Welcome the New Sheriff of Wall Street

( – promoted by lowkell)

Obama finally listened to his base, and did what Bush so often did—- he by-passed Congress in making a critical but controversial appointment, and named Elizabeth Warren to establish and lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  It was, after all, her idea, and, as I am sure you know, Wall Street financiers and their lackeys, the Republicans in Congress, desperately tried to prevent the appointment. Why would one little lady so frighten these masters of the universe?  MoveOn.org provided a list of 5 things you should know about Ms. Warren, and a video of her “finest moments,” and here they are:

1) The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was her idea in the first place; she said “It is impossible to buy a toaster that has a one-in-five chance of bursting into flames and burning down your house.  But it is possible to refinance your home with a mortgage that has the same one-in-five chance of putting your family out on the street.” See Harvard Magazine for June 2008 and http://harvardmagazine.com/200…

2) The Republicans are so scared of her, they tried to pass an amendment designed to block her from leading the agency; the amendment failed. As I recall, there was also the beginnings of a sustained smear campaign, but the progressive grassroots rose up and for once Obama listened to his base. See Huffington Post, October 27, 2009 and http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90368

3) She is one of the most prominent, successful, and fierce female lawyers in America.  “Coming from working-class roots, she graduated from high school as a debate star at 16. She finished law school when she was nine months pregnant. And she has repeatedly been named one of the fifty most influential female lawyers by the National Law Journal and was twice nominated as one of TIME magazines 100 Most Influential People (among other honors)” such as being named “Bostonian of the Year.” See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E…

4) She spoke truth to power about the failed foreclosure program. When the Home Affordability Modification Program floundered, leaving many homeowners deeper in debt, ending in foreclosure rather than saving them, Warren, on the Congressional Oversight Committee, brought “the disaffected homeowners right to the decision makers.”

5) She may have actual superpowers, according to a dazzled MoveOn.org, which says “she once calmed the entire crowd of an NBA game with her encyclopedic basketball knowledge;” Jon Stewart confessed after interviewing her he was so impressed by the clarity of her explanation of the financial meltdown that he “want(ed) to make out with her;” and there is even a viral rap video about her.  See “Jon Stewart to Elizabeth Warren: Let’s Make Out,” Talking Points Memo, January 27, 2010 and http:www.moveon.org/r?r=90371

I suspect Elizabeth Warren is going to be subjected to intense guerrilla warfare from  Wall Street and the Republicans, not to mention Fox and the reactionary noise machine, so the progressive grassroots’ job is not ended now that she has been appointed. She will need us to have her back.

Elizabeth Warren’s Greatest Hits from MoveOn.org Official Channel on Vimeo.