Barney Frank: "Pinhead or Patriot?"

Barney Frank has a new political ad now airing in his quest for re-election to Congress. The ad touts his quest to increase regulation of financial institutions such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Isn't this a bit like closing the door after the horse has left the barn? His chutzpah is limitless: in a recent fiery exchange with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, he had the temerity to act as if he had no responsibility in the collapse of the above mentioned firms. As chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, as the housing bubble swelled to the point of explosion, he continuted to claim "everything is fine". Not so. A couple months later, financial chaos.

What he won't tell you about in his ad is his propensity to consider both institutions as arms of his preferred political policy - using them to extend mortgage credit to folks simply not qualified for home ownership. This political agenda was shared by other Democrats in the House and Senate. These same folks were at the center of resistance to any measures to reign in bad lending practises.

Yet now they pass themselves off as crusaders for increased scrutiny of the very same markets they helped destroy.

Amazing...

"Installation Art" or Obscenity?

Watching this story unfold tonight made my blood boil: First there was “performance art”. Now, there’s “installation art!” It’s what’s being passed off as artistic expression in a Los Angeles community – an effigy of VP candidate Sarah Palin, hung by a noose from the side of a house.

City officials, afraid to make a move, claim that since it appears “gender related” not “race related”, they are powerless to act, since it apparently doesn’t qualify as a “hate crime”. Why would hanging an effigy of Obama be considered a “hate crime”, while hanging one of Palin not share the same status? Does that make any sense? In the 1800s, blacks were hung in Georgia; in the 1600s, women were hung in Massachusetts! Remember the Salem witch trials? As one outraged neighbor put it: “If it were an effigy of Barack Obama, you’d have Jesse Jackson and everyone else down here demanding it be removed!” So, what’s the difference?

Neighbors defending the display must think the nation is populated with morons. Observe the video footage of the “artist and friend” sniveling about “the season”, etc. in a convoluted excuse and the message is abundantly clear. Sarah Palin has every right to sue to have this insult removed. If I were the target, I certainly would. And the city fathers are powerless to take it down? Only in L.A….

This race is getting uglier by the day. And predictably, it's the far left getting more emotional and out of hand. I'll be glad when this election cycle is finally over...

A Done Deal!

It's official. The "rescue (pork barrel) package" has passed in the House, by about a 100-vote margin. Too bad. I was hoping that lawmakers would resist the urge to stampede. Apparently, the lure of pork was too seductive, as the dollar figure being discussed has now swelled to the $800 billion level.

I know, I know; we were facing a complete freeze-up of the financial markets. Nevertheless, while this rescue was being debated and voted down, it would have been nice to have taken a peek at the Republican plan. It might have provided some helpful alternatives. Moreover, given more time, how many "vulture" funds would have swooped in to clean up some of this mess, thereby lightening the load we taxpayers would have to carry?

We'll be paying this "thing" off for a long time...