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Acorn,a group with roots in Chicago that has been investigated before for massive voter fraud and phony voter registrations on behalf of President Obama during the Democratic primaries has run afoul of the law again as they have before.
This time they had a number of their workers caught on tape advising women in Baltimore and New York who were posing as prostitutes as part of a filmmakers sting, on how to get housing subsidies by not revealing that they are prostitutes and what to say on the their applications to hide the fact that they were prostitutes.
The problem is that CNN had decided to refer to Acorn as a "liberal" group. Lou Dobbs, ever the right wing sycophant, referred to them as " left wing".
When news of the behavior of the Acorn workers became public, the Senate voted 83-7 to cut off federal funds to Acorn. They were also roundly criticized by Democrats supporting Hillary Clinton's candidacy during the primaries for phony voter registration on behalf of the Obama campaign. Voter fraud has always been a problem for Acorn and they faced an indictment in Nevada for phony voter registration. Yet CNN not to mention the crack pot conservative blogs, try to associate the failings of Acorn with liberal phillopsophy as if there is any real connection.
To his credit, John Fund at the Wall Street Journal pointed out in his article that John Conyers, one of the most liberal Democrats in the House had tried to hold hearings into Acorn but found himself stymied by the House leadership, so while Acorn did have its defenders in congress at the time, it was hardly a result of liberalism but more bad judgment.
Exactly how Acorn is a "liberal" group no one on CNN said as they reported the story, but news media and politicians are always quick to play the guilt by association game if it suits their political ends..
As the Acorn story was being shown the words, "Acorn - Liberal group" were splashed across the screen on CNN, though politics seemed to play no part in an Acorn worker trying to help a prostitute and pimp get housing subsidies to set up a brothel.
Dobbs in his nightly show referred to them as "left wing" as if to try and forge a relationship between Acorn and groups like ThinkProgress or MoveOn.org. Maybe CNN thinks there is a the connection between trying to help a pimp set up a brothel and Senator Russ Feingold one of the Democrats most liberal senators.
This again is why CNN and most of the mainstream news, especially cable, simply can't be trusted.. Unlike Fox who openly promotes conseravative agendas and makes no bones about it, CNN is simply afraid of conservatives and are willing to attack liberals, not on ideological grounds which Fox does, but to make a buck and to try and attract whatever conservative viewership they can. In other words they are either patently incompetent or patently dishonest. Dobbs on the other hand, to his credit if not to his journalistic objectivity, also makes no bones about his right wing agenda and so you know what youre going to get which is always slanted news converage.
It is a failure both on the part of those reporting the story and their editors, that they allowed Acorn, a group that has been criticized as much by Democrats as anyone, as a "liberal " group without anything to support it. other than liberals and Democrats have been more supportive of government subsidies for housing for the poor than Republicans. The fact that Acorn was caught not applying the kind of standards Republicans routinely dont apply to things like going to war or spying on American citizens doesnt mean Acorn somehow reflects liberal philosophy but that is exactly the message Dobbs was sending, and CNN in general promoted.
The Brooklyn DA is investigating Acorn as well he should and they are in possession of the video made by the filmmakers who recorded them. In the meantime, State Senator Bill Perkins, a Harlem Democrat has asked the state senate to put on hold a $10,000 grant he awarded Acorn until the DA probe is finished. The Census Bureau cut their ties with Acorn on Friday.
Its not going to be long before real liberals cut their ties to CNN.
Comments
Marc- as someone who was around and knew exactly what ACORN was responsible for during the primary- I am somewhat perplexed by this piece- Yes- I understand that you object to Dobbs et al. grouping liberals as part of ACORN-
However- they were responsible in part through phony voter registration and god knows what antics at caucuses- they take a big piece of the blame for giving us this incompetent POTUS.
Quite frankly- moveon.org is not much better...I am not familiar w/ ThinkProgress so I will not comment- but I know you know the criminal activity in which ACORN participated.
I suppose I am to a point where Obama and his ilk have usurped the democratic party and the label of liberal to such a point that I no longer consider myself either-
I am just happy that it is finally being reported- slanted or not- It is too bad these "reporters" weren't doing their job during the primary season- Perhaps if they were we would have a true Liberal who would have passed health CARE reform!
ACORN certainly doesn't represent everyone on the left, but I don't know how anyone can claim it isn't a wing of the Democratic Party. And I'd like to know when Democrats have criticized the organization.
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