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- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Jules Witcover
The decision of Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts to retire next year after 32 years in the House is a blow to the
Frank's strength has been not only his acid tongue and in-your-face style, but also his long-held conviction that Ronald Reagan was wrong in his famous dictum that "government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Other Democrats may have run away from the basic New Deal premise that government must be an engine of change on behalf of the American people, including those most in need. Barney Frank has never been among them.
So it's regrettable that, at a time his party and President Obama are in a death struggle with a
Some of the prospective retirees, including Frank, were facing serious re-election challenges; Frank had to consider his chances in dealing with an unfavorable redistricting. In his announcement, he noted that his district has been "substantially changed" and he would have to introduce himself to many new constituents. At 71, but still vigorous, Frank said "it would have been tough campaign" and he "would have a hard time justifying to myself to do it."
Beyond the loss of the acerbic but effective Frank, the unspoken message sent by the other Democratic retirements is the expectation, or at least fear, that the Republicans will strengthen their hold on the House and take the
But the retirements, even if some of the seats in question are retained by the Democrats, are not an encouraging signal for Obama as he struggles against the calculated Republican obstructionism that has stymied most of his economic recovery efforts. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to talk optimistically about regaining her old leadership post, but the dropouts cast a cloud over her words.
Increasingly, it is becoming clear that the 2012 presidential election will be waged as much over basic party ideology on the role of government as over the personalities of the likely contenders. As Obama diligently argues that the federal government is obligated to protect Americans hurt most by the flagging economy, the Republicans counter with demands that government become smaller and less costly.
The obvious battleground is entitlements, as Democrats fight against Republican encroachments on the social safety net that includes not only taxpayer-paid
No one prominent in today's politics has cast the central argument between the two major parties more in terms of class warfare than Newt Gingrich, now surprisingly emerging as the principal challenger to Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.
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