Friday, October 10, 2008
Ayering the Wright ACORN
“Federal Election Commission reports show ACORN-affiliated Citizens Services Inc. got $832,598 from the Obama campaign for get-out-the-vote work during the primaries. But those payments stopped in May and the Obama campaign says they should not be an election issue. “ Washington Times - Obama camp downplays payments to ACORN
This should be significant because ACORN is back in the news…again…and again.
How will the Obama Campaign respond with?
“You know, this conversation doesn’t help my kids.”
“This isn’t the ACORN I know”
“What ACORN has been doing lately directly contradicts everything I have ever done or said in my life…well, at least since May"
4. “Acorn is not an organization with which I exchange ideas from on a regular basis...well, at least since May. And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing an organization which engaged in detestable acts 40 months or 40 days ago - when I was much younger than I am now - somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense.”
But perhaps I’m being unfair to ACORN, after all, “…attacks against ACORN and community organizers continue a vile Republican pattern of mockery and viciousness against this noble profession. Community organizers are the very individuals Republicans should be celebrating for helping people to help themselves rather than depending on the government.” Fight the Smears: Barack Obama Never Organized with ACORN
Damn, after reading that, I’m inclined to think less of the Illinois Senator for NOT organizing with them.
This should be significant because ACORN is back in the news…again…and again.
How will the Obama Campaign respond with?
“You know, this conversation doesn’t help my kids.”
“This isn’t the ACORN I know”
“What ACORN has been doing lately directly contradicts everything I have ever done or said in my life…well, at least since May"
4. “Acorn is not an organization with which I exchange ideas from on a regular basis...well, at least since May. And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing an organization which engaged in detestable acts 40 months or 40 days ago - when I was much younger than I am now - somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense.”
But perhaps I’m being unfair to ACORN, after all, “…attacks against ACORN and community organizers continue a vile Republican pattern of mockery and viciousness against this noble profession. Community organizers are the very individuals Republicans should be celebrating for helping people to help themselves rather than depending on the government.” Fight the Smears: Barack Obama Never Organized with ACORN
Damn, after reading that, I’m inclined to think less of the Illinois Senator for NOT organizing with them.
Comments:
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As best I can tell, ACORN is getting conned, not conning, until someone can show me some written proof, not just the word of some hack gatherer looking to pass the buck.
I ran into this issue several times when I was Treasurer of the Maryland LP. If you use paid petition signature gatherers (same in substantial function and economics as ACORN's paid registrars), you have to vet people. Some will hand you back Daffy Duck and swear they got it from a would-be voter. Some will forge a large number of signatures to cover for goldbricking per hour or more direct fraud in terms of payment-per-signature.
I as Treasurer could have been accused as deliberately funding the fraud of one guy who conned us in our quadrennial signature efforts to get the LPMD back into official party status. We didn't con the Board of Elections when we turned in signatures some of which had doubtful provenance; we had gotten conned, and paid dearly in green money for the con.
Had the State Prosecutor come after me, my chair and our paid signature gatherers over some undoubtedly bogus sigs, it would have been the mother of all finger pointing, as it is now.
The other issue is that it's not "voting fraud" to file a false registration. It is more broadly election fraud, but to get a fraudulent vote you need an actual voter and an actual registration. You don't get 72 votes from 72 registrations; likely you get caught and get none. Q.E.D. re why this sounds like ACORN getting bamboozled by clipboard hustlers, not bamboozling.
I ran into this issue several times when I was Treasurer of the Maryland LP. If you use paid petition signature gatherers (same in substantial function and economics as ACORN's paid registrars), you have to vet people. Some will hand you back Daffy Duck and swear they got it from a would-be voter. Some will forge a large number of signatures to cover for goldbricking per hour or more direct fraud in terms of payment-per-signature.
I as Treasurer could have been accused as deliberately funding the fraud of one guy who conned us in our quadrennial signature efforts to get the LPMD back into official party status. We didn't con the Board of Elections when we turned in signatures some of which had doubtful provenance; we had gotten conned, and paid dearly in green money for the con.
Had the State Prosecutor come after me, my chair and our paid signature gatherers over some undoubtedly bogus sigs, it would have been the mother of all finger pointing, as it is now.
The other issue is that it's not "voting fraud" to file a false registration. It is more broadly election fraud, but to get a fraudulent vote you need an actual voter and an actual registration. You don't get 72 votes from 72 registrations; likely you get caught and get none. Q.E.D. re why this sounds like ACORN getting bamboozled by clipboard hustlers, not bamboozling.
# posted by 
: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 3:38:00 PM
: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 3:38:00 PM
thanks for the comment Bruce - I believe ACORN is getting conned but it's only frustration is that the con artists aren't better at what they do...I just can't believe ACORN is upset about what this all portends for our electoral process
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