Voter Registration As a Subversive Activity
(Hey, it's my day off.) You might not have known, the worldwide financial crisis was caused by black folks trying to buy homes, abetted by those dangerous ACORNs*:
"Republicans have also attempted to link the organization to the current financial crisis. On Friday the McCain campaign posted a Web video that accused ACORN of "bullying banks" and "forc[ing them] to issue risky home loans. The same types of loans that caused the financial crisis we're in today."
I personally witnessed an instance of this thuggery. About twenty kids squatting on the sidewalk on Connecticut Avenue in front of some bank branch, whining about racial discrimination in home lending (which has been extensively documented over the years, by the way). D.C. cops, those Guardians of the Constitution, out there with horses and billy clubs, kicking asses. Inside, no doubt, the Titans of Finance were trembling.
Red Menace? More like Dennis the Menace. But wait . . . ACORN has even wormed its way into the G.O.P. Oh noes!!
*Disclosure: I have donated money to ACORN.
Maybe that's ACORN's problem -- they are taking donations from fictional characters in 1920s novels. I hear Gatsby give 6 figures last year, and also donated his older, slightly damaged jalopy.
More seriously: I have done some (not enough, I assure you) voter protection work this cycle, and I get a shiver every time I think of those on the other side doing voter suppression work. There is a special place in hell for people who donate their time to keeping black people and poor people from voting.
October 14, 2008 7:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I can't find anyone else who will help me out with this. Since you brought up (and have contributed to) ACORN, I'm hoping you might. This is an earnest question, by the way.
I get that the right is trying to demonize ACORN so that they'll have an excuse post-election. And I get that voter registration fraud is a far cry from election fraud.
What I don't get is why all these fraudulent registrations are coming up in the first place. If ACORN employees were paid per registration, I'd understand; but they're not. And if there were an easy way to take advantage of these fraudulent registrations on election day, I'd understand; but there isn't. So why? What the hell is going on?
October 14, 2008 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I understand it, the workers are paid by the hour, and you can't very well say you canvased for 6 hours when you dodn't have any registrations to show for it. So, they filled that gap in their story with Mickey Mouse and Tony Romo.
[Not sure if you're still listening]
October 17, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
That should be "don't."
October 17, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink