We’ve heard a lot of opinions about Senator Dianne Feinstein lately – her health is an ongoing concern, even more so now that we know her health issues are even more serious than we were first told. For the record, while it is heartbreaking to see her struggling just to get around, I do think the time has come for her to step down.
But before I say more about that, I’d like to tell you a few things about Senator Feinstein that you may or may not already know.
Ms. Feinstein started her political career in 1960, at the age of 27, when she was appointed by California Governor Pat Brown to the California Women’s Parole Board. From there, she moved up to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where she served for nine years. In 1978, tragedy struck in San Francisco when Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated, and Ms. Feinstein became the acting mayor, becoming San Francisco’s first female mayor. And then, in 1992, she won the special election to fill the Senate seat vacated a year earlier when Pete Wilson resigned to take office as governor. And she has been in the U.S. Senate ever since! Nearly 31 years!
Happier times: celebrating her primary victory in her bid to become U.S. Senator
I have long advocated for congressional term limits, often citing Mitch McConnell who has been in the Senate since 1985, almost 38 years, or Chuck Grassley who has been in the Senate since 1980, 43 years! McConnell is 81 and Grassley is 89, like Ms. Feinstein. There are a number of reasons that I am in favour of term limits, but I also have somewhat mixed feelings, for if a member of Congress is doing a great job, why re-invent the wheel? But, on the flip side, they tend to get too comfortable, form alliances that may obligate them in some way, and frankly we need new blood every so often to bring new ideas.
But that said, I would not necessarily advocate Ms. Feinstein stepping down merely because she’s been in the Senate for 30 years. My reason for saying that I think she should is that she is obviously very unwell, and I was deeply concerned when, in an interview a day or two ago, she said she hadn’t been absent from the Senate (she returned to Congress just this week, after more than two months away), but that she had been right there working the entire time. She is 89 years old and has been very ill for months … so no, I really don’t think she should continue to occupy a very important Senate seat.
Senator Feinstein has had an illustrious career and I have long admired her courage, her humanitarianism, and would like to see her to leave with that legacy intact, rather than push past the limits and tarnish all the good she has done. She has long been an advocate for a ban on assault weapons and was instrumental in getting the first one passed in 1994 … sadly, it expired in 2004 and since then … well, you know what has happened since then. She helped get the Affordable Care Act passed, and she has shown the ability to work across the aisle in the spirit of bipartisanship. Her achievements are way too many for me to list here.
There is one argument for her remaining in Congress, which is that if a vacancy arises in the U.S. Supreme Court, her vote would be crucial in approving or rejecting President Biden’s nominee. However, the odds of a vacancy coming up anytime soon are slim-to-none, since most of the justices are still relatively youthful, with Clarence Thomas being the oldest at 75 years of age. And you know that ol’ Clarence is going to hang in for a while yet. I don’t think we can afford the risk of Ms. Feinstein remaining in the Senate simply for the slim contingency that a Supreme Court vacancy could arise.
As long as someone is in good health, both mentally and physically, I don’t really care how old they are. But it is quite obvious that Senator Feinstein is in very poor health, and frankly I don’t know why she isn’t actually eager to step down at this point … I sure as hell would be! All living creatures have an expiry date, so to speak, and Ms. Feinstein is nearing hers. She must now do as she has done most of her life – put the best interests of the country ahead of her own ego. Please, Senator, step down and make way for some new blood … retire and enjoy whatever time you have left on planet Earth.
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I agree Jill. And her illness is causing her to hold up votes in passing judges through, with that tiny majority they only have. It’s time. xx
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Yes, it’s time. I just hope she realizes it and puts the interest of the country ahead of her own desire to stay in office. And really, I don’t know why she even wants to! In her condition, and at her age, I’d be more than happy to say, “I’m done, au revoir, see you around!” xx
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One would think. But I’m sure pride is in there somewhere, wanting to finish out her term. But almost reminds me of the RBG situation. xx
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Yes, no doubt. But, I think she would gain more respect by knowing when it’s time to take her final bow. And yes! Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the same … if only she could have lived a couple of more months, though … sigh.
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RBG was a great loss to America 😦 x
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Indeed she was! xx
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What a great career and a wonderful person. Thanks for introducing her to me and making her better known. I wish we would have such politicans here in Germany too. xx Michael
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She was … she leaves behind a long history of accomplishments and was a great humanitarian. Surely you have a few in Germany who can compare? We have, as you know, our share of really bad ones over here, too. xx
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Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks, Michael!!!
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Sometimes your life and your work can become so intertwined that it is impossible to untangle them. Alexander the Great could easily cut the knot but the rope is destroyed.We all survived 4 years of dross from TFG, I don’t see six months of Feinstein doing us in. The view from Ohio is let grandma keep the keys and we keep the gas tank empty. I won’t be the one killing her.
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I do know that to be true … there was a time when my work truly WAS my life, even though my work was not nearly as important as Ms. Feinstein’s is. Ordinarily, I would say that, too, but the thing is that with such a narrow majority in the Senate now, we cannot afford one of those seats empty when she is too ill to come to work. And, I think she’s losing her credibility. I do love your analogy, though, about letting grandma keep the keys, but keeping the tank empty! 🤣
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Lemons/lemonade All we need is a pair of sunglasses and a wave of the hand for a long weekend at Bernie’s 🙌
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Bernie Sanders? Count me in!!!
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I agree that Senator Feinstein should step down, her mind is slipping away unfortunately. I think ‘annieasksyou’ has the best idea…the Governor should appoint Boxer to fill in until the 2024 primary and then let the people of CA decide between Adam, Katie, and Barbara who they want as their next Senator.
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I just hope she does step down before she must be removed, which would tarnish her legacy — a legacy of many years and many achievements.
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I don’t want to sound ageist but perhaps there needs to be an age limit on serving in elected government. Yes this would impact both sides of the aisle but its needed.
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I halfway agree, but then … some people are sharp as a tack at 90, so I’d walk very softly into that arena. I do, however, think that term limits are needed for sure.
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The thing with these terms of the Congress, is that there’s no limits, like for the, presidency, and, because, once people get a taste of power, of being able to, control how things can go, they normally, become, addicted, and, refuse to, step down, thus, not allowing a younger, newer, generation of, legislators, to have the chances to, instilling some new beliefs, and, this puts the country, at a, standstill for, progressing with the changes of, time, and, that’s no good for the, country’s, development, overall…
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You’re so right. The longer they remain in a position of power, the more susceptible they become to corruption, it seems. Not always, of course, and there really ARE honest politicians, but I do support term limits … mostly.
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Oops! As I was typing…hanging on when she is so ill. She’s had an extraordinary career, which began with her bravery on the scene when Moscone and Milk were killed before her eyes.
There’s a problem brewing, though. Gov Newsom would appoint her replacement until her term is up. That would be fine, but there are already three declared candidates: Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee. All are excellent; however, Newsom promised to name a Black woman, which probably would mean Lee, giving her an advantage. I had actually thought the fairest thing would have been for him to appoint former Sen Boxer for this interim time.
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Indeed she has had a very impressive career. I would have for the footnotes to all be negative, but we both know how little it takes to paint over a lifetime with one negative thing.
I knew that Newsome would be appointing someone to fill her position until her term is up, and I knew that Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee were both in the running, but I didn’t know he had promised to appoint a Black woman. I have no problem with Barbara Lee and think she would make a fine replacement, as would Adam Schiff, but the problem with either one is that it would leave their seats in the House open for re-election next year, and we cannot afford to lose a single seat!!! I don’t know much about Barbara Boxer … I’ll need to read up on her.
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I don’t think we need worry about Schiff or Lee’s seat’s being won by Republicans—both were re-elected by enormous margins in 2022. Katie Porter, however, won a much closer race.
Barbara Boxer is worth reading up about because she was a terrific pioneering woman politician, but appointing her was just my idea to be fair to all those running—because she knows the job well and has no aspirations. I doubt if Newsom ever considered it.
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True enough, though these days it seems that nothing is certain!
I will read up on Boxer … her name has crossed my radar before, but not enough for me to know much about her. Thanks!
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She’s happily retired and enjoying her grandkids. Interestingly, I just read in today’s Times about Newsom’s promise. It mentions Boxer but doesn’t put the two together. I’m one day ahead of the news. I think he really has to appoint Lee, though the article says she’s running behind both Schiff and Porter.
It’s outrageous that in 2023, there’s not a single Black woman out of 100 Senators!
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I’m not surprised that Lee is running behind Schiff, for he is somewhat of a congressional celebrity between his role as the lead House impeachment manager in Trump’s 1st impeachment, and his role on the J6 committee. It does surprise me a bit, though, that Barbara Lee is polling lower than Katie Porter. Yes, the racial and gender demographics in Congress and on the Supreme Court are shameful. (For the record, I don’t count Amy Barrett as a woman)
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It is indeed sad that Sen. Feinstein is
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she may agree with you that new blood is always neededbut these days it’s worrying as to which side of the aisle it comes to/from. However I agree with you, it;s time to step down and enjoy some well earned rest.
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Well, her replacement would be a Democrat, so that eases some of the worry. He or she would not necessarily have the same committee assignments, but … still, we need someone in that seat who is fully functional, and at this point, sadly she isn’t.
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Feinstein has had an impressive career. However, she should have retired before her last election. She was already showing signs of decline at that time.
Yes, there is something sad about this. But she should do what is right for her constituents.
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I agree … I’ve always had tremendous respect for her. It is sad, but yes, she must do what is best for the country, and at this point, I think she is more of a liability than an asset (that’s the CPA in me coming out!)
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