Caution: Borderline Political Statement

I have taken two college courses in Economics and one in Finance. I have never worked on the money end of any business. My father set me up with about $2,000 in a mutual fund years ago, (I have no clue which one) but that money is an IRA. My only association with banks is a checking account and one student loan. In sum, I understand very little about our country's current economic crisis.

What I do know is that the media is peddling the ridiculous notion that this crisis is about "Wall Street vs. Main Street", as if such a dichotomy exists. While the phrase has a nice ring to it, the two factions are inextricably linked. It's probably easier for the folks from Main Street, USA to point the finger at a bunch of New York Jews and WASPy elites than blame their own dopey friends and neighbors for this recession.

Of course the financial institutions conducted themselves miserably. But there wouldn't be carnies, if there weren't any rubes. And I don't have much sympathy for the sap that is talked into a mortgage that he can't afford.