Barney Frank, entering hospice care, embarks on a final act: Taking on the left

[LetMyPeopleVote]

I was a member of the Texas Clinton delegation to the 2016 National Convention. The Texas delegation was seated directly behind the Massachusetts delegation. Senator Warren was seated two rows ahead of me. I remember shaking the hand of Congressman Franks at the convention. It was a honor to shake his hand.

Link to tweet

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/28/barney-frank-hospice-democrats-00897112

Former Rep. Barney Frank, a liberal icon who was a key architect of the landmark Wall Street regulations Democrats enacted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, has entered hospice care at his home in Maine. And as one of his last acts, he is preparing to release a book repudiating his party’s left flank.

A champion of liberal causes during his 32 years representing Massachusetts in the House, Frank says progressive Democrats have “embraced an agenda that goes beyond what’s politically acceptable.”

“Until we separate ourselves from that agenda, we don’t win,” he said in an interview Tuesday.

Frank, who served in the House from 1981 to 2013, said he feels “very good — no pain, no discomfort,” but has entered hospice care as he deals with congestive heart failure. He is remaining in his home in Ogunquit, Maine, where he moved with his husband after retiring from Congress.

“At 86, I’ve made it longer than I thought,” Frank said. “At some point, my heart’s just going to give out, and it’s reaching that stage. So I’m taking it easy at home and dealing with it by relaxing.”

[SocialDemocrat61]

1. What issues "goes beyond what's politically acceptable"?

Was he more specific?

[harumph]

2. Which positions of progressives would those be I wonder?

[maxsolomon]

18. The article provides a couple for-instances:

His latest book is set to be released later this year (“I face a literal deadline, so I don’t know how we’ll adjust to that,” he said of the timing). He’s hoping “to use my reputation and my record of being on the left to give courage to many of my colleagues who I know agree with me but are inhibited from saying so.”

“For a lot of my colleagues, the argument has been, ‘well, we don’t support defund the police or open borders, and we don’t say we do,’” Frank said. “But my point is, no, it’s not enough … to be silent. We have to explicitly repudiate it.”

He says he’s “not arguing that anybody should stop his or her advocacy.”

“But it’s one thing to advocate something knowing that you’re going beyond the current viewpoints, and another to make it a litmus test,” he said.

"Open Borders" was a Repuke fiction. There was a refugee crisis under Biden - not "open borders".

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

4. "And as one of his last acts, he is preparing to release a book repudiating his party's left flank."

[biocube]

5. Yeah, Elizabeth Warren isn't the problem...

I do think some of the goofy San Francisco "shoplifting-enforcement-is-racism" progressives are a problem, but they come nowhere close to a majority of Democrats.

With how popular higher wages, paid family leave, health care for all, and affordable college are, it's actually suicide for Dems to "move to the center" on economics.

[JI7]

10. But that is the shit being spread online

and social media is more influential than CNN which most people don't watch.

Another thing is those blue jeans ads . IRS not official Democrats saying the ad was racist but there are people on social media saying that.

So even though democrsts running for office don't say anything or probably even know about it that shit us still how the people that get their views got online see things.

[AStern]

6. "Until we separate ourselves from that agenda, we don't win"

Hmmm, I think ignoring that agenda is precisely why Democrats don't win. But that's just me.

[JI7]

7. lol

[AStern]

8. Go ahead and laugh

moving to the right hasn't helped now has it?

LULZ.

[JI7]

11. I didn't say anything about moving to the right

[AStern]

17. The guy who was literally called "Barney F@g" on the House floor by a Republican leader...

of course the left is the real problem....

[betsuni]

12. The Democratic Party has not moved to the right.

[OhioBack2Blue]

19. You are correct.

[malaise]

9. Wow!

I like his attitude to the one thing we’re all guaranteed - death.
Wishing him peace.

[Autumn]

13. "Until we separate ourselves from that agenda, we don't win," Good luck with that

Bye bye, so long.

[hurl]

14. It seems unnecessarily divisive

when we need the biggest tent we can get to root out fascism.

But I do wish him peace. He was a strong voice we needed on many issues.

[Sympthsical]

15. k

[NameAlreadyTaken]

16. What policy specifically?

[Mad_Machine76]

20. I hate it when even some Democrats buy into the right-wing smears

It's bad enough that Republicans spend most of their time inventing new smears but it's even worse when some Democrats (a la Fetterman) validate those smears.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

21. Amazing strength to do this interview!

It is tough watching this interview. Barney Frank is very effective in announcing good policy despite his current physical condition

Link to tweet

[PCIntern]

22. Sad to hear he's going to depart...

In the early 1980’s the group of dentists with which I was politically involved was attempting to assist Russian Jewish dentists in emigrating and Barney Frank was a key ally. I met him and we had a very nice academic and historical discussion comparing Boston to Philadelphia.

He is a truly caring, sharp individual who will be missed.