Politics

Barney Frank: ‘The Tea Party Has Been Much More Effective Than Occupy’

Retiring Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) took to the air on C-SPAN to talk about his view of where the current political spectrum is, and his take on the state of the Left may surprise some.

“I think too many of my friends on the liberal side are into demonstrative politics, which makes people feel better but doesn’t affect anything. Leave aside any other differences — the Tea Party has been much more effective than Occupy,” Frank says in the clip below. “I think the Occupy people are doing more that makes them feel emotionally satisfied, but too much that’s actually effective.”

The Occupy movement, which some conservatives have interpreted as merely an astroturf movement held on the leash of Big Labor, emerged only recently on the political scene, and has apparently coalesced around a blistering and monomaniacal opposition to income inequality. Yet even liberal economist Paul Krugman concedes that income inequality has very little to do with the current economic downturn:

Here’s an example: is economic inequality the source of our macroeconomic malaise? Many people think so — and I’ve written a lot about the evils of soaring inequality. But I have not gone that route. I’m not ruling out a connection between inequality and the mess we’re in, but for now I don’t see a clear mechanism, and I often annoy liberal audiences by saying that it’s probably possible to have a full-employment economy largely producing luxury goods for the richest 1 percent. More equality would be good, but not, as far as I can tell, because it would restore full employment.

Frank himself has also been critical of the Occupy movement in the past, telling Rachel Maddow of MSNBC that “I’m unhappy when people didn’t vote last time blame me for the consequences of their not voting.” Frank has also attacked far-Left activists like Ralph Nader for what he sees as excessive purity in the service of their cause.

“I think Ralph gets to luxuriate in the purity of his irrelevance,” Frank scoffed when Nader confronted him on the Ed Show in October of 2009. One could easily see the same statement being applied to Occupy.

Comments (153)

  • MPry
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:59pm

    I tawt i taw a putty tat!!

    Report Post » MPry  
    • mbvrooman
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:14pm

      He is wiscally and wascally.

      Report Post »  
    • Skippy Toes
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:45pm

      WAAAAA Somebody call the WAAAMMMMBULANCE.

      Report Post » Skippy Toes  
    • MYHEROISRON
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:47pm

      I‘m hopin’, Bawnee, that a fast movin’ Chevy finds you in a crosswalk real soon, you GOD CURSED TRAITOR!!

      Report Post » MYHEROISRON  
    • SHOWMESTATEGUY
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:50pm

      Barney can’t talk clearly because his vocal cords have been damaged.

      Report Post »  
    • MarsBarsTru7
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:04pm

      This baby-talking hedonist is no pussycat. He may be a coward, but he’s no pussycat. This guy is more of a hyena or jackal. A fat, disgusting, sexual deviant, lying with every movement of his mouth liberal jackal.

      This man helped enable the raping of the American economy. He’s incompetent for any ethical role there is to be had in the federal government. His talents extend to money laundering, extortion, flat out thievery, bribing, lying even in the face of contradicting facts, race-baiting, propagandizing, and towing the Democrat line.

      The Democratic Party is guilty of organized crime, as far as I’m concerned, and this guy has been a member of their inner circle for a long time. A central cause of moral, legal, and economic decay in America.

       
    • EndTheFedNOW
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:08pm

      The United States government got the underware bomber on the plane.

      Read this I beg u

      http://www.infowars.com/breaking-kurt-haskell-exposes-government-false-flag-operation-during-underwear-bomber-sentencing/

      Report Post » EndTheFedNOW  
    • Exrepublisheep
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:29pm

      In case anyone thought you racists didn’t hate gays too…

      Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 8:34pm

      “Retiring Rep. Barney Frank…”
      Why is he, as well as other hi-ranking Democratic Congressmen, retiring? Are the rats are jumping ship and moving to converted silos or the bunker under DIA. Are they preparing for the upcoming “bottom up, top down, inside out” revolution? He’s preparing and so should you and I.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • MCDAVE
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 1:09am

      @marsbarstru7…. you got that right..Barney Frank belongs in prison..

      Report Post »  
    • Obama_Sham
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:59am

      @Exrepublisheep

      Feeling left out?!?

      Report Post » Obama_Sham  
  • ZAP
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:54pm

    Old Barney would love to go to a tea party with a G-string on

    Report Post » ZAP  
    • IvanK
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:13pm

      Thanks for putting that incredibly disturbing image in my head…
      And of course the Tea Party movement is more successful! Why is it so? Hmmmm, could it be that the Tea Party is composed of educated people who actually (dare i say) WORK for a living?

      OWS croud – Young and indoctrinated Maggot (and rat) dope smoking hippies living in squaller and using cop cars as toilets.

      Tea Party – Educated tax paying people who work hard for a living and forced to support the OWS types (through draconian taxes). Responsible and peaceful people of all races coming together to fight a government regime with a radical marxist agenda?

      * How many rat infestations (other than the DNC and union plants) did the tea Party have?
      * When was the lat time you saw a Tea Party member defecating on a police car?
      * How many rapes and instances of child neglect did you see at a TP rally?
      * How many TP people were arrested for illegal possession of narcotics?

      ZERO!

      Report Post » IvanK  
    • Voteman
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 9:42pm

      Well said IVANK… Well Said.

      Report Post » Voteman  
    • MCDAVE
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 1:16am

      @IVANK ..Thanks.. Tea party patriots are the true conservatives..to many people have bought into MSM’s lies about us

      Report Post »  
    • MYHEROISRON
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:55am

      @IVANK

      Keep up the good posts!

      Report Post » MYHEROISRON  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:55am

      IVANK, Kudos. Excellent observation!

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • mbvrooman
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:54pm

    Barney is almost com-pweetwy cowwect…. Lol “occupiers” really look like the moronic rapists that they are next to the tea party. When you put successful, smart human beings next to a bunch of Great Apes… It is obvious that the tea party will look better. I am being kind when I call occupiers great apes too, because I know a lot of 1 celled organisms that work harder than they do.

    Report Post »  
    • jespasinthru
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:54pm

      Come on now, we’re all primates. It’s just that some of us are a little more evolved than others…:-)

      Report Post » jespasinthru  
  • jakartaman
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:53pm

    Not effective enough – You are not in jail yet!

    Report Post »  
    • OlefromMN
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:46pm

      Methinks he is trying to win favor to avoid the inevitable hearings that he, Chris Dodd, and many more Dems (and Reps) will be facing when the truth finally sees the light of day.

      I hold up a glass and toast the full exposure of the CRA. Many roots off of that weed, but we needed to identify the main weed to unravel all of the roots that we had been looking at.

      Report Post » OlefromMN  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 8:08am

      OLEFROMMN, I think that you are onto something there. If we are fortunate to have elections in November and get a DOJ possibly run by a conservative. Barney and his mate may very well quietly retire to a foreign country with no extradition treaty. Preferably would like to see the whole bunch in a Fed max prison for the massive damage they have done to this country.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • REPUB1
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:49pm

    being “FRANK” does not fit his M.O.

    Report Post »  
  • spirited
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:48pm

    “More equality would be good, but not, as far as I can tell, because it would restore full employment”
    ~Barney Frank

    wH@T does that mean?

    $^> Bumbs and free-loaders would have to go to work???

    Report Post » spirited  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:54pm

      Never try to understand a liberal, Just vote to remove them from office.

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • eric55
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:45pm

    If you live in N.J please sign this Pro right to carry petition
    http://www.change.org/petitions/new-jersey-right-to-carry

    Report Post »  
  • crazyoz
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:43pm

    Is the banking Queen getting religion?

    Report Post »  
    • db321
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:55pm

      His new Male Mate must be a Conservative – Is Barney coming out of the closet AGAIN! You know Barney he will go both ways if it benefits him.

      It kind of like all the Women in America that are soon going to sell out America, God and their Eternal in Heaven by falling for Obama’s BS to pay for their Birth Control. Barney is already cursed with a curse – At least Barney made Millions selling out America – Women are going to sell out America for $30 a month. Just saying!

      Report Post » db321  
    • jespasinthru
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 8:12pm

      DB321, American women like babies. Here’s a shocking news flash for you: according to current Census data, there are ten times more Irish-Americans than there are Irish. And the black American population has risen from twelve to fourteen percent in just the last four years. Both of those genocide campaigns backfired, big time. If you don’t believe me, look it up.

      Report Post » jespasinthru  
  • Kiba
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:43pm

    Maybe its the crapping on the cop car thing there Barney? Oh sorry, didnt mean to rile anyone on here up. Here let me try it again. Well Mr. Frank Sir, thats just how it goes right Mr. Frank? Have fun during your retirement Mr. Frank, happy times to you and YOURS!

    Report Post »  
    • jespasinthru
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:46pm

      The creep will probably turn up as a Democrat lobbyist eventually. They usually do when they retire or get kicked out of office.

      Report Post » jespasinthru  
  • OneTermPresident
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:39pm

    As another poster mentioned.. they have to pay their protesters who don’t even know what or why they are protesting…

    Protesters at Friday’s “Occupy CPAC” demonstration, organized by AFL-CIO and the Occupy DC movement, told The Daily Caller that they were paid “sixty bucks a head” to protest outside the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

    One protester said that his union, the Sheet Metal Workers Local 100, approached him about the financially lucrative scheme and added that all the Occupiers present at the CPAC event were being paid to demonstrate.

    “I have nothing nice to say about Local 100. … They just told me ‘you wanna make sixty bucks? So c’mon,’” the protester said during the interview.

    According to DC, other Occupiers were unwilling to speak on camera because they were not only unaware what they were protesting but also had no clue what CPAC was even about.

    Report Post » OneTermPresident  
    • Exrepublisheep
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 7:25pm

      More repube lies.

      Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 8:10am

      EXREPUBLISHEEP, You really should consider changing your moniker here to something like CURRENTDEMOSHEEP or something. I seriously doubt that you were ever a Republican, so who is telling a lie?

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • SHOWMESTATEGUY
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:37pm

    The rhetoric a movement espouses will determine the type of people that are drawn to the movement. It’s really as simple as that.

    Report Post »  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:37pm

    The ex-pimp and destroyer of our economy said: “I think the Occupy people are doing more that makes them feel emotionally satisfied, but not as much that’s actually effective.”

    Mr. Frank, congratulations on your succinct summation of the way LIBERALS do life.

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
  • Dale
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:35pm

    Article quote: “I think the Occupy people are doing more that makes them feel emotionally satisfied, but too much that’s actually effective.” It didn’t make sense, until I listened to the video…He actually said: ‘but NOT too much that’s actually effective.’

    Report Post » Dale  
  • This_Individual
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:34pm

    Thanks Barn, but the next time I see your boobies I may go blind. So please, keep them out of the public’s eye.

    Report Post »  
  • SHOWMESTATEGUY
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:30pm

    Really Barney! Look at your allies in the occupy movement, then look at the people who are members of the Tea Party. Your allies poop on government property and can’t pick up after themselves. You and your allies aren’t really hero material, don’t care what the dem lib education and governmental establishment says.

    Report Post »  
  • 1casawizard
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:28pm

    Hey barney! You‘re always ready with your teeth out ain’t ya? It’s time for ya to retire.

    Report Post » 1casawizard  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:26pm

    Must be bent over

    Report Post »  
  • Razorhunters
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:25pm

    this criminal sob needs to be pardoned and pacified…

    should have all kinds of criminal investigations on this pos.

    Report Post » Razorhunters  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:25pm

    Quick, someone rush Barney to a hospital, he’s telling the truth! It HAS to be a brain condition.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • 1casawizard
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:41pm

      @ANONYMOUS. He’s probably under the influence of some or a combination of, MDA MMDA, Tequila, just to name a few truth serum drugs.

      Report Post » 1casawizard  
    • spirited
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:52pm

      Or, concerned that his Freddie and Fanny will be

      {|$^\> investigated.

      Report Post » spirited  
  • drst4scss
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:24pm

    This is the first intelligent thing I have ever heard from him!!!

    Report Post »  
  • JohnTwoFeathers
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:24pm

    ******** bandit better stay on the other side of the fence.

    Report Post »  
  • The citizen who cares
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:21pm

    The Tea Party IS more effective than Occupy

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:20pm

    One thing Frank seems to not grasp is that the Occupy bands are being set up for Obama to crush the nation under; when the bottom violence rises up via the ‘useful idiots’ then Obama can bring the top down with steel and blood.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • spirited
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:54pm

      Sharia doesn’t include same sex anything… or other freedoms.

      >Ultimately, “change” probably wouldn’t either.

      Report Post » spirited  
    • mbvrooman
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:03pm

      Problem with that scenario… I bunch of pinko liberals running into my neck of the woods… Would not work very well for them. People in big cities don’t really understand how bad it would be for them to step foot on my land.

      Report Post »  
  • HKS
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:18pm

    Well dua, Occupy is just a bunch of hired help that has not a clue what planet their on or why their there.

    Report Post » HKS  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:16pm

    did he speak or f.a.rt ?????

    Report Post » Psychosis  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In