…..It’s a deeply saddening situation, but even the most dedicated public servants cannot serve forever, and they may be the last to realize or act upon their incapacity. Fitness for elective office can be measured in different ways. Some people are unfit on the day they first set foot in Congress, because of their character or ethical failings; others do stellar work for decades but gradually lose their effectiveness. In each case, constituents are the losers, and American institutions should be strong enough to have mechanisms to protect voters from a lack of representation.
In the Senate, that task falls to Mr. Schumer and his leadership colleagues. Ms. Feinstein has put them in a difficult position by saying she wants to come back, and plans to do so, but without ever giving an indication of when that will be. Mr. Schumer said Wednesday that he hoped she would be back next week. But Ms. Feinstein’s office has not confirmed that, and there is no clear timeline for her return, the only way for voters to gauge her effectiveness. Under the circumstances, Mr. Schumer should turn up the public pressure on her to return or resign, setting aside the antique Senate gentility that can hobble common-sense decision making there…..
Resign.
Should have months ago.
Yes……
Feinstein should…..
I didn’t vote for her in the last election, although in retrospect I would have been disappointed if her opponent had won given his recent public utterances.
I can name at least five Senators who should now or in the past have resigned over the same health issues as my Senator suffers from now – but they didn’t and it was never talked about like it is now. But they are or were all men.
Yes, she should resign. But public demands like this or what several Members of Congress isn’t the way to go about it.
Our leadership needs to pay her a quiet visit and be prepared to speak hard truths to her.
My Governor hasn’t handled this at all well by speculating who he might appoint as a temporary replacement if the Senator resigns since it looked like he was publicly rushing her and it got her back up.
Nope, editorials and demands from AOC and Kahanna only make things worse.
I agree Keith….
Badly done on several levels……
What do think about Schiff?
Elderly politicians (including both likely presidential nominees) need to take note of how Feinstein is behaving as how NOT to act if they were to become incapacitated by age or health.
Pelosi , Sanders and Biden are not youngster’s but ‘seem’ fine…….
Feinstein apparently isn’t……
Feinstein seemed “fine” when she was last elected in 2018. At least to the vast majority of California voters.
The key is to recognize that if one’s health is preventing them from doing the job they need to do the right thing and resign.
Chuck Grassley has already filed to run for reelection in 2028. He will be 95 that year and 101 at the end of another full term.
Chalk another one up who badly needs to go. As sad as I was to see bald and beautiful Pat Leahy retire, it was the right call. Has there ever been a US Senator who served beyond the century mark, besides Strom Thurmond who left office at 100? And Da Nang Dick Blumenthal is already looking cadaverous at 77.
Try this:
https://www.oldest.org/politics/senators-us/