Forced busing did not work so well, so now they are upping the ante and trying forced housing.

Forced bussing, as it actually played out in the real world of adults, was a terrific failure. It was extremely expensive.  It caused terrific headaches for ordinary people. It wasted limited resources.  More cynically, it did not serve the needs of children, but of social planners and politicians, and ultimately it largely failed in achieving its stated goals.

Apparently, during a July 16th speech to the NAACP, taxpayer funded HUD leader Shaun Donovan is now going "The full Sharpton"' but in a new direction:  forced housing.

And part of the reason we've been active like never before is because the nature of discrimination has changed over the years.  While blatant, "in your face", discrimination is still very real today - a quieter form of discrimination has emerged that is just as harmful to our country....Bottom line: people are being denied their freedom of choice and the benefits of full citizenship.     

Yet because of the subtle nature of this discrimination, often times, they don't even know they have been subjected to this abuse.

That's why HUD is enhancing its enforcement techniques by initiating investigations on our own without waiting for individuals to file complaints.  We have more than tripled the number of Secretary-initiated complaints that we have filed since 2008.  And in the larger picture -- recognizing that discrimination is changing -- we are changing our approach to Fair Housing by bringing it into the 21st century.

Today, it's about more than just addressing outright discrimination and access to the housing itself.  It's also about giving every community access to important neighborhood amenities that can make a tremendous difference in a person's life outcome.

I'm talking about good schools, safe streets, jobs, grocery stores, healthcare and a host of other important factors.  To help families gain this access - HUD is working to strengthen our stewardship of federal dollars to maximize the impact they have on communities in advancing fair housing goals.    

As all of you know, HUD's programs provide funding to partners at the state and local level.  As part of the Fair Housing Act-for members of the protected classes-these partners have an obligation to affirmatively further fair housing opportunities - otherwise known as AFFH.

Translation:  we don't need for citizens to complain, we'll just go-ahead and decide what whether a community's actions or motivation meet our politically correct smell test.  Do what we say or you will be fined, sued, and punished.  Build section 8 housing whenever and wherever we tell you to do it.

Perhaps he can use this approach for Detroiters and have them all relocated to affluent communities all across America.  That would work out well for everyone and I would suggest starting with 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.  I am sure that Michelle Obama would welcome her new government subsidized boarders.

HUD Secretary Donovan seems to misunderstand Middle America, but that is not his constituency anyway.  But here it is:  being middle class is not a racial issue and it is not even an economic issue.  It has everything to do with worldview and culture.  Relocating people into good neighborhoods is not a solution unless those doing so quickly internalize the middle class culture. The problem is that there are too many examples of this not happening and the only consequence is the spread of urban blight into previously stable, quiet neighborhoods.

Self-denial, hard work, and ethical and disciplined conduct are the middle class tools used to raise your position in life and to create a stable environment for raising families.  Well understood behavioral and moral standards are adhered to because they lead to positive outcomes.  Likewise this worldview strongly discourages and even ostracizes self destructive and socially corrosive conduct. Looking at the plague of violence in Chicago, it is clear that these values and perspectives are completely absent.

Therefore, one should remain rather unconvinced of the efficacy of this approach.

Beyond that, the freedom to associate is also the freedom to not associate.

I think Detroit showed us that pretty clearly.