Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Barney Frank and His Legacy

As I listened to Barney Frank announce that he will not seek reelection in 2012 I was both saddened and encouraged.  Saddened because one of the great liberal voices in the House of Representatives is going to retire but encouraged because he stated that he would continue to speak out on important issues even after retiring from the House.

Frank, as most of you know, is an openly gay elected official and as such he fulfills a vital role in Congress.  Having LGBT voices in the House and Senate are vitally important to keep moving forward on the road to full and equal rights for all Americans. His absence will leave a void that will be hard to fill.

He leaves a legacy of legislation that is truly historical including the repeal of DADT and numerous financial reform measures.  Now it is up to the rest of the Democrats in Congress to finish some of his most important work.

Think Progress has a great article on the unfinished work including ENDA and military spending cuts.  It is worth a read.

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