A Younger Barney Frank - now has the "experience" to be "appointed to the U.S. Senate!! -image floortwo.wordpress.com
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has seen enough political characters in the past few decades to supplant the balance of the 49 states, from the Kennedy’s, to Kerry to Dukakis and of course, the former 4th Congressional District Congressman – Barney Frank. Frank, now known for the Dodd-Frank bill, also oversaw the demise of the housing industry with his cavalier attitude towards Freddy and Fannie, that resulted in a meltdown and a recession and one could go on. Frank was one of the key figures of featured on most anti-tax signs, along with Pelosi, and Reid, the perfect triumvirate. In 2010, Frank narrowly won reelection – it was a nail-bitter for the 30 year Congressman who was normally a shoe-in- having to actually campaign for his seat. Some might think that a 10 point lead in the final analysis is not a nail biter, but…this is Massachusetts, and finding enough dead and missing to come up with those 10 points, is not an easy task.
In 2012, with redistricting on the agenda, Frank suddenly retired, rather than face the prospects of another rugged campaign. This desire to retire was due to the Democrats in charge carving out a new district for Frank that was, to say the least, less friendly. Now, Frank, who’s been retired only briefly, sees an opportunity to return to the Federal Government –that rascally old public servant. The reason Frank wants to return?
On January 4th, 2013 Frank appeared on an MSNBC showand spoke with the host about having already asked Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, to appoint him to the seat. The reason, there’s going to be an important vote in the coming months, and Frank would like to be a part of that.
What vote one might ask? Given the state of the U.S. government’s fiscal house, and the fact that they have raised taxes on those “billionaires and millionaires (unless they had hired good lobbyists- then they got tax breaks), as well as those $30,000 airs, and $40,000 airs, and so on, who will be slapped with tax increase s in order to keep the government growing. That money won’t be enough for the ever expanding Federal Government and its lack of backbone when it comes to cutting out one duplicate program or reigning in frivolous spending, let alone pork! What to do – raise the debt ceiling, again. Frank wants to be sure that the debt ceiling gets that hike, so that the nation can go future into debt.
What are the odds?
One might almost bet the house on a Frank Interim Appointment.
There are few other options, as the Democrats are having a hard enough time finding warm bodies to even run for the seat in the special election, let alone take the appointment as an interim. It is the common logic that Scott Brown would run again for the Special Election Senate Seat, but...that may also be off the table, as Brown's talents may lay in going to the corner office in Boston as Governor. To add to Democrat woes, popular ex –Governor – Republican William Weld, may also be looking at that Senate Seat. On the one hand you have two little known Congressional reps from Eastern Mass, Markey and Lynch, who are no name recognition in their own districts let alone statewide. Newly elected Obama Clone, Sen. Lizzie Warren, will not even endorse a candidate from among the Massachusetts pack– of course given the fact that she’s from Oklahoma, assessing a fellow Democrat from Massachusetts may be above her pay grade.
The Media is kicking in – right behind Frank: Western Massachusetts, Springfield Republican website, suggests that Barney Frank has “experience”. That’s the keyword for you need to vote for someone because they’ve been there since before your mother was born. Frank also noted that he would not “run for the Senate Seat – but take the appointment – famous last words.
Over at the Boston Herald - a call for Frank to actually take the appointment then run outright for the seat in 2014.
Overall, one might suggest that the electorate is doing the usual – not paying attention - which is what got us in this mess in the first place.
Frank sure does have experience. It’s his experience that should bother most people. On the flip side, if there was ever a poster-boy that would move conservatives to action, that would be Frank. One might call a Frank appointment to the Senate a lose-win situation. A loss for the General Public, as Frank may mean well, but one wonders if his lack of ability to remember telling members of congress that Freddie and Fannie were doing “just fine” a few months before the entire bubble burst, might lead some to believe he’s either criminally left, or just a little bit like Joe Biden. He will as stated, do everything in his power to vote that debt ceiling upwards while also “yeahing” for any new entitlements available, while cutting defense as far back as possible. He may even suggests raising taxes again on those Millionaires and Billionaires (except those Corporations that have given to the White House or hired lobbyists in August to ensure they were exempt from taxes – have a rum and coke. On the other hand, a Frank in the Senate would give some who might think it yet another last straw as an opportunity to replace those Fiscal Deal Republicans and Democrats who might be up for reelection in 2014.
Of course it remains to be seen if Governor Deval Patrick will appoint Frank, or find someone who’s less infamous to fill the vacant seat as our own John Kerry moves to the position of Secretary of State. (Seriously – one cannot even begin to opine on that situation.) , even if he has to grab Joe Progressive off a Cambridge Street. However, again, the “party line” of more experience, and a call for the usual Massachusetts tax and spend Democrats to have an opportunity to raise the debt ceiling nationwide, would be difficult to pass up.
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