As chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Barney Frank had a busy 2008 – working with Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and others in an often desperate attempt to prevent a financial-system collapse. But there’ll probably be little respite in 2009 for Frank. The Newton Democrat is already setting ambitious goals for 2009: pushing for new regulations of the financial-services industry, bolstering affordable housing programs and passing consumer-protection laws. Frank – who became a national figure this past fall during dramatic negotiations over what turned out to be an historic $700 billion bailout of the banking system – also plans to help the incoming Obama administration pass a giant economic stimulus package and distribute the remaining $350 billion from the bailout bill. In an interview last week, Frank sounded somewhat optimistic that ‘improvements may be seen in the economy by around this summer. ‘Obama is doing the right thing with his $500 billion-plus economic stimulus package, said Frank. ‘I think the American people are ready for better news. The usually gruff Frank, who became so well-known last year that he was parodied on Saturday Night Live, acknowledged that […]