Why Feinstein’s approval is sinking in new poll? - Hint: NSA

[Jesus Malverde]

It’s no surprise that only 11 percent of California registered voters who represented in the new Field Poll think Congress is doing a good job. (Who are THOSE people, and will they share their happy juice?)

No, the big news in the new Field Poll is that Sen. Dianne Feinstein — who has long been one of the more popular pols in California — isn’t so highly thought of anymore.

Her approval rating sank to an all-time low (for her) of 43 percent. The poll found that 36 percent disapprove of the way she’s doing her job and 21 percent have no opinion of … someone who has been in the Senate for 20 years and on the state’s political scene for four decades. Perhaps they’ll have one when they exit their cave.

Feinstein’s approval rating is now similar to that of fellow Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. That’s a surprise: As the Fieldsters put it, “Throughout most of her tenure, Boxer has typically received somewhat lower job approval ratings than her Democratic colleague Feinstein. That is no longer the case.”

Indeed, Boxers approval rating is actually UP to 44 percent from 39 percent in 2011.

What’s up with DiFi? Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo posits that it could be her defense of the National Security Agency surveillance techniques earlier this year in the wake of the Edward Snowden leaks, as Comrade Lochhead has described.

snip

“Feinstein was very visible on the talk show circuit and elsewhere defending the oversight of the NSA,” DiCamillo said. “And apparently the voters have remembered that.”

http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2013/12/14/why-feinsteins-approval-is-sinking-in-new-poll/

[tularetom]

1. NSA is just the last straw for many people but she has never been popular with real Democrats

Maybe it's because of the bazillions of dollars she and her husband have made off the war on terror of which she was an early and enthusiastic supporter.

IMO she has been fortunate to run against really repulsive republicans ("repulsicans?&quot in each of her senatorial elections. And she coasted for a long time on the basis of her performance as SF mayor in the aftermath of the Moscone/Milk assassinations.

There really isn't a lot there to admire. And a lot of people have finally come to that conclusion.

[sandyshoes17]

2. Feel the same

I have never trusted her. And after giving her husband those contracts and making a lot of money from the war she was out in my book.

[BlueCheese]

19. It wasn't so much the last straw for me...

... as it was the last truckload of bricks.

I agree with you-- Feinstein needs to go.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Gosh. That's really tragic. I feel ever sooooo sorry for her.

On second thought...

[Bjorn Against]

4. When is she up for reelection again? She seems a prime target for a primary challenger

[truedelphi]

6. Feinstein controls the Democratic Party here in California.

About the only person who doesn't need her blessing to run on the "D" ticket is one Jerry Brown.

Anyone else who wants to be able to be a candidate HAS TO be approved by her. Or one of her minions, of whom she has close oversight.

[Bjorn Against]

8. Even more reason to primary her.

[truedelphi]

21. Unless she is recalled, she will hold her Senate Seat until

January 20, 2019. (And recall is highly unlikely.)

[Le Taz Hot]

17. She was just re-elected in 2012.

The California Democratic Party will now tolerate any challengers. They consider her a shoe-in and they don't want to rock the boat. By 2018 she'll be close to 80 and I would think even she would consider not running again.

[politichew]

5. No one should celebrate this.

Holding the Senate is going to be tough enough.

[truedelphi]

7. Holding the Senate has nothing to do with her.

She was re-elected in 2012, and she won't be up for office until 2018.

Of course, the more people who become aware of her villainy, the more likely she might be re-called, but I doubt it.

[davidpdx]

10. I doubt it as well

Recall efforts are tough and hard to pull off. I'd hate for her to be recalled and then get a R replacing her. She's bad, but not batshit.

[truedelphi]

12. Not Batshit? She is a totally corrupt human being.

She re-designed the Senate Code of ethics, such that the code no longer prohibits almost any conflict of interest.

She spills state secrets to her husband so she can have him bid on Government Contracts. This involves her leaking info to the spouse, from her involvement as Chairwoman on various Intel and Defense Committees in the US Senate. Reason for her doing this? For instance, several years back, he could bid for his construction firm to "re-construct" areas in Iraq that were about to be obliterated, so he didn't even need to bother with doing the reconstruction.

Recently her husband ended up receiving the exclusive ability to be the Sole Real Estate Agency for all USA Post Office Buildings and property, and you cannot find out much about that contract, as it is classified Top Secret.

She is gung ho for a Total Surveillance Society, in which almost everything involving governmental affairs is classified. And guess which spouse of which US Senator is going to have first hand information on what contracts to bid on.

The Democratic Party needs someone like this like they need a hole in their heads.

[840high]

16. Thanks - good info.

[truedelphi]

14. One other point to make about her - she deliberately threw not one

But two gubernatorial elections to the Republicans. The second of those elections, the Democratic Party had a chance with Steve Westly, but she chose Phil Angelides over him. And that guy was about as charismatic as a dying ferret, and in no way could stand up to Ahnold.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

15. A Republican will not replace her in California, whenever she leaves

...which I hope is soon.

[davidpdx]

9. She also refused to support the filibuster reform in Jan

But since she was just reelected California (and the rest of the country) is stuck with her until Jan 2019.

[backscatter712]

11. Feinstein desperately needs to be primaried and replaced with a real Democrat. n/t

[seattledo]

13. Exactly

Her centrist pandering is getting old.

[Le Taz Hot]

18. The CDP

discourages any challengers. Any challengers would have the full weight of the Democratic party AGAINST them even though in primaries they're not supposed to take sides. We all know how that works out.

[Wilms]

20. ^