Can someone from CA explain how Diane Feinstein, Ellen Tauscher, Jane Harman stay in office?

[brentspeak]

How did they even get into office?

[Duer 157099]

1. *sigh* I'm sorry

:shrug:

I think because they are women with a "D" next to their names.

[EFerrari]

2. Because there are a good number of Republicans here?

It's really only the coast that is consistently leftish.

[Gormy Cuss]

29. And only portions of the coast at that.

San Diego being the greatest exception in terms of population.

Tauscher's district has swung much more to the left in the time that I've lived here but it's still has many conservatives. Tauscher has actually helped make this area viable for Democrats.

[Frank Booth]

31. Harman's district is on the coast, and it's generally a very liberal area.

I think Harman's managed to stay in office this long on the basis of name recognition and money. When she first got elected the district was more conservative, and she was a more "representative" representative. Now, it makes no sense that we have such a DINO. Hopefully, this sleaze-ball will have to resign.

[FLAprogressive]

3. because liberal Dems have been perpetually tricked by the DLC

into thinking that all Democrats are liberals like they are (using social issues like choice and gay rights to show a "difference" between Fein$tein, Tau$cher and Harman and your average snotball Repuke)

[county worker]

4. Believe it or not we have as many wing nuts as liberals in CA

Harman is from a wing nut area I think. Orange county. No one liberal enough has run against Di Fi.

[FLAprogressive]

6. Harman's district is rated D+12 and voted for Obama 64-33.....

nice try.

[county worker]

9. Nice try? what the hell is that all about? I said I think not I know!

Man some of the shit here at DU is for crap! Get a fucking life!

[Cant trust em]

10. For real.

I don't know why people think this discussion board is such a big deal. They act like we're writing a masters thesis here or something.

[rufus dog]

22. I would guess she has a huge number of retired defense contractor employees

as constituents. The area probably had 250,000 to 500,000 defense contractor jobs in the 70's and 80's. There used to be huge TRW, Hughes, and other complexes just south of LAX. Torrance and El Segundo are right down the road with a lot of houses built during the boom.

[rufus dog]

19. She is from LA County

Represents the coastline down from LAX to the LA Harbor. (Torrance, Redondo Beach)

If I recall she had a lot of family money from Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity Speakers and Amps. District is fairly conservative and she shuts down the liberal contenders with her money.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. She's not from OC ....... try Venice .... an area very opposite OC

[NV Whino]

5. Because all the dem money is behind them.

As for DiFi, no one of merit runs against her. I'm hoping she retires next time and Barbara Lee will run for her spot.

[succubus.blues]

7. I love Lee

She would be great.

[bemildred]

8. California used to be a Republican state.

The transition is not complete. Back in the 90s somebody decided to move a lot of the defense spending back East, and the demographics have changed a lot too, and we are very multi-cultural. I only recently got a Democratic congressperson to represent me, and he is still way the heck to the right of where I sit.

DiFi was a big deal when she got in with Boxer, because they were Democrats AND women. That was in the 90s.

George W. Bush, bless his little heart, did a lot to move the process along.

Remember, we gave the USA Raygun.

[saltpoint]

11. Jane Harmon should be cast as the soulless stepmother in Hansel & Gretel,

the haggard, selfish stepparent who bullies Pops into leading the 2 younguns into the wilderness and leaving them there for the wolves.

I never did like her much.

[GreenTea]

12. I've voted against Feinstein ever since she was mayor of SF I always vote for the usual more

progressive Dem in every primary and in the general election I always vote for the most liberal or green candidate instead of Feinstein....NEVER in my life have I ever voted for a Republican or Libertarian though....I won't vote for Feinstein, far too right-wing for me and I won't vote for her for Governor under any circumstance....I'll vote for Jerry Brown.

[arthritisR_US]

13. they are bought and paid for so they can afford the best and most ad time. n/t

[RB TexLa]

14. Someone with a net worth of close to $600M is bought and paid for?

Sure. :crazy:

[brentspeak]

15. I don't know who you're referring to, regarding a net worth of $600 million

But Feinstein's is around $100 million, not including her husband, Richard Blum's, fortune.

In any case, it's been http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_C._Blum#Controversy">well known for years that Blum has been made super-duper wealthy thanks in large part to Diane Feinstein's pulling strings for him in the Senate.

So, yeah -- "bought and paid for" is the exact correct way of putting it.

[RB TexLa]

16. Jane Harmon is worth between $200 to $600 million. It's not something that is secret.

[brentspeak]

20. Well, that's very impressive that Harmon's vast wealth is not "something that is secret".

Getting back to the actual point, though -- why would that insure Harmon is not under the command of lobbyists?

[RB TexLa]

21. I'm not concerned with if she is or not.

[XemaSab]

17. DiFi is better than the FREAKS who run against her

She's not terrific, but she's better than the alternative.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

18. I think Dianne Feinstein

has gotten worse over the years in that she talks out of both sides of her mouth. The worst thing about her though, is her husband's profiteering in the Iraq War.

Jane Harman had a real close call in her last election from a progressive female Dem. This latest dust up could finish her off.

[salguine]

24. Because once you're in office, it's virtually impossible

to pry your ass back out of that seat. Incumbents have all the money and connections, and under our system, money and connections are virtually the sole determining factor in who wins elections. That's why there's a 98% incumbent return rate in any given election.

[Lindsey]

26. DiFi never fails to upset me. Another poster said it first, I can't

even think of people who've run against her. I hope she retires. She such a classic example of a DINO. I don't know what the Jane Harmon issue is about (haven't had time to read about it) but I know one of her areas is Venice Beach 'cause I have a good friend that has a house there and Harmon's her Rep.

[saltpoint]

30. Strange to say, one of DiFi's once-upon-a-time challengers was GOP

dunderhead Mike Huffington, the the-husband of Arianna Huffington, the progressive editor of the Huffington Post.

[Hannah Bell]

25. they have rich masters.

[Occam Bandage]

27. I'm guessing it has something to do with the voters.

Oh, poor DU. You may never learn that politicians are elected by voters and not by "principles."

[omega minimo]

28. $