The financial whizzes of Wall Street have billions of dollars and nearly free rein to dominate the economy, but they are terrified. Of Elizabeth Warren becoming president, specifically. The people who’ve rigged the economy and caused the mortgage crisis, the people who exercise outsize influence on U.S. politics. And even though surely such galaxy brains know that most of Warren’s agenda would have to go through Congress, “Everyone is nervous,” one told The New York Times.
”She would be just as unpredictable and unproductive as Trump if she were to become president, and who needs that,” said another, though he said she would support Warren if she becomes the Democratic nominee. Really, now? “Just as unpredictable and unproductive as Trump”? Buddy, I think the problem you have is with the extremely predictable things you know she’d do. Like regulate the finance industry. And sure, “unproductive” if “unproductive” means “will tax the extremely wealthy to benefit student borrowers, parents, workers, people in need of affordable housing, and basically everyone else who doesn’t have more than $50 million.”
The increasing rumblings and whining about Warren coming from Wall Street are basically Wall Street flexing, threatening the Democratic Party that if the nominee makes hedge funders and private equity billionaires too nervous, well, things are going to get ugly. Warren, of course, isn’t backing down—she plans to keep running on leveling the playing field. The question is where Wall Street’s threats will work.
The two candidates who’ve gotten the most money from finance industry donors are Donald Trump, at $1.5 million, and Pete Buttigieg, at $1.3 million. In case you were wondering about the range of options these people find acceptable.