| I think something has to be said here regarding the ACORN vote. Our Vermont Senators are going to take a thumping on this, come re-election time. We need to come out strongly in support of their vote, and absolutely on-message.
The vote was not a referendum on the legitimacy of ACORN'S agenda. It was to determine whether the conventional non-partisan review process that is applied to all applicants for federal funding could be selectively overridden in a political way. We should be asking why the remaining Senators did not have the wisdom (or integrity?) of our two Vermont representatives in recognizing the threat such action would represent to the First Amendment rights and best interests of the American people.
It is no surprise that the target of this organized attempt at financial censure is an entity that represents the interests of the poorest and least powerful members of society. It is perhaps beside the point that the allegations of wrong-doing by ACORN workers are largely unproven; and even if fully supported by evidence, are extremely few considering the size and scope of ACORN's workforce and the importance of their efforts on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised.
Instead of pointing the finger at Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy and asking why they voted their conscience when faced with a politically inhospitable situation, we should be celebrating their courage and commitment to the value of independence that Vermont has long cherished. |
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