I’m not generally inclined to send my money out of state to support candidates running for office, but I find it difficult to restrain myself when it comes to Elizabeth Warren.
Not only do I think that we need to win back the historically-Democratic Senate seat in Massachusetts that Scott Brown currently holds, but I think the election of Warren, if we’re lucky, could be a harbinger of a shifting attitude in America concerning the role of government, the importance of community and the rights of the individual. And, most importantly, I think that, if elected, she could inspire others who share her worldview to run for public office.
As I’ve mentioned before on this site, when I bought my Honda Civic hybrid about a decade ago, I knew that it was likely that it wouldn’t ever pay off financially, even if gas went above $4 a gallon. I did it primarily because I wanted to demonstrate to the American auto manufacturers that there was a demand for such vehicles. (At the time, as you may recall, none of the big three were producing hybrids.) I wanted to prove to them that there were people who were hungry for something other than SUVs. I wanted them to know that there were people willing to pay for technological breakthroughs in fuel efficiency, alternative energy, etc. And, I know it’s kind of a weird analogy, but I think it’s kind of the same thing here. While I very much respect Warren, and would love to see her on the floor of the Senate, when I’m making my small donations to her campaign, I’m also thinking that, by doing so, I’m demonstrating to other politicians across the country that there’s a market for honest public servants who aren’t afraid to take on Wall Street in a more than fleeting, cursory way. I don’t know that it will have much impact, but I’m happy to divert a few dollars per month away from fast food, on the off chance that it might.
Oh, and if you donate $25 or more today, you get a t-shirt emblazoned with the following quote from Warren:
Mitt Romney says corporations are people.
No, Mitt, corporations are not people.
People have hearts,
they have kids,
they get jobs,
they get sick,
they love,
cry,
dance,
they live and they die.
Learn the difference.
We don’t run this country for corporations,
we run it for people.
Now just imagine how incredibly cool it would be to have someone in the Senate who talked like that, and encouraged other to do the same.
6 Comments
How can you look at her and not be absolutely terrified?
http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/08/06/elizabeth_warren_s_radical_scary_conservatism.html
Another great quote from Elizabeth Warren:
I’m a huge fan of Warren. I signed up to give $50/mo for the 12 months preceding the election starting last October. This is the first significant contribution I’ve ever made to a political campaign. She, more than any other candidate on the national stage, speaks to the values that make this country great. Her compass seems to point in a direction would bring out the best of our collective character & potential. She tells well the story Obama tried to tell & flubbed with his “you didn’t build that” speech. Her winning this seat will be a positive step.
She should have gotten the keynote at the Democratic National Convention, but I guess I should just be happy that the party gave her a slot to speak at all. I hope it gives her the boost she needs to defeat Brown, who is taking in ungodly amounts of money from Republican billionaires.
Warren now has a two point lead over Brown!
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/09/warren-rebounds.html
Warren is polling well for the presidency.
Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/08/06/why-you-shouldnt-underestimate-elizabeth-warren/?wprss=rss_campaigns&tid=pp_widget
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