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Subscribe to RSSAides to the newly retired Rep. Barney Frank say the congressman definitely wants to be appointed by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick as a caretaker senator. The opening would occur when John Kerry moves to the State Department pending his confirmation as the next secretary.
Frank, who is 72, has said he looked forward to life after Congress and "not having to answer the phone." But just one day after his 16 years in Congress ended, Frank has changed his mind citing the Senate's expected focus on fiscal issues, where Frank could use his expertise as the former top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee. A caretaker appointment would be short-term, just for a few months until the special election is set.
Fmr. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., proves there's no rest for the recently retired. When asked by Joe Scarborough if he would consider being future Sen. Barney Frank, Frank responded by saying he's spoken with the Mass. Governor Deval Patrick about being appointed temporarily.
Frank told "Morning Joe," "A few weeks ago said, I said I wasn't interested. It was kind of like, you're about to graduate and they said, you've got to go to summer school. But that [fiscal cliff] deal now means that February, March, and April are going to be among the most important months in American financial history."
When Sen. Kennedy died in 2009, the governor chose long time Kennedy aide and former Democratic National Committee chair Paul Kirk to serve in the interim before Scott Brown won the seat. Aides say they cannot comment this morning on whether Frank has heard back from Gov. Patrick.
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the dodd frank bill didnt go far enough, that was the problem with it. they had to water it down so much to get it passed by the republicans that it was useless. That is how it always works.
This will not help anythng. If he were the right man for the job he would not have had to ask. He would have been asked.
How is Barney Frank responsible for the housing crises ...did he push for less regulation ..I know repubs like blaming the dems for everything their guilty of ...but...
NYT
Bush drive for home ownership fueled housing bubble
Published: Sunday, December 21, 2008
WASHINGTON — "We can put light where there's darkness, and hope where there's despondency in this country. And part of it is working together as a nation to encourage folks to own their own home."
- President George W. Bush, Oct. 15, 2002
The global financial system was teetering on the edge of collapse when Bush and his economics team huddled in the Roosevelt Room of the White House for a briefing that, in the words of one participant, "scared the hell out of everybody."
Eight years after arriving in Washington vowing to spread the dream of home ownership, Bush is leaving office, as he himself said recently, "faced with the prospect of a global meltdown" with roots in the housing sector he so ardently championed.
There are plenty of culprits, like lenders who peddled easy credit, consumers who took on mortgages they could not afford and Wall Street chieftains who loaded up on mortgage-backed securities without regard to the risk.
But the story of how the United States got here is partly one of Bush's own making, according to a review of his tenure that included interviews with dozens of current and former administration officials.
From his earliest days in office, Bush paired his belief that Americans do best when they own their own homes with his conviction that markets do best when left alone. Bush pushed hard to expand home ownership, especially among minority groups, an initiative that dovetailed with both his ambition to expand Republican appeal and the business interests of some of his biggest donors. But his housing policies and hands-off approach to regulation encouraged lax lending standards.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/business/worldbusiness/21iht-admin.4.18853088.html
And who was it again that repealed Glass - Steagall?
Frank insisted that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were in good shape. Five years ago, for example, when the Bush administration proposed much tighter regulation of the two companies, Frank was adamant that "these two entities, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not facing any kind of financial crisis." When the White House warned of "systemic risk for our financial system" unless the mortgage giants were curbed, Frank complained that the administration was more concerned about financial safety than about housing.
Who introduced Glass Steagall...and why
When have republicans ever been for more regulation of any thing...ever
The one that put it into place done us all a great service. The one who penned it's repeal into law screwed us ALL, as deep as they possibly could have. Dems are not the same patriotic Americans that they were in 1933. but then, niether are republicans. I hate them all, but I hate the dems the worst.
I'm a MA progressive and I very much dislike Barney Frank.
The sub-prime mortgage debacle had many fathers, but Frank was definitely on of them.
You are one of a very small handful of progressives that have some sense!
Democrats will vote for anything that has a (D) by their name. Call it dumbo, dimwit, delirious, dastardly, or any other description that lacks moral character and they like it.
If Mr. Frank would like to do something to help the country...........disappear.........
I heard he was a master at sitting on fire hydrants and making them diappear.
(disappear)
If you disappear you can reappear. But if we send the GOP to the check- in hotel where others check you in, they can not check themselves out- ever. LOL
Please....get rid of these old entrenched incompetent fools that were put in there 40yrs ago and don't do anything but play their games. They get the impression because they are democrats that somehow they should be employed for life by the goverment....get rid of these clowns.
Barney Frank is incompetent and corrupt, although he would be another reason the Democrats will lose Big on the Next General Election. I would hope the American People are not that Stupid, but then Again they Re-Elected the Great Community Organizer. Compound Incompetence, is this a great country or what.
Hey, the elected George Bush twice, even after we knew he ginned up the Iraq War. How stupid was that?
As stupid as allowing politicians sit in Washington for 30 years
You can all post here as much as you like, but in the end the only people who will have a say are the folks in Mass.
And those good folks in Mass understood his value and had no problem voing for him.
In Massachusetts, which mom do you call dad? Or which dad do you call mom?
It depends which one of them is swallowing that day.
That's my point. Who's pitching and who's catching?
Rim Shot!!!!!!!!!!
Barney must have grown tired of visiting the various rest stops and now wants steady proctology in D.C. once again. I guess I'll have to buy stock in Johnson and Johnson as there will be a shortage of KY soon.
Barney, Barney, Barney, Barney. This year 2013, is not about Gays anymore. It is ALL about Conservatism, GOD, faith , family along with duty, honor and country. No one liked your Wacked out Progressive, Left Wing, Communist, Secualr Socialist ways of Spend and Spend more. Remember, last year Bill O'rielly at FOX news tore you a new rim hole for your SICK politics.
Please for the sake of our Nation, stay home with your boyfreind. NO one wants you again.
you must be confusing this year with 1813... go back to your grave d1ck.
And having good marksmanship.
If you care to do the research - repub admins spend more than dem admins. Why do you continue to use Faux News for facts when it has been proven they don't use facts. They make stuff up to fit their agenda - and you swallow it (no pun intended).
Ah Ah Ah now, get it right and tell it like it is, you libs are the "swallowers".
Bravo, let him do it.... there is no one better to deal with financial stuff than him. Heck let him serve there forever. Someone with common sense is needed in that slaughter house.
The slaughter house he presided over for many recent years.
Banking at least
Bruce, Did you fall asleep 25 years ago and just wake up?
Which Senator's "seat" has he been eyeing? He already buttf*cked the whole country....let him "do" somebody else for awhile.
Yeah, like his hairy assed "husband"?
Com'on, you gotta be kiddin, with all the unemployed people there isn't someone who really NEEDS the job or could maybe actually DO something? We've heard enough of this guy, changing the "title" ain't gonna change the story.... There ain't no such thing as "temporary" in government, wasn't income tax supposed to be "temporary" too? Hope in my lifetime they have term limits on these guys...............
I didn't even read the story. I figured he was going to become a street corner magician in San Francisco opening his act by sitting on a fire hydrant and making it disappear.
Rim shot!!!
Another Double-Dipper!!! Someone should list the salaries of these leaches, on our Tax-Payer's dime!!!
I'd really like to know the rules for elected officials and their pensions. I think representatives and senators are covered under the same pension plan, so that form of double-dipping doesn't pertain. Did he serve at the state level before he served in the House?
At 72, would he collect his pension at the full rate AND his salary as an active Senator (if he gets the nod)?
"Another Double-Dipper!!!"
You certainly got that right. No one has more experience at "double dipping" than "Bonny Fwank"!!!!!!!
I can never read that guy's name without automatically translating it into Bonny Fwank. And my image of him is of someone with a red ribbon in his hair. Yeah, let's put him in with the rest of the fruits and flakes...
Put him in with them?? I never even realized that we had rounded up all the "fruits and flakes" Paul. Where are they being held?
Bawney Fwank?
He would be an excellent choice....he has knowledge of all the items coming up in the new session and can step in and get right to work.
I hear the O'Reilly factor is looking for a Sweeper. The last thing Congress needs is anothe liar, send him packing.
Barney takes his car into the mechanic to get it checked out. Mechanic says come back in an hour.
Barnery goes across the street to the 7-11 to get some ice cream. Barney loves ice cream. But the little guy gets the ice cream all over his mouth.
He goes back across the street to the mechanic. The mechanic says "It looks like you blew a seal". Barney says "No. That's just a little ice cream".
ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!! I'll remember that one for sure!
It takes on a whole new meaning when you hear Barney Frank is looking at a seat.
There's no way around it when discussing his "kind". ALL pun is intended.
Now ain't that JUST what the country needs? And you can bet his retirement check will go up too.
Barney had a big part in the mortgage melt down. Pres. Bush was concerned with the accounting practices of FNMA and FHLMC and wanted oversight of these Government Sponsored Entities (GSE), but was hamstrung by Barney, Pelosi and Reid (All Dems). Barney blocked attempts by Republicans to control the practices of FNMA & FHLMC and stated that "Republicans have a sky is falling mentality." Well the sky fell BARNEY.
What a pig.......... tired of it UNLESS a better more powerful gig comes along......... At what point does "public service" become a "career" and that it becomes evident of the selfishness of holding on to a position of public service and representation for so long that it displaces others from being allowed the priveledge and opportunity to give themselves to the same public service?
What a selfish, disgusting self-important pig. He has been part of the same congress that has gutted our country's financial stability for so long and just as we get him out (get 'em all out I say), he goes back in with a raise?