General Discussion

Shrek

(4,458 posts) Wed May 13, 2026, 09:02 AM 4 hrs ago

Barney Frank, in Hospice, Has Advice for the Democrats

NY Times

Barney Frank, the retired Democratic congressman who represented Massachusetts’ Fourth District from 1981 to 2013 and is now in hospice care, is not wasting a minute of the time he has left.

Mr. Frank, 86, has been hosting a parade of friends and former colleagues at the modest hillside home he shares with his husband, Jim Ready, in Ogunquit, Maine, where lobster buoys dangle from the trees beside the driveway. He is also offering his fellow Democrats some parting thoughts on what he thinks they need to do to win again, a subject he reflects upon at length in a new book due out in September.

A veteran progressive known for his gay rights advocacy, as well as his leading role in tightening financial regulations after the global banking crisis of 2008, Mr. Frank said overreach by the left, with stances that alienate moderates, had set back Democrats. He worries progressives want too much too fast on trans rights, Medicare and other issues, and that they are swooning for the wrong candidates, like Graham Platner in Maine.

His overall outlook for the party is hopeful. But if his voice is slightly softer now — he is suffering from congestive heart failure — his delivery is no less blunt.

6 replies

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Barney Frank, in Hospice, Has Advice for the Democrats (Original Post) Shrek 4 hrs ago OP

May Barney live to see a blue wave. He was a pioneer in many ways. Good guy. Botany 3 hrs ago #1

I'm sorry but this is rich coming from Frank. harumph 3 hrs ago #2

He addresses that explicitly Shrek 3 hrs ago #3

My point is that the republicans appears to realize that relying on polling the "middle" harumph 3 hrs ago #4

Even hate to mention this, the gays might be the next group attacked. Gay marriage is gonna be on the chopping a kennedy 2 hrs ago #6

I have posted in the past and will continue to do so. WIN BACK WORKING PEOPLE. usonian 2 hrs ago #5

Botany

(77,805 posts)

1. May Barney live to see a blue wave. He was a pioneer in many ways. Good guy.

Reply to Shrek (Original post)

Wed May 13, 2026, 09:28 AM

3 hrs ago

To Mr. Frank

harumph

(3,393 posts)

2. I'm sorry but this is rich coming from Frank.

Reply to Shrek (Original post)

Wed May 13, 2026, 09:48 AM

3 hrs ago

"Mr. Frank said overreach by the left, with stances that alienate moderates, had set back Democrats."

How does he think stances on "Gay rights" were not considered overreach at the time? But of course this is newsworthy for the NYTimes as it relentlessly tacks to the imaginary middle which means conceding our principles to a mythical army. I thank Barney for his service but do not respect his position. Maybe there was some validity to his strategy at some time in the past - but the collegiality that enabled even modest gains is a fading memory.

Shrek

(4,458 posts)

3. He addresses that explicitly

Reply to harumph (Reply #2)

Wed May 13, 2026, 09:52 AM

3 hrs ago

When we were fighting for gay rights — a fight I think we have essentially won — we knew that some issues were more popular than others. So we tended to start by trying to win the ones that were most popular. Gays in the military. Employment. We didn’t go after same-sex marriage, we didn’t make marriage a litmus test, until the very end.

harumph

(3,393 posts)

4. My point is that the republicans appears to realize that relying on polling the "middle"

Reply to Shrek (Reply #3)

Wed May 13, 2026, 10:13 AM

3 hrs ago

and political arbitrage is a losing strategy. You sell the people on a vision. It may be a completely fucked position like the R's - but you sell it - and then once in power you amplify the power and implement your vision. R's know their stances are unpopular, but they get shit done. My position is that because by and large American's are low information citizens (DU is not the norm) that must see something to understand it and I'm sure R strategists agree with that. However, democrats can sell a better vision - but they may have to demonize their opponents to get the power in the first place. Because liberal minded people are generally consensus builders, it goes against their nature to go for the throat. In summary, we can talk until we are blue in the face about what may be a stance that is too progressive or we can get in office with the dirtiest low down tactics - implement a progressive agenda and thereby actually drive public opinion.

a kennedy

(36,304 posts)

6. Even hate to mention this, the gays might be the next group attacked. Gay marriage is gonna be on the chopping

Reply to Shrek (Reply #3)

Wed May 13, 2026, 10:51 AM

2 hrs ago

block next. Gawd i so totally despise this whole gawd damn administration. So sorry, I just can’t believe how ALL THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE is all gonna be crashing with this gawd damn administration. 🤬 🤬 🤬

usonian

(26,502 posts)

5. I have posted in the past and will continue to do so. WIN BACK WORKING PEOPLE.

Reply to Shrek (Original post)

Wed May 13, 2026, 10:45 AM

2 hrs ago

short summary.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/13244576
The party has lost working people to a racist cult. LET'S WIN THEM BACK.

As I see it, the Democratic party has almost ZERO presence between elections
(list of my posts on this somewhere)
Start here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20648934
ON ISSUES THAT WE ALL AGREE UPON

Fraidy cats don't want to "take sides" in primaries, so the GOP 24 by 7 by 365 hate and lie machine goes unchecked, and they OWN the issues. Namely, they blast the hell out of progressive ideas, and bury their horiffic performance on economic and working class matters.

WE GAVE UP THAT BATTLEGROUND.

Take it back and win.

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