What do you think about the Serve America Act that Obama signed yesterday? Are you going to volunteer for anything? Here's part of an email I received today: I'm kind of interested in it. If you go to the Serve.gov website, you can search for volunteer opportunities based on interest. I searched by "dogs" and found an animal rescue group right by my house that needs someone to socialize and walk dogs one hour a week. I think it's a nice idea, as long as they don't make it mandatory. What do you think?
If it was mandatory it would be insane and I'd be out there protesting it right now. As it stands, looks like a good idea that has been well done. I may take part, although right now I feel a bit too busy - maybe later on in the year.
Hey man, this is what I'm busy with! Most of my posts ... well a good deal of them anyway ... are actually related to business. I make my living on the internet, ya dig?
I am joining Americorps for three years after I graduate High school next year. I can't wait because I already volunteer around my town.
I've heard Acorn is looking for volunteers who are capable of thinking up realistic names. You know, the volunteer that thought up "Mickey Mouse" just wasn't trying very hard. You seem very creative, I'm sure you'll do well.
The only volunteer work I've ever done is local. I volunteered for the Department of Wildlife to help orphan seals (which was mainly just making them fish slushies and feeding them). In addition, I've helped care for animals in a No Kill shelter as well. Lately though, I haven't volunteered for anything. I really don't know much about Americorps, I just checked out their website when you mentioned that you volunteered with them. I like the idea of volunteering, but won't do the national program because I'm no longer able to travel (I bought a house, and I have pets, so it's not easy to relocate). Though, I admire your desire to help people. It would be an excellent intro into a career as a social worker, or at the least a fun adventure. Good luck.
Thanks Rebecca! I plan to become a social worker or counselor when I get older so I thought Americorps would help me get started.
I already volunteer with the local ambulance department and fire department so it really doesn't change much for me.
I know you were just being cute but ... I think it's important to point out how much BS this whole meme is. The people who made up those "Mickey Mouse" names were slacking employees. Just like the kind that any such organization has. They wanted to get paid without actually doing the work of registering real people. But _obviously_ this does ACORN no real good. Because these are not real people and they are *NOT GOING TO VOTE.* Just try to imagine the scenario where "Mickey Mouse" shows up and tries to vote with this name? There is no "Mickey Mouse." I don't know how much more plain I can make this. The ACORN thing is the most trumped up bunch of shit the right wingers have EVER come up with (and that's saying a lot.) There is absolutely no evidence or even any indication (thinking logically mind you) that even a SINGLE extra vote was gained for the Democrats because fake names were registered. It just doesn't make any sense. Only a real person can actually vote, registering a fake name doesn't help anything. Also one more really important point: These fake names were mostly marked by ACORN as being possible fakes. They only turned them anyway because they were required to do so because it would be unethical (and illegal) for them to decide whose registration to turn in or not, you can see where the opportunity for REAL voter disenfranchisement would come from such a scenario. It's mind blowing to me that so many people bring up this insanity re: ACORN when it's so obvious when you look at the facts that there's just no story there at all. It's nothing more than some slacker employees trying to get paid for not doing their job. What's most ironic about the whole thing is it's actually ACORN getting scammed (by their employees) not anyone else. Again, there was not a single FAKE vote. Not one. Not a single God Damn one. On the other hand there have been many real cases of voter disenfranchisement in the United States and the right wingers seem largely uninterested in that. Why? Because most of the disenfranchisement has been systematically aimed at the poor & minorities by Republicans because of the propensity for these groups to vote for the Democratic party. Hopefully some folks who believe this nonsense about ACORN will come across this and learn something. It's not going to get right wingers anywhere to believe this kind of nonsense so really it's a bit of a public service I'm doing. You're Welcome.
Oh Zibblu. As usual, I agree that it is good to tow the party line in regard to the Acorn story, but since we won with such a mandate, and the next election isn't for another 3 and a half years, whats the harm in being honest. Acorn is not alone in working as a political action committee with taxpayer dollars, but they are perhaps the most glaring example. They have thousands of people like me going from door to door, meeting with people face to face to accomplish our stated purpose of helping to turn out the vote, which is why we receive federal funding. They are also in the streets to make sure the people who turn up vote Democrat and for Democratic causes. Knocking on doors and meeting with people face to face may possibly be the most effective means of getting a message out(selling people), much more so than any printed or televised advertisements. It is normally too expensive for any campaign to do and get a lot of coverage. That is where your taxpayer dollars come in. Regarding registration of names like Mickey Mouse, I agree that employees putting bogus names onto the roster can easily be made to sound like the employees scamming Acorn, and thus not Acorn's responsibility. What makes it interesting is that those bogus names always seem to get added to the Democrat registration numbers, not the Republican. This helps from a psychological stand point. People move in herds. Its one of the reasons people use polls so much. The perceived direction of the herd often determines the true direction of the herd. Regarding evidence, you can look at the video footage of Acorn employees caught on tape during the 2008 election who said on film they were telling people to vote for my boy Barack. It was a bit brazen, I wish they had been a bit more discreet. You can also look to the number of fraud charges against the organization in the past and currently pending. Those charges are brought by District Attorney's, not by the Republican Party. They can charge all they want, but at the end of the day, they will have a hard time making it stick to the organization as a whole. It will almost invariable be charged to one of Acorn's employees acting irresponsibly, thus keeping our federally funded PAC money safe.