rssThe Truth About ACORN
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 2:45 pm
- 12 Comments
As criticism of ACORN heats up in the press, on the Internet and at McCain campaign rallies, it’s worth taking a step back and examining the charges.
GOP leaders have alleged that in registering 1.3 million new voters in 21 states, the Assn. of Community Organizations for Reform Now has engaged in widespread voter fraud. They argue that ACORN’s improper registrations could allow, say, Mickey Mouse to cast a ballot for Sen. Barack Obama on Nov. 4.
What’s wrong with this picture?
First, as TWI’s Daphne Eviatar pointed out in an excellent post last week, even if Mickey Mouse makes it onto the registration rolls, there’s no way that he’ll actually cast a vote on Election Day. The fraud, Daphne writes, is not on the American electorate but on ACORN, which sees its time and money wasted, and its reputation tarnished, whenever one of its canvassers submits false registration applications.
Second, as ACORN representatives explained at a press conference this morning, the procedure ACORN uses in submitting registration applications makes it easier, not harder, for the states to determine which applications are valid.
At the National Press Club, ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan, flanked by leaders of voter-advocacy groups and an out-of-place “new American and new voter” named Enrique, explained that the organization divides its applications into three piles: those whose validity has been verified, those that are missing some information and those that appear problematic.
Whelan said that ACORN submits all three piles, clearly marked and separated, to state election boards. It is the inclusion of the problematic applications that has led to the voter-fraud charges against ACORN.
Whelan argued that while ACORN makes recommendations to the states about which registrations are valid, it is neither the organization’s right nor its responsibility to exclude any forms from consideration by election boards.
Miles Rapoport, president of Demos and a former election official, said at the news conference that “it would be a real problem” if an independent organization like ACORN judged for itself which registration forms should be submitted. By submitting all forms it receives, ACORN ensures an objective and legal registration process.
As for the falsified forms that keep turning up, Whelan stated: “Out of 13,000 [ACORN] workers, there were inevitably a few who tried to pad their numbers.” But these workers earned no extra money for doing so, because ACORN pays “by the hour, not by the [registration] card.”
Whelan added, “If we discover anyone who has falsified cards, we ask state election officials” to prosecute the offenders.
The demographics of ACORN’s registration efforts help explain why the GOP has taken such a strong stand against the organization. (In a fund-raising email, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin referred to ACORN as a “left-wing activist group.”)
According to ACORN’s press materials, “an estimated 60-70 percent of our applicants are people of color” and “at least half of all registrations are from young people between 18-29.” Both voter groups are being targeted by Democrats.
But if Democrats stand to gain so much from ACORN’s registration drives, why did Sen. John McCain tell an audience at an ACORN-sponsored rally two years ago that groups like ACORN are “what makes America special”?
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12 Comments
Comment posted October 14, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
Nice Article. The fact still remains, registering “Mickey Mouse” or one person multiple time is still a ….CRIME. Nothing you say changes that.
Comment posted October 14, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
P.S. – Reference to last paragraph – MvCain was obviously referring to “Special K”
Comment posted October 14, 2008 @ 12:53 pm
Um, yeah. Presumably that's why ACORN asks state election officials to prosecute the offenders.
Comment posted October 14, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
If you're not going to read the article, don't post a reply. ACORN legally cannot decide which registrations to submit – that would be real abuse. Mickey Mouse does not get registered, that's the whole point. ACORN is actually helping prevent the registrars from registering bogus voters.
Comment posted October 14, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
Andy, put the crack pipe down, before you get hurt. Andy, it is you who is missing the point. If, but for one time, they aided in allowing one person to vote more than once, it negates ANY credibility they have (really HAD). Dempographics don't matter, ages don't matter, all the above article tried to do is “Spin”. You say – how's that?
state election boards – It alludes that the stae boards reviews all of them, when in fact this IS NOT how it happens in every state. You need to do more than just read the article Andy to base your opinions.
Mickey Mouse – This was obviously one of the workers trying to earn a few more bucks (I don't care if they said they only pay by the hour, I don't beleive it. No incenetive to even fill one of these out if there is no monetary incentive driving the person. ) and I get that. If ACORN is dumb enough to allow of with Mickey Mouse get to the State board for review they are guilty stupidy and not reviewing like they say they are.
At the end of the day Andy, it doesn't matter how good or bad their intentions were. It was illegal. A little more accountability could go along way.
Comment posted October 15, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
I have read this several times now. Why is it that Acorn has not got someone in the media to show this side of the story? Meanwhile the corporate controled media with hysteria types like Sean Hanity and Lou Dobbs keep the spin going and keep the bogeyman alive. You know when Obama wins the right will claim the election was a fraud. It's funny how the republicans got away with this for two straight elections and now the democrats are on the defensive.
Comment posted October 16, 2008 @ 10:49 pm
With one blank Acorn registration form, a copier, sleeve of paper, and an activist with a pencil stub, they can mock-up registration (“voter”) fraud, place blame, make implications on race, screen the real polling nightmare they're hiding.
Comment posted October 29, 2008 @ 11:36 am
“If ACORN is dumb enough to allow of with Mickey Mouse get to the State board for review they are guilty stupidy and not reviewing like they say they are.”
You need to read the article and the laws regarding voter registration. It is ILLEGAL for ACORN or anyone other than the state's official agency to reject a voter registration.
If ACORN or any other group started rejecting registrations, the next thing you reactionary wackos would be doing is screaming about them breaking the law by rejecting registrations.
Why, in the name of God, is it so hard for people to understand facts when they are opposed to a concept? Is it they are so caught up in their own righteousness they are blind to fact? Or are they just stupid?
Comment posted October 29, 2008 @ 11:39 am
yes, it is registration fraud, NOT voter fraud and no one is denying it should be prosecuted.
But multiple registrations, if accurate are not illegal. The last one counts.
Registration does not guarantee a vote. The system is designed so that a person is validated at the time of voting against the voting roll. If the system falls down there, it is upon the poll worker.
Comment posted October 29, 2008 @ 11:42 am
I agree. ACORN needs to come into the modern world and get someone to handle their public persona and the false attacks from the Failure Party sycophants.
I've seen real mixed PR efforts by ACORN. One person does a good job and another is horrible. In the cases of Hannity and Dobbs, it wouldn't matter, they don't ask for or want invalidation of their fear mongering.
They don't seek the truth, they seek ratings.
Comment posted October 30, 2008 @ 9:25 am
Gee I wonder if this writer is biased and going to vote Obama? My guess is yes as he construes all of the allegations against ACORN toward the GOP and holds his RACE CARD high in the air. The truth is yes ACORN does flag some of its registration form but not nearly as many as they would lead you to beleive. The did not register 1.3 million voters as anywhere between 30 and 60% have been seen as a possible fraud. When you say that Mickey Mouse will not show up to vote you are absolutely right, however, he will apply for an absentee ballot and still cast his vote for Nobama. Oh and blaming the GOP for all of the allegations against ACORN is a bad idea also, do you remember what party the Nevada Secretary of State belongs to you know since he was the one that ordered the raid on that ACORN office…..THATS RIGHT he's a Democrat.
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