Only in office for two years, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has become one of the most well-known politicians in the nation. The former Harvard Law professor is widely hailed as a fresh voice for unashamed liberalism, waging war against economic inequality. She was recently appointed strategic policy adviser to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. It's a new position, created just for her, and the hopes of liberal and progressive Americans everywhere are waiting eagerly to see how she influences the policy initiatives and decisions of the Democratic Party.

A Voice for Consumers

Senator Warren believes that consumers deserve more protection. Before she was elected to office, Dr. Warren helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB is dedicated to bringing greater accountability to the nation's private financial institutions, so that consumers can both make informed decisions when they apply for mortgages, loans and credit cards. It is also empowered to enforce the laws that regulate financial institutions; victims of corrupt business practices can submit a complaint to the CFPB.

Her work on behalf of consumer protection did not stop after the creation of the CFPB, even though Republicans in Congress blocked her appointment to head it. After she was elected senator, she told the Senate Banking Committee, "the American people deserve a Congress that worries less about helping big banks and more about helping regular people who have been cheated on mortgages, on credit cards, on student loans, on credit reports."

Friend to Working Families

In addition to her work with the CFPB, Warren has not been afraid to criticize President Obama and Congress for their failure to address the ways that the system favors corporate interests. She said, "[The president] picked his economic team and when the going got tough, his economic team picked Wall Street. They protected Wall Street. Not families who were losing their homes. Not people who lost their jobs. Not young people who were struggling to get an education. And it happened over and over and over."

Among her numerous efforts to support working Americans, she sponsored Senate Bill S. 1837, the Equal Employment for All initiative, which if passed by Congress will ban employers from using consumer credit checks against job seekers. In addition, she tried to pass legislation that would refinance federal student loans, which would have provided needed economic relief to the thousands of Americans struggling to meet high-interest student loan payments.

Government Watchdog

Senator Warren has been outspoken in her crusade against political corruption. In a speech at the 2013 National Consumer Law Center, she said, "I believe the playing field is rigged. Evidence of that is everywhere. Now I've been in the Senate for nearly a year and believe as strongly as ever that the system is rigged for powerful interests and against working families."

She believes that this situation is counter to the purpose of our democracy. She has said, "I believe in what the Democrats are fighting for. Wall Street is doing well, CEOs are bringing in millions more, and families all across this country are struggling. We have to make this government work for the American people, and that's what we are here to fight for." To that end, she created the Leadership PAC for a Level Playing Field, which works to bring new candidates to office.

Can Elizabeth Warren Save Democracy?

No one person can fix all the problems in our political system. But a large group can be inspired by one person, and Senator Warren has already shown that she isn't afraid to speak out on behalf of the powerless. There can be no more inspiring example than that.