of a non profit hiring trashy people to work for them.  They need to purge the horrible employees and try to rebuild with college interns, etc.

And probably a good indicator that all the cream is being sucked off the top for a select few, otherwise one would think they could hire a better quality worker.

[GG]

However, Acorn was was eligible for a wider set of funding in pending legislation, which funds housing and transportation programs.

That $53 million they have received was just a drop in the bucket to what they were lining themselves up for. 

[Conan71]

However, Acorn was was eligible for a wider set of funding in pending legislation, which funds housing and transportation programs.

That $53 million they have received was just a drop in the bucket to what they were lining themselves up for. 

Good thing we found out now, then.

[FOTD]

Control that dialog. This is the real issue. Interesting how the House and Senate are deliberative bodies, except when the GOP screams their head off. Then they rush to judgment with Glenn Beck acting as director...

Please define "creepy special interests" CoCo.

Specifically Crusher, how did they do more harm than good. Is that your best guess?