Twisting the law…

The presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle of law and the cornerstone of the American criminal justice system. The presumption of innocence states that a person is considered innocent until proven guilty and requires that the burden of proof rests with the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of the crime for which they are charged.

Yet we find that agencies of the United States government are subverting the law by adopting policies that support the radical politics of the left’s identity warfare.

Policies requiring the presumption of guilt in racial or sexual matters, where there is a presumption of guilt until the individual or organization proves they are innocent.

You are guilty until proven innocent…

The HUD (Housing and Urban Development) discriminatory effects standard, also known as the "disparate impact" standard, is a legal framework used to evaluate claims of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. The standard recognizes that housing practices can have a discriminatory effect on specific groups of people, even if there is no intent to discriminate and the policies are race-neutral.

Under the HUD discriminatory effects standard, a plaintiff must first establish a prima facie case of discrimination by showing that a particular housing practice can disproportionately impact a protected class of people. This can be done by manipulating statistical data, activist testimony, or other faux evidence to show that a practice may have a disparate impact. No actual cases need to be analyzed, nor harms presented for confounding factors which justify specific housing policies.

Suppose the plaintiff is successful in establishing a prima facie case. In that case, the burden then shifts to the defendant to demonstrate that the housing practice is necessary to achieve a legitimate, non-discriminatory objective. The defendant may also show that no less discriminatory alternative is available to accomplish that objective.

But it doesn't matter if the defendant fails to demonstrate a legitimate justification for the practice, the plaintiff may be entitled to injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys' fees. This policy led to a shakedown of financial institutions using “consent decrees” to extract millions of dollars for racial counseling and guidance and the donation of millions to far-left “community” groups that mainly were get-out-the-vote operations for the Democrat Party rather than waste legal fees and risk reputational damage.

The HUD discriminatory effects standard has been used to challenge a wide range of housing practices, including zoning laws, lending practices, and occupancy standards, with HUD making the unsubstantiated claim that the rule is essential for combatting discrimination in the housing market and promoting fair housing opportunities for all.

Why is this important…

It appears that America is under attack by the progressive social justice warriors in the Biden Administration, who are attempting to use the discriminatory effects standard to push low-cost housing into upscale urban communities in the name of equity. Equity, as defined by the radical left, is an equality of outcomes. By this reasoning, those that cannot afford to live in urban communities need to be provided low-cost and assisted housing to level the racial playing field. Forget the hard work and sacrifices others have made to achieve their housing dream.

HUD is proposing a rule that would require towns that receive federal money to create “equity plans” for fair housing and take action to end racially unbalanced neighborhoods. Translation: turn urban islands of calm into inner city slums with attendant decay, crime, drugs, murder, and mayhem. Even though Congress has not debated or voted on the issue, HUD claims its authority for the rule resides in the 1968 Fair Housing Act.

If this sounds familiar…

The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule is a policy introduced under the Obama Administration (2009 – 2017) by HUD in 2015 to promote fair housing and reduce segregation in American communities. The AFFH rule requires communities that receive federal housing funds to analyze local housing patterns and develop plans to address segregation and promote fair housing.

Of course, the Trump administration announced the rescission of the AFFH rule in July 2020, claiming that his decision was based on the rule being overly burdensome and bureaucratic.

As with everything related to President Trump, the progressive communist democrats shouted from the hilltops that the rule was an essential tool for addressing systemic discrimination and segregation in American communities. Funny because America’s suburbs are primarily integrated and non-discriminatory as people go on about their lives as human beings rather than political activists.

Pushing the progressive communist agenda…

Obama’s cadre of activists running the Biden Administration has again revived and advanced this ruinous, divisive rule.

The Biden administration has since announced its intention to reinstate and strengthen the AFFH rule. In January 2021, the administration issued a memorandum directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to review and potentially reverse the Trump administration's actions on the AFFH rule. 

HUD published the proposed rule for comment in the Federal Register on February 9, 2023, for all to see. Comments were closed on April 10, 2023.

According to the summary, “It also includes mechanisms to hold program participants accountable for achieving positive fair housing outcomes and complying with their obligation to affirmatively further fair housing, modeled after those processes under other Federal civil rights statutes that apply to recipients of Federal financial assistance.” Not only do communities face the loss of federal funds, but they also face lawsuits by activist groups looking for a big payday.

The potential dangers of HUD's FFHA rule include…

1. Federalized control over local decision-making and zoning laws.

2. Destruction of property values.

3. Introduction of urban decay, crime, drugs, and additional political correction.

4. Extended taxation zones from the cities to suburban communities and unincorporated areas.

5. Disruption of the mortgage market and further politicization of Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

6. Mass redistribution of wealth and further spreading of mass misery – the inner cities on steroids.

Bottom line…

We need an immediate and thorough regime change in 2024. A regime that will not fuck with your right of self-defense, your children, housing, vehicles, savings, and opportunity to live without looking over your shoulder.

We are so screwed.

-- Steve