ARTICLE
For more than 30 years, Senator Dianne Feinstein has been a juggernaut in the United States Senate. A lot of praise and respect will be given regarding her legacy in the days, weeks and months from now until her term ends in 2024. We all know the story about her rise in the San Francisco political circle from President of the SF Board of Supervisors, to appointed Mayor in 1978 following the tragic deaths of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Some will forget that she had a failed attempt to run for California Governor losing to then Senator Pete Wilson. It appeared that her political career had hit a roadblock. Governor Wilson appointed southern California State Senator John Seymour who would lose to Feinstein in the Year of the Women, as both Feinstein and Congress Member Barbara Boxer swept into the Senate. They remained in office for more than two decades before Senator Boxer decided not to run for re-election: Paving the way for Kamala Harris to be Senator and now Vice President. Feinstein is the oldest currently serving senator at 89 years old and will be 91 by the time her term ends in 2025. She was eligible to serve as president pro tempore during this session of Congress as the longest-serving member of the majority party in the Senate, but she declined to take the role, instead passing it to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). During my tenure working for members of Congress in the 1980s and 1990s, our congressional office staff worked with Senator Feinstein on legislation and policies that impacted California and the country. While my Congressional bosses were always in agreement on some issues, it was the bipartisan relationship that helped pave the way to collaboration on many polices where there was agreement — The Desert Protection Act, Woman’s Right, Protecting our Monterey Bay, compromises on the Welfare Reform Act of 1995-96, and Gun control to name a few. During those years, the Congress and the US Senate had a more tempered relationship between the Democrats and Republicans. It was through bipartisan efforts where common ground was more important than party politics. According to the Los Angeles Times, Feinstein emphasized her centrism when she first ran for statewide offices in the 1990s, at a time when California was more conservative. Over time, she has moved left of center as California became one of the most Democratic states, although she has never joined the ranks of progressives. She was once a member of the Senate's moderate, now-defunct Senate New Democrat Coalition. When you have been a leader in politics for decades, like Senator Feinstein, there are dozens of policy shifts on important issues where your ideology changes because the times have changed. Criticism becomes part of the daily dialogue in Washington D.C. where the partisanship battle lines are drawn to pit one member against another. In most cases a Republican will lash out against a Democrat and visa-versa. In today’s political world, infighting between members of their own party are front and center to the attack. Senator Feinstein’s long history is chronicled here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianne_Feinstein My take on Senator Feinstein is framed by my own passion for our Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the wonders of Lake Tahoe, my native home. One particular exchange came in 2010-2012, when I was a sitting board member of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). I served on the TRPA board as the California Governor appointee from 2009-2021 — with two year terms as vice chair and board chair. As some of you may know, in 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Tahoe Restoration Act that initially funded $300 million to protect Lake Tahoe. The seed funding continued to be the lead source of government funding necessary to the advancement and protection of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Over the past two decades Senator Feinstein, the bipartisan Senate, and the congressional representatives in California and Nevada worked tirelessly to ensure federal funds were available. The State of California and the State of Nevada would also have set aside funds in their respective budgets to help. About fifteen years ago, a non-profit organization entitled The Tahoe Fund was formed as the private funding source to augment the government dollars. In 2016, the US Senate sponsored legislation by Senator Heller (R-NV) and Reid (D-NV), joined with California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, to ensure another $415 million would be set aside as the legislation is designed to continue the ongoing effort to protect Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Basin from invasive species and devastating wildfires, while restoring Lake Tahoe’s water clarity and protecting threatened species and wildlands. Here is more details about the Tahoe Environment Improvement Program (EIP): https://eip.laketahoeinfo.org/About/EipOverview To this very day, the California and Nevada Senate and Congressional delegation that represent the Lake Tahoe Basin have made the difference in protecting Lake Tahoe. Working side by side regardless of political views, the common ground and collaborative approach is one reason that Senator Dianne Feinstein’s legacy is a reminder to all those of us who cherish our natural environment. I am sure there will be many tributes to her lengthy and historical political career. I had a conversation with the Senator back in 2011 on the back lawn of the West Shore Cafe in Homewood, where we discussed the long ago issues of the late 1990s and she recalled working with Congressman Campbell on two pieces of legislation that were very impactful to us: The Amy Somer Second Harvest Food Bank Act that allowed for a person of limited means (an individual on food stamps and/or Medical ) to volunteer at a food bank and receive, in exchange, a grocery bag of food. This simple legislation changed both labor and tax allowances that would deny that benefit. The second legislation was the expansion of the Peace Corp Act, which increased the number of slots funded each year so more young professionals could serve our country. Senator Feinstein ensured that legislation would receive a fair hearing in the US Senate. Thank you Senator Feinstein.
For more than 30 years, Senator Dianne Feinstein has been a juggernaut in the United States Senate. A lot of praise and respect will be given regarding her legacy in the days, weeks and months from now until her term ends in 2024. We all know the story about her rise in the San Francisco political circle from President of the SF Board of Supervisors, to appointed Mayor in 1978 following the tragic deaths of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.
Some will forget that she had a failed attempt to run for California Governor losing to then Senator Pete Wilson. It appeared that her political career had hit a roadblock. Governor Wilson appointed southern California State Senator John Seymour who would lose to Feinstein in the Year of the Women, as both Feinstein and Congress Member Barbara Boxer swept into the Senate. They remained in office for more than two decades before Senator Boxer decided not to run for re-election: Paving the way for Kamala Harris to be Senator and now Vice President.
Feinstein is the oldest currently serving senator at 89 years old and will be 91 by the time her term ends in 2025. She was eligible to serve as president pro tempore during this session of Congress as the longest-serving member of the majority party in the Senate, but she declined to take the role, instead passing it to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
During my tenure working for members of Congress in the 1980s and 1990s, our congressional office staff worked with Senator Feinstein on legislation and policies that impacted California and the country. While my Congressional bosses were always in agreement on some issues, it was the bipartisan relationship that helped pave the way to collaboration on many polices where there was agreement — The Desert Protection Act, Woman’s Right, Protecting our Monterey Bay, compromises on the Welfare Reform Act of 1995-96, and Gun control to name a few. During those years, the Congress and the US Senate had a more tempered relationship between the Democrats and Republicans. It was through bipartisan efforts where common ground was more important than party politics.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Feinstein emphasized her centrism when she first ran for statewide offices in the 1990s, at a time when California was more conservative. Over time, she has moved left of center as California became one of the most Democratic states, although she has never joined the ranks of progressives. She was once a member of the Senate's moderate, now-defunct Senate New Democrat Coalition.
When you have been a leader in politics for decades, like Senator Feinstein, there are dozens of policy shifts on important issues where your ideology changes because the times have changed. Criticism becomes part of the daily dialogue in Washington D.C. where the partisanship battle lines are drawn to pit one member against another. In most cases a Republican will lash out against a Democrat and visa-versa. In today’s political world, infighting between members of their own party are front and center to the attack. Senator Feinstein’s long history is chronicled here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianne_Feinstein
My take on Senator Feinstein is framed by my own passion for our Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the wonders of Lake Tahoe, my native home. One particular exchange came in 2010-2012, when I was a sitting board member of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). I served on the TRPA board as the California Governor appointee from 2009-2021 — with two year terms as vice chair and board chair. As some of you may know, in 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Tahoe Restoration Act that initially funded $300 million to protect Lake Tahoe. The seed funding continued to be the lead source of government funding necessary to the advancement and protection of the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Over the past two decades Senator Feinstein, the bipartisan Senate, and the congressional representatives in California and Nevada worked tirelessly to ensure federal funds were available. The State of California and the State of Nevada would also have set aside funds in their respective budgets to help. About fifteen years ago, a non-profit organization entitled The Tahoe Fund was formed as the private funding source to augment the government dollars.
In 2016, the US Senate sponsored legislation by Senator Heller (R-NV) and Reid (D-NV), joined with California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, to ensure another $415 million would be set aside as the legislation is designed to continue the ongoing effort to protect Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Basin from invasive species and devastating wildfires, while restoring Lake Tahoe’s water clarity and protecting threatened species and wildlands. Here is more details about the Tahoe Environment Improvement Program (EIP): https://eip.laketahoeinfo.org/About/EipOverview
To this very day, the California and Nevada Senate and Congressional delegation that represent the Lake Tahoe Basin have made the difference in protecting Lake Tahoe. Working side by side regardless of political views, the common ground and collaborative approach is one reason that Senator Dianne Feinstein’s legacy is a reminder to all those of us who cherish our natural environment. I am sure there will be many tributes to her lengthy and historical political career. I had a conversation with the Senator back in 2011 on the back lawn of the West Shore Cafe in Homewood, where we discussed the long ago issues of the late 1990s and she recalled working with Congressman Campbell on two pieces of legislation that were very impactful to us: The Amy Somer Second Harvest Food Bank Act that allowed for a person of limited means (an individual on food stamps and/or Medical ) to volunteer at a food bank and receive, in exchange, a grocery bag of food. This simple legislation changed both labor and tax allowances that would deny that benefit. The second legislation was the expansion of the Peace Corp Act, which increased the number of slots funded each year so more young professionals could serve our country. Senator Feinstein ensured that legislation would receive a fair hearing in the US Senate. Thank you Senator Feinstein.