A post from a couple days ago included some discussion as to who deserved more credit for getting the Consumer Protection Bureau included in last year’s Financial Reform Act: Elizabeth Warren, whose idea it was, or Scott Brown, who exercised his power as a voting member of Congress to get it enacted. The tally was not close.
As it happens, the Senator himself has already had a few words to say on that specific topic and the larger issue of which of them is the truer champion of the middle class.
In a interview with NECN on September 2 (before she announced), the Senator was asked about a possible Elizabeth Warren candidacy and, if she were to enter the race, some issues that might arise: reining in Wall Street and protecting the middle class.
Here’s a link to the video. The discussion starts at 5:25.
My transcript of the Senator’s response (emphases mine):
Listen, my mom and dad were married and divorced four times each, my mom was on welfare, you know, I know about the value of the dollar, and I’ve worked very hard to make sure that banks didn’t act like casinos without money. So the bill that she was apparently working on – I mean was able to work through as a result of her position – you know, I worked on it, I voted on it, I pushed it through. The consumer agency that General Petraeus is working on when it comes to protecting our military families – that’s my amendment. So…who doesn’t want to protect the middle class? There’s a big difference, however, between talking and actually doing it.
OK – let’s take a closer look.
I pushed it through. Oh, come on — it was really, “When I got the banking industry what it wanted, I dropped my opposition.”
That’s my amendment. OK, owing to the Senator’s efforts, the financial reform bill specifically requires the Consumer Protection Bureau to help military families make good decisions regarding consumer products and services. Section 1013(e) of the law, here. That’s great. And what’s good for military families is good for all families, which is why Elizabeth Warren pushed for the Consumer Protection Bureau in the first place.
There’s a big difference, however, between talking and actually doing it. Amen. Game on.
She is right that she throws rocks all over the place. But her ideas are from another age and her presentation is for another forum. You will never see a politician telling a business owner that he or she has to work harder than they already do because the government educated the workers.
There is a reason very few of these rock-throwing people are elected to the legislature. From what I’ve seen so far I’ll be very surprised if she is even the nominee.
–the future.
Public Policy Polling (PDF)
9/16-18. Massachusetts voters. MoE ±4.6% (no trendlines):
Elizabeth Warren (D): 55
Alan Khazei (D): 9
Tom Conroy (D): 7
Marisa DeFranco (D): 2
Bob Massie (D): 2
Setti Warren (D): 1
Undecided/other: 22
Setti Warren