Saturday, March 20, 2010

The President's Weekly Address: Time for Action on Financial Reform for the Economy

From the White House blog:

As a key committee in the Senate takes up reforming the ways of Wall Street, the President lays down a marker: “I urge those in the Senate who support these reforms to remain strong, to resist the pressure from those who would preserve the status quo, to stand up for their constituents and our country. And I promise to use every tool at my disposal to see these reforms enacted: to ensure that the bill I sign into law reflects not the special interests of Wall Street, but the best interests of the American people.”




The President seems to be gearing up for another big fight. I think he feels that Health Care Reform is safe enough now he can move on to this important regulation reform of the financial industry.

Our voices are going to have to be heard on this, much as they were and maybe stronger, than for Health Care. We have got to push our Senators and Representatives to get this through. We have to have stronger rules for Wall Street and the people who caused this disaster. That is just a given.

One thing to note.. again, we can't let the quest for the perfect defeat the good. We may not get all we want, just as we didn't in Health Care Reform, but just as with all large legislation, sometimes the first step is the hardest and we can build from there.

One other note... Sen. Chris Dodd is now calling for an investigation into Lehman and the others who caused this crisis. That is a good thing and is long overdue. I guess deciding to give up his job as a Senator has allowed him to become stronger.

OK everyone, now is the time to start calling, before they even get started in Committee hearings on this legislation... Let's get this done.

6 comments:

TomCat said...

I'm looking forward to tomorrow, but still wonder what new obstructions will arise in the Senate.

K. said...

Tom, from what I've read, the R's can delay it for a while, but not indefinitely. They have to be careful not to overplay their hand, though, or they will be the ones perceived as abusing the process. It's always nice to see conservatives hoisted on their own petard.

Annette said...

Yes, the time limit is 20 hours max and that can be halted I believe if it is seen that they are just trying to add amendments to stall.

I too look forward to the vote tomorrow.. Then on to Financial Reform.. which is needed almost as much as the Health Care Reform.

Sue said...

I'm ready with my popcorn and Pepsi!!

K, aren't the rethugs already seen as abusing the process?

Annette said...

I am so ready and the ones who have worked to defeat it and spent so much money on ads and such will be useless after this.

They are going to be discounted, and I hope the MSM calls them out on this.

I know a lot about one of the people involved today, Emmanuel Cleaver.. He is a Pastor and a very good man. He doesn't deserve that kind of treatment.

K. said...

Sue,

We certainly see them as process-abusers, but the public at large has blamed the protracted nature of this on things like the Cornhusker Kickback and the excruciating public negotiations with Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman on the Democrats. That's just the way it is.

But, hopefully, that will be behind us in a couple of days and it will be the Rethugs on display using arcane parliamentary procedures to prevent a vote that the public wants one way or another.