ON THE BOOKSHELVES…“A FIGHTING CHANCE” by Elizabeth Warren
“This is a story about what’s worth fighting for, and how sometimes, even when we fight against powerful opponents, we can win.”
– Elizabeth Warren, author of A Fighting Chance
Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts has told us again and again that the system is fixed. The banking system is fixed to benefit the wealthy and the powerful. The economic system is rigged to benefit the rich. The rich have many loopholes by which to evade paying taxes.
Senator Warren also has said, “What are you going to do about the fixed system? Either you can whimper and whine…or you can fight. I choose to fight.”
That is the essence of her book, her story of the daughter of a maintenance man and a telephone operator. She graduated from a commuter college in Oklahoma and ended up as a professor at Harvard where she taught Bankruptcy Law for 20 years. That is also the American Dream, the story of endless possibilities for every person, regardless of heritage or economic status.
Unfortunately, that opportunity no longer exists for every person. College costs are beyond many students’ reach. Senator Warren continues to fight for fair interest rates on Student Loans.
Elizabeth Warren worked for ten years for better bankruptcy laws. She tried to hold big banks accountable and even proposed a consumer protection agency that would protect citizens from irresponsible financial institutions. Despite much opposition the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created, but Warren was never allowed to direct it.
Fortunately Warren didn’t stop fighting. At the age of 62 she ran for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, following in the footsteps of Ted Kennedy. She had the largest get-out-the-vote drive in the state. They knocked on 300,000 doors and made 700,000 phone calls, with a 73% turnout. Her summation: “When we fight, we can win.”
In this book, you will learn about how the banking industry gets what it wants. The banks use the ultimate insiders’ play: “trust us because we understand it and you don’t.” Banking laws are very complicated, by intention, to confuse and discourage the average banking customer.
Senator Warren described the people who worked on the consumer side: “The people got smarter. There was no hesitation or hanging back. Volunteers jumped in and fought like there would be no tomorrow. They organized early and they made every nickel count. They tweeted and posted on Facebook. They organized and made themselves heard. They stayed clear on what they were fighting for. Nobody gave up.” This sounds like good advice for all of us!
Some other good quotes from Elizabeth Warren:
“Our democracy has been beaten up pretty badly. Washington is a mess. Too often its priorities are all wrong. But I fervently hope people won’t give up.”
“Markets are great, but only if there really is a level-playing field where both sellers and their customers understand the terms of the deal.”
“In politics, nothing is permanent, not even enemies.”
“When you feel powerless, go public. That is where the power is.”
“When we fight, we can win. The system is fixed, but the battle isn’t over. We intend to keep on fighting.”
Elizabeth Warren’s campaign advice:
“Be still and listen. Have faith. Let people know your heart.”