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New Yorker: California Senator Dianne Feinstein's "Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats"

Senator Toadstool

Senator Toadstool

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www.newyorker.com

Dianne Feinstein’s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats

Older lawmakers’ foibles and infirmities are coming under new scrutiny, violating an unspoken culture of complicity and coverup.
www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.com

I know this is a topic riddled with sexism and ageism but Jane Mayer doesn't report out trash. And I really would like people to read the whole article as its more nuanced than quotes I can give. But this isn't good. I wish her the best as a CA voter.


But many others familiar with Feinstein's situation describe her as seriously struggling, and say it has been evident for several years. Speaking on background, and with respect for her accomplished career, they say her short-term memory has grown so poor that she often forgets she has been briefed on a topic, accusing her staff of failing to do so just after they have. They describe Feinstein as forgetting what she has said and getting upset when she can't keep up. One aide to another senator described what he called a "Kabuki" meeting in which Feinstein's staff tried to steer her through a proposed piece of legislation that she protested was "just words" which "make no sense." Feinstein's staff has said that sometimes she seems herself, and other times unreachable. "The staff is in such a bad position," a former Senate aide who still has business in Congress said. "They have to defend her and make her seem normal."
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According to several sources, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Minority Leader, was so worried that Feinstein would mismanage Barrett's confirmation hearings that he installed a trusted former aide, Max Young, to "embed" in the Judiciary Committee to make sure the hearings didn't go off the rails. He had done the same during Kavanaugh's confirmation as well. Schumer brought Young in from the gun-control group Everytown to handle strategy and communications and serve as Schumer's "eyes and ears" on Feinstein, as one Senate source put it. Schumer's office declined to comment.
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Schumer had several serious and painful talks with Feinstein, according to well-informed sources. Overtures were also made to enlist the help of Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum. Feinstein, meanwhile, was surprised and upset by Schumer's message. He had wanted her to step aside on her own terms, with her dignity intact, but "she wasn't really all that aware of the extent to which she'd been compromised," one well-informed Senate source told me. "It was hurtful and distressing to have it pointed out." Compounding the problem, Feinstein seemed to forget about the conversations soon after they talked, so Schumer had to confront her again. "It was like Groundhog Day, but with the pain fresh each time." Anyone who has tried to take the car keys away from an elderly relative knows how hard it can be, he said, adding that, in this case, "It wasn't just about a car. It was about the U.S. Senate."
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This may settle the immediate strife within the Democratic caucus. But Congress's gerontocracy problem shows no sign of abating. If Republicans hold the Senate majority next year after Georgia's two runoff races, the likely chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee will be Chuck Grassley, of Iowa. Now eighty-seven, he is just three months younger than Feinstein. And he has said that he is considering running for reëlection in 2022.
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More at the link as I think mayer's reporting should get clicks
 
Drakeon

Drakeon

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Oct 25, 2017
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It was always fucking ridiculous she ran when she was already 80+ for another 6 year term in 2016. Such a waste.
 
steejee

steejee

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Oct 28, 2017
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Regardless of her age and mental capacity, the way she hugged Graham after the Barrett hearing demonstrated she is not suited for any policy position anymore.
 
Joshua

Joshua

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Oct 27, 2017
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She should have never ran for re-election. The other Dem in the race that year was perfectly suitable as a progressive replacement for California.
 
OP
OP
Senator Toadstool

Senator Toadstool

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steejee said:
Regardless of her age and mental capacity, the way she hugged Graham after the Barrett hearing demonstrated she is not suited for any policy position anymore.
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As someone whose worked on the hill. this article has me legit thinking there's elder abuse going on with younger staffers who are looking for a ladder. disgusting and why I'll never work in DC again. disgusting place
 
entremet

entremet

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Oct 26, 2017
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I just don't get it. Relax in your retirement you're rich as hell.
 
captmcblack

captmcblack

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Oct 25, 2017
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Who else ran?

Were they noteworthy for any reason other than being her opposition? Any scandals or anything?
 
Possum Armada

Possum Armada

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danm999 said:
Why does it feel like everyone in a position of political leadership in America is publicly decaying?
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I'd argue that the political discourse has gotten so bad over the last 20 years that fewer and fewer people have any interest in holding public office. At the same time free and fewer people follow politics, where increases the importance of name recognition.

This leads to many Senators basically being elected for life.
 
asmith906

asmith906

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Oct 27, 2017
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It's insane that democratic party supposedly represents the future but most of the people in power are extremely old and out of touch.
 
ConradCervantes

ConradCervantes

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No wonder Feinstein hugged Barrett, she thought Barrett was somebody else.
 
Drakeon

Drakeon

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Oct 25, 2017
6,272
Like, someone explain why the fuck these senators don't want to retire and not work? She obviously doesn't need the money. What's the incentive not to retire? Why the fuck do you run when you're 84 for another 6 year term?
 
samoyed

samoyed

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Oct 26, 2017
15,191
danm999 said:
Why does it feel like everyone in a position of political leadership in America is publicly decaying?
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Because they are.

Screen+Shot+2019-01-03+at+4.36.23+PM.png

www.gopopro.com

Blog - AP US Government and Politics

Critical Analysis How many Millennials are in the 116th House of Representatives? Why do you think the Congress is (overall) so old and so much older than America? What is one political consequence of the fact that Congress is (overall) so old and so much older than America? How do
www.gopopro.com www.gopopro.com

I mean, we're all decaying but these guys are especially decaying.

For comparison:
Knoema_Viz_of_the_Day_US_Population_by_Age_and_Generation_x2.png
 
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SquirrelSr

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Oct 26, 2017
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captmcblack said:
Who else ran?

Were they noteworthy for any reason other than being her opposition? Any scandals or anything?
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There was Kevin De León. He lost because of name recognition. As for scandals, he initially opposing whistler-blower legislation during the #MeToo movement before reversing on it. Basically he was accused of covering for political allies.
 
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Alavard

Alavard

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Oct 25, 2017
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asmith906 said:
It's insane that democratic party supposedly represents the future but most of the people in power are extremely old and out of touch.
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And on that note, let's be reminded that Feinstein has personally been pushing bills for mandatory encryption backdoors for years now - a significantly technologically complicated subject that requires experts speaking on the subject matter. The mind boggles.
 

Novoitus

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Oct 25, 2017
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Feinstein is a prime example of the Democratic party as it is now.

She's fucking awful and needed to be gone years ago.
 
makingmusic476

makingmusic476

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I remember reading about how a lot of Soviet leadership in the 70s and 80s were people who fought in the revolution in 1917 or served during WWII. Is this an inevitable consequence of our average lifespans becoming so long? Name recognition and presumed experience dominate important positions in modern countries.

I've thought about this in regards to Japan and the inability of younger employees to move up in the corporate world as well.

Consider that...


Mekanos said:
Average age of Congress is like, 60. It's gonna be haunted before long.
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I suspect the average age of Congress will be 70 before long.
 
Mekanos

Mekanos

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Blue Skied And Clear said:
I'd argue that the political discourse has gotten so bad over the last 20 years that fewer and fewer people have any interest in holding public office. At the same time free and fewer people follow politics, where increases the importance of name recognition.

This leads to many Senators basically being elected for life.
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???

We just had an election with record turnout. How does that square with less people following politics?
 
Gigglepoo

Gigglepoo

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I would be fine instituted an age limit for public office. Why should old people determine the figure of the country when they aren't even around to experience it?
 
Scottoest

Scottoest

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Feb 4, 2020
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Feinstein has been terrible for years, and it has nothing to do with this kind of stuff. People like her and Schumer are emblematic of what is wrong with the Party.

The national Democratic Party also has very little opportunity for upward mobility, because of aging politicians insisting on staying in their senior roles for years and years and years.

Nancy Pelosi - Born 1940
Steny Hoyer - Born 1939
Chuck Schumer - Born 1950
Jim Clyburn - Born 1940
Pat Leahy - Born 1940
Dick Durbin - Born 1944

Those are your senior Congressional Democrats. Average age between them: 78 years old.
 

Novoitus

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,139
Drakeon said:
Like, someone explain why the fuck these senators don't want to retire and not work? She obviously doesn't need the money. What's the incentive not to retire? Why the fuck do you run when you're 84 for another 6 year term?
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power

more money for your family more money for the special interests that dictate her political policies and stances
 
Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis

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Oct 25, 2017
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Drakeon said:
Like, someone explain why the fuck these senators don't want to retire and not work? She obviously doesn't need the money. What's the incentive not to retire? Why the fuck do you run when you're 84 for another 6 year term?
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Money is nothing to these people. It's an addiction to power that fuels them.
 
Possum Armada

Possum Armada

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Mekanos said:
???

We just had an election with record turnout. How does that square with less people following politics?
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Now wait for the next special election or primary. Too many people think that voting it something that you do every four years and then never do anything in between those votes.


Honest question: how many state reps can you name? County council members?

There is a massive difference between voting in a Presidential election and following politics.
 
Fleck0

Fleck0

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Oct 25, 2017
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Voted for (D) Kevin De Leon and Kamala Harris in 2016 despite never hearing about Kevin, I just want the old guard out.

Boxer and Feinstein are rich old-school debutants. Boxer dresses like royalty whenever she appears on cable news.

edit: not a comment on makeup for Women on TV. She is drenched in diamonds and pearls and does not give a fuck.
 
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Deleted member 11413

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Blue Skied And Clear said:
I'd argue that the political discourse has gotten so bad over the last 20 years that fewer and fewer people have any interest in holding public office. At the same time free and fewer people follow politics, where increases the importance of name recognition.

This leads to many Senators basically being elected for life.
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Uh....you think that the reason there are so many older politicians holding onto power is because of...political discourse? And not the institutional frameworks those in power have set up to maintain power?
Also that FEWER people follow politics!? After more people voted in the last election than ever before?

Wtf am I reading?
 
RoninZ

RoninZ

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Oct 27, 2017
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I hope she steps down if this is truly the case with her memory. That is heartbreaking having discussions and seeing a person forget the next moment, not to mention she's a Senator and people should know if she is really doesn't have all her faculties in place.
 
Mekanos

Mekanos

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Blue Skied And Clear said:
Now wait for the next special election or primary. Too many people think that voting it something that you do every four years and then never do anything in between those votes.
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2020 primary turnout was higher than 2016's primary, so...

Like, I'm not saying it's going to be exponential growth, but I don't know how your takeaway from this year is "less people care about electoral politics than before."

Blue Skied And Clear said:
Honest question: how many state reps can you name? County council members?
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What relevance does this question pose? Do you think before the current era, people were MORE likely to be able to name state and local government? Since supposedly people follow politics less now, not more.
 
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