are senators in USA a lifetime position?
Dianne Feinstein has died
121–130 of 377 posts
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#122Let this be a lesson to all. Exit on a high note.
The hardest thing to do in a position of power is to take a bow gracefully and step off the stage. Part of what made George Washington so great and groundbreaking in those days.
"If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on
It outlives me when I'm gone
Like the scripture says:
'Everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
And no one shall make them afraid.'
I wanna sit under my own vine and fig tree
A moment alone in the shade
At home in this nation we've made
One last time..."
-Hamilton An American Musical
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#123Earlier quoted context omitted.
All these senators that manage to make tens of millions of dollars on their $250k salary should really release personal finance books.
To be fair, Senator Feinstein was married to a guy who ran his own equity capital investment management firm so it's not like we can assume her personal wealth is all derived from investing her salary.
A match made in heaven.
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#124[flagged]
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#125I know it’s rude to say negative things about a person who has just passed, but I can’t help feeling happy that such an influential Senate seat will finally go to someone that’s not over 70 (hopefully).
There should be age limits for public office and it should match whatever we consider the retirement age to be. We have too many dusty old codgers running things and ruining things, clawing at power and money while destroying civilization for their great grandchildren (which is all the worse, because they’ve met them).
When I see someone like Feinstein elected repeatedly, it’s blatant evidence of how broken politics is in America. In California, apparently, policy positions, personal character, and corruption don’t matter, you can elect a corpse in a wheelchair if it has a D next to its name, and they did.
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#126Having seen Diane bootlick for the telecoms most of my life, good riddance. Yes, you heard me. I am not even going to pause for a condolance or bite my tongue. I'm glad she's gone. She was 100% unfit for the position in the last few years of her life and nothing was done about it. This is a problem with US Politics, they are too fucking old to represent the actual population so they are pulled by SIGs and lobbyists.…
I strongly disagree with her politics, and also believe that she should have retired earlier.
A mentor of mine used to remind me, "always react with class". I fail at this a lot, but try.
I think it would be good for you to try too.
And also to remember that she was fairly elected. She was who the people wanted. If you want to be angry, be angry at the people who continued to elect her.
Maybe not so much vitrol directed at her on a day of tragedy.
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#127Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Professionals" arbitrarily deciding whose psychological functions are passable in order to allow an elected person to take office sounds horrendous to me, impartial panel or not. If there's anything 2020-2021 and the 4th branch of the gov't taught me, it's that we need to quit putting authority figures in positions of power over the people, for the sole reason of being an authority figure.
Why? I don’t want people with decreased mental abilities serving in important gov positions. Do public companies let aging incompetent leaders stay on as senior executives? I'm not asking for stringent qualifications. Bare minimum. Have time awareness, place awareness, be aware of the connection between action and consequences, have control over bodily functions. I'm not asking for a Chess champion or math wiz.
The point is that there is no good system that would allow a committee to decide if a politician is fit for office or not.
Just look how Trump tried to destroy the electoral system for his own gain before and on January 6th. Now apply his tactics to to a "committee" to decide if a democrat can seek reelection.
There is a good system to decide if the CEO is fit or not, it's the board of director. Those are entirely different systems.
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
I encourage you to run a campaign, just in a local county. You will find there are things one can't see from the outside that make this sentiment naively false.
List them here! You aren't actually saying anything.
Other comments have gotten at the nuts and bolts of administrations, and here's the PR side of it:
Do the 'Mom Test' on any candidate and you will see why 9 out of 10 times a challenger to an incumbent fails [0]. The only challengers who succeed beat the 'good enough test' while simultaneously fending off the current administration's inertia (aptly put by paulgb)
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#129So sad to lose such a great stock trader! - https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/as-feinstein... - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_congressional_insider_tra... - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/14/dianne-feinstein-hu... etc.
Dubious congress trades aside, congresspeople should not die of old age serving. There is something wrong with people like Byrd and Feinstein dying while serving. Even without term limits they should have the decency to know when to call it quits and not become a figurehead where most of the work they’re entrusted with is done behind the scenes by others —none of this bullshit whispering in their ear on how to vote.…
We need age limits for government representatives.
The the American Association of Rapacious People can't have that.
Re: Dianne Feinstein has died
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Professionals" arbitrarily deciding whose psychological functions are passable in order to allow an elected person to take office sounds horrendous to me, impartial panel or not. If there's anything 2020-2021 and the 4th branch of the gov't taught me, it's that we need to quit putting authority figures in positions of power over the people, for the sole reason of being an authority figure.
Why? I don’t want people with decreased mental abilities serving in important gov positions. Do public companies let aging incompetent leaders stay on as senior executives? I'm not asking for stringent qualifications. Bare minimum. Have time awareness, place awareness, be aware of the connection between action and consequences, have control over bodily functions. I'm not asking for a Chess champion or math wiz.
So vote. Or better yet, run for office. Be the change you want to see.