Those ACORN videos appear to have really torpedoed them. The senate voted to bar any further federal funding by a vote of 83-7.
And you know what? I've kinda kept my mouth shut about this, but frankly, it's a bunch of crap. If they indeed were going to get helped, they would have had to fill out an application, have the income verified, produced bank statements, & so on. If someone is trying to pay taxes, or vote, or have their homes tested for lead, ACORN helps them navigate the system.
For the most part that's what they're there for. Need a crack house demolished in your poor neighborhood? They'll send protesters to see that councilman who has been ignoring you. Getting kicked out of your apartments because they're being knocked down for another strip mall, ACORN is there for you. And yes, need help filing your taxes because you don't know what all you are eligible for (and let's face it, often poorer people pay more in taxes than they should because they don't have accountants to tell them what credits they've earned), they hire tax professionals to help you with your return.
Know how I know all this? I worked for them, for the housing arm.
Yes, this.
I mean, I understand the perception thing, and the scandal thing, but I think it's still a shame.
But I guess they're not "too big to fail"
I get confused when people talk about the political ACORN because I work with this ACORN.
I think they just were upset they couldn't create a scandal out of the thing ACORN actually does do-help poor people have a voice.
Not all of ACORN is political. The Housing corporation is a 501c3 and is not allowed to be.
Oh, "political ACORN" was shorthand for "ACORN that is discussed in political conversations."
I understand what you meant. I'm just pointing out that the two are often conflated and they aren't the same. We weren't even allowed to share pens or copier paper with the organizers.
I feel like a cornerboy on The Wire saying this, but we *know* some of the banks and mortgage firms and whatever did worse shit than that, but most of them are bouncing back this year.
(That doesn't mean they shouldn't keep their house clean, but I think there's a lot of Fautrage(tm dkos) at play here. Also selective enforcement.)
It's like the drug laws, but with money.
And may I take this time to again acknowledge that Daisy Jane financial advice is made entirely of win and I would not be living in the palatial estates I am were it not for her.
I keep company files for seven years. Which means that just now am I able to start throwing things out, whoo!
But I keep personal files for about a year, except for taxes, which I have everything I ever filed. Including the books for those years. Probably not necessary, huh.
Man, I love my shredder.
