Barney Frank

I was surprised when he announced that he would not stand for reelection next year. Put yourself in his position, though, and his decision makes a lot of sense. Being in the House minority blows and Democrats are unlikely to retake the chamber next year. And if - like most other senior congressman - Frank is concerned about his legacy, he can say he already left his mark with Dodd-Frank financial reform. And with the decennial redistricting taking place, the makeup of his district will change pretty dramatically.

I'm sad to see him go because Barney Frank is one of the most surprising characters in national politics. He's a gay man with a voice like Elmer Fudd but a tongue whose barbs are tipped with acid. In an electoral system where elected officials are expected to speak to voters in a tone somewhere between submissiveness and pleading, Barney Frank isn't afraid to deliver a verbal roundhouse kick to the face when the confronted by a clueless constituent. And in an age when Democrats let Republicans run roughshod over them, Barney Frank has always been an articulate, unapologetic champion of liberal values who never hesitates to tell you why you're wrong. Others might dismiss his abrasive manner as rude, but it takes courage to speak your convictions proudly in the face of opposition.