About Our Guest

Staunton City Councilman Bruce Elder, who inspired a grassroots statewide initiative that brought the issue of payday and car title lending to lawmakers’ attention in 2007, is leading the fight against predatory lending practices once again. He initially sought the 36 percent cap in 2008 and, though it was not passed, has been a relentless advocate since. Since the Staunton City Council passed a resolution supporting the 36 percent cap in June, 65 cities, towns, and counties have followed suit. The movement has gained support from the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and AARP Virginia.

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Program Transcript

Jan Paynter: Hello. I’m Jan Paynter and this is Politics Matters. Our guest today is Stanton City Councilman Bruce Elder. Welcome, Bruce.

Bruce Elder: Pleasure to be here.

Jan Paynter: The late Ted Kennedy, a man for whom politics mattered profoundly and whose legislation in the service of his fellow Americans reached a level that won him the respect of people from both sides of the aisle, made a statement which bears repeating and it is this, ‘The fundamental test of our society is how it treats the least among us’. Two nights ago President Obama referred to Senator Kennedy’s focus on social justice as ‘the mark of the character of our country’.

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