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RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 07:23 PM Apr 2015

Elizabeth Warren has a game-changing idea that doesn’t require Congress

Elizabeth Warren has a game-changing idea that doesn’t require Congress
4/15/15



Elizabeth Warren isn't running for president. But she does have an agenda for reining in the big banks that would go well beyond the Obama administration's (underrated) bank regulation moves and substantially alter the role of Wall Street in American life.

In a speech delivered on April 15 at the Levy Institute's 24th annual Hyman Minsky conference, Warren laid out the most comprehensive and ambitious version of her agenda yet.

Naturally, the bulk of her policies would require new acts of Congress. ... But a crucial element of Warren's agenda could be unilaterally implemented by the next president — or even this one.

An agenda a president can deliver — bring back prosecutions


... She wants to see the federal government level criminal charges against financial institutions that break the rules.

"The Department of Justice doesn’t take big financial institutions to trial — ever," she says in her speech. "Even when financial institutions engage in blatantly criminal activity."

...In typical Warren fashion, she lays out this idea like folksy common sense. But to understand what a powerful weapon this could be, you have to understand why officials in both the Bush and Obama administrations haven't used it against big banks.

Reporting on the Justice Department's thinking from Jim Zarroli at NPR, Jesse Eisinger at ProPublica, Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times, and others comes back to a single name: Arthur Andersen.

Arthur Andersen was one of the "big five" major accounting companies in America, until it was found to have been deeply complicit in Enron's financial shenanigans. The federal government took the company to court and won a conviction. But companies don't do jail time and then come out on parole. What happened instead is that the company swiftly and spectacularly collapsed — clients and suppliers don't want to work with a company that they think may go out of business soon, and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy....

...To Warren, this corporate sob story doesn't hold much water....

http://www.vox.com/2015/4/15/8420789/elizabeth-warren-prosecutions
29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Elizabeth Warren has a game-changing idea that doesn’t require Congress (Original Post) RiverLover Apr 2015 OP
We don't look backwards, Elizabeth Demeter Apr 2015 #1
I forgot about that little zinger. RiverLover Apr 2015 #2
Won't be any different awoke_in_2003 Apr 2015 #23
and you'll get the same result from President Hillary. Hoppy Apr 2015 #13
You betcha! Demeter Apr 2015 #15
Well with those kind of donors, no doubt Fearless Apr 2015 #21
K&R! Phlem Apr 2015 #3
Indeed. RiverLover Apr 2015 #4
If I could see Jamie Dimon once in an orange jumpsuit, I could die happy... malthaussen Apr 2015 #5
LOl, wouldn't that be amazing. Here's an image for us, Mal, to hold onto until that fine dream day~ RiverLover Apr 2015 #6
I could support that visual, if not reality. libdem4life Apr 2015 #7
recommended . nt Duppers Apr 2015 #8
The problem is the public does not understand numbers. gordianot Apr 2015 #9
Never happen. Wall St. is buying Hillary's presidency. nt valerief Apr 2015 #10
Yup. This, from another OP - djean111 Apr 2015 #14
DOJ Thespian2 Apr 2015 #11
. NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #12
Bravo Sen Warren. Break-up the banks. nm rhett o rick Apr 2015 #16
This message was self-deleted by its author Corruption Inc Apr 2015 #17
How can this be acceptable to any American? Dark n Stormy Knight Apr 2015 #18
request - can you cross post this to the PPRG (Populist Progressive Reform Group)? demwing Apr 2015 #19
Done RiverLover Apr 2015 #28
Hillary is the only candidate with a chance to do this. SleeplessinSoCal Apr 2015 #20
There ISN'T a chance in hell that she'd try to. FiveGoodMen Apr 2015 #22
don't bet the house . . . SleeplessinSoCal Apr 2015 #25
Oh yeah, he sounds terrific RiverLover Apr 2015 #26
there is such a potential financial crisis looming if WS isn't tackled SleeplessinSoCal Apr 2015 #29
Absolutely, coincidentally I posted Bill Black's interview about this very issue & how the gov't has mother earth Apr 2015 #24
Thanks right back to you for posting that interview. RiverLover Apr 2015 #27

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
2. I forgot about that little zinger.
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 07:28 PM
Apr 2015

Just one of many cuts that slowly brought home the fact the candidate was not the man.

 

Demeter

(85,373 posts)
15. You betcha!
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 05:06 AM
Apr 2015

There will be great changes in the People throughout the land, but not policy.

That's what makes life so....dangerous.

malthaussen

(17,672 posts)
5. If I could see Jamie Dimon once in an orange jumpsuit, I could die happy...
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 07:55 PM
Apr 2015

... oh, the dreams we cherish.

-- Mal

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
6. LOl, wouldn't that be amazing. Here's an image for us, Mal, to hold onto until that fine dream day~
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 08:16 PM
Apr 2015


Not orange, but it works for me!

gordianot

(15,515 posts)
9. The problem is the public does not understand numbers.
Wed Apr 15, 2015, 09:20 PM
Apr 2015

Now a couple hundred or several thousand is a figure you can understand after some fraud scams your elderly neighbor or some wild eyed thug holds up a store. That is something to get angry about; what is the world coming to? When you say "million" the eyes begin to glaze over but you understand "hundred and thousand". Billion sounds a lot like "million" and after all there are now Billionaires a lot involved there but it is hard to conceive of a Billion. Never mind that a Billion lost or stolen has robbed you in tax revenue. Now I notice the word "trillion" is being thrown around sometimes in close proximity to words such as "Banks and Bailout". Gosh the word "Trillion" sure sounds a lot like "Billion".

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
14. Yup. This, from another OP -
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 01:15 AM
Apr 2015
But back in Manhattan, the hedge fund managers who’ve long been part of her political and fundraising networks aren’t sweating the putdown and aren’t worrying about their take-home pay just yet.


It’s “just politics,” said one major Democratic donor on Wall Street, explaining that some of her Wall Street supporters doubt she would push hard for closing the carried interest loophole as president, a policy she promoted when she last ran in 2008.

Response to RiverLover (Original post)

Dark n Stormy Knight

(10,029 posts)
18. How can this be acceptable to any American?
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 03:49 PM
Apr 2015
"The Department of Justice doesn’t take big financial institutions to trial — ever," she says in her speech. "Even when financial institutions engage in blatantly criminal activity."
It is an amazing feat of propaganda that the RW has managed to keep the citizens from rioting over this.

SleeplessinSoCal

(9,675 posts)
20. Hillary is the only candidate with a chance to do this.
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 05:23 PM
Apr 2015

"But a crucial element of Warren's agenda could be unilaterally implemented by the next president — or even this one."

Women have for some reason excelled in modern economics. And are more determined to fight the old boys' club than Republican'ts.

SleeplessinSoCal

(9,675 posts)
25. don't bet the house . . .
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 08:01 PM
Apr 2015

"Hillary Clinton is planning to name Gary Gensler, a former top federal financial regulator and strong advocate for strict Wall Street rules, as the chief financial officer of her campaign, according to a Democrat familiar with the decision."

http://huff.to/1NTenBL

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
26. Oh yeah, he sounds terrific
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 08:19 PM
Apr 2015
Treasury Department

Gensler served in the United States Department of the Treasury as Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions from 1997-1999, then as Undersecretary for Domestic Finance from 1999-2001. As Assistant Secretary, Gensler served as a senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury in developing and implementing the federal government's policies for debt management and the sale of U.S. government securities.[10]

As Undersecretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, Gensler advised and assisted Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers on all aspects of domestic finance, including formulating policy and legislation in the areas of financial institutions, public debt management, capital markets, government financial management services, federal lending, fiscal affairs, government sponsored enterprises, and community development.[10]

While serving at the Treasury Department, Gensler was awarded the agency’s highest honor, the Alexander Hamilton Award, for his service.[7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gensler


Just another cog in the wheel that undid Glass-Steagall & contributed to the Great Recession of 2008.

God are we in trouble.

SleeplessinSoCal

(9,675 posts)
29. there is such a potential financial crisis looming if WS isn't tackled
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 10:15 PM
Apr 2015

that most know "too big to fail" has to be broken up. But it needs financial experts who have a record and credence to accomplish it.

"Though a former partner at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Gensler became a champion for strict new Wall Street regulation and was viewed by financial reform advocates as one of their top allies throughout his time as chairman of the CFTC. In his role at the agency, Gensler pushed hard for rules transforming one of the most lucrative parts of Wall Street before the crisis: derivatives, the products investor Warren Buffett famously labeled "financial weapons of mass destruction.’’ In frequent speeches, public and private meetings at the agency and testimony to Congress, he used his nearly five-year tenure in the job to seek dozens of rules reining in Wall Street’s control of the $700 trillion market."

I also believe Elizabeth Warren will be a major player in this mammoth project.

mother earth

(6,002 posts)
24. Absolutely, coincidentally I posted Bill Black's interview about this very issue & how the gov't has
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 07:22 PM
Apr 2015

become an enabler to these crimes because it no longer prosecutes. Fines are not enough to banksters who rake in profits with their criminality. Rule of law and accountability will take care of it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017259237

K & R and TY to Warren & you for posting it.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
27. Thanks right back to you for posting that interview.
Thu Apr 16, 2015, 08:28 PM
Apr 2015

And thanks for linking here.

Man, I wish the average citizen had a clue. Our corporate media is failing on so many levels.

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