Should the federal government cut off funding to a grass-roots organization whose representatives obligingly counseled a pimp and prostitute in the fine arts of mortgage fraud and tax evasion?

When you put it that way, it's hard to say no. That explains the lopsided votes last week — 83-7 in the U.S. Senate and 345-75 in the House — to stop sending taxpayer dollars to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. In a series of secretly taped encounters, ACORN workers in at least three cities seized the bait offered by a fake hooker and her handler who said they wanted to buy a house where teenagers from El Salvador could turn tricks.

Talk about low-hanging fruit. Politicians across America, left and right, leaped from their chairs to assure constituents their tax dollars wouldn't be used to dispense that kind of advice. Governors of several states ordered up investigations of ACORN activities within their borders. State legislatures from east to west drafted laws barring the group from receiving state grants.

Supporters of the U.S. House measure insisted on a roll call vote so everyone could cast a righteous yea for the cameras.

Almost everyone, that is. All 75 no votes came from Democrats. They joined Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Roland Burris, who voted to keep the money flowing.

ACORN never has counted many conservatives among its friends. The group advocates for housing, health care and other needs of low- and middle-income citizens. It helped register hundreds of thousands of voters for the 2008 presidential election, a race in which ACORN endorsed Barack Obama. But they didn't invent the controversy, which still is unfolding: Earlier this month, Florida authorities charged 11 ACORN workers with voter fraud.

When the gotcha videos hit YouTube, ACORN quickly fired the offending workers and pledged to clean up its act. But its directors still insist the tapes are "part of an aggressive and sustained right-wing campaign" to destroy the group.

The debate may be tinged with partisanship. But the decision to cut off funding is just common sense.

We don't think anyone seriously believes facilitating child prostitution is what ACORN is all about. But workers in at least three ACORN offices displayed an astonishing willingness to circumvent the law. The voter registration irregularities can't be ignored.

Oh, wait a minute. Yes, they can: By Democrats in Congress. Apparently, they just couldn't stomach acknowledging Republicans are right on this.

The U.S. Census Bureau has decided it doesn't want ACORN's help with the 2010 count. The Internal Revenue Serv-ice says it will review its relationship with ACORN, which helps thousands of people with their tax returns each year. Prudence demands it, just as it demands lawmakers slam shut the taxpayers' checkbook.

That's not being partisan; it's being responsible.