I just got back from a "community meeting" with Dianne Feinstein

[Cant trust em]

Of course the senator wasn't there, so we were greeted by two assistant field representatives. Their format for outreach has been to hold hour long appointments throughout the week. There were approximately 30 people at this gathering with everyone but 1 person in favor of health care and a "robust" public option. In general there were good comments made and wasn't disruptive. The meeting was held in the lobby of a private office building in downtown San Francisco. As a result, you couldn't take pictures.

The problem here is that the people they sent out don't know anything and can't give any details. As a result, it just winds up being a forum to air our thoughts where these people will take the comments and pass them up to someone else. The staffer maintained that she supported a public option, but could not speak about it in detail because "he isn't privy to that information". According to him, Senator Feinstein isn't privy to discussions that are going on in the finance committee either. There is basically no information on her website other than that she supports reform.

My comments were this.

1. Put detailed information on what the senator supports on her website.
2. Hold real town halls for us to get information. If the senator cannot be present, then to provide someone who can provide answers.
3. Become a real leader on this issue

[grantcart]

1. thanks for the update

[babylonsister]

2. What the hell-she wasn't there? Did just about everyone walk

away feeling they'd wasted their time?

I'd be pissed.

[Cant trust em]

5. I made my comments and split.

I know what's going to happen to these comments. I'm happy that there were people there who were for reform, but without any ability to give answers on what the senator will do, it's pretty useless.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I almost feel good I did not sign up for this

travesty...

I will continue harra... err calling her office... like I do every so often.

[Cant trust em]

8. It was easy enough for me to stop by, it only took me 15 minutes to get there

My biggest frustration is that they sent out two lackeys to talk with us. These guys have to have the worst job in politics.

[DJ13]

4. Become a real leader on this issue

She has a bad habit of waiting to see which direction the wind blows before choosing sides.

I cant recall the last time she was really out in front of an issue.

[Cant trust em]

6. This issue is merely political for her.

[pinto]

7. I agree, it ought to be a two way street. I'm fine with staff taking questions, but give them enough

info to provide some substantive feedback. I understand that committee deliberations may be closely held, even among some Senators, or considered "not for public discussion" until there's some tangible proposals - yet some real time give and take would help everyone - Senator, staffers and constituents.

[MindPilot]

9. "...office building in downtown San Francisco. As a result, you couldn't take pictures."

Yes, but did you have a loaded side arm? It's perfectly safe and legal, unlike (gasp) photographs.

:sarcasm:

[babylonsister]

10. Dianne Feinstein’s Office Gripes To White House About OFA-Inspired Constituent Visits

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/dianne-feinsteins-office-gripes-to-white-house-about-ofa-inspired-constituent-visits/

Dianne Feinstein’s Office Gripes To White House About OFA-Inspired Constituent Visits


A rare bit of friction between Dems and Obama’s political operation, Organizing for America:

Aides to Senator Dianne Feinstein have complained to the White House about a deluge of visits to her offices by constituents who thought they had an appointment after OFA called on supporters to visit members of Congress, Feinstein’s office confirms to me.

OFA recently blasted out an email to its list asking supporters to “visit” the office of their representatives. OFA asked supporters to sign up in shifts to avoid overwhelming the offices, whereupon supporters received follow-up emails reminding them of the “scheduled visit” they’d chosen. OFA advised them to “call ahead” before visiting.

But some constituents took the follow-up email to mean that they had a hard-and-fast scheduled meeting with their members of Congress, and around 100 such people showed up at Feinstein’s offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Feinstein spokesperson Gil Duran says. The visitors got upset when they learned they didn’t have a scheduled meeting, Duran says, adding that Feinstein’s office “expressed their concerns” to the White House.

Roll Call reported today that GOP Rep Eric Cantor’s office is charging that OFA is “misleading” constituents into believing they have an appointment. But the OFA email merely calls for “office visits” and says that there’s “no need to schedule an appointment unless you’d like to have a longer conversation with staff.”

Feinstein’s office is the first Dem office to complain about the program.

“We asked people to visit their representatives to let them know that they had the support of their constituents in supporting insurance reform this year,” DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan told me. “In an effort to serve their constituents, we’ve had a few offices call to clarify that these were visits and not meetings. Of the tens of thousands of people who signed up, it wouldn’t be surprising if a few may have mistakenly thought they had an appointment. ”

[Cant trust em]

11. That's pretty funny actually. I would have been shocked to hell if I saw Dianne there.

I don't expect to have a sit down with the senator, but I do expect to have my questions answered by someone on staff.

Also, Eric Cantor can shut the fuck up and stay out of OFA's business.