"Splintering" and "scrambling"??!! These seems like incredibly negative terms to describe plans whose intent is to unlock economic growth. NY Times you need to do better.
16
Warren is close to my ideal future president. However, I very much want to see her plan for the single most important problem challenging the United States - reviving American democracy.
How do Warren (and all the other patriotic candidates) plan to restore, reform, enhance and expand the American democratic processes that treasonous Republicans have been systematically destroying?
21
Did Natasha Sarin really say, in effect, we shouldn't tax the job creators? That Republican myth? How many billions of the ultra wealthy came from creating jobs? Not counting maids and gardeners. Probably destroyed more jobs than they made, if any.
14
Kiss your 401k goodbye if these policies are ever enacted.
5
Having great policies may please newspaper editors and pundits, but it's a meaningless exercise unless you can convince the people and congress.
4
She's brilliant, but I fear that her calls for reparations and the elimination of ICE have pushed her too far left to win.
7
Every 4 years , or so, a new broom sweeps away the old with new ideas on capitalism and our economy. Isn’t that a recipe for economic disaster, eventually?
2
I like her strategy of putting out what she believes will work, what will be best for the country as a whole, and especially those who need the help, rather than trying to appeal to progressives, moderates, white working class -- whatever. No, she puts out her ideas and plans then tries to convince people why they would work for them. She is authentic, and smart.
22
Warren wants to pick winners and losers in the economy - just like Trump. (Read the "economic patriotism" link especially.)
We now have both parties calling for strong government intervention and meddling in the economy in pursuit of favored political constituents. Both are now willing to inflict pain on the economy as long as its spread out, but benefits accrue to their favorite niche.
Is there anyone still asking "is this a problem best solved by government intervention or not?" Does not seem that way.
3
Ms Warren is the exact opposite of Mr Trump. Smart,strong,consumer,and worker friendly are only a few positives that she brings to the table. She will have my vote. Ms. Harris is a local favorite whom I admire Ms. Warren's experience it is that tilts the balance in her favor.
12
I am a fan of Elizabeth Warren. She is the only candidate who sees existing problems and wants to find solutions. Compare her to the likes of Mitch Mcconnell who has sit--not served-- in the Senate for decades doing nothing but grovel before lobbyists to get their money and increase his power to stymy real progress for the middle class.
I admire that Ms. Warren is willing to propose increased taxes on the most wealthy. But first let us properly fund the IRS so they can capture the billions the wealthiest should but haven't paid due to the IRS not having the manpower to tackle complex audits. Also, when we get more money in, we have to pay down our national debt!! Ignoring it will lead to a catastrophic increase in cost for our borrowing.
4
Warren is the real deal and speaks from the heart. I admire her and trust her instincts, and wish she would do a deep dive into US foreign policy. The entire world now views us as nothing short of terrifying — with good reason.
Warren needs to pass the Commander in Chief threshold. She is excellent and thorough on domestic issues but sorely lacking specificity on foreign policy positions and Offense (calling our war budget “defense” is Orwellian at this point).
Where does she stand on war with Iran? Because we are being marched into another stratospheric blunder, and other than tusk I Gabbard no one is speaking out about it.
Warren has the guts to speak out against the MIC and pernicious influence of foreign lobbies on our foreign policy. She should go there. She will win the nomination if she opens this Pandora’s box, no one, particularly Biden, will be able to touch her.
9
The probability of taxes on the rich increasing is still very probably low as long as the Democrats continue to combine such tax proposals with plans to spend the proceeds on various social programs like free college tuition. However, a plan to raise taxes on those with assets above $50 million and/or incomes above $10 million and use all of the proceeds to reduce the taxes on everyone else might have a much higher probability of being enacted.
It is hard to envision the Democrats being politically savvy or ideologically flexible enough to embrace a policy of directly shifting the tax burden away from the middle class and onto the rich. The Democrats have generally been deluded in their belief that the current level of taxes on the middle class is politically sustainable. In Hillary Clinton's speech announcing her candidacy, she said that the middle class pays too much taxes. She never mentioned a middle class tax cut again. Presumably, due to pressure from Sanders, who pushed her to the left, which severely hurt her chances in the general election. Most Democrat politicians are not aware that by far the best thing government could do for most middle-class households would be to lower their taxes. Thus, in many cases, middle-class voters have been willing to grasp at any chance they think could lower their tax burden, and thus support candidates who promise them a tax cut, no matter how odious the candidates might be otherwise..."
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4267895
2
The roads and infrastructures are in so bad shape in the USA compared to Europe.
3
Lizzy is in a tizzy and it sure ain't good!
On the surface, Lizzy's programs look sound, but if you dig a little deeper you see a complete lack of knowledge about how things work.
I have only had time to read her manifesto on the breakup of big tech. She's clearly out of her element here and has no idea of how venture capital works.
When you start a company based on an idea, you have three directions to go: Get big enough to catch the attention of Wall Street and go the IPO route; Hold on until the business is seen as a competitor and get bought out by a bigger fish, and; Fail.
Lizzie is basing her entire plan on the second direction and that stifles venture capital.
She's a very smart woman, but like all of us, she doesn't know everything.
2
Why do Democrats always have to be Centrist or Center-Left to win over "moderates", but Republicans can be Trump-level extremists and appeal to these same voters without question? Why do we call these people moderates if they'll happily vote for radical Right but never radical Left candidates? The last time Democrats played it safe and selected the most non-threatening candidate, policy-wise, they lost to Trump. This is like all these self-described "moderates" in NYT comment sections who claim to be "moderates" or "life long Democrats" and then state beliefs that are anything but. Something doesn't add up in this long-running but likely incorrect narrative.
9
When 'experts' claim that regulation will be too costly, one has to ask "to whom"...who are they going to pay for those regulations...because apparently it's money that corporations are not going to keep.
The answer is "workers".
5
"Elizabeth Warren has lots of plans. Together they would allow the Federal government to destroy this humming economy with regulations and the lowest unemployment rate in history." This is where Sanders and Warren want to take our Country. Right down the tubes.
2
@Harrison The USA have 8 times more violent crime than in Europe, 8 times more incarceration rate also ( 1 % of US pop is in jail ) , no health insurance, no higher free public education, general ignorance and acculturation, it is the USA who are down the tubes right now .
10
"From those to whom much has been given, much will be expected." Funny how so many Christian members of the GOP forget that passage from Luke. The tax on the 1% is consistent with the history of US tax policy when this country made some of its most significant progress. Noblesse oblige may be dead among the nouveau riche; but this is how a healthy community thrives. So go for it. The money is there. The tax will not deter the social arc of the ultra wealthy but it will bend the socio economic line for many others.
5
Luke 12:48 - This statement of Jesus has become somewhat of an idiom in Western culture and is found, paraphrased, in Uncle Ben’s words of wisdom to Peter Parker in Spider-man: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.gotquestions.org/amp/much-given-required.html
@Frank, a Bible verse is complex way to support one's opinion, imo. Read the link, there's context.
I do like the idiom version because it is directed at the powerful. Ms Warren intends to be powerful. If elected, HER RESPONSIBILITY to expend all tax revenue wisely WILL BE GREATEST.
1
“Critics say Ms. Warren — with her proposals for new business regulation and focus on encouraging companies to locate production in the United States, rather than seeking the lowest-cost and most efficient production hubs around the world — will hinder American companies as they attempt to sell into India, China and other developing nations.”
If their production hubs are in China and Indian, then they aren’t really American companies now, are they?
8
Next best thing to nationalizing private companies, or maybe it is an end run. The only real life example in the US is Amtrak, not exactly a success story. A life time academic Ms. Warren has no experience running a for profit company, faced with overwhelming regulations.
And as the American public has seen in the past 2-1/2 years what can happen to the US economy once it is unchained from Federal mandates.
Senator Warrens' policies are all job killers, and the voters no longer have an appetite for the good "ole days" of Obamanomics. Throw in her fake Cherokee claims to get an advantage and I'd say she has no chance.
1
Seems to me all these multi-billion-dollar companies are doing just fine even with all those onerous gubment regulations.
Time to start looking out for the little guy.
10
Both the headline and top of the story show anti-Warren bias. It’s not till the end of the fourth paragraph that you mention, in a subordinate clause, what Warren aims to do with her plans—cancel student debt, provide health care.
I’m not saying you can’t criticize the plans, but describe what they are first.
12
FDR brought us the New Deal in order to do something...anything to get past the Great Depression. We have yet to see any policies or big-time reworking of our institutions and their framework to deal with the political, social and economic echoes of the Great Recession and the policies that have been increasing income and wealth inequalities for many decades. Problems get dealt with in all sorts of ways: some look to a Single Savior (who never delivers). Others look to structural changes. I prefer institutional change over believing in a single person. Warren is on to something with her proposals; as a nation of laws, it is our laws which ultimately will save us.
12
I've been a fan of Senator Warren since she first ran for office here in MA, and I've had a hard time warming to Warren's presidential run, because I want to keep her as a senator!! But I'm very glad she's adding serious policy questions to the primary discussion (we absolutely need that as part of this stage of the election!), and right now I'm leaning toward giving her my vote in the primaries.
9
Andrew Yang has way more policies than that and his solutions are actually on a scale to solve the problems we face. Warren isn’t talking about how the way we measure our success needs to change; Yang is with the new American scorecard. Warren isn’t talking about how to give families losing their jobs to automation and globalization a path forward; Yang is with the Freedom Dividend. And what about climate change? The biggest problem of all! Only Jay Inslee is close there. Warren is a good candidate, but her solutions still don’t meet the demands of our problems still.
2
I admire her boldness but it smacks of too much big government and not the best use of market forces. Clearly she dies her homework. Yang’s are a bit more creative. Warren would never win or keep the Dems in power with these proposals. Dems need to keep it simple. Start with the template “LOWER tax rates and broader tax base” and fit the policies into that. Ears will open. Yang comes closer but I don’t think he’s there.
This candidate's proposals come from rock solid experience and intelligence. There's no slimy, calculated reality TV fake-ness.
Whether Warren can enact all these plans is another matter given the fearful, self interested people who hold power in and around our government. But I bet she can get the ball rolling and give the country the momentum it needs to be great again.
The other Dem. candidates should take note and start getting specific about the real issues. Exciting time heading to the primaries.
7
How is she going to win the general election? Unless you get some Repub votes I can't see that happening. She won't go to Fox news calling them racists (partly true). For me, her lack of commitment to a full Medicare4All (getting rid of private insurance), the most important issue for a majority of Americans, makes her not very appealing.
1
I support Warren and her policies. Her "radical" ideas are centrist in Europe and while the radical right wing Republicans might like to paint them that way, I just see them as bold. It's way past time for America to be bold. Unfortunately it's all for naught if Republicans continue to hold the Senate with with only a minority of the voters support.
4
"Natasha Sarin, a University of Pennsylvania economist who favors many of Ms. Warren’s goals but has written skeptically about her proposed wealth tax. She said taxing wealth could discourage innovation and risk-taking by entrepreneurs who invest time in their ideas hoping for a large payoff down the road."
By whose measure is $50 million in household assets not enough of a payoff? Why should society incentivize anyone's gluttonous definition of wealth?
110
@Barbara The question is not primarily around 'rewarding' such a definition of wealth. Just about acknowledging that a wealth tax may actually disincentivize long term or illiquid investments. (You can't pay taxes with an investment you can't sell.)
3
@David
People are still going to invest time and money into "becoming rich" no matter the taxes involved. They did it in the fifties when the marginal rate was 90%. Don't be afraid to go after the rich -- it is where the money is.
16
@Barbara -- wealthy employ advisors to try to eke out another 1% or less. Throw an ANNUAL tax and watch all those millions leave America for Costa Rica, Panama, Cayman. See all the investments & jobs go elsewhere.
.
Don't pretend it won't happen, of course it will. These wealthy are not fools to just sit and let their wealth get plundered. They'll move it somewhere safe in a New York minute. And that WILL hurt America's economy.
6
The missing part of her plans is how to pay for everything and not make America a third world country.
Easy. We’ve got about a dozen of successful European models to follow. And then there’s Canada, Australia, New Zealand....
7
@John Wayland - a third world country.
You mean a place with an autocrat who ignores rules and laws to reign over it?
A place where the legislature capitulates to the ruling authority offering no advice, only consent?
A place where those in power profit handsomely from their positions of doing harm to others?
A place where people have no protections and are at the mercy of profit and industry?
You mean a place where the wealth is concentrated in a privileged few while the rest are offered scraps and told they should be grateful for even that?
Maybe the words "Ms. Warren would seek big tax increases on the wealthiest individuals and corporations," to help pay for it struck such revulsion you didn't see them?
But here is a question: Where in Trump's tax give away to the wealthy did he say how he was going to pay for it? Hint: He didn't, other than extracting some more money from the blue states. He increased the deficit by $1.5 TRILLION DOLLARS to pay for it. Where is the concern for that?
14
Parents and students who worked hard to avoid debt—the adult, responsible thing to do—are being played for suckers by the debt forgiveness nonsense. Our young people are getting another terrible message that cripples both them and our shared future. Give high-debt students a break by forgiving SOME of their debt in exchange for 2 years of public service.
6
As many of the commentators realize, all of Mrs. Warren’s policies are fundamentally just lip service. Only a small handful might pass through Congress, and even those would be watered down, and so much pork added, to render them ineffective.
That is not to say that I don’t like a lot of those pipe dreams. I really do think they would be good ideas. A nice starting point. But most of the policies lack additional information, such as enforcement. To implement the wealth tax the IRS would need a special team put in place, one highly staffed and funded, to go after any of the ultra-wealthy who hide assets and to prosecute those who hide their wealth with lengthy prison terms along with forfeiture of all assets.
Universal child care is wonderful, but it leaves out everyone else, especially the elderly who spend so much of the limited income they received paying co-pays or for drugs and services that are not covered, hurt.
The opioid crisis is another issue I take great issue with. In state and government policies that address the problems they pose great harm to individuals such as myself and many others who suffer with a debilitating illness. The only thing that provides me relief, and a return to somewhat normalcy in activity and quality of life are the medications that I took. People like us who don’t abuse medications are now having our medications cut or eliminated leaving us in pain, physically and emotionally, and taking away enjoyment of life. I don’t see real change.
4
So...we shouldn’t even bother?
6
Elizabeth Warren has been in the Senate for more than six years. Please school me on her top three accomplishments. Oops! I already looked. There are exactly: none. Zero. Zip. Nada. So this individual wants to take not just the incentives away from the private sector...which has made this country and our current economy a roaring success (at least compared to any other economy) but also "splinter" (your word) the big businesses and give them to lazy bureaucrats waiting for their pensions. Makes PERFECT sense to me. Yup.
4
@Goodguy6410
So the problem is that she has some experience and cares about people. I guess what she needed is ZERO experience and several more bankruptcies to her credit as long as she focuses solely on profit to be suitable for the office of president?
5
The complete lack of paid vacations in the USA compared to Europe explains also the lack of education of Americans (on top of lack of free education ) .
Americans don't have 5 weeks paid to go on vacation, travel and discover an other culture, or simply take the time to relax and read . Americans don't read . Go 3 weeks camp in the mountains ?
They have no idea .
Americans go on a trip to Europe once in their lifetime ( a rich minority )and see London, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Venice and Rome in one week ! Ridiculous ! What do they see ?
Or they go 5 days on one of those horrible cruises with 6000 people on the same ship. Polluting the world.
4
Yes. Remake it into the Venezuelan economy. No thank you.
2
When you can have somebody like Elizabeth Warren instead of Joe Biden as your next president, why should you settle for the status quo and mediocrity?
8
@Ronald Aaronson
Because to win a general election, you need to get the votes of moderate Dems, some independents, and even some Republicans. And that will never happen with Warren
Thanks NYT for discussing policy. Would it be possible to get more of this and without the horse race framing and political labeling? Could you look historically at whether what candidates say is true insofar as it is based on verifiable facts? Could we get objective analyses of proposals for going forward?
I think that this would be of great service to readers and part of your mission of providing truth to create an informed electorate.
7
Saying "President Trump and his Republican allies would almost certainly use [Warren's] proposals to portray her as too extreme" misses the obvious. It is Trump and Republican acts that are too extreme, intended only to help the extremely wealthy. If the media would quit being so reluctant to portray what the Republicans are doing in an accurate manner, the Republican party would be recognized for the extremely right-wing party it has become, a party totally disinterested in preserving a democracy.
8
As a law professor maybe Ms. Warren does not realize that taxes on corporations result in higher prices for their products and services. Such an agenda would result in a exodus of international and any other businesses that could escape to foreign countries. How does that help working middle America
when they lose their jobs? Her disincentive to people to innovate and create in the US. They will also move to foreign countries. Lastly the uber wealthy will hide or move their wealth to avoid her tax plan.
2
Prices are determined by supply and demand, not by taxes companies pay on the eventual profits.
6
@June Every egg produced and sold will be taxed at 10c more to the producer - all producers will increase their price by 10c or reduce labor costs by 10c and people need jobs and eggs so they will comply.
1
My wife, my children and I paid for my children to go to college through working, saving, and merit-based scholarship. I will refuse to pay any portion of my taxes that would be used to pay off the college debt of others. Free college in the future is an obvious evolution comparable to the birth of U.S. public high schools in the 19th Century. As of now, I would not vote for Warren.
3
The NYTs should refrain from telling us what’s going to happen in terms of public support for a policy. You’re not very good at predicting the future and it’s not your job. Just tell us what she’s proposing without the bias. We don’t need our candidates preselected.
21
This is a woman that will stoop to any depth to get what she wants. Of all the candidates, Tulsi Gabbard is the one that makes sense. Yet, very little coverage of her.
1
@Barry - "This is a woman that will stoop to any depth to get what she wants."
In a man that's really, really attractive. It gets Trump and McConnell elected. In a woman it's really quite a terrible thing.
Remember that as a developer Trump's mantra is "tell them what they want to hear in order to get what you want." Whether you are for or against Trump I always find it remarkable that the things that people say make other candidates terrible choices are exactly what got him elected.
1
So nothing on infrastructure? Seems to me this is a higher priority than many of the plans she's put in place.
And what ever happened to people taking responsibility for themselves? Apparently the smart money is on people taking out large student loans which they had no intention of paying off because they knew the government would bail them out.
A wealth tax? As recently pointed out in the NYT, wealth is incredibly hard to measure and would simply drive money into global tax shelters.
I just think many of these policies are unintelligent and not well thought out - in short they show a lack a judgement. We don't need another president with lack of judgement.
4
@deedubs
Thanks for calling for adult behavior and for sending good messages to our kids, rather than encouraging irresponsibility.
The media is in the process of electing Warren, just the way they elected Trump. Post the name and face everywhere all the time, and that candidate will seem inevitable. Where are the pictures and articles about Klobuchar? What happened to the idea we used to have on radio for 'equal time?' Journalists have a responsibility to resist creating the hottest thing (or person) by endless repetition--even if it is easier.
1
Too smart for the typical voter?
6
Warren has 20 plans. Andrew Yang has 105 on his website. They both made the debates, both seem poised to make the Sept debates as well. I'm not sure how you can keep writing articles like this.
1
@Justin Piatt
Warren's plans are well thought out and detailed. Yang's plans are just wishes, things he might consider doing if enough voters would only consider voting for him. Forget Yang! Warren is the real item.
3
Taxing wealth rather than income is the most radical and unfair idea ever proposed in the United States. The reason is because people can become wealthy by sheer luck, by innovation, by being frugal and spending less, by investing wisely in America and her companies, and so many other ways. Why should someone who frugally amassed a fortune pay more taxes than someone who frivolously spent every penny they had. Ms. Warren’s view is that wealth is always accumulated perversely and should therefore be shared with others. It is a perverse view in itself. Taxing income is what we do in America. We do not tax what people do with the after tax income that they earn. Once we head down the road of taxing wealth, you can bet the limits will be reduced until the government is taxing combined wealth of $500,000 and not 50 million. One person might work 50 years to amass a wealth of a million but some athlete or entertainer might amass that sort of fortune in a few months. Under Warren’s principles, their wealth would be taxed the same. It is an ignorant policy at best and dangerous at worst.
4
There is an old quotation that goes something like this: Behind every great fortune lies a great crime. You don’t get $50 million by being frugal. More likely you got it by gaming the system.
8
You have taken an idea with merit and perversely twisted it. $50 million is light years from $500k. Taxing exceptionally high amounts of accumulated and inherited wealth is worth exploring.
10
@Pops
Anybody who becomes a multi-millionaire or a billionaire "by sheer luck" can certainly afford to pay some more taxes.
9
Every critic quoted in this article make mountains out of molehills. Natasha Sarin says a wealth tax will discourage innovation and risk-taking? Get real. If the innovation is so great the money will pour in and assessing an additional two percent isn't going to dent the entrepreneur's new-found pot of gold. And anyway, Sarin says the additional tax wouldn't raise revenues because the wealthy can always hide it. Well then, why is it so detrimental to innovation and risk-taking?
Warren has the guts to be comprehensive and specific. Of course that opens the door to criticism. So what ideas do the critics have other than tearing down Warren's policy proposals? Zip, that's what.
The long and the short of it is that American capitalism has gone rogue and it is demolishing every principle this country once strived to advance. Whether Warren's proposals are right or wrong give her credit for trying to redirect this country from crumbling into plutocratic fascism.
One thing is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt: Without comprehensive reform inequality will get worse and it will be from the middle class downward who will be paying for a bigger and bigger bill--until they're tapped out. Then what Mr. Miller, Bannon, Ross, Mnuchin, DeVos? Without consumers there is no capitalism.
18
As important as these plans are, the key to making stuff happen is going to be having a Dem majority in the Senate. Doing that would be the most significant plan of all.
6
"A bankruptcy expert..." RIght. She is such an expert she advised large corporations to declare bankruptcy as a way of avoiding paying claims due to asbestos. What a moral paragon. she is....
3
@David Ricardo
Wait, isn't that what got Trump elected?
Here's hoping that Warren will issue a policy agenda for K - 12 education.
Sorry, there will be no 2020 election. A virtual one, perhaps, with a predictable outcome: Trump wins. He's already subverted our small-d democracy with help from Russian and homegrown oligarchs. They aren't gonna let some flaky woman win...
2
@Tournachonadar
Right. If our next president is not Warren or Sanders, we are stuck with Trump for another four years.
Joe Biden, Klobuchar, Harris, etc.? Forget it.
3
Trump was the oldest president ever “elected”, turning 71 a few months after being sworn in.
Warren would turn 72 in the same few months after being sworn in.
1
Why wasn’t Warren talking like this during the 2016 primaries and joining forces with Bernie Sanders—
To whom she is ideologically joined at the hip?
[They would have easily beaten Trump, and there would have been no President Trump.]
2
Bernie supporters, I’m sure it’s painful to see Bernie’s inability to catch fire and expand his support right now...whether it’s due to his advanced age, his cranky demeanor or campaign style, his decision to remain independent tho he’s seeking Democratic support, his lack of detailed plans, or his delayed support of Hillary. People remember all this and conclude that his time has passed. Let’s move forward and beat Trump.
3
And of course we are talking about the 2016 primaries, BEFORE Hillary Clinton was the nominee.
The question is why Elizabeth Warren, who is certainly no spring chicken (turning 70 in a few days), didn’t support her ideological soulmate Bernie Sanders or for that matter didn’t run herself in 2016.
For me, loyalty to a party machine that had already anointed Hillary just doesn’t hold.
1
Yes. I keep reminding my Bernie friends: but he’s not a democrat. By his own choosing.
I like Warren but to act like she’s the trailblazer when it comes to bold , transformational ideas is a bit much .
The old man from Vermont singlehandedly changed the idea of what’s possible and he was roundly ridiculed for being unrealistic and fantastical , notably in The NY Times opinion section and among many of the comment participants.
And frankly if you’re not all in on MedicareForAll, you’re not serious about sweeping change because that’s the single most important and bold policy measure we need to effect meaningful systemic transformation in America .
After Biden’s and the other pretenders less than inspiring rollouts Warren is the latest flavor of the month in the liberal punditry’s anyone but Sanders effort.
We see the play here .
3
Without a comprehensive immigration reform Warren's plans benefit the new poor immigrants the most at the expense of the current lower and middle class US citizens. How are these policies good?
3
Warren is the opposite of Trump in every way. She has my primary vote.
15
She is a visionary, and she would be an era defining president. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. Here's the plan: get her through the primary, get her through the general, then we use our voices and our bodies to get those plans through congress. Our children need it, our seniors, need it, our planet needs it. I am all in. Go, Warren, Go!!!
14
Pundits suggest that Rust Belt states will decide the 2020 election.
There is another way of looking at it. Women will decide the 2020 election. If Elizabeth can woo enough women from the Trump camp--and the polls suggest that she is already beginning to do so--she can prevail.
Andrew Yang also has very good ideas, but I am not sure America is ready for a candidate like him yet.
7
There's nothing extreme about common-sense. Senator Warren is profoundly pragmatic, tough-minded, whip-smart and fearless. She possesses four traits that are vital to effective command, traits absolutely lacking in Trump: She knows how to listen, she knows how to lead, she knows how to read and she is bold.
21
@Mike Tucker
All true. If she’s the nominee she gets my vote, though I don’t yet know who gets my primary vote.
I’m not sure about the student loan forgiveness. Lots of students and their parents have worked very hard to avoid such debt, or to pay it off. They have acted in a responsible, adult fashion. They will wonder why they bothered, and lots of young people will take on heaps of debt, knowing they don’t have to pay it back. That’s not a good lesson for us to teach young people or anyone else. If this happens, debt forgiveness should begin After the first $50,000 of debt. Everyone should have to pay back that first $50,000, or 40,000...something.
3
Presidents are the leaders of the nation. Candidates must show that they are prepared to lead, not just safely follow others' ideas. Here is where Warren clearly stands out from the rest of the field. She consistently develops more serious, detailed policies & plans than anyone else in the race. She is a true thought leader.
Because she has thought out her positions more carefully, she will be prepared to tackle tough choices from day one. Unlike her fellow progressive Bernie, she wants to make capitalism work better for the majority of Americans, a position which cannot simply be dismissed as "socialism" in a 5 second commercial sound bite. Because she has the courage of her convictions, she will fight hard to enact her goals, rather than hold back for fear of political retribution. She will not fold under pressure.
In an era where political campaigns increasingly emphasize style over substance, it is refreshing to have Warren show us what a truly substantive candidacy is all about. She is the most deserving of all the Democratic contenders. She is a true leader in every sense of the word. The sooner the party unites around her, the better. Once actual votes start being cast (less than 8 months from now), we will see her polling numbers dramatically rise.
Elizabeth Warren for President in 2020!
20
How refreshing to read about a candidate who puts out her highly detailed ideas front and center without sticking her finger in the air to see how the political winds are blowing.(aka biden).
That said I dont know if I can vote for her as she diminshes personal responsibility with governmental guarantees. I went to college in my mid to late 20's and assumed the financial responsibilities that ensured my commitment to succeeding. I had the assistance of the gi bill and more importantly reasonable tuition and favorable loan rates. Obviously today's tuition rates far exceed normal inflationary progressions as the amount of debt that some of my younger colleagues have had to assume is appalling. However guaranteeing entry with out assuming some elements of the cost is an over correction. I benefited from the gi bill however that that was payback for 4 years of military service. Perhaps a public service obligation for perspective students in need of assistance would be a better option in lieu of the tiring mantra of tax the rich and all big business is evil.. This would be a better balance of the government ensuring increased individual opportunities while still putting the onus on the individual to assume responsibility for their success. However I give her credit for addressing growing inequities with detailed proposals that with moderation could be a blueprint for necessary governmental interventions.
5
@gm
Wonderfully well said. I worked during college and grad school and paid off my debt.
Anyone who takes on student debt should have to pay off some of it, or spend time working in some public service to have the debt forgiven. That is teaching young people to act in a responsible, adult way, which is a lot better than teaching them to take on as much debt as possible, since someone else will pay it off for them. That is a dreadful lesson to teach them.
Has she ever managed/run anything? I dont know.
1
Trump managed/ran a business based on his Daddy’s money and look where that has gotten us.
3
Really. And that’s the reason he won’t show his returns. I’m guessing someday we’ll learn that selling luxury condos is really a money laundering biz.
3
Why again does she want to be President?
Why not accomplish her delusions in the Senate?
Answers:
She doesn't know and she can't!
4
While I support most of these initiatives, this is a ridiculously one-sided article. Apparently at least Andrew Yang has been more prolific than Warren with these. Yet look how this is handled by the authors, "For sheer variety, no candidate can match Andrew Yang.... abolishing the penny and supporting the unionization of mixed martial arts fighters." While Bernie's time-tested integrity makes the difference for me, the treatment of Andrew Yang's campaign here is shameless. The authors must have assumed no one would click on his website.
3
Ms Warren is by far the best candidate for Democrats when it comes to actual policy ideas. I don't know if the country is ready for a female president, but I would sure love to see her win the nomination and then whip the floor with Mr. Trump in an actual debate.
He's shallow and will use silly little nicknames. She will explain to the American people how the actions Trump took in office actually hurt them (access to affordable health care, voting rights, tax breaks to the billionaires, silly trade wars that hurt American farmers and consumers with tariffs). And on immigration he has nothing to show for except family separations and a wall that was never build, while Ms Warren will talk about how to regain control over the immigration process.
6
She looks very thin, almost gaunt, especially in profile. She seems to have lost significant body mass.
Her health?
A physician MD
1
She's obviously very smart - perhaps the smartest one in the field. And she's undoubtedly a true believer.
But she's also way too easy to portray as an extreme academic liberal from Harvard Yard.
1
If ANY Democrat or third-party candidate wants to win any federal election ever again they need to confront the frightening vulnerabilities in our electoral mechanism NOW- Russian; easily hackable paperless voting machines, and Republican voter suppression.
2
Who said "the yawning gulf between aspiration and reality"? I found that on a digital flashcard, but I can't attribute the quote to any ancient or contemporary sage.
But, Elizabeth Warren did just put Yawning Gulfs on the map. And, Columbus put the western sea route to the New World on a map.
Except, it was the wrong map. Columbus died thinking that he'd found the way to China and India.
I believe in Ms. Warren's intensity; and I wonder, upon arrival at Yawning Gulfs upon her ship, the Uber Richa, will she learn from her mistaken preconceptions?
Or will she just plough forward on initial plans, certain of Her Way?
If the American people cared anything about intellectually detailed policy and principles then they would not have elected Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump President of the United States.
Of the late Hubert Humphrey it was said that he had more answers than there were questions. It was not meant as a compliment. Humphrey never made it to the White House.
Trump has already branded Elizabeth Warren with a mocking nickname that reduces her to a late night comedy punchline. Pocahontas Warren resembles a scolding old maid school marm trying way too hard to be charismatic and relevent.
2
Oxymoron
She is asking the biggest questions that exist, and that is: How do you make a free market work? How do you make capitalism actually work for the many rather than the few?
2
Democrats have what it takes to make capitalism work for the many not just the few. What they lack is growing a spine that has them stand up together to seriously fight against the crimes, lies, power grabs, and the lack of service to the country the GOP has demonstrated now for decades.
For the voter it means a lot too! Are they going to wise up and be strong enough to demand and support truth and work for the people and country from Government or do they go with the red meat misinformation and crimes of the GOP?
The world wishes the US luck finding the correct way forward!
4
The USA have 8 times more violent crime per capita than in Europe (a denser population ) , and 8 times more people in jail ( incarceration rate per capita ) . Nobody has health insurance, nobody has paid vacation, nobody has labor rights .
You cannot perform a better production rate than Europeans who work 35 h/ week with 5 weeks paid vacation per year .
Who are you going to convince that you have a better economy ?
2
I like her, she's smart and a great thinker.
6
it is a common criticism from mainstream media, that deep structural changes are too threatening for the middle-of-the-road voter; that only youth and extreme progressives support such ideas. But even in the Michigan photograph going with this article, i see many quite senior citizens that seem enthusiastic supporters of Warren's 'radical' plans. Do mainstream media need a paradigm shift too? Unlike the 2016 coverage, they need to give equal coverage to each candidate's ideas and campaign events.
7
Although I’m impressed that Senator Warren and her advisors are thinking and talking about big, important issues, it’s wrong to call her proposals “plans,” A plan includes the strategy and tactics for realizing your ideas — in this case, how the needed legislation gets passed. These proposals might make it through the House, but to become law, they’ll have to pass the Senate. Not likely under nearly any scenario. So we’re back to the truism: campaigning isn’t governing. And the hard truth that she can’t beat Trump, which should be the only imperative for conservative, moderate, and liberal Democrats, along with independents and Republicans of conscience.
Warren is my hero in the 2020 campaign even if she doesn't get the nomination. Why? Because she not only talks about the issues but has proposals to tackle those issues.
To some of these ideas I would like to see Warren add:
1. Short term capital gains tax (investment sold under a year), option, derivative, and futures tax at 80%. Just this one tax would eliminate the speculation in our financial markets and stop the market crashes.
2. Future trade treaties should include workers' right to unionize; minimum wage; 40 hour work week, along with environmental standards. If a China, India, and others don't agree then put on tariffs.
3. Eliminate the salary cap on social security tax and secure the funding of social security for the future.
4. Comprehensive migrant worker visa program where agriculture and industry labor can be hired for max. 2 years, fully documented, residency registered with local authorities. Germany has had a successful gastarbeiter "guest worker' program since the 1950s.
5. Foreign policy that addresses the violence and corruption south of our borders which is fueling the asylum migration to the US.
6. Overhall of the US voting system: mail-in ballots; weekend voting polls or a national holiday to vote.
7. Rehaul military spending to concentrate on cyber security and environmental protection. What good is a standing army if your people don't have clean water!!
Warren makes her campaign not about herself but about the issues. YEAH!
9
She is a very accomplished Senator, never mind that Trump destroyed good bills.
4
destroy the economy
2
My question is this: What is she waiting for? She’s a Senator. She has the floor. Why not draft bills right now? Campaigning for President is hard. Evidently Senators have a pretty cushy job if they can raise money and mount a campaign and still be a Senator all at the same time. It bothers me. That’s all.
7
What good is it drafting bills going nowhere. she does exactly what is needed. Build base support gor those ideas while she has the spotlight.
3
Please educate yourself- she has* written bills that reflect her views on the economy! I’d suggest you start by Googling the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. That was *her* baby and she fought hard for us to get it through.
9
@patrio I’m not saying she doesn’t do anything. No. If the election was today I would likely vote for her. What I am saying is she is on the payroll NOW. And there is a majority in the House; at least for now. She has great ideas. Being President is no assurance at all that these ideas will become law. (see President Obama.) that’s all. Devoting yourself entirely to campaigning while you’re a Senator? Bad idea. (see Hilllary Clinton.) I’m just saying: Announce your candidacy. Get back to work. We will see you next summer...maybe.
1
I liked her at first but after the credible evidence of her misrepresentation of her Native American ancestry — I lost confidence in her as a viable candidate.
I love her advocacy for the governmental leadership of climate change.
1
I haven’t seen credible evidence, only smears. Can you share a source? From what I’ve seen she is a smart and substantive candidate that deserves to be heard.
17
@Garry
When I was a little boy my PawPaw used to tell me I should always be on the side of the Indians when we played Cowboys and Indians with the neighbor kids. He said it was because I was a descendant of a great Indian Chief and I should be proud of that heritage. By the time I was 8 or 9 I knew I was more Jewish than ‘Indian Chief’ so that any Indian heritage was no longer a reason to be on the side of the underdogs.
It was a good lesson for a young child and I’m still a firm believer in telling children to put themselves on the losing side whenever they have a choice because it builds character like mine.
2
A GW Bush treasury official is skeptical about Warren's plans. Could you find someone with less credibility on the economy? Democratic presidents consistently preside over better economies than Republican presidents. It's no accident. Liberal policies that benefit average people are better for everyone, even the rich. And that's not even counting that Democrats believe in science and expertise while Republicans have degenerated into a party of conspiracy nuts, bigots, and science deniers. Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, Obamacare, EPA, bank regulations are not just good policy, but are economic drivers. Elizabeth Warren --- Bring It On!
12
Good point - how does presiding over a Great Recession make one credible?
Many multinational companies now generate more sales and profits from overseas markets. The US is no longer the center of the global economy. If Ms. Warren thinks she is going to whack the largest corporations with significantly higher taxes, she will discover how fast they move their HQ. Quite a few already have. The migration was stopped by Trump's tax reform which brought US corporate tax rates more into line with those in other countries.
Everyone who has taken a finance class knows that an American company is worth more if owned by an Irish company than if it is domiciled in an America with much higher tax rates.
5
The election is 17 months away, I don’t know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow?
3
Elizabeth Warren is a thoughtful and intelligent woman. She studies the problems and offers plausible solutions. Real solutions. She has my support.
14
On MSNBC today adman and branding expert Donnie Deutsch said that if Warren is nominated, "she'll lose 49 states."
Why can't Warrens supporters see this? For all her very good qualities that make her an outstanding senator, Trump is going to savage Warren as a socialist and as a liar who falsely claimed to be Native American to have an unfair advantage getting jobs set aside for minorities.
Trump is the worst president in American history. If he's re-elected because the Democratic Party made Elizabeth Warren their party's nominee, people are going to say the Democrats lost to Donald Trump twice because they nominated women.
That's going to be a sad day.
5
Warren has the policies and the plans. What she needs to do now is get her debate strategy down pat, especially for debates with Trump. Will she let him shout her down? Bully her into silence while he spouts whoppers into the camera? Stop her in her tracks with his insults? Liz needs to be prepared to come back at him with every sling and arrow he tries to use to silence her, wound her, make her look weak.
Almost none of what she wants can get through even a democratic senate or congress or past the Supreme Court...so she is a total fraud.
8
"Vote for the candidate who makes the least promises. That way, you'll be the least disappointed after the election."
- Bernard Baruch
4
“Vote for a candidate which is well prepared, fit for the job and has the single goal of improving the lot of the overwhelming majority”
Jgrauw
2
I have always liked Warren but after hearing her, I think I love her. She is smart, understands policy, and is a natural leader, unlike the orange slug currently occupying the White House. What a breath of fresh air. To the beltway pundits who say she would not appeal to the moderates at the center, I say that we have had years of extreme governance that is destroying our nation. There is nothing moderate about the millions of our citizens who have no health care, millions more (myself included) who are in a blind panic with the thought of an accident and being brought to an emergency room and financially ruined, and the sheer number of students hobbled for a lifetime by student loan debt, and the millions of others just trying to keep their head above water. This is not acceptable nor moderate, and the fact that these things exist in the richest nation in the world is not conservative, it's radical. Sadly, many citizens do not read and get information from Facebook feeds or 30 second sound bites, pacifying the masses into a overwhelmed stupor. I do hope Warren decides to take her message to Fox, to let their audience hear her and get excited. Though I think there is still a lot of resistance to a woman, I do hope people can put aside their sexism for the good of the nation. They owe us after four disastrous years of Trump.
18
The biggest challenge the US faces to being able to implement Warren's policies (or any other progressive) is the American culture and mentality that us ingrained in us. In many European countries where they have a more social democratic system in place the majority of people believe in these ideas and do not support unbridled capitalism and massive income equality. There is recognition that this is overall bad for a country and its economy. Danes continue to support their system despite sometimes attempts to reduce it. American mentality is personal responsibility, limited government, belief that people make their choices and others shouldn't pay. Even though companies pay CEO millions and billions while the average worker barely makes a living wage or may not, continues to be accepted because this person worked hard according to our belief system. Warren's proposals could work if Americans all bought into a social democratic way of life and governance. But people won't. People even ask wh should they pay for someone else's choice to have kids (universal child care). This includes Democrats. Warren's proposals are impressive and what we need but unfortunately I think it could be another 10-20 years before we move in this direction.
2
It's a brilliant strategy -- maybe not intentional -- but coming out so early with such thoroughly presented proposals, and with such strength, will help define the Democratic nominee. The field is so fractured. Those running are scattering fire everywhere. But ultimately the platform has to be clearly focused to consistently hit the target.
5
What is the proper role of government? What should it not be involved in? These are key questions that need to be discussed. The US government is too big, too bureaucratic, and too wasteful no matter who is in office. We are $22 TRILLION in debt. Individuals will spend their own money more wisely than the government will spend it for them. The Dems and Repubs want us to fight each other, when the truth is that BOTH PARTIES HAVE FAILED US, but conservatives are on the right track. We need to teach basic economics in this country and teach personal responsibility. Please listen to NPR Planet Money podcasts 2008 to 2016. Please read "Money, Greed, and God" by Jay W. Richards or "Economics in One Lesson" by Henry Hazlitt. Watch videos by Milton Friedman. Get government out of healthcare, out of mortgages/housing, from being the police of the world, eliminate subsidies, bailouts, welfare, get out of education, out of student loans which cause colleges just to raise tuition even more just like the housing bubble, stop excessive regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank, and stop spending trillions more than what they take in. Proper roles of government are: To provide national defense, to protect individual freedoms, and to be like a referee at a football game to ensure fair play in business to prevent fraud and monopolies. This does not mean no government, weak government, anarchy, or completely unregulated capitalism. Government does have a role to play.
6
You have no idea what our government (our, not their) does, and has done in the past, do you?
Are you on your phone? Thank our government for doing massive research into what has become each component of your phone. Internet, thank our tax dollars and decades of government research. R&D across all industries for decades and decades. Public education to provide an educated workforce. Police officers, firefighters, emergency healthcare, disaster relief, the banking system, property rights, the rule of law, postal delivery in every town. Money-losing efforts and work everywhere so that all Americans have services, a voice, protections - not just the ones with money. Capitalism depends on our government oversight - or companies would fail from lack of money-losing efforts of rational restraint.
Governmental support in disasters, in financial failures. Protections for the press to help root out corruption.
Government is not supposed to be efficient like a company. It can’t be, because it has to take care of all the social costs which companies don’t pay, but just expect the government to take care of for them.
Stop drinking the kool aid and research and really learn what our government, as established by our Constitution, does (not always well, but then we’re meant to keep making it better). Capitalism would fail without the tremendous structure of support and, apparently to some, invisible welfare our government provides to prop up our capitalism.
15
@Joe
Republics controlled Congrease with either votes or filiblisters or the White House for 23 1/2 of the last 24 1/2 years. They claim they are “conservatives” so your contention that the conservatives are “on the right track” is patently false.
3
Instead of interviewing conservatives about her policies to get the “other sides” view - to create your typical “balanced” article - why not interview people more to the left of the political and economic spectrum than even Warren?
That way we see a critique from the left, and policies like she proposes won’t be viewed as radical and destabilizing as when judged by the right.
Mainstream media has shifted all analysis to the right of center, leaving a void of thoughtful critique and political solutions from the left of center.
17
Americans are very ignorant about the concept of economy.
They think economy means making money.
And they have no idea either of how other economies work.
Look at the article in Yahoo showing paid vacation per days in European countries. The USA being zero. Spain 40 days, France 5 weeks, just in the middle, health insurance for everybody since 1949.
Americans have no idea about life in Europe. People might no drive a brand new car like some ( a minority ) in the US but they have a much greater quality of life. And they live longer which proves it.
Even someone on unemployment in France has a better quality of life than an American at minimum wage.
Much better.
18
Our economy now serves the wealthy, while millions of children grow up in deep poverty that most will never escape. That is not the American dream. Warren wants to change that. America once could handle big challenges by working together, and Warren intends to restore that kind of democracy, regardless of what the rich and powerful think.
9
@Joel Stegner And how is she going to change that? By taxing everyone who actually works and is successful and giving that money to "the poor"? We need to teach people how to fish, not to just give them fish. Socialism will not make everyone richer.
4
And accessible education is exactly that, teaching people how to fish.
Single payer healthcare is just fresher fish for cheaper for everyone.
4
@Joe
Senator Warren proposes a 2% tax on assets over $50 million so that affects less than 10,000 Americans. You and I ain’t among them.
2
> She would reduce the rewards for entrepreneurs to build billionaire fortunes
Why would you want to disincentive hard working people from building new products and innovating? That seems like a disservice to both the country and its people.
5
Yeah if you aren't allowed to game the system and make billions why bother doing anything ever?
16
If game the system means working hard, being innovative, and sacrificing as you work towards a goal, then okay.
3
The problem is that tax laws favor the rich. If we had fairer laws that treat everyone equally then there wouldn’t be so much of a problem. Because of the way it has been set up since the 80’s, we need to rebalance the equation. Too much money in the hands of the few is a disaster for democracy. Teddy Roosevelt knew it.
5
Her plans are too extreme and too simplistic (just forgive student loans?) but at least she’s talking about ideas.
But the wealth tax is unconstitutional so she can’t pay for any of this stuff. What she needs is some kind of annual unrealized gain tax on the wealthy. That would do a number.
As for her green plan, we need ideas. I’m coming around to the idea that “new nuclear” has to be given a shot. Because our energy needs are just so massive.
2
@Mmm
Senator Warren proposes forgiving student loan balances of up to $50,000 for poorer Americans who meet certain parameters.
“Article I Section 8.
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;” Also see the 16th Amendment.
Investing in Green Energy lowers greenhouse gas emissions AND adds millions of jobs here in America. Win-Win.
1
@Mmm
Senator Warren proposes forgiving student loan balances of up to $50,000 for poorer Americans who meet certain parameters.
“Article I Section 8.
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;” Also see the 16th Amendment.
Investing in Green Energy lowers greenhouse gas emissions AND adds millions of jobs here in America. Win-Win.
@Blank
The 16th amendment was passed because of the Constitutionality concerns regarding the income tax not being apportioned per the Constitution.
Article I, Section 2, Clause 3:
"Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers . . ."
The 16th amendment only permits taxes on income, not directly on the value of assets:
"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."
I try to do a lot of advance thinking so I don't get into emergencies at the end. I set money aside so financial emergencies are covered. I exercise my body everyday so that doctors marvel at my fitness. I did my homework and figured out that Elizabeth Warren was a brilliant strategist and public minded person long before she ran for the Senate.
Her clear leadership of all these characters running attests to her clear vision for a viable US and world, where the largess of the US is shared by all who would toil for their place at the table.
Some people want to hear Bernie Sanders preaching about how he would lead the downtrodden to a table filled with food but he shows not ONE real plan to do this.
Some love the old appeal of Joe B. but he has never had a solid idea of a plan, never mind a real plan.
Some like the young photogenics or vibrant idealists but those qualities are good for TV & photoshoots but won't get a thing done.
When we must have good rubber to meet the harsh road we are now faced with, we have only to decide to go with one of the BEST EVER or take a very risky gamble on a second or third place wannabees. The Russians and ignorance gave us the current last place finisher in the WH. We now have a chance to do so much better, to have a future for us AND our children.
Go @Senwarren.
I do hope that MY enthusiasm for the Senator does not repel others but when I see such good, dare I say even great, qualities, I have no choice but to speak my mind about that.
20
Elizabeth Warren's record speaks for itself. She has my vote.
Now the average American needs to do something extremely simple but has enormous benefits-VOTE. Get off the couch, turn off Netflix for 5 minutes and get it done in 2020.
15
Meh, her ideas are not the most refreshing ones anymore. Try Andrew Yang or Tulsi Gabbard, both having many proposals and ideas that are bold and radical. I see these articles on big mainstream politicians and I remember how last time around the media focused on Hillary and ignored Sanders until well late into the campaign. I would love to see an in-depth article on some of the other lesser-known candidates.
4
Since prior to 1776 there has been an oligarchy and plutocracy ruling and running this country, with the favored few, and condoning slavery, as noted in our Constitution..
This has continued to date, with the latest 2017 GOP tax cut giving the lions share of benefits to the usual takers from big biz, like the Chamber of Commerce to the Kochs, the Waltons, and the Trumps, etc.
Everyone else has gotten de minimus benefits from that tax cut, without any input from the Dems, which was disallowed, and is already disappearing in thin air.
Now, after their new trillions of dollar deficits, which they authorized, they want to cut our Social Security and other benefits to the poorest among us.
Their criticism is continuing, as noted that big biz could be hurt by precluding big biz from investing in developing countries like India, and they'll continue to take the benefits therefrom.
Warren's plans will not hobble our oligarchy whatsoever, as they will continue to live well, while everyone else watches inequality rising to gargantuan levels.
Warren's proposals will barely touch the wealthiest. They will still be able to have their second and third homes on the moon and Mars, their yachts and and secret tax havens, while the rest of us try to survive earth's climatic destruction which they have continued to deny.
It's time to allow the rest of us try to survive and lead more decent lives.
We need us to also be included...it's about Warren time!
3
Elizabeth Warren is probably the only candidate with a comprehensive understanding of American economics and how the structure of our economy negatively impacts ordinary Americans. Sanders sees it, but Warren knows the nuts and bolts and can formulate strategic solutions.
But, if she is going to win the nomination and the election, she needs to focus more on universal healthcare.
This is the issue that drove the 2018 election and it is the issue that speaks to everyone. Even Republicans are going bankrupt from healthcare charges, even when they have insurance.
We are at a tipping point and Americans are finally beginning to notice this problem has been solved in other developed countries. And people are ready for a real “plan.”
7
No question in my mind that of all the candidates Warren would make the best POTUS. Big ideas will take a long time - probably several decades to implement - if the Dems can hold on to the House and eventually overtake the Senate. Still the Supreme Court is a huge negative. However - why not get started. Warrens got all the right ideas and the personal integrity and ‘right stuff’ to get the ball rolling.
8
Elizabeth Warren is the real deal. She believes in her policies and plans and has the knowledge to back them up. She has a particular talent for explaining complex economic issues to the average person. America needs to hear the why, how, and history of why this economy works mostly for the very wealthy and then the practical matter of how to make changes that work for the wider population.
It would be such a refreshing change to listen to our president speak on behalf of the whole country and say something worthwhile, honest, and dignified. On that point, any of the Dem candidates can do that.
10
She strikes me as one of the only candidates out there who actually cares about making life better for middle class Americans and this seems to be reflected in her policies. It’s a refreshing change from past democratic nominees who ran on ideals rather than ideas. I hope to see others follow suit so that we can have a series of debates driven by serious policy discussion rather than pomp and name calling.
If the election were tomorrow, Warren would most likely have my vote but I’ll do my best to keep an open mind.
18
Careful having policies that outline change, inclusion, fairness and climate action. Australia’s ‘can’t lose’ election last month where the call for change hopeful Bill Shorten was miles ahead in the polls, turned into a walkover by the elitist religious conservatives with no policies at all. Young people don’t vote, and Mom and pop don’t want change. Unless it’s back to the way things were back in the ‘good ol days’.
3
Warren is proposing policies only Congress can adopt?
I guess people don't know Warren's track record.
While a Harvard law professor and not in any branch of government, Obama picked her to be on an economics committee. From there, she pushed forward her idea for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She got it established and in the first six years of operation, it clawed back $12 billion for victims of predatory banks, fraudulent student loans, credit card services and other financial services.
As to Congress, whether or not they cooperate with Warren's economic plans, they can't pass a bill that doesn't exist. And there is no one else with a straight forward plan for billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes. And what's she asking: only 2 cents on every dollar of net wealth over $50 million. Who could believe billionaires when they complain they can't afford twp cents?
9
@ Iced tea party: 45's face is not easy to look at, though it speaks volumes about the meanness within the man. Warren's looks are beside the point.
4
So far, Warren has not presented a policy on gun control--reducing gun violence.
2
Elizabeth Warren is the FDR of the 21th century. The GOP's intentions to turn the country into a plutocracy are similar and in order for the nation to survive as we did during FDR's times, we need to slay the party of plutocrats once again and she is the only one capable.
13
What I am interested in is if she is elected, which of those many plans will be prioritized? I'm most impressed that by mentioning the value of the dollar, she recognizes that while a high dollar helps consumer sentiment, it simultaneously hurts US exports and shrinks profits and jobs related to exports.
This is in sharp contrast to Trumps whose economic expansion so far has relied on increasing the deficit inflate the speculative bubble and attract foreign foreign money thus inflating the dollar - it feels "consumer" good but it is not sustainable and it is bad for exports.
To my thinking taming the increasingly wild stock market gyrations which have plagued the country since 1980, while harnessing US talent to regain mfg export share, is a precondition for any other socially oriented plans to succeed. An export friendly valued dollar and wise investment tax credits favoring investments good for US long term strategic and economic health are key to realizing that. Whether or not Warren would prioritize that is hard to fathom.
Will all of her policies and "I have a plan for that" result in her being perceived as a know it all? I feel like she should intentionally fail at something. I know, I know...
1
@Kristin
Know what? There's already more than enough incompetence to go around.
But I guess I understand what you're driving at. A whip-smart, passionate woman with a comprehensive vision and the detailed plans to implement it is threatening to many people with fragile egos, men and women alike.
12
Plans are the tools with which an objective is accomplished. The question for Senator Warren and her competitors in the Democratic Presidential contest -- is:
To What END?
If Congress enacts all of these plans what objective will be achieved?
More than anything this country needs unifying principles. -- a common vision for 21st Century America.
The Vision will drive the plans -- not the reverse!
She is whom Bernie aspires to be. She is smart, capable of getting complex legislation through Congress and into law and she is much younger than he is.
9
One doubts that that face can win elections. there isn’t much kindness in it. Too bad because she is the most capable.
1
Not “much kindness” in Warren’s face?!? Firstly the current president has never ever acted or looked ‘kind’.
Secondly having a plan based on INTELLIGENT thought processes (as opposed to impulsive, non-sensical tweets) that covers real-life problems the average American deals with ——affordable quality childcare, healthcare, higher education support— is EXTREMELY kind!!!
8
@Lee
I hope you’re right that the intellectual content can bring her victory, but as a political observer I’m astonished at how poorly she’s handling the personal side of an election in our country.
1
Will her proposals become law? Only a small percentage, unfortunately. But the point of Liz Warren is she's actually engaged in all of these problems and figuring out solutions. That puts her miles ahead of any other candidate other than Mr. Yang, who I think would make a great running mate. The Dems have been spinning their gears, and republicans have been throwing sand into them, for too many years now. Ms. Warren wants to get things done, move forward out of the political and social stasis that has infected our country. This is a leader, a thinker, and a doer. She's got my vote.
7
First she will need to convince Americans that the economy needs fixing. There are many suffering but there are more who are doing pretty well to very well. Her anti-capitalist, share-the- wealth mantras do not play well in Peoria.
5
In the last presidential election, people voted for change-- drain the swamp, kick the insiders out, ... and got Trump and a deeper more noxious swamp full of more insiders lining their pockets with the rich getting richer and the poor losing health care (and someone keeps trying to get Americans to pay for a border wall even though it was promised that Mexico would pay for the border wall). Admittedly Trump's presidential competition was weak and essentially promised to keep the status quo.
Americans still want a change for the better. Trump failed to fulfill, and Warren has many good ideas-- none of which will survive in much of any recognizable form after political tradeoffs are made. I think most Americans recognize that the marquee policies will not pass as is-- but the incumbent has spent trillions of dollars on promised changes for the better and all Americans have to show for it is a few more rich people.
So, it is time for a change. The outsider Trump method has failed. The insider Clinton mindless status quo method was rejected. Time to try someone who at least has a recognizable plan for improvement, even if no one will agree to all the policies. Not all will pass, and it is unlikely any will pass into law in the form espoused by Warren. At least she has an intelligent plan.
3
She is describing policies that will have long-term, positive effects on our country. Spend a little money now, and reap the major rewards later on. Free tuition at public universities, for example, strikes me as the next logical step of the Morrill Act that expanded institutions of higher learning across the country.
The Morrill Act brought higher education to more people, which in turn spawned transformational breakthroughs that drove economic growth - from the discovery of sweetcorn to the invention of the LED. Extending higher education to an even greater segment of our population is therefore a strong investment in our future.
Of course these sorts of plans need to clear Congress, but at least Ms. Warren is articulating good, lofty goals for our future. And what could be more American than that?
9
I would love for Elizabeth Warren to be POTUS but I don’t think she can win...
Voters in America have proven how ignorant they are twice—but voting for George Bush and then for Trump...
Put a smart woman as the lead on the ticket and I just think you will alienate too many necessary voters...
I know how harsh that sounds and it isn’t fair—but it is likely realistic.
Let whoever wins on the Democratic ticket make her Sec of Treasury or even Sec of Defense—I think she is the only one who could make the Pentagon stick to a budget...
3
Government guided development ? I can see the fleets of Lada like cars.
3
Warren is pro Medicare for all, but no details on role of private insurers? ACA keeps high profits for insurers, a big barrier for reform.
See NYT op ed "The Fake Freedom of American Health Care” by Anu Partanen--- a Finnish reporter here after marriage, trying to cope with U.S. health care and it's financial strain, and insecurity.
Our media keeps voters in the dark on details of how average citizens pay for and use health care in other capitalist democracies--for generations, as centrist policy. The NYT is an international paper and could do it. Lack of coverage keeps many voters vulnerable to GOP self serving arguments about Freedom from Big Govt.
Partanen says countries with HC for all still have plenty of "thriving businesses, with lower administrative burdens. It can be done.”
American exceptionalism is really abnormality.
Even Bernie Sanders doesn't give concrete data on how other countries pay for HC, tho his speeches always include a sentence that abroad, HC for all is a right. End of story. He once held hearings with witnesses on HC in Canada, France, Denmark, Taiwan. But he never talks about this!
It was striking when business reporter Ali Velshi on MSNBC-- departing from the norm--- once mentioned how Canada’s health care system had worked very well for his family, saying flatly “in no country on earth do free market systems work for health care.”
Our media never talks about this. Warren could do it and make the media follow.
4
My Labrador has a better chance if getting elected than Warren. It’s amazing how self deluded some of these candidates are.
7
Like Hillary, Warren has ideas, plans for implementing them and for that reason she doesn’t stand a chance. The real power and money in this country doesn’t want change or science or anything that could reduce their power or money.
The conservative think tanks were created to allow the wealthiest to keep their financial monopoly and fund phony science. Their backers will do all they can to defeat Warren by generating nonsense ridiculing Warren’s ideas.
3
I'd love to see a Warren-Sanders or Sanders-Warren team!
7
@Slipping Glimpser
So would every Republican.
5
It’s pretty disingenuous for Warren to want to forgive every student’s college debt, when in fact, she fully participated and benefited from that said debt. Harvard University (where Warren was a faculty member) collects roughly $75,000 per student per year while it’s PhD faculty make an average salary of $230,292 per year.
Her proposal should address the rising cost of college tuition and the ballooning salaries of those institution’s professors and administrators.
Instead, she looks to fix the symptom rather than the root cause and force every American to pay to sustain those institution’s ridiculous salaries and their student’s ridiculous debt.
12
@Robert B
The bulk of American university faculty are adjuncts who make barely above poverty level wages. The bulk of college revenue is spent on administrative salaries and state of the art dorms/gyms.
8
What I like about Warren is that she has vision. Unfortunately, it would take a Democratic supermajority last seen when FDR was President to enact her policies and it’s easy to see why. Nobody wants to rock the boat when the economy is humming along. It will take an economic disaster on a scale not seen since FDR was elected to make people listen to Warren.
What would be a better fit for this political moment is to pick a couple of bipartisan, centrist policies that would have a good chance of improving the lives of everyday Americans. Reworking the American economy just isn’t going to happen this time around. Even someone like myself who agrees with Warren on nearly every point will get nervous if too much happens too fast while everything is going (economically) well.
3
"Like other Democrats running for president, she would need her party to not only keep the House next year but also take control of the Senate, a difficult feat, to have any chance of pushing the bulk of her agenda through Congress."
You left out the Supreme Court. FDR had a problem with it blocking his agenda.
2
They have minimal gravitas within the party, and he is a fresh face while Warren is relatively unknown until now. Warren has come out swinging and singing and she is engaging and her positions are logical and intelligent and doesn't have political speak, and so is liked. Buttegieg is intelligent, and gives off a feeling of strength from within that sells his style and person to me, and he is straightforward and not promising ridiculous items pandering to fringe elements. Both compliment each other and should join as a team. I was wary of Warren but have warmed up. Buttegieg is very special and would be interesting to have a man who owes nothing to anyone as president.
1
Why bother to run for the president of United States when you don't have big ideas to remake the country? This isn't a local councilman's job, but a job to run a country with 330 million people across a continent.
Many major problems we are facing like climate change, unaffordable housing and education, income inequality, pollution, and etc. have remain unresolved and gotten worse despite of forty years of Republican and Democrat rule.
At least Warren has shown she has the guts and brain to try as compared to our current White House Occupant who runs our country like a reality show and Republicans behave like headless chickens.
Anyone wants the top job needs to show your policies or go home. Don't waste our voters' time.
21
She's got my vote! It's so exciting to see this trailblazer blaze ahead!
16
I would love anyone to ask Warren, who rightly goes after drug and wall street companies for gouging, why she never goes after universities and colleges for obscene gauging on tuition, room, board and books? Her policy will still have insanely high costs stay intact. Can it be that as a Harvard professor she is a hypocrite who won't criticize an industry that gauges that she herself was a part of an likely has many friends still gouging?
11
Sorry- I'm just an old cat but I think she might be clueless- to basic economics and other things!
8
Guido you may be right. A majority of electoral college elected tariff-man, so they don’t know economics neither
2
She may be clueless about some things-but economics is definitely in her wheelhouse.
2
I'm With Her
11
Warren's policy prescriptions would be a fantastic catalyst to empowering the middle and working classes, a rebalancing after 40 years of trickle down economics. I have no doubt these programs would spark a renaissance in the US, and reduce suffering for millions of people. Without bold changes like these, American decline will continue.
17
A big misconception here is that Warren's proposal for "free college" is only for state colleges of residents of that state. This is as it should be.
There was a time in the 70s when California colleges were free to state residents. We desperately need this to grow as a country.
Along with universal health care. What is wrong with us?
11
Much change being proposed by Warren. Pros and cons can be argued by many.
I like a lot of her proposals but I cringe about those that will require the government to actually run and/or manage/oversee those changes.
I look around at government run “anything” like the NYC subways, public housing in NYC, infrastructure all over the country, many school systems etc...and I wonder if government intervention will just make all they touch a boondoggle disaster.
I’d like to see the government get its act together and demonstrate competence and efficiency (rather than monumental waste like tunnels that lead to nowhere) before I vote for wholesale change to our economy and other institutions.
Elizabeth Warren has some good ideas. But unless they are handled by qualified people (rather than know nothing political hacks) the results could be far worse than doing nothing at all.
6
@SAH
I can get a bit upset when anyone makes blanket assertions about "government is bad" as an argument. Anyone can look around and see the messes made by private business!
How well are the private prisons doing or for profit schools or the pharma/robber complex? Problems exist everywhere - public and private business. ...But, I would much rather put my trust in government, where we can demand some accountability, than a private business that only responds to its shareholders and CEO shysters.
Let me not wrap up by failing to give a shout out to the most illustrious private businesses in the banking and finance industry, otherwise referred to by many as the legalized mafia, that brought us derivatives and crashed our economy and from which we are still recovering (with millions of foreclosures and people still suffering from that nightmare).
...And I will conclude by giving a star to the government for Social Security, Medicare, FDA for protection of our food, EPA for the much needed environmental cleanups of some dirty businesses and on and on. With the right leaders, supported by an informed and active citizenry, Our Government could truly be 'dear ole Uncle Sam'.
I think that's what most of us want and we are learning, now, with this administration, that we the people are going to have to pay attention and engage to make government work for us.
6
@Blanche White
I appreciate that the government isn’t all bad. And, obviously the private sector isn’t all good. However I want more assurances that if we go through a “ great upheaval” in our economy it will be for the better.
You mentioned the recent financial meltdown brought upon us by the financial industry. Absolutely true! Their greed knows no bounds. And yet after the Great Depression of the 1930s there was passed The Glass-Steagle Act to help prevent another occurrence. And by and large it did until “somehow” our Congress repealed it. Of course that was brought about by Wall Street money and heavy lobbying for years, but it happened!! That could happen again and happens all the time. Frightening!!
Medicare...wonderful idea. But I personally know doctors with large Medicare dependence who had to close their offices because they don’t pay enough to meet expenses, much less pay them. Others have to take personal loans to keep the doors open because they have to wait months and months to be paid. It’s got to be run better or our medical system will collapse if Medicare becomes universal.
The Boeing 737 Max crashes. Seems our safety overseers, The FAA, allowed Boeing’s own in house employees to CERTIFY that the plane was safe rather than do it the right way with non biased FAA inspectors . 2 plane loads of people died because of it.
Do the changes Warren wants? Sure, in most cases. But I want it to work well!! And a lot ( not all) of what I see scares me!!
1
Interesting to read the article with chart on yahoo about paid vacation days world in the richest countries.
Spain almost 40 days, France in the middle with 5 weeks paid vacation per year for everybody, even the first year of work. down to the last Cannada with still probably 2 weeks afetr a few years.
USA = zero !
Some American commenters react by saying it is all a lie and that the USA produce more.
NO. Same productivity by worker in France and USA with 35 h/ week work in France and 5 weeks paid vacation per year.
Americans work much more and produce less. And live a shorter life expectancy.
9
That is ridiculous. Have you paid attention to the French economy over the last 50 years??
3
@JPH We can guess that if we live longer .It is because life is communist. Even Marxist !
@Really? yes of course. the French economy is much better for average people than the USA. And if you did not cheat on us with all your biggest corporations paying no taxes being fiscally registered in Europe and abusing us by invading the markets.
You are just ignorant.You probably have never been to France. For sure.
1
I’m glad Warren doesn’t want to pack the courts. The authoritarian impulse is scary coming from Harvard educated Buttigieg. We all know and love that Warren wants to increase competition which let’s face it, makes for a more efficient free market economy. How do free market fundamentalists defend market failure with monopolies? Trump just talked (mumbled) about tech monopolies.
2
All her plans sound great but if we don’t have the Dems don’t have the Senate it’s a no-win situation. Sad, but true.
4
"Elizabeth Warren Has Lots of Plans. Together, They Would Remake the Economy"
And why not: the present economy is running terribly!
10
you must be a ceo.
5
"Ms. Warren’s campaign has amplified the impact of her policy rollouts by timing many of them to campaign trips."
Congratulations on Senator Warren and her staff for running a stellar campaign. The timing and rollout of her policy proposals have been impeccable leaving her rivals playing catch-up and answering to her ideas. Her numbers are now are in a virtual tie for second place behind Biden.
Thank you NYT's for this positive article with fair criticisms and a genuine flattering photograph of Ms. Warren and for proving me wrong that the media would do it's best to ignore her candidacy.
13
Apparently, Ms. Warren does not understand that corporations don’t pay taxes. In most instances they pass their tax burden onto the people that buy their goods and services, which more often than not is the middle class.
Medicare for All sounds great. Until one realizes that if you hand health insurance over to the government, as a monopoly, there is not competition. The government has you. Without competition you have no leverage. Just ask the people who are forced to transfer their income through Social Security and Medicare to the folks that did not put enough aside for their retirement.
Ms. Warren, as well as many of her fellow travelers, want to break-up Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, etc. Just what has Ms. Warren done to add similar value. These companies have created millions of direct or indirect jobs. How many jobs has Ms. Warren created?
12
What “leverage” does anyone have now? We are the inly modern country that bankrupts sick people. Case closed.
11
Warren would be a brilliant President. The country and the world desperately needs someone like her in the White House. Please don’t stuff it up again, America!
22
Where are Ms. Warren's money trees growing?
10
@Nightwood Read her plans. The consistent complaint from the right that the US doesn’t have the money for these things is uninformed and wrong. The country just gave tax cuts of $2 trillion to the rich and wastes an insane amount of money on military spending.
13
@Andrew Warren is over reaching, way over reaching, but if she ends up as THE candidate, i will vote for her. However, i do think "dumb" and "slow" Biden has the better chance of defeating Trump.
I’m sure someone’s already said it, but I just sincerely hope that this publication doesn’t do to Elizabeth Warren what it did to Hillary Clinton. She is clearly the best candidate with the best ideas. Don’t sink her!
28
@Acfh
" I just sincerely hope that this publication doesn’t do to Elizabeth Warren what it did to Hillary Clinton."
ummm, like endorse her??
3
As a former Republican and a pretty moderate person who believes in the power of markets to do many things well, sign me up.
This country has turned into a right wing loonie bin over the past 40 years, with the Republicans leading the way and the Democrats right behind. “Promote the general welfare,” as our Constitution promises has been replaced with “Enrich the few at the expense of everyone and everything (like the environment) else.”
Evidence? Warren is considered a leftie in the US and “centrists” and “moderates” find her “radical.” In any other country she’s be a moderate.
44
What Natasha Sarin fails to acknowledge in her quote:
"...taxing wealth could discourage innovation and risk-taking by entrepreneurs who invest time in their ideas hoping for a large payoff down the road.
“It’s a really important shift in how tax policy works in the U.S...and it’s not obvious .. that it’s a shift for the better.”
is that you can still have a deeply dysfunctional economy
while promoting all the entrepreneurial wealth you can. It is not obvious to many people who are far below Sarin on the economic ladder that shifting wealth to promote
the needs of the currently stressed out middle class
is a bad idea.
It would probably do the likes of skeptical academics like Sarin a world of good to reread their Stieglitz and Tobin, to name just two, who emphasize that society now is terribly imbalanced with wealth too concentrated to do much social good. We need good practical policy proposals that will alleviate this structural imbalance in wealth distribution.
What, after all, is the point of wealth generation if a reasonable percentage of the population does not see the slightest return from it, and who struggles daily just to get by?
Besides, a lot of, but not all, risk taking does not necessarily do society much good at all since it generates a pointless demand for objects that don't really do very much to improve the daily lives of ordinary people. Religious faith
in the benefits from risk taking entrepreneurs deserves some skepticism.
3
"....allow the federal government to more aggressively steer the development of industries." This makes perfect sense since Warren has personally started many successful businesses and the federal government itself is known for keen business tactics and strategies.
8
Reality: the economy is fine i.e. give us an immigration plan Pelosi will not reject
6
Regardless of what happens in the 2020 election, kudos to Elizabeth Warren. Her policy ideas are changing our national conversation. And for that I say thank you.
33
She has a plan for pretty much everything and that is good. However, the likelihood that most or even any of these things will be enacted is slim to none. What promoting these plans does is move the needle in the right direction and could result in at least one significant case such as universal health coverage. That would be a huge step forward.
6
Elizabeth Warren--seismic, inexorable and essential .
16
You left out the most important descriptor: unelectable. If the Dems are foolish enough to choose her as their candidate, she will lose badly to Trump in 2020, and the Dems will kick themselves for sacrificing a senate seat for this folly.
7
She’s a populist. Trump was viewed as unelectable until he wasn’t. “Electable” = safe = not likely to be elected.
2
@GMooG
Yes, I suppose that makes sense.
If you're terrified...
The only reason Senator Warren hasn't been taken more seriously sooner as a formidable candidate, by the mainstream media anyway, the one to beat really, is because she is a 60ish white female.
10
@Wish I could Tell You so I guess Hilary who was a favorite of the media was not a 60 plus year old white woman.
I’m a Democrat. Eaten has lots of plans. Whoever the next Democratic nominee is will still get a Repubulicsn majority in the Senate. They will not pass a wealth tax or any tax on the super wealthy. It’s easy to formulate these big plans especially on the campaign trail, but the reality in Washington doesn’t support it.
2
I met Senator Warren at a function in Massachusetts. I found her to be the Real Deal. She is genuine, which places her in a category of maybe 2 or 3 of all the candidates, including Ronald McDonald Trump!!!
She is brilliant, kind, organized, humble and one of those really effective people who just gets things done and done right. And she is dependable and responsible.
I’ll be voting for her.
20
Fortunately for all of us her policies will never see the light of day. She and Sanders are the two most likely to lose to Trump. And even if she were nominated and won, nothing she is proposing will ever pass with a Republican Senate.
7
@Bill Collins That assumes it will be a Republican senate.
2
Why not devise new economic policies? It is quite clear that capitalism as currently practiced benefits a select few. Of course there will be fear-mongering by the Republicans and their wealthy supporters. Despite a thriving current economy (though there are clear signs it is weakening), the have-nots will be the first to lose their jobs in a downturn whereas the wealthy will be just fine. Let's see if the majority begin to think for themselves instead of believing the same old lies that clearly disadvantage them.
5
Ms. Warren is exactly right to be publicizing her ideas to fix an economy and social fabric that's badly broken. But it's not just broken, it's been intentionally rigged to favor the modern Robber Barons, and that rigging is so intertwined that it will take much more than raising the marginal tax rates to fix. This is where Liz is way ahead of everyone else except maybe Bernie.
Her proposals show a deep understanding of the insidious war that has been waged on the 99% by those pulling the levers of power behind the scenes. And it's no coincidence, nor surprising, that so-called "centrists" and "moderates, who are nothing less that Republicans-In-Dem-Clothing would oppose such an agenda because they get their money and power from the 1% and Corporate America that has feasted on the rest of us for decades.
Contrast her ideas with those of Same Old Joe who wants to return us to the policies of Clinton and Obama, neither of whom fought for the "little guy", who instead sold him out to the wishes of their big donors. This is why so many voters either didn't vote for Hilary, or stayed home, and why Trump was elected, even though no one believed he would do anything to help the working and middle class.
We need these bold, and very workable, ideas to enable the majority to enjoy the fruits of the wealth they work so hard to generate. As far as I'm concerned there are only two candidates who can deliver these: Warren and Sanders, the other 21 dwarfs should just drop out.
8
We need a president who will listen to the people and not be controlled by corporate power. Warren has my vote.
8
Warren's making a big mistake by not going on Fox. The rousing receptions received by Sanders and Buttgieg should be an indication of the warm welcome awaiting her. It would also serve as another slap in the face for the cynics at Fox who think these candidates are just deer wandering into the lion's den. We are imitative creatures, and in order to convince most people of a position, they first have to look around and see how others, who's opinions they respect, are acting.
6
I love to love her, but I keep remembering that the four most destructive words of the 20th Century were "I have a plan." Hers always seem to start with "We're going to spend $100 billion to...," and her explanations of where the money will come from don't add up. It's easy to promise the sky when a candidate is campaigning; a lot harder to make the sky do what a president wants it to do.
10
@HKGuy if you’ve read her proposals, you’ll see she’s promising the “sky” with solid detail and realistic funding plans
4
@arielg3891 actually no. You cannot tax a trillion dollars more and be sure it will not end up an impossible task.
3
@arielg3891
I have read her proposals. But unlike you, I also understand math, business and economics. Her proposals are catnip for the naive, and will never go anywhere.
There's a difference between typing and legislating. Warren supporters don't seem to understand this.
4
So Trump is destroying government from one aspect and she is going to remake it from another. Maybe a Soviet 5 year plan. Free student loans, free Booker rent, women bonuses because you are a women from Harris.
I asked my favorite waitress where she had been and she said she was losing more in her dying husband’s disability pay then she was able to make working so she stopped a couple days a week. What kind of system makes people who want to work stop working. This is what the current crop of Dems. would expand. Free government help.
7
Hmm. I’m understanding that your waitress was able to stay home and care for her dying husband because he has decent disability pay. Failing to see the problem here.
6
You must be a Democrat because you just made my point. She wants to work to support her family with some government help, not be supported by the government.
Warren is the Jimmy Carter of her generation. Many home-spun ideas geared toward supporting mediocrity. I doubt the Country would ever elect her but, if she were to be so lucky, it would guarantee 30 years of republican rule like did Carter.
7
@William
In the 38 years since Carter left office, there have been 16 years with Democratic Presidents (Clinton & Obama)...only 22 years with Republicans.
4
Ask Elizabeth Warren a question and she'll say, "Ok, I've got plan for that. Here it is."
Ask Joe Biden a question and he'll say, "Ok, I'll check the polling data and get back to you tomorrow."
8
Whatever works to beat Trump. Plans, polls, roll of the dice. Just win!
Lol , if the fed lowers rates and the stock market goes to record highs , she will need more then theoretical anguish.
4
@Ralph Petrillo That's right! Trump is manipulating in every way his advisors can think of to keep the Golden Goose Market of ten years alive with the Fed providing free money to the Big Machines. He will keep it alive until after 2020 election. Then, good luck everyone!
1
I think Ms. Warren, with all her energy and well-thought out plans, is just beginning to show her mettle. She's lust getting started. I'll bet she can make many of her plans work.
8
I have been greatly impressed with Senator Warren, but there is a glaring omission from her list of plans. Nothing on immigration. This is the one issue Trump is ready for and the only issue that really matters to many, many, many of those who voted Trump in the critical swing states. The Democratic nominee must have a detailed plan on immigration. Warren knows domestic issues inside and out, and now should really be hitting the books on immigration. Come out with a clear, detailed plan, along the lines of what nearly passed Congress in the Obama Era, go down to swing state Arizona and dramatically unveil it.
11
I think, like Robert Mueller’s report, few people have read Ms. Warren’s proposals. Read the one on forgiveness of student debt. Just read the first two paragraphs.
She writes of winning a college scholarship the dropping out of college to get married at age 19. She says this is what any mature, sensible 19 year old would do.
This is EXACTLY why college should not be free nor should existing debt not be forgiven. Ms. Warren had no ‘skin in the game’ on her first go round in college so it was easy for her to walk away from it. We tend to place little value in that which we don’t sacrifice for.
Frankly, I’m not willing, after putting my four children through school, to foot the bill for other kids who see free college as a way to put off being responsible.
19
@Matt Williams
Agreed, when people get something for free, they value it at $0.00.
10
@Matt Williams,
And that she receives $350,000 as college professor of course has nothing to do with the problem of students' loans.
6
Warren has a great idea - wealthy individuals and large corporations should pay their fair share of taxes, wheras today they pay almost none.
11
@Tibby Elgato
So, what's fair? Share of Federal taxes paid:
Top 1% of earnings
37.32%
Top 5% of earnings
58.23%
Top 10% of earnings
69.47%
Top 25% of earnings
85.97%
Could your information be any more wrong?
https://taxfoundation.org/summary-latest-federal-income-tax-data-2018-update/
6
@Buzzy Nobody actually pays those rates on income due to the loopholes they wrote intot he tax code. Ask the resident of the WH for his returns so we may see. Or ask one of the richest people in the US Warren Buffet what he pays and if he thinks it's fair.
I've heard a lot of people say she isn't "electable", but when I ask why not they only recite the claims of the media saying she isn't. Even so, they concede she's smart, experienced, tough, and has policy plans better than any other candidate's. I, for one, think she's the most electable of the field.
9
Warren has it all. She's the anti-Trump: she worked her way up, she's brilliant, she really cares... a true advocate for the working & middle class & impoverished, and another crucial quality: earnestness. I trust her. She knows what she's talking about. It's clear she experienced personal struggles, and that will never fail to attract common people who want to see real change in this country. And her western/midwestern way of talking doesn't hurt. It's so refreshing. I'll have a beer with her anytime!
29
Unfortunately, for most Americans, Warren is best known as a cheat. She claimed minority status which she was not entitled to. Plans are an inadequate substitute for good character.
7
@Doug Downunder. Just look at her face. Wow, she is certainly Native American. At this point, DNA analysis is not perfect. Had mine done. It missed a lot.
2
@Doug Downunder
Trump has the worst character of any President in US history.
4
Dear Senator Warren: The more I hear/read about you, the more impressed I am. May all go well in the primaries. PS: How about Pete Buttigieg as your VP choice?
4
Oh, yes, please, PLEASE choose Mayor Pete as your running mate!
Sincerely,
Donald Trump
4
I was surprised to see the claim that Pete Buttigieg hasn't issued detailed policies. Have you looked?
7
Nobody for President is prefect. Candidates talk about policy in general which is where Warren is superb compared to her competitors. Before her Senate run she was an academic expert on Bankruptcy law, she is brilliant compared to most. That being said being Einstein in the political arena is useless if you cannot get anything though Congress. It would be good if there was open discussion of fixing antediluvian rules which allow the Senate Majority leader to block all legislation. Also there is little to know Congressional oversight if Congress is blocked from exercising it. You would think Congress would address internal problems but it seems as likely as a Model A Ford transforming itself into a Land Rover. The Constitution being 250 years old needs to be rewritten. Its about time we bring our ancient government into the 21st Century.
3
I enjoy candidate Warren's thoughtful, strategic and plausible. The U.S. cannot go on as it is. Existing systems are not working for too many of our citizenry. We have to begin repairs, overhauls and new programs. I am hoping that the Democratic field narrows and that we get behind a candidate who has the vision to heal our brokenness.
3
When are the media going to stop mislabeling our low-information civic sloths as "moderates?"
They are not "moderates." They are disengaged know-nothings who vote their fears and prejudices because their thinking is bumper sticker deep.
11
But they vote. And there are a lot of moderates in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan that will swing the election. They vote!
While it’s frustrating, Democrats cannot lose sight of that sobering fact. They vote.
This election is about the best plan that pulls together the most votes in the battleground states.
2
Oh those Deplorables interfering with election plans again?!
Definitely electable.
7
Yes. But only in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, or Venezuela.
9
The media can try as hard as they may to pump life into her lifeless campaign.
But the fact remains, she lied about her heritage just to get ahead in life. It's been proven. She will be further ripped to shreds for this as time goes on. Face it. Her campaign is dead on arrival.
12
It’s been shown that she never benefited from what she genuinely (and correctly, apparently) believed was her native American heritage. What do you believe in? I’ll dismiss it in a second with a single irrelevant anecdote.
1
In 2016 Bernie Sanders was criticized for his "pie in the sky" ideas. Warren seems to have also chosen this path. However she is not saying that "a revolution" will be needed to get her ideas passed, at least not yet. Some candidates are putting out good progressive ideas like Warren is and some are putting out ideas that they think can actually get passed. We will see which type of ideas voters are looking for. Personally my view that the climate change has reached the point where the situation has become an emergency and therefore I am looking for candidates who want to immediately address that problem with whatever we have rather than those trying to restructure the economy.
Liking her more every day, let’s get back to electing the smart people to office. And stop with the “electable” nonsense!
6
Let's see: America could have to choose between a woman who has been a Harvard professor and a distinguished senator vs. a man who said that the moon was part of Mars and spoke of "Fine People" walking with Neo Nazis. Should this really be a hard choice for a thinking person?
12
Key word is “thinking”....
4
All these lovely policies will have little impact until she addresses illegal immigration.
Trump won the 2016 election the day he spoke out against it. If Warren, and the rest of the Democrats, don't take a strong stance on securing our borders, outraged citizens will elect Trump again in 2020. Neither our country nor our planet can afford that.
111
@Someone else
In general I agree. The first thing Democrat’s must do is prove to voters that their immigration plan sensibly limits immigration, but does it in a humane way. They also need to forcefully refute the lies about immigrants as criminals.
Furthermore, many industries need workers, whether it is agriculture or other jobs that most Americans want to do.
As long as the plan is strong enough to make Americans feel safe, it removes the Republican advantage of fear mongering.
29
@Someone else - Building a wall is easy because it will still allow the hypocritical yet profitable employee-illegal yet employer-legal status quo to continue. Trump's own gold courses knowingly hired so-called illegal workers - that's not in violation of Trump's platform, that is the end goal. It's wonderfully profitable to be able to hire so-called illegal workers with indemnity - no need for employers to pay transportation costs, family health care costs, civil costs for legal protection, etc.
The Wall is a farce - what is required for long term stability and to preserve the principles on which the US is built is enforcement on employers while simultaneously allowing visas and green cards for the employees necessary to prevent an economic downturn.
26
@Someone else
Illegal immigration is not the most pressing problem this country has. Income inequality and fewer means to advance economically for roughly 25 to 30% of the country is. Minimum wage incomes will not lift these people out of poverty. Notice how stubborn the numbers are on poverty despite the glowing employment stats.
40
Ms.Warren’s main idea to begin a reversal of forty years of unrestrained capitalism and restore some balance to the distribution of the wealth of this country to the many rather than to the few has a lot of merit. The question should not be will she succeed if she is elected. The question should be is the idea to begin a reversal of the trend of the last forty years a welcome goal?
It took forty years since Reagan to brainwash the American people with the proposition that the answer to all their economic ills is the free market, and only the free market. The results of these policies are in. We see them everyday. Yes, the country is getting richer , but the wealth is flowing faster and faster upward leading to income inequalities not seen since the early 1920’s. And we know how that ended.
Ms. Warren’s proposals are bold, maybe too bold if taken individually at face value in our present environment. But so was the idea that the government is the problem. That less of it is always good and more of it is always bad. Ms. Warren may force the question of the election to be: How much government is good enough to restore some balance in the wealth of the nation and offer some basic security to our lives.
It may be more difficult to distill this idea than in a simple slogan like MAGA. But the American people are not suckers. They may have been fooled once. It may not be as easy to do so again, the Russians notwithstanding.
Go for it Ms. Warren.
7
Ms. Warren’s policies may not be good for businesses. The suppressed wages and benefits of tens of millions of Americans HAS been good if not great for many businesses. The tax code continues to reward capital at the expense of labor, which has to make up for the subsidy to the capital gains tax rate. I say put the heat on businesses and our tax code to roll back the transfer of workforce compensation to wealthy interests since 1986. LET’s TAKE IT BACK.
4
She will remake the economy stronger than now and at no additional cost to taxpayers. I can’t wait to see the details.
3
Where did you get the “no additional cost to taxpayers” part?
4
The fact Elizabeth Warren does not have plans for immigration or health care ought to tell you something. It also should tell you something about the candidates who do have “answers” for those issues.
7
Can she win over the voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and North Carolina in the general election? What is her polling looking like in those places?
It’s too early to answer that question, but, that’s ALL that matters. Winning those states.
Keep in mind that Democrats can’t count on high turnout from any specific group. You hope for it, but you can’t count on it. So can she win over the people in the states that matter. Will those people be receptive to this plan? Not in theory but based on direct feedback and polling.
Places like Vermont, California, Texas and Mississippi don’t matter in this election.
We can’t afford to lose this election. 2016 was such a setback. Another setback will significantly alter the future of this country. Democrats must get political and practical this go around. Republicans must be stopped.
3
I am lucky to have Elizabeth Warren as my senator. She's wonderful, just wonderful. She doesn't lie, she doesn't pose, she's never stopped working since she was young for all of us.
She is just wonderful. Every time I show up for something that matters, she's there, leading rather than following.
I'd follow her anywhere! She's got a plan, a real plan, and she knows how to get things done.
---
[This might be why Bernie has decided she is the one to defeat, rather than Trump. Shame on Berniebusters, great ideas, too much rockstarism, but creating conflict is not the way to go.]
11
@Susan Anderson
Any links, proofs for this accusation of Sanders deciding she is the one to defeat?!
As for *creating conflict...* Sen. Warren doesn't seem to have any issus going after other candidates, such as Biden, does she?!
What derogitory nickname do you think is fitting for Sen. Warren's ardent followers?! I'll give you first dibs on naming them/you.
Seening as it is acceptable to slander and demean other candidates followers such as you are doing once again. Let us know Kettle.
6
@Dobbys sock
Also, you seem microfocused on the bracketed coda. Seems you aren't interested in finding out how much Warren stands for what Bernie does, just in attacking her and her supporters.
1
@Dobbys sock
Attack attack attack. I have said, over and over again, that I love Bernie's ideas, but dislike the way his followers are constantly on the attack, and fond of "my way or the highway", and the way he doesn't discourage them. It's a tricky problem, but the self righteousness stinks.
You seem to have a problem here. Most Bernie followers are quite rational, but some just prefer the hate. Those are the ones who are Bernie or bust and prefer Trump to anyone else but Bernie.
1
Remake the economy? Remake 3.5% unemployment? Remake a high flying stock market that was supposed to tank under Trump? Remake all time high tax revenues? By employing her Socialism political philosophies?
Sure. The same way Castro got rid of those nasty rich people and remade Cuba's economy, and Maduro remade the Venezuelan economy. And I have no doubt (and neither do scores of millions of people whose brains aren't jelly) that Warren would do exactly the same things with exactly the same results if she were ever elected.
14
Stop kidnapping children as policy, stop handing Russia and China the world at every turn, stop supporting white nationalism (with stochastic terrorism), stop undermining the free press, stop harming the American worked with tariffs (taxes), stop demonizing Muslims, stop supporting ethno-nationalism around the world, stop packing the courts with inexperienced ideologues...etc. etc. etc.
1
I’m tired of hearing from the haters! I LOVE her policies. I see them creating the country so could be proud to live in!
4
Promise what you cannot deliver and hand the job to Trump, who is better at doing that.
1
As much as my Gen Xer and Millenial kids and friends despise the current fungal mass that is in power, they will never put their energy behind getting Biden elected - they perceive him as so middle-of-the-road that he looks downright conservative. They will put all their energies around getting Warren and/or Buttigieg elected, as I and most of my sepuaigenarian friends will. Not only that, I'm really missing something Warren's ideas are considered leftist. What?
6
Warren is great, but when will Americans get universal health coverage if not this election? I see her and Bernie as two sides of the same coin. They are both tough on banks and the super wealthy, Warren more so, they both want free college and to be proactive about climate change, but only Bernie has addressed healthcare. Warren has barely talked about it, taking the same rhetorical position on it as centrist Democrats like Buttigieg. Health is the basis of life, it's the solid ground from which to pursue education, a profession, a family, etc. It is the most important issue for any nation, especially since in the US life expectancy is dropping - unheard of.
6
There is a level of naiveite in the responses here that are disturbing : Were Ms. Warren to become the candidate, given her tax proposals on the wealthy...what will occur ?? During the 2020 campaign, the ultras will smear her reputation from the beginning, both left and right to protect their riches! Conservative wealthy have already proven they have no moral compass, and there are wealthy moderates and liberals who will join. Personally, I would join with her platform...but it would be futile. It would be a negative-ad campaign beyond all recognition ! trump in 2020..Uunhhh!
So Ms Warren and the democrats believe the current economy is bad. Lowest black unemployment in history is bad. GDP over 3% is bad. Wages finally going up after a decade is bad. Highest percentage of women working is bad. Retirement funds should and 401Ks going thru the roof on a rising stock market is bad
And she has the answers to stop this.
Good luck!
11
The rich getting richer and a new gilded age. GDP means nothing with jobs with terrible wages that offer no stability. I could go on and on but i stopped taking your comment seriously when you parroted Trump’s “lowest black unemployment” - the slightest glance at the history of unemployment in this country (black and otherwise) would show you he had nothing to do with it - another win that he takes that he was given (just like the rest of his life) and his cult (like you) will believe anything he says because you worship money and nothing else. Keep us posted on the nihilist cult - or I could just watch Fox News.
1
She has lots and lots of plans...they all entail spending lots and lots of money. Americans do not like the government spending their money - that will lead to her defeat byTrump
in a millisecond.
12
"Ms. Warren has already drawn criticism from centrists..."
But her ideas should be exactly that--centrist---in any 21st C modern country that functions as a democracy.
High wealth taxes and support for the middle class were more centrist in past generations that people still living can remember.
Not that long ago historically---GOP Eisenhower's term in the 1950s--- the marginal tax rate for the rich on the highest portion of incomes was 91 PERCENT. GOP Ike supported labor unions and social security.
GOP Ike oversaw the biggest govt infrastructure project in history--the interstate highway system. It created plenty of jobs, much economic stimulus that benefited the working and middle class across the country, and business expansion.
Now U.S. productivity and wealth has been 'distributed' away from the citizen majority to the corporate elites. Then proposals to correct this imbalance are labeled 'RE-distribution'. That sounds like 'unAmerican', 'big govt' engineering our economy and politics.
But the engineering and distrIbution was already set up by elites and their politicians. Slogans of 'freedom' pushed much of the public was believe their interests were being served, instead of undermined.
Sen Warren, was once a Republican, aims to redress our legitimate grievances, and give we the people better representation for our taxation. She believes in markets, but sensibly regulated, by people in the public interest.
7
Good ideas, nothing about war and foreign policy in a practical or philosophical way. The USA has a history of conceding to social benefits, but seemingly with the understanding that other people in the world are worth less and can suffer to sustain our repulsive American way of life.
2
Warren is 2020's version of Hillary Clinton. She is unlikeable and unelectable. With 24 candidates to choose from, why waste time on the one person who can actually guarantee a Trump victory.
6
Unlikable? Based on what and seriously, that’s what you base your vote on? Whether or not a person you don’t even know is ‘likable’? This ignorance is how we end up with Donald Trump. Read a book for gods sake.
6
.. She's a bit Utopian in my view.. And our society is inherently diverse & contradictory. The idea that Elizabeth Warren knows what's best for all is a bit off-putting.. and a bit messianic..
7
More accurately, destroy the economy.
6
Elizabeth Warren is the candidate who's most trustworthy without being too old. (Sorry, Bernie and Joe.)
6
Tucker Carlson praised her Economic platform last week saying that the Republicans were absolutely useless. It would be great if he convinced people to vote for her.
5
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We have a strong economy with low unemployment. Many of her Robin Hood plans sound good on paper, but would be dangerous in practice. My guess, if Elizabeth Warren ever became the nominee and showed any signs of winning the presidency, the stock market would suffer a precipitous fall.
5
It is broke.
Maybe not for you— but for the majority of the American workers, the system is broke and needs to be changed.
4
I'm a big fan of Warren, but worry that I'm not seeing much in the way of "I've got a plan for" climate change.
Her web presence does not seem to focus on this most important issue of our time.
2
I would respectfully ask the authors of this post to prepare a detailed list of Warren's proposals, and cite exactly how and why they will be rejected by moderate voters. If the authors are honest, I suspect they cannot do so.
Anybody who has actually read Warren's proposals and listened to her articulate her vision knows that she is a serious advocate for every working American man and woman. If any aspect of Warren's policies appear to be far left, it is only by comparison----because GOP policy has completely and cynically fallen off the right side of the ledger.
3
It is hight time for everyone to truly consider how unregulated our economy is and as a result all economic growth has been driven to reward the few that have been placed behind the driver's wheel. There are trillions of dollars out there that can be shuttered to paying for repairs and rewards that the millions of us need. We are the people. We are the ones who work who clean out the draws and fire up the stoves. We are the people. We are the ones who nurse the weak and teach the ones who have a hard time learning. We are the people.
3
Just like her fellow Presidential aspirants, Senator Warren begins her "campaign book" with an autobiographical section purporting to give roots to her policies and beliefs. In Senator Warren's case, her policy roots are a seething resentment of the business community for having put profits ahead of the needs of her families, together with a deep seated jealousy toward those who had more than what her family could afford.
Yes Ms. Warren seemingly has a plan for everything, but her plans all flow from common threads: confiscate the wealth of those who have more than Senator Warren deems appropriate; redistribute that wealth to those who she deems deserving constituencies and regulate the profit motive out of the free enterprise system. In her mind, business should be run to deliver benefits to employees and communities, with shareholders footing the bill. Yes, Ms. Warren's plans would remake the economy, but not for the better.
Yes, Senator Warren has plans, but jealousy and revenge seem to be poor reasons to seek our highest office. Do we really want a President whose most driving motivation is bitterness? In truth, the best and most natural place for smart people who direct their energies toward class envy and wealth redistribution is the Harvard faculty lounge; not the White House or the Senate.
6
There are two fundamental problems with Ms. Warren’s plans: (1) they all call for increased governmental involvement in the economy and in people’s lives, and (2) pretty much none of them will be enacted, even in the highly unlikely event that she gets elected AND the Senate is won by the Democrats.
Ms. Warren’s unserious proposals are unusual only in the context of the vapidity of most other politicians’ blatherings. She’s the mirror image of Paul Ryan on the right, who also tossed out unworkable solutions and was talked about as a policy maven.
Most importantly, Ms. Warren’s natural predilection to demonize business and profit making don’t sit well with the majority of Americans. She’s tacked hard left to try and win the nomination, where activists predominate. But most contenders are leery about this approach because it makes it hard to scuttle back towards the center in the actual election. If she’s nominated, she will lose miserably. And that will happen even if Mr. Trump doesn’t pull out his Pocahontas card.
11
Let me get this straight, Ms. Warren is going to engage in currency manipulation to improve the US economy. Hum, and we thought tariffs were dangerous. If we want to create a global economic fire storm than it is time to elect this person as President.
6
For the centrists and conservatives who ignore these issues...our drastic societal inequity is going to only increase and bring with it a host of ills, not least of which is the total corruption of our democracy. Warren's focus is exactly where it belongs--on workers, on ordinary people. We the people.
3
A candidate who puts forward a detailed plan on how she (he) would handle issues affecting voters' every day life once elected ,deserves full credit from the media and the public.
Campaigns cannot just be about greater visibility only, ,agressive 30 second ads fired across the social media bows; Voters know better nowadays ,particularly after the election of president Trump: electing a president cannot be just a mixed bag of empty promises and catchy slogans.
Senator Warren shows respect by spelling out her vision on how to restructure the USA as a nation leading the world towards a sustainable future. Her plans should appeal to millions of workers and students, and since there are many more of these folks than billionaires and households with assets of fifty billion$,it may be said that she is playing a smart populist ace card which may win her a presidency if she gets to call president trump's bluff. Just imagine a determining ultimate face to face debate between her and our stable genius. I'll put my money on EW any time.
It looks like American Voters have got a Plan.
4
Clearly Senator Warren is writing the play that all other candidates will have to star in now.
Credit goes to her for documenting her ideas and are on public display for review and debate.
Like the ideas or not- THIS is how it’s supposed to work.
Where are DJT’s plans?
2
Last time I checked, the president isn’t responsible for introducing any legislation. He or she can only approve or deny bills that make it to his or her desk. Why do we care so much who the president is? The real power lies with the Congress, as the founders intended.
3
Most of her proposals are moderate in a global context. American “moderates” are right-wing.
2
Elizabeth Warren has my vote. She has touted the same plans for years. Senator Warren brings a much needed voice to the Democratic Party in that she is not afraid to state what she believes in and what she will do when President. My heroes--notorious RBG and Ferocious Elizabeth Warren.
6
Male candidates can get by glibly citing generic platitudes while they ride a wave of image and "personality" based popularity. Women need to list specifics, dive into details, and generally go out of the way to prove they can get the job done. I love Warren's data-driven, plan-touting, action-oriented candidacy, but I can't help but feel it's a strategy designed to mitigate the endemic sexism in our society.
5
Moderates, schmoderates. Just another word for fence sitting. Democrats need to stand for something other than they aren't Republicans. Not good enough! Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, are the only serious policy candidates in this race. I am dismissing all the others, particularly johnny-come-lately Uncle Joe, who has NO useful plans, whatsoever. You can't really tell a Republican from a Democrat, these days, except the ones who are taking strong stands on important issues, and NOT taking money from corporations, and the wealthy.
4
Great insights and plan, but we need to all be on board to organize the budget. We’re not unless you throw the gun and military camps out with the bathwater.
1
Never thought Hillary could win. Just didn't see it happening. She didn't. Wasn't inspirational at all, just routine, center-right Democrat. No new ideas. Ran on all her "experience." Loved the Big Banks. Told them so. Was married to a man who dishonored not only himself and his family, but the whole country. I voted for her. Could not watch Trump's victory speech. Had to leave the room. Warren has it all. I so want her message to get out. People must stop to listen to her. She can destroy Trump. Can't wait for the debates. Listen to her everyone. She is our desperately needed breath-of-fresh-air (ideas).
2
Of all the candidates she seems to have done the best job of putting forth a comprehensive plan for this countries future. Moderates seem to think she is too radical. The question being ,is a majority of the electorate ready for the makeover she proposes. Should the Democrats choose her and possibly lose to trump or should they choose a more moderate person who is less radical? Should Democrats stand their ground one fight for change or once again bend to the right in order to win.? More of trump is not healthy for this country but a timid democratic gets nothing done. I am with Warren.
1
The labeling of candidates as "moderate", "liberal", "progressive", or "socialist" is a waste of time and meaningless. It tells people what you want them to think, but usually is not based on any meaningfully defined label. Also, once you strip the labels, voters don't care as much as you'd think.
Republicans and establishment types are quick to demonize any Democrat with big ideas as "socialist" or "left wing", but that term doesn't MEAN anything. Obamacare was a conservative idea proposed by the Heritage Foundation and enacted by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts, and it became "a socialist takeover of medicine."
It's shorthand that basically tells voters: don't think about the proposals or the facts. We've already decided how you are supposed to think about this candidate or policy.
How about we just talk about substance rather than politics? Concrete plans and our shared values? You'd find that voters agree on way more than conventional wisdom would dictate.
This coverage of Warren as a radical leftist is similarly misplaced. I don't care what box you tell me I should put her in. I care what her policies are.
3
Can we get some polls to show the policy’s popularities along side her proposals?
I would bet if you left the label off the policy of democratic or her name many ideas would poll in the 60% range.
2
I like Amazon. Best thing I have ever had as a consumer. She wants to break it up.
I don't want to pay for students' debt. They got into debt themselves by foolishly taking out large loans to attend private colleges or for-profit colleges. I already paid for my college and my children's college. I'm not covering other peoples's children who were foolish.
I am not going to pay for other peoples' child care. We paid for my own when we were young, and if people can't afford their child care maybe they shouldn't have an iphone.
I don't want anybody messing with my health insurance. I like the health insurance I have. Leave it alone.
Why should I help pay for renters? Move to where rents are cheaper. I had to pay my own rent, and now I have to pay for other peoples' rents?
Gun control is preaching to the choir. Earns no votes and risks losing Democrats who live in rural areas who have about as many guns as do Republicans (data support this).
Warren is like a lot of the other Democrats. They don't realize that a lot of good ideas add up to a bad idea.
The bad idea here is that none of these good ideas are going to attract votes, except perhaps at the expense of other Democrats. But the bad idea is that they will turn off moderate Republicans, independents, and moderate Democrats.
And will elect Trump to another term, which is the bad idea that every proposal and every utterance by every politician needs to focus on.
11
I like Warren's ideas. I realize she can't get them done without majorities in the Senate and House. But her ideas show that she has "the vision thing." I think that's great. It's a big part of what I look for in a candidate.
3
There are a number of outcomes in our economy that need to be fixed, wealth distribution foremost. But our economic systems has served us well and it does not need to be "remade." Even the Chinese are extolling the virtues of the market in efficiently distributing goods and services.
4
To my knowledge, Elizabeth Warren is also the only candidate not accepting PAC dollars. This is testament to her ability to get things done when others can’t see the way, do what she says she is going to do, and her dedication to hearing as many voices as possible.
12
Sanders does not accept PAC money and has more serious policy proposals than Warren does. I find this article outrageous.
5
@Kathryn Levy
So Sanders' proposals are "more serious" than Warrens? That's like saying that Batman is "more serious" than Spiderman.
2
Elizabeth Warren is the only person running of all the candidates that articulates what she wants to do and how she will do it. Very impressive in my view.
49
She knows the importance of doing homework. She is asking the public to grade her homework. She will give everything she can to implement her plans. That confidence she is instilling in the public. The next major step she needs to do is announce her cabinet if elected, especially the secretaries of defense, state, homeland and treasury. The cabinet selection says something about the candidates seriousness in implementing their policies.
17
The reason Ms.Warren has so many plans is because she’s been committed to these changes and the formation of what they would be for most of her career. She’s way ahead of any candidate in this regard, and I hope people listen to her. She truly knows what’s she’s talking about.
53
@SF Reader
She seems a bit Utopian in her outlook.. Perhaps even unrealistic. And of course, her vision of how things should be does not appeal to everyone. -But it's good to have a candidate putting some ideas out there.
1
Elizabeth Warren is experienced, smart, honest, and visionary in a way that makes visions practical to accomplish. Her Pocahontas problem has already been brought forward so I don't think there will be much more traction on that issue. Besides she can always reply to her rival as General Bone Spurs. Yep, I think I'm with her (my husband too)! She'll make a great president.
47
Although I was a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016, Senator Warren has proven to me that she is the person best positioned to be our next Democrat president. Although I hold no illusions that she can implement every one of her plans, the very act of releasing detailed plans and proposals is a winner for me. Why shouldn't presidential candidates be expected to provide plans and an overarching theme for what they will do as president? I don't need rhetorical waltzes - I want to hear what the candidates vision is for the country and how they plan to make the vision reality. Can anyone tell me what Joe Biden's plan or vision is (besides vote for me because you know my name and I'm not Trump?)
As noted in the article, most of her primary rivals are playing catch up; eschewing macro level ideas (like remaking our economy) for more micro level plans (like reforming criminal justice or legalizing marijuana). I truly believe our nation's economy and political system both need a top to bottom overhaul, and Senator Warren is probably the only candidate that I would trust to do so at the scale we need. I applaud both Senator Warren's vision and her detailed path to achieve it.
64
I am sorry that you have been led to believe that Sanders does not have detailed policy positions. Please go to the issues page of his website to discover the truth.
1
@Kathryn Levy
I know he has detailed plans, and I still support him (and his ideas) in general. I truly do not want to vote for another white male over the age of 70, and I also feel a higher level of confidence in Senator Warren's overall leadership skills and capabilities. Senator Sanders is an amazing man and if he does win the primary I would support him wholeheartedly, but after carefully listening and watching both candidates, I have swung into Senator Warren's column. But there's still quite a bit of time for things to shake out too.
2
Whether Senator Warren can win the nomination, only time will tell, not the pundits. But I've always certainly admired her for her outspokenness, willingness to tackle and debate the tough issues of the day, including income inequality, fighting for consumer protection, and most of all, having an educated point of view. Senator Warren, like Bernie Sanders and many of the other Democratic hopefuls are elevating the dialogue and the debate around real issues, and that's a good thing.
9
Trump generates fear, hatred, and anger. Warren portrays hope, love, and prosperity for all, not just the few.
71
@WITNESS OF OUR TIMES
" hope, love, prosperity for all.." And the lamb lies down with the lion..
1
@WITNESS OF OUR TIMES Hope? She keeps telling me how miserable 😩 we all are. I wasn’t miserable until I heard her talk and emphasize how miserable I really am.
3
"Nevertheless, she persisted."
54
I don't see any plan addressing caring for the elderly or the developmentally disabled. Please see yesterday's Time's article on horrific abuse in group homes that was reported on years ago and still continues, primarily due to unions protecting workers - this according to the Times. Where is Elizabeth Warren's plan for that?
2
@DLP
Please no more plans for a while... Next she'll have a plan for everyone's dental hygiene..
5
@DLP
Have you looked?
https://elizabethwarren.com/issues#latest-announcements
1
Also, no long term care insurance.
"Remake the economy"
I'm sure her plans would remake the economy. The economy is booming and she would apply the brakes.
I wonder too...are her tribal leaders on board with her plans?
14
@AZPurdue
The economy is booming because of the path set by the Obama administration. All trump has done is temporarily reduce life-saving regulations to give it a little boost. I’m the meantime his alienation of major allies will soon see them allying with other great powers, the long term result of which will see us being diminished.
And seriously, the whole tribal thing is both old and childish. If you had a point you sank it with that nonsense.
2
What the proposals show is that she is a serious person and wants to tackle these problems. They are starting points and guides. Quite a difference than that stooge in the White House. It's good that the Times may be coming to the conclusion that she is best candidate running.
14
There is nothing new about the cheap thrills of socialism. Do a little research on world history. The most remarkable failures in world history include Argentina, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Venezuela, USSR and China 1949-1980. So many millions died and are dying now. Catchphrases include “sacrifice!” And “shortage!” In perpetuity (but not for elites). Do you really want the people who run the DMV to run more things than they already do? The government already runs 50% of the economy (when you combine state, local and federal expenditures). Be careful how much of your country you hand to the greedy government ministers such as Warren. Economic control is synonymous with political control. There cannot be one without the other. Central planning is a seductive lie (oh but it works in Denmark, at least in the short term.) the US would be fine if wages were a little higher and government stopped swamping health care and higher ed with federal money. The price system has given the common people far more than socialism ever has.
15
@rjs7777 You lost me with that silly "DMV" canard. Mine works just fine, thank you.
2
How do you "remake" a historic expansion with full employment, and why would you?
12
@M
Wage growth for all, not just the 1%.
19
I'm tired of Biden's "aw shucks" routines. I want to vote for someone authentic: authentically intelligent, authentically qualified, authentically visionary. Warren has had my vote for a long while. Now if she can just completely ignore trump's shots across her bow, his tweets, his name-calling, his pep rally verbal diarrhea, until she wins, she will win. Eye on the prize. She's not running to take on trump; she's running to save the country. Trump is peanuts compared to that.
31
Go Elizabeth Go. The only thing we have to lose are our chains.
15
I am impressed with Warren both because of her policy proposals and knowledge plus her ability to explain economic issues using easy to understand language. However, I doubt that this country is ready to elect a woman. The role I see her playing is as a honest broker in the debates. I expect her to end Biden's candidacy in one of the early debates when the subject of personal bankruptcy comes up.
2
@Paul "The country is not ready" is an old trope that has been disproven time and again, most notably by the election twice of a black man as president. Let it go, and embrace progressive change.
2
Reading through this I realized why these policies aren't exciting me the way they are others. With the exception of Yang's Freedom Dividend, not a single one of these (not just Warren's policies, but those of all candidates), would have a direct effect on me. A few would have an indirect effect - environmental protection, obviously, but it seems like a no brainer to me that preserving the environment should be something the government does. Another would be universal healthcare, which is important to have, but I've never had an issue getting procedures done when I've needed them. Of course it's not just me, me, me. There's a bigger picture, and I get that.
But going back to the Freedom Dividend, I'm reading more about the idea and it really is the ruler of all policies. As someone who works in tech-related field, I can say Yang is correct in his comments about AI and automation causing massive disruption. We've only hit the tip of the iceberg, and it has caused Trumplandia. A UBI would also address, if not completely solve, so many of other issues and offer so many unexpected benefits.
So why am I a Democrat again? Oh yeah, because Republicans turned evil at some point and Trump needs to go.
7
When is someone going to actually ask the only question that matters? "HOW are you going to get your proposals through Congress?" Until she is able to answer that, these thoughts are meaningless. She's a Senator, so she knows good and well how difficult it is to get anything through Congress, let alone, some very controversial proposals.
If she can't influence her fellow senators now, how is she going to do it later?
I wish every "Journalist" would simply ask that one question of every Political Candidate. "HOW are you going to implement your proposal?"
I'm not upset with Senator Warren, it's all of the candidates in the past and now that are/were Senators that tell us what they'll do in office, KNOWING that it doesn't work that way.
4
@Steven, Chris Hayes on MSNBC asked just those questions on a Town Hall with Elizabeth Warren last week. Check it out. She had answers. Of course, Congress will have its say or no say which it is important to 1) vote out the Representatives/Senators who cannot be brought to fairness and bipartisanship, and 2) show up at their offices in person or on the phone to announce your displeasure and loss of confidence in their ability to look after YOUR concerns.
9
We have at least 7 months to watch how the candidates’ proposals play with primary voters. On policy, Sen. Warren is clearly winning with detailed proposals, and by dealing with the tax question.
I expect that the “moderates” - those big donors - will be pushing Joe Biden as the consensus guy who will Trump, and protect the status quo.
We’ve been here before. Remember how well John Kerry did against W? Or how well Hillary did against a guy who no one thought was qualified or could wim?
6
Born and bred in MA here. I am as blue as the stereotype of my state puts forth.
That said, I, not a religious person, spent the past two years praying that Elizabeth Warren would not run. She was not "electable." Trump would make mincemeat out of her in a debate.
Then I listened.
I am won over. She is exactly what our country needs at this point in our history. Once we are over the Biden feel-good hangover (which I understand and indulged in myself), I hope we see Warren. A woman of immense intellect, courage, and plans of action designed for the good of the citizenry.
Now I'm praying for her. Actually, praying in my agnostic way, for a Warren-Buttigieg ticket.
26
Senator Warren’s is running for the American people, not against Trump. Her policy proposals are not new campaign opportunistic offerings. She has been thinking and writing about capitalism with rules for the length of her career. To date, she’s the only one with a fulsome manifesto
On the other hand, VP Biden has yet to provided as much detail and seems determined to run against Trump, rather than for American families - shades of Clintonian “don’t stop thinking about tomorrow”, except Clinton was triangulating back to the future with the elimination of the Glass-Steagall Act and a return to pre1929 financial services rules, which begat the 2008 Great Recession and Trump -big mistake and antithetical to the public good.
1
Hillary had way too many "plans"--all the good it did her. Presidents are lucky if they can pass one or two big programs. Sen. Warren would be well-advised to revise her professorial political syllabus and focus on THE BIG THREE issues for voters--the environment, income inequality, and health care. I would include gun regulation as a vital health care issue. Trump is destroying all three along with a lot more, but voters can only handle so much before they feel overwhelmed and don't know what the candidate's true priorities are. While I admire Ms. Warren as a true self-made woman of intellectual stature, I think (and I'm a retired professor) that "She doth profess too many plans."
5
I greatly appreciate that Warren is elevating the debate and treating voters like adults by putting out so many (relatively) concrete proposals. But candidates (and esp. those who win) always, always overestimate their mandates and seek to do too much, and thus accomplish too little by diluting their mandates. We elect a President, not a king, who must work with a dizzying array of constituencies that shift based on the issue. Being realistic and picking a couple signature objectives is far more realistic than proposing to change the world, all in one administration. No matter how bad Trump is, whoever beats him (IF they beat him), will have 55ish% of the population in their electoral camp, many of whom are just seeking to get rid of Trump and will not support much of even a focused message. So don't overshoot, dems!
5
I always knew she is the force to reckon with.
I truly admire her, and in my opinion like a good vine she becomes better with age.
I think she is the person who can change direction of the country, based on her strong convictions how the system should work for benefit of american people. Her and Bernie very similar, but what distinguish her from others is her readiness from day one. She has great plans for all of us, the only problem would be in senate who will try to block her at every step...that's why we have to all vote to change the structure of the senate and win most of the seats, this will be the only way to move forward, and hopefully heal the country...otherwise the quagmire will persist with no end in sight.
9
I consider myself a moderate, and Warren has clearly won me over. A politician who actually has a brilliant grasp of the issues and a comprehensive plan for each of them? Who wouldn't want that? Perhaps we shouldn't concern-troll so much on how Warren might win moderates over. She's already doing it.
9
I’m a registered Democrat. I’m a middle aged white male. I have been self employed my whole life. I’m a job creator. My child attended public schools. I live within my means. I’m a libertarian (don’t tell the women in my life how to make decisions about their bodies). My finances have been negatively affected by the fact that my wife makes less then the men in her business that produce less work than her. I vote for what I think is best for ME and my family economically. I’m not a bleeding heart liberal, just a liberal democrat.
I am ready for a strong move to the left. I don’t care who can beat the game show host in cheif. Don’t focus on beating trump. That’s not policy! Focus on unbeatable progressive policy. I like Warren and think she would be a great president. Let’s see how this rolls out. The majority of people can’t keep falling for the same old lies. WAKE UP AMERICA!
27
Enough of these Republicans saying policies like Warren’s would be dangerous for the economy. Trickle down economics has never worked and is a cover-up philosophy for unbridled greed. We need bold and strong leaders like Warren to restore sanity to the financial sector and to fight for the majority of Americans.
7
Certainly Ms Warren deserves a lot of credit for having so many policy ideas.. She is basically using the Presidential election as a platform for putting out her many ideas..
... However, her policies seem much more complex & difficult to implement than she claims.. For instance, how would the Federal Govt make State Universities in New York, Michigan, California, Texas, Alabama, Florida.... All have free tuition.? Simply raising taxes and throwing money around seems unlikely to make that happen. And what about the cost of housing, books, food..? Extra money & loans would still be needed.
And most State Universities already have fairly reasonable tuition, but they are overflowing their capacity..
...It seems most of her policy ideas tend to paper over fine details and the gritty realities of what would actually be required in implementing them.. And instead focuses on a her own utopian vision of how things should be..
3
@mike You’re absolutely right. Her policies are unworkable and/or will never be approved by Congress. They are not serious. This is nothing but political grandstanding.
4
I don't understand the criticism about Warren's regulations on businesses --- It's going to hurt businesses and potentially hurt the economy? Trump nearly drove the US and the rest of the world off the economic cliff these past two weeks with the tariff talks. Businesses have gotten even richer after these recent tax breaks. Have wages gone up? No!
I'm glad one candidate is willing to discuss their plans with the country, it's refreshing compared to our current plan of "Let's Wing It and Hope Trump Doesn't Start WW3 Today."
3
Even with all of her ideas such as they are, she hasn't got a prayer. She's too whiny, too petulant, to phony (not to mention too far left) and as much as I loath Trump, he will crush her like a paper cup.
Her many years of using the fraudulent claim of her alleged Indian heritage as a crutch and to further her career and then her own proof that she doesn't have a scrap of that heritage not did nothing but expose her as someone trying to be something and someone that she isn't and never will be. She doesn't cut it.
Biden has what its going to take to defeat Trump. He can appeal to moderates and swing voters and those voters are critical for a win. On top of that he's polished and has more experience than all of the candidates combined. He has the ability to appeal to many more than just the left wing. If anyone thinks that a left wing candidate can defeat Trump, I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale.
5
Democrats have to change their habit of preaching to the already compliant voter base and begin convincing the Republican base they were always, and still, are working for the better lives of all Americans, meaning Republican voters too.
Everyone missed a big lesson when the Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act that was meant to save all American lives and the Republican leaders actually convinced their base that health care was bad for them. Imagine that!
When are the Democrats going to herald their inclusive policy strategies to convince all Americans we care for them. You are all still stuck on partisan oriented strategies and you need only address the Republican base telling them we care about them as their leaders sabotage their well being.
What did the Republican leaders do for their base? They passed meager tax cuts that were bigger on TV than in their paychecks, and those tax cuts were then negated by Trump's tariff Consumer taxes.
Focus your appeals on all Americans, don't stay behind a Trump Wall that isolates his base. All are welcome in the caring party. Let them know.
Tell the hard truths against the Republican leaders lies.
6
In other words, Warren is a socialist not unlike Bernie. These grandiose plans gain traction in places like New York and California and Illinois (Gov Pritzker will succeed in chasing away more people who actually pay taxes).
7
If people, including the pundits and the media, think these are “extremists” and not doable they should look at the real extremist agenda Trump, with the blessings of the GOP, has already put into place.
1
I have paid attention to Elizabeth Warren since she was covered by the NYT for advising President Obama regarding consumer financial protections, and then her Senate run and as a nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I was fantastically impressed and hoped that someday she would run for President, once she had scoped out THAT territory, and she has. Today, on the stump, she demonstrates a kinetic energy that no other candidate does. The camera likes her and it really doesn't like Trump. She will play outstandingly well on television and in clips. I feel that in any Turmp/Warren debates she will blow him off the stage. She is so smart. That plodding guy, that know nothing, that devious destroyer of everything that America used to be won't have a chance.
4
I see Puerto Rico's answer is debt relief, just like students', which all arise to begin with because of Wall Street vulture capitalism. Maybe one size does fit all? Pretty detailed, is right.
She is absolutely right about Big Tech. They are monopolies that need to be broken apart. Too much political power, destroying free speech rights and ruining public discourse. They are wrecking the future for our Democracy.
Another way would be nationalize them like USPS. These are public private companies but they are hiding behind Section 230 in the Communications Act from being sued for bad behavior because Big Tech states they (the businesses) are public platforms. Well, act like the postal service, without discrimination, or be taken over.
If Warren were to become President, it wouldn't be since Roosevelt that we would have someone in the Oval Office as focused on labor in this country. I'm not so sure that would be a bad thing. The open invitation to multi national corporations to have their way, and stock holder profits being the primary barometer, has created many of today's problems. Our ever shrinking middle class, lack of willingness to fund infrastructure, financial support for public schools, health care, etc. are because those issues are not the problems of the wealthy. It's time for some equilibrium, and voters need to wake up a distinguish between the politicians who give lip service and those who really will make changes.
Warren's "I have a plan for that" agenda isn't going to be last word if she were to be elected president, but the focus and conversation would change dramatically.
6
The first time anyone hears her speak they begin to march even if they never were a basic trainee. She's eloquent as well as sincere even though she's a politician. Her embryonic creation- CPFB was a masterpiece (in its original form) insofar as regulatory agencies go but now its been turned into milk-fed kitsch by Donny's appointees. Senator Warren has more gravitas than the other aspirants and I'm less ambivalent about her than I am about any other Democratic candidate.
2
I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of candidates.
This one has a keen intellect, and a clear message of solutions.
My focus is narrowing.
13
Mrs Warren has "yet to issue detailed plans on immigration".
As the article alludes, this will be front and center of Trump's campaign. Mrs Warren cannot treat the issue as an afterthought. She needs to tell us explicitly what she intends to do about the 11 or so million people who live in the US illegally and of her plans to resolve the situation at the border with Mexico.
Both are humanitarian as well as dollars and cents issues. We'll be waiting.
8
Warrant figured out the score back in the 1990’s with her books on bankruptcy and broadened this study with The Two Income Trap, which she and her daughter wrote in 2003.
She saw that economic forces were making the middle class in America lose ground pretty dramatically. Since then, she’s looked carefully into not only what the specific causes were, but began to look for solutions. The CFPB was the first of many ideas, and that she got this agency established with the vigorous opposition of Wall Street should be a good indication of how tough she is.
No doubt about it, we need a smart fighter in the White House and one that knows HOW to solve the problems that we are facing as a nation.
Elizabeth Warren is that fighter.
65
Senator Warren is intelligent and hard working and she does her home work. She not only has the education and experience necessary to understand how the economy works and how it could be fixed but she has also taken the time to develop careful and well thought out plans to do just that.
The author was concerned that her policies (regulations and higher minimum wage) might make it more difficult to compete in a global economy but when CEOs of large companies are making tens of millions of dollars a year, it seems like reducing those salaries and investing in the workers would make the companies more productive and competitive.
Senator Warren has also suggested a minimal tax on wealth as compared to income. This would apply only to those with, I believe, more than $50,000,000 in wealth. Since income is earned and wealth is not, this certainly seems like a fairer way to raise money. The only form of tax on wealth that currently exists is the property tax ... which is the primary source of the middle class's wealth. If the middle class pays a tax on their wealth, shouldn't the wealthy also be expected to pay a tax on their wealth?
27
@Ann @ Wick. I love the idea of her tax plan. How much money do you need to love well? Make the wealthy pay their true fair share!
3
Impressive. Senator Warren has clearly put in the work to develop these detailed policy proposals. I look forward to the debates, when hopefully, she will have the opportunity to showcase her knowledge and initiative to solve the country's most intractable problems.
24
Eighty-six years ago FDR spelled out his program. It consisted of trying new and untried ideas and if they didn't work to solve the Great Depression he'd tried different ideas, but above all he wouldn't just do nothing.
Doing nothing has been the hallmark of the GOP for years. The only reason that party wants control of the Senate is to install right wing judges that would pass decisions to make sure nothing was done.
The GOP is not only the Know-Nothing Party, it's also the Do-Nothing Party.,
31
I know many are dubious about her ability to beat Trump. However, perhaps Warren can be the candidate that “goes high” as the counterpoint to the dog whistle depths that we’ve been to in the past two years. She seems to offer so much light and genuine concern for Americans, the likes of which would offer such a stark contrast to the dark, angry-tweet sludge fest that we’ve gotten accustomed as the American political scene. All in the hands of the wedge voters in this gerrymandered nation.
34
And let’s quit thinking that anyone still responding to this president or his dog whistle would ever vote for anyone but him. It is why there is no Republican challenger. They are scared as we all should be. It is past time for a fight.
That's a LOT of policy proposals and that will be difficult to follow through on for one downside. And of the course the GOP message is that regulations hurt the economy and that your taxes will be raised so Warren would not be winning over fiscal conservatives of any sort. And if the Senate remains under Mitch's control, the GOP would simply block Warren like they tried with Obama to make her 1 term with zero achievement.
I like that Warren is so specific and I like many of her ideas. I also trust that she knows what's up and would be able to do the job.
And hey, if the other candidates seem to fall short of policy in comparison, well they know what to do now don't they.
I fear Warren is setting herself up for the impossible dream so to say but I want to see more of her still.
3
The conventions are thirteen and fourteen months away and the election is fifteen. My hope is that within this amount of time people will really start listening to what Warren is proposing as well as her reasons for why those proposals will work.
This is the opposite of the way Trump commands attention. She knows what she's talking about and she lays out her arguments and the reasons that underlie them in language that is clear, concise, well organized and (gasp!) based on verifiable fact.
With over a year to go, I wonder now if we are the kind of people who really do pay attention to the rational and empirical; or have we truly become The Republic of Kardashia because most of us can only hear the maundering and mendacity of Trump and his enablers.
I guess we're going to find out.
7
Warren shies from details in medical coverage and cost. Perhaps Senator Warren could comment on the domination of Partners Healthcare in the medical marketplace in her home state? As an enormous employer in Boston and the rest of eastern MA, how does Warren reconcile its predatory business practices with her ideas for more equitable health care plans? Is she willing to give up millions in MA tax receipts to put a leash on Partners' ceaseless control of state and federal healthcare spending in MA?
1
So, going into the next election, reasonable people with the good of ALL Americans at heart could probably vote for someone like this:
- has lived a life.
- knows what is to not be wealthy.
- has integrity and civility.
- smart, but not arrogant.
- passionate and compassionate.
- has practical ideas for everyone, not snake oil.
- argues for positive values and ideas, and persists.
- knows DC, but is not a timeserver.
- doesn't take money from PACs or vested interests.
- might be from an unusual demographic.
- running for just one reason: to heal America.
Go, Elizabeth, go!
56
In the 1980's French Socialist president Francois Mitterand attempted a wealth tax on household assets including significant works of art. Though the French and the European Union generally are far more sympathetic to redistribution through taxes and spending, the taxation of multimillion dollar paintings proved a step too far even for the French.
4
@Doug Broome Mitterrand served two terms, so clearly it was not a step too far.
1
As much as I like Elizabeth Warren and believe she would be an excellent President, I believe that a large percentage of the American Electorate will be confused by the facts.
Have you noticed that the same people who are easily conned by the likes of Televangelist Kenneth Copeland and Jesse Duplantis to pay for their latest corporate jets are also rabid Donald Trump supporters? Its not an accident.
6
She’d get my vote. I’ve her folks call her boring and dry; I think America could use someone with a plan. Seems like she has plenty to say and she has plans to back it up
10
Instead of addressing the concerns of the American people like illegal immigration, all twenty something Democrats running for President avoid the issue and instead preach government run healthcare and climate change. By not addressing pressing issues for everyday Americans, the Dems will lose in 2020 by again being out of touch with the American people.
8
@P McGrath: Did you read the article? Elizabeth Warren IS addressing the concerns of working Americans, climate change being one on a long list.
1
If not for booster articles like this in the NYTimes, I doubt many people would even be aware of Warren's top-down, statist policies, since she has generated so little interest in her campaign as reflected in her inability to raise modest sums from scads of individuals like Bernie has. As most of us who are self-employed and in the middle class are well aware, Obamacare was a disaster, driving down premiums while deductibles skyrocketed -- Bernie's approach would fix this and make a more level playing field, but hopefully without the massive Warrenist federal interventionism that will drive individual effort ever further into the dust.
3
Liz Warren could win this thing in 2020 if the Dems don't do what they did in 2016. And I mean you, Bernie Bros who voted for Trump (ten percent of you did so), or those who didn't show up at all because it wasn't in your "conscience" to vote for Hillary Clinton.
The result? Roe v. Wade will be gone. Civil rights protections are being destroyed. The gap between the rich and poor is growing. And hate crimes are up as Trump cheers on his bigoted, racist base. But I suppose that these Bernie Bros didn't have any of this on their "conscience". After all, they were predominantly white males, whose lives have changed very little under Trump. They had nothing to lose, so they could have their little tantrum.
So fast forward to 2020. I remember presidents back to Eisenhower, and there have been very few candidates as qualified as Liz Warren. The woman understands what needs to be done, and has a plan for accomplishing things.
Maybe she isn't "flashy" enough for the younger voters. After all, all we hear is that we need their votes. Well, what 2016 taught me was they didn't care enough about women's rights, or the rights of ethnic or religious minorities, or the rights of the gay community, to vote. It was all about them, and they didn't get their prom king elected, so they pouted and sat out.
At this point, I've written them off. They've caused horrific damage to this country by simply failing to vote. And this 60-something voter supports Liz.
17
“Together They Would Destroy The Economy.” Read Hayek.
2
Elizabeth Warren has a rough road ahead as this article shows. There are biases and suppositions taken for granted that come down to reform viewed as a kind of unsubstantial dreamer's paradise. If reform is so chimerical what do we call the vast majority of a nation living lives perched on the abyss of economic uncertainty and in many cases disaster. That is the reality Ms Warren is addressing and that this article fails to recognize. In a one hour lecture Ms Warren laid out the foreboding challenges almost all American families must face regarding health care, education, child care, and retirement. In a lecture she gave at UCLA she presented a thoughtful step by step analysis of just how difficult if not desperate this challenge has become over the years.I well remember in the 60's choosing to attend the University of Texas for $50 per semester tuition. Many friends who attended state schools such as UCLA had similar opportunities. Why has this now become an unrealistic goal?A talk given by Ms Warren at UCLA can be accessed on youtube. It is the work of a very careful, clear thinking , articulate , person with a thoughtful historical perspective .Ms warren has lived a life of tough personal challenges and has risen to obtain a standing and perception of this country that is uniquely clear and singular .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akVL7QY0S8A
2
Knowing her native Indian heritage pride and her zest for positive all America growth policies, it's apparent she really loves America and all Americans. It's a hallmark of Democrats that they love and care for all Americans, not just party faithful. She certainly deserves a more focused look and following. She could be another strong willed leader as Margaret Thatcher was. The Republicans loved her. The Republicans should know that Democrats always care about all Americans but their leaders always lead them astray away from American fellowship to partisan rages. Warren is sincere. I'll keep that in mind.
1
I really like Elizabeth Warren. She is very smart. A distinguished Harvard Professor and Senator, she will make a great president.
Elizabeth Warren is what the country needs to turn around. Elizabeth is what the American people need to stop all these senseless gun violence and mass shootings, to stop all this insanity, to stop all this fake news, to protect their health care, to protect their environment from further damage, to stop the income inequality , to stop the damage to the farmers, to stop debasing the country and the presidency.
Too bad the voters are not all rational and vote many times
using emotions . Too bad she is not the front runner otherwise
maybe we will finally have our first female president. Go, Elizabeth, go! We love you!
13
@Nemesisofhubris
And don't forget...she was Harvard's only woman prof who was Native American!
2
Utopic ideas are easy to come up with. The hard part is to implement them & even harder, to pay for them.
Sen. Warren has even less management experience than did Obama. Hey, being President is a huge managerial job! Warren has never had a single executive job; no experience as an elected executive official. Her only elected job is as a Senator & we all know how much they get done.
Then there's the imperative of sending Trump packing. He would make mince meat out our her. Please Democrats, don't be seduced by pretty dreams.
7
Elizabeth Warren has a lot of plans. I think a lot of them would be disastrous in terms of causing immense capital flight to competing international tax jurisdictions.
Also, the wealth tax is pretty clearly unconstitutional. I know some "experts" are taking the position that this issue is ambiguous because some of the old caselaw regarding what constitutes a direct tax is no longer considered good law. There may well be legitimate doubt as to whether a current SCOTUS would, absent the mootness of the question, overturn the past decision that a tax on investment gains is a direct tax (instead of a tax on income), but a wealth tax is essentially the most direct tax imaginable. Therefore, the ambiguity as to past case law really does not cast much, if any, ambiguity as to this issue.
By way of analogy, I suppose some people could engage in a borderline reasonable argument as to whether a tomato is a vegetable or whether it's more properly characterized as a fruit. Even if we accept that this issue is not entirely resolved, it doesn't change the fact that broccoli is clearly a vegetable and no reasonable person would argue that it's a fruit. Similarly, although the law may not at this time be entirely clear as to where the line is that separates unconstitutional direct taxes from taxes that would be found to be constitutional, the direct tax is not even close to the line; it's clearly a direct tax.
5
Here's my advice to Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic hopefuls. Donald Trump was elected with no plans - just promises. Hillary Clinton had lots of plans but was still unpopular with many voters. Plans are great for after you get into office, but are not necessary to win elections. You have to capture the hearts and minds of the voters and promise change but not get into the weeds on how you will do it. You can put all your plans on your website but keep them out of your speeches and commercials. All great leaders inspire people. Remember - Martin Luther King had a "I have a dream" speech, not an "I have a plan" speech.
6
Warren is my top choice as a Democrat. And she appeals to my more moderate friends because of her plans on universal child care - this is almost wholly accepted as reasonable by even conservatives I know, especially women. I think Warren would beat Trump by taking that critical 'swing' vote of the center-right suburban soccer mom vote that brought us the House in 2018. Also she's the best person for the job : bold, consistent, detailed.
11
Of the scores of Democratic candidates there are only two that strike fear into the hearts of Wall Street financiers: Sanders and Warren. Since we know that Wall Street is never wrong, we would be smart to pick one of the two.
If the financial players were capable of seeing beyond short-term profits, they might prefer Warren. After all, she is the one trying to rescue capitalism from its excesses, while Sanders looks to push it off the cliff into the vast reeking landfill of history. As it is, Wall Street is probably more afraid of Warren than Sanders because her knowledge of how the financial system works is more thorough and complete. That knowledge makes her a more dangerous adversary.
But whether one agrees with the details of Warren's proposals or not, everybody should be grateful that they exist. Warren is elevating the quality of the entire debate, forcing her rivals to come up with similar plans of their own.
Her success at taking a policy-wonkish approach proves that a large chunk of the electorate understands that America inescapably faces dire challenges requiring an array of complex and interrelated solutions. Apologies to dear old Uncle Joe, but a smiling face masking an empty head full of banal platitudes cannot get the job done. And if Warren's network of plans can successfully withstand more than a year of intense critical scrutiny, it will be hard to argue that someone else deserves to be the Democratic nominee.
17
Why haven’t some of these plans been implemented at the state level? Surely the free college or reduced tuition is fully within a states control for its residents. Affordable housing is another issue that is a town, city, county issue. Why aren’t they passing zoning laws to build in affordable housing and rentals.
As for college support, why can’t people go to community college for two years and then enroll in a four year school? If you want to go to a $50k per year school, get a scholarship or take out a loan. The Federal Government should not subsidize those schools. Going to Harvard should pay for itself with connections and access to elite jobs.
Economically, the root cause of most of the wage issues is talent inequality. We overpay software engineers and underpay cashiers because of supply and demand. Why are there so many cashiers and so few engineers? Education inequality and low skill immigration.
The more expensive you make it to hire and retain people, the less employers are going to hire. In Europe and Africa, a lot of employees are temps because the severance costs there are punitive.
I would not vote for Elizabeth Warren. I don’t think she, or Bernie Sanders, truly understand how companies are run, resources allocated or how they compete.
9
I don't know why she's not doing better in the polls. She's the right person for the job.
She has my vote, hands down. I like Sanders but Warren has meat for the press to deal with.
Probably people are afraid of this. It might seem to large a jump, but we're living in a time where the US needs to make a huge leap into the future.
I think Biden is a person of the past. He's not the right person. So I also believe a Warren/Sanders ticket would be unstoppable.
I don't want to get negative here. I don't want to harp on Biden. He's a good guy. I just think his time is past.
13
I am European. So, I am a spectator not a voter. After this between-the-lines negative article about Elizabeth Warren I will be reading more about her.
She could become a broadly accepted leader of the free world.
And, it would be great fun watching the debates between her and the not-really-accepted-bully of the free world.
29
I like so many of her policy ideas. They are very informed could work with the support of Congress. She would be a good President.
My fear is that the average voter will find her too liberal, too old and too Eastern Establishment to be elected. Sad but true. If she can dish it out to Trump like he has to her (ie, Pocohantas, then perhaps she can change minds. Lots can happen in the next 9 months.
4
I see Warren showing up to the presidential debate- ultra prepared, drawing on meticulous policy detail about her vision for America. Then Donald unleashes a crass zinger, and it's over.
6
@The Buddy. Maybe for the last election. Not this one.
I think that what might happen is if there is a big stock market crash and a recession soon or early next year Warren would be a viable candidate in a country desperate for major economic change. . However if the market stays up and the recession does not arrive, which seems unlikely, her radical ideas would not be appealing and her nomination would be very unlikely, since her nomination would spook the market.
3
Maybe it’s not hyperbole to assert that Warren’s proposals would remake the economy.
But Trump has remade the economy himself into himself, inserting his own caprices into the essential decisions of trade, taxation, and monetary policy. Just because Trump’s caprices are irrational and erratic does not make them less central to the economy.
So people who are made queasy by radical change must realize they see literally more changes from Friday to Monday under Trump’s crazy tariffs than they would see in a carefully thought out Warren administration.
8
I like Warren, but I love Bernie. Here's why:
Warren's wishy-washy on Medicare for All. The Times's claim that she supports a version of it is false -- M4A does away with private insurers, as any sizable role for them in our healthcare system would blow apart the savings. She was for M4A, then wavered and now won't talk about it: bad sign. (Harris, too.) M4A is popular among Americans, with 70% approval in polls, so it's time we matched what all other industrialized countries have done in this area. Her waffling = deal-breaker.
She has not endorsed the Green New Deal = deal-breaker.
She voted for increases to Trump's war budget = deal-breaker.
She takes corporate pay-offs. (The Times avoided this in the article.) Visit the FEC's site: She takes pay-to-play cash from over 20 big corp's: Comcast, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Disney, Bain Capital, etc. She's compromised = deal-breaker.
Despite her impressive ideas, she's a leader on a fraction of the important issues Sanders's taken stands on for decades. He's devoted his life to fighting for the ideas he's running on today. Warren was a Republican until she was 47! And I've seen her knees buckle in the face of establishment pressure = deal-breakers all.
We need a president who'll stand strong not just against Trump but also the military industrial complex, oil co's, Pharma, Democratic establishment, corporate media, DNC & more.
I like Warren, but I love Bernie.
He's the president our times call for.
#Bernie2020
11
Liberals should curb their enthusiasm. Remember what Churchill said,
The best argument democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.
Yes, yes, I know, it is still the best system, but that just means the others are especially rotten. The average voter couldn't tell you if John Quincy Parker was ever a president.
1
Warren need not push through all of her plans to be an effective leader merely a few of high priority.
However, one principle attribute missing from all the other candidates—passion—her enthusiasm presenting problem solutions exceed all other dem candidates
It’s Warren’s passion to lead with thoughtful solutions which will win over the doubters.
3
You have to admire her, but McGovern had lots of plans, too. There's something to be said for ambiguity.
2
Warren had the credentials, the plans and most importantly my trust, based on her long and distinguished career. She is also not too old. I will be casting my ballot for her.
For those who ask how these proposals will be paid for, she has laid it out; through changing the system of taxation and demanding more of the 1%. Canada and many other industrialized countries already have achieved many of the things on her list as well as medicare for all, so quit thinking providing basic necessities to help the middle-class like healthcare, childcare and education is rocket science and vote her in!
9
The only policy that needs to be enacted is public financing of campaigns. I am fine with giving each candidate X amount of my tax money as they see fit to further their campaign if it eliminates to opportunity for the big Corporations and wealthy individuals and super-pac's to buy their candidate to victory. The old saying of follow the money is most accurate when talking politics. For one example look to whom the NRA's money goes and how those politicians voted on gun legislation. If that money and influence was removed perhaps our elected officials could actually make decisions based on whats good for the country instead of whats good for their next campaign fund.
6
Senator Warren's plans hope to appeal to her most important audience -- fervent Democratic primary voters. Once past the primary, these plans will fade or nudge right to appeal to independent voters in a general election. And if elected President, the plans will nudge further right, fall off the desk, and land in the trash can. None of these plans has a chance of making it further than committee in any legislative discussion.
7
@James
In some areas of the country, we have grandparents stepping in to fill childcare needs. When Senator Warren wins, Republicans will either get on board with her childcare plan, or receive another thumping in the midterm. It’s truly unbelievable it has taken this long to get someone to address the situation.
Does the New York Times ever read Bernie Sanders' policies? Or is it only interested in trying to discredit him? In the battle for detailed policies and big ideas that would transform America for the better, Sanders can easily match Warren, and unlike Warren, he has a lifetime of commitment to those policies, not a handful of years and a small army of staff pumping out policy that she has never advocated before this campaign.
8
Finally, a principled Candidate with plans and policies to improve the life of the average citizen. Elizabeth has my vote in the Primary and for President against the Know Nothing # 45.
10
This article confirms the wisdom of my donation to the Elizabeth Warren campaign. Thank you!
7
I hesitate to say this, because I've come to loathe identity politics, but Elizabeth Warren strikes me as someone who has had to work twice as hard as, say, a man, who can just walk into a meeting, say something charming or funny, and call it a day. She's done her homework in scrupulous and excruciating detail. It may not be sexy, but it's what will get the job done.
29
Warren may not be absolutely right but she’s on the right track. None of her proposals are radical unless you’re a Uber rich person trying to convince us that a country that protects the common man would be socialist.
Whose country is this? Plutocrats? Or of/by/for the people? That’s what’s at stake here.
7
Great Only got one question. Senator Warren what is your plan for getting your legislation passed in both the house and senate. Getting through all the lobbyists and their money?
4
We, the voters, deliver her a Democratic House and Senate.
12
@Anine you honestly believe that is enough? So all or nothing scenarios and that is all we can do. Gone are the days of Clinton and working with Congress. It is either all or nothing. Yeah I love that idea. NEXT
1
@Varm10
What remains of the a Republicans after the election will either get on board or get kicked out in the midterms. And, that is how she will get her plans through Congress!
Nothing wrong with that. Aim for the stars, and then adjust for the political centers of gravity.
2
I just do not think she can make it.
4
I’m becoming more impressed with Elizabeth Warren by the day. I love the fact that she is making these plans based on what she thinks will work instead of what pollsters tell her we want to hear.
12
Agree or disagree on the specifics, Senator Warren actually has people talking about and thinking about ideas. I love the line "Her proposals would tip power from executives and investors to workers..." It's about time. Considering the number of workers compared to executives and investors, it sounds like democracy to me. At every step of her career, Warren has championed the consumer against the corporation, the little guy against the big guy. We need such a champion. Now.
9
Good ideas! Unfortunately, corporate America will prevent her from being elected. If elected, then Congress will block her due to corporate interests, greed
4
This just isn’t true.
‘That’s a crime. If Donald Trump were anyone other than the President of the United States right now, he would be in handcuffs and indicted. Robert Mueller said as much in his report, and he said it again on Wednesday.”
Attorney General Barr and Mueller declared no collusion and no criminal obstruction was claimed. Robert Mueller did not say so in his report. How can you believe a person who lied about being an indian so she could get a teaching job because she was a minority?
1
Her plans would bankrupt America.
11
Warren is an embarrassment to all politicians of integrity.
8
I just don’t think, after 4 years of a con man as president, that I want someone who would be a great head mistress of a prep school as my next one. She makes zero connection with me. Pete Buttigieg or Kamala Harris, yes, and I’ll settle for Biden but Warren or Sanders absolutely not.
8
A Democrat--other than Bernie, of course--who actually STANDS for something and tells us in details what that is, as opposed to merely being "against Trump."
What a radical approach. Why wasn't this tried in 2016. Oh, that's right, it was. By Bernie. Maybe we should have gone with that candidate. Might not have President Trump today.
Oh, well. Better late than never.
3
Elizabeth Warren is a breath of fresh air considering the stale air of our present legislative body. However, her sweeping changes will be very intimidating to a group of legislators who are risk adverse and will spin her visionary ideas into a negative target to defeat her in every possible way.
Unless there are term limits that constantly bring new legislators into the Congress, then those playing it safe to protect their re-election will continue to return to Washington to enrich themselves with little or not benefit to this country.
I just returned from a month talking with people in Scandinavia. These 3 countries have a social democracy that works for the benefit of all citizens. "How will this benefit our community?" is a key question considered by all in their Parliaments. Why are these the happiest people on earth? They care for one another and share resources. They don't mind higher taxes because everyone benefits. There are no worries about paying for their education, healthcare or retirement. It's all taken care of. Their infrastructure is in excellent shape as well. And everyone pays taxes. If big business complains then they are told to leave the country.
Elizabeth Warren is attempting to unite this country and re-introduce us to a caring,compassionate government that places community needs above greedy,egotistical ones.
4
@Dee
I've lived in Sweden and spent time in other Scandinavian countries. There's a lot to like there.
However, reality bites. All those countries enjoy populations of 10-15 million. They are low breeding, homogenous, well-educated, well-employed, low crime, with small immigrant sectors.
The U.S. wasn't any of that even before we supersized our population from 150 million to 330 million over the last 50 years. Half of America is poor. We are not homogenous, well-educated, well-employed, secular, low breeding, law abiding, or even American.
9
For those characterizing Warren's plans as extreme or too "leftist": Her wealth tax would hardly be confiscatory. For someone with $50 million in assets, the tax would be a mere $1 million, leaving $49 mill. to continue to invest, etc. For a billionaire, the tax (with an extra 1%) would mean $30 million, leaving the poor billionaire with 970,000,000 in assets.
Perhaps the wealth tax could be instituted on a restricted time basis: in other words, as an initial measure to be followed by making the income tax more equitable -- ensuring, for example, that people like Warren Buffet do not pay less percentage-wise than their secretaries -- and eliminating the completely favorable treatment of capital gains. Once the horrendous wealth gap in the US has been reduced somewhat, perhaps the wealth tax could be eliminated.
Still think it is great that Warren is attempting to address these issues in a concrete and meaningful way.
2
These may all be great ideas but as a person not even remotely rich, I still have a problem with essentially saying that if somebody has a decent job and income they will pay a good deal of taxes, will pay a premium for health-care and will be responsible for paying all their debts, but if you don't work then all your debts are wiped off and you pay low taxes or no taxes and you get 'free' healthcare. I don't understand how that is remotely fair. It is essentially socialism and encourages people to NOT work.
15
I find it very disingenuous when critics of a wealth tax suggest that entrepreneurs won't innovate if they don't see a massive payout at the end of the road. We had much higher taxes in the 1950s and 1960s, and there were still entrepreneurs. People create and innovate for more reasons than a billion dollar payout, and it's not likely that they won't put in the same effort if the payout is 'only' in the millions.
One critic in the article also mentions the time-worn argument that the wealthy will just find ways around a wealth tax. That sort of cynicism suggests we shouldn't have laws against murder or robbery, because people will find ways to get away with their crimes.
5
Remember, the Great Recession. Elizabeth Warren was there for ALL Americans whether you needed protection from the financial industry or you needed an extension unemployment extension. She in the trenches for all of us!
She absolutely has my vote!
Enough talk and feel good!
Let’s see some action!
2
If there is an economy that needs redoing it is the one in the good ol' USA!! I seriously doubt that many of Warren's proposals will be adopted if she were elected in 2020, but hopefully it would be great starting place! She is on the right track!
Anyone who thinks they are benefiting from our free-for-all economy is delusional. We in the Middle Class are footing the bill for the upper 10% of economic spectrum. I hope that the others running for President can come up with even half of what she has proposed.
Two thumbs up for Warren.
5
On today's digital front page we have one op-ed that questions whether Nancy and Chuck are too cautious.
Then we have an Elizabeth Warren whose MANY ideas won't work because they're too progressive or Trump ruined the government so much it won't be able to handle Warren's proposed changes.
My goodness. Have we become so paralyzed that we can't listen and think and maybe implement ideas into policy?
And what is so perfect about the world right now that it doesn't need changing?
One skeptic says it won't work in the global economy. Like that's doing well these days? Europe, Britain, they're all circling the drain with worry over Brexit, the future of the EU and the stagnant economy.
Folks, we are not in happy times. The economy was not allowed to fully recover thanks to Republicans blocking larger amounts of $ to fuel growth. We have many major corporations not only cashing in on Trump and the Republican's boondoggle of a tax cut, we have had those same huge corporations sitting on tons of cash and letting the "little people" fight it out over the scraps they deign to give us.
Wake the heck up! I remember in the 1970's, I was 10 in 1970, where you would see on the news that senior citizens would eat dog or cat food because that's all they could afford. We are not far off from that happening now. The only people who's salaries/compensation have increased over the last 2-3-4 decades are the upper middle class and the upper class.
I think it's time to shake things up!
4
her plan is common sense and America must hear it to support it. people said she was crazy when she proposed Big Tech regulation. now everybody talks about it.
she has to speak, loud, so everyone can hear what she says, and especially Trump supporters. then, what seems today unthinkable to some will happen.
2
When Ms Warren announced her candidacy I became determined to vote for her. She knows how to think and to think big as in a dream list. She also knows that implementation of her many dreams will meet insurmountable obstacles. Since Trump has been able to actualize so many of his wacky decrees without having to consider Congress, I am sure that any Democratic candidate, other than Biden, would do the same. Consider the importance of Cabinet, Agency heads and Judicial appointments that grant power to change a lot including the corrupt culture that exists in DC today. It really does amaze me that our hands our tied in face of it such as the recent use of Ms. Chau's position as transportation secretary to get favors for her husband's home
state. Or Kushner's ongoing business dealings. Or Trump's flouting of the emoluments clause. Or the Rs refusal to recognize that their great leader is really a criminal. The list is endless. Warren at the very least is a straight shooter and that's what we need.
1
We have constructed an economy that encourages people to possess and horde more resources than they can ever possibly use, many times over. Over time in this economy, disparities inevitably grow, as they are doing now. It’s not going to seem “leftist” forever to try to equalize the playing field.
4
Elizabeth Warren is great but not particularly likable. As the past election has shown, likability is a factor that the Democrats underestimated last time.
9
I can't wait to read ALL of the candidates' proposals on housing! It's about time for this policy issue to get some real attention. Also: "hawk on financial regulation" is music to my ears. I've contributed to her campaign. More than once.
6
The country is not ready for any of this. If she is the nominee, she will lose.
10
Warren is the smartest and best-prepared policy person in the race. Now, a president needs to do more than develop sound policy, but this they must do. So far only Warren is thinking ahead, thinking comprehensively, thinking concretely.
We can't let slickness anf smoothness determine who our president will be. To put the common good first, to have the moral courage to do this, and the brains to know how to get there: this is what we need in our next president.
2
@farhorizons
"Warren is the smartest and best-prepared policy person in the race. "
I agree. But so were Woodrow Wilson, George McGovern, and Michael Dukakis.
3
Am I the only one who remembers that Hillary Clinton had a book FULL of policy proposals? Fat lot of good it did.
You don't win elections with plans. You win elections by convincing the voters that you will be the person they need.
A lot of the people who voted for Trump can't stand the guy, and quite a few don't trust him. But they believed he would deliver what they needed: a change. DJT had one policy proposal: "build a wall." That beat Hillary's proposals.
13
So she wants to be like China and have the government steer the economy? The extra cost of corruption that this creates could finally bankrupt us- I am only surprised that the crony capitalism that we have now hasn't.
4
A 2020 dream ticket would be Warren/Klobuchar or Warren/Harris. Those are the best educated and experienced candidates - from both political parties + the ghostly Independents. Any of those 3 enormously competent candidates would be a fine president, with stated workable policies on the big and small problems facing all Americans.
But American men would collapse into endless misogynist tantrums, furiously threaten all women on the internet, grab their bibles, crotches and guns.
2
Wholeheartedly agree with Elizabeth being the nominee in 2020. Either her or Tulsi.
I agree with her stance on business, let capitalism work just remove the abuses, the unmitigated greed.
Hey Dems, Trump has no chance against a woman. Against women who are smart and are veterans, Trump can only win by cheating. And by golly, I do believe there will be quite a bit of cheating.
2016 will go down in history as the first year fair elections vanished, and 2020 should go down in history as election corruption being the new normal. The GOP, the President, and the Russians aligned; corruption lifts all boats. And corruption cannot thrive if Democracy prevails.
And to Trump, the GOP and the Russians, I say... Bring it!
1
“Remake the economy” would be easy to do. What would be very hard is to create an equally or similarly prosperous economy. We would need to make plans for a reduction in industrial capacity and smaller government funding if we remake the economy. I wonder if academic and government people truly understand the private sector that supplies us all with food, housing and clothing. I wonder if people so inexperienced in the private sector have the skills to control it. That is the concept here. If we were to look at history, and read a little, we would know that it’s not so easy to make corporations all subjects of master councils of government ministers. It has been done many times. Not easy to do well. It’s always easy to spend other people’s money. I have rarely seen such brazen, casual waves of arms accounting for 10 trillion here, 10 trillion there. Each trillion is a _million_ working lives or more. It is almost vulgar to say you are entitled to play amateur games with millions of lives that way. People should be careful with the economy and its moral value, which is significant.
4
Warren is impressive. She's been fighting this fight for years, as a lone voice in the multitude of greed. Trump might give us a rare opportunity to elect someone like Warren.
2
I see Elizabeth Warren as a better capitalist than the self-proclaimed capitalists we are burdened with.
What the GOP supports is not capitalism, but an abuse of capitalism. We have given business a great responsibility by allowing them to incorporate, thus bestowing limited liability. Limited liability is not a component of pure capitalism and is really a legislative gift. Corporations and banksters use this this gift to abuse the consumer, the workers, the borrowers, and the environment and evade responsibility.
What the business community is doing is abusing the system. That abuse is a bigger danger than all of the socialists, Marxists, and political anarchists put together and multiplied by ten. What the GOP increasingly advocates is not any sort of reasonable system, but rather a form of economic anarchism, or a jungle. So, unless you are the top predator, and you probably are not, you are going to be lunch.
I find that the ideas that Ms. Warren has would balance these abuses and keep the abusers in line.
4
This article quotes several people saying that a wealth tax will discourage innovation. Where is the evidence supporting these claims? In fact, having a good social safety net is what promotes innovation since entrepreneurs can afford to fail. Who really thinks that people would stop chasing wealth if it were taxed at a higher rate? It makes no sense, few entrepreneurs achieve enormous wealth anyway, and the winners will still be richer than anyone else. For me it seems the authors of this article were allowing their own biases to shine through. If I saw a great opportunity for a disruptive new app, technology, or medicine, I would not walk away because I will only be able to afford 5 mansions instead of 6.
7
After decades of platitudes, empty promises and outright lies, people seem skeptical of an elected official willing to put forth precise plans. Elizabeth Warren has thought through many issues. And is willing to explain them and take questions. So far, she has my vote.
6
I am troubled by candidates running for the office of President who promise all these policies that only Congress can adopt. Please write about the candidate’s approach to war, international relations, judicial appointments, supervising the military, appointing members of the cabinet, tariffs, improving the federal bureaucracy’s attitude toward the Americans they should be trying to serve well, and similar matters under the direct control of the President.
If candidates want to give the children of middle class, upper middle class, and wealthy families a college give-away, perhaps hoping to buy votes, please run for the Senate or House, where an effective leader can convince colleagues to vote to adopt these expensive policies. Personally, I would use federal tax revenue to forgive college debts and provide free tuition for the children of low-income and working class families to equal the playing field and redistribute wealth in the right direction. Several states already provide free access to community colleges. If there is extra money left over, I would send federal funds to improve medical care, affordable housing, job training, education, and similar programs targeting low-income Americans. The rich and upper middle class do not need help from Congress, with college tuition or loans, or anything else. I will vote for Congressional candidates who support these types of policies.
186
@David where do you suppose the money for that type of policy would come from? Middle and upper middle-class taxpayers. You would be making a painful, dysfunctional part of our economy a mandatory part of your own taxes and my taxes, instead of optional. This would entrench higher ed’s worst shortcomings and you’d have to give up on retirement, for example. There isn’t an imaginary father to pay for all this.
18
@David My salute, one of the best posts I've ever seen on NYT Picks! It's not an option, we must "provide free tuition for the children of low-income and working class families to equal the playing field and redistribute wealth in the right direction". Joy of educational opportunity to only those with financial resources is not joy to society at large.
6
@David Who is promising anything? Warren certainly isn't promising anything. She's outlining what she will fight for and what she is advocating for. Of course it's up to Congress to pass legislation that mirrors Warren's big ideas. But don't denigrate Warren's policy ideas as something she is "promising." She herself knows she can't promise anything without the help of Congress. Same with Bernie Sanders. He got denigrated for "promising" so much and yet never promised anything. He advocated and fought for systemic change. Those are the candidates we want to see in Congress and in the White House.
35
It's true for me at least that Elizabeth Warren's ideas and plans have helped to propel her up to one of my favorites. We really need a President who can follow through with real policies. Now, I think, she just needs to stand up to Trump better with very tough, very direct rhetoric, calling out the hypocrisy, lies, and abomination of justices perpetuated by this criminal administration in no uncertain terms. If she shows she can beat Trump in a fight -- and it will be dirty -- then she'll have my vote.
311
@Brannon Perkison
Warrren was the first candidate to call for impeachment. She did that immediately after reading the Mueller report.
She's calling for Congress to make clear Presidents can be indicted and DOJ officials to reverse policies shielding Presidents from criminal accountability.
Right now, Trump's dumping on Biden. That should serve all other candidates.
10
@Brannon Perkison
" calling out the hypocrisy, lies, and abomination of justices "
You mean like lying about being a minority to get into Harvard? And taking someone else's spot?
2
@George Orwell
There is no need to waste time on such trivia, if that would be all Trump ever did we should be happy.
8
Senator Warren will be criticized for her “liberal” proposals by the middle and right. But Warren is way ahead of the curve, she knows what she’s doing. Robert Reich says it best. “How do you make capitalism actually work for the many rather than the few?” Warren knows the answer to that question, but more so, how to fix the problem.
As the candidates speak at the debates, Warren will shine. Remember when Obama was running, he just outsmarted everyone at the debates. Warren is of the same mold. They're “The Thinkers”
551
@cherrylog754
Senator Warren is making it very clear that an economy that works for only the few will never survive. That is something most of us moderates, liberals and conservatives know at our very core and is why she will appeal to the majority and win 20/20.
...Did I forget to mention smart and honest and travels in circles that does not include the Kremlin?
55
@cherrylog754 Warren has promised a $700 billion universal child care program, a $600 billion free college program, a $640 billion program to cancel college debt, & a $500 billion-plus low-income housing program. And now she's added to this a $2 trillion spending package. That's about 4.4 trillion & counting! The entire Federal budget for 2019 is 4.7 trillion. She has proposed a wealth tax, a higher estate tax, & a new tax on corporations. Warren implies she can pay for all of this by taxing the rich. She can’t. This will never happen. We all know that. If Democrats nominate a progressive candidate like Warren then all is lost. This is political suicide. There's no progressive majority in America & never will be. The numbers are simply not there. And there certainly is no progressive Electoral College coalition in America that could get to the needed 270 votes. This point can't be emphasized enough: almost every progressive candidate in whom Democrats invested tremendous time, money, & emotional energy in 2018—Rourke in Texas, Gillum in Florida, Abrams in Georgia— lost. Almost every progressive initiative on the ballot in this country was voted down. What progressives & their co-dependents will never understand is that far left mobilizes it's opponents to an even greater degree. Warren proposals are pie in the sky & she will exit this race early. Many leftists may want to live in Warren’s America but the overwhelming majority of voters don't. There are better candidates.
12
@Bill Brown
Where on Earth are you getting these numbers? How in the heck are you doing maths?
For starters, and as an example, Warren's childcare program would cost $1.7Bn over A DECADE. Most program's costs are presented as their cost over a DECADE, so I have no idea why you brought up the ANNUAL budget to illustrate the price-to-cost ratio.
Try again and please show your work.
29
What is remarkable is the degree of grass roots interest Sen. Warren has generated. This is not from the left. It is the central issue for anyone not drowning in money. That would be the bottom 80 percent. It means more and more see the impossibility of the present inevitable trend if nothing is done. And they will gravitate to a hands-on leader who is not an idealist but a seasoned bureaucrat with the smarts to dope out real solutions for what ails us. Congratulations to her.
410
@Stephen C. Rose
But, Steve, she can get virtually none of her ideas through the Senate. Thus, she just has a utopian blueprint, no?
Let's pray for the sake of working Americans she can get elected and push through some of her ideas. I really believe we need a new voice for working America and hopefully she can stop the predatory nature of what has taken hold of corporations. The unbridled greed has got to stop.
475
I'm a 63-year-old white female, and it's taken me a bit to come around, but I've pretty much decided my primary vote will for Warren. I wish that candidates could campaign together, because Warren/Buttegieg would seal it. It really isn't about electing a woman, though that's an added plus, but it is about competency, and maturity. I keep reading that Biden is the only candidate that can beat the incumbent, and that's just a bunch of hooey. Biden wouldn't know an original thought if it smacked him in the (behind) or kissed him on his head. Warren has the experience, and the demeanor, and the intelligence to lead not just this country, but the world. Buttegieg has the photogenic charisma to balance it. Best of all, it would send the patriarchy into apoplectic hyperventilation.
739
@Vanessa Hall - I could easily see myself voting for Warren/Buttegieg.
I already voted for Biden twice and I'm still waiting for Gitmo to close and for the end of the Afghanistan War. I don't plan on wasting my vote on Biden again.
93
@Vanessa Hall That's a ticket I could get behind. Can I have a bumper sticker now rather than later?
39
@Vanessa Hall you speak the truth, Biden is not a person of ideas. He had his chance many years ago and botched it with his lack of understanding. He is the front runner only because of his VP standing. Once he gets into the debates his light will fade. I'm a Warren fan we need smarts to repair the damage done.
71
This is a time to think big, and to challenge ourselves. That always involves risk.
Elizabeth isn't making this stuff up - she has been immersed in these ideas for decades. And she surrounds herself with deeply knowledgeable people.
Will all of President Warren's ideas come to fruition? No. But even if some of them can move forward, that would be tremendous progress.
Obama's major accomplishment was making healthcare available to every American. That idea had languished for decades, but it got done. Warren can do the same.
610
@Cousy
"...surrounds herself with deeply knowledgeable people."
Oh happy day!
47
@dlb oh, happy day! is correct, especially in the light that the present WH occupant has a track record or (approximately) 95% of his original "only the best people" team has been fired or quit, 80% of the 2nd wave of "the best people" have been fired or quit, .... and so forth. There is no one left except for "temps" that do not require confirmation by any other entity in the gov't. But then again, this is exactly what authoritarian people do. "Deplorable."
33
@Cousy
Senator Warren has always had my admiration and I agree with all you say with one point of clarification.
Healthcare was not Obama's major accomplishment - he only happened to be in office. I was very attentive to all the machinations during the tortuous proceedings of getting ACA passed. It was Nancy Pelosi who marshalled ACA through and I will always give her the credit.
28
Who gets to decide what is "moderate" and who is a "moderate"? When I look at Republican and Trump policies on the environment, the economy, education and foreign relations, I see a radical unwinding of established norms. Since the Republican party is going right along with all of Trump's "policies" (i.e., rollbacks), then to me the whole party looks frighteningly radical. Even if you look at the lack of regulations across the last several decades, you'll see that politicians of both parties have left workers and consumers at the mercy of the corporate titans that fund political campaigns.
Moving the needle "leftward" seems like we'd be getting back to a normal society that functions for its citizens.
827
@Jsw
Absolutely Jsw. "Moderate" has taken on a meaning well to the "right" of what this society needs to not just survive but prosper in the coming years.
It would do us all a great service if the dominant media wrote about and disseminated descriptions taken from Scandinavian and other cultures where what we call moderate would be right-wing. What we call leftist/socialist would be called moderate.
Universal health-care, affordable if not free education, decent support for parents and the elderly, strategies to address environmental degradation, solid up to date infrastructure, etc - none of which would be viewed as leftist or extreme in many other places.
Everybody read "The Nordic Theory of Everything".
88
@Jsw
Senator Warren is not moving leftward, she is just remaking the economy. :)
47
@Jsw Yes, please move left. Choose Warren or another socialist as a candidate. In any case, Trump will be re elected. Americans don’t like the idea that government can confiscate their money and give it to illegals.
7
Unlike most of her rivals, Warren has staked out all her positions in detail. She has also refused corporate and special interest campaign contributions. Most important she has kept her message clear and simple thus avoiding the double talk that blurs the message of the other candidates. Trump will have a more difficult time with her than with anyone else.
732
@Edward:
“She has also refused corporate and special interest campaign contributions.”
Only true for her primary campaign.
12
@Edward - Actually, Trump would have his most difficult time with Buttiegieg who keeps hammering home that the gay guy went to Afghanistan to serve his country instead of faking a disability to dodge the draft.
17
@tom harrison Well, he might just be the VP.
25
If only 20 percent of Elizabeth Warren's policies were to be enacted, our country would be taking a giant leap forward. It is to her credit that she has a vision for this country and boldly shows her hand well in advance of the first primary votes, let alone the general election. She is not using polling to tell voters what pollsters think we want to hear. I find it outstanding and refreshing for a candidate not only to speak to voters but also to put in writing how she would achieve her goals. Bernie Sanders has a vision for the country that he expressed in 2015 and now, but both then and now he does not go into detail as Sen. Warren does. Clearly Elizabeth Warren is prepared to lead the country on day one. I get more enthused about her candidacy every day.
1074
@me
me - My sentiments are the same on Elizabeth Warren - great enthusiasm for getting our country out of miasma - for all but the very wealthy - and moving forward for all of us in a positive way. At last night's dinner table, everyone spoke of her candidacy - and of her as a person - in the most glowing of terms!
92
@me
"She is not using polling to tell voters what pollsters think we want to hear."
In fact, that's EXACTLY what she's doing. Knowing that primaries, both Dems and Repubs, turnout the most extreme supporters, Liz has decided that she will be the most Leftist candidate in the game, to the point that if Che Guevara was reincarnated and entered the Democratic race, he'd be a moderate. She's trying to Out-Trump the field, with a series of outlandish "promises" that everyone knows have ZERO chance of being enacted. Sound like a familiar tactic? ("Build the wall," "bring back Coal," "repeal ObamaCare.") The losers will be the [handful of] voters who still believe our politicians mean what they say.
8
she actually bears the true American spirit.
74
I'm definitely in the Warren camp! Love her policy proposals and have been watching her go after wealthy, powerful, corporations and executives for years.
5
Why you’ll any thinking person agree to be taxed to support any part of this dingbat’s agenda?
6
Because it leads to the better society where everybody gets the chance to better his/ her life.
Just hoping Trump really messes up and the Dems can take the White House, keep The House and flip The Senate.
Warren would be a great President.
And that corrupt Mitch McConnell
can get dragged out of his office
kicking and screaming. !
10
Frankly, I think she’d be a great POTUS.
6
E. Warren is spewing out lots of fakery, and some people likely believe it. However, this stuff is on par in substance with her Indian claims that perhaps no one believed. Talk on...
4
I am not in love with every proposal from Senator warren, but she is growing on me. Biden's Rope-a-dope/frontrunner strategy makes a certain amount of sense, but Warren is definitly gaining ground on both Joe and Bernie.
2
If we were in Europe, she’d be a Prime Minister by a landslide and would do the entire European Union a world of good. How lucky for us that she is American and has the moxie to take on the biggest of the bullies and bozos that are occupying our government and destroying our former democracy.
Oh God do we need a hero! Mine is Elizabeth Warren: kind, bright, brave and ethical. She understands, as few have, exactly how the oligarch-evangelical coalition got its chokehold on our government. She knows exactly how to unwind this boa constrictor. In other words, she cares deeply about getting the job done.
She may well be our best and last hope.
13
Generally, our government only looks out for the interests of corporations and the very rich.
Why aren’t there any representatives from the working class?
Our government by the rich sees the working class as their enemy.
Average Americans are constantly demonized as lazy.
I have a lot of respect for the people who collect our garbage. That is real WORK. And is an extremely important part of our daily lives.
I have far more respect for them than too many in Congress.
3
Let us remember that budgetary bills must originate in the House and must be approved by the Senate. Or does the Senator figure that she could rule by Diktat to get her agenda to move? Regardless that she's a democrat, we should be very cautious about having a new autocrat in the White House.
4
The difference in intelligence, honesty, integrity and ethics between Trump an Warren is immeasurable - and it grows every day.
I seek a leader - one whom I can trust and one who is smart and understands the issues facing all of us. Trump is, as always, a total nothing burger, a loser, a grifter and a crook. Warren may just be the leader that we are all looking for, with REAL solutions and much more than merely empty-headed words and promises all aimed at self-profit.
There are any number of Democrats who would be infinitely better Chief Executives (I shudder to write that) than The Dotard. Choose one come next year and stick behind him/her - good things will happen.
2
So how much did it cost the tax payer for 1) Tariffs with China, 2) Tariffs with Mexico, 3) trip to Britain with the whole family including there Secret Service, Golf breaks at Trump courses. Now tell me what kind of tax break did the working class get and don’t you feel blessed between Trump and your church with its insatiable request to pay tithes
5
So a politician/lawyer/college professor has a ‘plan’ to remake a nearly $20-trillion economy.
1) Only a Democrat would have the hubris to think they have what it takes to pull it off.
2) What could possibly go wring?
4
@EGD "It's too big to change, so why try to fix anything? Better to just ignore it and hope things spontaneously improve"- You, just now
1
@EG Laughable! Senator Warren doesn’t have one ounce of the hubris that the current president who went bankrupt six times, failed in multiple-businesses, and defrauded contractors, employees and consumers, and lost $111 million each year for at least a decade! We’re paying billions and adding to our debt for Stable Genius’s Tariff War against China.
Senator Warren has an actual plan.
2
@ATOM
Right.
And no one ever heard the appalling DJT say he was going to ‘remake’ the economy.
When you borrow you’re supposed to pay by very simple.
2
Hiawatha got one shot at Pochahontas with his bow, but fortunately he had only one arrow in his quiver.
1
This idea that taxes pay for federal gov operations is believed by practically everyone. This belief, however, is responsible for many of our economic problems today,
The fact is that (through the FED) the federal gov can create as much money as it needs out of thin air.
Because of this fact, the gov does not need your money to pay for gov operations. It has an infinite supply of the stuff. We do have to be careful since too much money chasing not enough stuff will cause prices to go up. We may get excessive inflation. One way to avoid that is for the gov to take some back, to tax it back, but we may not have to have high taxes.
It is true that prices are proportional to the amount of money in the economy, but they are also inversely proportional to the amount of stuff we can produce. If we spend the new money in a way that facilitates more production that will yield more money chasing more stuff which does not lead to excessive inflation.
Using the "kitchen table" ideas , if we want free child care & it costs $X, then we have to tax $X dollars to pay for it. If we use the way the finances of our gov actually work, we have to see how much it would increase GDP which is probably quite a bit since it would allow more people to work. When we do the figures, it may turn out that if we have to raise taxes at all, it may be a lot less than $X.
The point is that "How do we pay for it?" is the wrong question. The right question is "How much will it increase the GDP?"
3
@Len Charlap Right On!
2
Thank you NYT.
Elizabeth Warren deserves this and much more FRONT page media articles on her vision and plans for America.
She would make an excellent POTUS.
22
Warren needs to come our strongly for reducing legal immigration and stopping all illegal immigration (including birthright citizenship and DACA) if she wants to have a chance among voters who lean center-right or right. All her other policies, however sound, will be as nothing if she cannot neutralize Trump on this important issue.
As for free college not a good idea at all. People tend to devalue things that they get for free. What will be the quality of such a free education? Will classes be taught by H-1B adjuncts from India? Will STEM majors be given an extra leg up? If not, why not? What about trades education? Why not subsidize that? Not everyone is college material.
Free child care - shouldn't there be a limit on how many children per family will draw this benefit? If a woman has 5 or more children, why should taxpayers as a whole pay for the child care for all the kids? And what about the impact of such a population explosion on the climate?
BTW, I am a Democrat.
10
@na. Fewer children are already being born in the US. A couple of decades ago Mexico had a great public service announcement on TV: "Fewer so you can give them more."
That's what's happening.
@na
Absolutely right.
Lots of expensive ideas on spending money; short on how to pay for it all, except for taxing the rich 1000% (yes, that 1000, not 100).
6
@RandyJ nothing wrong with that. I’d like to see them pay more.
2
@RandyJ Won't somebody please think of all those poor, poor rich people?
1
I am optimistic. She will come with Senate belonging to Democrats.
The middle and poorer Americans will get their deserved opening to make us happy.
Many say that American workers are suffering despite higher productivity they deliver. Rich American has to give back and, they can.
Leaders otherwise play golf or take a nap instead of working to get things done.
2
She has my vote.
After last election, I will no longer vote against my beliefs for somebody I think will win. I was spectacularly wrong, enough to make me never want to make that compromise ever again.
Warren is my candidate. Signed up to make a monthly donation.
Someone with actual progressive ideas, practicable and clearly laid out--what a novelty!
10
@Jim someone who does not accept the status quo, or its masters.
1
@Jim
The rich will have no problem taxing you massively when you go to rent or pay for something. Might as well do what is needed and balance society out. They gained from the profits of globalization while not giving back. They need to pair their fair share for that wealth redistribution from the rust belt.
2
There seems to be a lot of disagreement over whether these plans are too radical or just right. Why not place them side-by-side with the Trump/Republican plans and the status quo? Maybe they would not look so radical then. Maybe the middle-class voters who are confused when Trump calls these plans 'socialism' would finally realize that the Republican plan, the one that calls for allowing the rich to get richer with few restrictions, the one that allows too many of them to skate on our 'shared' tax burden and pull up the ladder to success behind them is the truly radical plan and the one that hobbles their children's chances to succeed. Maybe the rest of us have become so accustomed to the Republicans incessant toadying to the wealthy that we don't even know what a country that gives everyone a chance to succeed looks like any more. Maybe now is the time for a reset.
5
These plans are simply bread and circuses for the naive, who don't seem to understand that none of these plans has a snowflake's chance of coming to fruition. If Warren really wants to accomplish any of these things, what she needs is one plan: for how to win control of the Senate. Without that, the rest is meaningless.
6
@GMooG
I agree with your second sentence.
Instead of jumping into what "moderates" and conservatives think about her plans, you should give us a picture of what America would look like if we implemented them.
How would they boost growth? How would they reduce emissions? How would they affect income inequality? How would they affect labor mobility? How would they affect the lives of people who don't have $1 million in their bank accounts?
Tell us what would happen if we actually thought about the costs and benefits of our current arrangements relative to what could be.
The pessimism of political "analysis" of the kind you've written accomplishes nothing. As useless are the vague concerns from right wingers about how a wealth tax would reduce "innovation." (Does that mean some millionaire might have less cash to invest in a social media company that enriches a few people, employs a few more, but creates nothing of value? Because I'd be fine with that.)
Market economies should be regulated to promote maximum efficiency. A system that pumps excess money into bloated billionaires who couldn't actually spend what they have, while others are destroyed by healthcare costs isn't just a moral problem. It's also bad economics. Think of the wasted potential and pointless poverty we allow. It's disgusting.
If everyone could live and work up to their full potential, the U.S. economy would probably be magnitudes larger.
9
She has tenacity, fight, and smarts. She’s got my vote.
9
Why would she have a difficult time with “moderates”? Do they support subsidizing the rich over the poor?
13
It is not accurate—and perhaps biased—to write that “millions of consumers rely on” Amazon. In point if fact, consumers may or may not choose to shop on Amazon but the do not “rely” on it the way the do, for example, their utilities or public transportation. It is time to stop portraying conveniences and necessities. It only reinforces corporate culture and power.
2
@Ron Bashford. I closed my Amazon Prime account the other day because I watched 3 episodes of a series and returned to see that subsequent episodes would cost me $2.99. I am sure that some algorithm saw that I was hooked and decided to soak me for a few dollars. I can buy books at a bookstore. You are right, who needs it?
1
I've been a registered Green all my adult life. But I'm becoming a Democrat so I can vote for Elizabeth. So is my wife. She is exactly what we need. Would love for her to start naming her Cabinet, along with those detailed plans. And those plans check out according to the NYT! (Fact Checking Elizabeth Warren on the Campaign Trail.)
Hope the corporate media doesn't attack her. After Howard Dean proposed breaking up the media to Chris Matthews on Hardball, the media 'escorted him to the political margins' by playing the 'I have a Scream' speech hundred of times. Let's call out the media if they try that with Elizabeth.
15
None of this will matter because so many progressives are running they will spit of that vote and a more traditional Democrat will win the nomination.
3
Past generations had lower tuition and better terms of higher education. It's a waste of our most valuable resources that education is so expensive. If someone is smart enough to be a doctor, engineer, scientist but doesn't want the debt that's a loss for our country. Germany understands this. They offer free education and in exchange, they get the pick of the best young minds of the generation.
1
@Astat
"Germany understands this. They offer free education..."
True but incomplete. Most college level education in Germany is free. But in Germany, free college is not available to everyone; only the best students.
9
Elizabeth is setting the Democratic agenda and forcing everyone to step up to the plate and demonstrate that what they stand for is more than a return to business-as-usual.
Not every idea that she is proposing would likely be implemented even if she were elected President and Democrats took back the Senate (and ditched the filibuster). But she is forcing Democrats to up their game, and speak to the deep frustration that many Americans feel about being an afterthought to our current "coalition of the bribed".
When Joe Biden voted for the 2005 bankruptcy bill, he was voting for the banking industry that dominates Delaware; he wasn't voting for the interests of ordinary Americans. I like Joe - but when he voted for that bill, he was part of that "coalition of the bribed".
Democrats need to completely repudiate the trickle-down economics of the GOP and their membership in that "coalition of the bribed".
Make no mistake: if Elizabeth Warren is elected President, she will belong to no one but the American people.
Can you say that about any other candidate?
11
@Matthew Carnicelli If you truly believe that Elizabeth Warren, or ANY politician, will "belong to no one but the American people," I have a nice bridge over the East River that's for sale at a great price. That is a wildly idealistic view to take of any individual, never mind a politician, but then again, wild idealism seems to go hand in hand with liberalism.
2
@Matthew Carnicelli Bernie far more than Warren.
Though this article features quotes that critique some of her ideas less than favorably, I suspect they are the same sorts of nay sayer voices that resisted FDR's bold ideas. It seems to me that, as a country with the highest income inequality of all the "rich" nations, we are very fortunate to have a visionary candidate of Senator Warren's caliber. The fact that she is not "bought" is a huge advantage, as the average citizen will trust that she speaks for them and not special interests. We have a wonderful opportunity here!
5
I like her quite a bit. I do think she has too many plans. We all ready have a President that has too many plans even if most of them are poor. It's not the President that makes plans - it is congress that passes them into law. I believe she has the ability to show great leadership but too many plans won't get there from here. I think she has the ability to lead and clearly shows that she will work very hard. Her message needs more focus!
1
Certainly it is early, and Elizabeth Warren has some hurdles to climb in terms of convincing an electorate that the American economy won't collapse into a Venezuela disaster should her policies be adopted (it won't). And if all goes well, in the end she will have to face Trump who has a well practiced nickname ready and waiting for her - and many other insults as well.
I've been reading essays written by her for about two years now - they are not the stuff of "It takes a Village", or other similar made for publicity books - they are the detailed thought and vision of a remarkably intelligent and capable person. If intelligence and qualifications matter in the race for President, she appears to be a cut above the pack. Time will quickly tell if she is the real thing, and I'm thinking she is. Finally, she does not seem to carry the baggage that sunk Hillary Clinton, and is otherwise every bit her equal and more in capabilities that count.
My thinking at the moment: Give us Ms. Warren as President, keep the house and make big gains in the Senate. It could be just the thinlg to GAOTA (Get America On Track Again)!
5
Even though I am not crazy about all her proposals, she is far and away my first choice for our next president. Brilliant, energetic, diligent, and passionate about making life better for the 99.9% of us.
5
The difference between Warren and Sanders:
1. Sanders wasn't a Republican until 47 and then suddenly realized that he really is a socialist in a "lightbulb moment"
2. Sanders didn't lie about his heritage to gain advantage in life. Trump won't call him "Chief Wahoo"
3. Sanders is an honest and sincere man who has steadfastly held up his socialist ideals no matter how unpopular they have been at most times
I believe the socialist reforms both Sanders and Warren are proposing would be a great detriment of our country but boy if I had to pick one of the two based on sincerity and honesty it surely wouldn't be Warren.
1
@Robert Djelveh At least Warren has produced some legislative results in her time in Washington. What has Bernie's idealism led to legislatively?
Not a single economy has been successful when the running of industries has been essentially taken over by the government. Even in China industries did not take off until the government took off the handcuffs. That idea is DOA. So is the idea of moving the main influence in organizations from the executives to the workers. There is a reason the workers are doing what they are doing and what the managers and executives do and it is not just because those on the left think they are only in those positions because of various biases, favoritism, etc. Not everybody is cut out to be leaders anymore than anyone can do what craftspeople can do.
The left worries that Trump is destroying the country. What he is doing is nothing compared to what would happen if many of her ideas were to become reality.
5
@DC
Which industry does Elizabeth Warren champion taking over?
And with it a recipe for inflation and even a subsequent recession. Her grandiose plans don’t address the immigration debacle, which will be an issue for most voters. And what is she going to do about the plight of people of color, particularly those in the reservations? As all politicians, she is promising too much, but won’t be able to deliver once in the White House...if she gets that far.
1
It's a little sad how many Dems fall in love with candidates who spend all of their time on "Plans" that have zero hope of implementation. Most normal people would call those "hopes" or "dreams".
If Warren wins (a big if), she will still face the almost certain prospect of a Senate controlled by Republicans who will never, ever vote for a single one of her "plans".
She and every other Dem should be spending all their time on strategies for how to win the election, meaning how to overcome the structural issues presented by the Electoral College and win in the swing states. If they have any time and energy left after that, they should hatch a plan to win the Senate back.
Everything else is just hot air. And her "plans" are donation bait for the people are already going to vote D no matter who wins the nomination.
2
Given a choice between economic freedom and servitude there will always those who will prefer indentured servitude and the God-given right of the wealthy to rule over the great unwashed masses that are the rest of us. Including many who are essentially indentured themselves because if they had $1 billion than they too would be one of the elite so they want to make sure there is a place at the table waiting for them.
2
I'm voting for Elizabeth Warren. I trust her to do the right thing.
5
I favor shutting down our horrendous tax loopholes and inequality, but her plans are often silly dreams by people with no real world experience.
Since her debt cancellation plan is based on income, the children of the 1% who do not have significant income (yet) will get their debts cancelled, while a child of poor parents who earns a high paying job will not. The indebted student who goes backpacking for a year gets relief, but the student who gets a job to support his or her family will not. This is unfair.
And how do you "tax Rembrandts"? Search everyone's home and create a massive bureaucracy to evaluate art, furniture, homes, inherited antiques, comic books saved from childhood, etc, etc? Do you tax the artist who has saved her own valuable pictures? Farmers whose land is worth a lot if sold but who want to keep farming?
And what happens when the value of an already taxed asset drops, such as during the housing crisis? Do you get a refund?
4
@DSM14
I believe many of the issues you raise are along the same lines of why brave Massachusetts patriots gathered on Lexington Green in 1775. They would be horrified at the King George III outlook of their home colony's Senator. Warren believes that the state should be integral to your self, family, home, and life in perpetuity. And once given this power, the state will act. Resist.
2
Strangely, her plans don’t include desperately needed assistance to address a myriad of issues on American Indian reservations. This is the group to whom she should be doing mea culpas.
1
Looking forward to all the freebies from President Warren
No more mortgage payments, reimbursement for my kids college education, free vacation in the Caribbean every month, new car every six months....I’m making my list!
5
@Chicago Paul
As opposed to all the freebies that the wealthiest Americans and corporations are getting now, right?
1
Ms. Warren may be very deep and detailed in her policy proposals, but her basic assumptions are wrong. She believes in heavey government intervention in all aspects of society, significant transfers of wealth, and massive regulations. These ideas, with different degrees of implementation, have resulted in either calamities (in the worse cases of the communist experiments in the Soviet Union and Cuba and the socialism of Venezuela), or in economies with very low growth rates and high unemployment that force the younger generations to emigrate to countries with better prospects (countries like France, Italy and Spain).
History shows that anything that is free (nominaly free) leads to waste and neglect, and that when politicians want to "help" people with a heavy hand in the markets, misallocation of resources takes place and the end result is contrary to whatever good intention might had been behind the policy.
15
@Ricardo She believes in this kind of intervention not based on some purely theoretical ideology, she believes this in face of overwhelmingly apparent evidence that the system as it currently operates is fundamentally broken and unjust.
Our current economic system is not a free market by any means. There is already a great deal of government intervention in the economy, the problem is that this intervention is taking place on the behalf of massive corporate entities that have no public accountability. Warren merely wants to rectify this imbalance in power in favor of the general public.
6
@Ricardo what is your evidence for this? none.
3
@Ricardo
Ricardo may be very deep in their beliefs, but their understanding of history is wrong. They believe that the failures of the USSR and Venezuela are examples of well-intended governments simply over-reaching their duties. In reality, though, they are examples of dictatorship, corruption, and, unsurprisingly, foreign sabotage.
History shows that anything that is free leads to people living better, happier lives. Look at the World Happiness Index. The USA isn't even in the top 10. Every single Scandinavian country is.
Ricardo should work for a pro-capitalist think tank, if they don't already.
6
The economy is humming right along. Why would we want to change things now. Virtually everyone who wants to work is working. Can someone give me an example of a country where they have taxed the wealthy like Warren is proposing and come out better for it? Most of Europe’s taxes are on the middle class, and not really on the wealthy. The wealthy keep their money in Monaco, Andorra, and the Camden Islands. Taking from the rich may make income distribution slightly more equal, but there is no evidence any of these policy initiatives will make things better for anyone.
Elizabeth Warren represents empty promises and not accomplishment.
13
@William the economy is humming along from a macro point of view, but if you're someone struggling with mountains of student or medical debt and a job that isn't seeing any meaningful wage growth, all while Republicans continue to shovel more and more tax cuts towards those who are already more well off than 99.999999999999% of people who have ever lived, changing things sounds like a pretty good idea to me.
62
The country is also running record breaking deficits, which should never happen during an expansion. In truth, it’s false prosperity.
24
@William
With all due respect, the United States had much higher tax rates on income in the past and did quite well. Everyone is happy about low unemployment, of course, but it is not a gift without strings: worsening income/wealth inequality, inability for millions of Americans to afford health care, an exploding deficit, too many jobs that offer wages well below the cost of living, and many other such problems. Let me answer your question with another: Can someone give me an example of a country with the worsening income/wealth inequality we currently have that has come out better for it?
10
I can't think of any good reason why student debt should be cancelled. The student borrowed the money and agreed to pay it back. Why should taxpayers be on the hook for that loan?
22
@Mark One reason is if you cancel a person's student loan debt, they have more $ to spend, and that spending will produce more economic growth than if they're just paying off that loan. Trickle up theory so to speak.
53
@Mark
If college tuition is made free for future students, non-forgiveness of existing student debt would be seen to be very unfair to those who have debt and continue to struggle, and defer many life decisions. It would create two classes of people.
7
They should be allowed to declare bankruptcy after 10 years to discharge debt. The problem lies in getting stuck with it for life.
8
Building Green energy generation industry and infrastructure should be a unifying platform among all the candidates. The issue is so important, it must transcend partisan and intraparty competition. Windmills and solar panels, once paid for, generate electricity for decades from free wind and sunshine.
31
@WITNESS OF OUR TIMES
The cost of the environmental destruction inherent with vast wind and solar farms here in the California desert has not been factored into the alleged ‘free’ aspect of so-called ‘green’ energy.
Large areas have been industrialized and someone will have to pay to dismantle the hardware and clean up the land at some point.
I suspect, though, the infrastructure will just be abandoned and become a ‘green’ ghost town like others in the West.
@WITNESS OF OUR TIMES No, they don't do that at all.
@EGD
Yeah, that's life, but I like the idea of FREE energy. It's pretty cost effective, and that's why the smart people of California, bathed in sunshine, build the infrastructure to capture it. How much do you pay for electricity or do you prefer paying for fossil fuels?
Senator Warren's proposals would certainly move this country in the right direction. I would love to see her in the oval office.
However, I think she could do more in articulating a coherent philosophy. The shift that this country needs is to value democracy in our social and economic lives -- just as we value democracy in our political lives -- over the accumulation of private wealth. So as much as I'd like to see her continuing to push detailed progressive policies, I would really love to see her simultaneously advance this fundamental philosophical shift. Doing so will be no small challenge.
18
@BrianCThe reason, I believe, is because the Republicans and Trump would label, and probably will label, her ideas as "socialist" (read "communist") and emotionally block out any consideration of her programs. By keeping the narrative focused on specific issues, she is challenging Trump and Republicans to address the specific remedy.
@BrianC
For four centuries, people have come here to accumulate personal wealth and pass it to their offspring. People are still clamoring to get in, which might be a sign of continued success for the future.
2
@BrianC I think Buttigieg does a nice job explaining how these sorts of policy objectives are consistent with the philosophical ideals of freedom and democracy (when properly defined), showing how progressives can and should take back these terms and make them central to their message. He just doesn't have the detailed proposals that Warren does, which is a problem for him.
1
Natasha Sarin said "taxing wealth could discourage innovation and risk-taking by entrepreneurs who invest time in their ideas hoping for a large payoff down the road."
How rich do you need to be?
Here is the thing I know about real inventors and innovators. They do it because they have to. It's who they are. That they will profit is something they hope for, but the achievement, the notoriety and recognition for having solved a problem is what drives them.
She wasn't talking about the innovators but the investors and those gain wealth on others ideas and work.
129
@Marie How do you "know" innovators are never motivated by profit? Name one who was willing to give away a valuable innovation. It was certainly not true of the innovators responsible for airplanes, steam engines, flight, electricity, cars, lifesaving drugs...
2
@Marie
Absolutely spot on. "Innovators" that are in it for the money don't actually create anything of value - I'm looking at you Mark Zuckerberg
8
@DSM14 The man who discovered insulin for diabetics. He gave his patent away to help humanity.
4
Simply and sadly: Most men, particularly single ones, will never vote for a female leader regardless of any other consideration. Most men refuse to recognize the strength and intelligence of women if they think it exceeds their own.
These men think a 9 to 5 job somehow equals giving birth and the 24/7 of raising children. They genuinely believe they are superior to women in every way, shape, and form and that women are incapable of doing what men do.
I'm a man but not one of those men. But almost every other man I know does think this way. As do hundreds of millions of others. There's no easy way out here.
A woman like Warren is what this country needs and she truly appears to have the potential to be a remarkably effective leader. But do you really think it's worth the risk of another 4 years of trump? I hate this defeatist mentality but I think it's entirely relevant. I'm afraid November 2020 will boil down to men who refuse to acknowledge a powerful female. Sounds familiar. Another 4 years of trump will signify the end for most of us, is it worth that risk?
This will be the argument people will use against Warren and it is also the reason why Biden is inevitable.
11
Any Rand said a woman should never be president. The fact is, more women than men feel this way.
It's the company you keep. I'm a 70 year old white male veteran firmly in the Warren camp and all my white male friends and colleagues, while not necessarily Warren supporters, are all in for transforming our ailing republic into a thriving social democracy.
11
@OneAnon: Well, but remember a woman was the people’s choice in ’16.
3
She's my gal! I would not benefit from some of her policies but I think they are all good and would lead to a country I could, again, be proud of,
127
If you add the Warren and Sanders polls, together they wallop Trump.
I think Warren and Sanders are kinda interchangeable.
I’ve sent them both $$
25
@New World the problem with Sanders - and forget any gripes about 2016 right now - is that he's a one-note guy. (Well, perhaps two - income inequality and health care - but that's about it.)
Can he go in-depth on climate change? Not that I've really seen, not to the depth Warren has.
Can he go in-depth on student debt? Again, I don't really recall him doing that.
Opioids? I haven't heard a ton from him there.
Child care? Same.
Plus, when you think about it, he's kinda already won. His ideas are now fairly mainstream in the Democratic party. Others are taking them and doing them as well or better. His attempt at transformation is complete. He's got less and less of a reason to be there.
8
@New World
'Warren and Sanders polls, together they wallop Trump.'
So what you're saying is that Trump trounces both?
Or are you asking for a ticket with these two?
In either case, Trump wins. By a mile.
@AutumnLeaf. I think what the comment means is that voters are looking for serious change, and right now, two candidates, Warren and Sanders, represent that change. Voters who like one won't have a hard time voting for the other one.
2
Intelligent, vibrant, and for all of us...Elizabeth Warren is definitely in a groove! Our nation would be lucky to have her in the White House.
91
And the economy needs to be remade.
Our current system is meant to serve the rich, and only the rich.
It will destroy America.
111
@Grove, it is capitalism gone wild. trump is the Looney Tune of them all.
5
Reads like Warren is trying to make American great again, for real.
90
Warren is a much better candidate than Biden
161
@Ken
My cat is a better candidate than Biden.
6
This is the future people, get on the bus or get out of the way!!!
84
@Meagan That's what we thought in 1972, a much more liberal time than now. We were wrong, and I'm afraid if we keep thinking we will move as far to the left as Warren wants, we will be wrong again.
She's a smart woman, and it's great that she has detailed plans, but her plans will never pass, not even if the Democrats can take back the Senate. About half of the Democrats in Congress and in the US are just left of center, not far left. I wish Warren would be more realistic.
1
Warren is just the antidote the country needs to recover from 4 years of incoherence, incompetence, and corruption that characterize this stunt presidency and its GOP enablers.
122
If you're not going to appeal to moderates then how do you possibly hope to enact your plans, however fantastic they may be? The outlook for the Democrats retaking the Senate is not good so whatever creative plans Senator Warren has will never be enacted with appealing to moderates.
Time and time again I see folks posting comments on the Times disparaging moderates as though they are the evil twin of Trump and Mitch McConnell. They are not and never were and never will be.
Left wing Democrats are no different than right wing Republicans. They both believe that they are 100% correct about where they believe America should go and they believe that the majority of the public supports their point of view. Time and time again that has proven to be false with both parties.
Our infrastructure (our roads, highways, bridges, and water systems) are falling apart. Our immigration system is badly in need of reform. Despite what some on both the left and the right want us to believe there is a consensus, a middle ground, that can get us to where our nation should be and that can win a majority of votes in the House and the Senate.
I have great admiration for Elizabeth Warren and where she wants to take our country. However, if she is not willing to compromise, as she has shown an unwillingness to do during her tenure in the Senate, then none of her wonderful ideas will come to fruition. We need leaders who are willing to compromise to get important legislation passed.
15
@Mark Jeffery Koch "Despite what some on both the left and the right want us to believe there is a consensus, a middle ground, that can get us to where our nation should be and that can win a majority of votes in the House and the Senate."
With THIS GOP? Have you been paying any attention to them at all? They simply DO NOT CARE. About you, me, or anyone else who isn't a straight white Christian male making six figures a year or more.
You tack onto that the fact that many progressive policy ideas - raising the minimum wage, expanding health care, raising taxes on the wealthy - are actually broadly popular, and I think it's time to realize we're not actually a center-right country. We're center-left. And the more folks like Warren talk, the more that keeps going.
15
@Mark Jeffery Koch
"Left wing Democrats are no different than right wing Republicans." I beg to differ. Left wing democrats want to help the majority of Americans not just the richest slice that pad their pockets. Left wing Americans want to maintain a safety net and give health care and a livable planet to our citizens. I wouldn't say the same about the truth-denying, science-denying Republicans. There is a big difference between those two groups.
9
@Mark Jeffery Koch - "If you're not going to appeal to moderates then how do you possibly hope to enact your plans"
No appeal to moderates seems to be working for Trump. And remember anything that is moderate is seen as loony radical lefty stuff by the right wing where it is always a race to be right-most.
5
"Many of the proposals from Ms. Warren, a former Harvard law professor and hawk on financial regulation, could face a difficult path to winning over moderates" Based on what? From where did the author's derive this "fact" as they state?
Most of Warrens proposals tap the re-empowerment of the middle class of America that ACTUALLY made America great in the post-war period. The policies that have been eroded by a jihad by Repubican tax and trade against the middle class and American worker. There is nothing more "moderate" than making Government work the the majority of us rather than the 1%.
107
@Michael. Yes, the "fact" that "moderates" would oppose Warren's plan is something we are supposed to accept on faith from the NYT, just because. The NYT represents a socially liberal bias but a center-right or right-wing bias when it comes to pocketbook issues and foreign policy.
9
I like her. I don’t agree with all her plans esp forgiving college debt as I believe it punishes those who went to affordable schools/worked extra jobs/etc. but at least she has plans. What a concept! If she can talk about healthcare, infrastructure and the economy she wins. If she gets stuck in immigration, global warming or gay rights, she loses. Have to get the middle America and independent votes!
4
I won't make a final decision until the evening of election day and I've deliberately avoided leaning towards any particular candidate, but I do say that Warren may be viewed as weak by our male oriented society, but she surely is reminiscent of the late great Franklin Roosevelt whose big ideas brought us out of the Republican sparked Great Depression of the 1930's and unified the nation.
17
I find Senator Warren's wealth of ideas refreshing even if, sadly, the chances of her implementing them is slim.
I wish, however, she'd stop pretending she's a "regular" gal who struggled just like the rest of us. I don't recall her ever mentioning she had a coveted tenured position at Harvard Law and I'm increasingly annoyed by her folksy, bordering on condescending, emails inviting me to enter for the chance to share a beer with her.
Nonetheless, I may still vote for her but in my heart I'm hoping Mayor Peter, my far and away first choice at this point, takes a cue from Senator Warren and starts talking more specifics on policy.
4
@Concerned American Well Bernie bid that he was ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee. He is actually good at kitchen table economics which is good for a small state like VT.
@Concerned American
I don’t remember where I read her story but she went through school while working. She is from a blue collar family. And she said the only way she was able to get that Harvard college position was because we had amazing education costs so she spent like $50 per semester.
That’s one of the reasons she supports education that benefited her and was taken away from the younger generations. She also sees the need for child care so people have a fairer platform to move forward or at least get to a place of economic balance versus poverty.
Besides what’s the mantra for companies to go global? Educated people! We compete with countries that invest in their people. Talk about tying one hand behind our work force to compete and then taxing them to maintain the infrastructure that supports the roads, military and patent office while those that benefit from that infrastructure pay penny’s on the dollar.
A wealth tax? If " you didn't build it" (your business), I guess the Government has a rightful claim on your wealth. Reminds me of the Beetles song, Tax Man. Obviously the wealthy will find new offshore places to park their wealth, because Ms. Warren's appetite for your money knows no bounds. That's the perfect recipe for an economic collapse.
7
@sob
This is the #1 reason why neither Sanders nor Warren will win in 2020. A wealth tax is ludicrous and should be roundly criticized for its eternal tax nature, i.e. taxing monies that have already been taxed. What next, a return to gold and diamonds as the sole way to hide any money scraped together after the government takes what it wants?
2
She's the real deal. An advocate for working class people her whole life. I remember thirty years ago she was compelling to listen to on a college campus and later in Congressional testimony, it just made sense. In the longer arc of things, her ideas are a return to traditional American democratic principals, nothing radical. In context to the last forties years' bundling of government, handing over everything to private business it is indeed new and fresh. And threatening. Hope she wins.
49
I'm not sure why Ms. Warren's policy proposals keep getting labeled as 'left' of center - not just by the NY Times, but also in other press I have read. For example, she is far from the only candidate to recommend college debt forgiveness or accessible, professional childcare among other things. And many of her tax recommendations are simply a reversion back to the tax structures we had in this country following WWII. Labeling Ms. Warren's proposals as 'left' of center is language perpetuated in the press seem to me to be sexist attempts to dismiss and invalidate Ms. Warren's hard work. Language that accomplishes the same task as similarly sexist descriptions, e.g., angry women are 'hysterical' and make a 'spectacle of themselves' while angry men are 'aggressive' and 'forthright.' I for one have not decided which Democratic candidate I will vote for but I heartily congratulate Ms. Warren for opening up discussions beyond the lowest common denominator of who can trump Trump.
12
I wonder when the press is going to come out and remind everyone that congress sets the domestic legislative agenda and that these presidential candidates are just pandering to people since there is absolutely zero chance any of these policies are implemented with a republican senate.
It would be great if the press would actually educate people and we got to see the candidates foreign policy agendas.
3
@Emily.
"I wonder when the press is going to come out and remind everyone that congress sets the domestic legislative agenda.."
So you mean that the Affordable Care Act materialized out of thin air ? Geez, and here I always thought Obama has something to do with it.
2
@Emily, you do realize we have a chance to replace 1/3 of the Senate every two years, don't you? The current, small R majority isn't set in stone.
1
@Emily
Agree. Candidates promise the moon, but Congress is a brick wall. Trump has been extremely successful in non-legislative regulatory maneuvers, and doubly successful in making sure no legislation is passed that hinders the economy or business sector. He has an excellent chance in '20 solely based on the economy.
Warren's numerous proposals remind me that she wants to control every aspect of my life.
That, along with her "Touchdown Jesus" pose makes her come across as messianic.
No, thank you.
12
@Liberty hound
"Warren's numerous proposals remind me that she wants to control every aspect of my life."
I don't hear any Warren message to control your uterus, do you?
4
@Liberty hound
Unless you're a decamillionaire or an otherwise very atypical person, I don't see how Warren's proposals would adversely impact your freedom. Moreso, that is, than any government restrictions on freedom - which typically exchange minor individual freedoms for much larger freedoms. For the great majority of people, these proposals would enhance both their lives and their freedoms.
2
@Liberty hound You prefer major corporations controlling every aspect of your life? Why does reining in massive out of control corporations and unearned wealth translate into control of your life in your mind?
I'm tired of New Jersey being one of the last states to hold its primary every year. My vote in the presidential primary is usually irrelevant by the time June rolls around. Nonetheless, the more I hear about Warren's proposals, the more apt I am to vote for her. It's silly to argue that her proposals won't get past Republicans; not voting for her wouldn't exactly increase the odds of her ideas becoming a reality.
6
Obviously by my address you can tell I come from Massachusetts and the only way I would vote for Warren is if the only other candidate was Trump.
Come on Democrats, you can do better then this.
3
Here's a bright, prepared politician capable of creating and directing government policy for the benefit of all. Moderate voters should realize that the current model of only the very well off benefiting fully and the rest of us just getting by in good times and struggling badly in bad ones, is a recipe for disaster.
3
To get her plans through Congress, she'd need a wave of other new congresspeople and senators who also are not beholden to corporate lobbyists and big money interests like the Kochs and the NRA. Let's hope it happens!
9
There's only 1 plan we need: single-payer universal health care. Senator Warren isn't there.
4
Yeah, Hillary had as many plans as Warren is presenting, but somehow the press ignored her detailed plans and harped relentlessly about email, even after they knew it was just a GPO canard. Then most of the Trump's are caught using private cell phones and email, and the press barely makes a peep. I chalk it up to massive bigotry in our mostly white male press corps, but regardless, they dumped Trump on our nation as a result.
4
@sleeve
People didn't pay much attention to HRC's plans because (a) like Warren's, they were totally unrealistic and had no chance of being enacted, especially with a Rep Senate; and (b) the email business showed us that she was a liar, and as is the case with Trump, who would believe in any plan sold by a liar?
@GMooG Actually the "e-mail business" showed no such thing.
as much as I can't stand Trump (to put it mildly), and the fact that I've voted Democratic my entire life, I'll find it difficult to vote for Warren because of ideas like student debt cancellation , and free tuition, and free child care, etc....sure, maybe a lower interest rate on college loans, and much more affordable community colleges and state colleges, but enough of the "free" this and that...and, yes, taxes should be raised on the upper income groups to pay for these things...
13
@Jim
Past generation did benefit greatly from free or very affordable education. Why this should be any different? Also all those ideas would strengthen middle class and the democracy as a whole taking away power from oligarchs. Why wouldn't you like this?
4
@Jim
We all understand that this isn’t “free.” It’s paid for by all of us for a greater common good.
1
"In a night of back-to-back CNN town-hall events in April, every candidate faced a question that related to a proposal from Ms. Warren."
This is leadership. She has both vision and substance, and she is raising the bar for other Democratic candidates. Her proposals are backed by a firm grasp of history and economics. When pressed, she will be the first to say that her proposals are a starting point for a conversation about who we want to be as a society, but she is uncompromising on the core values of fairness, income equality, and justice. The Democratic party failed Americans and those failures helped pave the way for trump. Warren is offering not just "anyone but trump", but something worth fighting for.
71
While I am enthusiastic about Elizabeth Warren and her chances, I'd caution all of us to not get to hung up on who has the most detailed policy proposals. Presidents can propose laws, use their leverage to sway Congress, and spend political capital to get things passed, but in reality, these have little likelihood of becoming law without a serious overhaul of Congress.
There's nothing wrong with candidates painting with a broad brush and offering visions and non-detailed policies at this point. The purpose of the president is in many ways to point the direction of the country.
Detailed policy proposals are one way to get voters behind you, but don't knock people who haven't bothered to put out a white paper for every subject. In some cases, that is just busy work from Elizabeth Warren.
3
@Jeff
We need to see substance to view success and failure. We don’t need more identity popularity contests.
These policies and her past show us she is willing to lead. And as we have seen from a Trump the executive has massive dictator power. So yes she can do a lot of this by going through and ripping out the corrupt leadership through out the institutions and replacing them.
This says it all -- Warren has issued dozens of proposals while the so-called front runner, Joe Biden, has issued only two (and the one on climate was partly plagiarized).
Warren is clearly the front runner when it comes to ideas. She understands that the government operates on rules that, to date, have been designed to work against the best interests of the majority of the American people.
Clearly, it is the GOP that represents the "radical" ideas in 2020, wanting to destroy the environment for short-term profits and to keep the nation's wealth locked away in the bank accounts of the select few, rather than reinvesting in the nation's future.
Warren's proposals to help make government work for all of us seems downright moderate and sensible to me. Without reinvestment and a reordering of the nation's priorities, we won't have much of a future to look forward to.
177
@avrds
Lets be honest Biden if fully aware that the more he speaks the less popular he will become. So he is trying to ride on his "Obama VP legacy" and avoid interaction with voter and other candidates as much as possible.
17
@avrds Have you ever been to the Department of Motor Vehicles? What makes anyone believe they have the expertise to run heath care, daycare, agriculture, the VA, education, etc.. I have zero faith in these programs, reminds me of the failed Soviet 5 year plans, do the lessons of history ring a bell? Let's not repeat the mistakes of the past, especially with dummies that never ran anything.
2
@avrds
Can you imagine if Warren, not Biden, had been the one who was plagiarizing plans? Her campaign would have been over! The media would have been on it non-stop and asking her whether she was going to quit (the only candidate to have been asked that in 2019, mind you...)
Whereas Biden who plagiarized in 1988, plagiarized again, and everyone in the media was like: let’s move on, no big deal. Everyone does that and copies from other sources.
Why is this not a story? Plagiarizer (Biden) learns no lessons and does the same thing again.
Speaking of not learning lessons: Biden has inappropriate touching, insensitively joking about touching, and not apologizing (Hyde, Anita Hill...) as ongoing themes. He’s incapable of learning.
There are double standards at work against women in general, and Warren in particular.
It’s a confluence of people seeking power (Bernie Bros, Biden supporters...), people resisting change and threat to their power (Tech, banks), and obviously hypocritical Trump and the unprincipled Republicans.
12
She was my hero before the great recession because of her knowledge and willingness to highlight corporate greed and the numbskulls in Congress that acquiesce to the corporations.
125
Who are the "moderates" your reporters think Sen. Warren would "face a difficult path to winning over"? As I read the polls, a majority of Americans support many of her positions. Are the "moderates" the "executives and investors" from whom Sen. Warren would "tip power" in favor of "workers," as described in your article? That seems like a peculiar definition of "moderates."
220
I despise Trump, but would vote for him over Warren (or over Sanders). Nearly every other Democrat would get my vote.
@Aaron Why? How is Trump better than Warren? Genuinely curious.
4
AS far as I can tell, people who identify as ‘moderates’ are really just people who voted for Trump but are too embarrassed to admit it.
Yeah, it would remake the economy alright. Right back to destruction. Free this, free that, tax the rich, etc. Nothing remarkable to say the least.
14
@Tamar
Warren's proposals would help eliminate inequality that has turned this country into an oligarchy. Warren's proposals do everything to keep our FREEDOMS while reducing vulture oligarchy.
16
@Tamar
Man, when that trickle down finally hits us after 40 years, it's going to be EPIC.
38
@Tamar
Not sure where free this and free that come from, but Free Labor is what the GOP wants and is one its way to getting. Or at least essentially free. Sound good?
Some will read this and say "Perfect". Count me in and vote R.
4
Sounds good. Where’s the universal health care?
9
First, seeing any Democratic plans as "radical" or "revolutionary" is just wrong. How about one looks back at the last 40 years of Republican economic policy that has helped no one but the wealthiest of Americans and the largest of corporations.
That's where the radicalism truly lies- on the right.
In short, the reason for needing a massive economic shift to the left is because the Republican party shifted to so far to the right over the past four decades. If they understood the word compromise, the entire world would be better off today.
Lastly, if we do not take truly massive steps to deal with the climate crisis, then all the other policies will be meaningless.
191
She has my respect and she has my vote.
And she would eat Trump for lunch in a debate.
297
@Anne
Not so sure about commanding the debate unless she has a good retort to being called Pocahontas which Trump will do over and over, the child that he is. Don't forget how much his base loves to hear his jibes.
4
@Phil M
"good retort to being called Pocahontas "
Why should anyone stoop to his level and answer his playground taunts? Sanders refused to discuss H Clinton's hair or his own. Why should Warren have to give any answer to Trump's insults.
21
@Anne
I like Warren. A lot. I have the exact opposite thoughts about the debates. Hillary Clinton was also supposed to "eat Trump for lunch" in the debates.
What is the single most remembered moment of the debates? Trump 'stalking' Clinton. Eating her for lunch.
1
I detest Trump, but am not voting for anyone who will not limit immigration. Years ago, Democrats did try. Barbara Jordan, Caesar Chavez.
We cannot afford to support people and have unlimited immigration, and the Democrats have not said there is anyone they would keep out, other than maybe, people who commit violent crimes in the US.
I am tired of paying for the childcare and healthcare of the nannies and gardeners of the 1%. They may pay tax, but still a net cost.
5
@Juanita K.
Surprising that you're tired of paying pennies for the health and childcare of "nannies and gardeners." Wouldn't you be a bit more fatigued by paying the massive amount handed to corporations and the elite by trump's policies? Somehow, Jaunita, as a one issue voter I don't see you ever voting for a democrat. Just buy the red hat.
11
What good are plans when Mitch McConnell won’t even bring the legislation to a vote in the Senate?
8
@Sam Gilbert Hopefully McConnell will be voted out and Dems will win the majority. A tall order I know, but we can try.
5
@Sydney
I agree with you, and will stand shoulder to shoulder with you. And Elizabeth’s proposals are serious and relevant and will do much to restore the country.
But I don’t think we should be judging Democratic candidates at this time on the relative small difference in their proposals. Again, all discussions about these proposals should be viewed in the prism of whether these are the things we need to focus on to defeat Trump, flip the Senate, and keep the House, now and in the future.
All McConnell needs to do and grin and say “she persisted” and he will get tons more attention than any serious proposal that isn’t a sound bite. Same for Trump and the words “nasty woman.”
1
So, @Sam Gilbert, you think McConnell is Sen. Maj. Leader for life?
Elizabeth Warren's policies are similar to New Zealand's well-being budget which prioritizes happiness over economic gain.
She advocates for all Americans not just the 1%. Trump would have a hard time in a debate with her even if he continued to call her Pocahontas.
61
“Her proposals would tip power from executives and investors to workers and allow the federal government to more aggressively steer the development of industries.” Tip power from executives and investors to workers...that’s called socialism. Steer the development of industries...something the government is incapable of doing. (Do you remember AT&T?) Just call this an opinion piece by progressive reporters and save us the time.
12
@Jeff c
Um Jeff you need to read up on what Socialism is because you are incorrect - perhaps you were educated in a public school that didn't have any money to provide proper civics instruction after Republican tax cuts gutted our education system. And BTW all of the technologies you enjoy, mobile phones, data services, the internet - would have never happened had the Government not broken up AT&T in the 1980s.
7
Americans are looking for change.
You keep hearing it every time a person is interviewed that voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012, then voted for Trump in 2016.
This change cannot be small change.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt kind of change is what America is looking for.
Enter Elizabeth Warren.
Think big is what America is looking for.
Not pretend-to-change like what America got with Trump.
We all underestimate the mood of America if we think that a middle-of-the-road candidate, a centrist candidate, or a pro-business candidate can be elected President in 2020.
She will need both houses of Congress on her side to succeed (any candidate would).
She has a shot to get it.
Trump would most hate losing to Elizabeth Warren.
One more reason to vote for her.
120
@S Butler, trump, if he politically survives to the election, will be less coy about seeking foreign help to win another term. He can’t help himself. He was never a man.
2
@S ButlerExcellent point! I love her as much as I hate him. It would be poetic justice. Something Trump has never heard of!
5
Until we have a Democratic Senate, all these grand ideas are empty promises. She first needs a plan for building the broad appeal of her party to all Americans so that they can win the Senate and real change can occur.
7
The single-most important domestic/economic issue, in my view, is Medicare4All as evidenced by the huge amounts of super-PAC money being spent on killing Medicare4All (many such efforts led by Dems) . Warren, along with some other Dem candidates, "co-sponsored" Sanders's Medicare4All bill, which totally eliminates private insurance. It was good show then to be seen as a progressive-leftist. But now, she is noncommittal on the elimination of for-profit private insurance ("... she has been less specific on the role she foresees for private insurers"). She thinks she will be able to change things from within, without any political action. I think she is just another status-quo candidate.
4
It's of course fair and necessary to scrutinize Sen. Warren's plans for revitalizing America. But let's not miss the forest of her overall vision by exclusively focusing on the trees of her specific policy proposals. That vision sees a country constrained by corruption - corporate and personal, legal and illegal, and in ways that surely include but transcend Trump. The big picture of her approach tackles the inequality that infects our politics and economy, shores up the social safety net, increases opportunity, and restores justice to a society plagued by injustice in so many ways.
Having said all this, it remains to be seen whether that sweeping vision will translate into an effective candidacy that sweeps her to the nomination and the presidency. But at least she's off to an inspiring start by boldly diagnosing both the pervasive ills and specific symptoms that plague our country.
38
I think that Ms. Warren is definitely on the right track. She is hitting the nail on the head. People are anxious about their financial future and furious at how the super wealthy are constantly gaming the system. She is addressing these points exactly. She is the progressive answer to Trump’s populism. She has avoided identity politics which is what many of us moderate Democrat have been pleading for.
She needs to stick to her plans to level the playing field by making things fair, adding a tiny tax to the super wealthy and using that money to support the 99% is a very fair and logical policy. I am sure Warren Buffet would agree with it.
People don’t need handouts. They need opportunities and that is what Ms. Warren is offering. People who depend on food stamps and unemployment checks hate it, and would much rather have better salaries and less expenditures on childcare and healthcare.
However, she definitely needs to introduce bold healthcare and immigration plans, and she needs to do it soon.
Otherwise, unless something drastically changes, I believe that she will win the primary and the general election.
11
Turning Elizabeth Warren loose on the US economy would lead to disaster, and forgiving tuition debts would enrage the many who had paid/worked/saved to pay their own way through college.
I am neither rich nor wealthy and, yes, I am jealous of how much money US billionaires have. However, what Elizabeth Warren and her ilk are proposing is pure Communism: From each according to his (or her) ability, to each according to his (or her) need.
While income tax is authorized by the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, nowhere does the Constitution nor any of its Amendments authorize government confiscation of accumulated wealth.
Besides, not only will those affected fight such confiscation, they will also find ways to move their wealth offshore to places where such tax policies are not in place.
As Margaret Thatcher so aptly put it, "The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money."
The same concerns apply to the corporate sector, which would surely suffer if Warren were elected President.
Spending trillions on debt-forgiveness and free tuition is merely her way to buy the nomination and votes.
Warren has such limited personal and political appeal that she is unlikely to gain the nomination and would, if made the Democratic candidate, virtually guarantee Trump's victory.
Why is the Democratic National Committee so unable to develop and put forward a platform (and a candidate) that will appeal to a winning majority of US voters?
20
@Mon Ray: I am not jealous of billionaires, but I also don't think wealth-hoarding serves anyone. Also, she is not proposing pure communism.
37
@Mon Ray I'm just finishing up my student loans but am far from "enraged" at the thought that other college grads just getting started might have their loans forgiven. On the contrary, I think it's brilliant policy, even if I happened to miss the boat.
35
@Mon Ray
Well, if you had only read Warren's provisions, you would understand that she is the Teddy Roosevelt of the 21st Century. Were Teddy broke up monopolies, Warren will break up oligarchies. New Century, New Deal.
77
Natasha Sarin, a University of Pennsylvania economist had nothing more to say than "...it's not obvious to me that it's a shift for the better" and it wouldn't raise money because rich people would just hide their money anyway?
OK... well, I'll bet Elizabeth Warren has a plan for that too, maybe someone should have asked before writing this article criticizing the idea of pushing back on trickle down economics which clearly is not working. Or is it more that changing things is difficult, so we might as well let rich people keep doing the same thing because they might cease gracing us with their boundless innovation like robots that deliver lunch or convenience stores that don't require employees.
I'd love to read an article about the details of how these plans would remake the economy with real information and insight from economists. Instead what I read is that Warren has lots of plans, none of which will work (according to someone connected to Joe Biden), which is forcing other candidates to produce plans, none of which will work.
Did I get that right?
68
More restoring the norms of the pre Bush tax system. Stopping the trickle up of GOP politics of the last 40 years.
29
The U.S. is the only western country where the buyer must always beware. European countries protect consumers from the predatory practices for corporations and businesses. Europeans don't have to read the fine print and still wonder how their cell phone provider, rental car company or blood test is going to totally cheat them to the tune of hundreds and thousands of dollars and a lot of aggravation. The NY Times had an incredible travel article on whether to take the insurance when you rent a car a few years ago. The real question is - why are we the only western country where an article on this is needed? In Europe you need a car, book a car and go. There is something so seriously wrong in our culture - that someone like Elizabeth Warren who is trying to open our eyes to it and make it better should be embraced and not treated with suspicion.
80
@Dana
In Europe when you crash your car, everybody doesn't sue everybody else...and win.
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@SJG. I suspect that many of those lawsuits happen precisely because our laws leave so many gaps in them. Consumers have so little protection, and unfortunately, lawsuits are often the only recourse. And corporations have been working busily to make us all sign agreements to go to arbitration, so they can shut down that avenue too.
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@Dana
And yet, Europe is the only continent where it is absolutely necessary to get the CDW insurance (tacking $30-50 per day on to a rental) because of fine print and rental car company scams. U.S. insurance and our interstate commerce laws are actually better protections than you "need a car, book a car and go" European ideal.
Gee. Ideas. What? Two years of trump nothing and congress and people cannot think. No one has said all these must be enacted or have we forgotten how well administrations work ...ha. Ideas mean new ways to think about our government and governing. And the male pundits who are stuck in old line thoughts or the females who might be afraid of the new ... that is bad. We have issues that were addressed and have been "de-regulated" and we have more issues that have not been addressed that affects us all and everywhere.
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Vote for this woman. She is very smart, a good speaker, taught at Harvard. I am so impressed by her and have been for years. She is not someone who jumped into the race but someone who is well prepared and has a sense of humor. She evidently has bottomless energy too. The first women president could be President Elizabeth Warren. Brilliant idea. And she is honestly for the average person and the poor. That's new.
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@BKC Also, read her book. If there is an antidote to the Stable Genius...
Elizabeth Warren is everything we could ask for in a leader. I'm a proud contributor to her campaign.
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Me too. She is the only truly good candidate. The rest range from ok to ghastly.
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I love how the GOP can be as extreme as they want, but a Democrat has to explain every single dollar and proposal to the penny. The question Democrats need to to answer is: How does the GOP get away with it?
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@B
If you're serious about your own question, "How does the GOP get away with it?", the answer is obvious. With the help of organs of the mainstream media like the NYTs.
That's how. Now, if you're genuinely curious, the REAL question on your mind should be: Is this an accident? It is just an "accident" that the NYT let's the GOP get away with it over and over and over again?
I don't think so. Do you?
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@Greg Gerner
They are likely wealthy. Wealthy people tend to stick together for whatever reason.
I try to remind nytimes now and then that they would be the first journalists jailed if the right takes over. Maybe self preservation will motivate them more than their personal balance sheet.
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By slashing public education, with help from democrats, since 1980?
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The good news with Elizabeth is that her one negative (bungling her native heritage issue) has already come to light.
Yes, it's a drag. But it is known already, and I seriously doubt that there are any other shoes to drop - unlike the other candidates.
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She also sets herself apart from every other Democratic candidate by being a registered Republican until the age of 47 (1996) with an unconvincing reason for her "light bulb" moment conversion in the 90's. Doesn't want to talk about it. You would think she'd like to talk about it but she doesn't and won't.
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@Rae: So she's been a non-Republican for 23 years? Got it. More importantly, she cares about people and actually believes consumers should have some basic protections. How insane do you have to be to think that's not a good idea? Plus she's intelligent, witty, thoughtful and articulate.
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@Rae
Maybe she didn't leave the Republican party... Maybe the Republican party left her.
That was Reagan's line, did switching parties hurt him?
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@Rae
Have you been paying attention to anything Warren has said or done over the last decade?
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An uneducated, shadowy, attack on Senator Warren is to compare her to Hillary. It’s a calculated attempt to dismiss her by reminding people that Hillary failed. And, build that sinister drum beat against Warren is: Is she electable?
The Hillary comparison is a hit job as all they have in common is that they are women, blondes, and qualified.
Warren is running an entirely different campaign. She is the ‘change candidate’ (who usually win elections) versus Hillary who emphasized stability and continuity with Obama. Hillary encouraged people to go to her website to learn about her policies - effectively running her campaign messaging as: ‘I’m not Trump’.
Warren is driving her campaign on her plans. She brings them up and discusses them at length in town halls. She’s the rare candidate who’s created popular energy around her plans. Contrast her with Bernie (who said he wasn’t carrying his college debt forgiveness plan in his back pocket in a Sunday show with Dana Bash) or Mayor Pete (who wanted to talk about values and not concrete plans in his town hall).
For all the talk about Bernie shifting the party leftwards in 2016 (and he did, bless him), Warren has made a bigger impact by making candidates like Beto, Harris, Castro publish detailed plans. Slogans get attention, but Plans shift the debate (Overton Window).
We should be grateful to Warren for elevating our political discourse. Contrast with the “Lyin’ Ted” and “Little Marco” campaign that Republicans ran in 2016....
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@Patrician
There is no comparison. Hillary Clinton would have been working for the banks. Elizabeth Warren would be working against them.
But Hillary Clinton would have focused on pragmatic and reasonable legislation while Warren is spouting nonsense. She may be smart but her plans aren't. And unless the media and voters start criticizing these nonsense plans now, then we run the risk that Donald Trump will be criticizing them next year. And this is the fatal flaw of the Democratic party in recent years. They give Donald Trump a couple of lanes where he is the only one making sense on an issue. There aren't many of these but there are a few. Warren's slate of plans would give Trump a lot more opportunities to be the sensible one...and that's terrifying.
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@SJG
I can’t respond to assertions without basis or support. B/c they aren’t arguments.
Your calling her plans as nonsense doesn’t make them so. I hope that isn’t news...
Her plans have been evaluated by economists, lawyers, think tanks, analysts, and have been crafted in consultations with experts. One can debate and fine tune them. One can’t dismiss them with one word without a rebuttal of: bias.
Putting a plan out there, takes courage. Because it can be reviewed and critiqued. That’s why Biden and Mayor Pete fail badly because they lack the courage to lead and put their ideas out for everyone to debate.
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@SJG, can u plz let us know any of the plans that @ewarren (Sen. Liz Warren, D-MA) u find not good plans. You may be referring to the plans will not be able to get approved with a @GOP Senate, even with an even more @TheDemocrats House, and therefore the plans are dead on arrival. That doesn't mean the plans are bad, its the paid-off politicians that are not good for the country. Even with Obamacare not having a govt-option b/c the @GOP would not yield to what makes sense, millions upon millions benefited by the initial version of Obamacare (the ACA.) Imagine, if Sen Warren were Pres with a Dem Congress. Govt might actually start working for the people again.
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Senator would give the federal government powers that it constitutionally does not possess. This former Harvard law professor should read the Fifth and Tenth Amendments. The left cannot do it on the cheap. Their advocates should propose constitutional amendments, and wait for the response of the citizenry.
2
Honestly, she is the most qualified among the 20+ candidates in Democratic Party. The country need intelligent and smart person in Oval office not stable genius.
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We need a president like this. I would also accept a Treasury Secretary like this (in case the Dems nominate someone else and the future nominee is reading this comment).
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It’s a shame Ms. Warren got caught up in the Pocahontas name-calling by the child-President.
She is a solid, bright, strategist with well thought-out plans who would be a wonderful president. I fear Trump’s smears will be the first thing to come to mind of many voters and may even rub off on some rational Democrats. In a field of 20+ candidates small things, not deep policy issues, may be the deciding factors.
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@Grey
"Caught up...???"
She precipitated it!!
Don't associate yourself with a group you don't belong to.
No foreign policy plans - other than cut the defense budget and reign in overseas corporations. It would be nice if just one Democratic candidate would seek to culturally engage the world instead of withdrawing from it.
4
Elizabeth Warren is such a breath of fresh air. She has great
Ideas, fair ideas - policies we need to stabilize our citizens and drive growth.
The ultra wealthy deserve the backlash for being so greedy and refusing to share the smallest bits. It is high time to raise taxes- I just hope it isn’t too late as our current president is selling out technology and competitive advantage to foreign adversaries.
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Let us see if the Democrats can make the same mistake twice by not putting Warren on the ticket just like they omitted Sanders and gave us Tim Kaine instead.
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@Eric Key
We didn't omit Sanders, he lost the primary because not enough people voted for him. Hillary Clinton had more votes so she won the primary. That's the way it works, the voters decide with their votes.
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@dlb The VP is not up for election during the primary. That is the choice of the candidate and the candidate's handlers. They blew it by blowing off the Sander's supporters.
@Eric Key
And Warren is not running for VP, why talk about putting her on the ticket or not? You're getting ahead of yourself.
I love Elizabeth Warren. Of all the candidates running, she is by far the most visionary. And she doesn't just have vague ideas of what she wants, she has clear, well informed plans. When posed the question "why should you in particular be president," none can better answer it than Senator Warren.
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@Thad Her plans are awful. What is the proper role of government? What should it not be involved in? These are key questions that need to be discussed. The US government is too big, too bureaucratic, and too wasteful no matter who is in office. We are $22 TRILLION in debt. Individuals will spend their own money more wisely than the government will spend it for them. The Dems and Repubs want us to fight each other, when the truth is that BOTH PARTIES HAVE FAILED US, but conservatives are on the right track. We need to teach basic economics in this country and teach personal responsibility. Please listen to NPR Planet Money podcasts 2008 to 2016. Please read "Money, Greed, and God" by Jay W. Richards, "Economics in One Lesson" by Henry Hazlitt, watch videos by Milton Friedman. Get government out of healthcare, out of mortgages/housing, from being the police of the world, eliminate subsidies, bailouts, welfare, get out of education, out of student loans which cause colleges just to raise tuition even more just like the housing bubble, stop excessive regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank, and stop spending trillions more than revenues. Proper roles of government are: To provide national defense, to protect individual freedoms, and to be like a referee at a football game to ensure fair play in business to prevent fraud and monopolies. This does not mean no government, weak government, anarchy, or unregulated capitalism. Government does have a role to play.
@Joe
The annual deficit DOUBLED under Trump. It was cut in half under Obama, tripled under Bush and eliminated by Clinton.
Please don’t talk about the debt when it comes to liberal policies ever again. Liberals pay it down while helping actual human beings, conservatives run it to the stratosphere while further enriching the super rich and big corporations. Period.
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