Keeping ACORN Down for the Count

Keeping ACORN Down for the Count

On April 2nd 2009, Barack Obama chose Robert Groves, a Professor at the University of Michigan, to head the Census Bureau. This, of course, is one of the most controversial positions in the President’s administration, largely because of the vast power the Bureau Chief wields, in shaping how the census is conducted and the results are reported.

The census measurement, every 10 years, influences key federal funding decisions, along with redistricting of Congressional districts. For example, the population change from 1990 to 2000 caused eight states to gain at least one new congressional seat, while ten states lost one or more.

Clearly, if the Bureau -- or the 1.4 million temporary employees who collect the data -- skewed the census data, this would cause a fraudulent change in political power.

Enter ACORN, the Association of Community Organization and Reform Now.

With the explicit approval of the Obama Administration, the oft-indicted organization has signed on as a “partner” to help take the census. According to their application, acquired by Judicial Watch. ACORN operatives (at least those not already behind bars) will be empowered to:

• Identify job candidates and/or distribute and display recruiting materials.
• Provide space to train new employees.
• Provide space for Be Counted sites and/or Questionnaire Assistance Centers.
• Encourage employees and constituents to complete and mail their questionnaires.

In short, at the behest of the Obama Administration, ACORN lieutenants will be authorized to invade communities nationwide and decide how the census will be taken – and who gets to be counted. And accurate counting is clearly not their strong point.

Remember, this is the same ACORN organization that came under scrutiny during the 2008 Presidential Election for repeatedly registering non- existent voters. Because of this and similar fraudulent actions they are now being investigated in at least 12 states, including Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Since the Obama’s announcement of ACORN’s involvement, Senators David Vitter (R-LA) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) have put a hold on Robert Graves’ nomination. They want a clear, concise statement on what if any, role Barack Obama intends for his former employers at ACORN to play in shaping America’s census. Almost a month ago the two Senators formally requested the information. And the requests have been largely ignored by both Obama and the media.

Now, Harry Reid (D-NV) is attempting to push through the Graves nomination by round up the 60 votes needed to override Vitter and Shelby’s hold. It only makes sense that Reid must not be allowed to remove the filibuster with a cloture vote until the White House commits to removing ACORN as one of the census “partners.”