Joe Conason: “In Defense Of Acorn”
Joe Conason in Salon says the right-wing crusade against ACORN is “a far bigger fraud than any misdeeds a few employees may have committed.” And, yes, ACORN does have its problems:
Like so many conservative attacks, the crusade against ACORN has been highly exaggerated and even falsified to create a demonic image that bears little resemblance to the real organization. Working in the nation’s poorest places, and hiring the people who live there, ACORN is not immune to the pathologies that can afflict institutions in those communities. As a large nonprofit handling many millions of dollars, it has suffered from mismanagement at the top as well — although there is nothing unique in that, either.
ACORN helps poor families file tax returns and get needed tax refunds, especially important in tough economic times.
ACORN provides assistance to low-income taxpayers through the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The IRS has long supported the provision of free taxpayer services through organizations such as ACORN. Volunteers working through various organizations via the VITA program prepared 2.8 million tax returns, or 2 percent of the 124 million individual returns, filed during the 2009 tax season. ACORN — Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — is one of the fastest growing of these volunteer organizations. It operates in 80 cities and, according to its Web site, has helped 42,000 families claim more than $46 million in tax refunds, including more than $28 million in earned income and child tax credits.
Ignored because of a few dupes in a much larger organization is the good work ACORN does.
No doubt it was fun to dupe a few morons into providing tax advice to a “pimp and ho,” but what ACORN actually does, every day, is help struggling families with the Earned Income Tax Credit (whose benefits were expanded by both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton). And while the idea of getting housing assistance for a brothel was clever, what ACORN really does, every day, is help those same working families avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.
To call ACORN a “fraudulent organization” because of a few bad apples is, itself, a fraud.
The proportion of fraud is infinitesimal. For example, a half-dozen ACORN workers were charged with registration fraud or other election-related crimes in the 2004 election. They had completed fewer than two dozen false registrations — out of more than a million new voters registered by ACORN during that cycle. The mythology that suggests that thousands or even millions of illegal registrants voted is itself a fraud.
[...]
To claim that the stupid behavior of a half-dozen employees should discredit a national group with offices in more than 75 cities staffed by many thousands of employees and volunteers is like saying that Mark Sanford or John Ensign have discredited every Republican governor or senator. Indeed, the indignation of the congressional Republicans screaming about ACORN and the phony streetwalker is diluted by the presence of at least two confirmed prostitution clients — Rep. Ken Calvert and Sen. David Vitter — in their midst. Neither of those right-wing johns has been even mildly chastised by their moralistic peers. Nobody is cutting off their federal funding.
As long as the left goes on defending itself it will never win the argument, because you only win the argument by attacking the radical rightwing extremists, and you go on attacking and attacking and attacking till you grind their faces into the mud.
You don’t win this argument by neatly reasoned debates. Because the other side isn’t listening.
You pick up a baseball bat and you start cracking heads.
Budda Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I agree. Don’t be defensive, go on the offense! Cite all the Republican sex scandals and just keep hammering away at them!
A.K.A Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Bring it on dog-breath. But if you’re gonna crack any conservative heads you’ll need to leave the safety leave Liberaland and your mama’s basement.
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Yeah, keep talking, chooch.
Budda Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
A.K.A is that you W?
September 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I am a bit naive of the whole entrapment scheme worked but I did hear Tail-gunner Glenn report part of the story on his show. He said it was illegal to file tax returns as a prostitute, but there are sexworkers in Rhode Island and Nevada who have to file or face legal action. Ask yourself what you might do if asked how to file taxes for a prostitute and a pimp in Baltimore. Turn them away, are you a cop or a tax advisor. The Happy Hooker not only tells of sex with Henry Kissinger but also how she used labels like interior designer for situations like that.
The “crime” of course was to give advise to actors to file returns or apply for a house loan as if they were in a profession with a longer history. Don’t call them and ask this week, but the IRS has probably advised prostitutes to use a false category plenty of times in the past. You have to wonder how many tax accountants and real estate agents turn away real prostitutes. They are a significant part of the economy of every state in the U.S. and the buy houses and some may even pay taxes. Throw Acorn and Van Jones under the bus, Beck will stop, no need to worry.
crh3e Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Beck won’t stop, he will keep head hunting until he reaches Obama. Remember how Whitewater turned into Monicagate? History is repeating itself my friend.
September 19th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
((Budda Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I agree. Don’t be defensive, go on the offense! Cite all the Republican sex scandals and just keep hammering away at them!))
Yes let’s talk about sex scandals if you like.
Monica Lewinsky
Gary Hart
Ted Kennedy (Didn’t he kill someone?)
John Edwards
Barney Frank (Male Prostitution)
I can go on you know.
But what ever, it is always easier to start talking about other stuff instead of the issue at hand “ACORN being Corrupt!!!!!
TDro319 Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Wow! All you have is 5??? You list of democrat mideeds pales in comparison to the republican naughty list.
EricG Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Yea. I think you just made a strong case for the fact that liberals and Democrats are good people with healthy sex lives and conservatives and Republicans are freaks and perverts.
Good job, MZTRZERO.
Budda Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Oh please. You want down and dirty, tit for tat? Didn’t Laura Bush kill somebody? This kind of crap gets us nowhere. Even if this Acorn issue is more than reported it is not what this country should be focusing on..there are much bigger issues that need our attention.
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Here, here. Well said, Budda.
The only thing the ACORN story demostrates is how easy it is to defame an organization.
I know now exactly how to destroy rightwing lobbys.
Exactly the same method O’Keefe imposed. Just lie and illegally videotape people.
Then call yourself an “investigative journalist” later on.
It’s beautiful.
September 19th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
ACORN is dying. That is a good thing. May they rest in relative peace. But they will just surface somewhere else with a different name. Liberal organizations do that you know.
crh3e Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Yeah like how that liberal org Blackwater became XE?!
EricG Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 1:56 am
“ACORN is dying. That is a good thing”
Republicanism is dying. And this is a good thing.
Maybe one day they won’t be engaging in racialist sentiments and racial agendas like destroying ACORN for no reason other than your media-masters told you to do it.
Bow and worship your media-lords. They rule your mind.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
“Republicanism is dying”
I dont know,man.
NeoConservatism is dying, that was bound to happen.
Republicans have the opportunity and option to sense that and react; Or can continue on their path, and go down with neoconservatism.
Choices,choices,choices…
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
““Republicanism is dying”
I dont know,man.”
The current incarnation is.
People like Beck, Hannity and O’Reilly are helping it jump off the cliff but really it all comes down to the fact that they have been playing the same dixie-land, anti-poor message for decades and it only appeals to white Protestant males (or close equivalent). And that’s not enough to win elections anymore.
Before long it will be this big media wing of jokers telling lies and nobody will put even one vote in the GOP side. People will be disgusted with the Party of Bigotry, some day. Perhaps sooner than we all tend to think..
Blindy Hindy Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:05 pm
EricG,
It seems every word comes out of your mouth has something to do with racism. Are you a racist? From the look of your picture, you look like a communist. Why do you like to bring up racism? Get a life man.
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Yes, I’m a communist and racist and I’m coming to take away your guns and pleasure your wife when you’re not looking.
Feeling good yet?
Has your guilt for being part of this disgusting chapter in politics subsided yet or do you need to make Alan Colmes your aim for your own internal problems as well.
I mean, you’re here. You might as well blame everyone senselessly and without any backing beyond your own indignation.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:17 pm
“I’m coming to take away your guns and pleasure your wife when you’re not looking.”
Can I join you Eric?
I promise to not disturb you guys. Just figure I could sell that video for profit. Can arrange a 3 way splitting agreement of some sort.
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
*giggling*
Are you hitting on me, Blindy?
I don’t like guys. You’re not the first to try this though. I’m flattered but the answer is still ‘no’.
“Run home later and ask your mama where she was last night. Ask her if she knows a MAN by the name of blindy.”
If you treat her right you can see my mama. I give you special permission.
“You can join us. I am pretty sure EricG’s mama does not mind. She does not like video taping, please don’t bring that. She would feel very uncomfortable if EricG sees the video.”
No, you misunderstood Karth. Allow me to explain:
Karth wants to videotape me having relations with your wife. Maybe with you tied up in the corner and gagged or something, who knows?
I know you have a dirty mind, and are a sexual deviant to the core, but please try to contain yourself!
–
Okay, joking is over.
Doing personal attacks is just stupid and pointless because you’re near gonna get to lay it out on my face or whatever.
So, maybe, talking about opinions is better than talking about mama’s and wifey’s and the increbiliy small size of your penis!
—
I never said I was good at being nice…
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:43 pm
“Maybe with you tied up in the corner and gagged or something”
not tied, handcuffed. The video cam must capture his whatever_he_has_to_say. Increases sale value of the video big time.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 2:00 pm
“I do not have a wife yet”
That doesnt surprise me.
” When I do have one, I don’t mind sharing”
“Too bad,”
Too bad for her,yeah.Tough luck for some, such is life.
September 19th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Daddio,
I am going out now, but if you had the resources and the mass media to attack the private contractors for their misdeeds or the church for pedophilia, or the political pacs, on national radio and TV for basically 90 hours per week, you could the same thing.
They are no better….
Organizations that get federal money, who have a problem here and there.
What these people id was MUCH worse….should the WHOLE organizations be brought down??
Daddio Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Yep.
TDro319 Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Sure you would, Daddio. ACORN helps poor families file tax returns and get needed tax refunds, especially important in tough economic times.
Of course nothing would please you more than to have poor people suffer and possibly die because people like you championed for it.
You are not only a poor excuse of a Christian, but a poor excuse of a human heing. May God have mercy on your worthless soul.
TDro319 Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
And before you start scratching your head asking “what is a “human heing”, I made a mistake. It should have said “human being”. We’re not all as infallible as you seem to think you are.
crh3e Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
TDro319 I wouldn’t say “worthless soul” if you happen to be Christian yourself (if not then ignore this please and sorry for my assumption). Jesus said calling someone worthless or “lost” was a big no-no. Now Daddio strikes me as smug and self-righteous, but I wouldn’t say he’s worthless.
TDro319 Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Your absolutely right, crh3e. I just lost it for a minute there. I’m usually a a bit more tolerant of these uncompassionate people, but when they hope for the demise of an organization that helps poor people just pushed me over the edge.
crh3e Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
That’s ok. It happens to me a lot, especially with flap, bliss, and daddio around. The word that’s a big no-no to call someone else is “Raca” which is translated “emptyheaded.” However, I’ve done research and found that what you really shouldn’t say to someone is that they are so lost that they are without God/gods. That’s a better meaning for “Raca.”
crh3e Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
wow I looked it up again (it had been awhile) and i was so wrong. The bad bad word is “moros,” which means “godless.”(using moros will send you to hell) Raca simply means “empty or vain.” (Raca would bring down the judgment of the court)
Jesus called his disciples “anoetos” one time which means “unintelligent.” Paul used “aphron,” meaning unwise. All these different Greek words were translated into English as simply “fool,” which shows that our language doesn’t always express what the Greek language means.
Daddio Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Thanks for believing that I am not worthless crh3e. We all become smug and self righteous at times. I see that in many who post here.
To claim that I want poor people to suffer and die is beyond the pale. Saying that makes TDRO smug and self righteous.
TDRO has never met me. Doesn’t know me. He only knows, but won’t admit, that our passion for what we believe sometimes make us seem like someone we are not.
I think ACORN has an agenda that is not good for America. They are being prosecuted in state after state. They are being found guilty in state after state. They are being found to commit voter registration fraud in state after state. They were found giving advice on how to avoid paying taxes while advising on how to set up an illegal prostitution ring using 13-15 year olds from El Salvador. They are shakedown artist, forcing banks, through lawsuits, to lend money to very high risk borrowers to buy houses who then cannot afford to make payments and when foreclosed upon, ACORN protests their foreclosure.
average james Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Blindy,
Now that just pisses me off !!!!
he he he
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Blindy, am sorry I was busy.
Re: Daddido getting ignored; was because of being busy. Nevertheless, I owe Daddido a response.
“I think ACORN has an agenda that is not good for America. They are being prosecuted in state after state. They are being found guilty in state after state. They are being found to commit voter registration fraud in state after state. They were found giving advice on how to avoid paying taxes while advising on how to set up an illegal prostitution ring using 13-15 year olds from El Salvador”
For that, Daddido, you are the SECOND winner of the Daily BS award. Blindy of course was the first.
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
“They are being found to commit voter registration fraud in state after state”
Your facts suck.
Blindy is blind.
Look into O’Keefe. He did a whole lot of these before he got the results he wanted to get.
–
I have nothing personal against anyone but lying is un-American, unpatriotic and sinful. I don’t have to tolerate bigoted lies and you guys don’t have to repeat them. But you do.
So I respond.
I think I’ve said this before with absolutely no love gained in the process:
WELCOME TO AMERICA!
OldLefty Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Blindy Hindy
That’s EXACTLY what we say about the conservatives.
I have brought up frequently the voter suppression scandals of The Texas Strike Force, the New Hampshire phone jamming, the caging lists, that David Iglesias was fired because there WAS no voter fraud with ACORN……
Crickets.
I’ve asked how this scandal is any different than pediphilia in the Catholic church, the private contractors scandals or
‘Republican director of the “Young Republican Federation” Nicholas Ellison molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.’ , bring down the Young Republican Federation?
The Dusty Foggo, Duke Cunningham Brent Wilkes, hooker scandal…crickets.
I guess THOSE scandals don’t make the right feel good.
More evidence that much of what conservatives say is the opposite of the truth.
TDro319 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:30 pm
“To claim that I want poor people to suffer and die is beyond the pale. Saying that makes TDRO smug and self righteous.”
I stand by what I said, Daddio. You care NOTHING for the poor and destitute among us because you are crying for the closing of ACORN, the people who’s job it is to care for the poor and destitute. You are cruel and heartless.
You, Daddio, are smug and self-righteous! AND your also a CINO.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:33 pm
What’s a CINO?
Agree with the rest of what you said: Most of those who clamour or desire for ACorn’s closure have no clue about the work done by the organization, and the poor & underprivileged people who benefit from it.
I suppose Charity is meaningless when its not Christian Charity.Maybe Acorn should rename themselves CACORN, then these chaps might see the good work being done.
TDro319 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 2:21 pm
“What’s a CINO?”
It stands for “Christian in name only”. Daddio and trees are two of the biggest CINO’s I’ve ever encountered. They are constantly quoting bible verses, but don’t practice what they preach. They are usually pro-war, anti-choice, anti-gay, and basically anything anti-liberal. They tend to look down upon people who don’t agree with them and become very sarcastic when encountered with someone with whom they disagree.
They are basically self-righteous and bigoted. They are also experts at projecting their shortcomings onto, what they consider, us “non-believers”.
September 19th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
After too much Teabaging—-the GOP needed a “Vomit
Summit”.
September 19th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I was watching FoxNews the other day and Bill O’Reilly was lauding the witch hunts conducted on the Glenn Beck/Hannity shows.
What I find sad is the way issues like Acorn are terribly misrepresented and fairness/journalistic integrity has long since been discarded. Those shows have become little more than propaganda and the tragedy is that so many Americans watch it, believe it 100%, and are not interested in verifying the stories or putting into any realistic context.
Instead, you see/hear this stuff mindlessly regurgitated verbatim by conservatives at the watercooler or forums like this. Most of the time, any attempt to reason with them (such as looking at the whole picture) is like debating against a brick wall. They fully believe that they are the only ones with the ‘real facts’ and that really it is the liberals who need to ‘open their eyes’ to the truth.
The truth is often mundane and boring. Truth doesn’t drive media ratings, controversy and outrage does. If you want the truth you have to be brave enough to listen/read all sides of an issue and sift through the facts to get the real story.
Sadly, Conservatives in particular seem to do this less and less which means it is little wonder that we are becoming more and more polarized as a nation.
trees are people too Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 1:22 am
Yeah, you’re right Lee, covering the Acorn story at all and asking any questions whatsoever of those who currently hold political office is just an absurd idea and a huge waste of time, we all know that the only corruption that lurks within our society resides in the Republican party.
If only the liberal’s were in complete and total control, perhaps then we’d have an idyllic utopia….
We should all be incredibly thankful for the Keith Olbermans of the world, and their unbiased news coverage…..
Someday we’ll live in a true paradise, Keith willing.
Lee Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Trees,
You don’t get it. Uncovering corruption is great.. This is good stuff. Extrapolation of anecdotal evidence to a generalization is not..
This was shocking to see but at the same time it was sensationalized and a very bad piece of investigative journalism because they actively baited the Acorn employees. A better way to have done this would have been to infiltate Acorn as an employee and observe what happens in reality everyday versus contrived situations.
Again (and as Alan also tried to point out), you don’t make generalized conclusions from such an absurdly small ’samples’ in a survey.
Finally, if you understood what I wrote, you’d know that exclusively watching MSNBC is just as bad. Herein lies a key difference between your average liberal versus conservative.. The average liberal I know reads/listens/watches a much more diverse set of media versus the conservatives who often exclusively follow FoxNews for their facts.
Oh and corruption lurks within the Democrats too. However, its an unfortunate case where one has to choose the lesser of two evils. The Democrats are most certainly the lesser evil here..
TDro319 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:31 pm
covering the ACORN story is simply a distraction by Fox “News”. They have nothing on healthcare so they focus on a non-story like ACORN.
EricG Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 1:53 am
And then comes the final problem:
When you know the truth the people who you speak it to are convinced you’re an arrogant little weasel (like Beck or Hannity) for presuming you know the ‘truth’ and they don’t.
This is why I often encourage people to just look it up for themselves and read the trasnscipts and just inform themselves more than any talk radio show (even a great one like Alan Colmes radio) could ever do for you.
But what do we get in the end?
I’m a liar if you’re a conservative and I’m a citizen-journalist if your a liberal.
And this is where it all breaks down.
So many people in the media (”legacy”, “lame-stream”, “mainstream” … all the same rightwing spin-words) are willing to repeat lies or simply fail to do any research before opening their mouths that the number of total lies told per day is so high that even if you and I were to write seventy times seventy articles in print and web it would still not be greater than the lies told.
Lee Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 2:49 am
“When you know the truth the people who you speak it to are convinced you’re an arrogant little weasel (like Beck or Hannity) for presuming you know the ‘truth’ and they don’t.”
Yes, this is true and exhibit A is Tree’s post where he immediately implies that to denigrate Beck and Co. means you must exclusively watch Keith Olbermann.
It is possible to have independent thoughts and reason, I strongly urge certain Conservatives to try this some time..
EricG Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Yes, exactly. Well said, Lee.
I didn’t like that Countdown was saying something about blanket racism on the right prior to Carter’s words.
My point is a lot more wordy but I’m not a fan of using wild claims that are unfounded to combat wild claims that are unfounded.
trees are people too Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Nice try Lee, but the reality is this…………………
The leftists who regularly contribute to this site are quite representative of the liberal leftstream media, and the evidence for this is the complete lack of any investigative journalism/reporting into the Acorn story during the week that Fox news covered it.
Hmmmm……………………come to think of it they demonstrate a complete lack of investigative inquiry into any liberal left wing politician under any circumstances.
The only network with an eye toward actual critical evaluation of the leftists in Washington just so happens to be…………….Fox News,……..SUPRISE!!
Wha???
You didn’t catch the plural generalization and usage of “Olbermans”??
And just how many left wingers on this site regularly infer that conservatives only watch “Fox news”???
Yeah, exactly……………
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Trees:
“this is the complete lack of any investigative journalism/reporting into the Acorn story during the week that Fox news covered it”
What investigative journalism?Into an episode of mudslinging on an organization deemed guilty before the so-called investigation, paid for and propagandized by Fox Entertainment?This is investigative journalism? Its called trash talk.
“The only network with an eye toward actual critical evaluation …”
You are denigrating the concept of Critical Evaluation. Any old mudslinging= Critical Evaluation?
Lee Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Trees,
With respect to the supposed lack of investigative journalism on Acorn, the issue here was the Fox ‘investigation’ was a journalistic joke. They implied endemic corruption from a few contrived setups, if this is your idea of great journalism then maybe you should lobby for Ashton Kutcher to become controller of FoxNews..
I do indeed infer that conservatives almost exclusively watch FoxNews as the ‘opinions’ I see/hear are lifted from mouthpieces like Beck/Hannity almost verbatim. If someone was to at least slightly stray from their position or add some facts/spin not spouted by those folks, I’d have significantly for respect for their opinions.
Personally, I watch Fox, CNN, MSNBC to get ‘talking points’. I largely ignore the ‘conclusions’ but use the talking point as an origin to research my own opinion on the topic. I believe if you feel passionately about an issue, then you owe it to yourself to do the same versus simply taking certain people words as gospel.
trees are people too Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
For reasons known only to Alan and his staff this link was blocked while awaiting moderation and then deleted………….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfGF-wI6KUw&feature=related
Leftstream media reporting at its finest.
……………………..MSNBC???
You guys have zero credibility, zero.
OldLefty Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
As for:
……………………..MSNBC???
You guys have zero credibility, zero.
………………………………..
I maintain that there IS no news on TV, but is that any worse than:
Breitbart and O’Keefe are already on record saying that they weren’t turned away at any ACORN offices, a claim refuted by this police report.
Or Fox labeling Mark Foley (D Fl)
O Sean Hannity aired a clip of President Obama’s speech in France and claimed Obama was “blam[ing] America first.” However, at no point during the show did Hannity note that immediately after the part he aired, Obama criticized “anti-Americanism” in Europe as well as Europeans who “choose to blame America for much of what’s bad.”
I have links if need be, (I have trouble getting them through.
Or the 2005 Fox story:
In Dodgeville, Wisconsin, the Ridgewood Elementary School has changed the song Silent Night to Cold in the Night and forced the kids to sing the lyrics, “Cold in the night, No one in sight, Winter winds whirl and bite,” to the tune of the original Silent Night.
Ridgewood Elementary didn’t change the lyrics to “Silent Night.” What they did was perform a 1988 copyrighted play called “The Little Tree’s Christmas Gift.
In fact, “The Little Tree’s Christmas Gift” has been performed in several churches.
“Rightstream media reporting at its finest.”
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 11:30 am
Trees:
“What investigative journalism?Into an episode of mudslinging on an organization deemed guilty before the so-called investigation, paid for and propagandized by
……………………..MSNBC???
You guys have zero credibility, zero.
”
So let me get this:
I ask you how this constitutes Investigative Journalism, and challenged you to counter my position that this was just mudslinging.
And you switch the topic to “Left Wing reporting”, and that makes me lack credibility?
You switch topics, and it damages my credibility? WOW.
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
What utter partisan horse droppings you leave on here, trees.
Seriously.
FOX News just paid for an ad that lied about their competition. And you are going to talk about everyone else as the big bad “mainstream media”.
Live in your damn delusional state then. Enjoy being lied to.
I have nothing more i can say to person this forcefully jaded against the truth and no reasonable person would either.
EricG Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Your link is up and I’ve never been provided with anything but slander and lies from conservatives on the web so you all have a long hard road to trudge but you are welcome to spread links like crazy on any site I moderate.
I’m reading this stuff and looking at the facts. And one side is completely tortured by facts and that is not the people who voted for President Obama.
TDro319 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
If you notice, Eric, Trees posted something from a source that is neither credible and/or “fair and balanced”. Consider the source.
September 19th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
[...] Alan Colmes’ Liberaland and Joe Conason ‘In Defense of ACORN [...]
September 20th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Look, all you have to do is see one picture of the guy who was “masquerading” as a pimp and it’s obvious the Acorn people were playing him for a dumbass.
That’s why they call him a “performance artist.”
EricG Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 7:30 am
O’Keefe put them on the spot.
If they kicked him out calling him a phoney and he was really just a complete idiot that wouldn’t be any good.
But your right in thinking that they probably figured out that O’Keefe was full of it before too long.
I mean, what were they supposed to do with this slanderist? Box his ears for wasting their time?
September 20th, 2009 at 1:34 am
The greater issue on the matter of the slander directed at ACORN goes to a misunderstanding about the nature of poverty.
When some lives in a bad neighborhood and walks into an ACORN office it’s pretty unlikely that they have a great job, don’t do anything illegal, and understand anything more complicated than a street hustle.
There is no doubt the people caught on the videos were well outside of providing beneficial aid; but this notion that community groups working with the poor can have a mentality of calling the police if someone admits to a crime like prostitution is a dead end road.
Once again all this comes around to what I see as a fundamental lack of compassion for the poor on behalf of conservatives.
That a refusal to do any amount of educating themselves and only drowning themselves in destructive politics.
September 20th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Hanna Giles is the daughter of right wing conservative Doug Giles and this was probably his idea. Her journalism sucks though, because she didn’t even bother to find out if the woman in San Bernadino really did kill any of her ex-husbands, which in fact the police state that they are alive and well. The truth is that Hannah and James went in to many Acorn offices with an already set conclusion, doctored video, and got kicked out of three times as many places as they claimed to have gone in. They are starting their careers as hacks and patisans and I promise you it will get them nowhere, except on fake ass Fox News!
September 21st, 2009 at 1:34 am
“Your balls is the size of a peanut”
Wonder how he found that out.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:40 pm
“Didn’t you tell me that personally the other day?”
It is impossible that I told you, because I would never make a grammatical error like “Your balls is the …”.
When you get to 3rd grade, you might learn that in your grammar class.
karthiks030977 Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:52 pm
“Didn’t you tell me that personally the other day?”
Well, where’s your proof pal?
Where did I tell you that?On this forum?IN person?Prove it.
Otherwise, we’ll assume you found it by yourself.Stalking on Eric when he’s in the loo, or however.Who knows how Conservatives get their “Info”.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Blindy – “you are an idiot.”
Welcome to the site. Would you care for a drink?
How about I teabag you for awhile?
Just offering … you know, I know you neo-conservatives go in for that sort of thing.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
” I don’t want to be on the same side as EricG, that would make me a bigger idiot.”
Here’s a very very advanced math lesson for you.
2*infinity is still infinity.
Translating to 2 year old language for you to understand:tough to make yourself a bigger idiot than you already do.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
And everyone here knows that big-talking conservatives are just scared little boys hiding behind ideologies and hatred for everyone different from them.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Well we are both in the same country. You better change that right quick there.
I suggest Russia. You’ll be right at home.
–
People arn’t supposed to all agree. but that’s crazy-talk to someone who buys into liberal-hate and anti-Obama ACORN bashing or whatever your trip is.
It’s easier to listen to liars and hacks than to do some American patriotic duty stuff and inform yourself on facts.
So much easier to blame everyone else but your people and your mentality for what is wrong in this country.
One day their won’t be a boogie man in your mind.
One day you’ll see the boogie man is in your heart and in your head.
But why bother spreading Christianity and peace.
Blood, hate and violence seem more popular anyway these days…
September 21st, 2009 at 1:53 pm
“HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.”
Just like Papa. Jared, your son is soo cute.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:53 pm
You’re being a little foolish, Blindy.
Do have anything to say other than attack others you don;t agree with?
I’m just curious because otherwise I could go write on bathroom stalls and get the same level of discourse.
Not to say it’s not fun … Just saying this a semi-political blog thread thing…
September 21st, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Eric said
“I’m just curious because otherwise I could go write on bathroom stalls and get the same level of discourse”
I said:
“Otherwise, we’ll assume you found it by yourself.Stalking on Eric when he’s in the loo, or however”
Is this a “great minds think alike” moment or what?
September 21st, 2009 at 1:58 pm