For those of us who may be tempted to congratulate the “Moral Clarity” of Sens. Jeff Flake(R-Moral Opaqueness) and Bob Corker (R-Quit When You are Needed Most), this year’s award winning “Lame Duck by Choice” Senators, we should note that this passed the Senate today. This is by way of “The Intercept,” which is worth our attention.
“With national attention focused Tuesday morning on a mushrooming feud between President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., followed by a feud in the afternoon between Trump and Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., the Senate gift-wrapped the biggest present Congress has so far bestowed upon Wall Street in the Trump era.
With a razor-thin margin, the Senate passed a resolution to nullify a signature regulation from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which banned forced arbitration provisions. Such clauses, tucked into the fine print of contracts that nobody reads, deny consumers the ability to contest claims through a class-action lawsuit, and can allow banks and other financial institutions to rip off their customers with virtual impunity.
Both Sens. Corker and Flake, along with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joined in the effort to give Trump a major win, even if it will hurt many of his own voters. Consumer advocates had hoped that moderate Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine would block the GOP effort. They did not.
Only GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Kennedy of Louisiana bucked their party -- but a no vote when the measure passes is not much of a bucking.”
And so here we are; “Principled” Republicans pose, position and procrastinate even as the Republic burns, hoping to squeeze out some personal or financial advantage from the ashes of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Meanwhile, the little guy takes another economic hit from the Barons of Wall Street.
If only the Democrats had something to Run On. Hmmm. What could it be? What could it BE? Wish we had some good issues to run on...
Flake and Corker: Stunningly manipulative and completely bad people.