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TreasureKY -> RE: ACORN, Pimps and Ho's (9/17/2009 6:06:06 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rulemylife
No, I'm a little confused by exactly what is going on here.
I can understand how many could find the entire situation confusing, but it really all boils down to a fairly simple issue. If people would stop trying to obfuscate it with shadows of political retribution and vendetta they might be able to see past the nose on the end of their faces.
quote:
ORIGINAL: rulemylife
First, if they list on their website and in their publications that they do not accept federal funding but actually do, that is a clear case of fraud, and something I'm sure would have been jumped on by their opponents long ago.
Semantics.
Does ACORN receive money from the Federal Government to fund its operations... pay its employees, rent, utilities and other operating expenses?
So it would seem not.
Do they operate as an "intermediary" for the Federal Government, helping people locate, qualify, and apply for Federal funding?
Yes.
quote:
ORIGINAL: rulemylife
Second, the amendment you are referring to cut off funding to Acorn Housing Corporation which is run separately from Acorn and its funding cannot be used to finance the organization but is directed at specific purposes.
Precisely.
And rightfully so...
quote:
ORIGINAL: rulemylife
My guess is the Republicans saw a golden opportunity to prove their witch hunt was right and the spineless Democrats were too afraid to vote against it because of all the negative publicity this particular incident generated.
PolitiFact | Bachmann claims ACORN has access to $8.5 billion in...
ACORN has a complex corporate structure. It's actually a network of affiliates. The ACORN that Republicans love to hate gets involved in political activity like voter registration. But there are other entities, like the sister company, ACORN Housing Corporation, a nonprofit that provides free housing counseling to low and moderate income homebuyers.
.............An affiliate like ACORN Housing could conceivably apply for a grant to build an affordable housing project, or to buy, fix and sell abandoned homes, but that's exactly what the money would have to be used for. Suggestions that one of the affiliates might funnel money to ACORN for political activity is, so far, unsubstantiated conjecture. And then there's the matter of trying to make a splash by throwing out the massive $8.5 billion number, suggesting ACORN "could get" it, as in all of it. That's absurd. We rule Bachmann's statement False.
And here's where you lose sight of the issue.
It doesn't matter that I'm a conservative. It doesn't matter that I don't care for ACORN's political activities. It wouldn't even matter if I had a personal desire to bring down and destroy ACORN and everything it stands for.
That's not the issue.
The issue is that an agency that facilitates the application for and use of Federal funding appears to have serious problems in screening and managing its employees... some of whom appear to have no compunction in assisting, through fraudulent and unlawful means, individuals who would not be qualified to receive that funding.
This isn't a "Republicans against Democrats" thing. It's the taxpayers representatives removing the right of ACORN to act in the capacity as an agent for unlawful and unqualified individuals to obtain Federal funding.
ACORN isn't closed down. See Tazzy's post above... they have plenty of funds to continue operating. They can just no longer help people get Federal funding.
And Federal funding for housing has not been stopped. There's still plenty of agencies who continue to help people apply for assistance...
Agencies who, hopefully, have better processes in place to hire employees who won't be helping law-breaking individuals obtain Federal funds through fraudulent means...
And in the long run ensure that there is more funding available for the needy who are truly deserving.
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