Op-eds
Washington Post Op-Ed: UPS and Pfizer’s dirty little secret
The blandly named American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is one of the most powerful groups you may have never heard of. ALEC describes itself as the "largest nonpartisan, voluntary membership organization of state legislators dedicated to the principles of limited government, free markets and federalism." In reality, it is an almost entirely corporate-funded front group looking to roll back environmental, consumer and workplace protections in state legislatures across the country. When … Continue Reading
November 30, 2017
USA Today Op-Ed: Don't let Trump & Wall Street gut consumer protection bureau
Before the 2008 financial crisis, people were tricked, squeezed, misled and outright cheated by a lot of lenders. Wall Street banks handed out mortgages they knew their customers couldn't repay. Credit card companies hid dangerous traps deep in the fine print of their contracts. Student loan servicers caught students and graduates in tangles of debt with high interest rates. And after sucking billions in profits out of the pockets of hardworking people, the financial giants crashed the … Continue Reading
November 17, 2017
American Prospect Op-Ed: Don't Let Wall Street Run Amok
Ten years ago, just before the onset of the financial crisis, I wrote an article for an academic journal proposing a new agency that would regulate financial products and protect American consumers. I set my expectations low: This idea would go nowhere. But after the financial system imploded, there was sudden interest in my idea from that dusty academic journal. I started to talk to groups about building a consumer agency, and one after another came on board: unions, AARP, Consumers Union. … Continue Reading
November 08, 2017
Boston Herald Op-Ed: A seat of honor for POW/MIAs
Every year on Nov. 11, America honors the men and women who have served our country in uniform. There are parades and special ceremonies, roundtable breakfasts and religious services. As the sister of three veterans, it has always been a time to reflect on the sacrifices of those who have served, and the families that love them. I remember how my mother watched for the mail. She looked forward to hearing from my brother David, when he was posted at Fort Sam Houston training as an emergency … Continue Reading
November 03, 2017
Washington Post Op-Ed: The Republican tax plan puts rich donors ahead of working families
The Republican leadership has outsourced its economic agenda to a handful of billionaires and corporate donors. From attempting to kick millions off of health insurance to rolling back rules protecting worker health and safety, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) have relentlessly pursued their donors' interests at the expense of working families. The Republican tax plan unveiled Thursday is the latest example. American families are already … Continue Reading
November 01, 2017
Politico Op-Ed: The Supreme Court Has An Ethics Problem
A few days before the Supreme Court returned from its summer break, Justice Neil Gorsuch, the court's newest member, attended a luncheon at the Trump International Hotel, where he was to give the keynote address. The location of the speech attracted the attention of dozens of protesters and a number of ethics watchdogs, who noted the apparent conflict of interest posed by Justice Gorsuch-a Trump nominee-keynoting an event at a hotel whose revenue goes in part to President Trump. That … Continue Reading
October 26, 2017
Bloomberg View Op-Ed: Don't Let Big Banks Escape the Fed's Scrutiny
Community banks and credit unions face a lot of challenges today, and they make a good case for lightening some unnecessary regulatory burdens. But instead of focusing on these smaller institutions, Congress is considering easing up oversight for some of the biggest banks in the country. This would increase the risk of another financial crisis. In the aftermath of the crisis, Congress determined that banks with more than $50 billion in assets -- roughly the 40 biggest in the country -- posed … Continue Reading
October 16, 2017
Boston Globe Op-Ed: Even after Equifax and Wells Fargo, GOP sides with big financial institutions
The Equifax data breach and the Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal have given America a peek into business practices at some of America's biggest financial institutions. In both companies, a related practice popped to the surface: forced arbitration clauses. These little clauses, often buried in a fog of fine print, are a way for the companies to slither out of accountability when they cheat their customers. And Senate Republicans are on the verge of ramming through a resolution that will … Continue Reading
October 16, 2017
Glamour Op-Ed: Senator Elizabeth Warren: Attacks on Birth Control Access Are Attacks on Women's Economic Freedom
If anyone told a young woman today that she was expected to quit school after eighth grade or leave her job once she got married, most Americans would be outraged. Not fair! Women should have the same range of economic choices as men. Through the years, one door after another has opened, as women have become astronauts and neurosurgeons, run Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations, and started their own businesses. Sure, there's still a lot of ground to make up, but the country has … Continue Reading
October 01, 2017
CNN Op-Ed: Canada's wake-up call to the US on NAFTA
President Donald Trump, a loud and persistent critic of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), recently began renegotiating this trade deal with Canada and Mexico. The President promised to secure a fair deal for American workers. That sounds great. After all, we don't think Americans should be forced to compete with poorly paid workers from Mexico or elsewhere, and we can demand that companies that want to trade with us lift wages, benefits, and health and safety standards for their … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Fortune Op-Ed: You Should Have Control Over Your Data, Not Sloppy Companies Like Equifax
On Sept. 7, Equifax-one of America's largest credit reporting agencies-disclosed that hackers had broken into its system and stolen highly personal information about more than 140 million Americans. Since then, I've heard from working families in Massachusetts and across the country. The Equifax hack is a nightmare. At best, it's a giant hassle-time on hold with the credit reporting agencies, fees for this service and that service, confusion about what's been stolen and what to do about it. … Continue Reading
September 11, 2017
Boston Globe Op-Ed: We can't fight the opioid crisis without adequate health care
The opioid epidemic touches every family in every corner of the Commonwealth. Last year alone, about 2,000 people in the state died from opioid overdoses, and many more struggle with addiction. The state Department of Public Health offers some hope that fatal overdose rates are slowing, but patients, families, and addiction treatment providers know this epidemic continues to burn its way through our state. To better understand how to successfully tackle the opioid crisis, I collected data … Continue Reading
September 05, 2017
CNN Op-Ed: Booker and Warren: Women in prison deserve dignity
In discussions of prison reform, one group is nearly always overlooked: women. Women are the fastest growing segment of America's prison population, but because they are typically not the first image that comes to mind when someone thinks of an incarcerated person, they are often afterthoughts in policy discussions about ways to fix our broken system. In July, we introduced the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, a bill that would help address the unjust conditions incarcerated women face. … Continue Reading
July 17, 2017
Springfield Republican Op-Ed: GOP health plan would hit veterans hard
Last week, I returned from Afghanistan. I learned a lot from the dedicated men and women from Massachusetts and around the country stationed there. And I thought about our commitments to those who serve and about just how much we owe our service members, veterans, and their families - and that includes protecting their health care. This week, I'm back in Washington, just as President Trump and Senate Republicans are pressing forward with their health care repeal bill, a plan to strip away … Continue Reading
June 27, 2017
Forbes Op-Ed: Why CEOs Should Fight the Senate's Healthcare Bill
After weeks of secret negotiations, the Senate Republicans released their so-called "healthcare" bill on Thursday. Despite the fact that this bill could have a bigger impact on our nation's economy-and the bottom line of every business in this country-than any other law or regulation under discussion by Congress, America's business leaders have been remarkably quiet. The CEOs know who will be hit: their workers, their customers and their shareholders. Cuts to Medicaid and shrinking insurance … Continue Reading
June 16, 2017
Huffington Post Op-Ed: Elizabeth Warren and Sheldon Whitehouse: After Paris, U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Members’ Reputations Are On The Line
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a heavy hitter in Washington. It was the second largest spender of anonymous outside money-or "dark money"-in the 2016 federal elections, second only to the National Rifle Association. And, in addition to all that spending directed at Congress and the White House, it wields the largest lobbying force on Capitol Hill. Last year, the Chamber dropped over $100 million on lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. So what companies are members of … Continue Reading
June 12, 2017
Boston Globe Op-Ed: Saving for retirement just got easier
Many Massachusetts families, like families all across the United States, are finding it harder than ever to save for their retirement. There are a lot of reasons for this: Wages are flat, housing costs in our statecontinue to rise, and 40 percent of workers - including more than 70 percent of the lowest income workers - don't have access to a retirement plan at work. But there is another reason families in the statearen't saving enough for retirement. According to new research from the … Continue Reading
May 31, 2017
CNN Op-Ed: It's time to hold DeVos accountable
Betsy DeVos recently completed her 100th day as Secretary of Education, and the resistance to her agenda has spread across this country like wildfire. Last week, Secretary DeVos and President Trump's Department of Education released a budget that would upend the student aid program and make it much harder for students to afford college and repay their student loans. At the same time, the head of the federal student aid office abruptly resigned amid reports of political meddling by … Continue Reading
May 28, 2017
Boston Globe Op-Ed: We owe our veterans quality education and good jobs
When I was growing up, Memorial Day was a really important holiday in our family. All three of my older brothers served in the military, and they were our beloved reminders of millions of brave men and women who gave their lives for our country. When you grow up with family members who have served, and you're lucky enough to see everyone come home safely, Memorial Day has special meaning. You understand what others have lost - and you honor even more the sacrifice and the service of those who … Continue Reading
April 10, 2017
Huffington Post Op-Ed: Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker: President Trump Just Cost Americans Saving For Their Retirement $3.7 Billion
Donald Trump talked a big game on the campaign trail about standing up to big corporations and putting the interests of hardworking Americans first. But as president, Trump has repeatedly broken his promises - and now, he's dealing a blow to Americans saving for retirement. In February, he set in motion a process to kill a common-sense rule that would keep financial advisers from siphoning off money from the clients who trust them. Right now, predatory financial advice cheats investors out … Continue Reading
