Well, this has got to be embarrassing for Barney Frank. The Portman campaign is actually circulating a story about his appearance in Northeastern Ohio as a way to drum up support for the Republicans! I guess shoving an unwanted stimulus for Fannie and Freddie down peoples’ throats has consequences. Business Journal has the story:
The congressman the Republicans portray as the mastermind of the residential mortgage markets debacle, Barney Frank, helped the Mahoning Valley Democratic Party raise some $75,000 Thursday — and in the process skewered his critics.
At a dinner at Mr. Anthony’s, Boardman, Frank, D-Mass. and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, helped to fill the 176 places set. About an hour before the dinner began, the chairman of the party, attorney David Betras, said more than 130 had paid the $500 per ticket admission and that he expected walk-ins to fill the balance of the seats.[…]
Frank urged the gay and lesbian community here to support the Democratic candidates and work for their election. If they don’t, he warned, and the Republicans regain power, their goal of winning equal rights will be set back.Congress is close to repealing the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that has governed the military since 1993, Frank said. And universal recognition of gay marriage is within reach.”I wish we lived in a world where how one lives his life wasn’t such an issue,” Frank told the 20 present. “But we live in reality.” And that reality encompasses Republican efforts to keep gays and lesbians second-class citizens. “Sexual orientation is the biggest divide” between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, he said.
But Frank isn’t finished. He also wants to give us a lesson on Obamanomics:
Turning to the health of the economy, Frank accused “the dominant element of Republican Party of being deathly afraid things will get better before November,” which is why they have employed obstructionist tactics to every proposal the Democrats have introduced to extend unemployment insurance, provide states with funding for public works projects and so they don’t have to lay off teachers and safety forces. “That the saddest thing about the Republicans,” he said.
Yes, the reason Republicans have blocked unnecessary spending is because we’re desperately afraid of the economy getting better. Why stop there? Why not also raise tax rates so that everyone will get less prosperous and thus consumption will go down and the economy will get even worse? Oh, the moustache twirling we could do then…I’m sorry, I’m now being told that that’s Barney Frank’s economic plan.
I see why the Portman campaign sees this as a positive. With enemies like this, you barely need friends.