Saturday, November 14, 2009

South Hadley, Easthampton, and Holyoke Democrats named Barney Frank as their "Democrat of the Year" on November 13, 2009 at the Log Cabin - Click here for story

Barney Frank, Joe McCoy (Easthampton Committee Chair), Sarah Etelman (South Hadley Committee Chair) and others

From the Sunday Republican
http://www.masslive.com/republican/
Political power seen in parties
Sunday, November 15, 2009
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE
sconstantine@repub.com

HOLYOKE - U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, expressed strong support for the idea of political parties Friday night at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House.

He was there to accept the Democrat of the Year Award from the Democratic committees of Holyoke, South Hadley and Easthampton.

About 600 people attended the event, giving Frank a standing ovation with a few cheers thrown in before he even took the podium.

"I'm here with my partner, Jim. I'm continuing to be a member of a group that continues to be criticized and ridiculed - a partisan Democrat," said, Frank, who is the only openly gay congressman.

Being a member of a political party is the best way to get things done, he told his audience, decrying the fact that elections are often decided by citizens who are not enrolled in one.

"The election is often in the hands of people who don't know what they are talking about. ... They criticize candidates for positions they don't hold," Frank said, putting down the types of unenrolled people who are polled in focus groups.

Political parties are needed when large groups of people are going to govern themselves, he said.

Frank lamented what he believes is a paucity of moderate Republicans.

"There are still some of them around. They call themselves Democrats," Frank said. "The moderates have been driven out of the Republican Party."

The congressman went on to declare that capitalism works best in partnership with the public sector.

"In 41 years I have never seen a tax cut put out a fire," Frank said. "If you are an honest businessman you need laws to protect you from dishonest competitors."

Frank's appearance also attracted a group of protesters near the Log Cabin, about a dozen chanting and holding signs with slogans calling for equality for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people.

One of the protesters, James D. Fiorentino of Northampton, said Frank is not doing enough in that area.