Right after my post on suburban poverty comes this N&R article on the Brookings Institute report identifying North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District as the top suburb poverty pocket. Need I even mention that Mel Watt is the 12th District’s representative? Oh the irony–almost as ironic as the longtime director of Gboro’s housing department —now assistant city manager — almost losing his home.
Given my skepticism over suburban poverty as another scheme promoting their New Urbanist policies that wish to do away with the automobile, I’d normally let it go. But I couldn’t help but notice that the story was working awful hard to make sure we know it’s bipartisan problem:
The study’s author admits that hard numbers for such an oddly shaped district are difficult to pin down.
“I am confident there are more poor people in the suburbs of that district than 10 years ago, but exactly how many is more open to debate,” said Alan Berube, a senior fellow at Brookings’ Metropolitan Policy Program.
But Brookings is hoping to illustrate a broader point: Democrats don’t have the franchise on poverty. There’s plenty to go around.
What coincidence, in today’s editorial the N&R agrees with President Obama that Watt “is the right person” to to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
*Yeah right I know the president said just yesterday he wants to reform Fannie and Freddie.
