Nation needs more politicians like Feinstein

“Apolitical giant,” “a trailblazing titan,” “an extraordinary American leader,” “gracious and dignified … she was always prepared but she was also fierce, determined, and incredibly capable” and “one of the greatest public servants that California and our nation has ever known.” Those are just a few of the tributes to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died last week at the age of 90.

With her passing, the United States has not only lost a great leader who inspired generations of women, we have lost one of the last true advocates for good public policy rather than political gamesmanship and clickbait trolling.

Her groundbreaking success stemmed from an unflinching belief that good public policy serves the needs of the American people, not just the interests or beliefs of those in power. And that bipartisan compromise was a virtue that signaled slow and steady progress rather than a weakness ripe for attack by hardliners and extremists.

As California’s first female U.S. senator, Feinstein’s male counterparts continuously demanded that she prove herself worthy of being taken seriously. Yet instead of arguing with her critics, she often befriended them. Working together, they could identify a problem and collaborate on solutions that could survive the political and legislative process.

In a statement reflecting on Feinstein’s passing, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-minn., remarked, “(Feinstein) was one to base her decisions on facts and one to actually lead by example, and that’s what she did for so many women.”

Most importantly, she possessed seemingly limitless grit and determination. As she famously told Jerry Roberts, former managing editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, “Never let them see you cry.” This statement was a guiding principle for Feinstein, who survived an abusive childhood, was widowed at a young age, and found the bullet-riddled bodies of assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

Instead of crying, she threw herself into becoming a bona fide expert in policy arenas that were previously thought to be beyond the purview and capabilities of female lawmakers, such as crime, national defense, and foreign intelligence.

The combination of grit, expertise and willingness to compromise to find realistic policy solutions to meet society’s ills made Feinstein a triple threat and led to her becoming the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, and first woman to be top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.

As a result, she built unlikely coalitions and successfully passed legislation that most pundits thought impossible. Among the most notable are the 1994 assault weapons ban, fiscal allocations to protect and preserve western water and massive tracts of beautiful western wilderness, and an amendment to a post-9/11 defense bill that banned the torture of foreign detainees following the groundbreaking Senate investigation, which she led, into how terrorism interrogations were conducted.

As if to underscore her belief in bipartisan cooperation and serving the interests of all people, not just “her” people, Feinstein’s 1994 election was marked by her fierce advocacy for the rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community and conservative central-valley farmers — both of which she continued to advocate for until her death.

Unfortunately, such bipolar alliances are no longer allowed in the era of performative social media politics.

Too many Americans, especially (but not exclusively) conservative Americans, now vote in a manner that rewards public performances and stunts designed to discredit their political adversaries while accomplishing little of substance on policy. Like the reality TV shows that have come to dominate U.S. airwaves, too many people are more focused on building audience and getting “likes” than getting something of value accomplished that serves the American people.

But Feinstein’s life and death show us that it doesn’t have to be this way. Just hours before her death she was still on the floor of the U.S. Senate, casting a vote to prevent a government shutdown. As much as her legacy is one of a trailblazing woman and lawmaker, it is also a legacy of using facts, data and strong relationships that cross partisan lines to find viable solutions for realworld problems faced by everyday Americans.

We should all aspire to learn more, build stronger relationships and work together with people who come from different backgrounds and beliefs to meet America’s challenges. That would be a fitting and lasting tribute to the legacy of Dianne Feinstein.