Right is wrong

Honestly, I wish there was another way. It would really be nice if black folks could occasionally line up behind another political party that would represent their best interests. I, for one, would love another option. That way, no one could ever take our votes for granted.

But, alas, many of us will remain rock-ribbed Democrats. It's easy to see why, especially as we see some of the talking points coming from the arch-conservative crowd in the midst of our national economic crisis.

You didn't know that black folks, other minorities and assorted poor folks were to blame? Well let Rep. Michele Bachmann, Ann Coulter, Neil Cavuto of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and others from their right-wing ilk enlighten you.

Or not. Not surprisingly, that bigoted bunch is wrong, wrong, wrong. Here's some brain food from the Congressional Black Caucus:

There is no evidence to support Rep. Bachmann’s assertion that “minorities” caused the current financial crisis. Laws designed to open opportunities for equal access to credit do not require banks or thrifts to make loans that are unsafe or unprofitable. In fact, laws like the CRA mandate exactly the opposite. […] Additionally, research clearly shows that the majority of the predatory loans that have led us to this financial mess were originated by non-bank financial institutions and other entities that did NOT have a CRA obligation and lacked strong federal regulatory oversight. Shifting the blame for the current economic crisis to laws that allow equal access and opportunities to communities of color is ridiculous.

Right. Not to mention guys like Representative John LaBruzzo, a Republican from Metairie, who is floating eugenics as a possible - and plausible - solution to the global credit squeeze. Really.

So, once again, we're forced to consider the source. This sort of racial scapegoating seems to be exclusive to the GOP (and if I'm wrong, please provide some examples from this century). The sad thing is, I've stopped being surprised.

I don't even ask questions about where this sort of garbage comes from anymore. In the words of Denny Green, they are who I thought they were.