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The Spectacle Blog
Tired of Republicans who compromise the farm away on domestic policy? Frustrated with Republican presidents who allow far-left Democrats to re-craft their legislation?
If so, now would be an opportune moment to revisit Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) unyielding efforts to halt federal funding for ACORN.
Several months before the videotapes were released that showed workers offering financial advice to undercover investigators, Bachmann stepped to halt the flow of federal dollars into the ACORN network.
Back in April of 2009, Bachmann offered an amendment to the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, which would prevent any organization indicted for voter fraud registration or vote fraud from receiving housing counseling grants and legal assistance grants. The amendment passed the House Financial Services Committee, then chaired by Barney Frank (D-MA), in a unanimous voice vote.
Sometime later, it became apparent to Chairman Frank that he had cut off ACORN and proceeded to reverse himself.
“I did not read it carefully, and it was in the last minute that the amendment was accepted,” he said at the time. “It is a deeply flawed amendment and I am opposed to it. Banning people from possible participation in government programs based on an indictment is a violation of the basic principles of due process.”
A clever argument from an agile mind.
But Bachmann had the better argument. “Congress,” she reminded colleagues, “has a fiduciary responsibility,” where groups competing for federal dollars are concerned. Put another way, why hold such low standards where the public’s money is concerned?
(Just to be clear, Bachmann’s amendment only applied to the mortgage reform bill and did not impact ACORN’s ability to receive funding from the stimulus package or the 2010 federal budget. But the amendment did help generate a larger discussion about the support ACORN was receiving on Capitol Hill.)
Later that year, the political terrain shifted against ACORN (known in full as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) thanks to the efforts of investigative journalists James O’Keefe and his partner Hannah Giles. Suddenly, Democrats who felt they needed to distance themselves from ACORN joined with Republicans to cut off funding; albeit temporarily.
But it is worth remembering that Rep. Bachmann was out in front before it was politically fashionable to take on ACORN. Bachmann scored points with the conservative faithful in the early stages of her campaign because it was evident she was willing to elevate taxpayer interests above polite, gentile bipartisan exercises that typically translate into bigger government.
Unfortunately, even with the Republicans now control of the House, it would seem that the federal sources for the renamed ACORN have been restored, according to a new report from Matthew Vadum, a senior editor with the Capital Research Center (CRC).
“President Obama has given ACORN $729,849 so far this year and billions more in federal cash may be in the pipeline,” Vadum wrote.
“The president’s new economic stimulus package, the so-called “jobs bill,” contains as much as $15 billion for radical left-wing groups such as ACORN (his former employer). Obama has been using his presidential bully pulpit to demand that Republicans in Congress “pass this bill,” even though there is no bill yet. Despite all the rhetoric, the proposed “American Jobs Act of 2011” apparently hasn’t even been introduced in Congress.”
Vadum is also the author of a new book on ACORN, its history and its impact on the electoral process entitled: Subversion Inc.: How Obama’s ACORN Red Shirts are Still Terrorizing and Ripping Off American Taxpayers.
The renamed ACORN affiliates will likely be a force once again in the 2012 races, especially where there are close, competitive contests. But the self-described community activists should not be permitted to swing election results with assistance of U.S. taxpayers who have different political preferences.
Rep. Bachmann’s efforts to defund ACORN should be revisited heading into the 2012 campaign.
View all comments (13) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Kevin Mooney
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/10/03/michelle-bachmanns-efforts-to
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Notes From Under The Bridge| 10.3.11 @ 2:09PM
An indictment is not a conviction. How do you justify denying someone the due process of law guaranteed under the fifth amendment of the Constitution?
Conservative Bob| 10.3.11 @ 2:38PM
First ACORN has been convicted as an organization and a number of its leaders.
Second and more to the point... When choosing between entities to receive federal funds and to manage or administer federally funded programs those that have no blemish what so ever should always chosen before those who have ever been charged or convicted. There is no constitutional right to run or administer programs.
WB| 10.3.11 @ 4:00PM
There's certainly no "constitutional right" to federal funding of any kind by a private political organization. In addition, What "due process" rights have been violated? Is Michelle Bachmann prosecuting ACORN members in Federal court?
IX-XI| 10.4.11 @ 8:25AM
You're not denying them due process of law, you genius. They're not going to jail.
They just don't get to spend my money on voter fraud anymore.
Trinacria| 10.3.11 @ 2:34PM
I applaud Ms. Bachmann's efforts to cut off funding for this corrupt and disgraceful organization, and I hope she will continue to push this issue FROM HER SEAT IN CONGRESS.
West-Civ| 10.3.11 @ 2:39PM
Notes,
Bachmann's amendment would not deny anyone due process. The amendment does not touch on issues of guilt. It would, however, deny government monies in the forms of grants to organizations under indictment for voter fraud or voter fraud registration. This is not a due process issue.
People are not freely entitled to receive money from the public purse. Indictments are not issued willy-nilly for fun. If such serious questions about an organization have been raised so that indictments have been issued, then it is better that public monies be denied such organizations until such questions have been completely settled.
Notes From Under The Bridge| 10.3.11 @ 6:56PM
Indictments are not issued willy-nilly for fun.
Who said anything about fun? Indictments are sometimes politically motivated. If you magnify the political consequences of handing down an indictment by imposing those consequences before an individual or organization has had a chance to defend themselves against the charges, you increase the chances of a politically-motivated indictment.
Pretend that it's a Democratic senator who wants to make it possible to cut off a conservative political organization at the knees based on accusations that the organization has not been able to defend itself against. Now you see the problem.
George S| 10.3.11 @ 11:01PM
Good point. Cut off federal funding to every political organization; we don't have the money. Problem solved.
Of course, if the problem as you see it is that now there are no funds to help 'disenfranchised' people get registered to vote and make their way to the polls, fear not -- for these people are very resourceful. They always manage find a check cashing outlet and always seem to have the proper photo ID required to cash their government checks.
Rob| 10.3.11 @ 3:35PM
If Congresswoman Bachmann does not win the GOP nomination for president, I hope that the next GOP president would consider her for Attorney General.
Oldefarte| 10.3.11 @ 3:49PM
Kevin's excellent editorial point should be seriously contemplated by all. Not only the subjected Acorn, but all governmental welfare programs/expenses should be audited and revised. In general, the idea of government [funded by the hard earned income of taxpayers] paying people money simply because they EXIST has got to cease. This has been seriously and increasingly going on politically since the 1960's with the initiation of Kennedy-Johnson's WAR ON POVERTY; and has accompolished nothing for all of the $trillions spent by our government since. Its the old game of indigents being allowed to produce/birth children which they are incapable of financially supporting, and then requiring the rest of society [via the government] to pay the living expenses of same. Its simply got to stop! Governmental welfare was always initiated as a short term/temporary financial aid, but now has evolved into a permanent financial system to these indigents, one generation after another. If the answer is possibly that their birthing/population growth should not be constrained for religious/moral purposes, then the alternative should be to force them to bear the cost of raising their children [and if starvation results, then sadly so be it]. Society cannot continue to be forced to pay for these indigents mistakes on an ongoing basis. It has to stop now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SpiralArchitect| 10.3.11 @ 4:53PM
Despite all the rhetoric, the proposed "American Jobs Act of 2011" apparently hasn't even been introduced in Congress."
With the supreme succes of which Obamacare (ie: Zerocare) was wisked throguh Congress - pass now, read the 2700 pages later, it was anticipated that the progression would continue.
Now we have the "must pass it" before we have presented the bill method.
Equally anticipated is the next, and final step, the it is because I say so phase. This phase is also known as a Dictatorship.
PattyMor| 10.3.11 @ 4:54PM
No, Not Michelle for Attorney General. She's a tax attorney. She'd be better on the tax writing committee. Mark Levin for Attorney General. Now that's change I would LOVE.
No one especially corrupt organizations have a right to dip their paws into the public purse. We are funding our own demise. Quite Orwellian,
Pelligrino| 10.3.11 @ 10:34PM
Somehow we've all gotten off the "Washington is spending us into Oblivion!!!" focus.
Why? We can only sustain that kind of little bit of attention for a fortnight? No more?
If Congressman Bachmann is truly working to completely defund ACORN and items like Planned Parenthood, then she is doing God's good work on this earth. Both from a moral and a fiscal standpoint. (Yes, overtaxation is ultimately immoral.)
Every week our elected reprepsentatives need to be rolling out another dozen federal spending programs AXED. Axed and finished forever! They need to be announcing the next 12 EVERY Monday while simultaneously doing a celebratory boogie dance with Tea Party activists on the Capitol steps over the 48 programs (large & small) axed the month prior.
Unless these turds in D.C. are eliminating $million$s off the books that we fund thru taxes -- weekly -- then they ain't doin' their job.
That's job #1.
Let's roll.