It takes a moment to get used to Representative Barney Frank's gravelly voice and headlong speaking style. He is not imposing and lacks a booming voice, but the relevance and straightforwardness of his comments come across easily.On Wednesday, Feb. 11 Frank came to Brandeis to deliver the first annual Masters of Public Policy Distinguished Public Policy lecture sponsored by the Heller School for Social Policy and Management's Master of Public Policy in Social Policy program, called "Fixing What's Wrong: Regulation, Legislation, and the New Administration."

Since 1981, Frank has represented the fourth district of Massachusetts in the United States Congress. Before his election to Congress, Frank was a Massachusetts state representative and an assistant to the mayor of Boston. Frank has also spent time while serving in local and state government teaching at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

As chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services since 2007, Frank has gained much insight into the current fiscal situation.

Standing behind a podium in Rapaporte Treasure Hall before an audience that included undergraduate and graduate students, University President Jehuda Reinharz and several news cameras, Frank talked about the deepening financial crisis facing the United States and the world.

His words were at times humorous: "I am puzzled by the argument that we should call [the economic recovery plan] recovery and not stimulus because in my experience, most people would rather be stimulated than recover," he mused.

Even as he made the audience chuckle, Frank raised points about the economy. Speaking about the idea that improving the nation's gross domestic product will improve everyone's circumstances, even without government intervention in matters of distribution, Frank said, "Yes, the rising tide lifts all boats, but if you're standing on tiptoe in the water because you can't afford a boat then the rising tide goes up your nose."

At other times, however, his observations reflected the pessimism surrounding the current economic crisis. "We now have this dilemma and it is [because] the crisis in our economy ... has sped up. So the public has gone from being unhappy to being very, very angry," Frank said.

Throughout his career, Frank has developed a reputation as a fierce advocate for civil rights and the rights of minorities. His decision to reveal his homosexuality-he was the first congressman to do so in 1987-has made him a symbol of resolution to cultural minorities across America.

Frank remained practical about the future of the American economy. "As long as the average citizen is going to be told that if she loses her job she loses her health care," he said, "don't expect to talk her out of opposition to losing her job by telling her that it's in the overall interest of world economic development."

But Frank acknowledged the negative consequences of Americans' frustration with the state of the economy.

"Change, often in a complex society . cannot happen quickly enough," Frank said. "If the anger outpaces the pace of change, . you can get destructive revolution," he added.

Frank also gave his take on the University's decision to close the Rose Art Museum. Frank said that he agreed with the decision and that in light of the University's economic hard times, people must be willing to "give things up."

Along with describing the challenges of the current economic situation, Frank offered his vision for how the nation could begin to resolve the current economic struggle.

Frank talked about the necessity of government action in resolving the economic crisis and the need for transparency and accountability in the business community.

"There needs to be fundamental economic change in the direction of fairness and sensible regulation, not simply because that model is an intellectual and moral one [but because] it is a self-interested one for the business community," Frank said.

Despite Frank's encouraging words, some students in the audience expressed concern about the future of the American economy.

"I am still a little afraid," said Faith Behum, a first-year master's student at Heller. "I know he says that . the stimulus isn't going to take away from other programs like health care, but I have a feeling that [health care] is going to be an issue in the next couple of months of the Obama administration."

Stephen Robinson '11 said, "I'm obviously nervous for the future of the country, but it's reassuring to know that there's someone in such a prominent position in government with the capacity to prioritize . and the ability to recognize those specific things that are ailing our economy.