Mastodawn

LArefugee Apr 27, 2023

All, if you need proof that Feinstein's absence matters, look at today's vote.

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3973488-senate-votes-to-overturn-biden-truck-pollution-limit/

The vote was 50-49, because:

1. Manchin voted with the GOP,
2. Feinstein is still out.

If Feinstein had been there, it would have been 50-50- and Harris as tie-breaker.

Senate votes to overturn Biden truck pollution limit

The Senate on Wednesday passed a Republican-led effort to undo a Biden administration rule that aims to cut pollution from heavy-duty trucks. The vote was 50-49. Sen Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) voted with Republicans to get rid of the rule. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who has been absent from the Senate amid health issues, did not vote.…

The Hill

Celeste Pewter Apr 26, 2023

3. Yes, Biden is expected to veto.

But this is only one example of how one person's absence can impact the Senate, when there are such narrow margins.

(See: judiciary nominations).

I'm not one to push someone off their job, but I'm also worried, especially given the bad 2024 map for Senate Dems.

NOW is the time to shore up as much as possible. And we can't do that, if we're missing a key vote.

azteclady has moved Apr 26, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Given how many campaign promises Biden has defaulted on (COVID and immigration, just to name two), it's already going to be uphill to get people to vote against the fascists; we really need to get as much done before then as possible.

(I know you know, it's just ::throws hands up in frustration:: )

tobie Apr 27, 2023

@herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter Oh, good grief, with razor thin majorities and a conservative judiciary he couldn't do everything he wanted to. Geez...this is real life, not unicorn land.

In real life, it's amazing he withdrew troops from Afghanistan, got major climate legislation passed, signed order for student debt relief, negotiated a global corporate minimum tax rate, ended family separation, established protections for LGBTQ in the military, infrastructure legislation, etc.

Jasmine Apr 27, 2023

@tobie @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter

Biden is a career politician. He okayed the Willow project, broke a strike, is partly responsible for the student loan debt crisis, his 1994 crime bill is responsible for the mass incarceration of POC. He's against universal healthcare, expanding the Supreme Court, and abolishing the filibuster. He's a proud, neo liberal capitalist🤮 He's not the good guy.

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@MysticaRose @tobie @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter we don’t have many choices. I blame us all for not pushing Newsom and the other to jump in last year. Now, we just have to get our shit together. Focus on local, state and Congress. Conservatives have power over us because they invested in local, state and congressional elections.

Jasmine Apr 28, 2023

@Agora @tobie @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter

Conservatives have power over us because we were conned into thinking governments were necessary. They aren't. All governments are AUTHORITARIAN. Conservatives need a powerful daddy figure be it called god, king, or president. Life is literally one random event happening after another, we named that chaos. Governments cannot stop chaos. The only constant in life is CHANGE. Conservatives hate change, they're afraid of everything.

Princess Unikitty Apr 27, 2023

@tobie @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter
Stop making excuses for your preferred faction of the gerontocracy. You're not helping anything by doing it. In fact, you're making things ever-so-slightly worse.

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@tobie @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter he can tell Feinstein to get her shit together. That’s not hard at all.

tobie Apr 27, 2023

@Agora @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter I'm sure he's been in touch with Feinstein and like any skilled politician is not tweeting or tooting about it. That would be dumb.

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@tobie @herhandsmyhands @Celeste_pewter I don’t blindly trust these people. Besides, he has millions of things to worry about.
That said, he is the president of the The USA. Manchin, Sinema and Feinstein shouldn’t be giving him problems at all. Well, Sinema is no longer a Democrat.
But, he has the power to tell Feinstein what to do. He can do that without turning into a fascist because what Feinstein is doing is undermining the president.

anlomedad Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter
Incredible. What a clusterfuck. And all down to gerrymandering + the 2-party-system, I assume.

How do senators in the US in theory make their decision on how to vote on a certain bill?
In Germany, the "senators" in the "Bundes-Rat" get their input from proper ministries and their respective heads-of-ministry.
Ministries are headed by coalition contract. In our multi-party system that often means that environment ministries in federal states are headed by a Greens party member. These inform the state's cabinet of how they wish to vote on a certain bill in the Bundes-Rat. The cabinet agrees [on a compromise], and the senator votes accordingly in the Rat, regardless of which party the senator belongs to.
So in practice, federal bills in Germany that require a senate vote to pass legislation, are informed by ministry workers, ministry-owned research institutes, and amended by party politicks from 16 environment ministers and 16 state cabinets.
US : how?

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter I am livid🤬🤬🤬

Shannon DeMaria Apr 26, 2023

@Celeste_pewter As a Californian and constituent, I sent a message to her office regarding this vote and judicial confirmations calling for her to step down if she is unable to perform her senatorial duties. I doubt it makes a difference, but fwiw I guess. Her office's contact info can be found here if anyone else wants to plead into the void:
https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Contact - United States Senator for California

climate voter/degrowthist Apr 26, 2023

@Celeste_pewter WTF is wrong with these people.

TC Won't Give In To Lies Apr 26, 2023

@Celeste_pewter
Feinstein needs to retire ASAP!
If she can't be there to do the job, she owes it to the party to allow someone else to do so.

Joel Jacobsen Apr 27, 2023

@TCatInReality @Celeste_pewter Feinstein owes it to the American people. Resign!

zaquintar Apr 26, 2023

@Celeste_pewter manchin should definitely go through with his White House ambitions so he can experience the nationwide scorn he deserves

Pat Madigan Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter As an aside, I would like to send this coffee mug to Joe Manchin.

Celeste Pewter Apr 27, 2023

@patmadigan I want this mug.

Pat Madigan Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter me too! 😄

Nihl L'Amas Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter She was too busy insulting children.

Darwin Woodka Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter she needs to GO

James Glueck Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Unconscionable. #Feinstein needs to GO and FAST

lolonurse Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter
In case Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc., (& the government's ultra-secure versions) wasn't enough "virtual reality" for someone to vote from their home/home office, may I reference the pandemic, where huge bunches of very important people conducted business remotely for a couple of years. The out-dated rule of "must be physically present to vote" is a large crock of hooey! (but if she's that indisposed, she should retire & let her successor VOTE!!

John Shirley Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Manchin can go straight to hell.

There should have been someone appointed to take Feinstein's place.

That's Doctor Foreigner 🛂Apr 27, 2023

@JohnShirley2023 @Celeste_pewter she has to resign first, before an appointment can happen, alas. Extended medical leave just leaves the open seat.

sandywb14 Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter I understand sick leave is a right she has. However, at 89, it’s not feasible to bounce back to work as easily. She needs to resign and allow what little progress we have to continue.

Anti Gravity Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter
Dems don’t have Sinema to shake their fists at anymore so Feinstein is filling in.

Zelmo Ziggy Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Can’t Biden veto it?

Celeste Pewter Apr 27, 2023

@ZZiggy Yep - I said in my follow up toot that Biden is expected to veto.

Greg Spooner Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Lost count of the number of times over the last few years that centrist pals told me that Feinstein should stay.

Donna Howard Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter I sent messages to both of my WA state Senators, Murray and Cantwell, today. I asked them to encourage Feinstein to resign. We can applaud her accomplishments and appreciate her service while acknowledging that it is time for her to pass the torch. Everyone with Democratic Senators should do the same.

MyOpinion Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Feinstein for all that is good in the world show up for your job!

Spicewalla Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter

Why isn't she voting by proxy? She can't do that for roll call votes, but she can for committee votes, but evidently she has not been.

Cykonot Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter why do you think she would have voted for it

Kimberley Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Well, at least Sen. Feinstein's ego is safe and sound. And that's why our common government exists, to make infirm public servants feel good.

@Celeste_pewter how quaint that y’all blame Feinstein for Manchins actions (i.e. for not compensating them)

SometimesIGetBored Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Manchin is just a rotating villain. If Feinstein was there Sinema would have crossed over as well. There's always just enough Democrats to cross over.

A Tattered Scrapbook Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter Democrats finding a way to sabotage themselves, and those who voted for them. So much for “Vote Blue!” The American people, and, therefore, the world, is being betrayed. Curiously, it seems we need four more years of ineffectiveness as the only possible alternative to theocratic fascism.

pmoe Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter your country is a ducking basket case

Michael Gartenberg Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter
It's sad to watch the legacy of a fine politician and public service turn into this horrible fiasco. Her people are doing her no service and I suspect age will now also become an issue for president Biden. It's not ageist or misogynist to ask her to step down. This isn't about a case of shingles.
@ianbetteridge

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter We need to call the other Senator from NY who keeps making excuses for Feinstein. FFS , Democrats!!😩😩😩

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter this is beyond fucked up.

Agora Apr 27, 2023

@Celeste_pewter @mollyjongfast @joyannreid @joyannreid

Do you guys know if Rachel Maddow is on here? We need Democrats to shut this Senate fiasco down right now😡😡😡😡