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Elizabeth Warren—Competent, Sober and Soaring to the Top!

After two years of watching the jaw dropping antics of the current government in our neighboring country, the USA,  it appears that character assassination, back stabbing and outright dishonesty may be giving way to actual discussion of issues. I am beginning to detect something new in the air. It’s coming in like a breath of spring—and it feels a lot like hope.

I’m talking about the contest for the candidacy of the Democratic party and I’m referring specifically to one Elizabeth Warren. You don’t have to spend many minutes listening to her outline a string of ideas and policies to realize that this candidate is breaking out of the usual mold of male charisma and insult rhetoric to create something different here.  Don’t take her for a wuss, though. She would never tolerate being stalked on stage by her opponent, like the appalling scene during a 2017 debate, when Trump hovered over Clinton, practically sucking the air from her.

Warren doesn’t lie or make things up. She is concerned with a set of real life priorities—she not only wants to win, she actually wants to change what’s going on in America. Speaking from the perspective of an upbringing without a lot of privileges, and gathering strength through her education, her intelligence and the life challenges she’s met head-on, she is powered by her convictions.

Always authentic, always the same

Catching up to her on YouTube, MSNBC or late night TV,  her energy seems boundless, as she moves to the rhythm of her ideas and words, a mile wide wave here, a punch there, she seems to be flexing for the fight to come.

Even the clothes she wears are fashioned to give her room to move and make her point—sleeves shortened or rolled up, short, unfussy hair, she is unencumbered by jewelry, high heels or frills, and she looks fit for anything.

You can tell she’s a teacher—her voice rings with the urgency of purpose—she wants us to get it, to really understand. She presents the problem, she illustrates it, and then she offers her solution. It’s always well thought out, clear and uncompromising. Anyone who can get beyond her very real limitation of being a woman in this contest and really listen,  will get an earful.

Warren’s working class beginnings

Warren’s working class upbringing is at the root of her involvement in politics. I don’t know Warren, and I’m conscious that I can only watch from afar—but people who have known her for a long time understand that her societal concerns are rooted in experience. Not having to imagine what it must be like to live without the full benefit of economic privilege frees her up, I think, and has allowed her to fashion and clarify policies and plans to right the injustices of society.

A May 9, 2019 article in Time.com, I Have a Plan for That, by Haley Sweetland Edwards, quotes Heather Campion, a leadership consultant in Massachusetts who has known Warren since the mid-2000s, as saying:

“Truly, at heart, she’s a working-class person… “She’s not a Harvard professor, either culturally or socially, and because of that, she understands very deeply what it’s like to be a working American today. She has had her finger on the pulse of what’s happening in this country long before anyone else did.”

In a climate where most politicians come from prosperous backgrounds, I find this refreshing, and consider her years of struggle significant. It puts her at an advantage, and gives her a legitimacy that can’t be borrowed from the experiences of others. As a result, she is real and genuine, and people sit up and take notice.

Warrens’ intelligent ability to plan solutions

Her approach involve plans—and that sets her apart. It’s this clear and reasoned thinking that has me feeling optimistic about her chances in this race.

Dahlia Lithwick, writing for Slade, Watching Elizabeth Warren Come Alive, says that American voters need information, an ally and a plan. With Warren, she says, they are getting these things in spades:

“Warren is, in brief, almost painfully serious precisely because she is banking on public seriousness, running on the notion that bread and circus have had their day, and it is time now to save the republic. Warren is hoping voters are willing to engage with a persona that is competent and sober, qualities they persistently say they value when speaking to pollsters but tend to reject in favor of charisma at the ballot box. But she is proof that competent and sober does not have to mean cold and impersonal on the trail.”

Warren talks repeatedly about the fact that she has a plan for this, and a plan for that. And she does, actually have a plan for almost anything audiences and interviewers toss at her. According to Axios, who, in their May 31, 2019 blog, listed  her stance on 17 key issues,  from taxing the wealthy to providing for the needs of society, to breaking up mammoth tech companies , handling the opiod crisis, addressing climate change, protecting the reproductive rights of women, and more, she has detailed, well thought out plans for how to put almost any societal injustice to rights. This is what drives her:

“I want to fix the systems in this country so they work for Americans, not just for giant corporations or Big Pharma or the Goldman Sachs guys. That’s not just my political career. That’s my whole life’s work.”

And if experience, intelligence, sincerity, clear thinking and the energy of conviction are enough, she has a chance to win at this and make history as the first female president of the United States.  Although if you asked her, she’d most likely say that isn’t her real goal—she just wants to save Democracy.

22 thoughts on “Elizabeth Warren—Competent, Sober and Soaring to the Top!”

  1. Hey Diane, I am a MAJOR Lizzie Warren fan. She’s my senator and she walks her talk. In fact, I’m going to a Win With Warren organizing meeting tomorrow night.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Oh my, can you take me with you? I’d love to be there! Congrats on being in the right place at the right time, Amy!

  2. She gives me a sense of hope, instead of the relentless despair I feel when I see the way “my” government is going. If we can’t change the way we operate, we are doomed. So many critical issues need addressing, but all the corruption and horribleness take center stage every damned day. It’s like the setup for a movie where the bad guys present as awful but that’s the whole movie…the good guys never show up.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Corruption and horribleness—you’re right, there is lots of it. We in Canada feel it too, since the way America goes, so goes Canada. Our interest in this is all so very personal, and we are worried. But in a Democracy, there is always another election, and another chance. The most critical thing facing Americans is preserving the election process. I think Warren gets that! Thanks, Lynne.

  3. ” and then she offers her solution. It’s always well thought out, clear and uncompromising”
    we have gotten so used to the negativity and Do Nothing rhetoric that appeals (they think) to whomever is listening… one thing to this group… another to the next… that it is odd and refreshing that she actually has given THOUGHT to what the problems are and HOW they can be handled!
    you can’t please ALL of the people all the time. but she’s willing to at least BEGIN! …. AND to put herself out there to withstand the slings and arrows.
    and Lynn above is right. she does give one a sense of hope. I have felt nothing but despair for the many past years.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Her strength and willingness to put herself out there is admirable, since you can be sure she will have to withstand a lot of abuse. Thank you, tammy j, I like your point that Warren is at least willing to begin—something many other politicians are not willing to do right now.

  4. It’s so hard for me to comment. It is far away and so much can happen but I so want a candidate to beat the clown at the center of this U.S. circus. Lizzie is fabulous. Thank you for highlighting her.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It is far away, Alexandra, but the world is shrinking, and we are really all in this together. Whatever happens in the USA affects us all! Glad you like Elizabeth!

  5. I think she’s a remarkable woman, but I don’t think her rational approach wins elections. And I’m afraid I disagree with the idea of free public college unless something is done to reform our system of higher education. One of the architects of student loans says they created a monster. With the influx of money colleges prospered, but education declined and students were left holding the bag. Throwing more government money into the system without radical changes will just make matters worse.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      You’re right, money alone, without reformation, doesn’t improve any system. What a dilemma, having colleges prosper without showing any improvement in quality of education! As always, Jean, you gave me food for thought!

  6. I would pretty much back anyone who I believed could beat the current idiot-in-chef, but I especially like Ms. Warren. I hope the silly kerfuffle about her Native American heritage doesn’t come back to bite her (although it’s just the type of petty character assentation trump loves). Sometimes I wonder if she’s too smart and her policies are too well thought through (and they don’t lend themselves to simple sound bites) for the general public to understand… without doing their own research.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It’s sort of like high school, when the smartest kids ended up being the least popular…intelligence doesn’t necessarily win influence in public life! But here’s hoping that the DNA debacle can be overcome, and that the public values her for her competency and brilliance. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Janis!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It was inconceivable at the time that it was allowed to happen, and that there were no repercussions for him. And people voted for him in spite of the incident—some people might have actually liked what he did!

  7. I’ve been an admirer of Senator Warren for quite some time now, I preferred her to Hillary Clinton as President, somehow I can’t see our Yankee cousins putting her into the Oval Office. It would take too much courage tostep outside their safety zone.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      It would take courage and an ability to step outside of the mold. If it happened, it would be a tremendous shift in people’s attitude!

      1. and one they do need to make.
        I don’t think those money hungry kings and queens of Wall Street would like to have her in office and it would not surprise me if they turned to dirty tricks to stop her.

        Wall Street? Dirty tricks? Never!

  8. Hi Diane! Thank you for highlighting this remarkable woman. There are so many candidates flooding the field and with so many of us nervous about picking anyone who will win against DT, it is important for us to remain positive. I don’t want to just vote based upon fear. I want to vote for someone I truly believe will make a difference. However, I am convinced that whoever is eventually picked in our primaries has to be able to bring in the vote of the youth–because that will make all the difference. Can Warren do that? Not sure yet but hopeful. ~Kathy

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Hmmm, bringing in the youth vote—that is extremely important, but I’m afraid the candidates who can do that are running very much behind so far (except for Bernie). Of the front runners, I believe Bernie can do that better than anyone. So many things to consider, Kathy! I’m sure many voters are feeling the same way you are, not wanting to make a mistake in this very crucial election!

  9. Thank you for gathering and presenting this information. I definitely learned something and you gave me a lot to think about when deciding on a candidate.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      So many great candidates to choose from! Many voters, I suspect will be torn between choosing Warren or Sanders, two amazing humanistic politicians, with much to offer! Thanks, Rin!

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