Senator Dianne Feinstein dead at age 90

[LadyTevar]

Senator Dianne Feinstein died age 90

Dianne Feinstein, the California senator who served for more than three decades and was a trailblazer for women in US politics, has died aged 90.

Feinstein was the oldest member of the US Senate and voted as recently as Thursday.

For months the veteran Democrat had faced questions about alleged memory and cognitive issues.

In April she was admitted to hospital after a "minor fall" at her home, the latest in a series of health concerns.

In a statement, Ms Feinstein's office said that she passed away at her home in Washington DC overnight.

"Senator Feinstein was a force of nature who made an incredible impact on our country and her home state," the statement added. "She left a legacy that was undeniable and extraordinary."

California Governor Gavin Newsom must now appoint her replacement. He had previously vowed to nominate a black woman to serve out the remainder of her term, which ends in 2025.

Born in 1933, Ms Feinstein grew up in San Francisco and graduated from Stanford University before being elected to the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors in 1969.

That election was the start of a long career in public service that saw her become San Francisco's first female mayor and eventually led her to become a senator in 1992.

She had previously announced plans to retire at the end of next year, but resisted growing calls for her to step down. Several prominent Democrats, including Congress members Adam Schiff and Katie Porter, have previously said they will run for her Senate seat.

In a statement after her death, US President Joe Biden said that Ms Feinstein "made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations".

Earlier this year, she was absent from Capitol Hill for nearly three months following a case of shingles. She took on lighter duties upon her return and moved around the US Capitol using a wheelchair. She sometimes seemed confused during interviews, and in committee hearings or floor votes.

Ms Feinstein was well known as a vocal advocate for gun control measures, and an ardent supporter of the assault weapons ban signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

[Broomstick]

Personally, I think she should have resigned earlier this year but I respect her trying to do her job up until the end.

[Prannon]

I respect her trying to do her job up until the end.

Personally, I don't really?

I've developed the impression over the past few years that a lot of the elder cohort in Congress is clinging to office with a literal death grip and preventing generational change.

Just from professional experience in the tech industry I know that this can be a really bad thing, say if some really Senior Engineer remains on a team well past the point where they should have been promoted out. They tend to deprive junior engineers the chance to gain experience and come into their own right, since all the most difficult and interesting problems to solve go to the Senior Engineer cuz that's the fastest way to get things done.

A lot of the time I think this happens when people get it into their heads that "I'm the only one who can hold this all together." Hell I've done that myself a few times in my own career, so I figure that it's a pretty common thing for any human to do.

Still, it's bad in any institution (whether it's an engineering team or Congress) for someone to linger around too long, especially to the point of literal death. For me at least, that she was unwilling to resign points to a lack of basic understanding that churn is a good and necessary thing. it doesn't speak well of her judgment on that point at least.

[Broomstick]

If she's going to stay in the job then good on her for doing her best to do the job (unlike some of the clowns in Congress these days).

I agree, though, that it's time for a lot of the old codgers in high office to retire and let a new generation take over. I sometimes think a number of our current problems are due to people not letting go of power.

[Jub]

If she's going to stay in the job then good on her for doing her best to do the job (unlike some of the clowns in Congress these days).

I agree, though, that it's time for a lot of the old codgers in high office to retire and let a new generation take over. I sometimes think a number of our current problems are due to people not letting go of power.

The whole system has an issue where once elected, a politician's only job is to get re-elected. There is very little to hold these people accountable as often there are very few options to vote for in any given election and parties can push their candidate over the wishes of the people knowing that splits along party lines means their base will hold their noses and vote the party line anyway. I'd like to see a system where a politician can only serve one term and then needs to take two terms off before being eligible to run again. This solves the incumbent problem and makes it so you'd better do a damned good job if you expect people to care who you are 8 years later.

It'll never happen but it could fix some problems the current system has.

[AniThyng]

If she's going to stay in the job then good on her for doing her best to do the job (unlike some of the clowns in Congress these days).

I agree, though, that it's time for a lot of the old codgers in high office to retire and let a new generation take over. I sometimes think a number of our current problems are due to people not letting go of power.

The whole system has an issue where once elected, a politician's only job is to get re-elected. There is very little to hold these people accountable as often there are very few options to vote for in any given election and parties can push their candidate over the wishes of the people knowing that splits along party lines means their base will hold their noses and vote the party line anyway. I'd like to see a system where a politician can only serve one term and then needs to take two terms off before being eligible to run again. This solves the incumbent problem and makes it so you'd better do a damned good job if you expect people to care who you are 8 years later.

It'll never happen but it could fix some problems the current system has.

What do you propose they do during thier off terms? It seems ripe again to ensure either revolving door corruption jobs or enforcing ensuring only already rich people remain politicians.

[Jub]

What do you propose they do during thier off terms? It seems ripe again to ensure either revolving door corruption jobs or enforcing ensuring only already rich people remain politicians.

I expect them to go back to doing what they did before they were elected or take a position within the party's leadership. There would need to be laws about elected officials having positions to return to at comparable pay for their off terms but that's no different than other forms of long-term leave.

As for politics only being for the rich, beyond the local level how is that not already the case? Can you name more than a handful of people at even the state level that didn't go to a good school and come from a comfortably upper-middle-class or better upbringing?

[bobalot]

If she's going to stay in the job then good on her for doing her best to do the job (unlike some of the clowns in Congress these days).

I agree, though, that it's time for a lot of the old codgers in high office to retire and let a new generation take over. I sometimes think a number of our current problems are due to people not letting go of power.

To be fair to Feinstein, her literally not turning up is a cast improvement over the entire Republican caucus.

[Ralin]

A lot of the time I think this happens when people get it into their heads that "I'm the only one who can hold this all together." Hell I've done that myself a few times in my own career, so I figure that it's a pretty common thing for any human to do.

Still, it's bad in any institution (whether it's an engineering team or Congress) for someone to linger around too long, especially to the point of literal death. For me at least, that she was unwilling to resign points to a lack of basic understanding that churn is a good and necessary thing. it doesn't speak well of her judgment on that point at least.

I saw someone saying somewhere that she was on an important committee in charge of judge appointees and that if she resigned early the Republicans on the committee could have blocked replacing her and that would have put the committee in an deadlock stopping Biden from appointing any new federal judges indefinitely. Haven't been able to verify that yet, but it sounds like standard Republican tactics if true.

[Prannon]

I saw someone saying somewhere that she was on an important committee in charge of judge appointees and that if she resigned early the Republicans on the committee could have blocked replacing her and that would have put the committee in an deadlock stopping Biden from appointing any new federal judges indefinitely. Haven't been able to verify that yet, but it sounds like standard Republican tactics if true.

I've read this too, and that _does_ complicate things. Though this isn't the 50-50 senate from 2020, mind. It's a 51(50)-49 senate. I would guess that replacing her on the Judicial committee might not be insurmountable, provided all members are voting.

I don't know for certain, though, either.

[Gandalf]

Still, it's bad in any institution (whether it's an engineering team or Congress) for someone to linger around too long, especially to the point of literal death. For me at least, that she was unwilling to resign points to a lack of basic understanding that churn is a good and necessary thing. it doesn't speak well of her judgment on that point at least.

Done right, an internal party policy of "you get x terms in the seat, and in term x-1 start training your replacement" could work well for this. The outgoing politician makes the new person a choice of continuity, while the new person may attract some new voters to reflect changes in the electorate.

Then once out of the actual seat, said politician can either keep working in the party itself, or just fuck off.

[Prannon]

Done right, an internal party policy of "you get x terms in the seat, and in term x-1 start training your replacement" could work well for this. The outgoing politician makes the new person a choice of continuity, while the new person may attract some new voters to reflect changes in the electorate.

Then once out of the actual seat, said politician can either keep working in the party itself, or just fuck off.

Honestly, hilariously, the Senate would be a perfect place for someone like Feinstein _if_ the Senate were a "weak" one like most other Upper Chambers are in the world.

You could serve your most active years in the House, and then eventually just go to the Senate to be a wise stateswoman if you can't leave public life altogether. I would imagine that the stakes of lingering around til death would be a lot lower.

[Highlord Laan]

And just like Ginsburg, all she'll be remembered for is keeping a death grip on her seat.

[LadyTevar]

Laphonza Butler to replace Feinstein

A strategist who runs an organisation devoted to electing Democratic women who support abortion rights is to replace US senator Dianne Feinstein, who died last week at the age of 90.

California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed 44-year-old Laphonza Butler to the role.

She will be the only black female in the Senate, and the first LGBTQ+ person to represent California in the chamber.

Under Californian law, the governor can appoint a senator until the next state-wide election.

Ms Butler is the first black woman to lead EMILY's List. Before she started the role in 2021, she was a senior campaign adviser to US Vice-President Kamala Harris during her 2020 presidential bid.

Ms Butler has also worked as director of public policy at Airbnb and as a union leader.

[Beowulf]

Somewhat note worthy: Mrs Butler was a resident of Maryland until she was appointed to be Senator.