Sen. Dianne Feinstein announces she'll run again: 'I'm all in'

[diva77]

Source: Los Angeles Times

SNIP
The Democrat's announcement comes amid threats from her left, with more progressive Californians saying that Feinstein's moderate nature isn’t the right fit for a state that feels the brunt of Trump administration policies.

But Feinstein is leaning on her record as the first woman to be the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee and her role on the Senate Intelligence Committee as the reasons she should stay in office.

Feinstein was first elected in 1992 to fill a vacancy for two years, and then elected four more times to full six-year Senate terms. She is the longest consecutively serving California politician, and at 84, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate.

Feinstein has also taken a leading role in efforts against gun violence, sponsoring an assault weapons ban in the 1990s and more recently the proposed ban on the modification used in the Las Vegas shooting that allows a semiautomatic weapon to act more like an automatic weapon.
SNIP

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-i-m-all-in-sen-dianne-feinstein-1507558215-htmlstory.html

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well, at least the suspense is over with

[George II]

1. Good for her, she's been a great Democrat leader in the Senate.

[Marthe48]

2. Good for her

We need experienced leaders right now. There isn't anything at the top level. I'm hoping that the Democratic representatives and courts can hold off the worst of the damage.

[Plucketeer]

5. OK then

When is it time for fresh, new leadership? When is it time to have reps with ideas that reflect the here and now? Is it that there's no one in California that could do what she does? Time for some folks to change out their 1992 calendars for 2018 editions.

I'm closing in on my 73rd birthday. I have a 1957 pickup truck that I drive a couple times a month. I could afford a brand new truck if I wanted one, but I'm proud of this one that I built from a wreck and still maintain myself. But do I think everyone else should do the same? No. The newer vehicles of today require so little upkeep that a lot of their owners don't even know where the hood latch is. When's the last time you took your Toyota or your Chevy Cruz in for it's monthly grease job? Never - that's when. So, what's the outlook for the aging mechanic who's able to grease my truck and check the points and condenser?

Dear Ms. Feinstein can't seem to figure out if universal health care for all is a good thing or not. Is it the PEOPLE'S interests or SPECIAL interests that might have her wavering?

[Marthe48]

15. Ideally, new people come up through the ranks.

There didn't used to be any question of representatives serving forever. I'm 65 and U.S. Govt.and History class was so easy.
I agree we need new blood, but not all at once. We need savvy people like President Obama, Senator Clinton, Sen. Sanders, VP Biden, people who took the time to study civics, the Constitution, and know how to negotiate. To some people, the interest and ability comes naturally. To others, learning the ropes, hands-on experience goes a long way to getting a newbie from a belief in public service to using our laws and politics as tools to keep the country strong and healthy. And if you can find someone who isn't lured off the path with big money and shiny toys, all the better.

It isn't that people don't want to work in public service. How hard is it to get started, what kind of financial opportunities do you have to forego? --so something doesn't come back and allows you to be called a crook-I don't think the repugs care about this as much for themselves as Dems do,and of course the repugs use a microscope to examine any Dem candidate, in case a Dem dares to stoop as low as they do.

I don't have any solution for Sen. Feinstein or the other long-serving Senators and Reps. We don't have leadership from the WH and we need it somewhere. God, I just read on DU home page that WH staff have to divert dotard's attention so he doesn't do anything more stupid than he already does. And that is no way to run a country, a business or a family.

[Mira]

3. Gravitas and stateswomanship

we need both.
I do wish she were younger, just like I wish I were.

[nolabels]

4. If there was ever a time for the new law on top two vote getters this would be the time

[shanny]

6. Bad idea imo.

[Gothmog]

7. Yeah, we need her in the Senate

[murielm99]

10. Many states are making an effort to build the bench.

The Democratic Party in Illinois is doing that. Some of those efforts are being led and promoted by women like Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and the state party. Emily's List is another group that supports new younger candidates. There are Indivisible groups that are working hand in hand with local and state Democrats as well. Other new, often well qualified candidates are running on their own, simply because they are disgusted and know this is a time for action.

These efforts are being overlooked while sensational articles about divisions and "upending the party" are being promoted.

Feinstein has earned her spot and provided good leadership. She can mentor new Democrats, much like Dick Durbin does. She will retire when it is time.

It is interesting that she and Pelosi are suddenly "too old." Some of the same people saying that are promoting an old, white man who is not a member of our party. Or they are cheerleading for Biden, who is also showing some age. Why aren't these guys too old?

[MFM008]

8. Dieinoffice Fienstein

Is there anyone in our party under 70??

[kimbutgar]

11. This seat might go rethug now grrrr

[HeartachesNhangovers]

12. No, this is probably the safest Senate seat.

There is basically 0% chance of this seat flipping, regardless of who the candidates are.

[Me.]

13. She Has Earned The Right

“First woman to be top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee

First woman to chair the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

First woman president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

First woman mayor of San Francisco

First woman elected Senator of California

First woman to serve as ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Authored the first major cybersecurity bill to be signed into law in years.

In addition to her committee assignments, Senator Feinstein is co-chairman of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, co-chairman of the Senate Cancer Coalition and co-chairman of the Senate Women’s Caucus on Burma. She is also a member of the Anti-Meth Caucus, the Congressional Dairy Caucus and the Congressional Former Mayors Caucus. She has served as a member of the Aspen Strategy Group since 1997.
Among Senator Feinstein’s many legislative accomplishments:

Environment & Natural Resources

• Fuel Economy Standards - Increasing fleetwide fuel economy standards for cars, trucks and SUVs by at least 10 miles per gallon over 10 years or from 25 mpg to 35 mpg by Model Year 2020 – the largest increase in more than two decades, and the first Congressional action on global warming. Her bipartisan legislation ultimately led the Obama administration to put in place a mandate for a fleetwide 54.5 miles-per-gallon requirement by model year 2020.
• California Desert Protection - Protecting more than 7 million acres of pristine California desert, the largest such designation in the history of the continental United States. She was also a vocal champion for the creation of three new national monuments, safeguarding millions of additional acres.
• Lake Tahoe Restoration - Passed two bills to preserve and restore this treasured natural resource, a total of $715 million in federal funds to match investments by California, Nevada and local authorities.
• CALFED - Authorizing $395 million for a balanced program to increase California’s water supply, reliability and quality and help restore sensitive water ecosystems.
• Healthy Forests - Reducing the risk of catastrophic fire in our forests by expediting the thinning of hazardous fuels and providing the first legal protection for old-growth forests in our nation’s history.
• Headwaters Forest Agreement - Obtaining funding and brokering agreement to save the “Headwaters Forest,” a 7,500-acre national treasure and the largest privately held stand of uncut old-growth redwoods.
• San Francisco Bay Wetlands Restoration - Negotiating public-private purchase of 16,500 acres of salt ponds along the San Francisco Bay - the largest such wetlands restoration project in California history.”

https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/biography

[Me.]

14. More

"National Security

• Revitalizing the Senate Intelligence Committee - After becoming chairman of the committee in 2009, Senator Feinstein oversaw the enactment of seven consecutive intelligence authorization bills following a six-year drought. The committee also released a bipartisan review of the Benghazi attacks.
• Reviewing CIA Use of Torture - Senator Feinstein oversaw a six-year review of the CIA’s detention and interrogation program, culminating in the December 2014 release of the report’s executive summary.
• FISA reform - Requiring the federal government to follow the requirements of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) when conducting electronic surveillance of American citizens for foreign intelligence purposes.
• Border Security and Visa Entry Reform - Helping prevent terrorists from entering the United States through loopholes in our immigration system.
• Criminalization of Border Tunnels - Closed a loophole in federal law by criminalizing the act of constructing or financing a tunnel or subterranean passage across an international border into the United States.
• Protecting America’s Seaports - Securing our nation’s 361 seaports from terrorism and organized crime through the creation of new criminal offenses.

Health Care

• Phthalate Ban - Protecting children from harmful phthalates chemicals in toys using the precautionary principle.
• Internet Pharmacies - Banning rogue Internet pharmacies from selling drugs without prescriptions.
• Breast Cancer Research Stamp - Raising more than $85 million for breast cancer research”.

[Marthe48]

16. Yes, this kind of experience and savvy

Most of the repugs can't hold a candle to her.

[Me.]

17. !

[AngryAmish]

18. I support women in office.