To Be Frank

Today’s post is a tribute to Barney Frank, the fiery congressman from Massachusetts who announced his retirement yesterday after more than 30 years in Washington.

I respect Frank, who’s three months older than my mother, because he’s amazingly intelligent, strong and witty. I may be wrong, of course, but from what I’ve seen and read over the years, he’s really tried to represent his constituents and do what’s best for the country as opposed to lining his own pockets and feathering his nest as so many other politicians seem to do.

The former chair of the House Financial Services Committee has become known for fighting for the middle class, battling big banks and working to clean up Wall Street. (His efforts led to the sweeping Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created a more transparent financial services industry and required more disclosure of exotic derivative trades.)

Sure, he got in trouble back in 1990 for fixing traffic tickets for his lover. And sure, he was cozier with former Bush Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson than I would have liked during the Wall Street bailout of 2008. But just as I refused to let Chappaquiddick define that other Massachusetts liberal, Ted Kennedy, in my eyes, I refuse to let any negatives trump the fact that Barney Frank has spent three decades in public service and should be commended for it.

Incidentally, it couldn’t have been easy to come out of the closet back in 1987 – becoming the first member of Congress to do so voluntarily – and incur the wrath and scorn of homophobes, bigots and jerks on both sides of the aisle. He deserves a tip of the hat for that alone.

Some people are uncomfortable when a volatile, self-confident, gay, Jewish liberal who’s quick on his feet amasses fame and power and achieves important goals. Others think it’s cool as hell to watch and there must be something very special about such a person.

I’m in the latter category.

Sources: Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, Huffington Post.