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Barney Frank To Occupy Wall Street: Where Were You During The Last Midterms?

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» 185 comments

On Monday night Rachel Maddow explained how the Occupy Wall Street movement defied some traditional party lines, or in her words, protesters “aren’t exactly delighted with Democrats either.” She then introduced Rep. Barney Frank, who shared some frustrations with the protesters, saying “I’m unhappy when people didn’t vote last time blame me for the consequences of their not voting.” Frank echoed the thoughts made last week by former Gov. Ed Rendell who basically asked where were these folks during the last mid-term elections?

Frank has been himself a lightning rod for harsh criticism regarding the loosening of regulations surrounding mortgages, which some feel led to the very mortgage-backed security problems that led to a crashing of the U.S. economy back in fall of 2008. Many on the right have made the effort to make him the poster-boy for Democratic ineptitude.

For his part, Frank has always maintained that his position hasn’t changed, that his efforts were to fight the very deregulated policies that led to the crash. So for him to feel ire from Occupy Wall Street protesters — most of whom appear to be of the progressive stripe — combined with two years of conservative attacks…well, it put Rep. Frank in no mood!

Maddow asked if Rep. Frank believed if he thought that the Occupy Wall Street movement has “lit a fire under the Democrats at all?” Frank answered:

Well, first, I have to say that I wish there was some of that energy two years ago when I was fighting against the people who wanted to protect derivatives from regulation and were trying to weaken the consumer bureau. Rachel, I do have to say, some of us have been trying to do this for a while, and I have to be honest and say in 2009, I wish some of these people had been energized then and were helping us fight back against this effort. Because we got a strong bill, but it should have been stronger.

After then talking about the importance of presidential politics, and how it specifically affects the very laws and regulations vis a vis Supreme Court justices appointed by elected presidents, Frank went back to the protesters (rough transcript provide by TVEyes):

Yes, I hope there will be pressure to do even more, but I, again, want to be honest, simply being in a public place and voicing your opinion in and of itself doesn’t do anything politically. It is the prerequisite, I hope, for people getting together and voting and engaging things. and I understand some of the people on occupy wall street are kind of critical of that. They think that’s conventional politics. Well, you know, the most successful organization in America in getting its views adopted is the national rifle association. they are in many cases a minority. But in addition to everything else they do, they very effectively identify who the members of the congress are, the legislatures and vote for them.

So as I said, I welcome the Wall Street energy. I don’t agree with everything some of the people say. I agree with the general thrust of it. it’s not self-executing. It has to be translated into political activity if it’s going to have the impact. you know, I would just say, the last thing, we had an election last year in which people who disagree with them, and disagree with me and with you, got elected. I want to be honest again here. I don’t know what the voting behavior is of all these people, but I’m a little bit unhappy when people didn’t vote last time blame me for the consequences of their not voting.

Frank’s candid criticism of OWS protesters sounds eerily similar, if not much more nuanced, than what many, more conservative pundits have said. The groundswell of populism is a powerful and impressive thing. But this energy does not translate to a motivated voting block, then it may be all for naught.

Watch the clip below, courtesy of MSNBC:

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  • Anonymous

    Bawney Fwank was one of those behind the Housing crises which started the whole economical crises rolling;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs

  • Anonymous

    How does one produce a transcript of the noises Barney makes?  Spit those marbles out piggy

  • Anonymous

    Barney… I blame you for Fanney & Freddy. I blame you for tax and spend. I blame you for all that stimulus money going to unions. I blame you for being a jerk who has his lover stalk his opponent. I blame you for prostituting underage boys.

    But I don’t blame you for the hippies not voting.

  • Me1Ranger

    Fair reporting on this story Colby…what’s wrong with you? Jilted maybe?

  • Anonymous

    Barney Frank was behind one of the majority factors we are where we are at today;

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fKpBPRKbvQ

    He helped facilitate the housing bubble which started the ball running for our economical crises.

  • Anonymous

    At least he reported on it…meanwhile they have not TOUCHED any of what is going on at OWS, but are sugar coating the message of OWS.

  • Anonymous

    He was for deregulation, before he was against it… HA!

  • Anonymous

    A lot of the Democrats that were voted out, Did’t do what they said they were going to do. They cave to the opposition.. so that’s why they don’t get votes.

  • Me1Ranger

    I agree. Did you guys here about how the money these fleabags have been given is funneled through 501(c) organizations? They are officially a charity now, and 35 cents of every dollar they get is supplied by those of us with jobs. Sweet! Good thing the feds have the ‘right of first refusal’ of our paychecks. Believe in that change..resist we much! 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JUT2TATEV3OHGQ7HZRYN472XVM Felix

    Where were they during the mid-term elections? Hah! They voted Democratic, that’s where they were. THEY LOST!  When will these people begin to see that it’s their policies that are turning Independents to the Right.

  • Me1Ranger

    Hear..oops

  • TruDat

    Typical blathering Democrat, always making excuses for their lame, failed policies.

  • TruDat

    It’s not marbles.

  • Anonymous

    I’m not sure how Barney Frank and Ed Rendell know the voting record of every person in the OWS movement but the point is the voters did speak in the last election and the voice said “we want you gone”.It’s probably going to say that again in 2012.I’m assuming Frank is saying “if you don’t like how things are just vote Democratic and it will all be fixed and be just wonderful”.

    What he doesn’t say is Democrats are just as responsible as Republicans for how things are,that how things are is a multiple decade process not the last few years and that HE is one of the biggest contributing factors to exactly what OWS is against and angry about.

    This is just another example of how liberal Democrats are trying to appropriate OWS for their own fortunes and are trying to morph it into some kind of liberal tea party.

    It also shows how completely out of touch the people in DC are.they aren’t even trying to get why people are angry and what OWS is about,they are just trying to use it to their advantage.Typical.

  • Anonymous

    OK… so now that you and I have come to the conclusion that we actually agree on a LOT. Let’s have a real conversation. I don’t love Repubs and you don’t love Dems. Now… do you really believe the Dems (be honest here) will do the right thing by middle class Americans and fight for fair taxation, reasonable laws to give people more school choice, good regulation that allows for capitalism to work but in a regulated and fair “law abiding” way, fair regulation of energy and power. Or do you believe as I do that BOTH parties are actually only concerned with helping a select few Americans that they feel will give them the best shot at keeping their Govt job and their insane benefits? And that we are left voting on a handful of social ideals and values that we feel the party we vote for panders to?

  • Anonymous

    Fact: Bawney Fwank is just one guy that will never be man enough to ever be a part of the GOP or Tea Party! Sissy boys are all part of the cult rodent party!

  • Anonymous

    I live in Saint Louis, and am a huge Cardinals fan. If the OWS crowd decide to do this…

    http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2011/10/18/police-worry-as-wall-street-protestors-pine-for-world-series-spotlight/

     I can tell you right now. Saint Louis is a baseball town. F*ck with the Cards, baseball, or our World Series and the OWS crowd WILL be regulated by the good people of Saint Louis. It is a decision they will regret.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tony.westover Tony Westover

    *LOL* The architect of the collapse and one of the creators of the Congressional slush fund known as TARP now aligns himself with the whiny brats on Wall Street.

    God I love the hypocrisy of this movement :-)

  • One pissed off liberal

    And don’t you just love the fact that one uselss congression district on the west side of Boston keeps imposing this jackass on the rest of us?

  • One pissed off liberal

    GOOD POINT!.  One example of this would be  Florida congressman Alan Grayson.  His entire two years he did nothing but attack the right wing, refute right wing talking points, and secured himself as a stalwart bastion of liberal opinion.  And go figure…he was re-elected in a landslide.
     
    Oh wait…

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    my roomate’s ex-wife makes $72 hourly on the internet. She has been out of work for 7 months but last month her paycheck was $7538 just working on the internet for a few hours. Read about it on this site MakeCash8dotcom

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VYUK3HIJFCPFBZUHRHN6HCR5AA MarkfromSavannah

    Alan Caveman Grayson gets more time on PSNBC now than he did as a congressman.  What does this tell you about the state of our media? 

    Can’t get carried away speaking ill of Caveboy though as it has a tendency to bring the loonier Mediaite denizens out from the shadows!

  • Anonymous

    I think you will naturally dislike Grayson because of your political views but he is a good debator and arguer, I’m not really familiar with his term in office, I’m not sure what he did.. perhaps if he made those things more known he would have been re-elected. 

  • Anonymous

    There is a huge difference between Republicans and Democrats.. these social ideas and values you discuss have major economic and societal implications. For example, the social idea of war is completely different between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats want to defend ourselves or at least defend others… Republicans want to gobble up territory, change the religion, and harvest the resources. Democrats want to find ways to conserve energy and new energy platforms, Republicans want to stay with old energy, drill more holes in our country, make less penalties for drilling holes, destroy the EPA so they can pollute places, then pass a bill that makes it OK for your health insurance to deny you for pre-existing conditions.

    Republicans are.. completely corrupt and it almost scares me that you can’t see that. I’m not some Democrat hawk and I’ll be the first to point out some illogical bullshit from them.. but Republicans, maybe not working in concert, are pretty much picking apart the basic fabric of our society in search of profits, Democrats haven’t gotten to that point yet but if they do I’ll jump ship.

  • One pissed off liberal

    Snowspot….
     
    The fact of the matter is, Grayson could not have been more of an overt liberal.  He attacked the GOP daily, resisted any policy they suggested, and was a driving force behind any left-wing effort in congress.  Furthermore, he had nightly spots on MSNBC where he would further elaborate on his left wing intentions.
     
    And he was crushed in a landslide.
     
    The point is, your initial comment that liberals just need to be more overtly liberal to stay in office, could not be further from the truth.  The truth is, they need to subdue and obfuscate their real opinions and views or the electorate sees them for who they are.  Collectivist power grabbers who wish to impose policy and control over every aspect of our lives because they believe we are too stupid to govern ourselves.

  • Anonymous

    We’ll just agree to disagree on that one.

  • Anonymous

    Wow.  On one level, what a homophobic tool.  But the guy ripping off his shirt looking ready to throw down was worse.

    On another level, LMAO at the handful of OWS people.  I was at Keiner Plaze for a tea party rally and the place was jam packed with people spilling into the street.  It was my first and I was literally shocked by the huge turnout.  Like 10k people.  The juxtaposition of the two images in my mind is startling.

    As to messing with the Cards in the World Series?  Eh, NO ONE will notice them, unless they camp out on the pitcher’s mound.  Even then, they would be eaten by a giant ameoba of red t shirts.   Now ya see em…now ya don’t.  LOL 

    But nothing to be concerned about. Michelle Obama is going to be at the first game tomorrow.  Think that the Secret Service is going to let ANYONE get withing eyeball distance of the First Lady?  Ain’t happening.  These folks will be sitting by their lonesome under the Arch, completely and utterly ignored by even street people.

  • Anonymous

    Good point. Grayson went as liberal as anyone could. And he got crushed. Guess the voters didn’t want that after all.

  • Anonymous

    Barney butt boy should be in prison with his pal Chris Dodd!!!

  • Michelle

    If these protestors weren’t liberal partisan hacks, like they claim they aren’t, they would’ve started the protest outside Barney’s pad. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VYUK3HIJFCPFBZUHRHN6HCR5AA MarkfromSavannah

    Snowspot – My dislike of Grayson stems from the mean-spirited and hateful rhetoric he spouted on an almost daily basis on MSNBC and elsewhere.  He consistently displayed an inability to compromise and shouted down anyone who disagreed with him with ad hominem attacks and personal insults.

    Other than that, I think he’s a righteous dude!

  • Anonymous

    Fact: Post all US land grabs from any war at any time! Post links!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FSPIVAFYI672OH5NOKVRTEZA4U MadCharles

    In case you missed the last election Frankie, the people did come out. You can have all the park freeloaders you want. The people will come out again in 2012. They’re lined up to vote out the failed already.

  • http://twitter.com/TheMorningSpew The Morning Spew

    Where were they?  Probably stoned, munching down on Ben & Jerry’s:  http://wp.me/p1NAwV-Bh

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    The protesters at OWS want nothing to do with Democrats and refuse to have their movement sold to a political party like the Tea Baggers sold theirs to the Republicons!!

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    Wait…so OWS is just the liberal Democrat base?

    Oh. I thought this was a ‘movement’ consisting of ‘average Americans’ who ‘hated corporations and greed.’

    Huh. The Democrats seem to think it’s just their base.

  • Anonymous

    It appears so.. heh

  • Anonymous

    Barney Frank isn’t aware, lol.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XEFRKNJR6WJ5WQ6KNPH2OEY2LU Antonio

    Why should they be in prison?

    What did they do wrong?

  • Mencius

    You’re really setting yourself up there with that comment. You’re really trying to argue that the GOP isn’t known for a pretty big number of gay sex scandals by lawmakers and others who have lobbied against gays? I could find many other examples, but here are just a few. 

    Larry CraigU.S. Senator
    Senate Liason for Mitt Romney’s Presidential Campaign
    (June 11, 2007)The Crime: Soliciting sex from an undercover cop in an airport bathroomThe Hypocrisy: Craig twice voted against adding the words “sexual orientation” to the federal hate crimes law. Craig also voted to give states the right to refuse to recognize gay marriage–a right they already had, but the Senator wanted to really, really prove he didn’t like gay people.The Quote: “I am not gay, I don’t do these kinds of things.”Mark FoleyU.S. Representative
    (September 28, 2006)The Crime: Sending sexually laced, gramatically challenged instant messages and e-mails to teenaged boys in the Congressional page program for more than 10 years.The Hypocrisy: Chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. One of the foremost opponents of child pornography in the Senate.The Quote: “get a ruler and measure it for me”Ted HaggardLeader of the National Association of Evangelicals
    (November 2006)The Crime: Paying male prostitutes for sex and snorting crystal meth.The Hypocrisy: A powerful force in the evangelical movement, Haggard participated in weekly meetings with President George Bush and top advisors where he gave spiritual advice. He taught that homosexuality was an abomination and actively lobbied against gay rights.The Quote: “I did not have a homosexual relationship with a man in Denver.”Bob AllenMember of the Florida House of Representatives
    Florida Chairman of John McCain’s Presidential Campaign
    (July 11, 2007)The Crime: Offering an undercover cop $20 to allow Allen to blow him in a men’s room in a public park. After being arrested, Allen tried to explain that he only offered to blow the cop because the cop was a “burly black man” and he “didn’t want to become a statistic.”The Hypocrisy: Allen was one of 21 Florida legislators to sign Gov. Jeb Bush’s friend-of-the-court brief supporting the state’s ban on gays adopting children, and he co-sponsored an unsuccessful bill that would have enhanced penalties for “offenses involving unnatural and lascivious acts” such as indecent exposure.The Quote: “I certainly wasn’t there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn’t there to exchange money for it.”

  • Anonymous

    Why am I not surprised you wouldn’t know?

  • Michelle

    Hear no evil, see no evil.  It’s the liberal mantra.

  • Tony the Fist

    Bull meet china shop.

  • lazzzlo

    That’s a good point; I can’t think of any in the past 100+ years.

  • lazzzlo

    I live a couple of districts over from Grayson’s old haunts.  He never represented his constituents in Florida’s 8th district.  He wanted to make a name for himself; not serve the Orlando area.

  • lazzzlo

    Yeah, yeah, yeah said the Reds fan.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XEFRKNJR6WJ5WQ6KNPH2OEY2LU Antonio

    Why don’t you tell me because apparently Daryl Issa doesn’t know either or he doesn’t have a mandate to “clean out the swamp.”

  • Anonymous

    Barney would love to have the freaks on the streets protest in front of his brothel.

  • Michelle

    Typical liberals, wants things handed to him.  If you care enough, do your own research!

  • boo boo

    Kinda hilarious that Barney thinks the protestors are on his side. They’re protesting the whole system, genius. Not that it would have mattered if the Democrats controlled the House, Senate, or both, anyway. What a useless party full of do-nothings.

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    Every single snaggletoothed layabout in that street will be voting for Obama in 2012.

    Tell us another one.

  • Anonymous

    Err Occupy Wall Street is happening in over 1500 cities around the world, dwarfing the Tea Party protests in scope and relevancy. 

  • Anonymous

    I thought that was suppose to have Nancy Pelosi’s self imposed mandate. Daryl is just finishing what she never started.

  • Michelle

    Want to get into the mind of the average protester?

    Polling the Occupy Wall Street Crowd

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204479504576637082965745362.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Your statement shows how little you know about the OWS movement!! You must strictly get your news from Fox!!

  • Anonymous

    Gays are not welcome
    GOT IT

  • Anonymous

    Mr. Frank is not going to like the fact that these protesting kids are not the voting type…sorry Barney!

  • Anonymous

    Massachusetts… what do you have against the rest of America that you keep sending Frank back to congress? He in particular has inflicted a huge amount of damage to our economy by guiding us into the housing collapse. His role in collapsing the economy cannot be denied… yet you send him back to do more damage.

  • One pissed off liberal

    Damn.  Its always those stupid fair elections that get in the way of liberals trying to make a name for themselves while not serving their constituency.

  • One pissed off liberal

    If he did, you wouldn’t hear it.

  • One pissed off liberal

    He was growing and selling dope out of Barney’s house when he wasn’t stalking Barney’s campaign opponents.

  • Anonymous
  • One pissed off liberal

    “Republicans want to gobble up territory, change the religion, and harvest the resources.”

    Can you please give me an example of a republican initiated war where we have done any of those things?

  • One pissed off liberal

    And in over 800 countries too…right?

  • One pissed off liberal

    I lived in Mass for 19 years.  Our blind stupidity is the result of a perfect storm of Liberal Acadamia, Corrupt Unions, the Kennedy’s, and your standard garden variaty stupidity.  You mix those ingrediants up in a warm broth of cool-aid flavored ignorance, you get Tax-achussettes producing Barney Frank every two years.

    I tried to move back there two years ago, to be closer to family, and quite frankyl unless you make over $80k a year, you wont be able to afford much more then an appartment. 

    But hey…if we all live in poverty, everyone is equal right?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XEFRKNJR6WJ5WQ6KNPH2OEY2LU Antonio

    Just like I thought – just a bunch of hot air.

    Grow up losers.

  • Texan

    *drink*

  • Anonymous

    Fact: No this guy has genetic defects and is part fruit fly!

  • Anonymous

    Fact: So what gays sneak in the armed forces too but doesn’t mean that they are welcomed!

  • Anonymous

    Look at all of the moron Republicans in this thread.  They’ve been systematically trained to believe a guy who was in the minority party until 2007 had something to do with the Republican financial crisis.  Republicans will believe ANYTHING.

  • Anonymous

    Barney Frank is right to say what was said. There has been lack-luster attention to the shenanigans of the 112th Congress and now that the Toxic Egotistica­l Activist(T­EA) party controls Boehner and the Republicans we see their true colors! Having run on jobs generation and fixing the economy, we see they have done nothing! This Terroristic Evangelical Agnostics(TEA) party have introduced and passed on the state level abortion regulation to appease their religious beliefs and have in fact done nothing to legislate jobs production! The loosening of mortgage regulations by the prior administration and the Clinton Administrations can be shared! It is up to the public to make them selves aware of the dealings of Congress no matter who controls the House or Senate and make our feelings known! Frank brought up issues being attacked by everyone of the cookie-cutter opposition contenders for the TEA party Primary! This Troubling Economic Antagonist­(TEA) partyis working on repealing  the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the Frank Dodd Act because these two acts provide guidelines and restrictions put into place resulting from the recession of 2007 and 2008! There were major corporate and accounting scandals like Enron and Worldcom which cost investors billions. The Frank Dodd Act provided a sweeping overhaul of America’s financial regulatory system to consolidate agencies, regulate financial markets, implement consumer protection, provide financial crisis tools for the FDIC and improving accounting processes and tightening credit rating regulations. We must keep our eye on Congress and what is being legislated, how it benefits America, who directly benefits from it and how many jobs it will create!

  • Go Navy

    “Republicans in congress are.. completely morally corrupt and it almost scares me that you can’t see that!”

    “Let’s have a real conversation.

    Epic fail.  When someone posts such hyperbole, one of reason cannot penetrate that much hate and ignorance.  Good try though.

  • Anonymous

    Why would they have been raving Democrats in this two party duopoly? Politicians can’t get enough of co-opting, and hijacking movements

  • lazzzlo

    I had an opportunity a few years ago to move to New England and start my small business (10 employees).  I have never been so scared in my life.  I tried Vermont first and that was a major experience.  Looked at Springfield Mass. as well as NH.  Bangor might have worked but I just got so sick and tired of all the endless hoops I had to jump through.

    It’s a shame because I loved the area.

  • Anonymous

    Sounds like Barney wants the anti-Semite vote! hey Barney, why is OWS nothing but a bunch of anti-Semites?

  • Anonymous

    Dems took over the House and Senate in 2006 moron! Learn something and come back later. Gawd you are dumb. Low IQ, extra 21st chromosome, short bus, knuckle dragging… DUMB!

  • One pissed off liberal

    I also made a hansome profit robbing your roomate’s ex-wife, and that only required about an hour of work once a week.

    Read about it on this site :  Iamahugescam_designedtoscrew_dumbpeople.com

  • One pissed off liberal

    There is alot of hot air in here…but your mistaken on where the source of it is.

    Anyway, here’s a link for your education:

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2010/10/barney-frank-was-present-during-partners-2007-pot-bust-says-he-didnt-know-it-was-pot-video/

  • Norbit

    FRANK CAUSED THE CRISIS – He put a US guarantee behind knowingly bad mortgages.

    Frank was told – on videotape – at least 3 times of the impending disaster, yet, like Solyndra, kept pouring taxpayer monies into the sumphole.

    He’s a piece of Puke!

  • guest

    I remember how the newly elected lot came in with the promise of “Now we will get things done, we’re really gonna work together” And here we are a year later wishing the whole lot of them were working in a gas station or doing anything but the nothing they are currently doing.. Republicans, Democrats and T party congress of the do nothing 2011-12 years will be best remembered for_______________________________.. That’s right, nothing.. Screwing America into the ground..

  • Anonymous

    Add Maxine Waters to this corrupt mix of buffoons!!

  • Anonymous

    Thanks Barney, keep on pissing off the Conservatives as long as you can because 2012 is clearly in view!

  • Anonymous

    Moron, people voted in 2006; Democrats took the majority in 2007. That’s the way it works. Try to remember that you’re a moron, so you’re always going to get this stuff wrong.

    With a couple of short-term exceptions in the Senate, Republicans ran all three branches of government. When the crimes were committed, they refused to provide oversight. They refused to protect the American people.

    As with 9/11, Republicans did nothing when told of the impending disaster. That is the Republican legacy. That is your legacy.

  • Anonymous

    he should be in jail.

  • steverobb60

    I can’t wait to see the “Deer-in-the-headlights” look when the indictments come down on all of these liars, cheats and thieves.
    WHO, ME????

    2012….No-Mo-Homobama!!!!

  • Anonymous

    Barney and Fast Eddie need to get a clue — OWS looks like it began as a PSYOP… a faux movement led by agents provocateurs, generated to ferret out the alleged “dissidents” so they can be identified, possibly provoked, roughed up by cops, some of them on corporate payrolls, and thrown into the multi agency/command fusion center based extrajudicial persecution matrix – a premeditated crackdown on real folks who would dare to dissent. In NYC, the Mayor’s gal-pal is on the board of the private park’s owner; convenient. And the Security State gets a fresh list of “targets” to feed the torture matrix administered
    by major defense contractors who profit from the war on dissent. But the psyop could be backfiring, as an increasing number of aggrieved Americans vent their frustration. Read this, by a veteran journalist:
    http://nowpublic.com/world/thugocracy-u-s-fed-police-vigilantes-persecute-citizen-targets
    If link is rendered inoperative, see NowPublic.com/scrivener, links above bio and lede stories.

  • Anonymous

    Do you know anything at all about Barney Franks tenure in congress? I would stop before calling anyone a moron except the person who has let Frank and Dodd continue in the same position they have exploited for years.  

  • Anonymous

    Frank and Dodd had nothing to do with the financial crisis. The Republicans were in charge. The reason you believe otherwise is because you are a moron, and Fox News can train morons to believe anything.

  • lazzzlo

    You do understand that cause and effect are not immediate reactions.

  • Go Navy

    And you have the chutzpah to call anyone a moron?  LMFAO! You can’t make this shit up!  The voice of an educated lib, BWAAAAAAAAAAAA

    http://uspolitics.about.com/od/usgovernment/l/bl_party_division_2.htm

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank

  • Go Navy

    And you have the chutzpah to call anyone a moron?  LMFAO! You can’t make this shit up!  The voice of an educated lib, BWAAAAAAAAAAAA

    http://uspolitics.about.com/od/usgovernment/l/bl_party_division_2.htm

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank

  • Anonymous

    That’s why it took Republicans several years to destroy our financial system.

  • Anonymous

    That’s why it took Republicans several years to destroy our financial system.

  • Anonymous

    What are you doing, showing people that you can’t read? Or that you’re just too stupid to understand what you read?

  • lazzzlo

    OK, how was that possible?  The natural buffer that existed between the SEC and oversight committees and the regulatory rules that allowed for derivative trading.

    Tell me that Wall Street doesn’t gamble.

  • monocle

    “Efforted”? Surely you jest.

  • One pissed off liberal

    Dont worry…there is a warm spot in hell waiting for him.

  • Go Navy

    It’s just amazing that someone can be so filled with hatred and stupidity that they ignore their own posts.

    “With a couple of short-term exceptions in the Senate, Republicans ran all three branches of government.”

  • Anonymous

    Moron, with a couple short-term exceptions, the Republicans ran all three branches of government under Bush until 2007. That’s the fact of the matter. That’s what I said. Is there somebody available to help you with this? Please try to remember that you are a moron.

  • One pissed off liberal

    Yeah..Vermont may actually be worse than Mass…They’re elected officials will openly claim to be socialists, and their policies reflect it.

    Oh well…just like New York, Illinoise, and California, all the productive people will leave for greener pastures leaving the parisites and the socialists to wallow in their self-inflicted hell.

  • Mencius

    Riiiight. Let me guess. You’ve never served in the military and you spend a lot of your time being a bigot alone. The Dems are pretty screwed up, but at least they don’t court bigots. For whatever reason, just like the Catholic Church, the Republican Party attracts all of the repressed gays who go out of their way to insult other homosexuals who make them feel uncomfortable, kind of like you just did. 

  • Mencius

    Riiiight. Let me guess. You’ve never served in the military and you spend a lot of your time being a bigot alone. The Dems are pretty screwed up, but at least they don’t court bigots. For whatever reason, just like the Catholic Church, the Republican Party attracts all of the repressed gays who go out of their way to insult other homosexuals who make them feel uncomfortable, kind of like you just did. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1585370901 April Box

    I don’t understand why Liberals can say anything they want about Conservatives and it is called Free Speech.  But if Conservatives speak their minds, and it goes against Liberal agendas, it is called Hate Speech.  Shouldn’t we ALL have free speech?  This is America.  Most of what I hear coming from the Liberals, and especially the Main Stream Media, offends me, and I consider it quite hateful, but I will fight for their right to say it.

  • Go Navy

    First of dope, you didn’t say anything.  Second that’s not what you posted, read it yourself asshat.  You con’t to reveal with each post just how much of a liberal shill you are.  Does your mom put your pants on for you in the AM?  LMAO!

  • Anonymous

    You’re just lying. The derivatives that destroyed our economy were created and traded during the Bush years. The bad mortgages didn’t even exist until the Bush years, so it’s insane to suggest that the derivatives did.

    And if you want to know who encouraged all of those bad mortgages, do little research on a guy named George W. Bush.

  • lazzzlo

    I almost agree with you…Countryside S&L is a very good example.  But shouldn’t the market reflect this naturally and correct itself accordingly?

    You don’t have to invest in sh*t…if you want a fast buck you probably will lose.  If you are patient you will profit.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you for admitting, yet again, that you were totally wrong because you are a moron. This would be much easier if you would realize you’re a moron from the beginning.

  • lazzzlo

    MK Ultra rears its weird head.

  • PrezOworst

    The protestors are avoiding Barney and his townhouse basement.

  • Go Navy

    This has to be a joke, where’s Ashton. Nobody can be this obtuse.  Have a nice breakdown, asshat.  Where’s the friggin’ ignore feature?

  • Anonymous

    Stupid person, don’t you have the capacity to realize when you’ve been owned? What do you want to do now, go over it again?

  • One pissed off liberal

    LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!! BAGHDAD BOB IS BACK!!!!
     
    SEE his ridiculously unfounded claims!
     
    BE AMAZED at is inability to formulate a coherent rebuttal
     
    LAUGH at his perpetual willingness to get smacked around on the field of logic
    And common sense, while continuing to dole out useless drivel as a response!

  • Anonymous

    Look at the moron. He thinks he can make facts go away by saying silly things. Just like they do at Fox News.

  • One pissed off liberal

    Also ladies and gentlemen,
     
    You can get BAGHDAD BOB’s greatest hits DVD for the low, low price of $1.54
     
    GET IT HERE! http://www.amazon.com/Baghdad-Bob-Mohammed-Saeed-Al-Sahaf/dp/B0000BVLNX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318964375&sr=8-1
     
     
    Do you get a kick out of him contiuously saying “remember that you’re a moron”
     
    Or “understand that you’re a moron”
     
    Or “because you’re a moron”
     
    Yeap, it doesn’t’ get old or show his lack of intellect to us either!
     
    Act now…operators are standing by!

  • One pissed off liberal

    “WE ARE WINNING AGAINST THE AMERICAN VILLIANS!”–> BAGHDAD BOB 2003
     
    “Frank and Dodd had nothing to do with the financial crisis.” —>BAGHDAD BOB 2011

  • Go Navy

    Look up obtuse, asshat. The only thing you own is a tricycle and a lollipop.  Now go get a cookie. Read your post DB, ….nevermind, your head is so far where a pill doesn’t reach it won’t matter. Dopes like you will never admit you’re wrong even when you posted it.

  • One pissed off liberal

    GO BAGHDAD BOB, GO!
     
    GO BAGHDAD BOB, GO!

  • One pissed off liberal

    BAGHDAD BOB likes to get in over his head all the time.
     
    His only way out is to repeat the word “moron” over and over again in hopes that that will draw attention away from his ridiculous comments
     
    Also Bob…did you every find out what the total Tax revenue in “Real Dollars” is from in 2000, 2005, and 2006?
     
    I know what it is, and I also know you are absolutely full of shit.  But what the hey…your Baghdad Bob….thats your nature.

  • Anonymous

    Hell, I’ll just cut and paste it again:

    Look at all of the moron Republicans in this thread. They’ve been systematically trained to believe a guy who was in the minority party until 2007 had something to do with the Republican financial crisis. Republicans will believe ANYTHING.

    And:

    Moron, people voted in 2006; Democrats took the majority in 2007. That’s the way it works. Try to remember that you’re a moron, so you’re always going to get this stuff wrong.

    With a couple of short-term exceptions in the Senate, Republicans ran all three branches of government. When the crimes were committed, they refused to provide oversight. They refused to protect the American people.

    As with 9/11, Republicans did nothing when told of the impending disaster. That is the Republican legacy. That is your legacy.

    What is wrong with you morons?

  • Anonymous

    Yea, that’s it……

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    I’m a Tea Party member and joined the 99% movement because I was tired of the government and corporations causing this country to go down the drain. Both are responsible for the reason why we find ourselves in this terrible situation. I’m asking all my Tea Party brothers and sisters to join the movement.  

  • Anonymous

    Aren’t you talking about American imperialism…you know, that thing Obimbo accused us of but, has no second thought about applying it when it becomes useful? When are you going to aptly apply hypocrite to Obimbo?

  • Anonymous

    Your not familiar with his term in office, or what he said and did but, your more than willing to defend this Liberal idiot? That seems to be reoccurring theme in the Liberal movement!   

  • Anonymous

    I’ll go along with scope but, relevancy is yet to be seen.

  • Anonymous

    Knowing Barneys sexual orientation, I’m surprised anyone heard it.

  • Anonymous

    Fact: copy paste again pennnnnn….. You didn’t pay attention at any Tea Party or you wouldn’t post this BS!

  • Go Navy

    koreanturpitude 56 min. “ Moron, with a couple short-term exceptions, the Republicans ran all three branches of government under Bush until 2007.”

    How does this correspond to your earlier posts?  Asshat, you didn’t say under Bush in your original posts. Own it. Christ what a dope.

  • lazzzlo

    Dude, Burlington VT. literally scared me.  Their whole “city-wide” broadband connection plan was seriously one of the worst fiascos I have ever seen.

    They drove me off.

  • Anonymous

    Fact: swing and a miss…….

  • lazzzlo

    Seriously, I’m not lying.  I did IT work for multiple real estate companies throughout the Mid-West during the late 90′s and early 2000′s.

    I watched people being encouraged to purchase homes far beyond the worth of the home as well as the customer’s ability to repay the loan.  I used that knowledge over the years.

    I have a condo on the ocean…free and clear.

  • Mencius

    So you served? Great. Tell us a little more about your time in the military. 

  • steverobb60

     You’re a lying troll….fudgepacker.
    Tea Partyers are disgusted they have to  even breath the same air you filthy animals are despoiling.
    Take your mouth farts and shove them.

  • Bobby

    Nobody gives a ratsA$$ if Barny is gay or not.  He is just one horrible person and should be in jail, along with Chris Dodd.

  • Blue123

    A-Damn-Men to that one.  Two of the biggest crooks in history.

  • TruDat

    That’s where this “99%” mob has it wrong; they’re only the 47%, which includes the losers who pay no taxes.

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    I respectfully disagree with you.  You don’t understand what we did in the Tea Party and what we were fighting for and what we got done for the American people but it wasn’t enough.  I’m a middle of of the road guy.  

  • Bobby

    OMG….don’t confuse him with facts.

  • Bobby

    Better a Tea Bagger than a Flea Bagger!

  • Blue123

    The Republicians have the Tea Baggers.

    The Libs have the Flea Baggers!

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    I pay plenty of taxes and so does my other tea party members that have joined the movement.  

  • steverobb60

    I am tea party and you are NOT!
    You lying troll plants disgust me.
    You are not “middle-of-the-road” but if you WERE…..I would run you down and turn around to make sure I finished the job.
    You are a traitor to America and the only good traitor is a DEAD traitor.

  • steverobb60

     Get a job….Fudgepacker.

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    You’re a disgusting disgrace to the Tea Party movement.  You’re no Tea Party patriot because we wouldn’t allow people to make up things and to sabotage the message like you’ve done.     

  • Angelo R. Mozilo

    Can you imagine if Frank appeared at the human megaphone thing? That would be something to see

  • Angelo R. Mozilo

    You’ve posted the same damn comment repeatedly throughout this site, verbatim copy. You are an AFSCME/Media Matters basement intern at top-dollar best

  • Angelo R. Mozilo

    Show some respect, Hall parlayed that Iowa creative writing degree into an upstanding career on the OWS beat. He/she is a chronicler for the voiceless downtrodden masses at Zuccotti who are under total media blackout. You have to read about it on Mediaite due to the censorship. Hall will be #4,547 on the Power Grid by the end of the month I reckon

  • Anonymous

    Very good point by Frank. Protest, but don´t forget the importance of elections.

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    With Ron Paul supporters. 

  • Tabula rasta

    Operation Iraqi Liberation = O.I.L. “Harvest resources?” Where in the hell have you been?

    Bu$hCo Inc’s Iraqi Hydrocarbon Law was the vector which changed Iraq’s National Oil Company (NOC), into a mostly privatized petroleum export company. Previous to our invasion and occupation, Iraq’s NOC had collected 100% of all oil export profit, for the Iraqi people. But Bu$hCo insisted that the US would not leave until Iraq’s Parliament had agreed to allowing of their oil to be drilled by the worldwide International Oil Companies.
    So now instead of collecting 100% of the profit for their oil, Iraq now receives only 10% of the profit for their oil, while the IOCs receive 90% of the profit.

    Slick-Dick Cheney’s secret Energy Task Force hosted a bargain-basement giveaway for Iraq’s oil, by inviting the F@tK@ts of BigOil to claim the different regions of Iraq to be drilled.
       

  • david r

    I hear the CIA once plotted to assassinate Frank by inducing a short in the current of his vibrating butt plug.

  • http://www.locomotivebreath1901.blogspot.com locomotivebreath1901

    “Where Were You During The Last Midterms?”

    Circle jerk, Barney. They called you, but you were busy screwing the tax payers.

  • ganymede

    I think you rightwingers need to get a grip. Frank didn’t create the mess we’re in; it didn’t happen overnight. It was the removal of all protection from banks and financial institutions by Reagan, Clinton and, most especially, Bush that has brought the country down. Wall Street owns the government – certainly they control the entire Republican Party and much of the Democrat Party. That’s what the Occupy Everywhere Movement and even many Tea Party members are upset and angry about. Frank, is a very bright guy who is trying to bring back and strengthen the regulations that are needed to keep Wall Street straight, or realitively honest. I’m really appalled at the ignorance and homophobia that comes up whenever Barney Frank is mentioned. The type of crazy stuff you get from many rightwingers is embarrassing and will forever be seen as the rantings of ignorant people.

  • Ryan Callahan

    I protest with my vote, which I do every election since I was eighteen. Still, I see nothing bad about any of this protest, it’s hilarious when some individual in the area of this collection of people (New York of all places) which is hardly organized beyond the place it’s held is used as an example for the whole protest. Fox News is a reasonable villain for this whole thing, nothing wrong with them disparaging the mouth piece of the Republican party and its policies.

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, who cares about an honest accounting of the evidence? I’m going to blame the guy I want to blame for no discernible reason whatsoever.

  • Anonymous
  • http://twitter.com/reagansucked ronald reagansucked

    So you’re upset because people you disagree with are able to use the same legal structure that’s available to everyone else, and you top it off by grossly mischaracterizing 501c3s. If the facts don’t support the argument you want to present, just make some up, eh? You must be a real joy to be around.

  • http://twitter.com/reagansucked ronald reagansucked

    You forgot to switch usernames there, Pissed Off “Liberal.” If you think the changeover of (1) congressional seat in a wave election proves anything then you’re even denser than you come across. There was a Democratic wave in 08, and a Republican wave just 2 years later. What this ought to tell you is that voters are fickle, impatient, and ready to throw anyone who doesn’t provide immediate change out on their ass. Instead you’ll simply ignore ’08 and crow about ’10. You’re completely full of it — collectivist power grabbers, sure thing buddy. 

    Maybe you can explain why the left is so pissed at Obama, and how something like Occupy Wall Street has sprung up on his watch, if he and the Dems are implementing truly liberal policies in a place that exists outside of your imagination. You can’t, and the reason for that is that Obama is the status quo. Obama is the black Bill Clinton. Obama is a moderate conservative, and you’ll do anything to avoid admitting it.

  • http://twitter.com/reagansucked ronald reagansucked

    Didn’t compromise, and insulted people who disagreed with him personally? Sounds like he would’ve made one hell of a tea party Republican.

  • http://twitter.com/reagansucked ronald reagansucked

    Yes, Democrats are responsible as well. Bill Clinton signed Gramm-Leach-Bliley and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act that was sent up by a Republican congress, etc. There’s a key distinction here though- when you have some Third-Way corporatist “Democrat” instituting conservative policies, demolishing regulations, and so on it’s certainly fair to blame the Dems for their involvement, but that isn’t the same as blaming actual honest-to-god Democratic (or liberal or what-have-you) policies. You can’t look at deregulation and free trade and all this and go, “Damned liberals!” because those are not liberal policies. Unfortunately we have this game where the Democrats are “the liberals,” no matter how sold-out, how far-right, how Republican-friendly their policies are, so whatever crappy lobbyist-bought bills they pass tars liberalism and liberal ideas by association.

    Clinton signs Gramm-Leach-Bliley and the CMFA: “liberals” gets blamed.

    Obama stimulus is half the size his own advisors tell him it should be, and 1/3 of that is given away in tax cuts: keynesianism gets blamed. 

    Obama passes a healthcare plan that was previously proposed by Richard Nixon, the Heritage Foundation, and Bob Dole: characterized as a “liberal” approach with a “big-government” takeover of health care, even though the actual result will be no new government healthcare programs and a bunch of new customers for HMOs.On and on. Crap on the Dems. They deserve it. Just don’t tar liberalism with that same brush, because the current Democratic party is anything but. It isn’t liberalism’s fault that a bunch of center-right corporatists are referred to as the “liberal” party.

  • PrezOworst

    Sorry Rasta dead in the head.  Iraq oil contracts and  went to China, India and Europe.  ZERO repeat ZERO contacts went American companies. 10% of the profits went to Iraq is a straight LIE.  Further more billions of foreign money had to be used to update their 30 year old crappy petro industry.  Sadam didnt maintain sh*t….. TRY reading and thinking on your own.  Oh and have you been there or are you just quoting J. Stewart.  In fact how far have you been from mommies basement? I think I heard her… you PBJ with the crusts cut off is ready.

  • PrezOworst

    the bulk of those tax cuts was the payroll reduction.  went to everyone not business or the rich.  I personally think its a waste and only adds to debt.

  • PrezOworst

    No I think he was just saying Dems just look, talk and act gayer.

  • PrezOworst

    I think gay Barney is an important fact when he is running a gay whore spa in his basement in DC.

  • Anonymous

    Because you wish it does not make it true.

  • Anonymous

    It is hate speech when anyone accuses anyone else of not having a job, being an idiot, a Marxist or a Hitler. Note the words of steverobb60 as an example.

  • Anonymous

    Sounds like a great movie. I hope Tom Cruse will star in it.

  • PrezOworst

    sorry SnowJob the bulk of these protests are less than a couple of hundred whiners, creeps and freaks (and young/dumb).  Further more The European rallies are about all the Austerity cuts so all those socialistis countries can refiance.  Yeah thats right all those socialistic (handouts) that libs like you have been pointing to for 30 years  ARE FREAKING BROKE.  wake up.

  • PrezOworst

    HAHA…Funny stuff Pissed, love it.  Your right more of that liberal math.  You know they really need to start requiring math in these liberal colleges and degree programs.  seriously counting to 10 just doesn’t cut it anymore.

  • Anonymous

    What does he mean where were they? This man is directly responsible for the housing debacle and should be in prison for what he did. How disgusting is this interview? The lying spin is fantastic. Obama should give them a metal for that..

  • PrezOworst

    what the Lib Press hides is Obama received more cash from Wall St than any other in history last cycle.  The filled the White House and Fed Reserve with them.

  • Anonymous

    Here is Barney ….in his own words

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM

  • Anonymous

    any questions…listen to the terms he uses ….affirmative action and he admits they know more of these affirmative action home loans will fail

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivmL-lXNy64

  • Perplexed

    Barney may be feeling the effects of ‘establishment’ relative to the OWS.  They are a wild mob that could explode and become a very embarassing group to be tagged with.  His responsibility for the housing crash is something that he can run from but never escape.  Unfortunately for him when federal regulators were aware of the problem with fannie and freddie and brought it to the Congress’ attention he led the charge to refute their concerns.  Video tape is a very dangerous thing when you get caught with your pants down.

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, Barney Frank invented the credit default swap and mortgage securitization.  He also used derivatives as an example to prove markets would regulate themselves when he was chairman of the Fed.

    These folks don’t have a clue.  They just want to blame everything on Barney Frank and the government.  That’s what they are told by Fox and Rush Limbaugh.

  • Pablo

    I blame Bush! He’s not a Democrat, after all.

  • Pablo

    Republicans want to gobble up territory, change the religion, and harvest the resources.

    Where have Republicans done that?

  • One pissed off liberal

    In snowspot’s mind

  • Pablo

    The only land we have that was taken in war since the Republican Party came into existence is the Northern Mariana Islands, which we acquired due to WWII. So, it appears that what snowjob claims that Republicans do has only been done by Democrats.

  • Pablo
  • Anonymous

    time we split up the country ganymede one side us ignoramuses and you geniuses and in generation your offspring will b coming 2 our side as illegal aliens  .

  • Anonymous

    u r not a t  partier mr pennyalinsky

  • http://twitter.com/cbl2 clarice andrews

    by all means Congressman Frank, don’t take any responsibility for your Party’s lousy messaging  or weak  tea legislation that did NOTHING to help tens of millions of struggling american families when you had the power.

    poll after poll after poll shows you got your asses kicked for being too close to Banksters/Wall St and did too little to help the people that voted you in to power

  • Me1Ranger

    Say what? They’re not a charity, d-bag. Will you still be spitting this garbage when it’s proven to be illegal? Love the screen name..says it all.

  • Anonymous

    Just take a look around at who is “for” the OWS group…. that’s enough to tell me what I need to know…. it’s all a SCAM

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