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Obama Pushes For Consumer Protection Agency, Tells Dodd It's 'Non-Negotiable'
President Barack Obama
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President Obama met with retiring Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) yesterday and, according to the New York Times, pushed Dodd on the creation of a consumer protection agency.
Dodd, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, has reportedly been discussing dropping the agency in order to get Republican support on other financial regulatory reforms. Dodd recently announced that he will retire after this term.
But aides told the Times that for Obama, the agency is "non-negotiable."
This fits in with a more aggressive strategy that many Democrats want to see from the White House. Senior adviser David Axelrod suggested this morning that the administration plans to move in that direction.
"We need to move forward aggressively, continuing on job creation, and on financial regulatory reform," he said. He also urged Congress to pass a health care bill despite last night's election results in Massachusetts.
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SFCWallace
January 20, 2010 11:47 AM
As non-negotiable as the single payer option?
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nova voter
January 20, 2010 11:48 AM in reply to SFCWallace
what?
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Chris
January 20, 2010 12:13 PM in reply to SFCWallace
I'm sure it is. Honestly, though, what possibly can a president do when the Repubs have a 41-59 seat majority in the Senate??
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Observerinvancouver
January 23, 2010 3:16 PM in reply to SFCWallace
From the beginning of his campaign, Pres. Obama has always said he likes single-payer but it's just not achievable. Or did I miss the speech where he said single-payer was non-negotiable?
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Progressive Party
January 20, 2010 11:49 AM
Maybe they were listening after the historic defeat yesterday!
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VictorLH
January 20, 2010 11:49 AM
I'll believe it when I see it President - I won't Tax Health Plans, I support the Public Option and I oppose FISA.
It's Show Me Time!
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
January 20, 2010 11:52 AM
I think over the next few months, we're going to see a repeat of a persistent pattern from the primaries. On the upside, when the going gets tough, really tough, Obama and his people's response is to get going.
On the down side, His M.O. of taking the long view and erring on the side of not overreacting to every little thing that happens because most things blow over, means that they sometimes miss the stuff that doesn't blow over, and things they could have nipped in the bud get tough enough to require the getting and going.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 12:07 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
Too little, too late. A real leader gets into it before the team takes one up the wazoo.
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IndyLinda
January 20, 2010 1:09 PM in reply to Schmed
Ah, every team takes it up the wazoo, to use your colorful phrase, once in a while. No leader can totally prevent it. How they respond to it will be crucial, but I need to see action and not words.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 1:16 PM in reply to IndyLinda
So far, the Dems have taken 3 up the Senate wazoo this cycle. How many more do they drop before the Big Guy acts to save the party?
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brewmn61
January 20, 2010 1:39 PM in reply to Schmed
And they've given two up the wazoo, if anybody's keeping score.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 1:55 PM in reply to brewmn61
So, losing another -- not such a big deal?
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brewmn61
January 20, 2010 2:03 PM in reply to Schmed
They're all a big deal. But sitting on our collective butts waiting for the Big Guy to save them, and concomitantly blaming him for every defeat, isn't going to fix things.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 2:43 PM in reply to brewmn61
I'm not suggesting that we sit on our collective butts. I'm suggesting that the Big Guy get off his a whole lot sooner.
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Maritza
January 20, 2010 11:58 AM
I like that aggressiveness.
It is time for Obama to get real tough.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 12:07 PM in reply to Maritza
Your watch is running a little slow.
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OhioGuy
January 20, 2010 11:58 AM
I think you're going to see Obama speaking out in public against Senators like Dodd more now. I have a feeling he was holding back and biting his tongue in recent months for fear of knocking over the HCR house of cards by damaging just one fragile ego in the Senate.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 12:09 PM in reply to OhioGuy
So, you wait until you have nothing left to lose before your start acting like you have nothing left to lose? Strategery! Gotta love it!
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Viva!America!
January 20, 2010 12:38 PM in reply to Schmed
WE GET YOUR POINT!
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 12:40 PM in reply to Viva!America!
Not everybody.
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brewmn61
January 20, 2010 2:06 PM in reply to Schmed
I'm glad you can see the future. I guess Obama should be running around the country as Campainger-In-Chief, since apparently no Democrat in america can win an election without him.
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Schmed
January 20, 2010 2:47 PM in reply to brewmn61
It seems to me that campaigning is his one indisputable strong suite. Leadership? Not so much.
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kenga
January 20, 2010 4:13 PM in reply to Schmed
It's freedom!
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sbv
January 20, 2010 12:03 PM
"non-negotiable" is a line and stance president obama should have been taking before now! sausage making, 60 vote super-majority, millions spent on the status quo, lies, obfuscations and disingenuousness, unnecessary delay for snowe and grassley and by baucus - all have played a part in the thus far failed health care reform; the question i must ask myself, how much of this could have been prevented for president obama had said, "non-negotiable" more often!
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dtOZONE
January 20, 2010 12:08 PM
I'm willing to bet he doesn't get it anyway.
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Indie Pro
January 20, 2010 12:15 PM
FTA:
Yet many Democrats and liberal activists are holding Mr. Obama to his proposal for an independent office for consumers’ financial protection.
“The consumer agency is the litmus test,” said Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard law professor who has been an outspoken chairwoman of the Congressional Oversight Panel on the financial bailout.
“Is the financial reform bill designed to paper over problems and continue to protect the banks, or is this bill about serious reform?” she continued. “It’s the banks versus the people, and it’s time to choose. For me, that’s the frame, and that’s what the conversation is about. If the White House forces that choice on the Congress, then we’re getting the leadership we need.”
***
hear, hear!
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Isepick
January 20, 2010 12:25 PM
ZOMFG!! THIS? THIS is what he finally takes a stance on,now? Where was this attitude in August, when it mattered? Or hell even a couple months ago?
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musgrove
January 20, 2010 12:59 PM in reply to Isepick
Because they were trying to pass the HCR, which would be easier to do with out this method, but who could of predicted Kennedy dieing and getting replaced by a repug. HCR is a hard sell on people but financial reform and consumer protection is quite a bit easier, the people understand it and support it, the reason why that isnt getting done is because some senators are beholden to special interest. The correct tack though to handle that is what they plan on doing.
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Isepick
January 20, 2010 1:47 PM in reply to musgrove
They are all beholden to special interests, unfortunately, imho. And I understand about the President starting with this issue, after all he just got that emergency spinal implant last night, and he is testing it out on this first.
Seriously, if he doesn't buck up and show the country he's got it under control, the Repubs will run roughshod all over him...kinda like they have been doing. I honestly think Joe Sixpack would rather have a bad leader, than someone who is appears weak and unable to lead at all.
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wbgonne
January 20, 2010 1:07 PM
Non-negotiable, a president's best friend. Now I am encouraged. If there is White House follow through, I will be thrilled. Obama can save his presidency because people still like him and want him to succeed (normal people, I mean). This is a very encouraging sign after last night. OTOH, if it turns out to be empty rhetoric, this could be the last straw.
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VictorLH
January 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Now he needs to fire Rahm, Summers and Geithner to prove he really means it.
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Indie Pro
January 20, 2010 1:24 PM in reply to VictorLH
I agree.
All of those guys have diminished Obama's position as an agent of change.
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