“In her
first post-election speech—delivered Thursday to the American Federation of Labor and
Congress of Industrial Organizations’ executive council—Elizabeth Warren
pledged to work with Donald Trump on their shared populist proposals to rebuild
the economy and working class. But the
Massachusetts senator also forcefully pledged to not compromise on her
progressive principles during the Republican presidential-elects tenure”—Nik
DeCosta-Klipa
Read the
full remarks as prepared for delivery below:
“We’re
now two days removed from an incredibly close and hard-fought election, and
many people here in Washington and around the country are trying to make sense
of what happened.
“This
wasn’t a pretty election. In fact, it was ugly, and we should not
sugarcoat the reason why. Donald Trump ran a campaign that started with
racial attacks and then rode the escalator down. He encouraged a toxic
stew of hatred and fear. He attacked millions of Americans. And he regularly
made statements that undermined core values of our democracy.
“And
he won. He won – and now Latino and Muslim-American children are worried about
what will happen to their families. LGBT couples are worried that their
marriages could be dissolved by a Trump-Pence Supreme Court. Women are worried
that their access to desperately needed health services will disappear.
Millions of people in this country are worried, deeply worried. And they are
right to be worried.
“[Now],
as President-Elect, Donald Trump has an opportunity to chart a different
course: to govern for all Americans and to respect our institutions. In his
victory speech, he pledged that he would be ‘President for all’ of the American
people. And when he takes the oath of office as the leader of our democracy and
the leader of all Americans, I sincerely hope that he will fulfill that pledge
with respect and concern for every single human being in this country, no
matter who they are, no matter where they come from, no matter what they
believe, no matter whom they love.
“And
that marks Democrats’ first job in this new era: We will stand up to
bigotry. There is no compromise here. In all its forms, we will fight
back against attacks on Latinos, African Americans, women, Muslims, immigrants,
disabled Americans-on anyone. Whether Donald Trump sits in a glass tower
or sits in the White House, we will not give an inch on this, not now, not
ever.
“But
there are many millions of people who did not vote for Donald Trump because of
the bigotry and hate that fueled his campaign rallies. They voted for him
despite the hate. They voted for him out of frustration and anger-and
also out of hope that he would bring change.
“If
we have learned nothing else from the past two years of electioneering, we
should hear the message loud and clear that the American people want Washington
to change. It was clear in the Democratic Primaries. It was clear in the
Republican Primaries. It was clear in the campaign and it was clear on
Election Day. The final results may have divided us – but the entire electorate
embraced deep, fundamental reform of our economic system and our political
system.
“Working
families across this country are deeply frustrated about an economy and a
government that doesn’t work for them. Exit polling on Tuesday found that 72
percent of voters believe that, quote, ‘the American economy is rigged to advantage
the rich and powerful.’ Seventy-two percent of ALL
voters-Democrats and Republicans. The polls were also made clear that the
economy was the top issue on voters’ minds. Americans are angry about a
federal government that works for the rich and powerful and that leaves
everyone else in the dirt.
“Lobbyists
and Washington insiders have spent years trying to convince themselves and each
other that Americans don’t actually believe this. Now that the returns are in
and the people have spoken, they’re already trying to wave their hands and
dismiss these views as some sort of mass delusion. They are wrong-very wrong.
“The
truth is that people are right to be angry. Angry that wages have been
stagnant for a generation, while basic costs like housing, health care, and
child care have skyrocketed. Angry that our political system is awash in barely
legalized campaign bribery. Angry that Washington eagerly protects tax
breaks for billionaires while it refuses to raise the minimum wage, or help the
millions of Americans struggling with student loans, or enforce the law when
the millionaire CEOs who fund our political campaigns break it. Angry
that Washington pushes big corporate interests in trade deals, but won’t make
the investments in infrastructure to create good jobs right here in
America. Angry that Washington tilts the playing field for giant
corporations – giving them special privileges, letting them amass enormous
economic and political power.
“Angry
that while Washington dithers and spins and does the backstroke in an ocean of
money, while the American Dream moves further and further out of reach for too
many families. Angry that working people are in debt. Angry that seniors can’t
stretch a Social Security check to cover the basics.
“President-Elect
Trump spoke to these issues. Republican elites hated him for it. But he didn’t care.
He criticized Wall Street and big money’s dominance in Washington-straight up.
He supported a new Glass-Steagall. He spoke of the need to reform our trade
deals so they aren’t raw deals for the American people. He said he will not cut
Social Security benefits. He talked about the need to address the rising cost
of college and about helping working parents struggling with the high cost of
child care. He spoke of the urgency of rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure
and putting people back to work. He spoke to the very real sense of millions of
Americans that their government and their economy has abandoned them. And he
promised to rebuild our economy for working people.
“The
deep worry that people feel over an America that does not work for them is not
liberal or conservative worry. It is not Democratic or Republican worry. It is
the deep worry that led even Americans with very deep reservations about Donald
Trump’s temperament and fitness to vote for him anyway.
“So
let me be 100% clear about this. When President-Elect Trump wants to take on
these issues, when his goal is to increase the economic security of middle
class families, then count me in. I will put aside our differences and I
will work with him to accomplish that goal. I offer to work as hard as I
can and to pull as many people as I can into this effort. If Trump is
ready to go on rebuilding economic security for millions of Americans, so am I
and so are a lot of other people-Democrats and Republicans.
“But
let’s also be clear about what rebuilding our economy does not mean.
- It does not mean handing the keys to our economy over to Wall Street so they can run it for themselves. Americans want to hold the big banks accountable. That will not happen if we gut Dodd-Frank and fire the cops responsible for watching over those banks, like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If Trump and the Republican Party try to turn loose the big banks and financial institutions so they can once again gamble with our economy and bring it all crashing down, then we will fight them every step of the way.
- It does not mean crippling our economy and ripping working families apart by rounding up and deporting millions of our coworkers, our friends and neighbors, our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters. And if Republicans choose that path, we will fight them every single step of the way.
- Americans want reform to Obamacare -Democrats included. We must bring down the costs of health insurance and the cost of health care. But if the Republicans want to strip away health insurance from 20 million Americans, if they want to let cancer survivors get kicked to the curb, if they want to throw 24-year-olds off their parents’ health insurance, then we will fight them every step of the way.
- Americans want to close tax loopholes that benefit the very rich, and Donald Trump claimed to support closing the carried interest loophole and other loopholes. We need a fairer tax system, but if Republicans want to force through massive tax breaks that blow a hole in our deficit and tilt the playing field even further toward the wealthy and big corporations, then we will fight them every step of the way.
“The
American people – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – have been clear
about what economic policies they want Washington to pursue. Two-thirds of
people support raising the federal minimum wage. Three-quarters of Americans
want the federal government to increase its infrastructure investments. Over 70
percent of people believe students should have a chance at a debt-free
education. Nearly three-quarters support expanding Social Security. These are
the kinds of policies that will help level the playing field for working
families and address the frustrations felt by millions of people across the
country.
“The
American people sent one more message as well. Economic reform requires
political reform. Why has the federal government worked so long only for
those at the top? The answer is money-and they want this system
changed. The American people are sick of politicians wallowing in the
campaign contributions and dark money. They are revolted by influence peddling
by wealthy people and giant corporations. When Bernie Sanders proved his
independence by running a campaign based on small dollar contributions and when
Donald Trump promised to spend his own money, both were sending an important
message that they could not be bought. And once again, if Donald Trump is
ready to make good on his promise to get corruption out of politics, to end
dark money and pay-to-play, count me in. I will work as hard as I can and
to pull as many people as I can to end the influence of big money and return
democracy to the people.
“Donald
Trump won the Presidency under a Republican flag. But Mitch McConnell, Paul
Ryan and the Republicans in Congress – and their way of doing business – were
rejected-rejected by their own primary voters, rejected during the campaign,
and rejected in Tuesday’s election. Regardless of political party, working
families are disgusted by a Washington that works for the rich and powerful and
leaves everyone else behind.
“The
American people have called out loudly for economic and political reform. For
years, too many Republicans and too many Democrats have refused to hear their
demands.
“The
majority of Americans voted against Donald Trump. Democrats picked up seats in
both the House and the Senate. And yet, here we are. Republicans
are in control of both houses of Congress and the White House. And that
makes our job clear. As the loyal opposition we will fight harder, we
will fight longer and we will fight more passionately than ever for the rights
of every human being in this country to be treated with respect and dignity.
We will fight for economic opportunity, not just for some of our children, but
for all of our children. We do not control the tools of government, but
make no mistake, we know what we stand for, the sun will keep rising, and we
will keep fighting – each day, every day, we will fight for the people of this
country.
“The
time for ignoring the American people is over. It’s time for us to come
together to work on America’s agenda. Democracy demands that we do so, and we
are ready.”
Elizabeth Warren’s speech about working with President-elect Donald Trump
(Nik DeCosta-Klipa)
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