At her core, @ewarren has always been who you see today: Focused on equity, on inclusion, on fairness, on fighting for the poor and middle class. But her work on bankruptcy in the 1990s transformed her beliefs on how America can win that fight. And her journey has been epic.
As some have noted, prior to 1996, she was a Republican—though the only Republican President she ever voted for was Ford.
But she believed the free market could lift the bottom of society up faster than anything else.
And then she began her lifework on the roots of bankruptcy.
But she believed the free market could lift the bottom of society up faster than anything else.
And then she began her lifework on the roots of bankruptcy.
What she saw horrified her: Working families—like her own as a child—crushed by misfortune, taken advantage of by banks and abandoned by law. For them, the “free” market wasn’t free; the deck was stacked. Her family had been lucky, overcoming their disaster. Most weren’t.
As a top expert in the field, she was asked to join a federal commission on bankruptcy reform in the mid-90s. It was her chance to work from the inside, hoping small changes could make a difference. The system won.
Warren realized the only solution was to break and remake it.
Warren realized the only solution was to break and remake it.
The great thing about Bernie has been his consistency (though even he has evolved, on guns, on crime and a host of other issues). Liz’s story is different:it’s the story of Paul, the convert who becomes the most passionate and effective advocate for real change.
As someone who went through that moment myself multiple times, I understand it. It’s compelling. It’s inspiring. And it converted me to @ewarren—because it showed she learns and changes while staying true to her values. And in these times we NEED badass, adaptive resourcefulness.
Ask yourself: Who do we need for a bloody brawl with the most dishonest, chaotic president in our history? We need someone who can stick and move, with deep knowledge and quick wit, who‘s seen both sides and realized which is right.
We can’t win by shouting—we have to make a better case to the American people. And no one, NO ONE, is better at making the case for significant change better than Elizabeth Warren, the woman who created an entire federal agency to protect consumers and fight corruption.
Here’s the thing. @ewarren’s story is of a fundamentally good person who realized the worldview she held for years is broken—and passionately embraced a new way to fix what she knows needs to be fixed.
That’s the path we need Dem centrists—and salvageable Republicans—to follow.
That’s the path we need Dem centrists—and salvageable Republicans—to follow.
