Over the last few days there have been numerous diaries reguarding the ACORN "scandal". We have seen multiple tapes debunked, and, as recently as this morning, Adam Bink had a recommended diary on how ridiculous the Defund ACORN Act is, which showed how if the government actually enforced the law, major contractors and universities would be cut off from federal funding.
Unfortunately, diarists have not been asking the netroots to pony up financial support, despite the fact that raising large amounts of small donor dollars is one of the netroots greatest strengths.
Follow me below and I will make my case for a large scale netroots fundraiser.
ACORN is the nation's largest community organization of low and moderate income families. For the past year, ACORN has been weathering a right-wing media storm only matched by anti-public option advocates and Fox News' always negative coverage of President Obama. During this time, the netroots has raised literally millions for the causes, candidates, and organizations that are supported by the netroots.
As many have commented, the netroots have even rasied tons of money for Blue Dogs and ConservoDems, and we have gotten vitually nothing in return, when it comes to votes on issues important to the progressive blogosphere. Strangely, when it comes to ACORN, there have been no large fund drives for money to help them defend themselves against the constant right-wing attacks.
To give folks some context on what I am saying, let's look at the ActBlue pages a couple of the candidates/PACs.
First, Rob Miller, Joe "Liar!" Wilson's opponent:
According to ActBlue, Mr. Miller has raised $938,968, as of this writing.
If we can raise close to a million dollars for one little congressional race, why haven't we had a fund drive for ACORN? Are you really gonna ask me to believe that winning one congressional seat is more important than fighting the right-wing media machine's never ending attacks on the nation's largest poor peoples' organization? Really?
How's about PAC For a Change, Barbara Boxers' PAC? Well, PAC For a Change is supporting such Progressive Stalwarts as Evan Bayh, Blanche Lincoln, and everyone's favorite new "Democrat" Arlen Spector.
According to ActBlue, PAC For a Change has raised $1,274,627, as of this writing.
Great, tons of netroots money going to support ConservoDem Senators that are doing everything in their power to stop progressive legislation from passing through the senate.
I hope folks are getting the picture. I've googled ActBlue with ACORN, and can't find a single page that seems to have raised much money. So, I think it is time for the netroots, led by some bigger name bloggers(nudge, nudge, frontpagers), to put our money where our mouth is, and to start a major fundraising push to help ACORN out. It can't be cheap to try and fight Republicans and Murdock's empire.
I don't know how to set up and ActBlue page, and there are folks in this community that understand online fundraising a lot better than me, so this will have to be a community effort. Huh, why not call it the "Netroots/ACORN Community Organizing Fund", or something similar?
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