Floral neckties are for Father's Day brunch

You already know how I feel about flag ties. But I must tell you, floral ties aren't a whole lot better. Here's Congressman Barney Frank on the Rachel Maddow Show last week:

I simply don't understand the appeal of this tie. It's busy. It's multicolored. It generally looks soft. None of those elements are features I would recommend for discussing a hard-won piece of legislation, no matter how tired you are. If it was a gift from your kids or your grandkids, fine, wear it to Father's Day brunch. Don't wear it on television.