I think Dave Ross has a point about ACORN

[10010011]

I catch Dave Ross's radio blurb during my lunch. Yesterday he made a pretty good point about how conservatives should be worried what the recent ACORN scandal really proves.

It proves need to stop using private business to do the governments work and create more government agencies instead. (larger government is the answer?)

If ACORN was a government agency and all the employees were government employees the government could keep better control of where the money went and what the employees say and do. They even could go as far a constant surveillance of all the ACORN staff.

But if the government tried that with a private corporation (like ACORN is BTW) the conservatives would be stomping their feet screaming socialism and government can't control private business.

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Cut from Dave Ross transcript
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acorn was in trouble long before this for stuff like sloppy voter registrations and misuse of its federal grants. Which -- is a question nobody has raised yet. Why is the federal government in the business of giving grants to organizations like this at all.

From records website you're some of the stuff they do. Help families apply for food stamps, help homeowners avoid foreclosure, protect children from lead paint. They're also under contract to help with the census for the Census Bureau dumped them.

But why are we contracting with a private organization to do this stuff?

Why aren't federal employees doing this?

It's this outsourcing that's the problem. Acorn is yet another example this philosophy that the private organizations can do it better, so let's send them the tax money percent instead of hiring more of those terrible government employees.

How about this. If congress decides that some program ought to be paid for with tax money lets staff that program with actual federal employees the we have at least some control over them. Then you could videotape them 24/7.

 

[highfigh]

I catch Dave Ross's radio blurb during my lunch. Yesterday he made a pretty good point about how conservatives should be worried what the recent ACORN scandal really proves.

It proves need to stop using private business to do the governments work and create more government agencies instead. (larger government is the answer?)

If ACORN was a government agency and all the employees were government employees the government could keep better control of where the money went and what the employees say and do. They even could go as far a constant surveillance of all the ACORN staff.

But if the government tried that with a private corporation (like ACORN is BTW) the conservatives would be stomping their feet screaming socialism and government can't control private business.

---
Cut from Dave Ross transcript
---
acorn was in trouble long before this for stuff like sloppy voter registrations and misuse of its federal grants. Which -- is a question nobody has raised yet. Why is the federal government in the business of giving grants to organizations like this at all.

From records website you're some of the stuff they do. Help families apply for food stamps, help homeowners avoid foreclosure, protect children from lead paint. They're also under contract to help with the census for the Census Bureau dumped them.

But why are we contracting with a private organization to do this stuff?

Why aren't federal employees doing this?

It's this outsourcing that's the problem. Acorn is yet another example this philosophy that the private organizations can do it better, so let's send them the tax money percent instead of hiring more of those terrible government employees.

How about this. If congress decides that some program ought to be paid for with tax money lets staff that program with actual federal employees the we have at least some control over them. Then you could videotape them 24/7.

The problem isn't that it's a private entity, it's that the oversight has been damn near non-existent. Same goes for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, both of which were seen by some to be in big trouble, but not by the ones who were in a position to change them.

I can't think of a single government agency that could be considered 'efficient', unless the main criterion was to spend money as fast and as irresponsibly as possible.

 

[tcarcio]

Hogwash, Bigger government is not the answer. If you give them taxpayer money you just make them submit to independant audits and have them keep their books open to the public. Bigger Government..Give me a break.

 

[10010011]

Hogwash, Bigger government is not the answer. If you give them taxpayer money you just make them submit to independant audits and have them keep their books open to the public. Bigger Government..Give me a break.

But wouldn't the government forcing audit's of a private business, through a third party, or opening their books to the public be government interfering with private business?

Isn't the mating cry of conservatism "keep government out of private business"?

 

[Davemcc]

One must ask, are these functions that should be performed or funded by the gov't at all?

 

[markw]

But wouldn't the government forcing audit's of a private business, through a third party, or opening their books to the public be government interfering with private business?

Isn't the mating cry of conservatism "keep government out of private business"?

I'll make an exception when the government is funding that private business and/or said private business is providing services to the government.

 

[Rickster71]

ACORN cheated all taxpayers, not just conservatives. It's naive or conveniently divisive to make it political.

July 23, 2009, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The report provides enough detail to see that ACORN is intentionally structured as a criminal enterprise. Why did Congress keep these people on the payroll?

Some points from the Summary:


1: ACORN has evaded taxes, obstructed justice, engaged in self dealing, and aided and abetted a cover-up of embezzlement by Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke.
2: ACORN has committed investment fraud, deprived the public of its right to honest services, and engaged in a racketeering enterprise affecting interstate commerce.

3: ACORN has committed a conspiracy to defraud the United States by using taxpayer funds for partisan political activities.

4: ACORN has submitted false filings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor, in addition to violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

5: ACORN falsified and concealed facts concerning an illegal transaction between related parties in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

http://republicans.oversight.house.gov/media/pdfs/20090723ACORNReport.pdf

 

[markw]

Here'a a little primer on ACORN's founding and history

"ACORN is rooted in extreme far-left activism that wants to shut down the US government by overwhelming it with demands for welfare benefits and other forms of assistance.

"They don't like the American system of government, and would love for it to be overthrown," said ACORN expert Matthew Vadum, a senior editor at the conservative Capital Research Center in D.C.

"The whole goal is to transform America into a socialist country, or some form of socialist democracy. This group is dangerous."

So far, they seem to be meeting their goal. Click here to read more from this NY Post article

Or, click on the video where Obama says that Acorn will determine his domestic policy.

And yet, some people can't understand what all the fuss is all about...

 

[10010011]

"ACORN is...

ACORN cheated..

Please, I guess you missed my point. I an NOT defending ACORN, we all know ACORN is corrupt, I don't think we need another thread posting ACORN videos.

There is a much bigger issue here, ACORN is just the latest in a long line of government contractors defrauding the government and tax payers.

Let us not forget Haliburton and Blackwater.

Haliburton Accounting Scandal Exposed in "Iraq For Sale". Cost Plus Profiteering
10:44 - 2 years ago
This clip exposes how Haliburton scammed America and misused taxpayer dollars. Instead of replacing a flat tire, they blow up the truck so that they can buy another one and bill us for them both. Watch how they order the wrong equipment and instead of returning it for a refund, they burn it. All of this is possible because Cheney gave them a no-bid "cost-plus" contract that encourages them to spend as much as possible. Worst of all, the oversight office in Iraq that has been exposing all this corruption was just closed down by Bush in October. See the following article: http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F50816F73D540C7A8EDDA00894DE40448

JUNE 16, 2009

Audit Finds That U.S. Overpaid Blackwater

By YOCHI J. DREAZEN

WASHINGTON — A government audit found that the State Department overpaid the contract-security firm once known as Blackwater Worldwide by tens of millions of dollars because the company failed to properly staff its teams in Iraq.

 

[tcarcio]

But wouldn't the government forcing audit's of a private business, through a third party, or opening their books to the public be government interfering with private business?

Isn't the mating cry of conservatism "keep government out of private business"?

If your going to take taxpayer money I don't believe so. You can't give our money to anyone without oversight. Now if they don't take any tax money then I would agree.

 

[Rickster71]

There is a much bigger issue here, ACORN is just the latest in a long line of government contractors defrauding the government and tax payers.

Let us not forget Haliburton and Blackwater.

Haliburton Accounting Scandal Exposed in "Iraq For Sale". Cost Plus Profiteering
10:44 - 2 years ago
This clip exposes how Haliburton scammed America and misused taxpayer dollars. Instead of replacing a flat tire, they blow up the truck so that they can buy another one and bill us for them both. Watch how they order the wrong equipment and instead of returning it for a refund, they burn it. All of this is possible because Cheney gave them a no-bid "cost-plus" contract that encourages them to spend as much as possible. Worst of all, the oversight office in Iraq that has been exposing all this corruption was just closed down by Bush in October. See the following article: http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F50816F73D540C7A8EDDA00894DE40448

JUNE 16, 2009

Audit Finds That U.S. Overpaid Blackwater

By YOCHI J. DREAZEN

WASHINGTON — A government audit found that the State Department overpaid the contract-security firm once known as Blackwater Worldwide by tens of millions of dollars because the company failed to properly staff its teams in Iraq.

I agree with your last post.^
I'm also afraid the government will screw up Health Care; just like they did with Blackwater, Halliburton, and ACORN.

Your first post had a few incorrect assumptions (not made by you, but made by Dave Ross's radio show) Ross claims Acorn is a private business.
ACORN is 'Not' a private business.
ACORN is a non-profit, 'claimed' non-partisan social justice organization.