Is anyone else amazed that a gay man is at the center of the whole Wall Street solution?

[dsc]

Barney Frank is literally one of the most powerful voices on what will be one of the most important bills passed in decades. I am old enough to remember the first openly gay Congressman (Gerry Studds) and Frank himself coming out. I admit to not knowing if I will like the final product but it is so amazing that we are seeing a powerful gay man. Great.

[GOPNotForMe]

1. I've thought about it a few times and smiled :) nt

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. I don't think his being gay has anything to do with it,

although I do think it's cool that's he's out and no one seems to care.

He's just a brilliant, brilliant legislator, regarding of his sexual orientation. Barney's always been a great Congressman. And he's been up against all sorts of nonsense, like when his lover turned out to be running a hooking business out of his apartment. Barney stood up and took all the punches, and life went on.

I wonder if he'd been able to survive - nay, prevail - if he'd not been from Massachusetts?

Yet another reason to love the Bay State.

Barney's just wonderful, always has been.

[dsc]

4. Oh I know his being gay has nothing to do with it

except he might well have been speaker but for that, but it still is way cool. MA did well to keep him after Gobie, I was worried he might lose.

[eShirl]

7. he may yet be speaker someday

that's what I'm hoping for

[dsc]

8. No he won't be

Democratic Congressmen won't vote for a gay Speaker. I think he would be great, and he was one of our chief spokemen in 2005 and 2006, so it might happen. But I won't hold my breath.

[Fearless]

13. Well he definitely knows his stuff...

And anything is better than... ahem...

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Well, no. Truth is, we've always been at the center of everything.

Both good and bad. ( Mostly good, I like to think.)

It's a bit of an anomaly that Rep. Frank can *openly* gay and still rise to that level of influence, and in that sense I agree with you. It says says a lot about his district... I'm thinking. If he were representing say, Louisiana, he'd still be undercover ... or else he'd be representing no one at all.

As happens often... Massachusetts leads the way.

( Also he's super smart and has a heart like a lion. That has a lot to do with it also.)

[xchrom]

5. considering the real aggressive

vitriol we've had to deal with publicly since reagan -- yes.

that barny has probably weathered some real horrifying shit up there on the hill is another -- making all of this all the more remakable.

[asjr]

6. Barney Frank has always been the smartest

congress person in Washington. When he speaks I listen.

[Glorfindel]

9. His support for it is just about the only ray of hope in this entire debacle

Naturally, I'm delighted that there's a powerful, openly-gay man helping to shape economic policy. I'm also unsure if I'll like the final product, but I'm hoping for the best while expecting the worst. :hi:

[joeybee12]

10. It's a sign of progress that he is getting known for this...his being

gay really isn't mentioned, and doesn't need to be...all that matters is if he can get a deal and help get us out of this mess.

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

14. Yup, that's what I like the most

You could almost forget that Frank is gay amid all the talk about the bailout plan.

John Maynard Keynes' sexuality was not made attention of on a regular basis, but a lot of people knew about it. But he went down in history as the economist who saved the world from catastrophe 70 years ago.

[Rowdyboy]

11. The most politically powerful openly gay man in the world.....

He has delivered an impressive effort to make a silk purse out of the Paulson plans' sow's ear.

[Fearless]

12. Rock on my Rep... I'll be voting for you again this year.

:yourock: