Brand new op-ed submitted by Dylan Ratigan.

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At this very instant, many of those in our Senate are in danger of being led off the plank by outgoing Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee Chris Dodd. With cloture passing, Senator Dodd now has one final chance to present a manager's amendment to make a weak bill stronger (or possibly even weaker.)

Once again, this financial "reform" process has thankfully brought into the light of day that we have politicians who are brazen in their willingness to aid the same fraudsters who have brought a great nation to its knees. But as this week's primaries have clearly shown, there is no hesitation by the voters in throwing out the Establishment that got us into this mess and apparently has no plans to help us get out.

Thankfully, once forced to vote, politicians can no longer merely pretend to working for the People as they do the bidding of the Banksters. So once you look beyond all of the well-documented behind-the-scenes work by Dodd to weaken financial reform, we also have his on-the-record votes on a few of the meaningful attempts at real reform:

• No on the Kaufman-Brown SAFE act to actually stop Too Big To Fail with actual laws.

• No on the Franken Amendment to finally end the horrendous scam that is the current credit ratings system.

• No on the Vitter Audit the Fed Amendment that would give true transparency to a shadowy organization that has helped destroy our economy.

And just so you don't think he can't say yes to anything...

• Yes on the Carper Amendment to actively prevent state Attorney Generals from fighting for your rights, because apparently the one lesson Senator Dodd learned from this mess is that our country will be much better off if he can just keep the next Eliot Spitzer from protecting citizens.

Now is the time to contact Senator Dodd and let him and his staff know that you demand real financial reform. Though the Senator is leaving office voluntarily, chances are that your Senator would like to stay. So if you are so inclined, ask them to exert their influence on the Chairman as well.

Ask them if they stand with Chris Dodd, who vacates his office with our nation in tatters largely due to the same banking system run amok that has plied him with campaign dollars, in danger of leaving this as his legacy:

• A weak reform bill that even in his own words he admits will not "keep the next crisis from coming."

• A Sweetheart Mortgage Deal from notorious Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo

• Staffers who bought stock in the very banks they were secretly rescuing during the collapse.

• A revolving door of Wall Streeters working on his staff, as well as staffers leaving his office to go work on Wall Steet.

Chris Dodd can still do what is right and give our country real reform. But since he is leaving the Senate for what are sure to be greener pastures, there is very little incentive for him to work for the People other than in the hopes of saving his legacy. However, we have a right to be represented in our Government and this is the time for your representative to hear the will of the People.

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