Sherrod Brown
Regulatory Rockstar
Elizabeth Warren is using her Senate seat to grill those who let the big banks off the hook
In September 2009, as chief of staff to Senator Ted Kaufman, I sat in on a meeting with the then-senator and Lanny Breuer, who led the criminal division of the Justice Department at the time. Why, Senator Kaufman wanted to know, had the Justice Department not prosecuted financial institutions and the individuals who run them for criminal behavior? Breuer said he was “dependent on the pipeline” to bring forward cases, and added that bank regulators so far had provided no criminal referrals related to the financial crisis. READ MORE >>
Welcome to Another Golden Era of Liberal Senators
One of the most stunning outcomes of the 2012 elections was the Democrats’ two-seat gain in the Senate. With 23 seats at risk to only ten for Republicans, Democrats were hoping simply to hold their own or keep their losses to a minimum. A gain of a single seat was almost wildly optimistic; picking up two seemingly unrealistic. READ MORE >>
Who Will Tell The People?
The Battleground
Preventative Measures
Last night the Senate approved a major financial reform bill almost a year in the making. A few hours before the vote, the president hailed the legislation, which he said ensures that “the American people will never again be asked to foot the bill for Wall Street’s mistakes.” He elaborated: READ MORE >>
November Prediction: Pain
A Gallup poll shows that the enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats seems to be narrowing: READ MORE >>
How Many Lives Does the Public Option Have?
I'm a longtime, enthusiastic fan of the public option. And I am really nervous about its latest rise from the grave. READ MORE >>
The Dems Need a Shove. Will Obama Give It?
Obama Wants Reform. Is He Fighting for It?
Health care reform may not be finished after all. Despite the political reverberations of last week’s special election in Massachusetts, Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are still discussing ways of passing a comprehensive reform bill. READ MORE >>
What Public Option Supporters Won
The public option is dead this morning. And this time, it isn't coming back to life. The Senate isn't going to include any version of the idea in its bill. And while the House can still demand a public option in conference, nobody I know expects the House to prevail. READ MORE >>
