Barney Frank came out as gay in 1987 and has been the only openly gay congressman in Washington for years. He was called "Barney Fag" by the House Majority leader at the time, Dick Armey, a conservative Republican.
Barney Frank is one of our most ethical, forthright and courageous leaders ever to serve in Washington, D.C.
Every time that I hear about Barney's doings in the media, I feel something unusual. Hope. Hope that things will get better. Barney Frank always seems to do the right thing. Early on, he opposed the war in Iraq and he has been vocal in his criticism of costly overseas interventions that do not benefit the United States in any way. This alone is enough to make me a huge fan of Barney. But wait, there's more.
In addition to his opposition to war, he wants to reduce military spending by 25 percent, a modest amount considering that we are not at war with any military power worth their weight in tin foil. However this represents a huge step forward and is very progressive for the U.S. Congress, which increases military spending year after year as though Adolf Hitler were never defeated.
Barney supports the rights of the individual across the board on every issue, not just civil rights for gays, although that is the single most important issue on the table today. He's even been known to partner with conservatives in Congress like Ron Paul on issues like online gambling. Barney believes American citizens should have the right to gamble online if they so desire. In addition, he is an ardent supporter of medical marijuana and abortion rights. Last year, he tried to pass the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008 (HR 5843), which would decriminalize small amounts.
Just the other day, he was in the news doing something else right. Namely, taking AIG to task for using government bailout money to give bonuses to the overpaid fat cats on their management team. The government has been doling out tax money to big businesses for years, but the recent bailout has been the most brazen example of welfare for the rich. The companies that benefit from our tax money should not be rubbing it in our faces by handing out bonus checks to their staff.
I have a suggestion for a new face on the $20 bill--Barney Frank, defender of freedom, decency and moderation. He would certainly represent a better choice than Andrew Jackson, the racist, war-mongering Indian killer.
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