By Great just what South Korea needs, more leftist agitators:
ACORN is defunct, but ACORN International, a separate organization, is thriving, according to a message to supporters from Wade Rathke, founder of ACORN and chief organizer for ACORN International.
In his message, Rathke noted that ACORN International just added a new affiliate in South Korea, known as Asian Bridge, and that activists in Prague had begun an organization called ACORN Comrades Club, with which he is communicating via Skype from his home in New Orleans. [Nola.com]
The most obvious question is where is this organization getting its funding in South Korea? Is any South Korean taxpayer dollars going to pay for this group like US taxpayer dollars were used to support them in the US?
I wonder how long before ACORN is out protesting Park Sang-hak and his group?
4:42 pm on March 31st, 2011 1
What's so bad about wanting people to register to vote? Oh, right. They want people you'd rather not see vote to register.
5:09 pm on March 31st, 2011 2
Teadrinker #1, If the Korean branch of ACORN is like some of the chapters in the US then you are correct. I don't want convicted felons, "voters" with imaginary names such as Mickey Mouse, or illegal aliens voting.
8:24 pm on March 31st, 2011 3
#2,
Cough…cough…
http://mediamatters.org/columns/201002230024
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/201…
9:31 pm on March 31st, 2011 4
This smelled like an April Fools gag.
10:50 pm on March 31st, 2011 5
@#4 – I wish this was an April's Fools gag but it isn't ACORN really is coming to South Korea. @#3 – You might want to read this from your Media Matters link:
The bottom line is that no matter how someone is dressed if someone asked me how to break the law I wouldn't aid them and a number of ACORN employees like the link said were eager to do so.
11:16 pm on March 31st, 2011 6
#5,
You gotta be kidding. Did you read the second article?
Some skinny white kid coming in dressed up like Superfly trying to punk me like that? I would have kicked his ass. That's what would have been on tapes if I worked for ACORN.
4:21 am on April 1st, 2011 7
Ah, those edited tapes. How much they did not reveal.
I feel bad for the San Diego staffer who looked bad on the tapes but who had actually contacted law enforcement after the "pimp" left. I hope he wins his lawsuit (a mere $75K for lost wages).
I'm not a fan of gotcha media done for partisan reasons.
9:03 am on April 1st, 2011 8
Why are Haliburton and other such corporations still getting contracts with the government if institutions are supposed to be held fully accountable for alleged misdeeds of their employees?
9:26 am on April 1st, 2011 9
Why shouldn't Halliburton still get contracts with the government? It has paid settlements well into the Millions. Sounds like it has been "held fully accountable" for mistakes to me.
Or would you prefer the company taken over by the Federal Government and sold off to redistribute the wealth.
A better question: Why did Obama give Brazilian oil company Petrobras Millions to drill? Huh? Huh?
5:45 pm on April 1st, 2011 10
#9,
So, you admit there is a double-standard?
8:05 pm on April 1st, 2011 11
ACORN Comrades Club?
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now? Community organizers? Future presidents!
да товарищ!
/da, tovarisch!
9:57 pm on April 1st, 2011 12
I wouldn't have had a problem with ACORN's activities if they weren't using taxpayers money for partisan political purposes. It there work is so important I am sure they will have no problem having George Soros and Hollywood pay for them.
That goes for any other organizations taking government money for partisan political purposes. Likewise these tax exempt organizations such as Media Matters and mega-churches that promote partisan politics should also pay taxes.
10:03 pm on April 1st, 2011 13
GI Korea, which partisan political purposes? Are you referring to voter registration or something else?
Frankly, I think we need to adopt an automatic voter registration system so that we can take out the partisan nature of voter registration drives.
But lots of groups that get direct or indirect support from public funds do voter registration, so I don't really see that as a huge problem.
11:27 pm on April 1st, 2011 14
10 If by double standard you mean Obama giving tax dollars to central american companies rather than american companies.
3:18 pm on April 2nd, 2011 15
"I wouldn’t have had a problem with ACORN’s activities if they weren’t using taxpayers money for partisan political purposes."
Right, like you have a problem with the groups that try to push abstinence instead of sex education?
3:56 pm on April 2nd, 2011 16
#13,
Yes, it should be done automatically so as it is in Canada.
http://canadaonline.about.com/od/federalelections…
Frankly, the concept of voter registration baffles me. It's unnecessary, a huge waste of money, and rife for abuse (there is no shortage of instances were it was used a as a means to prevent certain voters from exercising their right).
4:23 pm on April 2nd, 2011 17
#13 & #16
Automating voter registration is easier said than done.
Voter eligibility and registration is largely determined by individual state laws. The automated systems would seem to require some kind of mandatory state residency ID card to be shown when one shows up to vote (show me your papers). It would also require an eligibility database that accounts for each state's guidelines for felons and requires accurate updates when felons lose and have there eligibility restored. How the states' systems will account for their absentee voters in the military, attending out of state universities, or working overseas is a whole order of difficult requirements for such systems.
If you believe in the potential for fraud and manipulation in electronic voting systems, automated registration system may be even more so.
7:54 pm on April 2nd, 2011 18
Canada people- and others:
This might be hard to understand, but a lot of Americans just don't want their taxes going to pay for stuff they don't agree with. They won't stand in the way of it going on, they just don't want to fund it- and these same people, generally and most importantly, just want to be left the hell alone. This might turn out to be a Key Issue in the not too distant future.
We know you guys are all about charging people for criminal offences should said people hurt someone elses' feelings by calling them mean names. In America, we're all about freedom of speech, and just plain freedom. This means if you display your courage by marrying a sheep, some people might mock and ridicule you instead of celebrating your courage. Those who must exhibit their courage in such a way should not expect the masses to stop what they are doing and begin a slow golf-type applause.
Freedom is really scary for most people because freedom is really kinda scary- it means that one is responsible for himself, should he succeed or fail, and no one else should be held to account for his actions, nor clean up his messes. But that's also what makes it kinda exciting. Maybe more exciting than humping farm animals or other guys or whatever the hell it is you are celebrating this week.
Each time we try to do something to protect people from themselves, albeit mostly with good intentions, we cause other effects, and a lot of them are not only unintended but highly undesirable.
As for Halliburton et al- find someone out there who is better able to handle a particular job in a particularly inhospitable place, and be able to get there, and you might have a case. Otherwise, turning some of these crucial (and game on- some ARE bull shit) contracts over to the Handicapped Lesbians of Easter Kentucky to "give them a chance" will likely wind up like some other contracts let to companies which simply weren't able to deliver. And you know damn well who pays for that.
Maybe we ought to just dust off that silly Constitution that no one is paying much attention to these days and see if we're indeed focused on the right things.
8:33 pm on April 2nd, 2011 19
#17,
Look at the link I posted. Your government doesn't keep records of criminals, taxes, and motor vehicle registration? Nah, don't kid yourself. The databases already exist.
#18,
If hurdles are set up in order to prevent some people to vote although they are entitled to do so, do you really have freedom and democracy?
8:50 pm on April 2nd, 2011 20
What is so hard about registering to vote? Perhaps if you do not have the gumption or intelligence to register, you'd be doing everyone a favor by not voting.
9:22 pm on April 2nd, 2011 21
@#15 –
I don't even know what you are talking about? When have I ever made the statement you claim I made? The bottom line is that taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund partisan political interests. If what a group is doing is so important they should be able to get their supporters to fund it.
9:54 pm on April 2nd, 2011 22
#19
Looked at the link but still maintain that it's much more complicated in the USA, not the least because there is no one national system. There would be 50 independent systems, each susceptible to errors, abuse and the current political environments.
As far as errors are concerned, yes, much of the necessary information exists in databases, but they are stovepiped (not integrated), not all in a format to uniquely identify individuals such as by a social security number, and are sometimes inconsistently updated.
Case in point, The Florida Central Voter File:
So each states' voter registration system would have to patch into these other state systems, require the matches are uniquely identified (not just same first and last name), require all of those systems to have accurate, timely and error-checked updates AND possibly have some means to share and receive information from out-of state systems with similar standards.
I won't take as much space going into the voter's ID card issue other than to says it's been a recurring political football in many states for some time now. But, in these economic times the current concern seems to be about cost.
12:06 am on April 3rd, 2011 23
The USA is not a democracy.
It's a republic.
There was a time when we didn't have direct election of the Senators by the great masses.
We also didn't have a progressive income tax.
Both of these things happened under quite questionable political circumstances, but then again, there is always some drama and intrigue surrounding politics.
Less people should vote. Especially those who are on the dole.
5:53 pm on April 3rd, 2011 24
#23 I'll one up you. Only those who have honorably served and concluded their military service should vote.
Service guarantees citizenship.
7:09 pm on April 3rd, 2011 25
Vince wrote:
Wow. Nice characterization. If we don't choose Halliburton, the only other possible choice is the Handicapped Lesbians of Eastern Kentucky. Hmm…
Well, my thinking is that if Halliburton was always the best choice, then this would have been clear if they had to bid for their government contracts like, well, other companies.
12:24 am on April 4th, 2011 26
Teadrinker lost me when he quoted Media Matters. They're as "unbiased" as Beck, Hannity, or Limbaugh…
ACORN is going to try to destroy Korea just like they did in the USA…
And Koolaid-drinker either can't see it or he is complicit.
12:26 am on April 4th, 2011 27
Kushibo, Obama awarded Halliburton their latest no-bid contract. So he must be Bushitler 2, eh?
12:27 am on April 4th, 2011 28
#24, that was a nice story until Hollywood got their mitts on it… Not at all "PC"; but great science fiction…
4:54 am on April 7th, 2011 29
Here is the 2nd time may possibly come across your blog within the last few weeks. Appears like I should become aware of it.
6:41 am on April 7th, 2011 30
setnaffa wrote:
Not sure what you're getting at there, setnaffa.
7:09 am on April 7th, 2011 31
#24 – You'd have to set up alternatives for those not medically qualified for military service. Also, you'd end up with shorter enlistments at much lower pay for the budget to be effective. On the other hand, politicians without military experience that have decisions over the budget and the deployment of forces…
Anyway, ttong kabangs would get medboarded out and do alternative service like in other countries and still win elections because of their connections and rhetoric.
I like the theory but the training time and budget just isn't there, and politicians will find jacked up ways around it – and probably use it to block certain eligible demographics from voting.
7:11 am on April 7th, 2011 32
GI Korea – #29 – looks like a spam bot got through.