Dianne Feinstein - Bush’s Key Ally in The Senate - To Support Telecom Amnesty

Two months ago, Dianne Feinstein used her position on the Senate Intelligence Committee to enable passage of Bush’s FISA amendments, granting the President vast new warrantless surveillance powers.

Last month, Feinstein used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to ensure confirmation of Bush’s highly controversial judicial nominee Leslie Southwick, by being the only Committee Democrat to vote for the nomination (The Politico: “Sen. Dianne Feinstein had emerged as a linchpin in the controversial nomination”).

This week, Feinstein used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to enable confirmation of Bush’s Attorney General nominee by ensuring that the frightened Chuck Schumer didn’t have to stand alone (Fox News: “Schumer’s and Feinstein’s support for Mukasey virtually guarantees that a majority of the committee will recommend his confirmation”).

And now, Feinstein is using her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Intelligence Committee — simultaneously — to single-handedly ensure fulfillment of Bush’s telecom amnesty demands, as her hometown newspaper, The San Francisco Chronicle, reports:

Feinstein backs legal immunity for telecom firms in wiretap cases Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Thursday that she favors legal immunity for telecommunications companies that allegedly shared millions of customers’ telephone and e-mail messages and records with the government, a position that could lead to the dismissal of numerous lawsuits pending in San Francisco.

In a statement at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering legislation to extend the Bush administration’s electronic surveillance program, Feinstein said the companies should not be “held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities” . . .

Feinstein, D-Calif., plays a pivotal role on the Judiciary Committee, which has a 10-9 Democratic majority. If she joins committee Republicans in voting next Thursday to protect telecommunications companies from lawsuits for their roles in the surveillance program, the proposal — a top priority of President Bush — will become part of legislation that reaches the Senate floor.

There is nothing worth critiquing in what Feinstein specifically said, since she just recited the administration’s standard pro-amnesty talking points, leading with its most deceitful ones. As but one example, Feinstein — echoing John Aschroft’s NYT Op-Ed from this week — said in her statement that “suits are unfair to the companies, which are ‘unable to defend themselves in court’ because the government has insisted that their activities be kept secret.” That is just false. As the Chronicle reported: “federal law allows such defendants to present secret evidence in private to the judge, a practice [EFF’s Cindy Cohn] said has been carried out for decades without any leaks.” Oddly (or not), the Chronicle article quotes Feinstein as saying that telecoms “should not be ‘held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities’” — the same exact phrase, verbatim, featured in Fred Hiatt’s Editorial two weeks ago urging telecom amnesty (Hiatt: “we do not believe that these companies should be held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities”).

I wrote about Feinstein at length a month ago here, including all the ways her administration-coddling and courting of intelligence officials benefits her defense-contractor-husband. But still, this recent behavior is really amazing.

Feinstein is not merely voting reliably for the most extremist Bush policies, though she is doing that. Far more than that, she has become, time and again, the linchpin of Bush’s ability to have his most radical policies approved by the Senate.

Could the universe be any larger between what Feinstein’s constituents want and what she is doing in the Senate? Here are the latest views of California voters of the President to whose agenda Feinstein is displaying such ferocious fidelity:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as President? Approve — 28%

Disapprove — 70%

Among California Democrats, a grand total of 9% approve of Feinstein’s beloved President; 90% disapprove. Obviously, nothing could be less relevant to Feinstein than the views of her constituents, but still, the disparity between what they believe and what she is doing is just striking, even for the Beltway. Let us close with the very emotional and undeniably moving scene that took place after Feinstein stood up for Bush’s judicial nominee, Leslie Southwick of Mississippi:

She even showed up at the press conference, where Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) asked her to speak before the Mississippi senators who lined up the votes for Southwick. “This may be out of precedent,” Specter said, “but if I may, with the concurrence of the home-state senators, yield to the hero — the lady — of the day, Sen. Feinstein.”

“I don’t know about this heroine business,” Feinstein demurred.

Moments later, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) got choked up talking about her.

“She took a tough stand and showed a lot of courage,” Lott said, tears collecting in his eyes and his voice quivering. “It is emotional for me because this is a good man, and he will make a great judge on behalf of my state, which I feel has been maligned in this and other instances.”

He later accepted a congratulatory call from President Bush.

Fred Hiatt concurs wholeheartedly: “It is reassuring when not one but two lawmakers show the moral fortitude to defy party politics to take a stand on principle. Democratic Sens. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) showed such courage Friday when they announced their support for attorney-general nominee Michael B. Mukasey.” Dianne Feinstein may be betraying the overwhelming majority of her constituents. But as a result of her “heroic” work in the Senate, her husband sure is getting richer. And she is beloved — just beloved — by Arlen Specter, Trent Lott, Fred Hiatt and George W. Bush. And in Beltway World, that is far, far more important.

UPDATE: Feinstein herself spent inordinate sums of money from corporate donors in 2006 to ensure she was re-elected, so she is not up for re-election until 2012 (when she’ll be 80). Hopefully, though, the ethics process relating to her highly questionable behavior in directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies will proceed in earnest.

While Feinstein is not up for re-election, there are many Bush-enabling Democrats who are. And as this rather good Washington Post article this morning details, liberal blogs are doing what is, in my view, the most important thing they can be doing — targeting for defeat those incumbent Democrats who deserve it by supporting and funding primary challengers.

The article details the highly successful campaign by bloggers such as Jane Hamsher, Matt Stoller, Duncan Black, Digby and others to counteract fundraising efforts by Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic establishment for any Democratic incumbents — including those who continuously support the Bush agenda — by raising equal amounts (and, in many cases, more) for the primary challengers. The article documents how bloggers raised more than $100,000 over the last week for Donna Edwards, the primary challenger to the pro-war, pro-Bush Democratic Rep. Al Wynn (and you can aid their effort by donating to Edwards here). That is exactly what is needed — incumbent Democrats knowing that they will be targeted and will face credible primary challenges for following in Joe Lieberman and Dianne Feinstein’s Bush-enabling footsteps.

Glenn Greenwald was previously a constitutional law and civil rights litigator in New York. He is the author of the New York Times Bestselling book “How Would a Patriot Act?,” a critique of the Bush administration’s use of executive power, released in May 2006. His second book, “A Tragic Legacy“, examines the Bush legacy.

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61 Comments so far

militantliberal November 11th, 2007 1:10 pm

People of California, are you listening? Please?

since1492 November 11th, 2007 1:28 pm

Feinstein is not an anomaly. She’s just your very successful political whore. She has used the political system to further her economic interests. She has put money into the pockets of her “base”, while putting American soldiers in harms way. To get even more money she sells her silence. Sadly, she’s no different than Polosi.
Hoa binh

Little Brother November 11th, 2007 1:29 pm

When it comes to protecting the liberty and welfare of the Amerikan body politic against the depredations of a criminal Executive Branch, Feinstein is the tar and Pelosi the feathers.

Which would make Harry Reid a flaming torch, I guess– or a rail.

Dover November 11th, 2007 1:55 pm

“Hopefully, though, the ethics process relating to her highly questionable behavior in directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies will proceed in earnest.”

That’s the key, right there.

She’s an extreme opportunistic pocket-liner, and she ought to be recalled by the voters of California.

Damn, do people actually vote for scumbags like her, or are our elections rigged to put these putrid, self-serving pigs in office?

Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 1:55 pm

The Fifth Column?

Sparticus November 11th, 2007 2:37 pm

What is the procedure for recalling a senator? Someone should get this going. Impeach Feinstein now!!!!!!!!!! That’s the first step.

TonyVodvarka November 11th, 2007 2:52 pm

The fifth column? Can anyone say, “AIPAC”?

claudius November 11th, 2007 2:58 pm

I remember as a kid growing up in northern California how useless Feinstein really was as a politician, and continues to be. Seriously, the woman easily could be convinced by a snakeoil salesman that she would need to purchase 5 caseloads of his product. I think the only thing for which we could pray is her resignation from politics because of senility.

Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 3:00 pm

Tony: I dislike being accused of any sort of anti-semitism and count several Jewish influences (Paul Wellstone), musicians and entertainers, philosophers, scholars and personal friends.

But it’s worrisome that at least two key would-be “opponents” to Bush (Pelosi and Feinstein) are married to extremely wealthy Jewish husbands. One would like to say that it doesn’t matter, but Bush’s Base plays the Israel Card (or AIPAC plays Bush’s Base, hard to tell in the symbiosis) and this apparently is enough to satisfy key would-be opposition.

since1492 November 11th, 2007 3:34 pm

Tony got it right. There is a bigger game being played globally that scumbags like Feinstein take part in. These traitors are the master’s of War.
Hoa binh

BeForKids November 11th, 2007 3:34 pm

Paul Bramscher, are you some sort of anti-Semite? Paul Pelosi is a Roman Catholic, as is Nancy (I assumed Pelosi is an Italian name). Do you call everyone you hate a Jew (while counting a few “good Jews” in your acquaintance?). Interesting that you dislike being accused of being anti-Semite.

TonyVodvarka November 11th, 2007 3:37 pm

Dear Paul Bramscher, Critisizing an organization that reprents a minority of an ethnic group is certainly not critisizing the entirety of that ethnic group. The right wing Likhudism that has been supported by AIPAC is not in the interest of our nation, and the unholy alliance these people have made with the most undemocratic elements of our society, the oil and military complexes and organized right-wing fundamentalist Christianity, in order to forward their agenda, may be the death of our Republic.

lillulu November 11th, 2007 3:39 pm

Turn her out to pasture; it’s time. She’s at least 75 (and like most politicians, not one grey hair on her head — I wonder how many face-lifts/botox treatments she’s had). She’s useless.

Feinstein, Pelosi, Schumer, Reid, etc., etc. should move to Israel where their loyalty lies.

Thomas More November 11th, 2007 3:59 pm

Feinstein long ago betrayed the citizens of our country. She was more than ready to put her Ag-jobs bill into the farnm bill and help Bush exploit more poor Mexicans.

People like her that advocate illegal immigration and the exploitation of the Mexican poor should be run out of office.

By advocating illegal immigration to provide cheap labor for her business friends she too bears responsibility for the many that die coming across our borders. The blood is on her hands and the people like her.

dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 4:23 pm

Is it so mysterious that members of Congress, both Republican and Democratic, who were read in on the President’s “illegal programs” years ago, might take steps now to limit their legal jeopardy, both civil and criminal?

bwkbwk November 11th, 2007 4:30 pm

I have lived in San Francisco for 30 years. Soon after Feinstein became mayor, she proved that she was unworthy for the job and acted like a Republican even then.

When she first ran for the Senate, I thought to myself “Who the hell would vote for her? San Franciscans don’t like her and the rest of the state don’t know her”. And yet, she won.

She has shown herself to be as bad a senator as she was a mayor, only now she impacts the nation, not just San Francisco. As the years have gone by, she has gotten worse and worse.

Neither myself nor my friends voted for her last year (we each abstained in the general election — we sure as hell weren’t going to vote for the Republican — and voted against her in the primary, but she faced token opposition). And yet, she won by a landslide.

I’m disgusted with Feinstein and I’m really disappointed with Pelosi (I am in Pelosi’s district).

I’d love to see Feinstein recalled, but she is very popular in California as she is seen as a centrist (even though she is certainly NOT a centrist in my opinion). If a recall petition were started, though, I and many others I know would sign it. Even if she won the recall (which she did when San Francisco tried to recall her in 1983 when she was mayor), at least it would send a message.

In the meantime, I am definitely voting for Cindy Sheehan in 2008 to take away Pelosi’s job. Pelosi doesn’t deserve to be in such a position of leadership. We San Franciscans have always been proud to be liberal and we not only want our representatives in Congress to be likewise, but we also want them to have the guts to make things happen (which Pelosi is sorely lacking). Thank god that we have Barbara Boxer as our other senator, at least.

dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 4:36 pm

Feinstein and Schumer have supported torture and warrantless surveillance; both illegal.

annabelle November 11th, 2007 4:37 pm

There are a lot of Democrats who need to seriously consider “leaving to spend more time at home with their families.” Maybe Bush will honor these patriots with a Medal. This bunch is the sorriest group of blood suckers in decades. They have held up the white flag and surrendered to the nightmare as democracy slowly dissolves. So long, good-by, it’s been good to know ya’.

starofthesea November 11th, 2007 4:46 pm

Look at it this way, my dears. As easy as it is to vilify individual Democrats, perceived to have let us all down, their behaviors have finally helped remove the partisan “scales from the eyes” of once-Democrat loyalists everywhere. We are no longer willing to label ourselves anything but patriots who see now that We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Had it not become so glaringly obvious that what we thought was ours, is not, and has not been for some time now, we would not be as clear about what now needs to happen.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

simonhhh November 11th, 2007 4:46 pm

“…the ethics process relating to her [Feinstein]highly questionable behavior in directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies will proceed in earnest…”

I knew she was a paid off political whore, but monstrously and indelibly part of the criminal regime..

I concur with Paul Bramscher
“The Fifth Column? AIPAC etal…Feinstein’s surname says it all and before anyone has a go; I’m not anti-semitic just anti Likudist extremist warmongering etc.

TonyVodvarka November 11th, 2007 4:52 pm

Dear simonhhh, Please, please think twice before using phrases such as, “Feinstein’s surname says it all…” I would ask you to regard the surnames of so many of those progressive patriots that grace these pages.

Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 4:56 pm

TonyVodvarka,

Do you think the Fifth Column has AIPAC inscribed on it, that Bush’s Base played the Israel Card, or that neither is ultimately in charge — that it’s more of a peer-to-peer relationship?

Terrorism and Israeli security is a cause celebre for military spending in the m.i.c.’s eyes — in dire need of a new cause after the demise of the Soviet Union.

It would seem that some sort of massive feat is required to maintain an alliance with Saudi Arabia and Israel at the same time. That glue is the power of raw greed & power, which appears to trump national/ethic/religious allegiance entirely. Given the damage that Bush has done to the US economy, national image, horse shit response to Katrina, science, US military, ethics and any number of other areas, nobody in his right mind can really argue that Bush has “America’s” interests at heart when he wheels and deals with power-brokers abroad. Likewise, can it be said that his international war/power-mongering friends represent their own country’s interests? Or is this more to be read like an international gang of thugs, irrespective of their supposed national/ethnic/religious make-ups?

Bush’s warming up to France is one example that comes to mind. Secret prisons in Eastern Europe must be another. They say you can judge a person by the company he keeps. Bush seems to prefer the least scrupulous people he can find, wherever and whenever he can find them.

Gorsegrower November 11th, 2007 4:59 pm

Diane Feinstein has provided the biggest disappointment since Madonna took her clothes off.

dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 5:28 pm

Right On, starofthesea!

gyptian November 11th, 2007 5:33 pm

There is no denying, any which way you look at it, of Feinstein’s undying and unyielding support of Israel, which in many ways is similar to that other clusterf~!@#kk Lieberman. Between the two of them, Israel is very well represented in the U.S. Senate. Feinstein clearly recognizes that our support for the muderous Israeli government is responsible for most of the problems in the middle-east, but yet ignores the connections and serves Israels interests ignoring ours. Her avid cheering and enabling of the Bush administration is primarily a reflection of her Israel First attitude.

dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 5:35 pm

I think there is a general feeling that it’s easier to know human beings by their categories than by their individual actions; their intentions have consistently been associated these past several years with political motives, religious motives, ethnic motives, military motives, strategic motives and economic motives; this despite the fact that more often than not it is obvious that their actions originate from the personal motives of hate, greed and self delusion; peering deeply into the souls of these human beings nothing is found to explain their behavior but the reflection of the observer’s own illusions.

Everywhere political parties, religions, ethnic groups, military organizations, geopolitical entities and socio-economic clusters are ravaged; ripped apart to reveal the explanation for the behaviors of individuals; individuals making choices, human choices, human choices with which we are all familiar, regardless of the groups we belong to by birth or choose out of personal preference.

And the individuals themselves take no responsibility for their individual actions; they attribute their actions to political, religious, ethnic, military, geopolitical and socio-economic rationales; all lies, intended to protect them from the common human conscience they violate and fear.

xyz November 11th, 2007 5:39 pm

I was at her election night party at the Fairmount Hotel in San Francisco on the night she was first elected to the Senate. I thought she would be great. Instead the last couple of years she has become the poster girl for what is wrong with the democratic party. Unbelievably, she got up at the funeral of an SF police officer who had recently been killed in action and called for the death penatly for the killer. Even the family and attendees were aghast at this. Her collegialty appears to extend to the most ridiculous conservative republicans but she does not appear to extend that collegiality to her constituents - who are against Bush, against the war, against illegal wiretapping, against judges who support racist and homophibic agendas. She has apparently found her way to go along with all of this. She should be impeached or defeated in the next democratic primary. There needs to be a new party where the progressive democrats move and possibly join others who are interested in fiscal common sense, honesty and integrity and leave those like Feinstein out.

Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 5:56 pm

dreamertoo,

And yet no person is an island, devoid of peers, upbringing, culture of some sort, etc. There is an internationalized crooked class, a greed class, an institutionalized class-warfare class.

The early Socialists were feared due to their internationalization, the concept that “the struggle” wasn’t limited to the national boundaries laid out there to conquer & divide the world’s working peoples. Of course that movement ultimately failed, but the international oppressor movement seems to be alive and kicking.

gyptian November 11th, 2007 6:07 pm

“Her collegialty appears to extend to the most ridiculous conservative republicans”

Its her morality thats extended to the neo-con Republicans. Her meaningless ‘collegiality’ is a sham thats extended to all and sundry. She is the ultimate enabler, smug in the fact that her electorate can be bashed into toeing the line. We need to throw her traitorous ass out along with Pelosis and elect Barbara Lee instead. East Bay politicians have a lot more credibility !

starofthesea November 11th, 2007 6:11 pm

dreamertoo and Paul Bramscher—both right and both wise. I loved your ananlysis dreamertoo. We have to get past the catagories if ever we can fully embrace our shared human qualities for better or for worse. Thank you for being so eloquent here on CD.

Paul B—- the early Socialists “struggle” is alive and well in South and Central America, Mexico as well. Those who would have none of it will continue to try to crush any resistence, but the phoenix is rising out of the ashes. Read Naomi Klein’s post here about the shock resistence going on south of our borders. It gave me, and I pray it will give you, some much needed hope. We all need to tap into and amplify the Light.

Gail November 11th, 2007 6:11 pm

“Feinstein said the companies should not be “held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities” . . .”

Apparently, Feinstein has no regard for FISA and doesn’t seem to have any problem with the illegal war in Iraq which is directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies.

With billions of contract dollars flowing in to her husbands companies by way of an “illegal” war, why in the world would she even consider holding law-breaking, multi-billion dollar companies accountable for ignoring FISA, or for that matter, any laws that our King decides to ignore?

As the saying goes……don’t bite the hand that feeds you!

ruthru November 11th, 2007 6:16 pm

Reagan never died. He just took on the body of a woman senator. He wanted something that resembled his previous host’s body, so he chose Diane’s.

wdmax3 November 11th, 2007 6:27 pm

I stopped voting for Feinstein several years ago due to the response to correspondence I sent her office. Something was changing in her then and now it is beginning to surface.

She has been in office tooooooo long. They (the lobbyists) have turned her. She no longer serves the public, it may be questionable if she ever did.

I would think that she has found a private position elsewhere and now is returning favors for those she now answers to.

rucognizant November 11th, 2007 6:29 pm

And of course Mukasey whom she enabled,. like Chertov, is a dual citizen! America/Israel!
Apparently the “right of return rule” greases the skids for a lot of those!

COMarc November 11th, 2007 6:38 pm

Don’t be fooled by the particulars of who voted in favor or against this. They constantly play games with this. The people running the vote knew how many votes they needed. So they negotiated and found the people who could easily vote Yes.

The fact that Feinstein doesn’t run again till 2012 is key. Same for Schumer and I think for most of the others that voted yes.

The interesting message in that is the Democratic leadership IS MORE SCARED OF YOU THAN THE REPUBLICANS. If they were scared of Repbulicans, then it would be the people running this time that would vote yes to gain the pro-nazi voters. But the Democratic leadership is most scared of their left, so they picked the Senators who could wait the longest before running again because they knew these votes would anger their base.

But its all phony. Once they had enough to pass, and a silent agreement not to filibuster, they told the other Dems they could vote No on this one. But don’t be too fooled by that, there were certainly many other Dems who would have voted Yes if their leadership had asked them too.

Feinstein is probably retiring in 2012 anyways. So she’s now completely unaccountable to voters. She’s just a vote that’s purely for sell right now. Like I’d bet she gets a cosy, no-work board seat on a telecom for getting them their immunity.

ma77hew November 11th, 2007 6:55 pm

What event will come when we all give up the Democrats?

What will be the instance we realize that they are playing us all for fools?

They have yet to take and KEEP a principled stand to save this country from turning into a fascist state.

Will it be once they come for you at your own door, will you realize then that this was just a puppet show?

The pieces and pens are almost complete and the boots are about laced up. The constitution has made into confetti and the bill of rights into a stand-up routine.

Our beloved words of Liberty, Freedom and Justice held hostage by hungry politicians who serve their party leaders and corporate donors rather than The America People and The Constitution.

Not until we admit, that this nation only has one party, the “War Party” will it be understood that the American PEOPLE need to rip this Government out of the hands of the corporations and their vile government puppets. Then and only then will we finally be on the road to recovering this broken country.

dcbeltway November 11th, 2007 8:40 pm

Yup those neocons stick together like glue doesn’t matter what side of the political aisle they are on. Time to wake up America torture is not an American value neither is neoconservatism.

kalia November 11th, 2007 10:17 pm

Paul Bramscher could not be more correct. But it is not polite to talk about these things around the dinner table.

yoj November 11th, 2007 10:38 pm

As is Obvious this is the Big Time on this Earth, etc For those of you not
aware of the astoundingly accurate predictions concerning this Now moment;
The US and our global police role and the ongoing human war machine and it’s
seemingly inevitable Cosmic climax–from the Pleiadeans via Billy Meier called
the HENOCH PROPHECIES check this out:
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/Henoch%20Prophecies.html

“So many of the Plejaren predictions given to Swiss contactee Billy Meier have come true, that we’d be wise to heed the warning that terrible things will befall humanity and our planet if we can’t learn to live together”.

curmudgeon99 November 11th, 2007 11:27 pm

Amazing positions taken by Dianne and fellow San Franciscan Nancy Pelosi.

If you went by actions alone, you would think they represented Texas constituents instead of SFers.

These two women have double-handedly enabled the worst machinations of the Bush 2nd term.

We know Dianne’s husband benefits directly from no bid contracts by the Bushcos; I wonder where and how Pelosi gets paid.

gyptian November 12th, 2007 12:01 am

“And of course Mukasey whom she enabled,. like Chertov, is a dual citizen! ”

Wow !! I didnt even know that … its all under the surface and these AIPAC supporters have germinated their seeds well.

ezeflyer November 12th, 2007 12:45 am

Impeach them all and start all over.

tetti_tatti November 12th, 2007 6:57 am

The quintessential Democrat. Whore is actually too good of a word for Feinstein. How much more blood of young Americans and carnage of innocent civilians will satisfy this woman’s and her husband’s quest for war cash?

When I hear we need more women in politics and think of Feinstein, Pelosi, Hillary, Rice, Karen Hughes and Katherine Harris, I say, really? No thanks.

MeAlsoToo November 12th, 2007 7:57 am

I’m old-enough to recall when just ‘the appearance of a possible impropriety’ was sufficient-cause for a Representative or Judge to recuse his/her-self.
[’Those were the Days…’]

greatbear215 November 12th, 2007 10:05 am

Feinstein requires impeaching. She is easier to replace than she thinks she is! California needs to bury its collective foot in somebody’s arse!

Coyotita November 12th, 2007 10:51 am

FEINSTEIN AND SCHUMER? Are they voting this way because they are Jewish and represent the interest of the Israeli lobby?

Certainly, they do not represent the American people’s interests.

RickinSF November 12th, 2007 11:16 am

Feinstein has always been about maintaining privilege and anyone who’s watched her through the years would not be surprised at her support for W.

DiFi Speak Dictionary:

DiFi: “I must study (the issue) carefully”

Translation: “Now is not a convenient time to roll over for the opposition.”

kivals November 12th, 2007 11:45 am

Feinstein is among the worst of the Democrats. But that does not mean Californians are ready to dump her for a progressive. Evolution made elephants out of mice-sized animals through natural selection of slightly larger animals over a long period of time. Shouldn’t progressives have the patience to produce progressive representatives through a similar process of selecting slightly more progressive candidates in each election, though hopefully not taking quite as long?

Paul Bramscher November 12th, 2007 12:13 pm

Many on CD have underscored the alliance between a neocon/AIPAC and the m.i.c. embodied in the Bush administration and its enablers. It seems that the channels are mirrored in the mainstream media. For instance, Murdoch and the GE/Westinghouse owned network stations.

Where would neocons and enabler Dems be without the MSM? Back on the high seas in their pirate ships, no doubt. Arguably, it’s the MSM that’s allowed them to come and roost.

gyptian November 12th, 2007 1:17 pm

The relationship between the MSM and the Dems/Repubs is symbiotic. We are the ones that get screwed. Misinformation is a crime, especially when the kind of misinformation the MSM has been spitting out all these years has enabled the death, displacement and suffering of untold millions.

redmatto November 12th, 2007 2:00 pm

This corporatist believes that she is an Empress. Listen to her speaking. I don’t think that I’ve ever heard a public figure use the word “I” so often. She obviously does not listen to her constituents.

She clearly is a Republican in every way except name. These lame Dems should get a backbone and throw her out of the party. While I realize that is a dream of mine and far from reality, until something like that happens, I am not a Democrat and will never give money again to the national committee.

I have telephoned her Washington office and each time I get a message asking me to call back during office hours (the calls were placed during the noted office hours!). I have also telephoned her San Francisco office (probably more than 20 times at various times of the day and evening); that number is ALWAYS busy. How convienient for her…she doesn’t have to hear comments let alone listen to them.

I’ll work to impeach her! Five more years of her is too much.

pod November 12th, 2007 2:31 pm

Lieberman, Schumer, Spector, Feinstein—It follows a pattern if you know what I mean.

liberty November 12th, 2007 5:30 pm

Perle, Feith, Libby, Wurmser, Chertoff, Silverstein also follow a similar pattern pod.

BigStinky November 12th, 2007 5:34 pm

Hey California, do us all a big favor and get rid of this NeoBitch. And while you’re at it, get rid of her soul sister, Nancy, too!

Judith for peace November 12th, 2007 6:01 pm

Do not worry BigStinky we are doing are best to get rid of this two idiot bitch’s.
When our fires were going strong and idiot Bush got off of the plane in our San Diego, guess who followed him off? Feinstein, very close behind him.
We have also heard that her husband profits from the war.
Both of these crooks must go.
Judith

pod November 12th, 2007 6:52 pm

Spot on liberty

JT Don November 13th, 2007 12:41 am

yea her phone message in DC is a big joke…we can’t take your call right now so call back in say 10 or 15 minutes….what the fuck???

Linda Sutton November 13th, 2007 1:58 am

A resolution to censure Dianne Feinstein will be introduced this Saturday at the California Democratic Party Executive Board meeting in Anaheim at the Sheraton Hotel. The Progressive Caucus meets at 5pm. Here’s an alternet article with the resolution at the end:

Feinstein Faces Dem Censure After Backing Bush Nominees
http://www.alternet.org/wire/67718

One day after voting to elevate a divisive conservative judge to the federal appeals court in New Orleans, President Bush invited California Sen. Dianne Feinstein aboard Air Force One to survey the damage from the recent spate of Southern California wildfires.

The senator later remarked privately that she found her conversation with Bush aboard Air Force One “illuminating,” a source close to Feinstein told the Huffington Post.

Two weeks later, she voted with the GOP to confirm Michael Mukasey as the new Attorney General, ruffling more than a few feathers among Democratic Party officials and activists. News reports noted that Feinstein’s support helped turn the tide in favor of a nomination that had once faced an uncertain future.

Democrats, and some Republicans, criticized Mukasey’s refusal to say whether he classified water boarding, an interrogation technique that simulates drowning, as a form of torture. Feinstein was one of only six Democrats to vote in favor of confirming Mukasey.

Now, a coalition of progressive Democrats upset with Feinstein’s controversial votes will ask the California Democratic Party to censure her at its executive board meeting this weekend, the Huffington Post has learned.

The move comes as Feinstein again finds herself under fire for saying Thursday that she now supports granting legal immunity to telecom companies that shared customer email and phone messages with the federal government as part of the warrantless surveillance program.

“Dianne Feinstein does not listen to the people of California,” said Rick Jacobs, president of the Courage Campaign, a progressive organization in California. “She supports George Bush’s agenda time after time.”

Feinstein’s office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

East Bay For Democracy, a chartered Democratic Club outside San Francisco, will introduce the censure motion on Saturday at the state party’s executive board meeting in Anaheim. The Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party and the Progressive Democrats of America are also backing the measure.

In addition to her move to back Mukasey, critics have lashed out at her decision last month to vote to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Southwick’s opponents charged that his record on the bench in Mississippi demonstrated that he was both racist and homophobic. The Congressional Black Caucus, Human Rights Campaign and People for the American Way opposed his nomination.

The censure resolution faces an uphill battle. In order to be considered by the full executive board, it must first make it through the party’s resolutions committee, which must approve the text unanimously.

The text of the resolution is below:

Whereas Senator Dianne Feinstein voted to support the nomination of Judge Michael Mukasey as United States Attorney General, thereby elevating to the highest position in law enforcement a man who refused to renounce the right of the President to resort to torture and who refused to recognize waterboarding as a form of torture, and by this action Senator Feinstein failed to oppose President Bush and failed to stand for the ideals of the Democratic Party, which abhors torture and stands firmly against its use by the United States at all times and places; and

Whereas Senator Feinstein voted to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit despite his clear record of racism and gender discrimination, thus failing to stand firmly with the Democratic Party, which supports gender equality and opposes racism in any of its manifestations; and

Whereas these examples are far from the only instances where Senator Feinstein, after seeking and securing the support and endorsement of the California Democratic Party, has failed to support the policies and principles of our party

Therefore be it resolved that the California Democratic Party expresses its disappointment at, and censure of, Senator Feinstein for ignoring Democratic principles and falling so far below the standard of what we expect of our elected officials.

Dr. Zimmerman Robert November 13th, 2007 5:06 pm

Feinstein

Feinstein the accidental Mayor comes to us with all the self aggrandizement of the California rich. She has the self-righteousness that as matron of San Francisco whose street, where her house was, became privatized for the good of the tax payer to preach to working people. She now lives in a little retirement mansion in, if I remember correctly, Pacific Heights. Her gardens seemed to be confused with the publics at the new place.

Ah, the self-righteousness of the matron of San Francisco. While the poor and the middle class scramble daily to make ends meet, she admonishes us to be a good as she.

Awfully people, no?

A real yuk.

Judith for peace November 13th, 2007 7:42 pm

YOU MUST GO TO…huffingtonpost.com
There is a picture of the love bird’s with
Dianne’s arm through Bush’s arm.
This makes me sick to my stomach.
Princess Di and Nancy should go to prison for
profiting from the war.
By way of their husbands.

forextrader November 13th, 2007 9:42 pm

Dianne Feinstein represents the Vichy wing of the Democratic Party, the quisling!

militantliberal November 11th, 2007 1:10 pm

People of California, are you listening? Please?
since1492 November 11th, 2007 1:28 pm

Feinstein is not an anomaly. She’s just your very successful political whore. She has used the political system to further her economic interests. She has put money into the pockets of her “base”, while putting American soldiers in harms way. To get even more money she sells her silence. Sadly, she’s no different than Polosi.
Hoa binh
Little Brother November 11th, 2007 1:29 pm

When it comes to protecting the liberty and welfare of the Amerikan body politic against the depredations of a criminal Executive Branch, Feinstein is the tar and Pelosi the feathers.

Which would make Harry Reid a flaming torch, I guess– or a rail.
Dover November 11th, 2007 1:55 pm

“Hopefully, though, the ethics process relating to her highly questionable behavior in directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies will proceed in earnest.”

That’s the key, right there.

She’s an extreme opportunistic pocket-liner, and she ought to be recalled by the voters of California.

Damn, do people actually vote for scumbags like her, or are our elections rigged to put these putrid, self-serving pigs in office?
Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 1:55 pm

The Fifth Column?
Sparticus November 11th, 2007 2:37 pm

What is the procedure for recalling a senator? Someone should get this going. Impeach Feinstein now!!!!!!!!!! That’s the first step.
TonyVodvarka November 11th, 2007 2:52 pm

The fifth column? Can anyone say, “AIPAC”?
claudius November 11th, 2007 2:58 pm

I remember as a kid growing up in northern California how useless Feinstein really was as a politician, and continues to be. Seriously, the woman easily could be convinced by a snakeoil salesman that she would need to purchase 5 caseloads of his product. I think the only thing for which we could pray is her resignation from politics because of senility.
Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 3:00 pm

Tony: I dislike being accused of any sort of anti-semitism and count several Jewish influences (Paul Wellstone), musicians and entertainers, philosophers, scholars and personal friends.

But it’s worrisome that at least two key would-be “opponents” to Bush (Pelosi and Feinstein) are married to extremely wealthy Jewish husbands. One would like to say that it doesn’t matter, but Bush’s Base plays the Israel Card (or AIPAC plays Bush’s Base, hard to tell in the symbiosis) and this apparently is enough to satisfy key would-be opposition.
since1492 November 11th, 2007 3:34 pm

Tony got it right. There is a bigger game being played globally that scumbags like Feinstein take part in. These traitors are the master’s of War.
Hoa binh
BeForKids November 11th, 2007 3:34 pm

Paul Bramscher, are you some sort of anti-Semite? Paul Pelosi is a Roman Catholic, as is Nancy (I assumed Pelosi is an Italian name). Do you call everyone you hate a Jew (while counting a few “good Jews” in your acquaintance?). Interesting that you dislike being accused of being anti-Semite.
TonyVodvarka November 11th, 2007 3:37 pm

Dear Paul Bramscher, Critisizing an organization that reprents a minority of an ethnic group is certainly not critisizing the entirety of that ethnic group. The right wing Likhudism that has been supported by AIPAC is not in the interest of our nation, and the unholy alliance these people have made with the most undemocratic elements of our society, the oil and military complexes and organized right-wing fundamentalist Christianity, in order to forward their agenda, may be the death of our Republic.
lillulu November 11th, 2007 3:39 pm

Turn her out to pasture; it’s time. She’s at least 75 (and like most politicians, not one grey hair on her head — I wonder how many face-lifts/botox treatments she’s had). She’s useless.

Feinstein, Pelosi, Schumer, Reid, etc., etc. should move to Israel where their loyalty lies.
Thomas More November 11th, 2007 3:59 pm

Feinstein long ago betrayed the citizens of our country. She was more than ready to put her Ag-jobs bill into the farnm bill and help Bush exploit more poor Mexicans.

People like her that advocate illegal immigration and the exploitation of the Mexican poor should be run out of office.

By advocating illegal immigration to provide cheap labor for her business friends she too bears responsibility for the many that die coming across our borders. The blood is on her hands and the people like her.
dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 4:23 pm

Is it so mysterious that members of Congress, both Republican and Democratic, who were read in on the President’s “illegal programs” years ago, might take steps now to limit their legal jeopardy, both civil and criminal?
bwkbwk November 11th, 2007 4:30 pm

I have lived in San Francisco for 30 years. Soon after Feinstein became mayor, she proved that she was unworthy for the job and acted like a Republican even then.

When she first ran for the Senate, I thought to myself “Who the hell would vote for her? San Franciscans don’t like her and the rest of the state don’t know her”. And yet, she won.

She has shown herself to be as bad a senator as she was a mayor, only now she impacts the nation, not just San Francisco. As the years have gone by, she has gotten worse and worse.

Neither myself nor my friends voted for her last year (we each abstained in the general election — we sure as hell weren’t going to vote for the Republican — and voted against her in the primary, but she faced token opposition). And yet, she won by a landslide.

I’m disgusted with Feinstein and I’m really disappointed with Pelosi (I am in Pelosi’s district).

I’d love to see Feinstein recalled, but she is very popular in California as she is seen as a centrist (even though she is certainly NOT a centrist in my opinion). If a recall petition were started, though, I and many others I know would sign it. Even if she won the recall (which she did when San Francisco tried to recall her in 1983 when she was mayor), at least it would send a message.

In the meantime, I am definitely voting for Cindy Sheehan in 2008 to take away Pelosi’s job. Pelosi doesn’t deserve to be in such a position of leadership. We San Franciscans have always been proud to be liberal and we not only want our representatives in Congress to be likewise, but we also want them to have the guts to make things happen (which Pelosi is sorely lacking). Thank god that we have Barbara Boxer as our other senator, at least.
dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 4:36 pm

Feinstein and Schumer have supported torture and warrantless surveillance; both illegal.
annabelle November 11th, 2007 4:37 pm

There are a lot of Democrats who need to seriously consider “leaving to spend more time at home with their families.” Maybe Bush will honor these patriots with a Medal. This bunch is the sorriest group of blood suckers in decades. They have held up the white flag and surrendered to the nightmare as democracy slowly dissolves. So long, good-by, it’s been good to know ya’.
starofthesea November 11th, 2007 4:46 pm

Look at it this way, my dears. As easy as it is to vilify individual Democrats, perceived to have let us all down, their behaviors have finally helped remove the partisan “scales from the eyes” of once-Democrat loyalists everywhere. We are no longer willing to label ourselves anything but patriots who see now that We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Had it not become so glaringly obvious that what we thought was ours, is not, and has not been for some time now, we would not be as clear about what now needs to happen.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
simonhhh November 11th, 2007 4:46 pm

“…the ethics process relating to her [Feinstein]highly questionable behavior in directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies will proceed in earnest…”

I knew she was a paid off political whore, but monstrously and indelibly part of the criminal regime..

I concur with Paul Bramscher
“The Fifth Column? AIPAC etal…Feinstein’s surname says it all and before anyone has a go; I’m not anti-semitic just anti Likudist extremist warmongering etc.
TonyVodvarka November 11th, 2007 4:52 pm

Dear simonhhh, Please, please think twice before using phrases such as, “Feinstein’s surname says it all…” I would ask you to regard the surnames of so many of those progressive patriots that grace these pages.
Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 4:56 pm

TonyVodvarka,

Do you think the Fifth Column has AIPAC inscribed on it, that Bush’s Base played the Israel Card, or that neither is ultimately in charge — that it’s more of a peer-to-peer relationship?

Terrorism and Israeli security is a cause celebre for military spending in the m.i.c.’s eyes — in dire need of a new cause after the demise of the Soviet Union.

It would seem that some sort of massive feat is required to maintain an alliance with Saudi Arabia and Israel at the same time. That glue is the power of raw greed & power, which appears to trump national/ethic/religious allegiance entirely. Given the damage that Bush has done to the US economy, national image, horse shit response to Katrina, science, US military, ethics and any number of other areas, nobody in his right mind can really argue that Bush has “America’s” interests at heart when he wheels and deals with power-brokers abroad. Likewise, can it be said that his international war/power-mongering friends represent their own country’s interests? Or is this more to be read like an international gang of thugs, irrespective of their supposed national/ethnic/religious make-ups?

Bush’s warming up to France is one example that comes to mind. Secret prisons in Eastern Europe must be another. They say you can judge a person by the company he keeps. Bush seems to prefer the least scrupulous people he can find, wherever and whenever he can find them.
Gorsegrower November 11th, 2007 4:59 pm

Diane Feinstein has provided the biggest disappointment since Madonna took her clothes off.
dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 5:28 pm

Right On, starofthesea!
gyptian November 11th, 2007 5:33 pm

There is no denying, any which way you look at it, of Feinstein’s undying and unyielding support of Israel, which in many ways is similar to that other clusterf~!@#kk Lieberman. Between the two of them, Israel is very well represented in the U.S. Senate. Feinstein clearly recognizes that our support for the muderous Israeli government is responsible for most of the problems in the middle-east, but yet ignores the connections and serves Israels interests ignoring ours. Her avid cheering and enabling of the Bush administration is primarily a reflection of her Israel First attitude.
dreamertoo November 11th, 2007 5:35 pm

I think there is a general feeling that it’s easier to know human beings by their categories than by their individual actions; their intentions have consistently been associated these past several years with political motives, religious motives, ethnic motives, military motives, strategic motives and economic motives; this despite the fact that more often than not it is obvious that their actions originate from the personal motives of hate, greed and self delusion; peering deeply into the souls of these human beings nothing is found to explain their behavior but the reflection of the observer’s own illusions.

Everywhere political parties, religions, ethnic groups, military organizations, geopolitical entities and socio-economic clusters are ravaged; ripped apart to reveal the explanation for the behaviors of individuals; individuals making choices, human choices, human choices with which we are all familiar, regardless of the groups we belong to by birth or choose out of personal preference.

And the individuals themselves take no responsibility for their individual actions; they attribute their actions to political, religious, ethnic, military, geopolitical and socio-economic rationales; all lies, intended to protect them from the common human conscience they violate and fear.
xyz November 11th, 2007 5:39 pm

I was at her election night party at the Fairmount Hotel in San Francisco on the night she was first elected to the Senate. I thought she would be great. Instead the last couple of years she has become the poster girl for what is wrong with the democratic party. Unbelievably, she got up at the funeral of an SF police officer who had recently been killed in action and called for the death penatly for the killer. Even the family and attendees were aghast at this. Her collegialty appears to extend to the most ridiculous conservative republicans but she does not appear to extend that collegiality to her constituents - who are against Bush, against the war, against illegal wiretapping, against judges who support racist and homophibic agendas. She has apparently found her way to go along with all of this. She should be impeached or defeated in the next democratic primary. There needs to be a new party where the progressive democrats move and possibly join others who are interested in fiscal common sense, honesty and integrity and leave those like Feinstein out.
Paul Bramscher November 11th, 2007 5:56 pm

dreamertoo,

And yet no person is an island, devoid of peers, upbringing, culture of some sort, etc. There is an internationalized crooked class, a greed class, an institutionalized class-warfare class.

The early Socialists were feared due to their internationalization, the concept that “the struggle” wasn’t limited to the national boundaries laid out there to conquer & divide the world’s working peoples. Of course that movement ultimately failed, but the international oppressor movement seems to be alive and kicking.
gyptian November 11th, 2007 6:07 pm

“Her collegialty appears to extend to the most ridiculous conservative republicans”

Its her morality thats extended to the neo-con Republicans. Her meaningless ‘collegiality’ is a sham thats extended to all and sundry. She is the ultimate enabler, smug in the fact that her electorate can be bashed into toeing the line. We need to throw her traitorous ass out along with Pelosis and elect Barbara Lee instead. East Bay politicians have a lot more credibility !
starofthesea November 11th, 2007 6:11 pm

dreamertoo and Paul Bramscher—both right and both wise. I loved your ananlysis dreamertoo. We have to get past the catagories if ever we can fully embrace our shared human qualities for better or for worse. Thank you for being so eloquent here on CD.

Paul B—- the early Socialists “struggle” is alive and well in South and Central America, Mexico as well. Those who would have none of it will continue to try to crush any resistence, but the phoenix is rising out of the ashes. Read Naomi Klein’s post here about the shock resistence going on south of our borders. It gave me, and I pray it will give you, some much needed hope. We all need to tap into and amplify the Light.
Gail November 11th, 2007 6:11 pm

“Feinstein said the companies should not be “held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities” . . .”

Apparently, Feinstein has no regard for FISA and doesn’t seem to have any problem with the illegal war in Iraq which is directing multi-billion-dollar defense contracts to her husband’s companies.

With billions of contract dollars flowing in to her husbands companies by way of an “illegal” war, why in the world would she even consider holding law-breaking, multi-billion dollar companies accountable for ignoring FISA, or for that matter, any laws that our King decides to ignore?

As the saying goes……don’t bite the hand that feeds you!
ruthru November 11th, 2007 6:16 pm

Reagan never died. He just took on the body of a woman senator. He wanted something that resembled his previous host’s body, so he chose Diane’s.
wdmax3 November 11th, 2007 6:27 pm

I stopped voting for Feinstein several years ago due to the response to correspondence I sent her office. Something was changing in her then and now it is beginning to surface.

She has been in office tooooooo long. They (the lobbyists) have turned her. She no longer serves the public, it may be questionable if she ever did.

I would think that she has found a private position elsewhere and now is returning favors for those she now answers to.
rucognizant November 11th, 2007 6:29 pm

And of course Mukasey whom she enabled,. like Chertov, is a dual citizen! America/Israel!
Apparently the “right of return rule” greases the skids for a lot of those!
COMarc November 11th, 2007 6:38 pm

Don’t be fooled by the particulars of who voted in favor or against this. They constantly play games with this. The people running the vote knew how many votes they needed. So they negotiated and found the people who could easily vote Yes.

The fact that Feinstein doesn’t run again till 2012 is key. Same for Schumer and I think for most of the others that voted yes.

The interesting message in that is the Democratic leadership IS MORE SCARED OF YOU THAN THE REPUBLICANS. If they were scared of Repbulicans, then it would be the people running this time that would vote yes to gain the pro-nazi voters. But the Democratic leadership is most scared of their left, so they picked the Senators who could wait the longest before running again because they knew these votes would anger their base.

But its all phony. Once they had enough to pass, and a silent agreement not to filibuster, they told the other Dems they could vote No on this one. But don’t be too fooled by that, there were certainly many other Dems who would have voted Yes if their leadership had asked them too.

Feinstein is probably retiring in 2012 anyways. So she’s now completely unaccountable to voters. She’s just a vote that’s purely for sell right now. Like I’d bet she gets a cosy, no-work board seat on a telecom for getting them their immunity.
ma77hew November 11th, 2007 6:55 pm

What event will come when we all give up the Democrats?

What will be the instance we realize that they are playing us all for fools?

They have yet to take and KEEP a principled stand to save this country from turning into a fascist state.

Will it be once they come for you at your own door, will you realize then that this was just a puppet show?

The pieces and pens are almost complete and the boots are about laced up. The constitution has made into confetti and the bill of rights into a stand-up routine.

Our beloved words of Liberty, Freedom and Justice held hostage by hungry politicians who serve their party leaders and corporate donors rather than The America People and The Constitution.

Not until we admit, that this nation only has one party, the “War Party” will it be understood that the American PEOPLE need to rip this Government out of the hands of the corporations and their vile government puppets. Then and only then will we finally be on the road to recovering this broken country.
dcbeltway November 11th, 2007 8:40 pm

Yup those neocons stick together like glue doesn’t matter what side of the political aisle they are on. Time to wake up America torture is not an American value neither is neoconservatism.
kalia November 11th, 2007 10:17 pm

Paul Bramscher could not be more correct. But it is not polite to talk about these things around the dinner table.
yoj November 11th, 2007 10:38 pm

As is Obvious this is the Big Time on this Earth, etc For those of you not
aware of the astoundingly accurate predictions concerning this Now moment;
The US and our global police role and the ongoing human war machine and it’s
seemingly inevitable Cosmic climax–from the Pleiadeans via Billy Meier called
the HENOCH PROPHECIES check this out:
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/Henoch%20Prophecies.html

“So many of the Plejaren predictions given to Swiss contactee Billy Meier have come true, that we’d be wise to heed the warning that terrible things will befall humanity and our planet if we can’t learn to live together”.
curmudgeon99 November 11th, 2007 11:27 pm

Amazing positions taken by Dianne and fellow San Franciscan Nancy Pelosi.

If you went by actions alone, you would think they represented Texas constituents instead of SFers.

These two women have double-handedly enabled the worst machinations of the Bush 2nd term.

We know Dianne’s husband benefits directly from no bid contracts by the Bushcos; I wonder where and how Pelosi gets paid.
gyptian November 12th, 2007 12:01 am

“And of course Mukasey whom she enabled,. like Chertov, is a dual citizen! ”

Wow !! I didnt even know that … its all under the surface and these AIPAC supporters have germinated their seeds well.
ezeflyer November 12th, 2007 12:45 am

Impeach them all and start all over.
tetti_tatti November 12th, 2007 6:57 am

The quintessential Democrat. Whore is actually too good of a word for Feinstein. How much more blood of young Americans and carnage of innocent civilians will satisfy this woman’s and her husband’s quest for war cash?

When I hear we need more women in politics and think of Feinstein, Pelosi, Hillary, Rice, Karen Hughes and Katherine Harris, I say, really? No thanks.
MeAlsoToo November 12th, 2007 7:57 am

I’m old-enough to recall when just ‘the appearance of a possible impropriety’ was sufficient-cause for a Representative or Judge to recuse his/her-self.
[’Those were the Days…’]
greatbear215 November 12th, 2007 10:05 am

Feinstein requires impeaching. She is easier to replace than she thinks she is! California needs to bury its collective foot in somebody’s arse!
Coyotita November 12th, 2007 10:51 am

FEINSTEIN AND SCHUMER? Are they voting this way because they are Jewish and represent the interest of the Israeli lobby?

Certainly, they do not represent the American people’s interests.
RickinSF November 12th, 2007 11:16 am

Feinstein has always been about maintaining privilege and anyone who’s watched her through the years would not be surprised at her support for W.

DiFi Speak Dictionary:

DiFi: “I must study (the issue) carefully”

Translation: “Now is not a convenient time to roll over for the opposition.”
kivals November 12th, 2007 11:45 am

Feinstein is among the worst of the Democrats. But that does not mean Californians are ready to dump her for a progressive. Evolution made elephants out of mice-sized animals through natural selection of slightly larger animals over a long period of time. Shouldn’t progressives have the patience to produce progressive representatives through a similar process of selecting slightly more progressive candidates in each election, though hopefully not taking quite as long?
Paul Bramscher November 12th, 2007 12:13 pm

Many on CD have underscored the alliance between a neocon/AIPAC and the m.i.c. embodied in the Bush administration and its enablers. It seems that the channels are mirrored in the mainstream media. For instance, Murdoch and the GE/Westinghouse owned network stations.

Where would neocons and enabler Dems be without the MSM? Back on the high seas in their pirate ships, no doubt. Arguably, it’s the MSM that’s allowed them to come and roost.
gyptian November 12th, 2007 1:17 pm

The relationship between the MSM and the Dems/Repubs is symbiotic. We are the ones that get screwed. Misinformation is a crime, especially when the kind of misinformation the MSM has been spitting out all these years has enabled the death, displacement and suffering of untold millions.
redmatto November 12th, 2007 2:00 pm

This corporatist believes that she is an Empress. Listen to her speaking. I don’t think that I’ve ever heard a public figure use the word “I” so often. She obviously does not listen to her constituents.

She clearly is a Republican in every way except name. These lame Dems should get a backbone and throw her out of the party. While I realize that is a dream of mine and far from reality, until something like that happens, I am not a Democrat and will never give money again to the national committee.

I have telephoned her Washington office and each time I get a message asking me to call back during office hours (the calls were placed during the noted office hours!). I have also telephoned her San Francisco office (probably more than 20 times at various times of the day and evening); that number is ALWAYS busy. How convienient for her…she doesn’t have to hear comments let alone listen to them.

I’ll work to impeach her! Five more years of her is too much.
pod November 12th, 2007 2:31 pm

Lieberman, Schumer, Spector, Feinstein—It follows a pattern if you know what I mean.
liberty November 12th, 2007 5:30 pm

Perle, Feith, Libby, Wurmser, Chertoff, Silverstein also follow a similar pattern pod.
BigStinky November 12th, 2007 5:34 pm

Hey California, do us all a big favor and get rid of this NeoBitch. And while you’re at it, get rid of her soul sister, Nancy, too!
Judith for peace November 12th, 2007 6:01 pm

Do not worry BigStinky we are doing are best to get rid of this two idiot bitch’s.
When our fires were going strong and idiot Bush got off of the plane in our San Diego, guess who followed him off? Feinstein, very close behind him.
We have also heard that her husband profits from the war.
Both of these crooks must go.
Judith
pod November 12th, 2007 6:52 pm

Spot on liberty
JT Don November 13th, 2007 12:41 am

yea her phone message in DC is a big joke…we can’t take your call right now so call back in say 10 or 15 minutes….what the fuck???
Linda Sutton November 13th, 2007 1:58 am

A resolution to censure Dianne Feinstein will be introduced this Saturday at the California Democratic Party Executive Board meeting in Anaheim at the Sheraton Hotel. The Progressive Caucus meets at 5pm. Here’s an alternet article with the resolution at the end:

Feinstein Faces Dem Censure After Backing Bush Nominees
http://www.alternet.org/wire/67718

One day after voting to elevate a divisive conservative judge to the federal appeals court in New Orleans, President Bush invited California Sen. Dianne Feinstein aboard Air Force One to survey the damage from the recent spate of Southern California wildfires.

The senator later remarked privately that she found her conversation with Bush aboard Air Force One “illuminating,” a source close to Feinstein told the Huffington Post.

Two weeks later, she voted with the GOP to confirm Michael Mukasey as the new Attorney General, ruffling more than a few feathers among Democratic Party officials and activists. News reports noted that Feinstein’s support helped turn the tide in favor of a nomination that had once faced an uncertain future.

Democrats, and some Republicans, criticized Mukasey’s refusal to say whether he classified water boarding, an interrogation technique that simulates drowning, as a form of torture. Feinstein was one of only six Democrats to vote in favor of confirming Mukasey.

Now, a coalition of progressive Democrats upset with Feinstein’s controversial votes will ask the California Democratic Party to censure her at its executive board meeting this weekend, the Huffington Post has learned.

The move comes as Feinstein again finds herself under fire for saying Thursday that she now supports granting legal immunity to telecom companies that shared customer email and phone messages with the federal government as part of the warrantless surveillance program.

“Dianne Feinstein does not listen to the people of California,” said Rick Jacobs, president of the Courage Campaign, a progressive organization in California. “She supports George Bush’s agenda time after time.”

Feinstein’s office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

East Bay For Democracy, a chartered Democratic Club outside San Francisco, will introduce the censure motion on Saturday at the state party’s executive board meeting in Anaheim. The Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party and the Progressive Democrats of America are also backing the measure.

In addition to her move to back Mukasey, critics have lashed out at her decision last month to vote to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Southwick’s opponents charged that his record on the bench in Mississippi demonstrated that he was both racist and homophobic. The Congressional Black Caucus, Human Rights Campaign and People for the American Way opposed his nomination.

The censure resolution faces an uphill battle. In order to be considered by the full executive board, it must first make it through the party’s resolutions committee, which must approve the text unanimously.

The text of the resolution is below:

Whereas Senator Dianne Feinstein voted to support the nomination of Judge Michael Mukasey as United States Attorney General, thereby elevating to the highest position in law enforcement a man who refused to renounce the right of the President to resort to torture and who refused to recognize waterboarding as a form of torture, and by this action Senator Feinstein failed to oppose President Bush and failed to stand for the ideals of the Democratic Party, which abhors torture and stands firmly against its use by the United States at all times and places; and

Whereas Senator Feinstein voted to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit despite his clear record of racism and gender discrimination, thus failing to stand firmly with the Democratic Party, which supports gender equality and opposes racism in any of its manifestations; and

Whereas these examples are far from the only instances where Senator Feinstein, after seeking and securing the support and endorsement of the California Democratic Party, has failed to support the policies and principles of our party

Therefore be it resolved that the California Democratic Party expresses its disappointment at, and censure of, Senator Feinstein for ignoring Democratic principles and falling so far below the standard of what we expect of our elected officials.
Dr. Zimmerman Robert November 13th, 2007 5:06 pm

Feinstein

Feinstein the accidental Mayor comes to us with all the self aggrandizement of the California rich. She has the self-righteousness that as matron of San Francisco whose street, where her house was, became privatized for the good of the tax payer to preach to working people. She now lives in a little retirement mansion in, if I remember correctly, Pacific Heights. Her gardens seemed to be confused with the publics at the new place.

Ah, the self-righteousness of the matron of San Francisco. While the poor and the middle class scramble daily to make ends meet, she admonishes us to be a good as she.

Awfully people, no?

A real yuk.
Judith for peace November 13th, 2007 7:42 pm

YOU MUST GO TO…huffingtonpost.com
There is a picture of the love bird’s with
Dianne’s arm through Bush’s arm.
This makes me sick to my stomach.
Princess Di and Nancy should go to prison for
profiting from the war.
By way of their husbands.
forextrader November 13th, 2007 9:42 pm

Dianne Feinstein represents the Vichy wing of the Democratic Party, the quisling!

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