Let's get ready to rumble.....U.S. Rep. Barney Frank will not seek re-election

Let the games begin....There are 5 professional sports in Massachusetts - Baseball, Football, Hockey, Basketball and POLITICS (with the latter being a blood-sport)

Rep. Frank stepping down will set off a donnybrook of candidates vying for this open seat. The DEMS (statewide, Ms. Pelosi and The President) are likely wetting themselves with worry as there is a real possibility that this open seat could go to the GOP.

Well sit back and watch the fireworks as this story will dominate the political news here like the Patriots running up on the Super Bowl. Let's hope we get someone who can do more for the taxpayers than Barney did as he was a tool of the DEMS and ineffective as a watch guard of the taxpayer's money. His record will be seen as a major reason Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae were able to waste Billions of taxpayers $$$.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out Barney.


U.S. Rep. Barney Frank will not seek re-election
By Hillary Chabot And Natalie Sherman Monday, November 28, 2011 http://www.bostonherald.com U.S. Politics

Longtime U.S. Rep. Barney Frank won’t be running for re-election in 2012 ending a sometimes controversial, all the time outspoken tenure.

Frank, 71, has served in Congress since 1980. He will take questions about his decision to relinquish his seat at 1 p.m. today at Newton’s City Hall, his office said.

Frank represents the 4th Congressional District, which was redrawn this fall as part of a series of redistricting changes prompted by the state’s relatively slow population growth.

Frank’s district, which previously looped from Brookline around some of the more conservative suburbs down to New Bedford, lost that Democratic stronghold. The map also eliminated one of the state’s 10 seats in the House, a change that had prompted widespread speculation that the 16-term congressman could retire.

In 2010, Frank faced an unusually tough re-election campaign against Republican Sean Bielat, a former Marine and already, Republican Elizabeth Childs of Brookline, a state mental health commissioner under former Gov. Mitt Romney, had announced her intention to challenge Frank in next year’s race.

Bielat said the changes made during the redistricting process likely made re-election more difficult for Frank.

“I think the realities of this district are a lot less favorable now and he had a tough time last time,” said Beilat, who isn’t sure whether he will run again. He and his wife just had a baby. “I’m still making up my mind about that. We’re talking very seriously about it, but we haven’t made any decisions.”

Frank sits on powerful committees in Washington, including the Financial Services Committee and in 2010, he ushered through the landmark financial regulation bill that bears his name. But his ties to mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac made him a target for Republicans.