Obama's Team
Posted: 03/19/09
Bend but don't Break the New Rules: Acorn to Participate in the 2010 Census
In our Bend but Don't Break the "New Rules" weekly feature, focus is on ACORN's inclusion in the 2010 Census. This potential time bomb does more than put the mouse in charge of the cheese. And let's get any misunderstandings out of the way right now. There is no intended implication in this article or the accompanying photograph to imply that ACORN is literally going to blow up anything... although figuratively that's just what might happen to our voting districts.
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, (ACORN) is one of 250 - 300 partner groups the US Census Bureau is tapping to participate in the collection of information, and conduct the 2010 Census. The Census Bureau plans on "hiring hundreds of thousands of temporary workers" to complete the task. In essence they need approximately 1.4M 
workers to complete the job. The Bureau is relying upon groups like ACORN to help amass that support.
According to Fox News, "A U.S. Census sell sheet, an advertisement used to recruit national partners, says partnerships with groups like ACORN play an important role in making the 2010 Census successful, including by help[ing] recruit census workers." The importance of this "hire" is the relationship ACORN has with this Democratic congress and President Obama.
The 2008 Presidential Campaign brought allegations of fraud and a great deal of coverage to the methods used by ACORN in the voter registration process. It is also interesting to note President Obama's "role as a leadership trainer" with respect to ACORN only scratches the surface of his involvement and requires that we look deeper, as reported by the National Review.
In addition, being hired to work with the Census Bureau is not the first action that has benefited ACORN since Obama's presidential victory. According to USA Today and the WSJ, The American Economic Investment and Recovery Act (stimulus bill) provided "$4 billion for community activist programs such as ACORN." Granted, community organizations will need to apply for the funds... another one of those "technicalities" to which GiftWrappingAir.com feels attention should be drawn. However, it seems unlikely ACORN would be turned down by a congress and a president it helped to elect.
So, what's the big deal about ACORN working on the 2010 Census? Remember, Sen. Judd Gregg (R) removed himself from nomination as the Secretary of Commerce when the 2010 Census was taken out of the department's jurisdiction and placed under the auspices of Rahm Emanuel in the White House. Officially," irreconcilable differences" were sited as the reason for Sen. Gregg backing away. But, according to an article published on February 6th in the Government Executive,
"...when President Obama decided to bring the U.S. Census Bureau under White House jurisdiction, it was "a move that incensed House Republicans, who fired off a blistering letter to him Thursday, calling it "outrageous and unprecedented" and a "blatant partisan and political maneuver."
I'm thinking it also kind of influenced Sen. Gregg, who had played a fantastic chess game with the White House up to the point where President Obama resorted to "bending the rules."
Okay. What's the take away?
1. Many would like to know how big a role ACORN will be given in the 2010 Census. It's kind of nice to know these things before rather than after the 2010 Census is taken.
2. What districts will ACORN be assigned? Reason: We've seen some "counting" errors in the past. It probably wouldn't hurt to keeps tabs on these guys. You know, to avoid a disaster.
3. What disaster? If fraud were to take place, districts could be redrawn and electoral votes increased or decreased.
This, of course, could change the entire outcome of many elections to come. Just one of those small things... "Really doesn't merit a lot of coverage," according to another "Air" blog. (oh brother!)
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