Sen. Elizabeth Warren Discusses Middle-Class Struggles at Downtown Church

Hundreds of supporters filled the pews of the First Unitarian Church in downtown New Bedford Thursday evening to hear Senator Elizabeth Warren speak on the troubles of income inequality in today's middle-class.

The 45-minute presentation focused on policy changes of the 1980's as significant contributors to higher costs of living while minimum wages remain stagnant.

"Today a minimum wage job will not support a momma and a baby in a one room apartment," Warren said. "The reality of American middle-class life today is very different."

After spending some time on the background information through visually appealing charts and graphs, the senior senator from Massachusetts began informing the crowd that there is hope for real change and that it begins with their votes and their voices.

"The worst thing we can do is to lay down without a fight," said Warren. "You can't win what you don't fight for and you can't make progress if you don't aim high and that's what this is about."

"If government has been taken over by the rich and the powerful, then the rest of us can take it back."

After talking about the major contributions lobbyists have made to legislators, Warren reminded the crowd that their voices will still be heard and their votes will be counted.

"We can make a difference," Warren said. "They may have the money and the power but we have our voices and our votes and there's more of us than there is of them!"

While speaking with reporters after the presentation, Warren said it is still a work-in-progress and she plans on reworking some of the material while also working to figure out where to take it from here.

New Bedford was the fifth community where she has delivered the presentation in the Commonwealth and she said she is thinking about bringing her message to battleground states, such as New Hampshire, or uploading the work online.

Also while speaking to the media, Warren shared some of her thoughts on the 2016 presidential election, Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump in particular.

"This is the moment in history where we're going to have to pick which side of the Grand Canyon we're on," Warren said of the choice between Trump's "toxic" campaign and Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton.

"[Trump] has made it clear that he wants to turn us all against each other. He wants as many people fighting each other as possible. He thinks that's his path to the White House."

Warren, who delivered a stirring speech on behalf of Clinton last week at the Democratic National Convention, continued her support for the former Secretary of State by suggesting she will pursue a progressive agenda to help the middle-class and offer more resources for people to live more comfortable lives.

"We [Democrats] actually believe that what we can do together will make all of us stronger. That's how we'll build a real future."