Conservatives’ 25-year goal of ‘defunding the left’ revealed by ACORN controversy

[Segami]

Source: RawStory

"When Michele Bachman crowed in September that the exposure of alleged illegal activity by the anti-poverty group ACORN was just the start of a campaign to "defund the left," she may have revealed more about current Republican strategy than she intended.



“Defunding the left is going to be so easy,” Bachmann told the audience at a conservative conference, “and it’s going to solve so many of our problems.”


The Senate and House had just voted to cut off ACORN's federal funding in what CBS/AP called "a GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group" that followed the release of video showing ACORN employees apparently endorsing illegal activities, The bills passed by lopsided majorities, with many Democrats joining Republicans, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told a news conference, "We have to have our own scrutiny of an organization with an allegation of this kind against it."


The initial Congressional defunding of ACORN was scheduled to expire at the end of October, however, causing Bachman to warn a bloggers' conference at the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, "This is the biggest trick or treat. On November 1 the prohibition will lift."


The Capital Research Center


The idea of starving the Democratic Party of donations by defunding the progressive non-profits that form a central pillar of its support is not new. It goes back to at least 1981, when the Heritage Foundation published a set of over 2000 policy recommendations for the Reagan administration. According to SourceWatch, "One challenge, as Heritage saw it, was to counter the rise of its ideological opponents by whittling away their status as 'public interest' organisations and eliminating federal financial support for 'liberal' groups."



The Capital Research Center (CRC) was founded in 1984 by a former Heritage Foundation vice president to implement this agenda by uncovering the presumably questionable funding sources of progressive groups. CRC's central assumption has always been that "a unified, sophisticated and well-funded philanthropic elite is dedicated to imposing on us the doctrine of 'progressive' philanthropy, doctrines that would reorder our political, economic and cultural priorities."


The CRC selected ACORN as a favored targed long before almost anybody else had heard of the group. In January 2005, Bill Berkowitz, who regularly reports on right-wing organizations, wrote:

Read more: http://rawstory.com/2009/10/conservatives-25year-goal-defunding-left-revealed-acorn-controversy/

[defendandprotect]

1. We had best start fighting back on this one -- We should have Congressional hearings ...

on what went down with ACORN and realistically look at the criminal

behavior of corporations -- !!!

[Segami]

3. Great! I agree now who would you elect to lead this Congressional Hearings charge?

[AtheistCrusader]

18. Kucinich.

No other names come to mind.

[Jackpine Radical]

24. Kooch of course; also Alan Grayson, Tammy Baldwin

In the Senate, Sanders, Feingold

[wolfgangmo]

59. Al Franken.

Sure he's new, but he is also smart.

[NorthCarolina]

27. +1 nt

[defendandprotect]

47. Elect? Why wouldn't the House simply hold hearings ...? Ask for all the tapes?

Make clear that ACORN had "flagged" the false signatures which MUST BE TURNED IN.

Bring in the people who were in the videos and let's hear their story.

Are you saying Democrats can't investigate a Democratic organization?

Maybe we should hire some of the Bush lawyers to give us an opinion on that?

It would be Dems and Repugs together hearing evidence from witnesses and others - panels.

Ironically, the Repugs asked for hearings at one point on ACORN . . .

but maybe it was while Bush was still president?

[Taverner]

12. Agreed - and the ass we save may be our own

[bjobotts]

38. Group is demonized with nothing but unfounded accusations.None can be proved

[bjobotts]

39. They have done outstanding work for impoverished communities.Fox propaganda is opinion not fact

[bjobotts]

40. When a candidate is affiliated with ACORN that's a plus.Repubs proven election fraud not ACORN

[Renew Deal]

2. This is what the Martha Stewart prosecution was all about.

:shrug:

[tilsammans]

20. Bingo!

Exactly!

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

25. Absolutely!!

[robinlynne]

37. Martha is one of us? how so?

[kestrel91316]

45. Martha Stewart is VERY blue in her leanings - she is a BIG Democratic

supporter. That's why she was prosecuted and jailed for something Republicans do every day and always get a pass on.

[zaj]

4. Defund progressive "public interest" organizations while expanding the religious right ones, right?

The obvious master plan.

[Segami]

5. You must admit, they are a crafty, clever, tenacious and organized bunch

when it involves pushing forward their own RW agenda at all costs. Our party can't even organize and pass health care reform with majorities in BOTH houses. When are we going to learn how to push back against such stealth RW tactics & schemes?

[rfranklin]

10. Which is why the war criminals should have been indicted...

and the corporate looters and the phoney fundamentalists, etc.

[bjobotts]

41. You forgot WELL FUNDED which is the major difference why they are able to smear ACORN

[bjobotts]

42. They have no facts only lies, smears and propaganda bombarding the media

[bjobotts]

43. Right out of the Nazi playbook of Goebells.Beck is the worst demonizing with innuendo based on media

lies he put there.

[freebrew]

56. Yet, they have the largest

propaganda outlet in the world...Faux.

So, when is it war??

[marshall]

14. And there are plenty of well run above board progressive groups

For every group like Acorn, there are a dozen organizations that we can be proud of both what they do and how they do it.

[T Wolf]

19. There are many of us who ARE PROUD of ACORN and the work they do. For a huge

organization of less-than-sophisticated, unschooled in the ways of governmental manipulation, they have done a fantastic job and produced much good from their efforts.

The minor problems cause by a tiny percentage of their staff (mostly volunteers) can be fixed without killing the organization.

If only the Dems in Congress would have their backs. But, they do not have ours, so why should we expect them to take up the defense of the group.

Maybe, if we explain to the Dem politicians who were so quick to throw them under the bus (and back up over them) that THEY will lose votes because this group of dedicated foot-soldiers will not be out there, getting (mostly) our voters registered and to the polls, the politicians will step up.

Nah. They are more interested in catering to the pukes. Too bad. I know my Rep. (DINO Schwartz from PA-13) will not be getting any support (nor vote) from me because of her cowardice on the bill defunding ACORN.

[drm604]

52. The charges against ACORN are false.

ACORN is not guilty of voter registration fraud. They reported the fraudulent voter registration forms themselves.

Those prostitution videos are nothing like they seem. O'Keefe and Giles went into those offices asking for help in rescuing girls from a pimp. They then edited the videos to make them seem like something completely different.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Hint to RW leadership -

don't tell your stupid shills what you are doing. They'll just spill the beans.

Further: it is to be noted that the Heritage Foundation recommendations and the founding of the CRC coincide with the founding of the DLC. Just a coincidence, I'm sure.

[No Elephants]

29. Reagan's resounding success at the polls and his great popularity may have had something to do with

the DLC, too.

If Democrats were for Reagan.....

"Carter, after defeating Ted Kennedy for the Democratic nomination, attacked Reagan as a dangerous right-wing radical. For his part, Reagan, the former Governor of California, repeatedly ridiculed Carter, and won a decisive victory; in the simultaneous Congressional elections, Republicans won control of the United States Senate for the first time in 28 years. This election marked the beginning of what is popularly called the "Reagan Revolution."<1>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1980

Later, in the same article..

"The 1980 election is considered by some to be a realigning election. Reagan's supporters praise him for running a campaign of upbeat optimism.<7> David Frum says Carter ran a campaign based on "despair and pessimism" which "cost him the election."<8> Carter emphasized his record as a peacemaker, and said Reagan's election would threaten civil rights and social programs that stretched back to the New Deal. Reagan's platform also emphasized the importance of peace, as well as a prepared self-defense.<7>

Immediately after the conclusion of the primaries, a Gallup poll held that Reagan was ahead, with 58% of voters upset by Carter's handling of the Presidency.<7> The campaign was largely negative, with many voters disliking Carter's handling of the economy. One analysis of the election has suggested that "Both Carter and Reagan were perceived negatively by a majority of the electorate."<9> While the three leading candidates (Reagan, Anderson and Carter) were religious Christians, Carter had the most support of evangelical Christians according to a Gallup poll.<7> However, in the end, Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority lobbying group is credited with giving Reagan two-thirds of the white evangelical vote.<10>

The election of 1980 was a key turning point in American politics. It signaled the new electoral power of the suburbs and the Sun Belt. Reagan's success as a conservative would initiate a realigning of the parties, as liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats would either leave politics or change party affiliations through the 1980s and 1990s to leave the parties much more ideologically polarized.<1> While during Barry Goldwater's 1964 campaign, many voters saw his warnings about a too-powerful government as hyperbolic and only 30% of the electorate agreed that government was too powerful, by 1980 a majority of Americans believed that government held too much power.<11>"

[Sinti]

35. Well, the best way to control the opposition....

is to lead it themselves. So, my guess is you have the DLC and a number of International Resource Mafia front men (or hit men) in just about every Democratic organization as well - or purchased minds. Maybe we should do the same.

[Overseas]

7. K&R

Yet another of the many right wing organizations working against progressive change.

[JohnWxy]

8. RECOMMENDED.

[Soylent Brice]

9. K&R

[texastoast]

11. I've read for a long time where removing the environmental groups' tax exemptions

is a major goal. There has been lots of grumbling, but we had all better be ready to have to pay for thinking progressively. It's time to take the gloves off with these heartless fuckers.

[kestrel91316]

46. That's the point at which environmental groups all morph into churches.

Because we KNOW churches never get touched. Well, except occasionally liberal ones.

[2Design]

13. Interesting how mean and nasty they can be at any costs and how unchristian they really are n/t

[LynnTheDem]

15. Let's defund one rightwing organization, and see what the republics have to say to that.

"worse than Hitler"...

"Nazi Democrats" ...

"Mao...China...Cuba...Hitler...communist...fascist..."

I think that's what pisses me off the most about rightwingnuts; their sheer hypocrisy.

[GreenTea]

16. We are constantly fighting an uphill battle against these wealthy elitist & corporations who

de-fund us, yet they receive huge amounts of government money, through OUR taxes for their republican right-wing corporatism ideology and agenda....Karl Rove went even further making sure no democrats received any government contracts or any other kind of necessary government programs.

We are fighting against republican corporate slime, corporate fascism, the rich-wealthy elite wanting to enslave all us workers and keep all profits for themselves and the empire-building imperialist pigs...This is not our America, they have & are stealing it ALL for themselves....these are truly the greedy, selfish disgusting creatures these republicans...

It's why they fighting so hard to make sure we have no health care without paying their corporations....we are peasant, slaves in their eyes to be used....This is real....there are many people like this in our country and they label themselves republicans. We must take back what these republican theives have stolen!

[zbdent]

17. it's interesting ... the "left" is "exposed as corrupt" because two people in an org.

are videotaped possibly aiding two apparently down-and-out people ... hmm ... what else was on that censored tape? The ACORN employees passing up offers of sexual favors for "fixing" their tax issues?

but the "right" is just "rarely" bothered with "lone wolves" who go out and kill people, commit crimes, rape little kids, etc., often times with multiple VIP club cards for conservative groups in their wallets, and the "right" is not "corrupt" ... just a few bad apples (McVeigh) ...

[No Elephants]

30. +1

[Kingofalldems]

21. The republicans have enablers who claim to be on our side

Always at the ready to attack left wingers.

[EFerrari]

22. Yes, and unfortunately as the ACORN vote showed us,

some of them are "Democrats" in Congress.

[No Elephants]

31. The real left wing wants Communism. Not too many of those. We are moderates, not the Blue Dogs.

They are more at home with Lieberman than with us; and he is more at home with Republicans than with Democrats.

[glinda]

23. The Chamber, Big Pharma-Oil-Coal, Walmart, the Insurance Companies and ....

Wall Street & big Banks... they need to all be investigated, freebies cut off and dismantled and brought into reality. This is the only way that this Country can move ahead with change for the betterment of the Country.

[FiveGoodMen]

33. First we have to fill the White House and Congress with people who don't work for those crooks

We failed this time around.

[Kurovski]

26. K&R. (nt)

[aikanae]

28. More effective than terrorism for destroying democracy

The nation needs to come together and decide what is "democracy" - is it majority rule and the popular vote or is it an economic term for corporations to operate without restriction?

Obviously, those on the left believe it's majority rule and I bet a lot of those on the right believe in the power of business to rule society. 2 very different believe systems and the right are twisting their goals to sucker in many that probably don't agree with them.

The Dem's are so lousy with public relations that it should be criminal.

[No Elephants]

32. I love the last sentence of your post.

[MrsCorleone]

48. It's not that we're lousy with PR, it's that the 'pubs are so well funded. Good PR takes $$$.

Imagine how organized we'd be if progressives had all that corporate backing.

[peacetalksforall]

60. You said the Dems are lousy with public relations. The first time I realized I despised the DLC

was watching them week after week, year after year and especially on Sundays appearing on what I later figured out were all Republican TV networks - watching the DLC 'invitee', all milquetoast and blushing bluebell, trying to come up with a joke and laugh defense against the right wing attack of the host.

It always seemed that there were words being spoken, but what they should have been saying on behalf of truth tellers not being said Why? I now think it was all part of the pretense of the two party system.

We only have a limited number of heroes in this Party.

It took me until 2001 to really see it. Voting for the attack on Iraq. Voting for the Patriot Act. Allowing the spying on us. Voting for immunity for the thieves of our privacy. It never ends with them.

What is more sad than to have to say 'bought and paid for leaders'?

[underpants]

34. Great post- this is also covered extremely well in Thomas Frank's "The Wrecking Crew"

The early days of Jack Abramoff were spent defunding Nadir groups on behalf of bottling companies

Apartheid was the greatest thing ever in young republican world back in the 80's

[Politicub]

36. Bachman will lead the charge to ferrett out and execute liberals

if the right gets back in to power.

It's become clear to me via the gay marriage initiatives on ballots that so many people relish the opportunity to kick and punish people unlike themselves if they can.

It sickens me that people are like this, but that's the reality of America today. And the rhetoric has reached such a fever pitch on the right that they will demand the blood of those who don't march in lockstep. And all the while most people won't do anything about it. They'll join in the bloodlust.

[bjobotts]

49. Take heart, they are still the minority...the 27%ers.The wild eyed Backman insanity

[bjobotts]

50. Bachman makes a fool of herself everytime she's confronted.She's literally nuts

[justgamma]

44. I firmly believe that that's why they go after the

Unions so hard. They don't want anybody organizing for the working people, otherwise known as the left.

[elleng]

51. 'STARVE THE BEAST' nothing new.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast

http://www.starvethebeast.net/

http://www.dlc.org/print.cfm?contentid=251788


We are trying to change the tones in the state capitals-and turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship."

-- Grover Norquist

[drm604]

53. K&R for ACORN

Not only have they attacked an organization that has done a lot of good, they've also smeared the names of ACORN employees by dishonestly editing those videos. These people are scum.

[CoffeeCat]

54. ACORN was targeted because of the work they do...

...with registering voters. Right now, Republicans have a huge problem. After the
wildly successful voter-registration drives during the general-election--registered
Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by eleven million .

These were the numbers as of 9/08, anyway.

That's what the Republicans are working toward tearing down. They can't do anything about
the eleven million deficit they have, but they can try to stem additional registrations on the
Democratic side. Make no mistake, they're gearing up for the 2010 elections and the 2012 general election.

Also, it's more difficult for them to steal elections with that kind of discrepancy in voter registration.
It's also more difficult to disseminate phony polls (as part of a propaganda campaign when you're gearing
up to steal elections)--when your data is supposedly coming from "registered voters".

[SkyIsGrey]

55. This song always comes to mind when reading...

something like this; as in the Heritage Foundation calling the....

Who are you to wave your finger?
You must have been outta your head
Eye hole deep in muddy waters
You practically raised the dead

Rob the grave to snow the cradle
Then burn the evidence down
Soapbox house of cards and glass so
Don't go tossin' your stones around

You must have been high
You must have been high
You must have been

Foot in mouth and head up ass-hole
Whatcha talkin' 'bout?
Difficult to dance 'round this one
'til you pull it out, boy

You must have been so high
You must have been so high

Steal, borrow, refer, save your shady inference
Kangaroo done hung the juror with the innocent

Now you're weeping shades of cozened indigo
Got lemon juice up in your eye
When you pissed all over my black kettle

You must have been high high
You must have been high high

Who are you to wave your finger?
So full of it
Eye balls deep in muddy waters
Fuckin' hypocrite

Liar, lawyer; mirror show me, what's the difference?
Kangaroo done hung the guilty with the innocent

Edit: To add a line.

[leveymg]

57. This goes back to the closure of many New Deal programs in the mid-1930s after conservative attacks

The rallying cry of the reaction then, as it is today, is that these programs are riddled with Communists, and that Reds are a deviant menace to Middle-American morality, the Family, Godliness, cleanliness and right-thinking. . . nothing's changed in 75 years.

Hence, ACORN goes the way of the WPA theatre programs.

[eringer]

58. Republicans Can't end Social Programs so they are cutting off funding sources

We have a race here in VA where the republican candidate (McDonnell) wants to fix the roads by selling our ABC stores. Sounds good doesn't it? Well, its not. These stores dump billions into the state's general fund that pays for many social programs and at least a fourth of the profits are spent for education. McDonnell wants to sell the stores for another reason -- to cut off the funding for all these "lefty" social programs. A product of private schools, he could care less about our public education (they are run by the left anyway).

THIS GUY IS DANGEROUS. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN VA THAT CAN VOTE, PLEASE CALL THEM. IF MCDONNELL GETS HIS FOOT IN THE DOOR, I GUARANTEE YOU HE WILL NOT STOP AT BEING GOVERNOR. HE IS REAL SLICK. IMAGINE PAT ROBERTSON AS A GUEST IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WARS WOULD BE PERPETUAL.