# ACORN workers caught on tape apparently advising on child prostitution **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 11, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681 "2009-09-11T13:19:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 33
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/641 "2009-09-23T22:05:49Z")
As someone who works with developmentally disabled people for a living, I agree that it was offensive for me to compare them to Republicans. Mea culpa. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/642 "2009-09-23T22:52:00Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > As someone who works with developmentally disabled people for a living, I agree that it was offensive for me to compare them to Republicans. Mea culpa. I wholeheartedly agree that the developmentally disabled are better than Republicans. The Democrats don’t have anything on them either. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/643 "2009-09-26T03:40:20Z")
Now the Washington Post is reporting that ACORN transferred money from it’s charitable arm to its political arm…it just gets worse and worse for ACORN > **[ACORN Funded Political, For-Profit Efforts, Data Show](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092404249.html?hpid=topnews)** > > Documents released by a Senate Republican on Thursday show that leaders of the ACORN community organizing network transferred several million dollars in charitable and government money meant for the poor to arms of the group that have political and... ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/644 "2009-09-26T04:26:50Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Now the Washington Post is reporting that ACORN transferred money from it’s charitable arm to its political arm…it just gets worse and worse for ACORN > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092404249.html?hpid=topnews](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092404249.html?hpid=topnews) These are allegations being put out by a Republican Congressman. They’re also ancient and stem from the Rathke era (i.e., during the Bush administration). This is shit that’s already been cleaned up under new management, but it does remind us how shitty things were under Bush. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/645 "2009-09-26T04:33:14Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > These are allegations being put out by a Republican Congressman. They’re also ancient and stem from the Rathke era (i.e., during the Bush administration). This is shit that’s already been cleaned up under new management, but it does remind us how shitty things were under Bush. I don’t give Bush or the Pubs a pass on any of this. I just don’t believe it has been cleaned up. The new management was supposed to clean up quite a few problems but look what’s been happening lately. Oh, and Bush didn’t appoint Rathke. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/646 "2009-09-26T04:33:18Z")
Global Warming. Bush. War in Iraq? Oh, yeah, fer sure, Bush. Decline in American civility? Probably Bush, why not? But shitty bookkeeping at ACORN and a bunch of naive lefties getting taken by a shyster? Bit of a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/647 "2009-09-26T04:35:06Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > I don’t give Bush or the Pubs a pass on any of this. I just don’t believe it has been cleaned up. The new management was supposed to clean up quite a few problems but look what’s been happening lately. Oh, and Bush didn’t appoint Rathke. Nothing’s been happening lately. You’re imagining things. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/648 "2009-09-26T04:36:14Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Global Warming. Bush. War in Iraq? Oh, yeah, fer sure, Bush. Decline in American civility? Probably Bush, why not? But shitty bookkeeping at ACORN and a bunch of naive lefties getting taken by a shyster? Bit of a stretch. LOL…we finally agree about one thing (just the point about it not being Bush’s fault). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/649 "2009-09-26T04:38:14Z")
Give the Pubs a pass? Aw, c’mon, Yorick, you know goddam good and well that if ACORN wasn’t in the business of organizing and advocating for the poor, no Republican would give a rat’s patoot about them. The people ACORN seeks to empower are antithetical to Republican politics. And why do poor people dislike Republican politics? I mean, I don’t think Republicans actually hate poor people, I just don’t think it would make much difference if they did. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/650 "2009-09-26T04:38:33Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Nothing’s been happening lately. You’re imagining things. Huh? The O’Keefe files, FBI investigations, state investigations…or were you just joking? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/651 "2009-09-26T04:44:30Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Global Warming. Bush. War in Iraq? Oh, yeah, fer sure, Bush. Decline in American civility? Probably Bush, why not? But shitty bookkeeping at ACORN and a bunch of naive lefties getting taken by a shyster? Bit of a stretch. Not really blaming Bush for that one. I’d give only about 1-3 odds he even knew what ACORN was. Just pointing out that it _definitely_ can’t be blamed on Obama (which, of course, is the real end game here). Having said that, my wife, the governmenent grant writer, says a lot of the gummint agencies she deals with (e.g. HUD) have tightened up considerably under Obama. It’s harder to get away with shit now. When Bush was in, these agencies had gone pretty feral, what with horse afficianodos being appointed to run everything. Obama has been appointing people who actually have, like, extensive experience in the relevant fields and know what they’re doing. It’s like when Michael Scott quit Dunder-Mifflin and that hardass Charles guy took over the office. No more fun. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/652 "2009-09-26T04:44:43Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Give the Pubs a pass? Aw, c’mon, Yorick, you know goddam good and well that if ACORN wasn’t in the business of organizing and advocating for the poor, no Republican would give a rat’s patoot about them. > > The people ACORN seeks to empower are antithetical to Republican politics. And why do poor people dislike Republican politics? I mean, I don’t think Republicans actually hate poor people, I just don’t think it would make much difference if they did. I don’t think you really believe the Pubs are after ACORN because they help the poor. There are plenty of organizations that help the poor that are not Republican targets. You know as well as I do that the either party should be alarmed that any corrupt organization is receiving tax money. That being said, of course either party will mainly go after the corrupt orgs that opposed to their views. I don’t give the Pubs a pass on this at all. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/653 "2009-09-26T04:49:54Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Huh? The O’Keefe files, FBI investigations, state investigations…or were you just joking? A whole lot of nothing. Sorry. This will all lead nowhere. ACORN as an organization has not been implicated in a damn thing. At worst, they hired some bad employees. Compared to Blackwater and any number of defense contractors, ACORN is Mr. Rogers. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/654 "2009-09-26T04:50:09Z")
Quick question…hopefully I don’t throw off this 14 page debate! Is there a was to bold, underline, etc. without manually coding it in the body of the message? I always forget exactly how to do it and have to go back to edit it out after I fuck it up. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/655 "2009-09-26T04:50:59Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > I don’t think you really believe the Pubs are after ACORN because they help the poor. No, they’re after ACORN because they register minorities to vote. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/656 "2009-09-26T04:52:57Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > A whole lot of nothing. Sorry. This will all lead nowhere. ACORN as an organization has not been implicated in a damn thing. At worst, they hired some bad employees. Compared to Blackwater and any number of defense contractors, ACORN is Mr. Rogers. Well, where are the investigations of these groups. I welcome any investigation into companies that are receiving tax dollars. I would think that with Dems in charge of everything they would be biting at the chomp to take these companies to task…if nothing else to deflect attention from ACORN. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/657 "2009-09-26T04:55:29Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > No, they’re after ACORN because they register minorities to vote. No, that is the motivation for the Pubs to look into the corruption charges. Not that they are minorities but that they are registering Dems in record numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/658 "2009-09-26T05:00:26Z")
Bush immunized Blackwater from any criminal liability. [Here’s a list](http://www.contractormisconduct.org/) of misconduct and fraud found against defense contractors since 1995. You’ll need your scroll wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/659 "2009-09-26T05:02:43Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > No, that is the motivation for the Pubs to look into the corruption charges. Not that they are minorities but that they are registering Dems in record numbers. They register whoever wants to register. That happens to be a lot of minorities and poor people. The fact that minorities and poor people vote Dem is not ACORN’s doing. And there aren’t any corruption charges. Not a single instance of voter fraud has been found against ACORN. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/660 "2009-09-26T05:11:12Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Not a single instance of voter fraud has been found against ACORN. Of course there has been. They’re registering blacks as having one full vote instead of 3/5th. (sorry, couldn’t help myself. I’ll shut up now.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=32) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=34)