There was an intelligent and thoughtful conservative on NPR the other day. He was saying that the problem with the Republican party was that they went to all this effort to get their base all riled up about the horrible Democrats. That anger worked out well for them because it made them stronger. But it backfired when it came time to negotiate with the Democrats, because even if they wanted to make a deal with the Democrats on the budget, this big machine of anger was steamrolling right behind them and wouldn't allow them to make a deal. Because those Democrats are evil, and you can't negotiate with evil.

So you can't let loose the dogs of war, and then hope to get them back on the leash when it's convenient.

And, they may have finally succeeded in ruffling Obama's demeanor !

Obama has a demonearor?

Don't tell Santorum, he'll hire an exorcist.

ftfy

The news that (D) Barney Frank, Chair of the House Finance Committee,
has decided to not run for re-election is very disappointing to me.

His voting district was re-aligned, losing liberal and gaining conservative voters.
So, at 71 yrs of age, he would have a much more difficult campaign in his next election.
At least that's what his office put out to the news media.

I've always regarded him as the most knowledgeable member
of Congress when it comes to the budget, and day-to-day politics.
For me, if he said it on TV, I accepted it as true. And I think he was
very well accepted by both Dem's and Rep's
I just heard one of his quotes on TV:

Apparently, his seat in Massachusetts is safe for the Dem's.
But Congress is losing so much "institutional memory" that
can not be replaced by a database or the Congressional Record.
.

Santorum's expertise is in resuscitating dead brains.

The news that Barney Frank (D), Chair of the House Finance Committee,
has decided to not run for re-election is very gratifying to me.

He was a total insider and never admitted his role in the Fannie/Freddie disasters.
He was in charge of oversight and was caught completely flat-footed when it all went down.

He was linked to many a scandal including numerous lending institutions, his "special loans" with countrywide and also his admitted affair with a 17 year old page.

He is simply one of the entrenched professional politicians of which there are far too many in both parties still in Wash. IMO, his leaving is a good start at cleaning house.

Classic, if you believe all that were true and overwhelmingly important,
why would you think it would do any good to bring in a new politician ?

I'd suggest a quick read of Frank's congressional history in Wikipedia
to see if instead, and on balance, you might think he is has a better fit
with what we want in from a 30-year veteran politician.
.

I already read it, but thanks. That info on wiki is why it isn't really a valid source for unbiased accurate info.
Do a little more digging. I did just to cover my ass in my post.
I'm not interested in getting into an argument here about Barneys checkered past.
I just thought I'd lay out some of the "other side" of him.
There was much much more which he wasn't indicted/convicted/charged as well. I left that stuff out.

I don't know about Classic, but I don't think it will do much good to bring in a new politician. Our current system all but guarantees that if a Congressman is not corrupt to begin with, he soon will be.

Yeah, Barney Frank did some good things, but Classic is correct in stating that Frank played a role in the Frannie/Freddie fiasco. Read Morgenson's and Rosner's "Reckless Endangerment" - a detailed account of the events and players leading to the great financial crash and subsequent Wall Street bailout.

Barnie Frank was one of Frannie's and Freddie's greatest defenders, claiming that concerns about the the safety and soundness of these two institutions were highly exaggerated. Frank was duly rewarded for his partisanship in this regard.

He said exactly what his handlers told ... err ... paid him to say. Then the bottom fell out.

Or he truly believed that, and erred.

"Selling out is an overrated phenomenon. If selling out paid better, I wouldn't have to be here tonight." Gridiron Dinner, December 5, 2009
-Barney Frank

Do as I say and not as I do?

James Johnson, the exec in charge of running Fannie in the 90's, was slipperier than an eel. He was adroit in both politics and business, and the way he packaged Fanny to appear vs what it actually was is outrageous. Johnson profited well from his deceits. The man should be in prison. Instead, he now sits on the board of directors for Goldman Sachs. (Occupy Wall Street, anyone?)

When I read the book I mentioned above, "Reckless Endangerment," the thought also occurred to me that Johnson and his criminal corporate pals had pulled the wool over Frank's eyes just as they had fooled so many others.

The thing is that Barney Frank was chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a powerful committee charged with the oversight of all America's housing and financial services sectors. That's a lot of outfits to keep an eye on, but Fannie and Freddie were big enough and important enough that SOMEONE should have been watching what they were up to. No one was.

This all happened on Barney Frank's watch and his favorite proteges were well rewarded by Johnson and Fannie for Frank's vigorous support.