For several weeks last summer, the biggest news on wingnut talk radio and Fox News was the hidden-camera videos of a "pimp" and his "prostitute" seeking tax advice at various ACORN offices around the country.
The faux uproar shamefully spread beyond the right-wing media, to the point that the House and the Senate passed a bill of attainder that denied ACORN access to any federal funding.
Only seven Senators voted against the ACORN bill -- one of them was Kirsten Gillibrand.
The ongoing attacks on ACORN have been blown out of proportion. We, as progressives know that (or should know that). The attacks have come from right-wingers who in their relentless ACORN attacks have taken a much needed group and make it seem like a huge fraudulent operation with zero credibility.
The right-wing, like they always are, would be wrong.
One of the problems, however, is that Democrats are willing to cave because of pressure from the right-wing and Republicans. Today was one example of that.
The House voted today to prohibit federal funds from being sent to ACORN. The final vote was 345 to 75, with 172 Democrats supporting the measure. Every single Republican - 173 of them - voted to support it as well.
Of the 27 New York representatives who voted (Yvette Clarke did not vote and John McHugh wasn't present with good reason), 17 members of the New York delegation voted for this measure.
Congressman Eric Massa issued the following statement, only it's hard to see the logic in his vote:
"With mounting allegations against ACORN, a public outraged by recent videos, and considering the Census Bureau's recent decision to sever their ties with ACORN, I voted to prohibit any future federal spending on this organization," said Rep. Eric Massa. "I too was deeply disturbed by the recent ACORN videos that have been played out over the news and am glad that I had the opportunity today to sever Congress' ties with this organization."
I am assuming that similar statements would be put on this subject from the rest who voted on it.
Let's make this clear: These same petty votes that are championed by Republicans to prohibit funds from going to ACORN are coming from the same party that just days ago said we were distracting from the "real issues" at hand when a resolution of disapproval was brought to the House floor. Same party said that it was more important to talk about the "real issues." I didn't know ACORN was a "real issue." (Until it ended up the official news station of the Republican Party.)
We need to go on the offensive. We also need to highlight the great things ACORN does which representatives like Massa and the other Democrats who voted today ignored.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has heard plenty about her vote against an amendment that was put forth in the U.S. Senate Monday to prohibit Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds being delivered to ACORN.
The reason? Gillibrand was one of only seven senators to oppose the amendment. The amendment passed 83 to 7 and Gillibrand was one of the seven (all Democrats) to oppose it.
Since that point, Gillibrand's vote has been looked at as a shift to the left while also being attacked by conservatives. Politico's Glenn Thrush said that the vote divided Gillibrand and Senator Chuck Schumer while also adding that Gillibrand's vote was possibly due to the fact that ACORN is very active in New York City and it also has connections to the Working Families Party, a line that Gillibrand will certainly want in next year's election. The New York Post has an editorial in today's paper called "Sen. Jello-Brand" which argues that Gillibrand has shifted from being a moderate voice in the House to a "radical leftist" in the Senate and argued that the vote in support of ACORN proves that.
However, Gillibrand's backing of ACORN is not a new thing, nor is it an attempt by the junior senator to shift to the left. Here's the proof:
- On February 6, the Senate voted on an amendment put forth by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that would prohibit funds from being sent to ACORN. Senator Gillibrand voted against the amendment along with Senator Schumer. The overall vote featured 45 "Yea" votes, meaning the amendment failed to pass.
- On March 26, the Senate took up another amendment this time to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. This amendment served a similar purpose to the others that have been proposed: Oppose any funds being sent to ACORN. Senator Gillibrand voted in favor of tabling the motion. The motion was tabled by a 53 to 43 vote.
- The came the vote Monday which received overwhelming support. Having 83 senators from both parties back an amendment is quite an accomplishment. But Gillibrand voted against the amendment, which is consistent with her previous positions.
In addition to her Senate votes, Gillibrand voted in favor of the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 which included $4 billion trust fund that was available to groups like ACORN.
After the criticism mounted against Gillibrand, her office issued this statement:
"While Senator Gillibrand finds the actions of certain ACORN employees to be reprehensible and will ask ACORN leaders for a full investigation and plan to prevent any further abuse, the truth remains that thousands of New York families who are facing foreclosure depend on charitable organizations like ACORN for assistance. Senator Gillibrand believes that eliminating funding for the important programs that ACORN provides would be harmful to the thousands of hard working New Yorkers who need extra assistance in the middle of this economic crisis."
There are two opponents in this instance: The media and the right-wing. The media is an opponent here for lazy reporting and a willingness to latch onto the opposition's talking points. ACORN, like anything, has its flaws. ACORN has some issues and I, like many others, agree that they need to address those issues. But ACORN also serves a purpose and in these tough economic times, ACORN has a place.
For the media to jump on the anti-ACORN bandwagon is irresponsible. In this case, they also fail to discuss what I think is the bigger story: Why so many Democrats have abandoned ship and jumped on that same anti-ACORN bandwagon. If Gillibrand is one of only seven Democrats who still support ACORN, why are the other 53 Democrats in the U.S. Senate opposed? What made them change their minds? Did this one incident scare them? If so, I think that's more of a question to ask than the alleged political convenience and opportunism of Gillibrand.
It seems no matter which political party in America holds the majority, a Washington/Wall Street corporate centric axis dominates policy making. Indeed, Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin recently observed that banks, "Frankly Own the Place." Among liberal-progressive activists like myself, this condition has facilitated a confrontational mindset.
Our experience suggests that the power and wealth concentrated in the hands of a few will not be voluntarily relinquished. Hence, everything from healthcare reform to bankruptcy protection for aggrieved homeowners is perceived by many of us as a high stakes pitched battle between struggling families and feculent corporate behemoths. Although activism has certainly facilitated important victories on behalf of working people, fighting for economic justice often seems analogous to climbing an endless wall.
"Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand understands that rebuilding the economy begins with investments in education," said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi. "She is working tirelessly and effectively with President Obama and Sen. Schumer to save jobs for working families, keep teachers in the classroom and grow the state's economy. She has a sterling track record of commitment to strengthening education and health care, and will be the leader we need to ensure New York students have access to quality public education from pre-school through college. She's an effective voice who will help New York get through these challenging times and be well-positioned going into the future."
"Sen. Gillibrand shares our vision and is proving herself to be a strong leader in Washington," added NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan B. Lubin. "New York students deserve every educational opportunity to succeed. And, Kirsten is fighting to make sure they get it. We're proud to have her as a partner in this effort."
Randi Weingarten, President of the national American Federation of Teachers and the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, noted that, "NYSUT's endorsement is recognition that in just five months on the job, Kirsten Gillibrand has already shown us what kind of senator she is. She is fighting hard each and every day to build a brighter future for every New York student. Kirsten is the advocate we need to deliver for New York schools."
Gillibrand's campaign announced today that she has been endorsed by ACORN's Political Action Committee (PAC).
"With Kirsten, we know we have a leader who will always fight for those who have been pushed to the brink in this economic crisis," said Bertha Lewis, CEO and Chief Organizer of ACORN. "Kirsten is fighting to stem the tide of foreclosures to keep New York families in their homes, fighting for pay check fairness and better wages for every New York worker." Said Pat Boone, President of New York ACORN. "She's a strong voice for New York children -- making sure they've got the health care they need and every educational opportunity for a bright future," said Valerie Holder, Chair of APAC.
Ms. Lewis oversees the operations of ACORNs 400,000 strong membership, which is active in over 110 cities nationwide. A 16 year veteran of the organization, Ms. Lewis was most recently the Executive Director of ACORNs New York affiliate and is a founding Co-Chair of the New York Working Families Party.
"I am honored to have the endorsement of ACORN and proud to partner with them on an agenda aimed at helping those New Yorkers that are struggling in this difficult economy," said Senator Gillibrand. "Under ACORN's leadership, thousands of community organizers across New York and across the country are organizing block by block to help build an economy that works for all our workers. I am proud to partner with them to create good-paying jobs and provide affordable health care to all Americans."
The NYSUT endorsement is key in terms of education. Having the NYSUT endorsement shows that Gillibrand is committed to improving the education of New York's youth. That should be a top priority and Gillibrand has made it a priority.
Being backed by ACORN also shows that Gillibrand has key social justice backing. With the economy in rough shape, having someone still fighting for the poor and middle-class citizens of New York is important. Gillibrand has been doing that and will continue to do that.
ACORN (ACORN stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) has faced many smears by the Republican Party in a recent weeks, including by the party's nominee for president Sen. John McCain. Of course, these smears are ridiculous and there are many reasons why they are ridiculous.
Over the last few days, I've had the opportunity to listen in on a press call and a call specifically for bloggers. ACORN is not sitting back and taking these attacks lightly. In fact, they are going on the offensive. They want people to know what ACORN is really about and what ACORN does. As we know in America, it's not hard to misinform millions of people about a certain issue or topic (see Iraq War).
This week, ACORN is dedicated to setting the record straight and more importantly, raise awareness about voter suppression which is a REAL issue that has occurred in two elections (2000 and 2004) that were won by Republican George W. Bush.
Earlier this week during a press call, ACORN brought up a few different eye-opening incidents that are worth mentioning. In New Mexico, the Republicans there challenged the validity of several voters there. Upon further review, these voters were valid. The claims of "voter fraud" were false.
Another issue that ACORN is focusing on is voter suppression involving voters who have had their homes foreclosed. In multiple states, there are efforts underway trying to suppress these voters. One such is Michigan, where the Republicans were trying to purge voters from the rolls using foreclosure lists. Luckily, that attempt was foiled. But we still need to watch for these attempts nationwide.
There has also been a growing hatred for ACORN thanks to the GOP rhetoric and the loud-mouthed antics of John McCain and Sarah Palin. In Wisconsin, a person canvassing for Barack Obama was reportedly attacked by someone who referred to ACORN while physically abusing this individual. There have been break-ins at ACORN headquarters in Boston and Washington state. There have been threats and racism directed at ACORN employees and volunteers, as well as one instance of someone receiving a death threat from an individual who just happened to have "McCain-Palin" on their Facebook page.
This is what ACORN is up against. But they aren't standing down. I will have more on this later.
Bail Out Main Street, Not Just Wall Street; Don't Foreclose on Victims
NEW YORK CITY - Today, ACORN (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) picketed the Federal Reserve to protest the failure of the Bush administration and Chairman Ben Bernanke to include lifelines for American homeowners facing foreclosures in its big bank bailout bill.
As similar rallies occurred across the country, dozens of ACORN members gathered, including those facing foreclosure. ACORN was joined by supportive elected officials including: Assembly Member Hakeem Jeffries, State Senator John Sampson, and a representative from City Council Member David Weprin's office.
"The Bush plan calls for spending hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out his former colleagues on Wall Street, but does not devote a single penny to rescue American homeowners who were victimized by the predatory lending of these same institutions," said Maude Hurd, President of ACORN. "We urge Congress to protect the millions of American homeowners who are facing foreclosure before they bail out the shareholders of big banks."
ACORN called on leaders of Congress to include homeowner rescue provisions in any Wall Street bailout, including:
· Bankruptcy Shelter for Homeowners. Congress should amend the bankruptcy bill to allow federal bankruptcy judges to modify the terms on a principal residence, just like they can on vacation homes and yachts.
· Automatic Modifications for Distressed Homeowners. Any financial institution that participates in the federal bailout must be obligated to provide automatic affordable loan modifications to homeowners facing foreclosure, structured along the lines of the modification program recently implemented by the FDIC as conservator of Indymac. This provision would apply to any home mortgages, either wholly owned or included in securities owned by the institution.
· Re-regulate the financial industry. Any financial institution that benefits from the bailout must in return provide public benefit by investing in low- and moderate-income communities under the provisions of the Community Reinvestment Act.
"Wall Street created and financed the tidal wave of predatory mortgage products that have led us directly to this crisis," Hurd said. "Their irresponsible lending and greed, combined with the deregulatory zeal of the Federal Reserve, has caused millions of Americans to lose their homes. Taxpayer money must be used to rescue the victims of these crimes before it is used to save the criminals from failure."
This is similar to an e-mail Working Families Party Executive Director Dan Cantor sent out yesterday calling on Congress to bailout Main Street, not just Wall Street. That sentiment should be shouted to our representatives and senators in Washington D.C. as they figure out the best way to address this crisis. We don't need anymore bailouts. We need accountability, discipline and common sense. Unfortunately, all three have been absent for too long and have led to the downfall of many corporations and to the decline of our economy.
More than two dozen families from across New York State came to the Capitol today to demand that legislators and the Governor come together and hammer out an agreement to pass legislation to address New York's foreclosure crisis before the legislature adjourns in two weeks.
"If Albany sticks to business as usual, I could lose my home. Families facing foreclosure just can't wait any longer," said Migdalia Rodriguez. Ms. Rodriguez fell behind on two adjustable rate loans on her home in Brooklyn after she was injured in a car accident, forcing her to cut back her hours.
On May 7th the New York State Assembly overwhelmingly passed legislation to institute a one year moratorium on home foreclosure (A. 9695B) as well as a separate measure, the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 (A-10083A) which would provide temporary financial assistance to homeowners with sub-prime or unconventional mortgages facing foreclosure. The State Senate has taken no action on either piece of legislation.
At the same time the families were calling for action, ACORN Housing released new data underscoring the need for legislation to tackle the mortgage crisis. ACORN Housing is a HUD certified loan counseling agency charged with working with families in crisis to avoid foreclosure. In the past twelve months ACORN Housing has assisted approximately 150 families facing foreclosure. According to a review of open case files in ACORN Housing's loan counseling records:
* Banks have failed to respond to requests for voluntary work-outs on 32 subprime loans handled by ACORN since January;
* For loans that were successfully worked out, the average time between a loan counselor submitting a loan for review by a bank and a work-out was 12 weeks.
* There is no standard methodology banks follow in reviewing applications for loan work-outs from ACORN Housing counselors. Nearly identical proposals receive totally different responses from different banks.
* There is massive variance between lenders in responsiveness to requests for loan work-outs;
* Legal fees and arrears continue to be added to the outstanding loan balance during the time between a work-out proposal is submitted and a bank's response - putting the loan further underwater and making a solution more elusive.
"Every day we help families attempting to refinance unaffordable subprime loans. The facts are clear: banks are not stepping up to the plate. We need this legislation to finally give homeowners with subprime loans real protection," said Ismene Speliotis, Director of ACORN Housing.
This is an issue that was mentioned at today's press conference with Governor David Paterson, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith and Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco. With 11 days left on the legislative calendar, Paterson said the the state "needs legislation" to address the subprime mortgage crisis.
Indeed, we do need this. This is something that former Governor Eliot Spitzer was discussing when he was in power and even proposed legislation to address the crisis. If our legislature accomplishes anything in the last 11 days, they should address this crisis. Many families in New York are impacted by it and it is important to reach a compromise to address this problem.
The big news today at the Take Back America Conference will be announced at 12:30 press conference. What is being announced is being described as the "largest progressive mobilization in history." I'll have details later today, but Ben Smith is tossing around numbers like these:
At the Take Back America conference in D.C. today, an array of groups are going to tally their commitment to voter registration and mobilization -- field -- programs this cycle, the sort of stuff America Coming Together did in 2004, but which Democratic money types now hope can be done in a way that bulids existing organizations.
The total (embargoed for 6:00 a.m., which is why this post is going up now) exceeds $425 million:
AFL-CIO: $53.4 million
AFL-CIO affiliates: $200 million
Change to Win affiliates: $100+ million
MoveOn: $30 million
Acorn: $35 million
Rock the Vote- $5 million plus
La Raza: $4-6 million
This doesn't include what's expected to be massive media spending against McCain by the Campaign to Defend America and other outlets.
It looks to be a pretty big deal and I'm curious to know how much effort will be put into the states, specifically states such as ours.
