All right Californians, Feinstein has got to be replaced

[mitchtv]

bush tax plan (she's rich),IWR, medicare plan. I know she's not Z .Miller, but enough is enough. I know Boxer is up next , and I like her, but Dianne, #@%**. I have some replacements in mind , but rather than be flamed I'll keep quiet til later. Who do we want?

[shance]

1. Sheila Kuehl

I think shed be a great alternative.

[Lindsey]

2. I agree - she's pissed me off

endlessly. I like Sheila too.

[K8-EEE]

24. Shei-LA Shei-LA!!

I'VE ALWAYS VOTED FOR FIENSTEIN BUT NEVER AGAIN! I'm so pissed off at her...Barbara Boxer rocks though!

[alwynsw]

28. I like Zelda

What I'd really like is to see Dobie and Maynard as her aides.

[Sugarbleus]

29. I agree K8-EEE!

I was ASTOUNDED!!!! when I watched Feinstein just go off the radar in the Senate recently: Medicare et al..

I wrote to her, as did many, and told her I'm sorry but you just LOST MY VOTE.
As for whom to replace her with, I'm stuck. Gotta do some homework yet. BYE BYE DIANE...... :thumbsdown:

[maggrwaggr]

3. You mean Ann Landers?

[Hippo_Tron]

4. Give it a rest...

You don't outst a senator because they're somewhat conervative. The actual votes on the legislation don't go to the majority party 100% of the time because there's so many moderates on both sides. Our best bet is to stockpile as many moderates (not Zell Millers but moderates) as possible and at least we will hopefully have control over the committees and the Senate's agenda. And remember that Arnold won governorship of California, don't think that replacing Feinstein is a sure victory for the dems.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Feinstein sees nothing wrong with the PATRIOT Act

She was a miserable failure as SF's Mayor, and she is a miserable failure now. The only reason many of you think she is good at all is because the Republicans are far worse.

There is no rule that says that Feinstein cannot be challenged in the primary by a liberal like Sanchez--who is smarter and more likeable than Dianne.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. Yup the Republicans are far worse...

And if replaced in the primary, the dem will have a much better chance of loosing to a Republican. Also, many of our senators supported the patriot act not knowing that John Ashcroft would do everything that he has done.

[Cleita]

21. Dianne Feinstein's husband Richard Blum has a big

finger in the Iraqi rebuilding pie.

<snip>
Last week the San Francisco based engineering firm URS Corp. received its second major Army contract since February. All told the company could make $3.7 billion over the next eight years.

URS is owned in part by Richard Blum the husband of California Senator Dianne Feinstein.

URS joins Halliburton, Bechtel and other major U.S. corporations with close ties to Washington that has received major contracts.

Halliburton is the company that Dick Cheney headed up until he ran for vice president. It recently won an exclusive no-bid contract from the Pentagon that could be worth as much as $7 billion over the next two years. In response, Rep. Henry Waxman of California has called for an investigation into every governmental contracts that Halliburton has received since Cheney took office.<snip>

more...

http://archive.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20030428.html

[shanti]

32. oh please

to think that di fi wasn't informed of asscrack is a huge stretch of the imaination. people email her about these issues every day!

[Kerridwyn]

62. Patriot Act

She has continued to vocally support the Patriot Act though, not knowing what Ashcroft would do doesn't really hold anymore.

[FDRrocks]

26. Exactly...

this so called "Moderate" gives a shit less about the Bill of Rights.

[alwynsw]

30. Are you saying that we should support her out of fear?

Fear that any other Dem will lose? Please. It's politics. If she's not performing as a majority of her base believes she should, by all means, find a candidate who will.

Bear in mind that this illustrates the pitfalls of a constitutional republic: we put 'em in office to do our bidding, but they're only bound by their conscience to do that bidding. On the upside, we can always vote a non-performer out.

[IndianaGreen]

37. No, I think Feinstein should be defeated in the primary

by an antiwar liberal. Feinstein is profiting from this war, which explains her hawkishness about it.

[cally]

5. You forgot her promoting the Bush

logging plan for 'fire control.'

I agree we need to get rid of her. She sells out all the time.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jim Sagle]

10. Always nice to get a fresh perspective.

[dfong63]

11. the words"terrible", "repellent", "ridiculous", apply more to your posting

... than to Boxer.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hippo_Tron]

15. Who said Boxer's going anywhere...

You may not like her, but what does the rest of Cali think?

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cally]

20. They've tried to unseat her every election

and have failed. She is terrific and wins California over every time.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[shanti]

33. yeah

it's a very dangerous time with the voting machines....

at least barbara boxer answers her emails. she has my vote. she isn't a dino.

[ferg]

27. nope, it's a weak Republican group

apparantly the deadline has passed and the Republicans have fielded a reasonably weak group.

The one two semi-credable Republican candidates are Bill Jones, a former secretary of state (yawn), and Rosario Marin, who's a former Shrub Treasurer (whatever that means.)

[Yupster]

38. Treasurer is a cool job

You get to have your signature on every dollar bill. I don't know what they actually do, but having your name on the dollar is pretty cool.

[Le Taz Hot]

42. Boxer is terrible????

Oh, darlin', them's is fightin' words. I've met Boxer too, several times. I've had some up-close-and-personal time with her, as a matter of fact and she is the opposite of what you describe. She's a warm, sensitive person who is extremely well informed and listens to her constituency -- everything Di Fi isn't. Of course she's vulnerable -- she's a TRUE liberal and the Republicans are out for blood (so what else is new?) She has TREMENDOUS support from the Democratic base here and we're not going anywhere. And, by the way, the Republicans are running Bill Jones (and 2 other issignificant candidates) -- Condi was never in the building.

Feinstien? She's lost my vote forever. And I was a strong supporter and have worked on her last 2 campaigns. Not ever again. She voted to confirm Ashcroft, she voted for the Patriot Act, she voted for the Homeland Security Act and she voted for the Bankruptcy Bill. Hell, we might as well have a Republican! I sent her e-mail after e-mail after e-mail. I called her Washington office to urge her to vote "no" in the IWR. She got up in front of TV cameras saying that she had 10,000 constituent communications AGAINST the IRW and 200 for. She voted for.

She's not up until 2006 but almost any other Democrat would be better than this spineless embarrassment to womanhood.

Taz<--Stepping down for soapbox.

[Cleita]

43. In this I'll join you. Boxer is a goddess.

Dianne should take lessons from her in what a real Democratic Senator does. We have to fight to keep Boxer in office. Every letter she sends me soliciting funds touches on the fact that she knows the Republicans are after her seat and that she will have to battle them all the way.

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[knight_of_the_star]

47. Agreed

We gotta keep Barb in the Senate at all costs. She not only voted against IWR, but she is one of the dirty dozen who voted against the 87 billion. That and the idiots that are running against her are on the WRONG side of the social issues to seriously oppose her, that's why Issa was beaten by her in 1998 I think it was. Both of the pukes who want to run against her are anti-choice, anti-environment, pro-war, and a few other things that run against the grain of most of this state. She'll hold, we just have to work hard to keep her there.

[ldoolin]

60. Yep

Agreed. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein are almost at opposite ends of the Democratic Party spectrum from each other. Boxer is one of the best liberals in the Senate, and Feinstein is practically Zell Miller.

Heck, she *is* Zell Miller as far as I am concerned.

[Texifornia]

25. Not gonna happen

The Party here in California will not continence a challenge to Feinstein. She is still the most popular politician in the state.

[ronnykmarshall]

44. I agree

The anger at trying to unseat Feinstein needs to be directed at defeating Bush and re-electing Boxer.

NO ONE is going to run against her for nomination in 2006. If they did, they'll be get their ass kicked.

I don't always agree with Dianne and she's pissed me off with some of her votes, but I'm not going to get my tit in knot about defeating her.

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[newyawker99]

65. Hi Texifornia!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[mitchtv]

6. Loretta Sanchez, I think has a chance

I like Mike Thompson, CD1 , and my favorite, Jackie Speier San Mateo.

[Sapphocrat]

12. I'd back Speier in a heartbeat

Aside from a terrific record, she'd appear just moderate enough for the comfort of the masses.

I'd also give anything to see Anna Eshoo in the Senate. She is an absolute firecracker, a true Dem, who has never failed her constituency. I'd hate to lose her as my rep, but I believe she would be a godsend to the rest of California.

[ferg]

14. I've love to see Eshoo as Senator

She was my rep before I moved to SF.

She'd never do it, though, unless Feinstein retired.

[BrotherBuzz]

23. Jackie Speier is doing fine right where she is...

I'm pinning my hopes on her seeking higher office in the state of California. Lieutenant Governor sounds good for a start.

[ochazuke]

9. I never liked her

From the time she became mayor of San Francisco, she has been an establishment politician.

[Cleita]

18. I've been saying this since election 2002.

Yes, we have to replace her in 2006. Barbara Boxer is up in 2004 and the Repukes are after her big time. We can't let them unseat her and they will pull every dirty trick in the book to do so. So right now I am concentrating on keeping Barbara Boxer in Washington.

[HawkerHurricane]

19. Just great...

Boxer faces a serious challenge in '04, and a moderate Dem says she must go... IF SHE GOES, we lose the seat.

And, a Liberal Dem says that Fienstien isn't pure enough, so she's got to go in '06... IF SHE GOES, we'll lose that seat too.

As a Californian since 1963 (I was 6 months old when I made my parents leave Alabama), I like BOTH of my Senators, and would rather KEEP THEM.

Diane Fienstien is no Zell Miller DINO. She's a good moderate.
Barbara Boxer is no liberal extremist.

Both are good Senators. Niether is perfect. The only person I agree with 100% of the time is me.

I fully intend to support both, in the primaries and the general election.

BTW, those of you who wish to 'dump' Sen. Fienstien: What state are you from? Are you fellow Californians, or out of staters who have free time to attack my Senators?

[shanti]

34. i'm a californian (northern)

and i will not vote for di fi again. sorry, but i'm not feeling her anymore. i don't trust her.

[HawkerHurricane]

36. Another reason to split the state in two...

Or maybe three.

[fujiyama]

39. "A good moderate"?

On what issues?

Voted for:

IWR (understandable, though cowardly. I can forgive a pol on that)

Bush's Tax Cut package -- the original one (This itself is a reason to dump her. Evan Bayh -- yes Even Freakin Bayh of INDIANA voted against that damn thing)

Flag Burning ammendment (Tom Daschle voted against this. He's from a very conservative state).

Recent Medicare "reform" (Absolutely inexcusable...)

Enough is enough. I'm as politically pragmatic as anyone else and believe that Fienstien would be OK for a southern conservative state. Not for Ca however. That's a state that can definetely do better...and as for Ahnold, it had much more to do with Davis being incredible unpopular and weak, the democrats putting up a mediocre replacement candidate, and Arnold being one of the biggest Hollywood stars out there. This is not the "great victory" claimed by the conservatives. This will not herald another conservative Reagan type political transformation.

[ronnykmarshall]

46. I can just see it!

"As a Californian since 1963 (I was 6 months old when I made my parents leave Alabama),"

Stomping around that playpen, refusing to eat .... you GO Hawker!

[HawkerHurricane]

49. It would have been younger, but...

I didn't realize there were better places until I was 4 months...

[ldoolin]

61. nope

Diane Fienstien is no Zell Miller DINO. She's a good moderate.

She's *worse* than Zell Miller. Take a look at all those "anti-crime", "anti-drug", "death penalty expansion", "Internet censorship" bills that Feinstein and Utah Repuke Orrin Hatch keep sponsoring. Or her request to the Bush regime that Bush take stronger action against the west coast longshore union back during the recent lockout. I care about liberal values, not necessarily about party labels; with friends like that, who needs enemies?

[shanti]

31. i agree with you

she's out in my book. too many dino policies.

[hellhathnofury]

35. How old is Feinstein anyways?

She could be persuaded/forced to retire.

[NewJerseyDem]

54. She's 70

I doubt that she will retire though. I believe that she has indicated that she will probably run again even though I guess it is possible that she will run for governor against Schwarzenneger instead.

[Cascadian]

40. I think Jello Biafra ought to run against Dianne again.

Came in 4th out of 10 candidates in the 1979 mayoral election in SF. Helped cut Feinstein's lead. I would love it if he ran.


John

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

55. Anyone but Feinstein - Three strikes and you're out, Diane

Feinstein is so bad, I'd vote for ANY Democrat, and probably even an independent or a Green, against her. I could forgive an IWR vote, or maybe even a Patriot Act vote, or maybe even the Republican Medicare vote - but all three? Three strikes and you're out, Feinstein - she voted for that law didn't she?

[LWolf]

41. I'm not happy with her at this point.

I've voted for her every time she ran. In addition to the other issues already mentioned, she supported vouchers in DC. That doesn't go over well with this teacher.

That said, it would be, IMO, foolhardy to try to replace her. We don't want to hand it gift-wrapped to the republicans by splitting the vote.

[mitchtv]

48. as a Californian since '67(and voting)

I am proud to say I voted to "Dump Dianne" in her recall. I love Barbara Boxer _no I have not met her, she still votes the way I like. and I doubt if Bill Jones or Dennis Miller or kelsy Grammar can replace her soon.

[Cascadian]

52. Dennis Miller is a Republican.

Been that way since after 9/11.

John

[mitchtv]

53. yes he is, and

he has dreams of replacing Boxer as I said.

[LWolf]

56. LOL

I've also been a Californian since '67; September 7th, to be exact. I was 7 years old.

[lewiston]

50. Let's see....

A gazillion repukes out there and we're eating our own.
DDDDDelicious!

[Character Assassin]

57. I thought this for years: she's an authoritarian drug warrior

and she makes no bones about it.

And yes, I'm a native Californian.

[HawkerHurricane]

58. I've got a great idea!

FIRST, let's replace all the flippen' REPUBLICAN senators, THEN we can work on the less than perfect Democratic ones...

A reason to keep Diane Fienstien...
From 'Bushwacked' by Molly Ivins
Pg247, talking about Reich Wing judicial appointments...
"As we write, the filibuster of the Miguel Estrada nomination continues, and the filibuster of Priscilla Owen has begun. From where we sit it looks as though only Ted Kennedy, Patrick Leahy, and Dianne Feinstein have drawn a lin in the sand-somewhere between Washington and the Red River.
We hold out some small hope that judges like Owen, Charles Pickering, Estrada-and later perhapse Edith Jones-will finally engage the gag reflex of moderate Republicans such as Olympia Snowe, Lincoln Chaffee, and Susan Collins.
It's a small hope. But it's all we've got."

[ldoolin]

59. Feinstein is...

...one of the most obnoxious "tough on crime" demagogues in the entire Senate. She's a frequent sponsor of totalitarian legislation along with Repuke Orrin Hatch of Utah; Feinstein and Hatch often co-sponsor bills. Most recent is the Feinstein-Hatch anti-gang bill. She's outspokenly pro-death penalty, pro-prison expansion, pro-mandatory minimum sentences, pro-censoring the Internet, etc. She also denounced the Sierra Club and endorsed Bush's slimeball "healthy forests" bill. During the lockout of the west coast longshore union, Feinstein appealed to the Bush regime to bust the union. She has to go. She's no Democrat in my book.

This is a very good example of the occasional exception to the "never vote Republican" rule. In 2000 the Republican running against Feinstein was Tom Campbell, who is anti-death penalty, anti-war, and more of an environmentalist than Feinstein is. Too late now; too many liberals let partisanship get in the way of liberal beliefs, and dutifully voted for Feinstein. The chance of the Repukes nominating somebody more liberal than Feinstein again is almost nil. Best hope is a (hint hint) RECALL ELECTION, or a strong Democratic primary challenge to Feinstein in 2006.

[mndemocrat_29]

63. Shouldn't we be focusing on

eliminating Conrad Burns, Rick Santorum, and Trent Lott, all up in 2006, from the Senate?

Dianne Feinstein is not the most liberal senator, but she is certainly better than Burns, Santorum, and Lott, and no likely Democratic candidate looks likely to run for her seat in 2006 if she runs.

However, if she retires or runs for governor, several Democratic candidates, including Loretta Sanchez, Ellen Tauscher, Jane Harman, or Gavin Newsom could run.

[LWolf]

64. Yes.

Both of my state senators are dems. So my focus will be on the one place I can vote; to deny Howard "Buck" McKeon a return to the house. I haven't heard of any dem challengers yet; this is a hard district for dems to win in. I've lived here for 23 years, and I don't remember a democrat ever representing us in the house. I'd like to help change that.