Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has officially passed power of attorney to her daughter, Katherine Feinstein, amid growing concerns about her declining health.
Feinstein is 90 years old and both her mental and physical health have been called into question as thanks to a string of alarming incidents.
During a recent vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee, Feinstein appeared to be unaware of what was happening and began giving a speech before Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) swooped in and told her to “Say aye.”
That episode was extremely alarming as it seems that Feinstein doesn't understand what she is voting for and as such is unable to represent the will of the people of California.
While Feinstein will be retiring at the end of her term next year, her presence in the Senate is an issue as she is unfit to hold office.
Earlier this year, Feinstein was absent from the Senate for months as she battled a serious shingles infection that caused her to miss dozens of votes.
That hospitalization left Feinstein severely weakened and unable to walk and as such she needs a wheelchair and the assistance of multiple aides to conduct her business as a Senator.
What is worse is Feinstein doesn't seem to even recall that she missed months of work in the Senate as she told a reporter, "I haven’t been gone,” when she was asked about her hospitalization.
This scary incident lines up with other reports about Feinstein's growing dementia.
Feinstein has reportedly been confused about her surroundings on multiple occasions. In one instance, she even reintroduced herself to a member of the California Congressional Delegation that she had known for the past decade.
If Feinstein is forgetting people she has known for years, that means her mental decline is a grave concern for the Senate.
Feinstein should have retired years ago but it seems the reins of power are not easily released.
It is long past time for Congress to impose age limits on itself, a prospect that the legislature's older members won't be thrilled with.
Feinstein isn't the only member of Congress that has been in politics for far too long. Senators like Chuck Grassley (D-IA) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) should have retired long ago, and now the later's health issues are creating headaches for Republicans.
