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TechnoratiWhoops: Anti-ACORN Bill Ropes In Defense Contractors, Others Charged With Fraud
Going after ACORN may be like shooting fish in a barrel lately -- but jumpy lawmakers used a bazooka to do it last week and may have blown up some of their longtime allies in the process.
The congressional legislation intended to defund ACORN, passed with broad bipartisan support, is written so broadly that it applies to "any organization" that has been charged with breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws, campaign finance laws or filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency. It also applies to any of the employees, contractors or other folks affiliated with a group charged with any of those things.
In other words, the bill could plausibly defund the entire military-industrial complex. Whoops.
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) picked up on the legislative overreach and asked the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) to sift through its database to find which contractors might be caught in the ACORN net.
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Gumman both popped up quickly, with 20 fraud cases between them, and the longer list is a Who's Who of weapons manufacturers and defense contractors.
The language was written by the GOP and filed as a "motion to recommit" in the House, where it passed 345-75.
POGO is reaching out to its members to identify other companies who have engaged in the type of misconduct that would make them ineligible for federal funds.
Grayson then intends to file that list in the legislative history that goes along with the bill so that judges can reference it when determining whether a company should be denied federal funds.
The Florida freshman is asking for direct assistance. He has set up a Google spreadsheet where people can suggest contractors who have been charged with violations and include a link to a media or government report documenting the alleged transgression.
The weapons manufacturers might have a better line of defense in court, however. Immediately after the bill passed, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), a constitutional whiz, noted that the measure appeared to be a "bill of attainder" -- specifically targeting a company or organization or individual -- and is therefore specifically barred by the Constitution. If it's not targeted at one group, then Northrop Grumman is in trouble.
Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the Congressional Research Service on Tuesday asking it to clarify, among other things, if the Defund ACORN Act is constitutional.
Ryan Grim is the author of This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America
42 Comments so far
Show AllIt's a trap for Barry...
To sign, or not to sign, that is the question...
If the bill would be truly applied as is hoped here, then that would be the first I've seen of "change I can believe in!"
Repubs are probably wondering "how do you spit out a 'hook-line-and-sinker' you just eagerly devoured?"
(LOL)
Now if only that rope could also contain Wall Street, where many other recipients of federal funds rule with crooked golden sceptres.
"The bill could plausibly defund the entire military-industrial complex. " - Yeah, I'm sure that will happen right after they get done with ACORN.
I don't know this, but I'm really hoping some smart Democrat saw a chance to get after corrupt contractors and did this on purpose. Don't play chess with that congressman.
More likely, a smart defender of ACORN didn't want to argue the merits of the organization and knew this would quietly kill the bill or a Republican looking to make Democrats or Obama look bad with the military industrial complex and keep ACORN in the mix for fund raising and right wingnut agitation.
Politicians are more devious than most people expect. Many of them think the best possible book for them to read would be made with page after page of perfectly reflecting mylar.
Reason 9001 for why I will never be President -
It sounds correct to me not to do any more business with people who ripped you off before.
I haven't returned to the tire store that put my truck on an alignment rack - said they couldn't fix it but I still had to pay them to get the truck back.
I asked them if they could do an alignment on the truck twice before I let them try.
24 years - dozens of alignments and other car repairs and about 50 tires and they didn't get dime one. I also told everybody I could not to go to them.
I would sign the bill in an instant.
This gives new meaning to "the law of unintended consequences."
After 15 minutes of much hysterical, joyful laughter, I am able to type "ditto"
Considering the people ACORN worked with it does not supprise me that they could have some problems.
For a little fun with politics
BRWShow.com
Should this make it to the prez for signature, It would be interesting to hear his excuse for not signing--- probably be a quiet pocket veto, if I had to guess.
Haaha!
hee hee hee
Joe
hohoho
In writing this bill and most jumping out of the trees to vote and crush ACORN, but not even getting an inkling that this bill, as written, could damage so many dishonest corporations, the military, members of Congress, and all the rest ... and many of these people are lawyers ... indicates just how thick their denial is, especially since they are often recipients of the $ results of the fraudulent practices.
That's amazing.
Recently I pulled out from my library John Bradshaw's 1988 book, BRADSHAW ON THE FAMILY, because I realized that the denials, the role-playing, the insanities of the Dysfunctional Family apply now more than ever to our Nation, as one diverse family, to organizations, businesses, etc.
I have truly never met a family that is not dysfuntional in some way. Even the best usually have a member or two that become the scapegoats for anything that might be wrong.
ACORN is the current scapegoat of the self-righteous Congressional Family in total denial.
Bradshaw's book is worth reading if you never have or rereading it if you do have it. It applies to so much of what is happening in our messy Human Family, and it does offer insights and remedies to break the patterns of the dysfunction, sometimes, however, at great personal cost.
The Truth Teller in a dysfunctional family/situation is generally not welcome and becomes the Scapegoat to protect the denial systems.
That simple and that complex.
Highly recommend Bradshaw amd his insights.
/cm
"ACORN is the current scapegoat of the self-righteous Congressional Family in total denial."
So true. I just saw my rep. Lamar Smith's comment that "ACORN has fostered a culture of corruption". I nearly choked. Smith never gave a damn about the culture of corruption in the military industrial complex, was a cheerleader for Tom Delay, never gave a fig about corruption in the financial sector which nearly brought down the global economy and still might. But boy when it's a grass roots organization aiming to get people engaged in the same system of law that we all share, it's a culture of corruption and someone must hang.
That you've never met a family that wasn't or isn't dysfunctional in some way(s) doesn't mean that there aren't any. And you surely have met only a tiny number of families, compared to the total number of families. One family that came to my mind as likely very functional when reading what you said about this is the family of Granny D, that is, Doris "Granny D" Haddock. I don't know the family, but nevertheless have a feeling that given the way she is, it's not unlikely that she and her husband raised a family of very [sound] people. There are surely some very or wholly functional families, but most of the population is dysfunctional one way or another, too often in many ways.
Besides Bradshaw's book seeming to be a fitting read, your reference to this brought to mind "People of The Lie", a book by Dr M. Scott Peck. In doing a Web search to make sure to correctly spell his name, I checked the amazon.com page for the book and the page has a link for an index of books by him, many enough. Another book that I read by him is the first of "The Road Less Traveled" series and the first is a fine read, just that I learned to have had no need for it after having read it. It might benefit other people though; as long as it's read with an open mind and heart. This is all I know about Dr Speck, so I can't vouch for anything else he's written and said; but "People of The Lie" is very fitting to refer to when speaking of the kind of societies we have in the USA, Canada, and so on. It's definitely fitting for that, our political bodies, and our corporate "culture". It's a very simple, straightforward book, but it illustrates basics of what our supposedly civilized societies consist of, or very much (or mostly) consist of, anyway.
We can consider what that book says when we think of Obama and his administration; Bush Jr and his administration; Bill Clinton and his administration; and so on. LIARS, frauds, charlatans, only they're much worse than what's reflected in "People of The Lie". After all, these people are not only liars; they're also [murderers], war criminals, environmental criminals, omnicidally vicious individuals, or predators. And they "work" for major corporations, so through our political leaders we can see what kind of "leaders" of corporations we have. Nevertheless, LIES are one of their very main instruments or methods; and the msm "news" media extremely contributes, "of course".
Obama recently lied with regards to making missile defence system(s) improvements that we should supposedly welcome, as if Poland and the Czech Republic won't be used, as if this part of the Bush Jr-Cheney administration project is being abandoned. A "lesser evil" many Obama supporters claimed he was or is, without being able to provide any evidence. In 2002, he opposed the war on Iraq, many of his supporters (falsely) claimed without ever providing any supporting links or citing the words he then spoke, which, when verified, illustrate that he wasn't particularly anti-war-on-Iraq at the time. I said a number of times that the lesser part perhaps or likely was only a matter of apparence, ephemeral apparence, and so it is. He's been proving it since the inauguration and we can see that he and his administration will be proving it again with the missile defence systems, which'll be as I posted the other day and which is that they won't only be on naval ships; they'll be on ships [and] land, both. Poland and the Czech Republic are [not] out of the picture, except for what the public is "not supposed to see".
Land- and sea-based missile systems are evidently planned, along with air-based. "Star Wars" is back. And it is obviously not about intentions related to any legitimate forms of defence. The Obama administration, instead of improving, is making the whole missile "defence" systems crap worse than the Bush Jr-Cheney administration had started to do; or so the following article and others on NATO and the U.S. in Eastern Europe by the same author posted at the following website leave readers to understand is nearly certain.
"U.S. Missile Shield Plans: Retreat Or Advance?",
by Rick Rozoff, Stop NATO, Sep. 18, 2009
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=15264
He's one very serious source on NATO "movements" in Eastern Europe, and more.
"People of The LIE"! Much worse than described in the book though!
Dysfunctional families? It certainly seems like there are many. And there are many.
With people like this running matters of great importance, I wonder what'll happen with the Defunding ACORN Act actions right now. If this Act is passed into law and really does present a threat for the MIC corporations and other "important" elites, then what'll happen? Another Act, or an amendment (to excuse or exempt corporations), to undo or override this present one? Can we herein say that politics is a stage, so be prepared, now you're seeing Act 1, Act 2 is next?
Mike - Point well taken. Maybe there are a few "perfect families" out there. And Peck's books too, THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED and PEOPLE OF THE LIE are worth resurrecting
"That you've never met a family that wasn't or isn't dysfunctional in some way(s) doesn't mean that there aren't any. And you surely have met only a tiny number of families, compared to the total number of families. One family that came to my mind as likely very functional when reading what you said about this is the family of Granny D, that is, Doris "Granny D" Haddock. I don't know the family, but nevertheless have a feeling that given the way she is, it's not unlikely that she and her husband raised a family of very [sound] people. There are surely some very or wholly functional families, but most of the population is dysfunctional one way or another, too often in many ways.
Besides Bradshaw's book seeming to be a fitting read, your reference to this brought to mind "People of The Lie", a book by Dr M. Scott Peck...."
++++++++++++++
I have met families that function very well and their offspring are very sound people, but my experience has been that as you get to know people well, because we are human and have so many different experiences, that the gliches and blind spots do show up. I think at one time or another we all have some blind spots. If the family members, the individuals, are really healthy people, someone will eventually recognize that something isn't right and then it is dealt with rationally. And that's the ideal. Other times it is perhaps kinder to allow for the thin to thicker layers of denial and let things be.
I guess what gets to me is that with all the knowledge, wisdoms, understandings we have acquired over the centuries, and in the latter part of the 20th century a plethora of literature and teachings became available that encouraged self-examination and examination of conditioned belief systems and all that good stuff that, if applied, could and can move us forward to a more cooperative, peaceful world based on compassion and understanding each other, but we haven't used it; we haven't internalized what is now the obvious.
So here is ACORN and let the rabid witch hunts begin with the instant retaliations, the viciousness and self-righteousness by those with blood on their hands and their pockets bulging with corporate long green.
This morning on NPR it was the usual, the United States sending out letters and encouraging a bevy of letters from diplomats to Kenya admonishing the government for allowing violence during the elections, and going after more sanctions on Iran and all the rest, with the sham and pretense that our bright light of liberty and freedom and NON-VIOLENCE are still the shining examples for the world to follow.
When I read your references to M. Scott Peck, I did read his last book and articles, and this essentially was about his active alcoholism that bubbled up again from a dormant period and how his marriage and he himself fell off a precipice of his own making ... after his books were best sellers. At least he was honest, even though I remember not being terribly convinced he had dealt with everything he needed to deal with. Thus again going back to the seemingly truly functional family ... Life includes all kinds of gliches and new situations that turn things upside down. Introspectiveness and self-honesty and what was my part in this? my reactions and responses? and what do I need to work on/correct? take responsibility for? ... usually get one back on track. Do I succeed all the time? HELL, NO!
What happened with ACORN and is happening with so many other decisions from the powers that be, once again, it seems, we are back into infantile screeching, whining, blaming and self-justification for pooping on the picnic table ... on purpose ... and pretending to others and self that it just isn't so.
It's all so transparent now or maybe with so much information collected and networked in my brain from so many years of living, it's just easier to see.
Anyway ... ACT 2? or are we closer to the FINALE?
peace, cm
Cee.......I like your thinking. In my opinion, we are closer to the FINALE. The spiraling down is happening quickly! However, it might actually end in a "second chance!" The U.S., in it's unruly adolescence, might actually have a "growing up" spurt when we are properly chastised by the rest of the "older" world.
Today, Glenn Greenwald interviewed Representative Grayson:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/
We've heard of the fool who burns down the house to get rid of the termites.
Here, in their reckless haste to burn the despised little ACORN, the rabid bipartisan squirrels ignited the whole blighted oak tree.
It is worth a chuckle. But those squirrels LIVE in that tree, and they're going to make sure their nests aren't so much as scorched.
Their little paws are only "tied" when it comes to passing laws that benefit the common people at the expense of the vested interests (and by extension, themselves), not the other way around.
· Yr Obd't Servant
This is great! Wish I didn't have to wake up in the morning, though.
Way to go, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.)!
Add just about every congressman's name to that list...they are all a bunch of frauds
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
So if this bill targets one organization, it's unconstitutional and if it doesn't, then "technically" the government can go after just about every large corporation for fraud. So who is going to make the government do that? And wouldn't Obama have to sign it? Don't hold your breath.
When the people fear their government there is tyranny,
when the government fears the people there is liberty.
~ Thomas Jefferson
so now you agree with me that obama is a politician, similar to hillary clinton?
sorry, i just couldn't resist.
for peace and sustainability
This is fabulous!!!! And long overdue!!!
The GOP in a blatantly partisan attempt to further disenfranchise the most vulnerable citizens of the country has accidentally created legislation that holds all organizations and corporations who receive federal tax dollars accountable for fraud. The only thing it truly lacks is an amendment to add minimum mandatory prison terms to individuals who knowingly commit the the treasonous act of defrauding the government aka the American taxpayers.
While I support efforts by organizations like ACORN to increase the participation of all citizens in our democracy, holding them to a extremely high ethical standard is appropriate. This will only increase their legitimacy in the long run.
The fact that this bill might reign in the really big fraud committed by defense contractors, medicaid providers, and now financial institutions and banks (they took federal money in the bailout didn't they)is the most overdue legislation apart for environmental and health care reform.
The amount of tax money saved by truly holding recipients of tax dollars accountable, especially medical providers and defense contractors, could pay for a significant portion of a public health care system and reduce the tax burden on the citizenry.
The additional provision of financial and criminal liability of the corporation, organization and principle decision makers is necessary to prevent individuals from avoiding responsibility for the decisions made on behalf of the corporate entity.
It will not surprise me if once the full implications of this bill are understood by the GOP and their corporate masters they will try and limit the scope to only ACORN or drop it entirely if that is not possible.
It will be pure karma however if in their attempt to play politics the GOP actually proposes a bill for the benefit of average Americans to their own detriment. Whahoo!!!
Absobloominglutely, and what, by the way, is so bad about collaring organizations which defraud the gov't? At worst, it's just a bit of gotcha politics finally pointed in the right direction. How can an impropriety be generated by complying with basic Constitutional requirements? And even if it was the administration taking some vengeance, Hooray! There needs to be some muscle flexed and this bit brings a wee smile to my parched and jaded lips.
:-)
This made my day this morning too.
I was reading a right wing blog about the recent tea party in D.C. where they claimed they had over two million protestors there but the reason the numbers were far less at the actual protests was that Acorn blocked them! But of course, nothing was said about how they blocked the tea baggers. Can't you see Beck or the clown O.picking up this story and having people on Fox News and asking: Have you ever been a member of Acorn? Have you ever been affliated in any way with this organization? Have you ever given $ or supported Acorn in any way? Blah,blah,blah!
It's nice that we can always trust congress to do the right thing... accidently...
I wonder how many churches this would take in?
What about political parties?
If this is what the Repugs come up with a law to end corruption then no wonder the country is in such trouble.
Here's your chance, folks. Congressman Grayson is asking for nominees to add to a list of organizations who have committed fraud against the government or employ anyone who has. The list so far contains some of our favorites: Blackwater, Monsanto, Bank of America, but surely there are more... Big Ag? Big Oil?
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dC1WUm40dWk4YnJNQl9sNWR6aHRybnc6MA
Many (most?) of Big Pharma have defrauded Medicare at one time or another.
A mistake we all can believe in !
Yeah, and now if we can just get the most Liberal members of Congress to stand back and do nothing, which they're already extremely good at, we're really gonna see the crap fly (hee,hee hee)!
This story makes my day. Karma done bit ya in the ass, Congress.
The republicans have nothing to worry about. The federal judiciary is lousy with right-wing functionaries and they'll do the "sorting out" and protect republican interests.
The ACORN non-issue gives us just one more example of republican treachery and Democratic cowardice.
q
Great observation about our sorry federal judiciary. The law is applied only if it benefits the powerful, wealthy, and/or Rethugs. Otherwise, you get absurd legal reasoning a la Bush v. Gore.
Yep. It's the old "selective law enforcement" trick.