former Congressman (D-MA)
Former Congressman (D-Massachusetts) who co-authored the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act ; author of Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage
PROFILE
Barney Frank
Guest
FROM Barney Frank
To the Point
Democratic Unity: A Reality or a Dream? Last night, Michelle Obama electrified the delegates with an appeal for unity behind Hillary Clinton and pointed criticism of Donald Trump. Today, for the first time, the majority of delegates at a major party convention will nominate a woman to run for the White House. Bill Clinton will take up where Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Warren left off — addressing a Democratic Party that’s very different from the one he led. Even this morning, Sanders was booed by some delegates, when he said that voting for Hillary is the only way to defeat Trump. We hear a heart-to-heart between delegates still taking different sides.
To the Point
The Atrocity in Orlando and the Presidential Campaign An angry President Obama today denounced “the presumptive Republican nominee,” making no secret he was talking about Donald Trump. He denounced Trump’s call for a ban on Muslim immigration, and scoffed at the idea that using the phrase “Islamic Extremism” would make any difference. He called the shooter at the Pulse club in Orlando one of many “small actors” who “only have to be right once” while similar attacks are being prevented. What are the administration and law enforcement doing to prevent attacks like the one in Orlando? Does language really matter?
Left, Right & Center
Busting Up Banks, NY Primary, Paul Ryan Rep. Barney Frank says Bernie Sanders should clarify what size of bank is acceptable.
To the Point
How Coming Out Changed One Gay Congressman As the first Congressman to voluntarily come out of the closet, Barney Frank felt a lot more comfortable among his colleagues — and he says he was more effective. His rule is that closeted gay politicians should be outed, but only when they vote to discriminate against LGBT people. (Listen to Part I of our interview.) Photo: Gari Askew
To the Point
Barney Frank on Coming Out in Congress Barney Frank has retired from Congress, but he's still a powerful voice for the rights of LGBT people. We talk with him about why he was in the closet — and how he came out . ( Part II of this two-part conversation airs tomorrow.) Photo: Gari Askew
To the Point
Are America's Financial Institutions Still 'Too Big to Fail?' Five years ago this week, the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers led to America's worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The Bush and Obama Administrations used billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out banks that were so big their failure would have hurt the economy even more. Now some of those banks are bigger than ever. Will that lead to another round of excessive risk-taking by executives and investors confident of another government bailout? JP Morgan Chase is America's biggest bank. Today, JP Morgan Chase made a rare admission that it did wrong — to the tune of $920 million in fines to four regulatory agencies. The Dodd-Frank bill was supposed to prevent a repeat of the Great Recession. We talk to former Congressman Barney Frank and others. Should Main Street be worried about the future of Wall Street?
Recommended
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
To the Point
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.