Disappointed in the office of Sen. Feinstein.

[WarGamer]

Over the years, I've reached out to contact Senators, State/Congressional Reps and Governors...

80% of the time I get some sort of response, if even a form letter or email response.

A month ago I wrote an email to Sen. Feinstein to repeat one of my pet peeves.

I stated that a primary focus of the new Democratic "Trifecta" in D.C. should be taking a good hard look at minimum Social Security payments. If someone worked a lot of years at home caring for children or elderly, if they were self employed reporting low income or worked low wage jobs there is a strong possibility that they will only qualify for around $600 per month at retirement.

That reinforces the trope of the Senior eating cat food.

I think we need a really simple piece of legislation, increase the minimum Social Security benefit AND lower the number of credits required to get it.

I think, in 2021 the minimum payment should start at 1200/mo.

And yes, I Know that the Senator doesn't read emails but her staff could have at least pushed the "send boilerplate response" button.

[JohnSJ]

1. Is Senator Feinstein your Senator?

[WarGamer]

3. Yes, my long time home is in SoCal

But I've been working near D.C. since last October. In my semi-retirement, as a Consultant I travel a lot now... or at least I did pre-Covid.

I probably could have gone home earlier but I like it here this time of year.

[JohnSJ]

12. Well it has been a hit or miss with me when contacting Feinstein's office. My suggestion is you try

and call one of her offices and talk to a live person. And express not only your concerns, but your disappointment that you never get an acknowledgement from her office

[cally]

4. She has never responded to me

And my numerous emails and letters over the years. Others have.

[Bayard]

5. When I lived in CA

Major problems. I contacted Barbara Boxer's office, and Diane Feinstein's. Boxer's office showed a very personal interest, and stayed in regular contact, making suggestions, and trying to help. Finally got a form letter from Feinstein about 2 months too late.

[PoliticAverse]

6. Biden's proposal when he was running for President was...

Replace Social Security’s existing minimum benefit, which is too low to help many beneficiaries, with a meaningful minimum benefit equal to 125% of the Federal Poverty Level for a single adult, or $15,950 annually in 2020.

[Celerity]

9. yes, but campaign promises are very often changed once the maker of them is elected

example:

Biden's New Student Loan Cancellation Plan

April 10, 2020

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2020/04/10/bidens-new-student-loan-cancellation-plan

Joe Biden on Thursday announced a plan to cancel student loan debt for low- and middle-income borrowers who attended a public college or private historically black institution.

The former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee's proposal, announced in a Medium post, moves him somewhat closer to the debt cancellation plan from Senator Bernie Sanders, who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this week and had said he would seek to cancel all student debt as president.

Biden's plan would forgive all undergraduate tuition-related federal student debt for borrowers who earn up to $125,000 a year and who attended community college or four-year public colleges and universities.

The federal government would cover monthly payments for borrowers until the forgivable amount was paid off under his proposal, which would apply to borrowers who attended private HBCUs or minority-serving institutions

now


Biden again rejects $50,000 student loan debt forgiveness plan pushed by other top Democrats

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/16/politics/student-loan-forgiveness-biden/index.html

Washington (CNN)President Joe Biden made it clear during Tuesday night's CNN town hall that he disagrees with other members of his party who want to cancel $50,000 of student debt per borrower.

"I will not make that happen," Biden said after a member of the audience said his proposal to cancel $10,000 per borrower doesn't go far enough.

[speak easy]

14. Biden will cancel $50K or more if Congress sends him a Bill

but will not cancel much more than $10K by executive order.

If Congress sent him the 'Biden Plan' for cancelling community/public college debt, yes he would sign it. It is still his preferred outcome.

The same for for the 'Biden Plan' for heath insurance - the Public Option, the $15 minimum wage, and all the rest - he wants them all -in legislation. The president is at heart an institutionalist - process matters.

[Celerity]

16. fair enough point, unfortunately I doubt it, nor the 15 usd, nor (especially this) the public option

will get passed for President Biden to sign.

[WarGamer]

18. I wonder what it would take to make that actually happen.

Speaking of stuff that can help WIN in '22... increasing the size of SS checks is DEFINITELY one way.

[Mr.Bill]

7. Whenever I contact my Congressman about any subject

he never fails to respond with an Email instructing me how to send him money.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Doubt she will be elected for another term.

[Celerity]

11. she would be within 5 and a half months or so of turning 98 years old at the end of her next term

Even if she does run in 2024, I cannot see her winning re-election.

She also is completely against doing away with the filibuster, and is against any expansion of the Supreme Court, which will not aid her.

[LiberalFighter]

13. If you are in her district...

a letter to the editor with those issues might be worthwhile to write.

[Celerity]

15. Her state, and yes, I am registered in CA. My House Rep is the wonderful Ted Lieu. As we get closer

to 2024, IF Feinstein signals she may run again, the majority of the CA Dem Party will shut it down I wager. She already has cognitive issues, unfortunately, and stepped down from her leadership role on the Judiciary Committee in December 2020.

There have been only 4 Senators ever in US history who served in their 90's : Theodore F. Green, Carl Hayden, Robert Byrd, and Strom Thurmond (100yo and a senile lump of shit long before that). Only Hayden was still healthy and actually completely sound at the end.

Feinstein will be the 5th (even if she doesn't run in 2024), and IF he runs in 2022, Grassley would be the 6th. Inhofe will turn 90 during his current term (he was just re-elected at the age of 86). Shelby is retiring before he hits 90.

Only one House Rep has ever, in US history, served into their 90's, Ralph Hall, who retired in 2015, and died 2 years ago. Don Young, if he runs again in 2022, would be the 2nd. Eddie Bernice Johnson would have to run in 2022 and 2024 and then she would be the third.

[Treefrog]

10. Seniors eating cat food?

Oh, just no. Beans are much cheaper. Have you bought cat food lately?

[Raine]

17. I always get a nice response from her that addresses the issue

I was concerned about Padilla just sends a generic good for anything and everything response. Maybe it's because he's been in such short a time to enact any legislation that his response is so bland. 🤔