Elizabeth Warren is a Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. Warren was previously a law professor at various American universities. By defeating Republican Scott Brown in the 2012 election, Warren became the first female senator from Massachusetts and currently serves alongside fellow Democrat Ed Markey. 

Warren has been characterized by her progressive stances throughout her career in government and as a professor. Warren has become one of the most outspoken opponents of Washington caving in to corporate interests, making a target of businesses and large corporations. However, Warren continues to stress that the way to grow the American economy is to invest in the middle class and increase taxes on the richest Americans and corporations. 

Central to Warren’s message is ending corruption in Washington. Warren plans to ban senators and congressmen from trading in the American stock market while in office to prevent them from making decisions that will benefit their portfolios. This claim, in addition to her plan to make it illegal for former lawmakers to become lobbyists, has been heavily attacked by Republicans as a direct contradiction to what they believe is the fundamental nature of the interaction between an American citizen and their economy: freedom. 

One issue Warren has not made central to her platform is climate change. However, this does not mean she does not have various plans to deal with the growing threat. Warren believes that her plan to end corruption in Washington and slash benefits to corporations will aid in combating the climate crisis, as the fossil fuel industry will no longer be allowed to deal in Washington D.C. Warren is also not afraid of massive government regulation of fossil fuel companies.

Warren supports what she calls the “Ultra-Millionaire Tax,” which would aggressively tax the 75,000 richest families in the United States to provide the capital needed to support America’s growing middle class. To complement this tax, Warren has also proposed that no additional income taxes be levied on families with a net worth less than 50 million dollars, which encompasses 99.9 percent of American households.

On the subjects of health care and higher education, Warren more or less agrees with Sanders, supporting the abolition of private insurance in favor of Medicare For All, canceling all current student debt and eliminating tuition for all public universities. Warren said that these expensive plans will be financed largely by increased taxation on wealthy Americans.

Because of her extremely progressive views, Warren has been inaccurately categorized by many as a democratic socialist similar to her primary opponent Senator Bernie Sanders. However, such a comparison is a mischaracterization of her opinions; unlike Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, Warren has made it clear that she is a capitalist looking to reform the current American economic systems rather than uproot and replace it. This distinction is integral to understanding Warren’s plans for the country. 

The bottom line of Warren’s message is her fight for America’s working and middle-class families. Warren believes that these families have been too long exploited by corporate America and corrupt politicians, which she promises to end if she is elected president in 2020.