Say No to the Stinkers

The battle over the passage of a budget clearly demonstrates why we need Elizabeth Warren in the Senate, not in the White House.  In the past, when those last-minute, late-night budget bills came for a vote just before Christmas (or any other) break, you could count on House and Senate members holding their noses and voting yes.  Especially Democrats.

But Warren found those two stinky amendments snuck into the bill, and blasted both houses of Congress for even considering passing the legislation.

One of those most offensive amendments would repeal a critical part of the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation that would hold banks responsible for risky derivative trading rather than the federal government.  The other nasty little piece of work would raise the limit on amounts of campaign contributions that can be made to either Republican or Democratic national committees.

Since Bill Clinton, the Democrats in Congress and the White House have been more than willing to compromise in order to get things done, and the hustlers in the Republican party have been all too happy to hold the government hostage in order to pass legislation that continues to weaken the middle class while increasing the control of the plutocrats.

But Warren has said NO.  And in the House, Nancy Pelosi must be delighted to finally have a senator stand with her in this fight.  Since Ted Kennedy's death, there have been progressive voices, but none has held the attention of the media and the American people as has Elizabeth Warren.  She is an orator reminiscent of Barack Obama, and she has the intellect and determination to carry the argument.  She may be the one to cause weak-kneed Democrats in Congress to stand taller.

In the sorry state of the Democratic Party since the 2014 mid-term election, we could do no better than to have Elizabeth Warren locate our missing voices.  Blue dogs may even figure out that being Republican lite is not the way to rouse the American voter.  It may be that even here in South Carolina Elizabeth Warren's strength and willingness to fight for true democratic values on the national stage will help our battle weary progressives move into the political spotlight.

So let us all take advantage of this opportunity.  Now is the time for our state and national progressive leaders to be loud and stand tall.  Instead of whining about all those anti-Obama, anti-LGBT, anti-women and family bills that a few rabid legislators are introducing at the state house and in Congress, let's urge those good people that are there to take the offensive.  We need them to introduce bills and amendments that assert and protect our rights, every one of us.  We need to stand together with all the groups who have been attacked and form a solid coalition that will not sell out one group in a sad attempt to protect another.

We have been losing ground for years out of fear.  2015 could be the year that we stop being afraid and fight back, if only we look to leaders like Elizabeth Warren to light the way.