Colleagues worry Dianne Feinstein is now mentally unfit to serve, citing recent interactions

[Roadvirus]

You shouldn't be allowed to run if you are over 70 on election day for senators, or 75 on election day for representatives. And that's being generous. Ideally I wouldn't want to see a politician above 70 in our federal government.

Feinstein and Grassley are both 88 ffs they could kick the bucket literally any day.

I agree. Age 70 or 75 should be the limit.

 

[poweRob]

It is definitely time for her to go. I wish her well, she has had a long and fulfilling career but it's time. Then again I could say that about half the Senate!

 

[poweRob]

I agree. Age 70 or 75 should be the limit.

I had a friend who said they believe that after a certain age, senators should be regularly forced to draw a clock.

For those that don't know, when in cognitive decline, many cannot draw a clock face correctly.

 

[Crovax]

I had a friend who said they believe that after a certain age, senators should be regularly forced to draw a clock.

For those that don't know, when in cognitive decline, many cannot draw a clock face correctly.

What if they paint this?

 

[poweRob]

What if they paint this?

Then they get to stay in perpetuity.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about...

 

[cpwill]

I think it's right to worry about governing the country. I worry about Feinstien, Biden, Trump, and everyone on this list...

10 Oldest Members of Current U.S. Senate (Updated 2023) - Oldest.org

Discover the 10 Oldest Members of Current U.S. Senate (Updated 2023) here. Prepare to be transported into a rich & fascinating history on the oldest u.s. senators that exist.

www.oldest.org

I think when this generation is judged it's biggest faults will be their addiction to power, their various laws designed to keep incumbents in power, and their inability to make room for the next generation.

I can think of a few others, but, yeah; that's gonna be on the list.

 

[jpevans]

I am generally opposed to age discrimination and am of the opinion that people can perform in a wide range of jobs well into their 70s and even their 80s -- Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger are in their 90s. But let's be real: nobody is as sharp at 85 or 90 as they were at 60 or even 70.

I think the easiest way to avoid this kind of problem is to introduce term limits for all offices. In theory, yes, a first-term politician could run at the age of 70, as Trump did, but that's exceedingly rare. Most of the people we're concerned about -- Biden, Feinstein, McConnell, Grassley -- have been in office a long, long time. Maybe 20 years in federal elected office and then you're done. Same for judges, too.

Term limits are every two years for Congress & six for the Senate. They are applied at the voting booth.

 

[Loulit01]

Term limits are every two years for Congress & six for the Senate. They are applied at the voting booth.

But they aren't applied at the voting both, are they?

Do Members of Congress Ever Lose Re-Election?

Find out why the re-election rate for Congresspeople is so high, and why incumbent members of the house of representatives almost always win.

www.thoughtco.com

The re-election rate for members of Congress is exceptionally high considering how unpopular the institution is in the eyes of the public. If you're looking for steady work, you might consider running for office yourself; job security is especially strong for members of the House of Representatives even though a significant portion of the electorate supports terms limits.


How often do members of Congress actually lose an election? Not very.

Almost Certain to Keep Their Jobs​

Incumbent members of the House seeking re-election are all but assured re-election. The re-election rate among all 435 members of the House has been as high as 98 percent in modern history, and it's rarely dipped below 90 percent.


The late Washington Post political columnist David Broder referred to this phenomenon as "incumbent lock" and blamed gerrymandered congressional districts for eliminating any notion of competition in general elections.


But there are other reasons the re-election rate for members of Congress is so high. "With wide name recognition, and usually an insurmountable advantage in campaign cash, House incumbents typically have little trouble holding onto their seats," explains the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan watchdog group in Washington.


In addition, there are other built-in protections for congressional incumbents: the ability to regularly mail flattering newsletters to constituents at taxpayer expense under the guise of "constituent outreach" and to earmark money for pet projects in their districts. Members of Congress who raise money for their colleagues are also rewarded with large amounts of campaign money for their own campaigns, making even more difficult to unseat incumbents.

 

[jpevans]

I don't agree with much of Senator Feinstein politics, but I do think she has long served her constituency and her nation well.

So well in fact that I don't really mind her hanging around in Congress in her seat until she passes, if that is her goal. FDR and Reagan were not really altogether in the ends of their terms, by all accounts FDR's wife was running the nation. No ill came of it, so as long as Senator Feinstein's staff can manage her seat and her constituency understands the situation, I see no reason her life well served should not end without her seat intact.

We owe her that honor, the State funeral, even if it means senior members of her staff are really running the show.

If Senator Feinstein is truly suffering from dementia she should resign as soon as there is a replacement ready to take over. There is a delicate majority to protect.
How rigerously has this story been vetted?

 

[Mongidig]

There needs to be age limits for all government officials.

 

[multivita-man]

Term limits are every two years for Congress & six for the Senate. They are applied at the voting booth.

In theory, yes, and sometimes upsets happen, though they are far less likely in major statewide offices like U.S. Senate races in California. It's well-documented that politics requires hiring big guns to wage expensive campaigns, which puts challengers at a disadvantage.

You know after 20 years, people have done enough public office holding at the federal level. If they want to be a judge or be a civil servant, that's fine, but there comes a point when someone's "contributed" enough. They can contribute in other ways.

 

[Bodi]

Colleagues worry Dianne Feinstein is now mentally unfit to serve, citing recent interactions

Four U.S. senators, including three Democrats, as well as three former staffers and a...

www.sfchronicle.com

This is not a gloating or a dunking thread. This is just to make people aware of what is apparently going on with Senator Dianne Feinstein. She's been in office for a very long time and has been a major part of the Senate with her important committee leadership positions. I hope she's okay. And, hopefully, her staff will eventually come clean in regards to her mental state. It's probably time for her to move on. Her seat would obviously be replaced by a Democrat so there would be no shakeup in Congress. However, the Senate will not be the same without her.

Dementia runs in my family. It's not something to mock or to be disrespectful about. Please keep responses respectful.

She has been a stain on CA for decades...

 

[trixare4kids]

Blame her STUPID constituents who keep voting her in office. It’s an amazing display of shooting your self in the foot. The whole WH is a Dementia ward

You make a good point. She's well known, famous in fact in CA., and the voters don't think much about her present age or competency so they fill in the dot next to her name like dutiful robots.

 

[Lovebug]

Colleagues worry Dianne Feinstein is now mentally unfit to serve, citing recent interactions

Four U.S. senators, including three Democrats, as well as three former staffers and a...

www.sfchronicle.com

This is not a gloating or a dunking thread. This is just to make people aware of what is apparently going on with Senator Dianne Feinstein. She's been in office for a very long time and has been a major part of the Senate with her important committee leadership positions. I hope she's okay. And, hopefully, her staff will eventually come clean in regards to her mental state. It's probably time for her to move on. Her seat would obviously be replaced by a Democrat so there would be no shakeup in Congress. However, the Senate will not be the same without her.

Dementia runs in my family. It's not something to mock or to be disrespectful about. Please keep responses respectful.

Why then wash dirty laundry in public? If her dignity was of concern, this^^^ wouldn't be in the news. Shame on them.
Having said that, it amazes me that some 'professions' can be had indefinitely, when most have to cave to the failings of their bodies too soon.

 

[Lovebug]

Blame her STUPID constituents who keep voting her in office. It’s an amazing display of shooting your self in the foot. The whole WH is a Dementia ward

Shame on you.

 

[VySky]

Why then wash dirty laundry in public? If her dignity was of concern, this^^^ wouldn't be in the news. Shame on them.
Having said that, it amazes me that some 'professions' can be had indefinitely, when most have to cave to the failings of their bodies too soon.

We see it every day in racist Joe Biden. Grassley et al. They should go home already

 

[Lovebug]

We see it every day in racist Joe Biden. Grassley et al. They should go home already

Dignity, we must find it somewhere in our hearts.

 

[Atomic Kid]

Y'all are worried about Feinstein and age limits........

View attachment 67385567

You know they say that the cream always rises to the top. You know what else does? Turds. Consider yourself arisen.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

It's utterly ridiculous she has not retired yet.

 

[uptower]

If we have people actually surrounding the Senator who are worried, this is obviously not another one of those "call your opponent senile" smears.

Quite aside from the senator's own battle with age, this highlights some changes surely needed: lack of term limits, special interests funding elections, unimaginative voters and redistricting that creates safe seats conspire to keep people in office far too long.

I imagine Sen. Feinstein will step down shortly but did she have to wait till age robbed her of a choice in the matter? Does anyone?

 

[reflechissez]

If Senator Feinstein is truly suffering from dementia she should resign as soon as there is a replacement ready to take over. There is a delicate majority to protect.
How rigerously has this story been vetted?

So far it's anonymous.

 

[ClaraD]

You shouldn't be allowed to run if you are over 70 on election day for senators, or 75 on election day for representatives. And that's being generous. Ideally I wouldn't want to see a politician above 70 in our federal government.

Feinstein and Grassley are both 88 ffs they could kick the bucket literally any day.

I would agree that there needs to be an age cap in all parts of government, Senate, Congress, Supreme Court and the Executive office. No older than 75 and a mental acuity test required if you are older than that. People in their old age are supposed to enjoy those golden years, not work through them.

 

[ClaraD]

Colleagues worry Dianne Feinstein is now mentally unfit to serve, citing recent interactions

Four U.S. senators, including three Democrats, as well as three former staffers and a...

www.sfchronicle.com

This is not a gloating or a dunking thread. This is just to make people aware of what is apparently going on with Senator Dianne Feinstein. She's been in office for a very long time and has been a major part of the Senate with her important committee leadership positions. I hope she's okay. And, hopefully, her staff will eventually come clean in regards to her mental state. It's probably time for her to move on. Her seat would obviously be replaced by a Democrat so there would be no shakeup in Congress. However, the Senate will not be the same without her.

Dementia runs in my family. It's not something to mock or to be disrespectful about. Please keep responses respectful.

Thank you for insisting it be kept respectful. I can appreciate that. Dementia is a horrible process of decline. I am not sure if she suffers from dementia or not, but if those around her are worried, there is likely something to worry about. I would say that it is long past time that we implement a mental acuity test requirement for those leaders in important positions like Senator, Congressman or President, if they are beyond 70 years of age and it should be required to be made public. If there is any dementia, that person should be required to resign. This comes to mind, because no one, except the inner circle was aware that Reagan had Alzheimer's in his second term. He suffered a terrible decline and did not even remember being president when he passed. I would not wish such a horrific situation in life on my worst enemy. However, the public has a right to know when their leader's decision making ability is impaired.

 

[jpevans]

There needs to be age limits for all government officials.

There are, but they're minimums. 25 for the house, 30 for Senate, 35 for POTUS. The founders rightly figured that with age comes wisdom.

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[jpevans]

If Senator Feinstein is truly suffering from dementia she should resign as soon as there is a replacement ready to take over. There is a delicate majority to protect.
How rigerously has this story been vetted?

How many people went with unnamed sources about the Senator's mental health, yet would attack unnamed sources in other stories. My Dad was sharp as a tack until he died at 95.
My Mom suffered from dementia in her last year, it ain't walking into the kitchen & forgetting what you're looking for, believe me.
p.s. she also died just months short of 95.