Tim Geithner Opposes Nominating Elizabeth Warren To Lead New Consumer Agency

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post

Tim Geithner Opposes Nominating Elizabeth Warren To Lead New Consumer Agency

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has expressed opposition to the possible nomination of Elizabeth Warren to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to a source with knowledge of Geithner's views.

The financial reform bill passed by the Senate on Thursday mandates the creation of a new federal entity charged with protecting consumers from predatory lenders.

But if Geithner has his way, the most prominent advocate for creating the agency may not be picked to lead it.

Warren, a professor at Harvard Law School whose 2007 journal article advocating the creation of such an agency inspired policymakers to enact it into law, has rocketed to prominence since the onset of the financial crisis as one of the leading reform advocates fighting on behalf of American taxpayers.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/15/tim-geithner-opposes-nomi_n_647691.html

[Mudoria]

1. I agree with him

She should have his job instead.

[Ken Burch]

3. Well...there IS that.

n/t.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

135. Poor Timmeh.

[donquijoterocket]

161. indeed

It's probably little Tim's version of hell to know a woman so much more intelligent and well-versed in your supposed field.I try to suppress any tendencies to violence,but little Tim is just one of those people who make me want to take his Windsor knot in my left hand and back and forth him with my right until he exudes bodily fluids from a cranial orifice or three.Apologies if I've violated any DU standards.If I can't do that perhaps our President will metaphorically do it for me, I'd sure hope so.

[WileEcoyote]

163. Let's dump the sexist talk here.

and point to Geithner's problems as Treasury Secretary.

This is no place for sexist talk. Even reverse sexism.

Tired of this. No free pass to sexists from either side of the aisle.

[redqueen]

171. Where is the sexist talk?

And OMG... 'reverse sexism'.

*sigh* Jesus.

[WileEcoyote]

172. Reverse sexism equally repugnant as standard sexism. What's the difference?

But as for your request these are the words:



It's probably little Tim's version of hell to know a woman so much more intelligent and well-versed in your supposed field.

Pretty obvious isn't it? I mean if I have to explain it then it really means we've got trouble.

Let's stick to calling Tim Geithner out for his ethical problems. Not using him as a straw man argument to bring gender politics into the game.

[redqueen]

173. So we can say all kinds of ridiculous things about Geithner...

but we shouldn't characterize him as someone who'd have that kind of sexist view of women?

I don't get it.


And *sigh*... there is no such thing as "reverse sexism" just like there's no such thing as "reverse racism"... it's just sexism, whichever way it's aimed.

[WileEcoyote]

177. What's the point of dragging the sexist remark of donquijoterocket into the discussion?

It's irrelevant to Geithner's problems. And probably not even true.

There are plenty of good reasons to diss Geithner. Attempting to paint him as some kind of fictional male chauvinist detracts from the subject at hand. Also leaves an stain on genuine Feminist matters.

There is no need to bring everything into a war of the sexes debate. It may draw attention to a poster but shows immaturity and a lack of civility.

Men aren't always bad. Most that I know are at least gentlemen. Even some of the Wall Street crooks.

Posters like donquijoterocket do the forum and Liberals a disservice by playing the sexist card at every chance. A foolish move.

[sasquuatch55]

167. YES TO ELIZABETH!!

nt

[TerribleLarryDingle]

12. well put

[aquart]

21. So very, very true.

[wordpix]

24. ABSOLUTELY +1

[Iowa]

32. Yep...

Or put her in the WH. She's the type of person we need running the entire operation, IMO.

[midnight]

54. True.

[defendandprotect]

34. +1000%

[emsimon33]

48. Excellent point!

[geckosfeet]

70. +++100

[No Elephants]

73. Silly. No one wants a sterlling consumer/taxpayer advocate in Treasury.

Or anywhere else of significance in D.C. Even most consumer/taxpayers, low info sheeple that we are.

[INTMANOMYST]

74. true true true!

QUICK!!! Good GOD where is there a petition we can sign so that that sniveling worm Geithner doesn't get his way?!!!

[rampart]

159. he is a real weasel

but sniveling worm is very descriptive.

[Triana]

77. +1 n/t

[burnsei sensei]

79. Amen. +1 nt

[Soylent Brice]

92. damn you.

i was all geared up to argue with you...
...until i read the rest of your comment.

:rofl:

bravo.

[October]

93. lol!

That was great!

[myrna minx]

100. Exactly.

:hi:

[SemperEadem]

108. Elizabeth Warren or Brooksley Born would be a better choice for his job

Yeah, Geithner is so afraid of anyone not handpicked by him to validate his wretchedness and keep his scam going.

WE WANT ELIZABETH FOR THE JOB!!!

[valerief]

115. Ha!!!!! Well said! nt

[JaneFordA]

120. Yip!

>>> She should have his job instead.<<<
Yip! :-)

[Jack Rabbit]

124. Dissenting

Professor Warren should have the consumer protection position.

Robert Reich should be Treasury Secretary.

[kanda]

136. Absolutely, positively agree 100% (nt)

[dadzilla]

147. Damn!

Short, sweet and snappy, I Like It!

[prairierose]

169. Mudoria, you are so right...

I just wish that it might happen but I have very low expectations.

[vssmith]

174. If we are wishing why not wish her into the Presidency

[Ken Burch]

2. That's the best possible recommendation she could get!

After all, this is the man who made "Geithner Sucks!" a household phrase.

[grasswire]

4. Wot a surprise, now.

Dump Tim.

[Stevepol]

5. Well, I guess so. How dare she

ask tough questions and demand answers and not get confused and hypnotized by my hand gestures as I talk.

I was able to scam everybody else and play the GQ man about town and make off with plenty for my cronies and buddies and she just won't play ball with me.

boo-hoo

[wordpix]

27. "not get confused and hypnotized by my hand gestures" LOL

:rofl:

[SunnySong]

6. Now that is an endorsement

I honestly don't know who Elizabeth Warren is or what the New Consumer Agency is but I am now 100% behind her getting the job

[Jennicut]

8. She is a lot more intelligent then Geithner.

She should head this if she has an interest to do so, it was her idea after all.

[UpInArms]

16. she's freakin' awesome - here's a link to an astounding youtube of her

explaining what is happening to the middle class

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akVL7QY0S8A

[Capt. Jack]

87. Great Video!

Nearly 60 minutes long but worth every minute.

Thank you!

[guruoo]

22. Wiki, and video with Jon Stewart

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Warren
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-26-2010/elizabeth-warren

[No Elephants]

72. She is consumer/taxpayer/voter oriented, tireless and very, very smart. A real misfit in D.C.

At www.pbs.org, you can search her guest appearances on Bill Moyers Journal. Awesome.

[howmad1]

143. No way will she fit in to the Obama administration.

[ejpoeta]

76. she is a watchdog for consumers. she has been attempting to oversee the

bailout and was on daily show explaining quite well how we are getting screwed with goldman sachs getting 100c on the dollar and how much our shares were worth and all that.

[femrap]

160. She is demonstrating

the size of Timmy's widdle peewee. Timmy is very scared of Elizabeth. He knows that she knows. I wonder if he goes to the same woman as Vitter????:evilgrin:

[Bluenorthwest]

101. My favorite Warren quote, on passing reform:

"My first choice is a strong consumer agency. My second choice is no agency at all and plenty of blood and teeth left on the floor. My 99th choice is some mouthful of mush that doesn't get the job done."

See why Timmy cowers in fear?

[onpatrol98]

154. Wow!

I mean...that is awesome. You can respect that. Not starry eyed...not, fainting at the greatness of any president, not even a democratic president, just a woman wanting to get the job done. I love that. We need that.

Enough of the obstructionism...enough of the hero worship...just get it done.

[BlueMTexpat]

102. That was my knee-jerk response too!

:hi:

[notadmblnd]

7. Little Timmy afraid that she'll discover something he's hiding?

[Enthusiast]

56. Timmy, among others.

She would discover outright criminality that THEY do not want you to know about.

[bdamomma]

117. I bet, I don't trust Geithner at all.

She would be an excellent choice.

[DJ13]

9. She scares the elites!

Theres no better qualification to protect consumers than that.

[harun]

109. They are afraid of a turd in the punch bowl.

[Skink]

10. Tim should just make sure he pays his taxes.

[tavalon]

64. Oh, Timmy has much bigger problems than his personal taxes

If she gets the job, he's gonna wish he was down the well, if you know what I mean.

[MannyGoldstein]

11. Ah, Geithner. More change we can believe in.

If by "change" you mean "exactly the same".

[mbperrin]

13. WHY would ANYONE listen to ANYTHING Timmeh has to say?

I know they do, but why? He's got dirty pictures of them? Does murders for them? Drug connection?

Elizabeth Warren is wonderful. I use her as a source in my economics classes. She warned about the banking nonsense as early as 2006.

She's smart, accessible, and cares.

Timmeh? Well, you know. He's not.

[Frank Booth]

20. It's very difficult to trust this administration so long as people like Geithner are around.

It's almost as if Goldman Sachs picked him personally. And then there are all those Goldman Sachs employees chosen for the regulatory roles ... Hmmmm, all very strange.

[Hawkowl]

23. Impossible to trust

I think we are beyond "difficult to trust" and firmly into the realm of Impossible. If Obama truly wants to pull this country out of depression and earn a second term, he simply has no choice but to fire Geithner, Summers, Bernake (can't fire him) and all others tainted with the Wall Street stench of economic arson.

[Frank Booth]

30. Well, I was thinking something along those lines, but I had a message deleted

for saying something like that ... thought I'd play it safe.

[defendandprotect]

35. Feeling a "chill" in the DU air?

[No Elephants]

75. Why? Timmeh is not now, nor has he ever been, a Democrat.

timmeh is a Republican who changed his voter registration to Indie once Obama began considering him for Sec. of Treasury.

[truth2power]

119. I don't know what you were thinking, but here's my take on it...

If Obama caves on this, I'm really done with him. And it will tell me everything I need to know about where his (Obama's) interests lie.

I've been fuming from the very beginning about why Obama puts in place the very people who are responsible for the mess. There's only one answer to that one.

Better read this quick, Frank.

[MedicalAdmin]

68. Don't fire Bernake.

Dissolve the damn Fed!

[wordpix]

29. & now there's this Lew nomination for OMB---he headed a Citi unit tied to John Paulson's hedge fund

This, the same hedge fund betting that Goldman Sachs' subprime housing securities would collapse.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/14/jack-lew-obamas-omb-pick_n_645093.html

Jack Lew: Obama's OMB Pick Oversaw Citigroup Unit That Shorted Housing Market

President Barack Obama's choice to lead the White House budget office oversaw a Citigroup unit that profited off the housing collapse and financial crisis by investing in a hedge fund king who correctly predicted the eventual subprime meltdown and now finds himself involved in the center of the U.S. government's fraud case against Goldman Sachs.

Jacob Lew, named Tuesday as Obama's nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget to replace departing OMB chief Peter Orszag, served as chief operating officer of Citigroup Alternative Investments in 2008. He has served as a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton since the administration came into office.

Though Lew is a longtime public servant who's spent nearly 30 years in various positions throughout government, it is his few years at Citi -- in particular the one year he spent at its then-$54 billion proprietary trading, hedge fund and private equity unit -- that's likely to raise the most eyebrows in the coming weeks as Lew faces a Senate confirmation hearing.

Especially his unit's investments in a hedge fund that bet on the housing market to collapse -- a reality suffered by millions of American homeowners.

snip

The Paulson fund was run by hedge fund king John Paulson, the man who made billions off the deterioration of the housing industry by making bearish bets on securities tied to home mortgages -- particularly subprime home mortgages.

One of those bets involved Goldman Sachs, Wall Street's most profitable firm and the target of multiple investigations and lawsuits stemming from its bets on the housing market and actions during the height of the financial crisis.

On April 16, the SEC charged Goldman and one of its employees for defrauding investors by creating and selling exotic securities tied to subprime home mortgages in 2007 without disclosing that they were handpicked by a hedge fund that was betting on them to fail.

That hedge fund was run by John Paulson. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing, nor is he likely to be.

During Lew's tenure atop Citi's Alternative Investments group, the Multi-Adviser fund significantly increased its investment in Paulson's fund, more than doubling Citi's investment to $41.5 million by March 2008. On paper the firm's investment was worth $55.2 million, accounting for 9.7 percent of the fund's total assets to rank as its second-biggest investment, SEC filings show. snip

By December 31, the value of Citi's investment jumped to $57.3 million, reflecting the declining fortunes of homeowners and other investors, and the economy at large. It now comprised 10 percent of the Multi-Adviser fund, making it the fund's biggest holding.

The Citi fund redeemed $13 million of its stake in Paulson's hedge fund by March 2009, bringing its investment down to $18.5 million -- roughly the same amount it was before Lew became Alternative Investments' COO. But that stake -- worth $26 million at the end of 2007 -- was now worth more than $50 million, SEC filings show.

Paulson's fund, Advantage Plus LP, went up 37.8 percent in 2008, according to Paulson's year-end letter to shareholders.

snip:

Citi paid Lew $1.1 million for his year at Alternative Investments, according to an ethics disclosure report filed in January 2009. He was also eligible for an undisclosed bonus. Lew did not immediately return a call for comment.

His unit, though, lost as much as billions of dollars in 2008 as its bets turned sour. In the first quarter of 2008 alone the unit lost $509 million; the company stopped publicly disclosing the unit's individual numbers soon thereafter, but the part of the company that absorbed Alternative Investments lost $20.1 billion in 2008, according to the bank's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Citigroup, the nation's third-largest bank, received $45 billion in TARP bailout funds that year. The firm also has issued $64.6 billion in taxpayer-backed debt through a crisis-era Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation program, according to its latest quarterly filing with the SEC. And it stands to gain a few billion dollars more by modifying home mortgages under the administration's foreclosure-prevention plan, Treasury Department figures show.

Lew's role at the fund is raising some eyebrows among good government groups.

more...

:eyes:
Lew is going to have to answer a few questions about THIS before the Senate confirms

[eilen]

38. All I can do is shake my head

this.... after the Fowler thing. Sweet Jeebus, revolving door to the lobby anyone? Beuler?
Oh, that's right, this guy is EXPERIENCED. That makes it okay (that and that the democrats are doing it).


Tell me again about this "Change" thing. I'm a big fan of speculative fiction.

[tavalon]

65. Really, it's our fault

We took "Change" as a promise rather than a marketing brand. Our bad.

[truth2power]

121. Good to know that there's a lot of people here

who see through the smoke and mirrors.

[onpatrol98]

155. Well...maybe you're right.

But after the Bush years...we really were looking for change. Everyone was looking for change. We were vulnerable. And, it was a great marketing brand. I think things will get better though. Obama clearly isn't going to be the president I thought he would be. I'm still glad McCain isn't in the White House. I realize..."at least he isn't Mccain", probably doesn't sound like a resounding endorsement.

I think things will get better.

[sabrina 1]

39. So he was one of those 'patriots' who was betting on the

downfall of this country:

Especially his unit's investments in a hedge fund that bet on the housing market to collapse -- a reality suffered by millions of American homeowners.

Unlike someone who really cared about this country, who, if they believed that the country was about to have a financial melt-down, rather than try to profit from it like a vulture, would do everything in their power to try to prevent it.

Has this President lost his mind? Why is he putting these people in positions of power, people you already KNOW do not have the best interests of this country in mind?

I am willing to bet he will be confirmed. Republicans will put up a show for a while, then there will be just enough votes to get him confirmed. More 'change' that really is just politics as usual.

I know one thing, I will never, ever again support any candidate for the presidency without asking about who s/he intends to put in positions like this.

[Frank Booth]

41. There was a crazy rumor a while ago that Obama was the handpicked candidate

of Wall Street. I think the rumor started in the primaries, back when Wall Street gave more money to him more than any other candidate.

I thought the rumor was completely nuts and completely lacking in evidence. He'd worked as a community organizer and law professor, for God's sake. That's not the type of guy who'd be in the pocket of Wall Street.

Now, I'm wondering if there may have been something to it.

[sabrina 1]

60. I remember early in the campaign when it was reported that

many of Bush's financial backers were backing Obama. I was thrilled, thinking they had been disappointed in Bush and were moving over to Democrats. But several people pointed out that this was a bad sign. At the time I didn't see it that way.

Now I know what they meant. Live and learn.

[No Elephants]

78. We wanted so desperately to "hope" that sea "change" was not only possible ("yes, we can"), but

imminent.

[Enthusiast]

59. Patriots!

And what we need is a good old fashioned catfood commission.

[amandabeech]

40. Appointing this person shows incredibly bad judgment.

Keeping this guy around does not reflect well on Sec. Clinton, either.

We are just so totally f**&$%d.

I've been looking for a new FDR for several years. I like Sherrod Brown, but he's not going to the White House any time soon.

[JDPriestly]

50. Elizabeth Warren for president. Someone else suggested it.

I second it.

Another thought: Do you suppose that if Obama appoints Elizabeth Warren to head the new consumer agency, Geithner would quit? I really like Elizabeth Warren. Getting Geithner to quit would be a huge bonus.

[Demeter]

61. Whatever Else He Is, Geithner's Not a Quitter

Alas. More like Borg.

[No Elephants]

80. Nah. Timmeh won't quit. He'll just find a way to neutralize and isolate Warren, in

the unlikely event of her appointment.

[onpatrol98]

156. I hope not

If Geithner does that...if he marginalizes her position in some way, if she gets the spot...I hope she has the integrity to simply quit. I'd hate to see her go out like that.

I don't think she'd remain in a position (even though she hasn't taken it yet) that was just for show. I really think she wants to get the job done. But, that sure sounds like a Tim Geithner move.

[Enthusiast]

57. OMG!

I have lost faith. Is there any wonder?

[glitch]

113. We are not amazed.

Wish we still could be but this is more of the shame.

[defendandprotect]

36. +1000%

[Frisbee]

43. Ding Ding Ding....

We have a winner!

[Enthusiast]

58. All very strange.

How can we think anything else?

[onehandle]

14. My lady? Geithner can kiss my ass.

Elizabeth for Consumer Financial Protection Queen.

[jgraz]

15. Tell me again how Timmeh is not going to steamroll the CFPB

Remember, he's going to head the commission at Treasury that can veto any proposal the CFPB comes up with. Once again, this financial "reform" bill is exposed as a smoke screen.

[No Elephants]

81. Shhh. It's a completely independent agency..Get with the program, willya?

[UpInArms]

17. former NY Fed-head Timmeh Geithner needs to STFU

and step down - he is incompetent

[Jefferson23]

18. As if he ever has any good advice, Tim Geithner’s Ninth Political Life

By Simon Johnson

In modern American life, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner stands out as amazingly resilient and remarkably lucky – despite presiding over or being deeply involved in a series of political debacles, he has gone from strength to strength. After at least eight improbably bounce backs, he might seem unassailable. But his latest mistake – blocking Elizabeth Warren from the heading the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – may well prove politically fatal.

Geithner was a junior but key member of the US Treasury team that badly mishandled the early days of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and received widespread criticism (Life #1). He was promoted as a result and thereafter enjoyed a meteoric rise.

As President of the New York Federal Reserve from 2003, and de facto head of the government’s financial intelligence service, he completely failed to spot the problems developing in and around the country’s financial markets; nothing about this embarrassing track record has since stood in his way (Life #2). He subsequently became Hank Paulson’s Wall Street point person for one of the most comprehensively bungled bailouts of all time – the Troubled Asset Relief Program, TARP, which in fall 2008 first appalled Congress with its intentions and then wasn’t used at all as advertised (Life #3).
TARP and related Bush-Paulson-Geithner efforts were so completely and clearly unsuccessful in October/November 2009 that the crisis worsened and Geithner was offered the job of Treasury Secretary by President-elect Obama; the incoming team felt there was no substitute for “experience”. Nevertheless, he almost failed in the confirmation process due to issues related to his taxes (Life #4) and then stumbled badly with his initial public repositioning of the TARP (Life #5), which was going to buy toxic assets again but in a more complicated way (perhaps his most complete and obviously personal political disaster to date).

remainder: http://baselinescenario.com/2010/07/15/tim-geithner%e2%80%99s-ninth-political-life/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BaselineScenario+%28The+Baseline+Scenario%29

[Swede Atlanta]

19. Geithner should be gone....

I have seen Elizabeth Warren in various forums - interviews, Congresional hearings, etc. and she makes things make sense. I think she may be one of the few that actually 'get it'. I want Obama to can Geithner but I suspect Timmy boy has something on Obama that he is using as blackmail. Remember Geithner was involved in the pillaging of the Treasury from the N.Y. Federal Reserve Bank at the time of the initial bailout.

[Phlem]

25. Well of course

He opposes her. It makes his raping and pillaging a bit harder to do now.

How much you want to bet she gets nixed in the end so the government can run more efficiently.

-p

[wordpix]

26. q: was Warren at Harvard when Summers was pres & made the comment about women & math?

:shrug: "Obama's top economic adviser, Lawrence Summers, is also said to have a strained relationship with Warren, though his stance on her nomination is not known."

just wondering if the "bad blood" goes back a ways.

Get rid of Summers and put Elizabeth Warren in there, if not in Geithner's job. We need some HONESTY.

[newspeak]

183. yes, clean house!!!

We need Warren, Roubini, Krugman, Galbraith---let's get some new blood in there with more rational, helpful ideas. I feel like these guys are like vampires, slowly sucking the rest of us dry, while coming up with more scammy ideas to further funnel money into wall street instead of pulling up main street.

[guruoo]

28. Video: 'Elizabeth Warren Makes Timmy Geithner Squirm Over AIG and Goldman Sachs Bailouts. ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz7ruJw6byQ&feature=related

[defendandprotect]

37. +1000% --

[Enthusiast]

62. Actual squirming.

Why do we have to put up with these kinds of actors in our government? We are supposed to cheerfully go along and vote in November? I guess I want CLEAN government with real transparency.

[Wednesdays]

126. "Do you know where the money went?"

Well, it's a no-brainer why he'd oppose her appointment!
:think:

Good for her! I hope she gets to ask him that question a lot!

Heh, smackdown time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga4hkN1FjEo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJdK8VR5aqY

[ezmerelda39]

31. And how many

oppose Tim, Golden Boy?

[Psephos]

33. She would make a great candidate for the Supreme Court. n/t

[ProudDad]

42. Naw, if Obama follows his previous form

Like appointing that asshole Geithner to his post...

And his recent appointment of Wellpoint's Liz Fowler, of Max Baucus', the Health Care Killer's committee, to oversee the implementation of the horribly watered down "Health Insurance Corporation and Big PhRMA Stimulus Act of 2010"...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8749680

He'll probably appoint Alan Greenspan to the post to "protect the consumer".

[w4rma]

44. Thought he might not like her. He is corrupt and she isn't. (nt)

[earcandle]

45. So does Geithner have any decision making power regarding this post? And who fills it?

[laughingliberal]

51. Guess we'll find out. If she doesn't get the position, we'll know how much power Tim has. nt

[jgraz]

53. Yes. He heads a commission with veto power over anything the CFPB does.

If they dare to actually protect consumers, Timmeh can step in a stop them. After all, we can't put a nickel of CEO bonuses at risk, now can we?

[janet118]

134. That's why someone like Warren is needed . . .

She will not take constant thwarting by Geithner lying down and she is very, very good on the television. Tim looks like he's in the principal's office every time he has to answer questions in public.

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

46. Geithner's New Job

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (L) serves lunch to the homeless and other clients at the "So Others May Eat" (SOME) soup kitchen and social service center for the poor during an Obama administration community service event in downtown Washington, June 25, 2009.

He actually did honest work.



http://www.daylife.com/photo/07Iy5G85Yef83?q=Politics

[Enthusiast]

63. I am so convinced. nt

[No Elephants]

82. Photo op propaganda to rehab your image = honest OR work? Who knew?

[truth2power]

122. BS. Doesn't change my mind about him. n/t

[Wednesdays]

127. How many days did he do this?

:shrug:

[Scarsdale Vibe]

47. Shahien Nasiripour's reporting on FinReg has been awful at best.

[brentspeak]

129. Actually, his reporting has been some of the best

It's been critical and accurate.

[Scarsdale Vibe]

168. If Geithner were actually trying to block her, he wouldn't have virtually endorsed her today.

This "journalist" is just trying to angle for a niche spot amongst the perpetually aggrieved. I'm sure he'll be on Ratigan again today alongside Mr. "Methane bubbles in the GoM are going to kill all life on Earth".

[laughingliberal]

49. Could Geithner be any more infuriating...or obvious? nt

[girl_interrupted]

52. K&R

[Enthusiast]

55. I can't even say what I think.

What I think about President Obama and Geithner is not very nice.

[Oerdin]

66. Tim Geithner

Why is it any time something is good for regular people Tim Geithner is against it?

[waronbanks]

67. Well...the Overlords have spoken.

Now lets see if Elizabeth is given the job or if Obama plays nice with the Corporates.

Any bets as to which way he goes?

[florida08]

69. Greenspan, Rubin. Summers

and Paulson did the same thing to Brooksley Born. We need Elizabeth if she's willing and I bet she is. She will help to counter this weak finance tweaking they're passing off as reform. I believe she has the president's ear.


Democrats in Congress have been among her most enthusiastic supporters. House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank is one of many influential members who hope she'll get the nod.

And while labor and consumer groups often butted heads with Geithner on various aspects of the financial reform legislation, they have lauded his support for strong consumer protections. Warren, however, has been referred to as a "rock star" among consumer advocates. Many have told HuffPost they're hoping Obama picks her to head the new bureau.



Barney loves her
http://www.businessinsider.com/revealed-who-barney-frank-has-a-crush-on-2010-1

[No Elephants]

83. Rut roh. "Rock star?" Where have i heard that before?

I plan to write in "Elizabeth Warren" on any ballot I can, every chance I get. But the "rock star" hype is unnerving.

[florida08]

118. in her case ..there's a backbone behind it

[Shining Jack]

71. K&R

[No Elephants]

84. Kabuki? If I were in the Obamadmin, I'd rather have Warren inside pissing out

than outside pissing in. (Apologies to LBJ)

Appointing her head of an agency under Geithner and Bernanke, where her ability to speak out would be severely curtailed might be a classic example of kicking someone upstairs to neutralize him or her.

[Hubert Flottz]

85. I never voted for fucking Tim Geithner...

did you?

Is Tim pResident or is Obama President? I get confused sometimes.

Edit...I'd just like to have Tim's nose full of quarters.

[tomp]

89. who is president and who has the real power?

another test for obama. expect fail.

[Rockholm]

86. His opposition guarantees her success! What a tool.

[TBF]

88. If Geithner is opposed to her than I'm sure she's a good pick. nt

[City Lights]

90. If he's against her, then I'm all for her!

:thumbsdown: with Timmeh.

[The Wizard]

91. Message to Geithner

Congress and all government officials. Heed Bill Maher: "Anyone who has a lot of money and can't explain how they got it has to give it back."
Timmy is a thief and threat to national security and needs to be arrested and incarcerated sooner rather than later.

[Emeritus]

94. I have no problem with Warren being appointed

Her actions and statements show she has been consistently progressive.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

95. Well, when has he ever been wrong?

:spray: I crack myself up sometimes.

[JerseygirlCT]

96. That says a lot, doesn't it?

Give her his job then, instead.

[bullwinkle428]

97. GO FUCK YOURSELF, GEITHNER!!

:mad:

[Yuugal]

131. +1

[bulloney]

98. This sounds like a ringing endorsement for Elizabeth Warren to me.

If Timmy the Elf and his Goldman Sucks cronies don't want her, then I do. You can trace most of the problems we have in our economy to Goldman Sucks and all of their henchmen that have infiltrated the U.S. Treasury and the regulatory agencies that are supposed to oversee and regulate the financial markets.

Here's another litmus test for Obama. Will he appoint someone who will actually put some accountability in this agency, or will he fold like a cheap lawn chair again and appoint another crony from the industry that this agency is supposed to oversee?

[Hosnon]

99. Well this couldn't be an easier call, haha.

Suck it Geithner.

[jeanmarc]

103. Timmy doesn't work for us

Sure, he draws a salary from our taxpayer money, but he feels and probably rightly so that he doesn't work for us and can do whatever he wants.

Obama should ask for his immediate resignation.

[newspeak]

104. I've seen Ms. Warren interviewed a couple of times

I just love the woman---yeah, Elizabeth Warren for president!!!!!:woohoo:

[DirkGently]

105. Kind of puts the lie to "Geithner is a good guy now" meme

doesn't it? Warren is clearly the only person actually taken into the fold with the administration who actually has the public interest at heart, not the mention the brains to understand the situation fully. If they reject her for this, it will be stark affirmative decision to leave the foxes in charge of the proverbial henhouse.

Maybe it won't happen that way.

We'll be watching.

[kpete]

106. of interest?

Why Tim Geithner's Attempting To Torpedo Liz Warren (updated)
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/7/16/884740/-Why-Tim-Geithners-Attempting-To-Torpedo-Liz-Warren-%28updated%29

[kiranon]

107. Time for Geithner to find another job outside of government. n/t

[lonestarnot]

110. Suck it timmy and Mr. President watch your step.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

111. Both my Senators have been emailed and told

how important this nomination is to myself and others who are paying attention.

Wonder if I'll hear anything back.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

112. The acid (sniff) test.

Geithner, Summers, Gates, Duncan, Vilsack, Taylor, Beachy...

Same as it ever was http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wg1DNHbNU

[ProSense]

114. Consumers Union on the new

consumer bureau

[valerief]

116. Can't something put Geithner in prison? What an enemy of Americans. nt

[ieoeja]

123. If she gets a job she recommended creating, the GOP will roast her alive.

As part of her temporary employment by the gov't, she recommended the creation of a new permanent position. You know the GOP and the media will accuse her of having recommended the creation of this job just because she wanted it for herself. The phrases "ethics violation" and "conflict of interest" will be tossed around quite a bit.

Someone *like* her in that position would be great. But nominating her specifically would look kind of shady. And that appearance would undermine the office thereby doing a disservice to her own goals.

[Hosnon]

125. I don't think it will be a big issue. The position is permanent, not her holding thereof. nt.

[mbperrin]

130. She is not unemployed. She has a prestigious position at Harvard.

She's written best-selling books.

Brief bio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Warren

Nothing could be shadier than all the Goldman alumni-cabal running the money into their pockets right now, and no Republican said a fucking word one against it. Nor any Democrat. Nothing shady about Warren. She might be the first person in two generations who could actually get a government agency to do what it was written on paper to do. That's what worries the money-thievery interests - they don't own her.

Besides, anything John the Tan Man and his buddies are against - I'm for, like anyone else with an IQ over 70.

[newspeak]

184. Okay, give her Geithner's position

I like that idea much better!

[Blue_Tires]

128. ttt

[asdjrocky]

132. What an asswipe.

Another good friend of our President.

[mnhtnbb]

133. She is so straight-talking and refreshing, no wonder Geithner opposes her.

[Raineyb]

137. In other words, the person Obama chose to run the treasury is not at all interested

in this small modicum of reform.

Rather telling that.

[BonnieJW]

138. SIGN THE PETITION

SIGN THE PETITIO URGING OBAMA TO APPOINT ELIZABETH WARREN

http://act.boldprogressives.org/cms/sign/petition_warren/?akid=1645.229072.OD9Lf2&rd=1&source=e1-passtxt-orighuffim&t=3

[Enthusiast]

146. Done. nt

[mvd]

176. Signed - thanks!

:hi:

[Bozita]

180. done ... thanks!

[ProSense]

139. FDL writer dispels rumor:

Ass’t. Treasury Sec. Michael Barr: Elizabeth Warren “Extremely Well-Qualified” for CFPB

By: David Dayen Friday July 16, 2010

I’m on a conference call with Michael Barr, the assistant Treasury Secretary for Financial Institutions, about the Wall Street reform bill. Barr has been basically the lead at Treasury on the bill. So I asked him about this disturbing report about Timothy Geithner trying to block Elizabeth Warren from heading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was her brainchild.

Barr totally denied this to me. “I don’t know where that (report) came from,” he said. I asked him if he thought Warren was well-qualified for the position and if anyone at Treasury would stand in her way if she were the top choice. “I think Elizabeth is absolutely terrific,” Barr said. “She’s been working closely with me and Secretary Geithner for a year and half to push for this consumer protection bureau. I believe and Secretary Geithner believes that she’s exceptionally well-qualified to run it.”

That’s on the record now. Tim Geithner and his lead deputy at the Treasury Department think Elizabeth Warren is well-qualified to head the CFPB. It’s important that this information gets distributed far and wide.

I’ll have more on the call later, but I thought that was significant.

UPDATE: I’m a little surprised that people think I’ve been spun here. You have the Assistant Treasury Secretary on the record saying that he thinks Elizabeth Warren is exceptionally well-qualified to run the CFPB. In a way this is obvious, given that she invented the concept. But that’s useful information to have. If she doesn’t get it despite that level of regard in the Treasury Department, in Congress and among the grassroots (almost unanimous support there) then we have to conclude that the original Huffington Post article was correct. “If Geithner thought she was well-qualified, why didn’t she get the job?” would be how this goes. I think this makes it harder to deny her, since she’s such a clear choice. And in a bill that leaves so much up to the discretion of the regulators, she would shape that agency in a very positive direction.

Seriously, when did HuffPo rumors become news?

[4lbs]

142. Uh oh. FireDogLake disputes Huffington Post.

Jane Hamsher vs. Arianna Huffington.

Hmm....

I might have to give this one to the FDL article over HuffPo's. FDL got an actual quote and named their source. HuffPo didn't.

[dpbrown]

140. That bastard

Of course she should be the chair.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

141. Tell O: WE WANT ELIZABETH!

Comments: 202-456-1111
Fax: [phone]
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[Iggo]

144. Well, of course he does.

[KamaAina]

145. Who cares what he thinks?

:P

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

148. If Geithner opposes her, I'm FOR her

Geithner is a bankster.

[90-percent]

149. hmmm

Al Capone objects to being audited by the IRS.

Only the names change.

I think our corporatist in chief will blindly follow Timmy's "suggestion" here. His use for progressives ended after he got elected.

-90% Jimmy

[Hubert Flottz]

150. Maybe little Timmy will get mad enough to quit

if he don't get his way.

[FlyByNight]

151. Prof. Warren actually takes her job seriously

That's what Timmy the Tax Cheat finds offensive about Prof. Warren. He continuously proves that he's one of Obama's worst appointments. Over. And over. Again.

"Reform" is good so long as the fundamental, money-making, DLC-contributing structures remain. Seems to be the mantra of this White House.

:eyes:

[robinlynne]

152. surprise....

[onpatrol98]

153. Elizabeth Warren for President!!!

[SoapBox]

157. WHAAAAAATTTT?

Oh my gawd...

AssHat Geithner opposes her?

I'm sure he does...she might mess up his cozy relationship with the Wall Street World Destroyer types.

[JohnWxy]

158. THEN THAT'S WHO WE NEED THERE. REAL consumer protection is needed to save Banking from itself!

recommended!

[on point]

162. That means she's perfect!!

[hamsterjill]

164. This woman is terrific!

It's very telling that Geithner doesn't like her.

For me, Elizabeth Warren is one of the very few who, when interviewed, sums the whole complicated mess into explanations that ordinary Joe's and Jane's (like me) can understand. And she tells it like it is. She doesn't sugarcoat her opinions and explains why she feels the way she does about things.

If the Obama administration is smart, they will continue to value her talents. She has a large public following, and with each speech, interview, etc. that she gives, she gaines more followers.

[Jakes Progress]

165. Of course he does.

Who needs a guard on the henhouse when the foxes have it so under control.

This is another moral and courage test for Obama.

[theaocp]

166. Timmy says Warren, "Exceptionally Well-Qualified"

via David Dayen at FDL:

I just secured a statement from Andrew Williams, Treasury’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, about Timothy Geithner’s views on Elizabeth Warren. This has been a raging controversy since it was reported last night that Geithner would potentially move to block Warren’s appointment to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau due to friction between the two in the past. Here’s the statement in full:

“Elizabeth Warren has been a driving force behind the creation of the consumer financial protection bureau, and we have worked very closely with her over the past year and a half to make that idea a reality.

“Given her strong leadership on consumer protection, Secretary Geithner believes that Elizabeth Warren is exceptionally well qualified to lead the new bureau, and, ultimately, that’s a decision the President will have to make.”

Geithner pointedly punts this to the President, rightly stating that it’s his responsibility to name a head of the bureau. He does not come out and endorse Warren, but I wouldn’t expect him to.

What’s important here is the overall dynamic in the past 24 hours. Since the initial report in the Huffington Post, we now have Michael Barr saying that Warren is exceptionally well-qualified, David Axelrod saying she’s a candidate to lead the bureau and now Geithner saying something similar. Basically, this has become a test for the Obama Administration, and the base of the party is watching very closely.

[Telly Savalas]

182. What's really important here is that unnamed sources from the Huffington Post

should be regarded with extreme skepticism.

[LaPera]

170. Tim Geithner should of been dumped a long time ago Elizabeth Warren is truly the most knowledgeable

qualified, best and most scrupulous person anywhere to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau!

[jwirr]

175. There was a petition in my email -- hopefully someone will find it for here. nt

[bvar22]

178. Geithner FEARS Elizabeth Warren heading up the new CPA.

[hamerfan]

181. Great pic!

It really sums up little Timmy's feeling about anyone watching over him. And he NEEDS watching over, both him and the corporations that pull his strings.

[U4ikLefty]

179. Timmeh needs his Chamber of Commerce/Goldman Sachs candidate

in that post. No room for "the people" at that table...sorry.