She should absolutely resign. Why congress critters hang on until they’re useless and drooling in their soup is beyond me. I’m guessing it’s an ego thing.
I (personally) have no problem with a long time-out. It can happen to anyone.
But, there needs to be a path back to the job. If you (general “you”) cannot do it then someone else needs to.
AFAIK Feinstein has no ETA for a return to the senate. She’s earning a bit more than $476 per day (not counting some sweet benefits). How long do you think she should be able to not do her job, not show up for work but still earn $476/day?
I’m not calling for zero-tolerance sick leaves… though I will point out that in practical terms, especially financial terms, that is most people’s reality.
But: 1) expecting someone to come back to work after a mere six weeks of treatments for CANCER is unbelievably cruel to the patient;
- in this particular job, more than a couple of weeks is, in fact, a problem.
I’m all for a compassionate balance here, but I don’t think giving Feinstein a pass on doing her job for a relatively long period is acceptable.
(I’m also still fiercely angry about working people I have known, friends and family, who had to keep working through terminal cancer to keep their insurance: in each case, the choice was working a few more years or living a few more months. This may color my opinion.)
Edit: and Whack-a-Mole’s point.
While salary and benefits should not be pegged to individual wealth I think, maybe, it should be counted if we worry about someone getting by.
Feinstein is considered to be the fifth wealthiest legislator in congress with a net worth of ~$100 million (give or take a few million). If she resigned she will be fine financially.
Because Feinstein’s term ends in January of 2025, there would be no special election. The candidates running in Nov of 2024 would be running for the next full term.
Exactly. Does anyone think if the Republicans were dealing with this they wouldn’t give one of their own the heave-ho if it were getting in the way of their agenda? No offense to Ms. Feinstein, and she has accomplished much for CA and the nation, but the current situation is not helping Democrats and their agenda (and one could argue it’s hurting them).
How can these aged persons not realize how remaining in office in their dotage tarnishes the legacy of what they accomplished throughout their career?
I think they are addicted to the power. As long as they are a senator they get invited to swank parties and they will ride that train as long as they can.
I think it was Rudy Giuliani (no cite) who was asked about his legacy and he answered he didn’t give a shit (paraphrasing). He’d be dead and would not care. While Feinstein and her ilk have not said that as explicitly as Giuliani I suspect they are all on the same page.
Sais it before in another context: this has become an identity factor for some of these people – they cannot imagine themselves NOT being Senator Feinstein or Senator Grassley. Also, they have built up (and help feed) a whole ecosystem of officials, appointees, employees, donors, volunteers, flacks, lobbyists etc. from Capitol Hill down to wards in their hometowns. So if the officials are in reasonable shape for their age, it’s not as if they have to do much “heavy lifting” just by themselves, and there’s a heap of people who would be conflicted in advising them to walk away (and for whom the answer from the CoS will be “if you don’t think the Senator is up to the job, go work for someone else”).
Really what makes the cases of someone like Feinstein or the earlier-mentioned Thurmond notable is that on top of being virtually unmoveable in the election cyce, the way the institution functions leads them to be considered entitled to be in positions where they are mission-critical, and where replacing them is a PITA (that you need your opposition to agree or at least quietly assent to who you’ll sit in the committee is daft in this day and age).
And this minority, today, will NOT abide by any courtesies or traditions, Hell, were she to actually resign they may filibuster the replacement anyway.
Plus as I understand it, Feinstein has stated her willingness to be replaced temporarily in her committees, that is, she is willing to be replaced as long as the seat is hers to claim back?
I probably should have made it clear when I said “from November 7” that it was referring to November 7, 2024 through January 3, 2025. Remember, Feinstein herself was first elected to the Senate in a special election to fill the seat vacated by Pete Wilson, who had just been elected governor, although in Feinstein’s case, since there were still two full years left in the term, her first “term” was from November, 1992 until early January, 1995.
Christ, I thought she was old as dirt when running for SF Mayor against Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy’s fame in 1979 – and that was 40+ years ago.
Diane seems to have lost a lot of cognitive ability, including that it’s past due to pass the torch on to others.
Yes, she should step down. I think the Democratic party needs every single vote to get judges and other things confirmed.
Indeed, ISTM that the Dunning-Kruger Effect becomes an issue after a certain point. Anyone with an elderly relative who insists on driving and living on their own has seen it.
I recall my uncle driving us onto the naval base with his Retired Captain badge on the grill of his car. Seemed to me being treated as a RETIRED mucky muck was a pretty sweet gig. Considerable perks and deference with zero responsibilities. I would think a retired longterm Congresscritter - especially a filthy rich one - would enjoy the same.
If the stories about her mind are to be believed, Feinstein may not even know that she’s still a Senator. I don’t think it’s her ego - I think it’s her handlers who don’t want to let go of their grip on power.
(My bold)
One positive thing about Feinstein - I haven’t heard of her espousing weird/dangerous causes lately. Quite a few people, notably academics and scientists, jump on bizarre bandwagons late in life (a.k.a. “emeritus syndrome”).
Weird that that NPR bit raises the possibility of sexism. I’m not hearing any more criticism of Feinstein that I have for Byrd, Thurmond, Grassley…
People kind of accepted that Thurmond and Byrd ‘deserved’ to continue to serve. In the case of Thurmond, it was also overlooking the fact that he was a segregationist (moderated his stance later in life but was still pretty anti-Civil Rights Act and would have been right at home in the modern GOP) and a serial groper whom female staffers learned to avoid getting cornered by, a behavior that got worse as his evident senility advanced. Byrd at least openly renounced segregation and came to support civil rights and anti-racism, and was one of the few that spoke out against the 2003 invasion of Iraq. I don’t personally think the criticism for Feinstein is based in sexism, and there is an increasing view that older Congresspeople of both parties are not necessarily the best representatives of their constituents which is especially acute in the Democratic Party which rewards seniority rather than legislative meritocracy, and Feinstein just happens to be on the rise of that tide. Regardless, she’s been a less than exceptional senator for California for a while, has always been more devoted to her supporting interest than the general welfare of the state, and it is just time for her to pack up and leave the seat open for someone with the energy and enthusiasm for doing more than belittling children asking for her attention to an important issue.
Stranger
I understand you saying that, but that was not expressed by anyone I spoke with.
Apparently Republican Senator Tom Cotton has indicated he will object to unanimous consent to temporarily replace Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee. This will require Schumer to take a resolution to do so to the floor, where it can be filibustered. It would take 10 GOP Senators voting with all Democratic Senators (sans Feinstein) to pass the resolution.
If Democrats can’t pass the resolution, then the Judiciary Committee will be unable to vote out judges until Feinstein returns.