San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Feinstein needs to lead on killing Senate filibuster
Sen. Dianne Feinstein must speak out for federal voting rights legislation and endorse filibuster reform. While those representing far fewer constituents boast their bold opposition, where is our senator’s voice?
Feinstein represents a state with model ballot access and election integrity. Yet, an over-represented Senate minority blocks model protections from becoming federal law. The Senate’s failure devalues our democracy with unchecked voter suppression in our sister states.
Last summer, Feinstein urged passage of voting rights protections, but dodged the question of how to prevent a filibuster blockade. She can evade this question no longer. It’s time, Senator! Your president, your party and your constituents need your full-throated support for an unobstructed Senate vote on voting rights.
Through seven re-elections we raised our voice to support you. Now, you must lift your voice to advance a Senate vote so all legitimate American votes count, and all Californians get fair treatment in federal elections.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein has expressed support for protecting voting rights but not for eliminating the Senate filibuster to pass legislation.
told me that by helping my friend out, I am actually enabling his homelessness.
I have assisted in finding temporary housing, getting his ID, food stamps, general assistance and Social Security for my adoptee, but I will require official help if my friend will ever get permanently housed. This is where I ask all who are concerned to take my lead and adopt a friend. To ignore this problem won’t make the problem go away.
tend to overlook one important point: the elk have no natural predators. They will reproduce endlessly, until they have exhausted the forage. Then there will be lingering deaths. Is it humane to create such a situation?
In 1978, the National Park Service introduced 10 elk to the area. By 1990 the herd was larger than the 140-animal carrying capacity. No one anticipated that some of the elk would swim across Tomales Bay and establish a new herd at Drake’s Beach.
Non-venison eaters were horrified in 1992 when the National Park Service sought to shoot some. Since then, the herd size has been uncontrolled, resulting in elk malnutrition and deaths.
While policies on controlling water pollution due to cattle ranching may need to be improved, the majority of
Californians do consume beef and dairy products. Point Reyes is a source of high quality local foods for the Bay Area. Unless the elk lovers are willing to reintroduce grizzly bears to control the size of elk herds, their reintroduction should be viewed as a failed experiment.