Barney Frank battles Fox News, then oversees passage of bailout bill

I think Frank should drop out of Congress all together... He lied to the people and I agree he is part to blame for people loosing money... He and others like him should go hide in the corner and he can take Nancy Pelosi with him... She's another person I don't trust...

Congressman Frank stood there after the first rejection to this bill and claimed that the republicans felt sorry for themselves so they voted against it. Yet almost 33% of the majority (DEMOCRATS) voted against it…

Did the dems feel sorry for themselves too? Congressman Frank should be ashamed of himself. He is a disgrace to the office he holds.

He is a bloviating buffoon and one of the architects of the mess we are in. He should be ashamed, but then he has no shame.

What a stroke of good fortune for the US to have Barney Frank there when we needed him.

This disaster was looming four or five years ago, when the majority of the low-rate ARMs and No-Interest loans were being generated. While Frank may share some responsibility for not having acted sooner; there are certainly more people who were armed with a great deal more information that he had about the depth of the crisis. The blame falls on Congress, the president, and the banking/finance industry who helped cook this up and allowed it to perpetuate into securities that have no known value.

That being said; O'Reilly should be suspended for his personal on-air attack against Frank. O'Reilly is certainly free to express his opinion, and though it may have been partially correct, that is certainly no way to treat another human being that you're claiming to have as a "guest" on your show. It's pretty clear that there was an agenda from the beginning to lay into Frank; that's not only unprofessional, it's a disgrace. If it were a so-called "liberal" that pulled this, the conservative talking heads wouldn't stop until that person were fired.

Awesome... 3 smart comments and one exception to prove the rule. Barney is a smart gut, but totally on the wrong side on this one. It's embarrassing.

Barney's lover of 10 years was an Exec at Fannie Mae while Barney was on the banking committee. Incredible. Conflict. Of. Interest. why Barney fought tooth and nail any action against Fannie Mae. and pushed them to sink the taxpayer more.
He should resign in shame. Fannie Mae lobbyists spent a lot of money on Democrats. Wish out media would wake up and look into this. Hopefully the FBI is.

Basically this bailout bill and a few interest rate cuts will at best postpone a train wreck in the equity markets. None the less, a train wreck is coming regardless of this infusion of funds in the short term. If panic sets in after the Fed runs out of ammunition and can not cut rates any further then we will see a crash in the stock market. If the stock market breaks down below 9500, we could test 2003 levels all over again. We are talking Dow 7500 folks. The other negative effect of this bill is that it will cause more debt burden on the tax payer and the Fed will print more money. This will in turn cause hyper-inflation and the dollar will crash relative to other major currencies like the euro and the yen. I am seriously worried about an economic melt down and possibly a depression. Comment by Buck McHugh former VP of Investments at A.G.Edwards and graduate of Cambridge University's Judge Institute of Management Studies.

Adios Frank. Your goose is cooked no matter how the liberal Boston press tries to spin this. Bill O'Reilly is an idiot, but at the heart of it, he's right.

Sounds like a true investigation of Frank and many other Clinton Admin. politicians is in dire need. Go FOX!

I sent him an e-mail with his previous comments on the soundness and solvency of FNMA and FHLMC, dating to 2004. And asked him to resign.
Last person I would vote for, for any office.
He is scum.
Take a look at which PACS donate to his campaign fund.
At the top of the list Real Estate/Finance/Insurance.
These PACS have donated over $500K to him this year, for a congressman who is essetially unopposed.

Congressman Frank is a rare breed, a national politician so secure of his own convictions that he's willing to speak them anywhere and anytime. His only crime here was to underestimate the incompetence and inadequacy of the Bush administration's oversight of the economy. Congress only makes the laws, the executive branch must - that's right - execute them. Most economist agree that the problem isn't inadequate regulations, it's the Bush economic doctrine - "look the other way".

The Foxes have been guarding the henhouse for 8 years, and 51% of America is finally getting wise to the consequences.

Although I've had my differences with Frank over some of these issues I'll say he did well today. Anyone who blames him for Fannie/Freddie is deluding themselves, the CEOs of the agencies were cooking the books and lying to everybody--HUD, the SEC, Congress, everybody. Why should we expect him to know any better than anyone else? Hell, a lot of the corporate executives of these banks and finance companies were clueless about how bad their finances were. How reliable was the information they passed on??

O'Reilly however is a disgrace.

Inmonster I hope you are kidding. Barney Frank needs to resign as well as Pelosi and the rest of their gang who has caused this mess. We need to make them accountable because they haven't learned their lesson and one would think things couldn't get worse, but if the Dem's stay in charge of Congress they will. Those people have so much arrogance that they think they are untouchable. Did you see the latest article about Frank.

Prominent Democrats ran Fannie Mae, the same government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) that donated campaign cash to top Democrats (Chris Dodd # 1 and Obama #2) in donations from Fannie May And one of Fannie Mae’s main defenders in the House – Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., a recipient of more than $40,000 in campaign donations from Fannie since 1989 – was romantically involved with a Fannie Mae executive.

cicero08 - do you have the same comments and remarks when NBC, MSNBC, CNN, etc rip apart McCain and Palin? Didn't think so...like the majority of people out there, you only see what you want to see and are only outraged by unfairness when it pertains to the people/party that you support. Hypocrit.

I agree that O'Reilly went way overboard, but suspended? Give me a break. Open your eyes and pay attention to all the other BS, slandering, outrageous comments from every other media outlet out there.

By the way, do some research, Barney Frank was in Fannie/Freddies pocket long before 2007. The proof is everywhere you look (and I'm sure you can even find it on your biased main stream media if you really wanted to see it)

Hey John the dems had 67% vote "for". GOP killed the bill. Wake up!

Bill O'Reilly is nothing but a blowhard!

O'Reilly needs to be fired. Now. It's ridiculous that he is still on-the-air.

Barney Franks Bailout???

What's another $700 billion, Bush already spent that in Iraq and many soldier's lives. I just hope we get some of these bastards from Wall Street locked up behind bars. Better yet, strap a M-16 rifle, load them up, drop them in Iraq and bring our soldiers back home.

I remember watching CNBC special program recently where a Wall Street fund manager makes $50 million a year. Many others make more or less but they will never be responsible for your investment loss. I was foolish to believe these guys will make my money grow for my retirement. I am so regretful. No wonder we have a crisis.

What's another $700 billion, Bush already spent that in Iraq and many soldier's lives. I just hope we get some of these bastards from Wall Street locked up behind bars. Better yet, strap a M-16 rifle, load them up, drop them in Iraq and bring our soldiers back home.

I remember watching CNBC special program recently where a Wall Street fund manager makes $50 million a year. Many others make more or less but they will never be responsible for your investment loss. I was foolish to believe these guys will make my money grow for my retirement. I am so regretful. No wonder we have a crisis.

I don't blame Barney Frank. I blame every greedy American who wanted to live in a house that they couldn't afford (or use their home as an ATM). They are the problem - stop expecting our politicians to look out for everyone. When people act irrationally, it creates trouble.
Our collective inability to live within our means created this mess. The only way out is for everyone to tone down their spending and try to live a little more frugally. Our grandparent's generation understood that message after experiencing the great depression.
I wonder if our current genration of Prozac poppers really evern know what the Great Depresson was

I am a conservative but most of the conservative media has become dominated by O'reillys, Hannity & others at fox news. I watched the behaviour of O'reilly in utter disgust. Cant believe he can stoop so low for ratings. He doesnt had guts to ask a single hard questions to Bush & others who pretend to be conservative and spend like liberals. No wonder conservative movement is loosing.

Reworking the Bailout Law, eh Rep. Green? Look for a revision back to the time when Frank and others were pushing banks and financial institutions to grant 0 down, low interest, and using welfare and un-employnent as legitimate work earnings. These banks and financial institutions were told that if they didn't co-operate, they would face legal action, with Community Activitist Organizations leading the way. This was the spear point of the sub par loan problem, leading all financial institutions to jump on board, and go after as many of them as they could,"Double Up to Catch Up".

ANy individual that runs a prostitution ring out of his basement fro gay folks adn then denies that he was even aware of it , what can he be in terms of integrity or honesty and personal activities?? Reilley was right to call him what he is iin avoiding wha twas his responsibility in the Fannie mae and Freddie mac situation. His demagogueryabout low income housing was the opening salvo that culminated in this fiasco that he ushered thru congress today

It would be nice if, for once, the people of Massachusetts did not do their usual knee-jerk voting for Democrats and vote for those who actually care about policies that are meant to help the voters of this country. Frank has proved that he's above that; he and his wife were too connected to Fannie-Mae not to try to line their own pockets. Great job, Barney!

Barney Frank is a prime example of why this former Independent has become a Mass "closet conservative". Frank, Pelosi... OBAMA. They're ALL cowards- they don't take responsibility, they have no courage or leadership, yet they pontificate about "change". God help us if Obama is elected. You think we've had a meglomaniac for a president for the last 8 years- just wait til we have Obama!

Orally should be fired. Whether you agree or disagree with his premise (Franks's culpability in the financial disarray the world is in), to show such disrespect for another human being is abominable. Time and again he has shown that he is self-centered, self-serving and a buffoon. Bravo for Frank who withstood such a blatant violation of the golden rule.

Orally displays for all to see what is wrong with America. I urge Fox to fire him and take a second look at upping the discourse to a meaninful and respectful level.

Thank God I don't live in the state of Massachusetts. You people are nuts electing ultra liberals like Frank , Kennedy and Kerry year after year. Look where it has gotten this country, A national deficit that will be with us for my children and grand kids time. You watch, Frank will get re-elected again. You people are truly out of touch with reality..

Both parties are to blame for the economic meltdown for entirely different reasons. Pragmatic leaders from both sides stood up and crafted a plan to stabilize the economy- for the moment. Frank is no more or less than the republican pragmatic leaders that made this deal. We are living in historic times.

Inmonster......you must be joking. Barnie Rubble Frank is the wolf with chicken feathers sticking out of his mouth ...all the while complaining that the farmer didn't lock his chicken coup.

Cicero08, well said. Frank is a tiny cog in the machine that caused this problem and to blame him or directly connect him to the failures of Freddie or Fannie or the Market in general overlooks the immense scope of what occurred here. There were systemic failures in oversight, over-leveraging that is STAGGERING to hear about, general arrogance of economists both in the government and on Wall St...it just goes on and on and on. Our government failed us, it wasn’t just Barney at the helm.

Also, Bill O'Reilly is just a disgrace, I won't say to journalists because he never had any journalistic integrity or training (being a ‘reporter’ on Hardcopy doesn’t count).

How can anyone defend this clown? His history here speaks volumes. If he lived anywhere but the east coast, he would be lecturing at some tiny liberal arts college, where he may corrupt a few immature minds. But, instead, this epitome of self-righteous, east coast partisan politics sits in the House and chairs a powerful committee that is in large part responsible for this most recent financial fiasco. Thanks a lot Barney. Here's hoping your congressional campaign contributions are investigated fully.

I'm convinced the naive home spun Palin should be in Washington because here's why: Barney Frank and even Biden (he told at least fourtenn lies or errors, no lies - he knows the truth during the debate) demonstrated to us that they have six ways to heaven to vote when in fact they reside on the other side of hell. Seven Hundred Billion Dollar error and I don't see any changes, no one gets fired, all is well and Barney can now go home and wash his dirty underpants!! And what did those mortgages go for -- to those who couldn't afford them as championed by the Democrat Party. No connet w/ Washington Democrat and Street Democrat.

Barney is a very smart guy. That's true. What's also true is that without Barney Frank this rescue deal could never have been done. He is the one person on the Finance committee that has the respect and admiration of all concerned. I won't say he saved the world, but I will say he was in chanrge when it was saved.

Frank is completely oblivious to the the fact that he lied to the American people and he was called out on Fox news for his disgusting behavior. There should be an ethics investigation in to Frank (he knows the process all too well) to determine how much he lied and what he really knew about fannie mae and Freddie Mac.
The people who elected this idiot should be caned.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!

WASHINGTON — Unqualified home buyers were not the only ones who benefitted from Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank’s efforts to deregulate Fannie Mae throughout the 1990s.

So did Frank’s partner, a Fannie Mae executive at the forefront of the agency’s push to relax lending restrictions.

Now that Fannie Mae is at the epicenter of a financial meltdown that threatens the U.S. economy, some are raising new questions about Frank's relationship with Herb Moses, who was Fannie’s assistant director for product initiatives. Moses worked at the government-sponsored enterprise from 1991 to 1998, while Frank was on the House Banking Committee, which had jurisdiction over Fannie.

Both Frank and Moses assured the Wall Street Journal in 1992 that they took pains to avoid any conflicts of interest. Critics, however, remain skeptical.

"It’s absolutely a conflict," said Dan Gainor, vice president of the Business & Media Institute. "He was voting on Fannie Mae at a time when he was involved with a Fannie Mae executive. How is that not germane?

"If this had been his ex-wife and he was Republican, I would bet every penny I have - or at least what’s not in the stock market - that this would be considered germane," added Gainor, a T. Boone Pickens Fellow. "But everybody wants to avoid it because he’s gay. It’s the quintessential double standard."

A top GOP House aide agreed.

"C’mon, he writes housing and banking laws and his boyfriend is a top exec at a firm that stands to gain from those laws?" the aide told FOX News. "No media ever takes note? Imagine what would happen if Frank’s political affiliation was R instead of D? Imagine what the media would say if [GOP former] Chairman [Mike] Oxley’s wife or [GOP presidential nominee John] McCain’s wife was a top exec at Fannie for a decade while they wrote the nation’s housing and banking laws."

Frank’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Frank met Moses in 1987, the same year he became the first openly gay member of Congress.

"I am the only member of the congressional gay spouse caucus," Moses wrote in the Washington Post in 1991. "On Capitol Hill, Barney always introduces me as his lover."

The two lived together in a Washington home until they broke up in 1998, a few months after Moses ended his seven-year tenure at Fannie Mae, where he was the assistant director of product initiatives. According to National Mortgage News, Moses "helped develop many of Fannie Mae’s affordable housing and home improvement lending programs."

Critics say such programs led to the mortgage meltdown that prompted last month’s government takeover of Fannie Mae and its financial cousin, Freddie Mac. The giant firms are blamed for spreading bad mortgages throughout the private financial sector.

Although Frank now blames Republicans for the failure of Fannie and Freddie, he spent years blocking GOP lawmakers from imposing tougher regulations on the mortgage giants. In 1991, the year Moses was hired by Fannie, the Boston Globe reported that Frank pushed the agency to loosen regulations on mortgages for two- and three-family homes, even though they were defaulting at twice and five times the rate of single homes, respectively.

Three years later, President Clinton’s Department of Housing and Urban Development tried to impose a new regulation on Fannie, but was thwarted by Frank. Clinton now blames such Democrats for planting the seeds of today’s economic crisis.

"I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was president, to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," Clinton said recently.

How many more times Mr. Speaker? How many more times?

Our legislators in this State are the worst. Dems ask me why I am strongly in favor of term limits. Read the paper. It's one bad idea after another. I want common sense folks to serve. These so-called pros are all committed to getting re-elected. Did you all see the pork in the bailout bill? Bribe a buddy to help this anvil pass. Ron Paul told the emperor he had no clothes and no one believed him. Now what? You know I just moved back to the States from overseas and cannot believe the past month. It's like a Grisham novel. We've got to simplify our government.

O'Reilly, the guy is a nut. He just puts on his acts because that's what he gets paid for. MG, he'd sell his first born if he thought it would get him some attention and money. He is not a reporter, he is a nut...out there for others who accept his stupid attention getting acts.

Barney Frank, despite being painted as Public Enemy #1 all week long by the right wing ideologues, agrees to go on Fox and O'Reilly calls him a "coward?"

Say what you want about Frank, but he faces the media. Even the unfriendly media. After eight years of secrecy and seclusion from the Bush administration and a vice-presidential candidate who still hasn't given a press conference, I wish the Republicans would have the courage to answer questions - especially tough questions - the way that Frank does.

You guys are all incredible. EVERYONE knows it MOSTLY due to deregulation, execs, all mostly Republican and Republican supporting, and legislation "stuck in" by Phil Graham to continue "deregulating" credit default swaps. Now the conservs are trying to blaim minorities and lower income families that wanted a part of the American dream of owning a house and whom are paying their mortgages better than the Republican "speculators" trying to make a quick buck on "flipping" houses. Incredible!!!!!!!!!!! Fortunately the majority of Americans aint buying your cool aid!!

This giveaway alone will cost me $3,000. That's on top of the great Fannie/Freddie $4,000 giveaway to bondholders and foreign bankers. Can I send those bills to Barney? On Capuano's website there is a counter displaying of the national debt. It stopped counting at the beginning of September. Good thing too, because those two clowns have increased our national debt from about $9.5 trillion to more than $11 trillion in four short weeks. Guess they're not concerned with any generation but their own. Certainly not mine.

But the real disappointment is Obama. It seems like all of the people with authority wilted under pressure. Next time the Dow drops 800 points what are they going to do? Free puppies for Chinese central bankers? Pandering fools. The "do something" disease.

The funny thing is the representatives in Congress lined up and lectured how they had been dealt a bad hand, and they had no choice. You know who dealt that hand? Barney Frank, lead negotiator extraordinaire. Barney caved to the most unpoplar lame-duck President in a generation, and forced Congress to accept an astonishingly expensive un-American giveaway to Hank Paulson's investment banking cronies. I guess I'll just wait for the benefit of buying all of these bad loans from international hotshot bankers to trickles down to me.

Funny but Rep. Barney was behind all of the deregulations at Fannie May and Freddie Mack which started all of this in the first place. Now he rides in on a white horse to claim credit for bailing out the country. What a joke.

Barney has always been one of the strongest proponents of the Community Reinvestment Act, which gives loans to people who can't afford them. Then people wonder how we got into this mess. Then these people blame predatory lenders. Then they say the banks aren't giving loans to minorities. Barney is a joke and should resign, those who voted for this bafoon should be ashamed.

You gotta love how bloviators like Bill O'Reilly want to put the blame for the first six years of incompetence of George Bush on the shoulders of the last 18 months of a Democratic congress. Barney ripped him a new one and never backed down. I wish I still lived in his district so I could vote for him. Two thumbs up for Barney Frank and a loud F@&K Y*% to Bill O'Reilly.

Jump suit and silver bracelets for Dodd and Frank end of story. 28 years on the finance committee Frank has seen the inception of the CRA and the revisions imposed by congress under Clinton. Dodd abetted this fiasco. They have been gambling with other people's money for too long and have been caught, the indictment and prosecution soon begin forthwith. Castigation and humiliation through the media is SOP for libs. That Frank went on OReilly only underscores his poor lack of judgement and besides 5 minutes with OReilly is requires no pardon ask Scooter Libby or Mssrs Lott and Delay about the magnanimity and civility of the left.

I would like to see The Speaker of the house fired, Ms. Fienstein gone. After all she seems to know much more then the majority of her native Californians what is best for them then they do. And all the people who are walking away tonight with there pockets full of our Dollars. This bail out is a disgrace. Please people remember who voted for and who voted against, and vote them out on there next election.

Bill,

You really nailed Barney, but you forgot what we all grew up with, YOU HIT THE GIRL!!!

There is plenty of blame to go around. Starts at the bottom with mortgage brokers offering loans, and fudging the paperwork (income values, home apprasials) offering principle only loans, ect to people who couldnt afford it just so theyt could get a commission. Practices like this promoted by the heads of companies like Countrywide so they could drive up the stock price so they could get their executive bonuses, deregulation so there was no oversite. Finance houses that bundled these high risk loans with good ones into mortgage backed securities to hide the risk. Comanies that did credit default swaps to insure these, setting up a great domino effect theat evenbtually brought the house done.

Let me see if I get this right. Shrub has done his usual - which is to manage an organization into oblivion. He's asked to be forgiven. After all, his supporters who controlled both housed of congress for 6 of his 8 years applauded everything he did (yellowcake, tax cuts, big wars).

Now Frank does the heavy lifting to get a really smelly act passed for which the shrub administration has pleaded.

According to the people who supported the people in power for the last two cycles of administration, this whole mess is the result of Democrats. What a gigantic pile of something I can't write in the public media.

You Frank dumpers are, in the words of O'Reilly - C-O-W-A-R-D-S.

Shrub screwed the pooch. Frank delivered the antidote, as miserable as it is. Republicans still repudiate their own party leader. The bailout was only possible because of Democrats.

Republicans screw up - Democrats save their belief in Chinese Capitalism.

To cicero08:
You believe that O'Reilly should be suspended for the way that he spoke to Barney Fran. Consequently, then Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, and Joy Behar on "The View" should be fired, as their behavior to Senator McCain was horrendous.

Bill O'Reilly's behaviour was totally out of line. What a scumbag.

Barney Frank used the excuse that he had only been in charge since Jan 2007 which certainly gave the immediate impression that he was not responsible which is what set O'reilly off. Now let's think about this. If a person is hired to take over a company that was operating in the red, and 2 years later the condition worsen, can that CEO use that excuse that he inherited a problem and thus the recent failure is not his fault.? See in the private sector that crap doesn't stick well. I listened to his words that was said only a few months ago about Fannie. He did indicate that Fannie was not such a great pick short term, but clearly long-term the prospects looked very good. He was very, very wrong.

You can blame Barney Frank, or anyone else but whatever you do, don't blame yourself for taking out a loan you couldn't afford. Why choose personal responsibility when it's so much easier to get greedy, follow the herd and when they go off a cliff, blame a politician. The failure of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae does not excuse the irresponsibility of the borrower. It's a classic, lazy response to a problem-shirk responsibility. You can blame politicians for a lot of things, but when you get a loan you can barely afford, you eliminate them from the equation. The "mess we are in" is a product of greed, the compulsion to have what everyone else has, at any cost and a simply lack of common sense.

Shame on you, Barney. This will go down as the worst -- and certainly most expensive -- vote you ever made! I am appalled! The Republicans are laughing at him!

Bill you are a ranting, arrogant buffoon. You talk down to everyone you "invite" to be on your show. You show no respect to anyone or anything, because you have appointed yourself the all-knowing almighty. The only opinion you want to hear is your own. And sometimes you have a moment when you are not insulting people to peddle your books about yourself. You are a piece of work.

What's another $700 billion, Bush already spent that in Iraq and many soldier's lives. I just hope we get some of these bastards from Wall Street locked up behind bars. Better yet, strap a M-16 rifle, load them up, drop them in Iraq and bring our soldiers back home.

I remember watching CNBC special program recently where a Wall Street fund manager makes $50 million a year. Many others make more or less but they will never be responsible for your investment loss. I was foolish to believe these guys will make my money grow for my retirement. I am so regretful. No wonder we have a crisis.

How about the people who were dumb enough to take out those loans in the first place? So everyone else needs to pay for their stupidity? That's the problem I have with people like Frank.

BTW, there's absolutely no guarantee that this thing will work. Then what?

American excess nearly brings the world economy to its knees -- and Barney & Co want the people who do the right thing -- the ones who take out loans with reasonable terms AND ACTUALLY PAY THEM OFF -- to bail out the idiots who fueled this mess. Yes blame Wall Street -- but also blame stupid consumers who are now in need of one of the biggest government hand outs in history.

And to top if off the two idiots running for president both claim they're actually going to cut taxes in the wake of this mess?

Barney should be forced to resign by his constituents. But instead his liberal friends will circle the wagons and defend him to the end. They will sell the big lie that he is a hero when in fact he is a zero.

Bill O'Reilly is a buffoon but it was so nice to finally see somebody call Frank out for being one of the main culprits for the situation where in. Besides Jeff Jacoby, the lazy, liberal reporters at the Globe have been all too happy just to blame everything on Bush with the hopes of getting Obama elected and not look into the stonewalling the Democrats, led by the shameless Frank, did on regulating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Barney Frank's ex-boyfriend Herb Moses was Fannie May executive. Do you think it is anything to do with why Barney Frank wants to give billions of dollars to fannie may? He should be thrown out of the office. He is disgrace to the country. Current congress and administration is disgrace to constitution!

THANK YOU BILL OREILLY FOR SAYING OUT LOUD WHAT I'VE BEEN YELLING AND LIKE" JACKIE " WHO POSTED EARLIER TAKE PELOSI WITH HIM !!!!!!!!

This is what the American public just cannot stand for. Frank is so factually culpable in this mess but refuses to accept any responsibility. The same can be for all the folks who have taken on TOO much debt and now don't want to take their lumps for their poor decisions. Ultimately, this is the Democratic way, YOU don't need to take personal responsibility . . . your government will for you. Frank's act is tired and he should go for the good of the nation.

While I totally disagree with Barney Frank on this bill - i.e., I am totally opposed to it - Barney is a cool dude; he has always been, and always will be, a cool dude.
Barney doesn't pull any punches. He also doesn't put up with any crap from idiots - and there are plenty of those around. Barney calls it like he sees it - once again, even though I don't agree with him on this one - he has the best one-liners; he is very intelligent and is a stand-up guy.
The blowhards who are blaming Barney for this have their heads up their *****... Nice try, bozos...

Maybe it would have been better to do nothing and let the financial cards fall where they may, but that could have led to financial disaster - NOBODY really knows. You can line up all the financial experts in the world and you'll find opinions on every side of every issue. This is not a science type problem where the solution can be found with 100% certainty. Given the complexity of the issue and the potential for disaster, I think the Congress did what it had to do to try and soften the blow. Congratulations to Congressman Frank for having the courage and leadership to get this legislation passed - hopefully it will do some good.

From here in London that Fox interview disfigured the image of America. We looked to the US for leadership and reasoned debate and instead saw demented screaming . Can you get your rancorous partisan politics under control or is there no hope ? Shameful.

O'Reilly should be kicked off the air. Fox gets the use of PUBLIC airwaves to let O'Reilly rant like a maniac screaming and refusing to have any kind of discussion in which viewers might actually learn something. But noooo, Bill O'Reilly is purely about not letting people speak because they might realize the Right is WRONG. I've never seen such a disgusting performance by a so-called news analyst. Whatever role Barney Frank played in the history of this -- O'Reilly's refusal to let him speak should not be allowed on public airwaves.

Barney Franks and other Dems impeded the call to more stringent oversight of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae when it was so needed a few years ago. You can see the film footage of their arguments made on Capitol Hill back then if you look on u tube. They share much of the blame for the mess we are in, as do groups like Acorn who pretty much blackmailed banks to offer loans to low income people to buy houses when they simply could not afford them. We have to face it, home ownership is not for everyone. And it's not a right guaranteed under the constitution. Who helped teach Acorn workers to go to banks and force them to offer these kinds of loans? It was our beloved Barak Obama. Thanks, Obama.

WHy won't the Globe discuss the fact that Barney Frank's gay lover was/is a Freddie Mac senior executive. Why is that ignored?

Neither was very becoming. Once again there is a clean line drawn in the sand between the left and right supporters passing the blame. The countries problem at it's source is nothing more than personal greed, it's degree never equal from person to person, but a socialized condition based on survival. To expand the blame game from this point one needs to follow the money from the 80's. as the problem was passed on from year to year and question all of the financials, Fanny, Freddie, AIG, Citi, etc. Our political system is simply broken by personal greed assisted by the overflow of lawyers. The country now manufacture little, yet buy everything from other countries like china, and have a goverment that is putting itself first before its citizens. Even if we could be so lucky to have Politicians working for free they would most probably still be lining there pockets. There is no truth.

Barney Frank got what he deserved on Bil O'Reillys show. He stood by and said nothing knowing the house of cars was tumbling. He is in this mess up to his eyeballs along with Christopher Dodd and Obama too.... All 3 are unfit for office !!

I give Barney credit for going on the GOP News with Bill O. It is funny see time and time again Bill offering his criticism. All he does is play Monday morning quarterback while guys like Barney roll up their sleeves and take action. Trying to make a perfect solution to the debacle the GOPs put us in with their policies is impossible. Bill O is a putz and his so-called "no spin zone" is destructive to the average American trying to gather information in order to make an educated decision.

Barney Frank got what he deserved on Bil O'Reillys show. He stood by and said nothing knowing the house of cars was tumbling. He is in this mess up to his eyeballs along with Christopher Dodd and Obama too.... All 3 are unfit for office !!

Barney has known about the fraud going on at Fannie and Freddie since the mid 90's and did nothing to stop the bleeding. All you have to do it Google his name and you'll find quotes from Barney all the way back into the 1990's saying things that helped caused this crisis. He can't hide his role in this forever, sooner of later Barney is going down for his role in this mess. You Democrats who want to blame this all on Bush need to do your homework. Don't bury your head in the sand.

Barney Franks is a crook and a liar. He stood firmly behind Fannie/Freddie and gained financially. He is an absolute disgrace and hopefully, people from his district will vote him out of office before he, Obama, Pelosi and the rest of the liberal democrats sinks the United States into a quagmire of socialism.

Frank is a trypical politician who would rather feather his own bed than look out for americans he is supposed to represent and protect. Do you think he rally cares? The morons who vote for him will do the same again. You reap what you sow.

What I find embarrassing is that Americans are so gullible and ready to listen and put credence into what a 'television' [and that is all O'Reilly is] commentator has to say. Americans' seem to be treating this crisis as a game show - 'oh, it'll be over in half an hour, and we can get back to our precious shows'. Americans of all shades in the political spectrum seem to think that that idiot Palin 'held her own'! My God, what a country you are!

Barney Frank is arrogant and full of false pride. He and Nancy deserve each other!

Barney Frank should be ashame of himself. He is part of the problem him and Pelosi. Does he do it on purpose, are does he have a blonde moment he forget what he said months earlier, about the Morgage Companies. You people in the Senate and Congress are disgraceful. Everyone of you should be recalled. After this the American people will have a second thought trusting you bunch of morans. And by the way Frank clean your face. It is nasty seeing the scrap running out of the corners of your mouth.

Barney Frank always blames his major mistakes on the other party. SPIN IT BARNEY!!! YOU CAN FOOL THE FOOLS, BUT YOU CAN"T FOOL ME! BARNEY FRANK MAKES BARNEY RUBBLE LOOK LIKE AN EINSTEIN!!!
How can this God Loving Country allow a baffoon like Barney anywhere near Washington??

Barney Frank only represents stupid people.

Frank, if you are really a man, please resign...

Barney Frank should be held accountable for his part in the need for this bail-out! He totally lies about his record as do most politicians. President Bush tried to pass reform with Fannie & Freddie before this train-wreck occurred (as well as McCain & others). Under oath, Frank said they were sound and could not foresee a problem . Let's look at who benefited financially from this (frank)! HE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE. When will we hold all politicians accountable for their lies and "mispokes". Why is it that we vote them into office and yet, once in office they stay forever even when they are ineffective as representatives of the people. In reality, main-street media is controlling our government.

Barney is a smart guy, but he is also a man that never admits he screwed up or is wrong. With him there is simply no accountability, ever. In 2004 the crisis was forewarned by regulators, 4 years before this took place he had the opportunity to turn things around and he didn't, instead the regulators were told that they were carrying out a public lynching for even questioning the motives of both Fannie and Freddie. Its disgraceful. He was having an affair with a Fannie executive Herb Moses while Frank was on the House Banking Committee, which had jurisdiction over Fannie, it just so happened that Moses pushed to relax lending restrictions for Fannie while living with Franks. Now if this doesn't stink to high heavens I don't know what does....Wait a minute, I know what stinks even more. The media giving him a pass on all of this, that stinks even more.

So McBush takes credit for warning about Freddie and Fannie, to close the door after the horses have left the barn. Where were President Chaney and Vice-President Bush? They said that the economy was "sound". Sounds like B.S. How many Freddie and Fannie lobbyists are on the McBush Election Committee? I guess that when you own more houses than you can count, you do not understand or worry about the Residential Mortgage industry!

So McBush takes credit for warning about Freddie and Fannie, to close the door after the horses have left the barn. Where were President Chaney and Vice-President Bush? They said that the economy was "sound". Sounds like B.S. How many Freddie and Fannie lobbyists are on the McBush Election Committee? I guess that when you own more houses than you can count, you do not understand or worry about the Residential Mortgage industry!

About half of you are liberals out here. About half conservatives. None of you are Americans. Everyone shares blame. The Clinton Admin for backing the ACORN fiasco (an organization now under scrutiny for possible voter registration fraud across the country) in the early nineties. Frank and Fannie Mae lover for keeping it going. The Bush Admin and the Republi-czars for doing nothing from '01-'06 when they controlled the government. The bank CEO's and greedy speculators. Oh yes, and all of you. Only one person out of hundreds of comments mentioned all of you. The greed of the average American citizen. You wanted the $400K home with four beds and 2 bath instead of the 2bed 2bath you could afford. How about the 400 a month car payments. The 400 dollar a month credit card payments. 8 out of ten of you spnding your way into the poor house. Blame congress, the president, the banks and anyone but yourseelves. The end of our country is near. Rome is burning and all of you are playing the fiddles. When there is no more USA remember this: Each and everyone of you brought it on yourselves. Remember these 4 words: I told you so.

What's disheartening is that In this time of severe crisis Frank and the Democratic leadership hardly gave bi-partisanship a glance. Instead they chose to play the politics as usual blame game, denying any responsibility.

There is enough blame for everyone.

It's no wonder Americans are panicked and have zero confidence in government.
The prospects going forward are equally dim. Obama and McCain have not shown any ability to lead America out of this deepening hole.

If it screws the unwary middle class single family residents in the US, Frank the petulant sissy is secretly happy because he resents their easy lifestyle, while he has to sneak around in bus stations for love.

Its hillarious that people are still blaming bush & gop for what was mostly a democratic failure in leadership.

Ie; the mortgage meltdown was was predicted as far back as 1999 and was specificlaly warned to congress being 2001 (by bush btw) and even again every year by many.

2004/2005 reform efforts blocked by Franks/etc is the reason the meltdown finally happened.