Cue the scary music:
I’m not a huge fan of ACORN, but I did work very, very briefly with Service Employees International Union. I had just left the LABOR Paper where I was assistant editor and I took a job with SEIU helping to organize home health care workers in the state. I ended up turning down the job, as the pay would depend only on how many people I signed up with the union.
I’m more into service than sales, so i knew I didn’t have a future in that job.
I applaud SEIU for being out there helping to organize workers who really do need someone standing up for them.
I’m a small-L libertarian, and I don’t agree with all the political positions taken by organized labor. But the right to join a union is simply people exercising the right to assemble and the right to withhold their labor.
And I resent politicians and political groups using “union organizer” like a dirty word.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Sadly too many have lost sight or have simply never realized how much labor unions have done for the worker … and how much we have lost with the continued attacks on worker rights, pay and benefits.
I wonder if those that decry federal funding of ACORN because of the crimes of some of their employees feel the same way about Blackwater, or Haliburton.
Its absurd that Congress voted to defund ACORN, a group that tries to help poor people register to vote and get mortgages, but not Blackwater, Halliburton, et al whose workers are accused of murder and rape.
I smell another case of moral equivalence. Obviously, ACORN’s top-to-bottom corruption can’t be justified, so some liberal idealogues try to divert attention.
I dislike how BOTH sides try to discreddit the other side by linking them with every bad player the other side has. Obviously, most Dems are not in favor of using federal funds to help inport underage prostitutes. Dems do the same think by claiming all GOPers are birthers and truthers.
Who said Blackwater wasn’t corrupt top-to-bottom, David? No moral equivalence from me. I’m not trying to divert attention at all. But the recent handwringing on the part of Congress to end federal funding of ACORN in light of the recent allegations is ironic given the on-going issues w/ Blackwater contracts. I don’t need moral equivalence. Plain ole equivalence is just fine.
Sud O. Nym,
My comments were more directed toward Elaine Hopkins. Our hard-left fellow blogger can’t acknowledge that ACORN employees demonstrated a willingness to break the law, and instead asserts that it’s absurd to defund an organization that “helps poor people register to vote and get mortgages.” Well, I guess that means it’s absurd to defund an organization like Blackwater which “helps with security” and also Halliburton, which “provides products and services to the energy industry.”
David,
If 100% of all eligible persons were registered to vote and 100 % of eligible mortgage applicants had legitimate financing in hand, Elaine would find another issue that was on the minds of progressive America.
I just find it sad that as a society we allowed Faux to stampede people into believing the nonsense they invented about ACORN. Thoughtful educated people still find it necessary to repeat the same myths, half-truths and out-of-context studio productions presented as news.
Precent Committeeman,
ACORN is valuable for registering as many Democratic voters as possible with taxpayers money. And not always within the law. The end justifies the means, you know.
Michael,
I suppose the related firings of several ACORN employees was “myth, half-truth and out-of-context studio production?” I’m sure they’d get a kick out of that.
Firing several employees does not warrant the witch hunt that created the eventual defunding. Lets keep some perspective regarding the actual facts and the moral outrage generated by Faux News. Faux whined about the predominant number of Democrats registered as supposed evidence for the witch hunt … disregarding the simple fact that voter registration alone is non-partisan.
Do a search on the name “Fathiyyah Muhammad.”
ahhhh, poor people. those poor people. as though they haven’t been exploited enough. now the concept is being exploited to achieve an end or any end.