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Thursday, April 30, 2026

The former Massachusetts lawmaker says progressives in his party have "embraced an agenda that goes beyond what's politically acceptable."

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Former Rep. Barney Frank, a liberal icon who was a key architect of the landmark Wall Street regulations Democrats enacted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, has entered hospice care at his home in Maine. And as one of his last acts, he is preparing to release a book repudiating his party's left flank.

A champion of liberal causes during his 32 years representing Massachusetts in the House, Frank says progressive Democrats have "embraced an agenda that goes beyond what's politically acceptable."

#1 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-04-30 03:04 PM | Reply

See also: The Overton Window

See also: Powell Memorandum to the United States Chamber of Commerce

#2 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-04-30 03:07 PM | Reply

Time for this dinosaur to go extinct.

#3 | Posted by qcp at 2026-04-30 03:12 PM | Reply

#3 Ingratitude is a Cardinal sin, QPC.

#4 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-04-30 03:24 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

He says he's "not arguing that anybody should stop his or her advocacy."

"But it's one thing to advocate something knowing that you're going beyond the current viewpoints, and another to make it a litmus test," he said.

#5 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-04-30 03:32 PM | Reply

"When I decided, finally, to come out in '87, it just struck me when I did that ... the American people are a lot less homophobic than they thought they were supposed to be," he said.

"More racist, unfortunately, but less homophobic."

"For a lot of my colleagues, the argument has been, well, we don't support defund the police or open borders, and we don't say we do,'" Frank said. "But my point is, no, it's not enough ... to be silent. We have to explicitly repudiate it."

He says he's "not arguing that anybody should stop his or her advocacy."

"But it's one thing to advocate something knowing that you're going beyond the current viewpoints, and another to make it a litmus test," he said.

"One of my regrets," he said, "is that I won't see the continued implosion of [President] Donald Trump."

;;

Sounds more like a complaint that Dems should be more aggressive. Um, OK!

#6 | Posted by Corky at 2026-04-30 03:36 PM | Reply

Thanks for your service, Barney, and goodbye.

#7 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-04-30 03:39 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"For a lot of my colleagues, the argument has been, well, we don't support defund the police or open borders, and we don't say we do,'" Frank said. "But my point is, no, it's not enough ... to be silent. We have to explicitly repudiate it."
The repudiation of which he speaks is towards the defund the police or open borders crowd.

It is those ideas that Frank says should be repudiated.

And if by that you mean that Dems should be more aggressive in countering such ideas, then you are 100% correct.

#8 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-04-30 03:41 PM | Reply

"it's not enough ... to be silent. We have to explicitly repudiate it"

This would be from a former legislator talking about his former colleagues.

IOW, folks who sit at the adult's table.

But it's been declared that silence prohibits you from sitting there.

#9 | Posted by eberly at 2026-04-30 03:47 PM | Reply

Barney figured it out that moderate democrats are moderate because their base is moderate as well?

#10 | Posted by eberly at 2026-04-30 03:57 PM | Reply

What Barney Frank is saying isn't anything new.

He's advocating for progressives to vote for the Democratic nominee available instead of the candidate the DNC shut out because they're scaring the billionaires.

Unfortunately democratic voters have realized the Democratic Party is more interested in maintaining the status quo than fighting for Americans.

Wall Street and corporate America doing well means jack shit to minimum wage workers or people unable to find work that pays them a living wage.

This is what's costing democrats voters.

Billionaires own both parties and voters are looking for an alternative.

#11 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-04-30 05:02 PM | Reply

What Barney Frank is saying isn't anything new.
He's advocating for progressives to vote for the Democratic nominee available instead of the candidate the DNC shut out because they're scaring the billionaires.
Unfortunately democratic voters have realized the Democratic Party is more interested in maintaining the status quo than fighting for Americans.
Wall Street and corporate America doing well means jack shit to minimum wage workers or people unable to find work that pays them a living wage.
This is what's costing democrats voters.

Billionaires own both parties and voters are looking for an alternative.

Posted by ClownShack at 2026-04-30 05:02 PM | Reply

Bears repeating in triplicate spades.

#12 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2026-04-30 05:04 PM | Reply

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