The news that Barney Frank is in hospice care brought a rush of rich memories. More on those later.
In a book to be released this year Frank offers sage political and policy advice to Democrats.
He says the “left of the left “ among Democrats are pushing policies that “go beyond what is politically acceptable to most voters.” It was defund the police or open borders in previous elections, he notes, while today it’s abolish ICE or pushing for transgenders to play in women’s sports.
In a phone conversation, he elaborated on how this is an ill-considered effort “to restructure the country socially and culturally.” He added even when he agrees with general goals, Democrats “need to focus on what’s popular, pushing what’s unpopular is just dumb.”
Most Democrats agree, but that isn’t sufficient, he argues: “They have to explicitly repudiate” such policies. “ Failure to do so in the past led to the party’s brand being identified with these positions.
Few posses Barney Frank’s record and credibility in making these criticisms.
The co-author of the Dodd-Frank banking bill, he was one of the most influential members of Congress for three decades before retiring in 2012. He possesses a brilliant intellect, considerable legislative and political skills and a withering wit. He sees politics as a noble calling.
At age 86 he remains an unapologetic liberal, believing in a strong federal government role to protect the rights of minorities, civil rights and civil liberties, the poor, and a more progressive tax system to help finance programs. A self-proclaimed capitalist, he advocates strong regulation when necessary to tame excesses of the marketplace.
He could be brusque, even rude. But he commanded respect across the ideological divide. Nancy Pelosi, the liberal former Speaker who relied on him during the financial crisis called him “an exceptional legislator.” Alan Greenspan, the conservative former chairman of the Federal Reserve told me of all his congressional testimonies he prepared most diligently when facing Frank. There were policy differences, but Greenspan had enormous respect for the Massachusetts lawmaker.
His book will strike a familiar Frank theme: Democrats need to be progressive pragmatists who understand compromise is central to politics. He is dismissive of left wing ideologues and politically naive idealists
Just as small vocal group magnified the defund the police and open border views, the danger today is calls for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. ICE is out of control, in desperate need of reform. But “it’s nuts” to suggest the country can function without an immigration agency.
In the campaign for gay rights, which he has supported for more than a half century, advocates were strategically incremental, addressing gay marriage only after building support for other protections first. This should be a lesson for transgenders today. “We should fight against discrimination and for giving kids medical care,” he says. “But don’t making playing in sports a litmus test.”
Unlike party critics like Democrat Mark Penn, who was Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign manager, before he was fired, or those with vested interests, no one should question Frank’s progressive bona fides.
He wants an expansive, efficient federal government with fairer taxes.
Against open borders, he always supports legal immigration. He is down the line pro-choice on abortion, critical of conservative Republicans who “believe life begins at conception and ends at birth.”
He is Jewish, a Zionist supporter of the state of Israel, while harshly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who he feels has caused terrible damage to the country’s standing in the United States and around the world. It’s time, he says, “to give Netanyahu an ultimatum, no more arms shipments unless he changes policies.”
My Barney memories date back to 1968 as a rookie Wall Street Journal reporter in Boston while Barney, 28 years old, was running policy for the city of Boston under new Mayor Kevin White. At night walking home through an alley I’d see Barney sitting alone at a table at the famed Locke-Ober’s restaurant, with a big slab of beef working through scores of documents.
After eight years in the Massachusetts legislature, he was elected to Congress. In 1982 he was redistricted to face a Republican incumbent who started off favored, amid a whispering campaign that Frank was gay.
The weekend before the midterm I went to Massachusetts and discovered this policy guy was a damn good politician. He won 60-40.
Subsequently he said he realized he was gay in his teens but, like others, he hid it and dated women for years. In 1987 Frank came out and in 2012 married Jim Ready.
Karl Rove and the Republicans capitalized on opposing gay rights, especially gay marriage, in the 2004 presidential election. Two years later, during a long interview, Frank was optimistic as, “once people realize that gays don’t affect their livelihood, when a gay couple moves into the neighborhood property values don’t fall.” In ensuing years, America experienced a dramatic change in public opinion, accepting gay rights and gay marriage.
Going back to 1994, Republicans led by Newt Gingrich took over the House for the first time in 40 years. Democrats were despondent, lost. Not the gentleman from Massachusetts. He told me Gingrich was an asshole, would overreach and provide lots of opportunities Check, check, check.
He was a dominant figure in the financial crisis, collaborating with Republican Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a titan of Wall Street, who considered Barney “scary smart.”
The 2010 Dodd Frank was landmark banking legislation setting higher capital and liquidity requirements and financial stress tests for large institutions, more transparency and consumer protection. In more than a decade and a half with Republicans controlling Congress most of that time and two Trump Presidencies, the major elements of that legislation remain.
Frank’s sharp, caustic wit is legendary. A political opponent once challenged him to take an AIDS test and release it; he said he would if the other guy would take an IQ test and release it. When Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein told him all he wanted was “smart regulation,” Barney sarcastically shot back: “All I want is fucking dumb regulation.”
Congress, a dreary place these days, could use some of the Frank humor.
Substantively, he says Democrats are in a good place if they get their priorities right, as Trump is “imploding. His talent was to play on people’s disconent, exploit the anger. But he’s a one trick pony and it’s not working now.” (He told me in he book he cites three similar Democrats: Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, Harlem Congressman Adam Clayton Powell and Louisiana Gov. Huey Long)
Resting at home, Barney says he’s stabilized with his congenital heart condition and seems comfortable facing the inevitable.
His fervent hope is Democrats “will take advantage” of his message.
Democrats need some vision & backbone...you know...like Barney had!
I’ve always had great admiration for Barney Frank and I will send a prayer as he transitions to another place.