Frank: Pot, Online Gambling Better Than Wall Street Gambling

There's freedom, and then there's "total freedom," Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told a right-wing news service, CNSNews.com, on Friday, engaging the outlet in a debate about personal responsibility.

For Frank, the free exercise of individual choice is legitimate, and should be made legal, as long as those decisions don't harm the broader population. "I would let people gamble on the Internet," Frank said. "I would let adults smoke marijuana. I would let adults do a lot of things, if they choose."

That freedom ends when individual liberty imperils the global economic structure, he said. "But allowing them total freedom to take on economic obligations that spill over into the broader society? The individual is not the only one impacted here, when bad decisions get made in the economic sphere, it causes problems."

Frank's formulation echos the libertarian credo that one person's freedom to swing a fist ends where another's nose begins.

Frank raised the issue of online gambling, he told CNS, because his Republican counterpart on the Financial Services Committee, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), is a fierce opponent of online gambling while being okay with loose regulation on Wall Street.

CNSNews.com had asked Frank about comments Bachus had made at a committee hearing Thursday on mortgage reform. "You're substituting the government's decision for the individual's decision in whether they can afford it," Bachus had complained of the legislation. "If you can't afford it, don't buy it."

Frank pressed the difference. "We're not just talking individual responsibility," he said. "We have a world-wide economic crisis now, because of this. If it were purely individual responsibility, OK, that's why I disagree with the ranking member."

Ryan Grim is the author of the forthcoming book This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America

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Comments

[Randian]

"That freedom ends when individual liberty imperils the global economic structure"

At last an honest proponent of Obama administration who is willing to state openly what the new agenda is, A new Social Social Contract in which the natural rights of the citizens of the US are being weighed against the economic interests of the World in general". A Stevie Wonder approach.

These UNited States are no longer the central focus of deciding policy.

Locke is dead.

[Sepulchre]

DId you read Locke? Or just find his name on he internet?

[whiteflame55]

Another position of yours, Barney Frank, that earns my respect and appreciation. You are one of a small group of senators and a slightly larger group of representatives that have made me feel like we have truly brilliant and enigmatic leaders at the head of our government. Individual choice is often brought up by conservatives as being something that a corporation can exercise, yet they leave out the all important factor that these choices effect a wide swath of the public, not just here in the U.S., but all across the globe. Meanwhile, marajuana legalization is not only permitting people to exercise an individual choice (one that is easily regulated with the same laws as those for alcohol), but stands to benefit our country economically.

[funkalicious]

you must be high

[pragmaticdallasite]

You must be uninformed

[hjfraser2002]

You must be shallow.

[Randian]

Funny, Did you have such a high regard for William F Buckley when he promoted drug legalization?

[whiteflame55]

Actually, yes. The problems I had with William F. Buckley, however, are so numerous that the idea of drug legalization could not sway me towards liking him. Unlike so many of the people I've talked with on politics, I can acknowledge when someone I don't like makes a decent argument. Buckley was a smart guy, just not in the most important areas to me.

[TryToBeFlexible]

Yes, for that particular opinion of his.

[somefool]

I did. At least Buckley could lay claim to being (choke) intellectually honest. You can't say that today about very many conservative intellectuals, at leastnot the ones that pop up on cable TV.

[Stephen Nielsen]

Hmmm. So the more pot we consume in this country, the better we will do economically

[gdaerin]

bzzz...whirr.....logic circuits.......malfunction......

[Sepulchre]

Your logic is so broken I can only assume you kidding. If your not, well you have my sympathy.

[nolabels]

I know the objections about Barney Frank but when he talks like this, I can't help but feel that he is one of only a very few in Washington that speak for me.

[hjfraser2002]

Sadly i think he is.

[Randian]

Sadly that this individual feels good old Barney speaks fro him? or sadly Barney is the only one?

[pragmaticdallasite]

Your feelings are mine as well

[Sepulchre]

He understands Libertarianism. It was why I was a Republican once and why I am not one now. Some of their guiding principles were based on Libertarianism, but they are nothing like that now. They preach about big government and how bad it is, then they turn around and want to regulate morality, thrusting themselves into everyone's private lives. How exactly does that make for smaller government?

[Mintcondition]

Dear MoveOn member,
We're writing because you recently signed a petition to fire Bank of America's CEO, Ken Lewis. Today we have a critical opportunity to turn up the pressure.


Next week, Bank of America's shareholders will meet in North Carolina to decide whether to fire Lewis, whose failed leadership has lost the bank billions of dollars.

But the most powerful shareholder won't be represented. Taxpayers—you and me—are the single biggest shareholder in Bank of America, thanks to the massive bailouts of the bank.

Luckily, our friends at the Service Employees International Union are going to make sure our voices can't be ignored. They're collecting "taxpayer proxy cards" and will deliver them directly to Bank of America next week.


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[-0013]

Wasn't Move On started to try to get the country to "Move on" from the Lewinsky scandal?

Now, it doesn't want to move on.

[research]

Barney our liberal Libertarian.

Go Barney!

[Randian]

Uhhhh, you should really look carefully at his words, he is not a liberterian, never has been.

He wishes only to protect the following rights for you
1) To use drugs
2.) To have sex with anyone at any time
3.) To spend money foolishly and maintain your federal safety net.
4.) YOur right to have an abortion
5.) Say anything anytime anywhere.

He will not defend you right to
1.) Private property
2.) Defend yourself
3.) Own and operate a successful business without government interference

Barney,

you can have your boyfriend, your pot and your protests, leave me alone.

[somefool]

Really, so Frank is against self defense, and private propterty. Those sound like some pretty extreme views! Can you cite some examples showing that Frank holds these posiitons?

[jnah]

sounds great if by defend yourself you mean dangerous weapons. if a successfull business means being a con man swindler and by private property you mean absolute nonsense than yeah SOUNDS GREAT

[research]

I'll leave you alone as long as you promise not to use public roads or anything else public,

Ok?

[Nicon]

Is it hard to type with a puppeteers hand up your butt?

[Sepulchre]

You need to look up what a Libertarian is. He is considerable more Libertarian than most in Washington.

[jordan3189]

This guy is the chairman of the banking committee of the united states of America, I hope you liberals are proud. What an embarrassment.

[hjfraser2002]

Damn proud. If you did some cognative thinking, you would be too.

[dontvote4him]

I sight of him on his knees would more embarrassing.

[hjfraser2002]

Sounds like you have some issues. Hiding something in the closet? You know what they say about homophobes?

[Randian]

Fortunately for you, usually the person with that view is getting paid good cash

[whiteflame55]

Oh, I'm proud. Barney Frank actually speaks a lot of truth here. Care to explain why we should be embarrassed?

[hjfraser2002]

Because we have tro//s like these living around us.

[mutised]

Actually kind of proud. The embarrassment you feel is due to you having discredited points of view.

[pragmaticdallasite]

One of the few politicians who give me hope.

[KindMisica]

He's right. When you gamble on-line it's your own money, when you make reckless speculations on Wall-Street, you gamble away other people's money, retirement funds, etc.
And the fact that pot is still not legal in this country is a sad joke.

[dontvote4him]

If you can't handle wall street, don't get in.

[pragmaticdallasite]

Many don't have a choice through retirement plans and pensions. And when the fortunes of many (through their jobs at their companies) are effected by Wall St., then it's a public issue.

[hjfraser2002]

And according to your logic, what choice would people have had if Bush had gotten his way with SS?

[ohiodem250]

He wasn't speaking about regulations on individual investors but regulations on the institutions who execute investments for the individual.

[jnah]

unless your pension is being gambled, screw you

[truthartbeauty]

the rule is dont risk more than you can stand to loose.

[nickmantas]

Very well said Barney!

[lwaldmann]

Barney do me a favor. The next time you see Obama, tell him that Canada, about the same size a California, is united by one thing, Universal Healthcare. We , except for a few Republican thinking doctors love medicare. Sure we bitch and complain, but try and take away Canadians Universal Healthcare, I dare you. You would need a nitrogen bomb.

Lary Waldman

[dontvote4him]

When Canadians need health care beyond a family practice visit, they come down here.

[kensp]

What an incredibly stupid thing to say.

[irtrad17]

Urban myth alert, anecdotal nonsense

[hjfraser2002]

Known generalized false hood. They go out find one disgruntled person and then say "look the system does not work". What a load of toro caca.

[jnah]

wow your like 5-5 on troll talking points today, congrats

[doober]

My daughter had to have a knee replacement because of bone cancer and the procedure and the operation could not be done in Canada.. The procedure had to be done in Philadelphia and all her medial bills were payed by the Canadian Medicare system including all the Chemotherapy she received when she came back to Canada..

I cant imagine what it would cost in the American medicare system

[Amhet]

If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait til its free.

[kensp]

Wow man, that's deep. Who sounds stoned now?

[jayman54]

For crying out loud his name is Barney.

[bigsexyshaq]

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Good point - I give up on the Democratic party from this moment on.

[hjfraser2002]

And your name is associated to a bird. Whats your point beyond being shallow.

[Vr6]

Bush! You'd think he'd've had half the vote - maybe Barney could impregnate him with a little intellectual 'zoid. But that would mean work and we know that's a pain in the arse for that old bag of feces.

[AThinkingPerson]

Barney Frank, our national joke. Someone find him a good home.

[Laserbeam]

Someone find your keyboard a good home.

[amdezurik]

or at least someone to wash it for him...

[hjfraser2002]

Did you come up with that? Or did you follow some rightwing media darlings thought pattern?

[TheFobster]

Marijuana should be legalized, taxed, and regulated by the Federal government, or individual state governments. Enough of this phony war on drugs that artificially raises the price of illicit drugs and creates the incentive for people to want to sell drugs. ENOUGH is ENOUGH. The WAR ON DRUGS IS A MISERABLE FAILURE.

[washlib]

no, marijuana should be free to grow and consume and outside of taxation, UNLESS it is grown for sale, and then it should be taxed heavily. Personal growth and consumption should be fully legal.

[Laserbeam]

Agreed.

[hjfraser2002]

Agreed 2

[TheFobster]

Get over yourself, that won't happen. Take what you can and run with it.

[dontvote4him]

They were apain in a butt to grow in my dorm room days.

[ohiodem250]

That's why it will never be legalized. No one can make a buck off of it. It is far more profitable on the black market - in dollar terms for the suppliers and in law enforcement figures for the pols.

[truthartbeauty]

It is no ones business if someone uses a natural helpful herb, a gift from god, with beneficial properties that never hurt anyone. it is only because of ignornace and paranoia that it is illegal at all. pot never hurt anyone. it is mans basic right as a human to smoke pot. no ones business at all. all of the claims against it are false. but who wants the truth????

[jbusch8]

Ok, ok, ok.


everyone can stop arguing.

heres the deal


REPUBLICANS: It was ALLLLLL dodd and Frank's fault!!!!!! they're to blame!!!

DEMOCRATS: Bush Bush Bush Bush Bush Bush Bush - blame bush!!!!!


there, thats pretty much it in a nutshell

(tho, im surprised more people aren't blaming regan - gotta go to the root of the problem y'know....)

[Amhet]

That would be Donald Regan, former Treasury Secretary?

[chroma601]

I think he meant King Lear's daughter.

[jayman54]

Does this guy have any credibility on anything. Honestly, does anyone look at this guy and say to themselves "This guy is a leader"?

[pragmaticdallasite]

He is one of the few politicians on our side.

[HotheadPaisen]

Yes, many people do, and have for decades.

[hjfraser2002]

Tons of credibility. You are hung up on looks for shure. Evidently you are a poor judge of character.

[thebassguy]

Barney Frank is one of the most brilliant men in Washington. He can think rings around most others. I think he's right on, in this case. He's nothin' if not Frank!

tbg www.thebassguy4u.blogspot.comm)

[mutised]

Actually, he has a great deal of credibility. The problem is that you dismiss him because of his sexual preference.

[jayman54]

Wow you must be a mind reader.

[lowrentdenizen]

Frank is 100% correct. Go, Barney!