Global Economic Mess: Born in Orange County?

The Register's John Gittelsohn blogs on Mathew Padilla's Mortgage Insider about House of Cards, a CNBC documentary that names Orange County as the birthplace of the sub-prime loans that infected the world financial system. Gittelsohn notes that among the locals featured in the 90-minute program, which first airs Thursday, are Bill Dallas, founder of Ownit; Lou Pacific, a Mission Viejo real estate consultant; Daniel Sadek, founder of Quick Loan Funding; and . . . drum roll, please . . . John Gittelsohn.

Mr. Gittelsohn, when it comes to shameless self promotion, I remember Gustavo Arellano. I know Gustavo Arellano. You, sir, are no Gustavo Arellano!

More interestingly is the fact that Gittelsohn's post got linked to lefty Atrios' Eschaton blog. And what's more interesting than that are some of the 188 comments (at this writing) the Atrios post generated.

"There aren't nearly enough poor people, minorities, or Democrats in Orange County for it to cause the financial meltdown," writes Joel from Lowell.

"Nobody could have foreseen that a Reagan heartland would be implicated in a debt blowup," adds P O'Neill.

"I blame the O.C. for so many shitty things about California. Fuck, even fucking Del Norte County upina raidneck norf voted for Obama. So did San Diego. But the O.C? No way," contributes blerb.

Scoopernicus: "We could Nuke Orange County. That might actually improve the place."

dave: "No fucking shit. Home of the Birchers, home of the Reaganites, home of all sorts of right-wing fucking shit. But I do like Disneyland!"

nudge-nudge: "so we have our scapegoat! lynch 'em? tar and feather? jack bauer 'em?"

And the hits keep coming. Fortunately, ina, thesaurus brings some sanity:

"Hey! I grew up in Orange County and my folks still live there (they both voted for Obama & did their part to convince their friends to do the same). No nukes! Just kick out all the eastern transplants ."

Amen.