Tarnished Brand Name

ACORN -- the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now -- that's been around for decades, has decided to change its name.

But not its leadership. Or its goals.

Naturally.

And it's still using its questionable finances to threaten and file lawsuits and harass a small handful of courageous whistle-blowers into oblivion, if they can. All the while protecting its former leadership who have crawled beneath the rock of CCI, the "clearinghouse" in a New Orleans funeral home into which all monies flow.

As for the name change, it will now be known as Community Organizations International. And this "international" collection of progressive thugs is receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer money.

That's cash that was once yours.

Since it's Monday, you may not want to think too hard about that.

Just the Basics on the Census?

Congressman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota plans to do what is Constitutionally required when the census forms arrive next year.

She will fill out the number of people who reside at her residence.

Period.

Outspoken Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann says she's so worried that information from next year's national census will be abused that she will refuse to fill out anything more than the number of people in her household.

In an interview Wednesday morning with The Washington Times "America's Morning News," Mrs. Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, said the questions have become "very intricate, very personal" and she also fears ACORN, the community organizing group that came under fire for its voter registration efforts last year, will be part of the Census Bureau's door-to-door information collection efforts.

"I know for my family the only question we will be answering is how many people are in our home," she said. "We won't be answering any information beyond that, because the Constitution doesn't require any information beyond that."

Many of you probably remember being told that there are hefty fines threatened for anyone who doesn't comply with the census. So who is right?

Shelly Lowe, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Census Bureau, said Mrs. Bachmann is "misreading" the law.

She sent a portion of the U.S. legal code that says anyone over 18 years of age who refuses to answer "any of the questions" on the census can be fined up to $5,000.

Sorry, Ms. Lowe, but Rep. Bachmann is not "misreading" anything. She believes the law is unconstitutional as it oversteps its bounds. The census has become an invasive waste of time, and I don't really think the federal government has any business knowing what time I go to work in the morning, etc.

Furthermore, I think any sane American would have second thoughts about ACORN people doing the counting. Accuracy is not their strong suit. Neither is honesty.

So maybe Constitution upholding Americans should consider following Rep. Bachmann's lead next year. If millions of Americans say "hell no!" to providing the intimate details of our lives to total strangers who may well be convicted felons on parole, maybe Washington willl get the message.

ACORN Claims Ownership of Foreclosed Home

Almost missed this one. Lawlessness predicated on perceived "friends in high places" has begun.

ACORN trains citizens to protest home foreclosures
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―A community organization breaks into a foreclosed home in what they are calling an act of civil disobedience.
The group wants to train homeowners facing eviction on peaceful ways they can remain in their homes.

Derek Valcourt reports their actions are not without controversy.

Near Patterson Park, the padlock on the door and the sign in the window tell part of Donna Hanks foreclosure story.

"The mortgage went up $300 in one month," said Hanks, former homeowner.

She says the bank refused to modify her loan and foreclosed, kicking her out of the house in September.

The community group ACORN calls Hanks a victim of predatory lending.

"This is our house now," said Louis Beverly, ACORN.

There are a couple of sentences that reach out and slap you in the face. The first, perhaps the major understatement of the week, as the report says "their actions are not without controversy." I would hope someone would think it's controversial!

OUR house? Even assuming Ms. Hanks should still be in the home, since when did ACORN get any particle of title to the property?

And on Thursday afternoon, they literally broke the foreclosure padlock right off the front door and then broke into the house, letting Hanks back in for the first time in months.

"We are actually trespassing, and so this is a way of civil disobedience to try to stay in the house," said Beverly. "Legally it's wrong, but homesteading is the only means that she has left to stay in her house. And we feel as though this is the right thing to do at this particular time to save this family."

This is not training, and yes, it is illegal. You cannot abrogate contract law through civil disobedience. We have courts to determine such things, and if every special interest group like ACORN starts breaking into other people's property, don't expect peacefulness to last for very long.

But this is why ACORN - Barack Obama's old friends - and like-minded outfits are so dangerous, and why it is a national tragedy that they were given untold millions in funding through the porkulus legislation. This is the tip of the iceberg.

(Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin)