Not Shocked at the Nasty

May 26, 2011

One of the very, very few people who have emerged on the national scene the last couple of years with not only intelligence and competence, but also more than a semblance of compassion, is financial expert, Elizabeth Warren, the presidential adviser in charge of establishing ground-plans for the newly-created Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) and former watchdog for the notorious TARP program in 2008.

Warren is outspoken, direct and don’t pull no punches when it comes to financial bullshit — which makes her a most feared person by the two-faced, nasty GOP: Ms. Warren actually represents a much more nuanced view -– arguing that transparency and simplicity, from the perspective of customers, creates a more level playing field and is good for the industry.
An industry of  long, bony fingers in the pants of Republicans.

(Illustration found here).

As been seen the last couple of years, Republicans will say anything, from factual though-non-factual statements to just pure hog shit, and when Warren appeared Tuesday before the US House Oversight subpanel at a hearing devoted to the CFPB, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) kept his GOP credentials.
From The Hill:

After an hour of questions from lawmakers — including several spirited back-and-forths with Republicans — the panel attempted to recess so members could attend floor votes.
Warren got up to leave, but was told by McHenry that two members, including full Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), still had questions for her.
Warren responded that she understood she was free to leave after the hour, as she had other appointments on her schedule. It went downhill from there.
“That was never the pledge,” said McHenry.
In response, Warren accused Republicans of making repeated changes to the schedule late into the previous day.
“Congressman, when you asked to change the time four times in the last 12 hours, including waking people up at home last night to change the time again — ” she began.
McHenry interrupted, saying, “Let me be direct with you, I never made a single phone call about this.”
“I never heard you had to leave at 2:15,” he added.
“Congressman, you might want to have a conversation with your staff,” responded Warren.
McHenry then refused to recess the hearing as members left for votes.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking member of the full committee, pressured McHenry to allow Warren to leave.
“She kept her side of the bargain and now it’s time for you to keep yours,” he said.
McHenry maintained that GOP staff never promised Warren she would be free to leave after an hour, and would merely try to accommodate the request.
“I’m not trying to cause you problems, Miss Warren,” he said.
“Congressman, you are causing problems,” she responded. “We had an agreement. … I committed to you based on representations of your staff.”
“You had no agreement,” responded McHenry.
“We had an agreement,” she rebutted.
“You’re making this up, Miss Warren,” said McHenry.

In other words, the turd-faced McHenry was calling Warren a liar.
Cummings then told the Mac: “Mr. Chairman, you just did something that — I’m trying to be cordial here, but you just accused the lady of lying,” he said.

You can’t be cordial with the GOP nowadays, and if you do, it’s at your own peril.

And Daily Kos has a good post up about the incident, including the video of the encounter between McNasty, oops, I mean, McHenry and Warren, including the Internet video-clip-spawn of Warren’s astonished face at being called a liar.
Kos also added this: This how the only person in DC tasked with protecting consumers gets treated on Capitol Hill. If only she’d had the foresight instead to blow up an oil rig and dump millions of gallons of crude into the sea, she might be able to expect an apology from the Republican Chairman.
Via Crooks and Liars, this shot from among a load (numbering maybe in the thousands) of angry retorts against McHenry on his Facebook page: How much does a Wells Fargo prostitute get paid these days?

Political discourse in the US has degenerated into a clownish clone of decency.
The lost Tuesday in an upstate special election by the GOP — based strictly on the backlash of Paul Ryan’s budget proposal, which includes eliminating Medicare as we know it today — will make Republicans even more scared, and when lying dogs get scared, they holler.
And on the Oversight committee’s Facebook page: Obama advisor Elizabeth Warren is the latest example of Obama Admin arrogance: she tried to bail on a hearing, claiming she didn’t know she’d have to stay to answer questions. Here’s proof she did, but her boots kept right on walkin’ all over your right to know. It’s our job to hold gov’t accountable, but the Obama White House doesn’t think you deserve answers.

Hahahaha — aaaaah!

And to the real reason the GOP hates Warren — the bottom line: Warren appears to understand the financial chaos, pain and uncertainty of this uncertain age, keeping memories of the past focused on the future:

“I’m still very connected to my family, to the world I grew up in,” says Warren.
“I understand what it means to be afraid that you can’t pay a doctor’s bill.” Her voice drops.
“Or to have to make the choice between buying a band uniform for a seventh-grader and making the insurance payment on time.
That will never leave me.
It was how I lived until I was well into my adult years.
And I understand the basic, hardworking goodness of people whose ambitions are to do right by their kids and make it through retirement without being a burden to others.”

The nasty GOP hates that kind of talk, especially from someone not given to fibbing — scares the shit outta ’em.

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