Michael Volpe

Articles by Michael Volpe

ACORN in California Splits From Bertha Lewis

The California chapter of ACORN has split from the group and changed its name. Thousands of Californians who live in or close to poverty in the state have worked hard for decades to score victories that level the playing field.

The Recycled ACORN Whitewash: Wade Rathke Responds

The internal report issued by former Massachusetts Attorney General is out. Clearly, here’s what the headline will be. The high-profile lawyer hired to investigate ACORN has found no pattern of intentional illegal conduct in the community organizing group — a

The Future of ACORN

If you want to know what will happen to ACORN as a result of all the scandals and controversies, this story from Connecticut is a microcosm. Its political allies fled. And with its national organization fighting for its life and

Cleaning Up Illinois: The Putback Amendment

Everyone knows that things in Springfield, Illinois are broken. Everyone knows that the government of the State of Illinois is inefficient and corrupt. That’s all true, however, to truly understand the problems in Springfield, we must look at the structure

The Future of Wade Rathke and ACORN, Part II: Tea Parties and Protests

Last Tuesday, I had round two with former ACORN Chief Organizer and current head of Community Organizations International, Wade Rathke. This interview was a lot more sweeping. It ranged from Rathke’s philosophy, his philosophy on organizing, his views on the

The Future of Wade Rathke and ACORN, Part I

People that know him, and know him well, have described him as an “organic genius” and a “diabolical genius”. He’s become a lightning rod and a polarizing figure, and he’s at the center of a national debate. Wade Rathke is