How Senator Elizabeth Warren Could Change Your Finances

Who is this lady causing such a tizzy in Congress?

Meet Elizabeth Warren. She’s one of a record 20 women who will be in the Senate next year. But the reality is that she was making waves long before she gave her victory speech on election night.

Why? Perhaps it’s because this Harvard Law professor is not only an expert on bankruptcy law, but also because she is a consumer protection advocate with an attitude, which you can see on full display in this juicy quote from her speech at this year’s Democratic National Convention:

“Wall Street C.E.O.s—the same ones who wrecked our economy and destroyed millions of jobs—still strut around Congress, no shame, demanding favors and acting like we should thank them.”

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But it’s not just her fearlessness in taking on entrenched powers that has gotten her attention. She has other serious experience, from chairing the Congressional Oversight Panel monitoring the $700 billion TARP bailout to creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

For her efforts, she’s made a lot of enemies in Washington, and a lot of fans outside of it. When she ran for the Senate on the Democratic ticket, she raised $39 million for her campaign–more than any other Senate candidate this year, despite receiving zero support from Wall Street. Although she trounced her moderate Republican opponent, conservatives and Wall Street lobbyists are already planning their strategy to disarm her proposed regulations.