This organization makes a mockery out of the whole election process.

I am most concerned about the possible fraud. Although it's fairly obvious that if they were cheating, they'd be cheating for Obama, I'm not sure you can blame Obama for their actions.

I think there needs to be further investigation, and I think we need to be SURE that only qualified voters can vote, but I don't think we should jump to any conclusions.

I think it's a TIMED coincidence.

Dream, yes....because its election time....so therefore they should be investigated...its a no brainer, not a coincidence. IMO

Voter fraud is disgusting no matter which party it benefits, but the timing of this makes it seem like a distraction, like everything else with which Obama is slimed, and, as with those other smears, this one won't stick, either, because there is nothing to see here (as far as Obama goes), folks.

I don't think Obama is involved, but I do think this is a corrupt group who all but shouts "VOTER FRAUD!" from the rooftops.

Easy fix though, require ID when you go to vote. Done! Can I have my millions from the gov't now for solving the problem?

I find it ironic that the lady in the pic is holding a sign that says, "Save Families Stop Forclosures" when ACORN was one of the groups that put the screws to the banks in order for them to start giving mortgages to people that couldn't afford to pay them. According to them the banks were discriminating against minorities and since the banks didn't want to appear racist, they caved.

I agree Jude, as usual.

I think the timing claim is a bit dubious considering we're right before an election, if you're not talking about voter fraud then, when are you supposed to be talking about it? After? Once its already done?

I think it depends the CONTEXT in which its being talked about. If its being talked about like "ACORN is being investigated for voter fraud" then I say cool. If itsa "ACORN is being investigated for voter fraud and a connection to Obama" then THAT would be a distraction.

every news story ive heard has made mention of the obama connection in the form of a question "is obama connected?" which is a valid question since they both had a large part in community activism in chicago, so no doubt they must have crossed passed. but then someone from the obama camp says No he never had anything to do with the group. So it seems pretty cut and dry.

I ditto what Haus just said.

I am a ditto-er.

phew! I thought this thread was going to turn ugly as well

I'm so frustrated and outraged at voter fraud wherever and however it occurs. I refuse to vote absentee because I don't even trust that. I'm making the trip back to my home state to vote, even if it costs me work time!

snarky

Ooops I mean, TIMED as in 25 days left and I have no defense and I'm 11 points down in the polls -- BIG GOVERNMENT (of whom I have a hate love relationship with) Please SAVE ME -- TIMED.

sorry- I mean vacation time

the ACORN investigation has been ongoing for awhile.

I think getting those who may not know how to or have access to register to vote and to actually vote is a great cause. But I am against any extremist group using any means necessary to get the vote that they want, not matter who it benefits.

This is actually two separate questions..

Obama's connection to ACORN was in 1995..

"Barack was one of three lawyers that represented ACORN in a successful lawsuit alongside the U.S. Department of Justice against the state of Illinois to force state compliance with a federal voting access law. For his work helping enforce the law, called “Motor Voter,” Barack received the IVI-IPO Legal Eagle Award in 1995"

They were not a part of his successful Project Vote in Chicago.

It was reported that a subsidiary of the group was paid $800,000 by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign to register voters for the 2008 primaries, and ACORN's political wing endorsed Obama back in February. But they are not a part of his campaign and he is not a part of their organization.

Is ACORN attempting voter fraud?

Right now it looks like the low income people they hired at min wage/(or per registration) to stand in front of stores in the elements to get voter registration cheated by filling out multiple forms to either meet their quota or get paid more... they used names of family members..friends.. the Dallas Cowboys lineup... and turned them in. Only a close investigation of all of the registration forms turned in will tell. They are sorting through the applications to make sure that legitimate forms get through by the deadline. It was definitely fraud on the part of the employees obtaining the forms for filling them out with fake names and address for money. As to whether or not it is part of a larger conspiracy to let people vote.. only an investigation will tell.

I'm not convinced EITHER WAY that he's involved with ACORN, but this article that I found certainly makes it SEEM like he is.

Obama Formerly Represented ACORN, Taught Classes For Future Leaders Of ACORN, And They Endorsed His 2008 Presidential Campaign:
Obama Directed Project Vote And Later Taught Classes For "Future Leaders Identified By ACORN And The Centers For New Horizons." "He [Obama] says he is drawn to politics, despite its superficialities, as a means to advance his real passion and calling: community organization. ... In 1992 Obama took time off to direct Project Vote, the most successful grass-roots voter- registration campaign in recent city history. Credited with helping elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the U.S. Senate, the registration drive, aimed primarily at African-Americans, added an estimated 125,000 voters to the voter rolls -- even more than were registered during Harold Washington's mayoral campaigns. 'It's a power thing,' said the brochures and radio commercials. ... Obama continues his organizing work largely through classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New Horizons on the south side." (Hank De Zutter, Op-Ed, "What Makes Obama Run?" ChicagoReader, 12/8/95)
Obama Was Part Of Team Of Lawyers Who Represented ACORN In A Suit Against The State Of Illinois. "Obama was part of a team of attorneys who represented the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois in 1995 for failing to implement a federal law designed to make it easier for the poor and others to register as voters." (Mike Robinson, "Obama Got Start In Civil Rights Practice," The Associated Press, 2/20/07)
ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorsed Obama. "[A]CORN's political action committee endorsed Barack Obama for President. ... The endorsement reflects a belief that Obama -- who worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago -- understands that change must come from the ground-up, as part of a working coalition, rather than from position papers." (Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Op-Ed, "ACORN: Obama Gets It," The Nation, 2/23/08)
Obama's Campaign Paid Over $800,000 To ACORN For Get-Out-The-Vote Efforts, But "Mistakenly Misrepresented" Their Work To The FEC:
Obama's Campaign "Paid More Than $800,000" To ACORN For Get-Out-The Vote Efforts; The Campaign Originally "Misrepresented" The Group's Work To The FEC. "U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports. An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in 'get-out-the-vote' projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary." (David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending," Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)
While Serving On The Board Of Directors Of The Woods Fund, ACORN Received Thousands Of Dollars Of Grants From The Organization:
The Chicago ACORN Received Grants Of $45,000 (2000), $30,000 (2001), $45,000 (2001), $30,000 (2002), And $40,000 (2002) From The Woods Fund. (Donors Forum Website, ifs.donorsforum.org, Accessed 6/10/08)

In the county below mine here in Florida, they have found a ton of black voters registering over 80 times each........

My fiancee's dad is one of their victims. They used his identity and faked his signatures to cast votes that were not of his own.

So I'm glad they're finally being investigated thoroughly. I think they should be held accountable if they're practicing fraud and breaking the law.

Actions associated with the Acorn name have been nothing less than shady and they need to be watched like a Hawk.

Campaigners can be very coercive and out of line. I had a young man approach me for a donation to the DNC and I was almost inclined to do so until the vicious filth that came out of his mouth about Gov. Palin. There's just no need for that. If you don't agree with the ticket don't vote for the ticket. It's fine to discuss our differences but politics has become such an atmosphere of trash talking which only ads to the deviant behavior that Acorn and or their associates are accused of. Atmospheres are created by various elements if we don't want those atmospheres don't ad the elements.

If there's any questionable timing, it's probably because of ACORN's last-minute registration drives.

They're the ones driving the timing.

Hypno, as always, thanks for your open-minded decency!

Hypno, I just experienced the same thing, with one of the younger campaigners for the Obama ticket.

Frankly, they kind of scared me off with the forceful and rude way they acted.

I was always leaning toward the Dems, but the way these campaigners were very coercive and disrespectful to the point that I didn't want to get involved at all with the election.
I hope that some of the campaigners don't turn off undecided to the point they don't want to vote for their ticket.

Now I'm undecided but yeah, with a tad leaning for the Dems ticket although it can change easily. I'm still waiting for the complete plan from both candidates because it seems like on a daily basis, they have these new plans/proposals popping out.