Barney Frank

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Barney's Big Surprise

Long before The Sopranos and Jersey Shore introduced the nation to the ripe effusions of the New Jersey personality, voters in and around greater Boston had accepted Barney Frank as one of the more unusual players in the political game.
A working-class hero goes down kvetching. Plus, new hope in the fight against AIDS.
By EDITORIAL | December 02, 2011

Boston's last congressman?

At the moment, neither the Senate president nor the Speaker of the House lives in the city. And in two years, the unthinkable could become reality: Boston might not have a single congressman residing in its borders.
Musical chairs dept.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | September 02, 2011

Boston's Last Congressman?

Boston may be the epicenter of Massachusetts politics, but the effects of suburbanization are undeniable. At the moment, neither the senate president nor the speaker...
By David S. Bernstein | August 26, 2011

Frank talk

I was pleased to see Harvey Silverglate's story about the collaboration between myself and Ron Paul in the effort to remove all federal criminal restrictions on personal marijuana use.
Letters to the Boston editors, August 12, 2011
By BOSTON PHOENIX LETTERS | August 12, 2011

Are Civil (Liberties) Unions America's Best Hope?

Ron Paul and Barney Frank make odd bedfellows, but one hopes theirs is more than a one-night-stand.
Freedom Watch
By HARVEY A. SILVERGLATE AND DANIEL R. SCHWARTZ | July 15, 2011

Ten Little Congressmen . . .

Each of Massachusetts's 10 congressmen — soon to be nine, following next year's redistricting — are looking at the House shakeup from their own career perspectives.
The outlook for each of Mass.'s Representatives
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | November 19, 2010

Minority Blues

The historic national Republican wave, which saw the GOP gain at least 64 seats in the US House of Representatives, seemed to skip Massachusetts, which elected Democrats in all 10 congressional districts.
Massachusetts's Democratic Congressmen won their elections, but lost their power. What will they do in John Boehner's House?
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | November 19, 2010

C. Tsar's

It can be very good when a fine chef moves downmarket, adding focus and financial discipline to pure talent.
The former Ariadne goes back to basics
By ROBERT NADEAU | November 12, 2010

Celebrity gossip

In the final days of a tight gubernatorial race, the campaigns tend to get desperate, then frantic, then crazy. That progression leads to increasingly wacky attacks on the opposition, few of which turn out to be true, although many of them ought to be.
Candidates in their final, desperate moments
By AL DIAMON | October 29, 2010

Boston Phoenix 2010 Endorsements: Steve Grossman, Martha Coakley, and Barney Frank

Far too often, politics is the act of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. This election, voters have the unique chance of choosing a candidate who is a perfect fit for the office he seeks. That is why we endorse Democrat STEVE GROSSMAN for tre
Plus, more endorsements and the ballot questions
By EDITORIAL | October 29, 2010

Elephant in the Room?

The upcoming national midterm elections are shaping up as a big Republican wave.
Republicans are expected to take dozens of US House seats this year — some may even be in Massachusetts
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | October 15, 2010

New In The Phoenix -- Can GOP Shake Up Mass. Delegation?

In this week's issue of the Boston Phoenix -- in print tomorrow, online now -- I write about Republican hopes of winning US House seats...
By David S. Bernstein | October 13, 2010

Better Late than Never, Bill: Clinton stumps for Frank and Grossman

Is there any scenario in which a co-sign from a former President can do more to hurt a candidate than help? Unless his last name...
By Michael C. Walsh | September 28, 2010

MassGOP Time Bombs?

Let's face facts, my Bay State Republican friends -- including you, Charlie Baker: in the best election cycle you've had in years to topple the Democratic...
By David S. Bernstein | September 11, 2010

Kooks on classics

It turns out that some local LaRouchies have talents beyond a knack for public harassment
Out of Tune Dept.
By CHRIS FARAONE | August 13, 2010

You call this winning?

President Barack Obama scored.
Afghanistan complications multiply. Plus, Congress is heading for a weak wrap-up.
By EDITORIAL | July 02, 2010

Massachusetts: You might be living in a red state if

Scott Brown’s Senatorial victory is merely the latest sign that red tides are creeping upon our once-progressive Commonwealth. Don’t believe us? Consider that Kenny Chesney sells out Gillette Stadium every summer, and, of course, that wealthy Republican
31 signs that Scott Brown’s victory is changing the face of the commonwealth for the worse
By CHRIS FARAONE | January 22, 2010

Why Martha Coakley's loss wasn't about health care -- and what Barney Frank can do about it

In the rush of numbers coming in from the polls last night, one important number slipped under the radar -- and we mis-read it as...
By Carly Carioli | January 20, 2010

We're killing the oceans

I meet world-renowned undersea photojournalist Brian Skerry at Legal Seafoods, across from the New England Aquarium, where he's the explorer in residence. He orders a chicken Caesar salad.
Is it too late to save the seas that sustain us?
By MIKE MILIARD | November 20, 2009

Taking sides

The stakes are high in the battle for Massachusetts’s first new US senatorship in a quarter-century.
The US Senate election is forcing Massachusetts pols to choose their team. Plus, Pagliuca’s plan, and the state GOP tries to get serious.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | October 30, 2009

Review: Capitalism: A Love Story

In his new film about the Wall Street meltdown, Michael Moore — surprise! — denounces capitalism and its exploitation of the working class. Not that he's above doing a little exploiting himself.
Moore of the same: Capitalism fails to make a prophet
By PETER KEOUGH | October 02, 2009

Six for the seat

Over the next few months, as candidates for the US Senate travel the state, you're likely to hear them say again and again that nobody can ever truly replace Ted Kennedy. That's the truth. But what does the state want next, after such a legendary, la
After a tumultuous week, these half dozen are still in the mix for Kennedy's seat.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | September 18, 2009

Power puffs

Regarding “ Weed Picking Up Speed ”: if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tob
Letters to the Boston editor, July 24, 2009
By BOSTON PHOENIX LETTERS | July 24, 2009

King, as in mayor

To begin with, I'd like to set down the political and ideological frame of reference under which I try to live.
Another page from an optimist's agenda
By TOM SHEEHAN | July 17, 2009

Weed picking up speed?

When the Phoenix published a cover story about the potential tipping point in the fight to end marijuana prohibition, we smelled something in the air: it seemed more than ever that such a resolution might be possible.
Just say now
By MIKE MILIARD | July 10, 2009

Gay deceivers

The California State Supreme Court just upheld Proposition 8, denying gay people the right to marriage. This should disabuse the complacent of the illusion that the religious right has relinquished its death grip on America. So, too, should Kirby Dick's
Outrage isn't outrageous enough
By PETER KEOUGH | June 05, 2009

Legalize pot now

The Obama administration, already overtaxed with two foreign campaigns, made headlines this past week when the White House's newly minted director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy called for an end to the "War on Drugs."
With support from the unlikeliest circles, this could be marijuana's moment
By MIKE MILIARD | May 29, 2009

Sunshine on the ACLU: a mea culpa

"Standing up to your political enemies is easy, fun, and often profitable," writes Barney Frank, on the lead jacket blurb for Worst Instincts: Cowardice, Conformity, and the ACLU.
Freedom Watch
By HARVEY SILVERGLATE | May 08, 2009

Hemp — the law, the musical

When liberal congressmen like Barney Frank begin co-sponsoring bills with libertarians like Ron Paul, there must be something funny in the air.
Dept. of Really Strange Bedfellows
By CHRIS FARAONE | May 01, 2009

Giles is one tough cookie

Phillipe and Jorge could not be more pleased to hear that President Barack Obama has nominated Cynthia Giles, the director of Rhode Island's branch of the Conservation Law Founda-tion.
Plus economic outrage, the clueless Pope, and listening to 'The Angry Man'
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | March 25, 2009

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