Banks or families?

This is the false choice that big banks and the American Bankers Association are offering Congress as they move to eviscerate the Financial Reform bill that is presently in the Senate, says Elizabeth Warren.

The banking lobby is willing to pay to get that job done — to the tune of $1.4 million dollars per DAY. I repeat. Big banks and their lobbyists are spending $1.4 million per day to make sure that meaningful financial reform does not occur. To make sure that an independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency will either never come into being, or exist in name only. So we all need to do something about it. Now.

First I’ll answer the two questions that may be in your mind:

1. Who is Elizabeth Warren?
2. What can I do to support financial reform and prevent a future financial meltdown?

Elizabeth Warren is the fabulous, plain-speaking Harvard law professor who chairs the Oversight Board of TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program — aka the “bank bailout”). She has been telling-it-like-it-is since she got there (as in big banks are not on our side).

What can we do to get financial reform?  Yesterday, Americans for Fairness in Lending and Americans for Financial Reform and allies co-hosted a great webinar featuring Ms. Warren  for about 1,000 people to answer exactly that question.

And here is what to do:

• Write to your Senators and ask them to strengthen the financial reform bill in the Senate.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper about the need for financial reform. Click here for contact information for media in your area.
• Sign the petition on Change.org.
• Get other people to do the same.

Whatever you do, do it fast.  The final vote may be as soon as May 3.

Here’s the webinar so you can listen yourself:

Elizabeth Warren 4/6/10 from Gilda Haas on Vimeo.

And here’s a clip of Elizabeth Warren with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show: