I have today’s date (July 21, in case you’re losing track of the year) circled on my calendar almost as many times as my wedding anniversary and my grandkids’ birthdays.

That’s because, 13 years ago today, President Obama signed Wall Street reform into law — including the Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB). And 12 years ago today, the CFPB opened its doors.

It was a huge, hard-fought victory for working people all across this country, and it was David against Goliath the whole way.

I had dedicated my career to studying why families go broke and fighting to rebuild the middle class. After Wall Street crashed our economy in 2008, I fought to create the CFPB to protect people from getting scammed by big banks and corporations.

Of course, the giant financial institutions were dead set against an agency whose job was to get the tricks and traps out of the fine print of financial products. They spent millions lobbying against financial reform and the new consumer agency.

But we got organized.

Labor unions like the AFL-CIO and SEIU joined our fight to protect working people. Civil rights organizations like the NAACP and National Council for La Raza jumped in (Black and Latino families had been targeted with some of the very worst subprime mortgages). And groups like the AARP and Consumers Union said this was their fight, too.

We came together, we built a grassroots campaign, and we won. David beat Goliath.

secure.actblue.com/donate/wfs-july23 [secure.actblue.com/donate/wfs-july23]
Here I am with President Obama on this day in 2010, when he signed Wall Street reform into law—including a little agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It was an honor to fight by his side, and I’ll always look back on that day with a big smile on my face.

Since then, the CFPB has been The Little Agency That Could. Forcing financial institutions to return $17 billion directly to the people they cheated. Issuing $4 billion in penalties against scammers. Cracking down on junk fees — like excessive credit card late fees and overdraft fees. Withstanding attack after attack after attack from big banks, payday lenders, and their buddies in Washington.

Republicans and powerful special interests will keep trying to tear down the CFPB, with efforts like the ridiculous lawsuit in front of the Supreme Court this fall.

But we’ll keep fighting back — and persisting.

If you’re able to, will you celebrate the CFPB’s birthday by pitching in $20 or any amount? You’ll support our re-election campaign, and you’ll help grow our movement so we can keep making real change that puts power in the hands of consumers and working people. [[link removed]]

The CFPB shows us that it IS possible to put our government on the side of the people. And that’s a righteous fight. Thank you for being a part of it.

-Elizabeth

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