Opinion By Donna Westfall – March 4, 2023
Hospitalized with shingles, Senator Feinstein expects to make a full recovery and return to Washington later this month.
At 89 years old, she’s finally decided not to run again. She has been in the public eye for over half a century. She is the oldest sitting US Senator and member of Congress. Her net worth: $110 million and that doesn’t include the $1 billion her late husband was worth when he passed away from cancer in 2022. At any rate, enough is enough. When will we have term limits on all politicians already?
Upon her retirement announcement California representatives Katie Porter and Adam Schiff announced their candidacy for the Senate seat Feinstein holds. Neither would get my vote. Recall that Adam Schiff was removed from House Intelligence Committee by the new House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy. Thank Goodness! Before moving to Crescent City, I was a Democrat and supported Feinstein. But after writing her numerous letters over the last 15 years and not liking her responses, she lost my support.
Feinstein started in the Senate in 1992. Let’s evaluate some of the issues and her current stance on:
ABORTION:
Since when does abortion equate to Reproductive Health Care. It should be re-labeled Fetus Death Act. Nevertheless, she’s been adamantly in favor of a women’s right to end a fetus’ life. She believes the abortion ban is unconstitutional and forgets that it’s not just the women’s life, it’s also the life of her fetus.
Meanwhile, any woman has carte blanche to come to our State and seek an abortion no questions asked.
AGRICULTURE:
“California is home to the largest food and agriculture industry in the nation. Senator Feinstein is working to ensure California remains a worldwide agriculture leader and the state’s farmers continue to feed the nation and world.”
In reality…” water deliveries in the Central Valley were cut by nearly 43% in both 2021 and 2022. Growers partially made up for those reductions by pumping more groundwater. Gross crop revenues fell $1.7 billion, or 4.6%, this year.” Nov 23, 2022
Our State agriculture industry is a $50 billion industry with 80% of our water going towards agriculture. But with droughts affecting water, agriculture is getting less and less. They will have to start taking lessons from Israel on how to grow in hot conditions.
About 90% of the rain water runs into the ocean. Why aren’t we collecting more water? I’m pretty sure taxpayers have already footed the bill to do something about collecting and storing water.
Desalination is taking effect in some parts of the state.
In our area, back in 2007, we were sold a bill of goods that our new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology would help pay for itself because it could crank out water so pure we could use it on irrigating our parks and for industry and maybe even sell some water.
Remember this by former Public Works Director, Jim Barnts; “We’ll get more bang for our buck!” Far as I can tell, it was just one more lie by our local government along with the $2 million lab would pay for itself in two years.
Anyways, guess what? Recycled water didn’t happen. May not happen in our lifetime. Why? Because around September 2022, engineers from Kennedy Jenks said that unless the city increases its potable water rates right now, they should forget about it and revisit the issue in 10 years. It doesn’t make financial sense with all the institutional, regulatory and technical effort involved with recycled water. We have the Smith River and groundwater basin that supply us just fine.
We’re talking about $600,000 to retrofit the WWTP with building distribution lines, storage tank and an irrigation system linking recycled water from the sewer plant to Beachfront Park. The Park that will be a destination point in the eyes of our current City Council. (Perhaps our City Council turns a blind eye to all the blight that is around this town.)
When suggested that fruit trees be planted around the dump, it was summarily rejected. After all, starvation does not seem to be a hot topic yet. All you can do is throw ideas out there and see if any of them stick.
CLIMATE CHANGE
“Feinstein has a proven record of fighting to protect our climate and eliminate harmful greenhouse gases.”
In reality… “With more greenhouse gasses insulating the planet, we’re going to continue to see higher temperatures year-round.” Sep 21, 2022
Could have fooled me. We’ve had more cold weather this year with rain, hail and snow than we’ve had in the last couple of decades.
There’s evidence of a megadrought period 1200 years ago that was worse than what California has been experiencing in the last number of years. Seems to me that the cycles our earth go through are normal, but hey, I’m no scientist.
ECONOMY
“She supports investments to help create more jobs and comprehensive tax reform to incentivize growth and reduce the deficit.”
In reality …Oops! Maybe she doesn’t realize with Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which she voted for, we’ve in a recession and have horrible inflation. The worst in the last 40 years. People are leaving California at an unprecedented rate. Why? Here’s just two reasons: Taxes too high and too much regulation.
The question for Feinstein, “What tax reform?” How about reducing just gas taxes?????
EDUCATION
“Senator Feinstein believes Washington must do more to improve the quality of K-12 education and increase the affordability of higher education.”
Whatever happened to California being #1 in education back in the 1950’s? We’re near the bottom these days. WHY? Forget higher education. Too many of our public school kids can’t read, write or do math/science.
If you ask Del Norte County School Board Member, Don McArthur what he plans on doing about improving the quality of our kids education, you get this for a response……… ZERO, ZIP, NOTHING. It’s like he doesn’t exist.
ENERGY
The United States needs a comprehensive, long-term plan to transition to a clean energy economy. Just as California leads the nation in pursuing clean energy, the United States should lead the world.
Filling a book on what’s wrong with California’s current plans in pursuing clean energy would be easy.
GUN SAFETY
“Senator Feinstein has long advocated for commonsense laws to reduce gun violence. Most notably, she achieved passage of the landmark, federal Assault Weapons Ban in 1994 and has advocated for its reinstatement since it expired in 2004.”
Just remember, criminals don’t go in for commonsense laws about guns.
With crime rampant, it’s time to bring back gun safety classes to public schools. Better to be prepared to defend one’s life than depend on a crumbling law enforcement system though out our state
Meanwhile, credit card companies have started tracking gun purchases. Now, who do you think those purchases will be monitored by?
HEALTH CARE
“Senator Feinstein supports ongoing efforts to improve access to care, reduce costs for patients and families and make investments in research and disease prevention.”
That’s nicely said, but in reality, Del Norte County has inadequate health care. Problems in retention of medical professionals. Problems with even getting access to see a doctor without waiting for months for an appointment. Let’s not even get started on dental care. In a word; dismal.
IMMIGRATION
“Senator Feinstein for many years has been at the forefront of the fight to fix America’s failed immigration policies. She has been a staunch advocate for a farmworker protection program as well as for passage of the Dream Act and protections for immigrant children.”
In 2006, she actually voted for a fence on the Southern Border. Changed her mind apparently when Biden announced his free for all open door policy. They talk out of both sides of their mouth. Worried about inflation? Nope. In reality, they will bankrupt this country by providing so much for all the millions of illegal aliens. Not to mention all the drugs, human/sex trafficking and criminals coming into our country. Law and Order? Not any longer.
LABOR
“Senator Feinstein has a long history of fighting to protect workers’ rights in the workplace and has a strong pro-labor record.”
What workplace? Do you know how many businesses have closed in the last 3 years? Or how many have moved out of California and into places like Texas? You have to have workers willing to work in order to talk about workers’ rights in the workplace. Too many Californians are willing to be a couch potato rather than get up off their tush and get a job.
But it is time for the Crescent City, City Council and the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors to change their priorities. Better they should spend time on bringing in industry and creating jobs than almost anything else.
VETERANS
“California is home to nearly 2 million veterans, more than any other state. Senator Feinstein is committed to improving the services provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs.”
Then why are so many Vets homeless these days and suffering from PTSD and suicides?
WATER:
Senator Feinstein helped secure nearly $900 million for the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation in the fiscal year 2023 government funding bill to fund water infrastructure and drought resilience programs in California.
Question: What ever happened to all the money, taxpayer money, that was supposed to go towards our state’s water problems?
Suggestion for our area. Every household have at least one 55 gallon rain barrel to collect rain water.
Feinstein’s Notable voting record:
She voted “Guilty” both times to impeach former President Trump, who I believe to be the best President in the last six decades.
At least we don’t have to worry about Feinstein missing a meal or going homeless as at last look she’s worth $110 million and that doesn’t include the $1 billion left by her husbands death from cancer last year. Here’s a thought. Maybe she’ll bequeath some of that back to the taxpayer?
