A Frank Discussion on Racism

Racism. Racism. Racism.

Much like the children and teenagers in YouTube videos chanting for and pledging their allegiance to Obama, Democrats are trying to label any criticism levied by Republicans regarding the current economic crisis, and Barack Obama in general, as veiled racism.

Yawn… same old tricks again. Let’s be fair, it is page one of the Democrat’s playbook, and Rep. Barney Frank, who is blaming anyone and anything but himself for the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac hoopla, is now trying to say that Republican criticism of the subprime mortgage fallout is an attack on the poor, and of course, those poor people are being targeted because of racism.

Frank told a mortgage foreclosure symposium in Boston today that Republicans are appealing to their base by blaming the economic crisis on efforts to expand affordable housing.

He said “the fact that some of the poor people are black doesn’t hurt” the GOP critics with their political base.

But the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee says the Community Reinvestment Act has helped expand affordable housing to low- and moderate-income buyers.

He says the larger subprime mortgage mess is instead responsible for the vast majority of foreclosures and the financial problems on Wall Street.

Again, classic page one tactic.

Barney Frank is an idiot. Is this the best he can do? Blame it on Republicans being racist? How about we blame the folks who doled out subprime loans to those same poor people simply because of their race. Oh yes, that is most certainly what was going on… giving out mortgages to poor people, minorities especially, who couldn’t afford, nor should be considered for mortgages. It was Affirmative Action at its worst (worse than it is by definition).

As a conservative and registered Republican, my criticism of this economic crisis is of the rich people who gave out the subprime mortgages when they knew it was bad, and the poor people who let themselves be convinced they could afford a mortgage. I don’t give a hoot what race you are, but I do take issue with blatant stupidity. When things go awry, you need to criticize, and hiding criticism because you might insult or offend a minority is equally racist.

Barney Frank is an idiot. (Does my calling him an idiot make me anti-gay?) The commission-happy mortgage brokers (of any race) are idiots. The poor people (of any race) who took on subprime loans are idiots. All the politicians (of either party) who ignored the crisis, and pushed it along anyways are idiots. The Senators and Representatives (of either party) who voted ‘yes’ on the bailout are idiots.

I hate stupidity, and I won’t censor my labeling of something stupid. Stupidity is colorblind.

Nice try Barney, but instead of levying baseless charges of racism, take some responsibility and let’s worry about keeping this from happening again, so people like me who don’t have a mortgage with my name on it, but have a small share in thousands of mortgages for properties I’ll never get to see, don’t have to bailout another $700 billion worth of subprime mortgages.

Aaron Margolis is a life long resident of the Bay State, and works at an architectural firm north of Boston. Aaron has a Master of Architecture Degree from Boston Architectural College and is currently in the process of becoming of a Registered Architect.