Barney Frank Looking Forward to Lame Duck Session

When I watched Barney Frank's angry tirade of a victory speech, I missed this warning he had for us. I suppose it's the Charlie Brown effect the Democrats have on us. That and the irrational fear that his spit would somehow fly through my monitory into my eye.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) prefers the upcoming ‘lame duck’ session to facing a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.During his acceptance speech last night, the incumbent Democrat criticized Republicans, the Tea Party and the incoming house.

“I go back to Washington in two weeks, in the lame duck session, and uh, actually, compared to what it will be next year lame duck is probably going to look good by comparison. Because we’re going to have a difficult time in which the far right wing dominates that party and they’ll get a chance to see what they really can produce,” Frank said.

They're counting on his being preoccupied with our holiday preparations and reveling in victory while they ram through more of their radical agenda. Beware!

Cross posted at The Lonely Conservative

Doin' the Barney Shuffle: Shuffling On Over to Sean Bielat

The Barney Funk Shuffle. See the story below the video.

The Barney Shuffle (video)

Thanks to Bobby at The Camp of the Saints!

The video is by Ladd Ehlinger, Jr. (New York Times), with Stacy McCain and DaTechGuy hanging out. The NYT actually had some very nice things to say about Sean Bielat, the former Marine who is attempting to send Congressman Barney Frank home to Massachusetts (along with his rude boyfriend). 

There's a great story, actually caught on video, of the dancing "Barney" in front of a green screen. You want to see it. The Other McCain has the story, and DaTechGuy has the green screen video.

Sean Bielat is vying for Frank's House seat for Massachusetts' District 4. There are many reasons to sack Barney. Chief among them? Frank is the prime instigator of the Housing Meltdown, and don't let anyone tell you differently without doing your own homework. 

Frank engineered a program known as the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). He and a cohort, through the authority of Congress, forced lenders to make mortgages with no down payment, no credit checks, no jobs. If you wanted a house, you deserved it, and Barney, by God, would get one for you.

Vast numbers of homeowners were selling, and vast numbers of unqualified people were buying what they could not afford. Sellers were flying high...prices moved unrealistically upward - all across the Nation. Appraisals meant nothing. Thousands owned homes they could not afford, long before home prices soared. And then it all fell apart. New terminology filled the airwaves: The "SubPrime Mortgage Crises" was upon us. If your neighbor was in crisis with his mortgage, and you were not, sooner or later the value of your neighbor's home would plummet, taking your property with it.

See the crisis timeline here, and note that Republicans warned it was coming over and over, but Barney could not be convinced. He was making homes available in his high-priced market for anyone who wanted one, and don't you think he was ensuring a vote to send him back to Congress? Please watch the video if you are a Massachusetts voter, and if you are not, please watch the video and donate something to Sean Bielat's campaign. Politics are no longer local. Every vote Barney casts, affects my family and loved one in Oklahoma. The whole Barney story is sordid. Read it here.

Sean Bielat

Calling the powerful Barney Frank an "ethically-challenged liberal icon," Sarah Palin endorsed Sean today. The Bielat website lays-out his views. Please donate anything you can to the campaign here. It's easy to do by credit card. Takes only about 3 minutes. Be part of making history and bring sanity back to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Glenn Beck on Big Brother, Barney, Chris, Fannie, Freddie Video

In this video Glenn Beck points out that all of our financial troubles stem from the house crises, as orchestrated by Barney Frank (D-Mass-4th), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Reminder: Senator Chris Dodd engineered the fatal financial reform bill. The entire video is good, but at about 8 minutes-in, it gets really serious. Between 8 min and 12 minutes is a must see. Beck is asking what we are all asking...or if you are not asking these questions, you should be. At 11 minutes in, you begin to see your future.

If you haven't seen the video, I hope you watch. It's important. Okay, the vid isn't working here. I'd deleted it, but you can view it at this link.

Michele Bachmann Dylan Ratigan: Someone Named Dylan Ratigan Doesn't Like Michele Bachmann or Her Tea Party Caucus

Someone named Dylan Ratigan doesn't like Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn-6th), or her Tea Party Caucus or her talk of "fiscal responsibility."  I'm searching for info on Mr. Ratigan as I "word process." Oh, here it is...oh my, he's a TV host on MSNBC and has a little show titled the Dylan Ratigan Show. Let me see... he averaged 330,000 viewers a day in May 2010! No wonder he's such a snark. See the video below.

 Michele Bachmann

Putting "Fiscal Responsibility" in the face of a liberal is like holding up a cross in the face of a vampire. "Fiscal Responsibility" is death to a Liberal. Without mad spending you can't create voters.

More on Ratigan's embarrassing ratings below. In the video, the obviously frustrated Ratigan and friends say Bachmann is "full of crap...soooo full of crap, she might be the Queen of Crap," the talking heads opine. Ratigan quotes Congresswoman Bachmann saying the Tea Party Caucus will be "dedicated to promoting Tea Party ideals like "fiscal responsibility and limited government...

"...then again, says Ratigan, Republicans were nowhere in the mass extraction on Wall Street."

For starters, Ratigan obviously views a House Caucus as 'big government,' even though the Caucus members are dedicated to the ideals of small government. This Caucus will not create government programs. If anything, they will be working to repeal, rework and trash existing legislation.

Ratigan doesn't touch Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Democrat criminal "mass extractions" that will never be paid back to taxpayers - orchestrated by Democrat legislators, Senator Chris Dodd (D-, and Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mich) and Maxine Waters (D-CA) . Fannie and Freddie were nowhere in the Democrat financial reform bill.

A Yale economics professor, Robert J. Shiller, says taxpayers who do not even own a home are forced to support others struggling to stay in their homes. Astonishingly, Shiller thinks that Fannie and Freddie should be severely cut back:

"so that they're not helping middle-class homeowners, [but] they're helping poor people get into the housing market."

That's a fine example of academia ignoring everything known about economics. How about making Fannie and Freddie successful and then helping the less fortunate?

Shiller tells the truth, though, about the woes of the evil Democrat twins, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and why the government took them over:

...to avert possible massive losses for banks, money-market funds and, perhaps, most importantly, foreign institutions that purchased billions of Fannie and Freddie debt because of its implied government guarantee.

Remember this when you plan to walk away from your home, and perhaps file bankruptcy. Don't blame Wall Street. Fannie and Freddie are what all the housing bankruptcies are about.
That's why some of your neighbors had to turn their homes over to the bank. The bank had to sell them for peanuts, and that's why your house is undervalued today. That's why you owe more on your mortgage than the house is worth in today's market.

Democrats are solely...solely to blame for the housing crisis. They bought votes and favorability with risky home loans, are still trying to buy votes today...and what they have done should be criminal. 

Before winding this up, Ratigan's show airs at 4 p.m. EDT. If 330,000 viewers are not embarassing enough, he averaged only 325,000 viewers in the preceding 6 months, and only 83,000 in the golden  demographic of 25-54 years old. The 83,000 most desirable demographic was down from 107,000 a year earlier. Check this out for a comparison of television success rates.

For the time slot, Ratigan comes in third behind first place Your World with Neil Cavuto. The headline for these statistics: Dylan Ratigan's Ratings Show a Loss for MSNBC.

So here's the thing about Dylan Ratigan and his cronies: he/they are terrified at the words "fiscal responsibility," and they are disturbed that Michele Bachmann insists on pounding home the importance of it.

Bachmann and the House Tea Party Caucus can promote fiscal responsibility while Ratigan tries to live-down his failures at MSNBC. Watch as Ratigan and his idiots, without a single fact about Michele Bachmann, stoop to kindergarten name calling. (Yes, I called Ratigan an "idiot," did some name calling myself, but I've offered-up the facts.)












Dylan Ratigan on Michele Bachmann (video)

Barney Frank Ashamed to be Jewish: What Frank Could Say From His Congressional Podium

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) joined the tirade against Israel for the deaths on the Terror Flotilla, and called for an impartial inquiry - as if such a thing is possible. Frank went beyond the Flotilla, criticizing Israel's treatment of Arabs and the settlements in the West Bank, both of which "as a Jew," make him "ashamed." No surprise here, really. Many Jews in America seem to be ashamed to be Jewish, and they certainly seem to be ashamed of Israel. It's one of the great mysteries of my lifetime. Outside of Israel, Jews savage those inside Israel. See a video below.

The Two-Step Program by Dry Bones

Barney Frank's comment doesn't warrant much attention. He's another Congressional Clown. He sits ensconced in prestige with access to plenty of podiums from which to speak, and when he gets to a mic, he rails against Israelis who protect the homeland - every single day.

As a congressman, I think of the ways Barney Frank might help support Israel:

From the podium always available to Barney Frank, think how he could educate Americans, and the world, on the truth about Israeli borders, about the land assigned by the League of Nations, about the Mandates for forming the Nation of Israel, and about the friendship between the British and the Mufti of Jerusalem - and how, because of that friendship, Israel was forced to accept a tiny slice of land, just minutiae compared to what should have been theirs.

From the podium always available to Barney Frank, he could explain to the world that "Palestinians" are not a "people." Palestinians were Philistines, Mediterraneans, which came to the area. They were not Arabs. Arabs are not Palestinians. No one proclaimed to be a Palestinian. No one is a Palestinian. Only when Israel began their statehood, did the Arab campaign begin to claim the unclaimed land and name it Palestine, or to call for it's 'being.'

From the podium always available to Barney Frank, he could explain the various Charters and Constitutions of Israel's next door neighbors:

Fatah Constitution Articles 12 and 19: Calls for the "complete eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence. Armed struggle is a strategy and not a tactic. Armed Revolution is a decisive factor in...uprooting the Zionist existence, this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished...

The PLO Charter Article 15 calls for the "liquidation of the Zionist presence" in Palestine.

The Hamas Charter calls for jihad, and jihad as the duty of every Moslem

From the podium always available to Barney Frank, he could explain the numerous times Israel has agreed to a two-state solution, IF Arabs agree to eliminate the clauses about Jewish extermination from their Constitutions and Charters. "Arabs" always refuse.

There are approximately 44 Jewish members of the 111th Congress. They are ALL Democrats except Republican Eric Cantor. All Democrats, folks, and we hear no real support for Israel coming out of Capitol Hill. Eric Cantor is continually denigrated by his Hill peers, and by the press, for working for the safety of Israel. No other Jews climbs to that podium to echo Cantor's call. However, many non-Jewish Republicans do.

I am embarrassed that Barney Frank is an American Congressman. I am embarrassed that Barack Obama is our president, and embarrassed that he has shunned Benjamin Netanyahu over and over. I suppose when the jihad comes, Frank thinks they will pat him on the back and ask him to share their evening prayer rug. One thing for certain, he doesn't care what Islam plans for Jews in Israel. In the video below,  Barney Frank explains his position. Thanks to RightPundits for the video. Check-out their excellent round-up of Barney posts. If anyone can explain why Jews outside of Israel, continually savage Jews inside Israel, please enlighten me.

Barney Frank Ashamed to be Jewish (video)
Related and Background:
The Angst of Supporting Israel
Who and What are Palestinians?
Jewish Teenager Carries Israeli Flag in LA Muslim Street Protest Video
Flotilla War Atmosphere before Israel Boarded - Martyrdom Sought
Israel Protects Right to Search Ships Bound for Gaza: IDF Video
Susan Rice Skips U.N. Debate: Rice Vacations - She's still "Wildly Ineffective
Rupert Murdock: U.S., European Survival Without Israel
Without Support, What Happens to Israel?
Golda Meir: War and Wisdom
About that Two-State Solution
How the Gaza Tunnels into Egypt Work
Discovering Kryptonite, Disabling Superman
United Nations Condemns Hamas - Gotcha!
United Nations Seal Condemnation of Israel

In a class of its own:
Gaza Flotilla Terror Choir: We Con the World Video

Barney Frank Charles Djou: Barney Frank calls for Djous birth certificate

Rep. Charles Djou (R-Haw-1st) was sworn into office yesterday as cheeky Democratic Representative Barney Frank called for the press to validate Djou's Hawaiian birth certificate.  U.S. Representatives and Senators are not required to be born inside the U.S., as is the president of the United States. 

More on Rep. Djou here.

Barney Frank Health Care Not Appropriate

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) says he "feels strongly" that Democrats in Congress must respect the process and make no effort to bypass the electoral results of Scott Brown's election to the Senate. To do so, he says will be "inappropriate."

Frank sees the best result a bi-partisan effort to revise Democrat health care in the Senate.

Barney Frank is a rabid proponent of single-payer health coverage - mandated and run by the government. He has spent years trying to restructure government as the agency of the redistribution of your wealth and mine. Frank often speaks out in a manner thought to be reasonable toward a particular position - then thinks on it a few days before throwing reasonable thought to the wind and returning to the nest of his far-left and dangerous colleagues - of which he is a longtime leader. Do not take comfort in anything Barney Frank says.

Tim Geithner Facing Charges? Geithner NY Fed Covered Up Goldman Sachs Payment?

This video is a conversation between FOXNews' Shep Smith and Judge Andrew Napolitano. The situation is that Tim Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, could be facing legal charges because he, as the President of the Federal Reserve Bank in November 2008, may have instructed AIG to falsify documents in the processing of the $85 billion government bailout of the company.

Tim Geithner

In the paperwork for the bailout, AIG said we owe "X" dollars to Goldman Sachs, and we plan to pay that money back 100 cents on the dollar.

Some of that paperwork may have been falsified at Tim Geithner's direction. Note I said "may." Emails were obtained by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

The New York Fed crossed out the reference [to repaying 100 cents on the dollar], according to the e-mails, and AIG excluded the language when the filing was made public on Dec. 24, 2008.

Federal Reserve lawyers say they were told to strike the disclosure of the 100% repayment by AIG to Goldman Sachs, to conceal it from the Treasury Department and to the public. Judge Napolitano says this is a politically toxic issue: Goldman Sachs making a fortune...100 cents on the dollar...with federal funds.

If you borrow $185 billion dollars and you falsify a document, you can go to jail. Napolitano said that Bloomberg is reporting that Geithner was one of those instructing the forms to be falsified.

Shep asks if the information was only kept from the public, but not the Treasury...what then? Napolitano says if that is the case, Geithner's actions may be seen as political wisdom.

Issa request the emails from AIG after Bloomberg reported that "the New York Fed ordered the crippled insurer NOT TO NEGOTIATE FOR DISCOUNTS IN SETTLING THE SWAPS [repayment]. The decision to pay te banks in full may have cost AIG, and thus taxpayers, at least $13 billion, based on the discount the insurer was seeking."

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) says the emails are "troubling." He approves of a Congressional Review. That should give Barney et al plenty of time to figure out how to get Geithner out of this. 

A spokeswoman for Geithner said the Secretary "played no role in these decisions." "He was recused from working on issues involving specific companies, including AIG" after his nomination for Treasury.

This is a great video and I thank my friend Ray at ChicagoRayReports for letting me steal it from him. Hang to the end to hear about Henry Paulson.

Shep Smith and Judge Napolitano: Tim Geithner Facing Charges? (video)

Nina Gershon Acorn: Gershon Rules Congress Impotent: Michele Bachmann Barney Frank:

 Judge Nina Gershon ruled that ACORN will continue to receive millions from American taxpayers, effectively ruling Congress impotent to take away what they giveth; and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) discusses Rep. Barney Frank's (D-MASS) amendment in the House Financial Services Committee to allow ACORN a seat on the panel that monitors the Financial Services Committee regulations. See a video below.

Congress banned federal payments to ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) after video surfaced of ACORN advising clients how to avoid federal taxes on illegal businesses, purchase a house to be used for prostitution and trafficking foreign 13-year-old girls for prostitution. The ruling renders Congress even more impotent than already shown to be in this era of Obama Czars.

ACORN (graphic by B.S. Report)

Congress can give, but apparently Congress cannot take away, once you are on the federal Philanthropic gravy train.

From The Hill:

Judge Nina Gershon concluded that the ban amounted to a "bill of attainder" that unfairly singled out ACORN.

"[The plaintiffs] have been singled out by Congress for punishment that directly and immediately affects their ability to continue to obtain federal funding, in the absence of any judicial, or even administrative, process of adjudicating guilt," Gershon wrote in her decision.

Gershon said ACORN had demonstrated "irreperable harm" from the ban, while "the potential harm to the government, in granting the injunction, is less."

"The public will not suffer harm by allowing the plaintiffs to continue work on contracts duly awarded by federal agencies, which was stopped solely by reason of [the ban]," Gershon wrote.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said the following about Clinton-appointed Judge Gershon:

This left-wing activist Judge is setting a dangerous precedent that left-wing political organizations plagued by criminal accusations have a constitutional entitlement to taxpayer dollars," Issa said. "The Obama Administration should immediately move to appeal this injunction.”

A couple of questions:

(1) will we now see organizations not receiving federal funds, or not receiving sufficient federal funds, also suing Congress to get on the gravy train? How can we have one without the other? and

(2) can "we the people" sue Congress for using our money for fraudulent purposes (which can go far beyond just ACORN)?

Bachmann talks about both of these issues in the excellent video below. Here is a portion of her comments:

ACORN, a criminally corrupt organization, that was recently caught on videotape, counseling a pimp and a prostitute, who wanted to bring underage illegal aliens into the U.S....counseling them on how they could purchase a house of prostitution, to further prostitution of underage illegal aliens. That's about as bad as it gets, so now Barney Frank wants to create a slot, a seat on the oversight board of our financial services industry in America, and give ACORN a seat? This is beyond outrage and this shows how out of touch not only Chairman Frank is, but how out of touch this Congress is, and for any members of this Congress to vote for Chairman Frank's financial services bill, knowing that ACORN will have a seat at the board of directors, overseeing all of financial services, it is time to be serious time, be serious, and I just think it would be reprehensible for Congress to cast that vote.

You and I have been "serious" for a long time now, about the fraud inside the halls of Congress. Frank should lose his seat just for entertaining the amendment. It is a hard pill to swallow to believe that his constitutients want this graft and corruption in the name of governance, coming from their districts.


Michelle Bachmann, ACORN and Barney Franks (video)

Sarah Palin Gridiron: Barney Frank Gridiron: Palin Addresses Death Panel

Sarah Palin and Barney Franks were the featured bi-partisian speakers at the winter Gridiron dinner with an audience of journalists - or as Palin referred to them, an "elite audience of leading intellectuals, or as I like to call it, a death panel."

Here's two more favorites from Palin:

As for the president, Palin joked that she was looking at a magazine cover of Obama and Chinese president Hu Jinato during an airplane flight. A nearby passenger stated, "Hu's the Communist," she related.

And, Palin said, "I thought he was asking a question." 

Staying with the book theme, she joked that “If the election had turned out differently, I could be the one overseeing the signing of bailout checks and Vice President Biden could be on the road selling his book, 'Going Rogaine.'

Politico couldn't really find anything funny in Franks' speech. There was one line from him - something about newspaper recovery (after a bailout, no doubt), Twitter and Claire McCaskill's lunch, which Franks is not interested in.

Lynn Sweet is talking about Sarah's "otter skin" handbag. You go Sarah! And Todd Palin's cummerbund featuring the North Star and Alaska's position on the globe.

One important thing to know is that the winter Gridiron dinner is always "off the record." In other words, the speechs are not public...BUT THIS YEAR...the Gridiron Committee broke that 100-year-old rule, and instead, before and after the speeches and the "songs" attendees were allowed to Twitter.

The evening ended with the "Gridiron Singers," performing a non-traditional 12 Days of Christmas that featured Rush Limbaugh and "two tea-bag goons:"

“On the first day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: A Marxist in a dead tree.

On the second day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Two tea-bag goons.

On the third day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Three hell-no's

On the fourth day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Four bawling Becks

On the fifth day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Five Sarah swoon-ins

On the sixth day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Six health care death squads

On the seventh day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Seven bug-eyed birthers

On the eight day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Eight Cheney boomlets

On the ninth day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Nine ACORN busters
On the tenth day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Ten thundering mossbacks


On the eleventh day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: Eleven loony liberals

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Rush Limbaugh gave to me: twelve flaming liberals, hunted down in the wild and field dressed, medium well-done, seared on the fatty edges—“


And then Palin joined the chorus for the final line:


"Right next to the mashed potatoes," she sang.

Related and Background:

Sarah Palin to Speak at Winter Gridiron Dinner

Sarah Palin Talks with Rusty Humphries - Obama Birth Certificate "Fair Game"

Sarah Palin Gridiron Dinner Speaker: Sarah Palin Barney Frank Gridiron Speakers

Governor Sarah Palin will speak at the Gridiron Dinner on December 5th. Rep. Barney Frank is the invitee for Democrats. What a pairing.

 Sarah Palin

 Barney Frank

 

According to this report, the winter Gridiron is not public, and is considered off-the-record. Does that mean that absolutely nothing will leak? the spring Gridiron is usually a hilarious affair, depending on your sense of humor.

Palin will show up Saturday night as the author of the bestselling Going Rogue, and Franks shows up as the topic of a new biography: Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman. His book was released in September 2009.

In Amazon's 100 Top Sellers

No. 1 Going Rogue with 66 days in the top 100

No. 11 Arguing with Idiots by Glenn Beck

No. 21 True Compass: A Memoir by Ed Kennedy

No. 40 A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O'Reilly

No. 63 The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

No. 68 Glenn Beck's Common Sense

No. 83 Liberty and Tyranny by Mark R. Levin

No wonder Liberals want their own best-seller list.

The Gridiron is the most prestigeous journalistic organization in Washington, D.C. The members represent major newspapers, news magazines, broadcast networks and news services. Membership is by invitation only, but I think FOX News is a member anyway. I hope we hear some stories about Palin's speech. Surely someone will talk.

James Ready is Barney Franks partner: James Ready Barney Frank Relationship: Barney Frank Marijuana Legislation

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MASS) and his partner James Ready have been in an intimate relationship since 2007. It was disclosed today that Frank was present when Ready was arrested for growing marijuana on his [Ready] property.

Barney Frank

This story is in the news today because Rep. Frank supports the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Frank and Ready met in 2005. Ready's partner was ill at the time. When his partner died in 2007, he and Frank began "dating."

Barney was visiting Ready's home in Maine after their relationship began. Frank was sitting on Ready's front porch when the police happened by. They found pot growing on the side of the house, or in the backyard (out of Barney's site). Later the police came to the door and arrested James Ready. He paid a civil fine and remaining charges were dropped in 2008.

In July 2009, Barney Frank introduced legislation to "strengthen legal protections for state-authorized medical marijuana patients." Eight of the co-sponsors are Democrats with one, Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican representative of California joining.

I'll surprise more than a few of my friends by saying that I also support marijuana for legitimate medical use - and no, I do not know how to define what "legitimate medical use." This is not the post to get into the details of marijuana and cancer or marijuana and multiple sclorosis, but I will say, until recently, I have not considered marijuana and its deriviates as a possible source to stop or diminish tumor growth, until this.

In the video below, listen as the interviewer from FOX25 "offends" Rep. Frank. I am absolutely loathe to agree with with man about anything, but here I am doing so - at least in theory.







 Barney Frank - James Ready Relationship

Barney Frank Fannie Mae Assets: Conservative Blog Central Caption Contest

Conservative Blog Central features a caption contest and the latest is hilarious. Forgottenliberty.com wins this one:

Fannie Mae Assets Seem Very Firm to Me

I really admire some of the captions I see around the web. It's always good for a laugh, and a reminder that these very serious conservatives can be spectacularly funny and creative. See also: Tracking the Mess of Fannie and Freddie

Comparing John Ensign's Virtues to Barney Frank's

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) had an affair with a campaign staffer while he was separated from this wife. That makes John Ensign look like a high schooler compared to BarneyFrank's. Comparing John Ensign's virtues to Barney Frank's demonstrates all that is wrong with Washington politics and the Democrat party.

John Ensign - Darlene Ensign

Ensign was separated from his wife, Darlene, during a portion of the time the affair lasted. The staffer, Cindy Hampton was married. Both Cindy Hampton and her husband Doug Hampton, worked for Ensign: Doug as manager of Ensign's personal Senate office and Cindy for his reelection committee, the Ensign Battle Born PAC, as well as Treasurer of several other committees for Ensign's reelection. Both left Ensign's employment in April 2008. The affair began in December 2007 and lasted until August 2008.

Reports are that the Ensigns were separated from April to July 2008. The creepiest part about this saga is that the Hamptons and the Ensigns were close and long-time "couple" friends. Doug Hampton seems to place only blame only on Ensign:

...[he] ruined our lives and careers and left my family in shambles. We have lost significant income, suffered indescribable pain and emotional suffering.” He said that he had tried to hire lawyers to obtain “restitution” from Ensign.

That's what happens when you marry someone who makes poor decisions. In my opinion, after it "happens" you decide how you are going to live with it. You don't blackmail the other party.

It is Cindy Hampton who had a duty and obligation not to inflict this on her husband. Cindy Hampton made that decision, unless there is something we don't know about the affair. Doug Hampton's demands for "restitution" show a bit of what he is made of. Having said that, it also shows us something about Ensign.

What kind of man can have an affair with the wife of his office manger and not feel incredible guilt, and the wife of one of your best friends? How do you look into the eyes of that man each morning, or talk to him on the telephone as they undoubtedly did often? What happens inside a man to let this happen?
 

The Ensigns have been through therapy and they say they love each other. They say they have put their marriage back together. Ensign has since resigned his leadership position as chair of the Republican Policy Committee. There's more to the story and you can read it here.

The Washington Times' Wesley Pruden had an opinion piece up last week and he made some excellent points (reformatted for emphasis):

Congressional Democrats are more likely to grant a pass for naughty conduct than Republicans. This is not necessarily driven by political ideology. Republicans are no less likely to fall to temptation, but are more likely to understand that hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue. Republicans generally pay a dearer price to their constituents. Newt Gingrich of Georgia and Robert Livingston of Louisiana each had to give up the position of Speaker of the House when caught in embarrassing indiscretions. When Rep. Barney Frank got caught allowing his live-in male lover to run a whorehouse in their apartment, the House censured him (though calling it a "reprimand") and his constituents in starchy Massachusetts continued to return him to Washington by wide margins.

Comparing John Ensign's virtues to Barney Franks', who the Democrats let get by with a "reprimand," is laughable, but certainly no joke. Democrats stand in the tsunami of their fellow Democrat's involvement with the housing crises and there, riding the highest tide, is Barney Frank - with not one Democrat showing an ounce of virtue in the scandal that began bringing America down. It's not enough that Franks and his boyfriend could turn their own neighborhood into a red-light district, but Franks' own cuddly relationship with Fannie Mae exec, Herb Moses was barely reported in the mainstream media. It doesn't get any more disgusting than that.

Remember when Barney jumped out ahead of everyone and said it was open season on Sarah Palin and her family was fair game because Palin "made an issue of her family." That worked because the media also wanted to knock the Palins to their knees. But they didn't want the same for Barney Frank. Don't you think when a house of ill repute is being operated out of your own home and you are a U.S. Congressman, the press should care? I appreciate that Senator Ensign gave up his leadership role in the wake of this "scandal."

I wish Democrats would offer to sacrifice for the good of the country when they are "caught," or at least, I wish Democrat leadership would demand such sacrifice. But such virtue is a distant memory from another time, another era. Photo: EXPOSAY.COM