Tone Deaf Congress to give Stimulus Money to ACORN?
It’s not quite as bad as the title might imply, but the more we look at the pending stimulus package, the more we see how much Congress needs to slow down and examine this more carefully. One provision tucked away in the bill could result in certain “housing groups and nonprofits” will be able to apply for funding from the package. The Albuquerque Journal has the details. (Subscription required)
WASHINGTON — A low-income advocacy group that became controversial in New Mexico’s 2008 elections could qualify for federal funding under the economic stimulus bill pending in Congress, but not likely at the level some have suggested, Democratic staffers for New Mexico lawmakers said this week.
Last weekend, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, issued a statement claiming that ACORN — Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — could qualify for as much as $4.1 billion in federal stimulus money under the bill passed by the U.S. Senate. The money would be available to a wide array of community groups under a category called “neighborhood stabilization activities.”
Clearly there is no direct appropriations of taxpayer funds for ACORN in the bill, but how much direct stimulus and job creation are we going to get out of providing funding for these groups? That’s not to say that some of them may not be very deserving, but I’m talking about the stated intent of the bill here. Plus, if there’s even a remote chance that one dollar of the cash would wind up in the hands of ACORN, exactly how tone deaf are the bill’s authors? This is supposed to be the most crucial piece of legislation on the table and the President has repeatedly stated he wants GOP buy-in and bipartisan cooperation. Does this sound like something that’s likely to bring them on board?
12 Responses to “Tone Deaf Congress to give Stimulus Money to ACORN?”
Sorry, but the only people who get up in arms about ACORN are conservative Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents. The rest of America doesn't care about ACORN. In fact, the whole subject of ACORN is a sop to the right-wing base.
I agree, no money for ACORN or any other pet project right now. And I don't often agree with the GOP as you know. But this is one of those times.
We have to narrow the focus down to the magic bullet I've outlined. It is not only a good idea but it also a fair idea in that it is an even player. (Nearly) everyone has a home, or at least for now we do. Republicans and dems alike will benefit from stimulus in mortgage assistance or other housing assistance aimed at keeping the virulent foreclosure virus from being our final undoing. Keeping people in homes is the way to stimulate. Give the little guy a break and s/he'll spend spend spend. And that equals jobs and solvency for everyone involved, and the banks get to strengthen their paper.
No special programs. None. Lower the amount of the Bill and hit this one duck right between the eyes.
You asked: “How much direct stimulus and job creation are we going to get out of providing funding for these groups?”
And earlier you said: “One provision tucked away in the bill could result in certain “housing groups and nonprofits” will be able to apply for funding from the package.'
Do you really not see the value of funding housing groups when foreclosures are on the rise and we're in an economic crisis that originated in the housing market? I guess it depends on if you think of it solely as a stimulus bill, or as a “recovery” bill, which is how it's being framed by the administration.
Jazz, you've been around Morrissey too long as he's drifted closer and closer to Malkin.
This is supposed to be the most crucial piece of legislation on the table and the President has repeatedly stated he wants GOP buy-in and bipartisan cooperation.
Does the GOP have any serious intention of buying in?
Also, the prospect that some relatively small amount of money will go to community goups doesn't seem outrageous to me. But you know what does seems outrageous to me? The very idea that Republican House Leader John Boehner would grossly exaggerate the possible amount of money to a group like ACORN–that's what seems outrageous to me.
Boehner is playing to the base.
So once again, the question remains: Does the GOP have any serious intention of buying in?
I don't see any evidence of it.
If I were a Republican, I'd be unhappy with my representation unwillingness to take serious part in this. Or maybe I'd just freak out whenever someone brought up ACORN.
Plus, if there’s even a remote chance that one dollar of the cash would wind up in the hands of ACORN, exactly how tone deaf are the bill’s authors?
Not tone deaf at all. The conservative vapours and hysteria over even peripheral, theoretical benefits for ACORN will continue to amuse the rest of us, however.
Jazz,
Perhaps your article would have gotten a better reception if you could point to a reason why ACORN shouldn't get money?
Because there's not enough of it to go around???
ACORN is already directly involved in employing poor people throughout the country.
Remember back to the election, ACORN was specifically paying people to go around neighborhoods registering voters. Only people without steady employment are available for that kind of work.
I think its been well said here already. ACORN is a nice resonant target for right wingers who only want to focus on their get out the vote activities and ignore the much larger percentage of what ACORN does nationally: advocate and provide resources for fair housing, better wages, fair taxes, health care, sick days, foreclosure prevention.
How can any of those things be useful right now?
Actually, lurxst, the right wing animus toward ACORN isn't just about the vote fraud activities, but about it's core mission. It grew out of far left activist groups and has an anticapitalist agenda, and it's activities often end up hurting the poor more than it helps (and brings down everyone else in the process.) Their method of advocating for fair housing, for instance, was to lobby for the CRA which instigated the current housing crisis.
And that's leaving aside the fact that it's a highly corrupt organization (the Rathke brothers conspired to embezzle nearly a million dollars and when discovered, the executives of the organization agreed to restitution without informing the board or law enforcement.)
Also leaving aside that there isn't a proper separation between the nonprofit activities of the group and it's political wing, and that they operate under a number of front organizations which prevents transparency (one such group was paid $800,000 by the Obama campaign for get out the vote efforts.)
There are plenty of reasons that this organization shouldn't receive any public funds- it probably shouldn't even be permitted to retain it's nonprofit status, let alone receive billions in taxpayer dollars.
ACORN does not deserve any of my tax money. They are a political group (no matter how they market themselves). Would it be appropriate for a new presidency to give 4 billion dollars to the DNC or the RNC? It is the same thing. What's worse is they are going to do our census. I wonder how that's going to turn out? I know I can answer the question. It will turn out with census fraud alligations because they have an agenda and make no bones about it.