--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have this fear that one day there's…" description: "\"I have this fear that one day there's going to be a fire in the Senate and there are only going to be 57 senators there and they’ll all die because the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg" --- # I have this fear that one day there's going to be a fire… ![“I have this fear that one day there's going to be a fire in the Senate and there are only going to be 57 senators there and they’ll all die because they won't have 60 votes to allow themselves to leave the building.” quote by Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg) > “I have this fear that one day there's going to be a fire in the Senate and there are only going to be 57 senators there and they’ll all die because they won't have 60 votes to allow themselves to leave the building.” [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical fear that a fire would trap 57 senators, lacking the supermajority to evacuate, highlighting procedural absurdities. **In simple terms:** Fear of being trapped by procedural rules. Key Takeaway Recognize and address procedural flaws before crises. Themes politics procedural satire Mood cautious critical Type political humorous When to use this quote - legislative sessions - emergency drills - policy reviews Key Concepts government majority rules emergency response Questions to Reflect On - How can legislative rules adapt to emergencies? - What safeguards exist for evacuation? 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Getting something accomplished takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/rock-stars-generally-don-t-last-in-the-senate-starting-with-john/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## More by Barney Frank > [Moderate Republicans are reverse Houdinis. They tie themselves up in knots and then tell you they can’t do anything because they’re tied up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/moderate-republicans-are-reverse-houdinis-they-tie-themselves-up-in/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [I think there were two criticisms you can make of Donald Trump's involvement in the Health Care Bill. First of all, there were times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-think-there-were-two-criticisms-you-can-make-of-donald-trump-s/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [When community action was put into federal law in the early sixties as part of the effort to combat poverty and social injustice, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/when-community-action-was-put-into-federal-law-in-the-early-sixties/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [Donald Trump has done more for getting people to understand the importance of public policy that respond to public needs in an affirmative way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/donald-trump-has-done-more-for-getting-people-to-understand-the/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [Before this learning experience, I had assumed that with regard to programs that sought to help people out of poverty, the political world was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/before-this-learning-experience-i-had-assumed-that-with-regard-to/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [The regulation of medicine has been a State function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/the-regulation-of-medicine-has-been-a-state-function/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [For most of my life, I have eaten to deal with stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/for-most-of-my-life-i-have-eaten-to-deal-with-stress/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [They have to convert our agenda into something aggressive. Two guys wanting to be happy together are invading their marriages. Helping a kid who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/they-have-to-convert-our-agenda-into-something-aggressive-two-guys/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [I think there was an absolute, deep gap between consensual relations between adults, which people may like or dislike, and people who physically impose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-think-there-was-an-absolute-deep-gap-between-consensual-relations/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [I was still closeted, but from the day I decided to run for office, knowing that I was gay, I decided that I would,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-was-still-closeted-but-from-the-day-i-decided-to-run-for-office/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [I have done a lot of work for affordable housing, rental housing. I understand the rap on me and other liberals is, oh, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-have-done-a-lot-of-work-for-affordable-housing-rental-housing-i/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [The most active people in the country know different things, and because each one tends to hear mostly and deal mostly with people with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/the-most-active-people-in-the-country-know-different-things-and/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [I can tell you about health care and also about the financial reform bill. The Barack Obama, the President personally and his administration officials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-can-tell-you-about-health-care-and-also-about-the-financial-reform/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [In America, unlike England, unlike Israel, unlike Japan, other democracies, we have elections that have staggered terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/in-america-unlike-england-unlike-israel-unlike-japan-other/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [Ronald Reagan got a lot of democrats. I wish he hadn't. I got to Congress with Reagan coming to the Whitehouse. The Reagan Program,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/ronald-reagan-got-a-lot-of-democrats-i-wish-he-hadn-t-i-got-to/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) [Explore all 126 Barney Frank quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have this fear that one day there's going to be a fire in the Senate and there are only going to be 57 senators there and they’ll all die because they won't have 60 votes to allow themselves to leave the building.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barney Frank" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-going-to-be-a-fire-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-going-to-be-a-fire-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/barney-frank-3610_building_i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-go_2205834.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have this fear that one day there's going to be a fire in the Senate and there are only going to be 57…” — Barney Frank", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barney Frank", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have this fear that one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-going-to-be-a-fire-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-have-this-fear-that-one-day-there-s-going-to-be-a-fire-in-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```