Letters to the Editor: Of course the calls for Dianne Feinstein to resign are sexist

To the editor: Strom Thurmond (a senator until age 100), Robert Byrd (92), and Orrin Hatch (84) were never severely pressured to resign despite their health issues and what appeared to be declines in their mental acuity. Furthermore, Ted Kennedy (77) missed months during his final year in office before dying of a brain tumor. ("Feinstein’s continued absence from the Senate jeopardizes progress on her life’s work," editorial, April 20)

So, pressuring a true trailblazer like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to resign is pure sexism. Women have the right to make their own career decisions.

A Feinstein resignation would force Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a replacement, potentially installing an incumbent candidate with an advantage in the 2024 election. To avoid this, in the event of a resignation Newsom should ask retired Sen. Barbara Boxer to fill the seat until a new senator is elected.

In this scenario, Californians and women would keep experienced representation in the U.S. Senate without tipping the scales for 2024.

Ann Archie, Newport Beach

..

To the editor: Your editorial states that Feinstein is facing "perhaps the most difficult decision of her long, storied career" in deciding whether to step aside since she is unable to serve effectively.

This doesn't seem like a difficult decision at all.

On one side, there are 39 million Californians who need effective representation in the Senate. There is also the urgent need to fill a seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the narrow window before the political winds change.

On the other side, there is Feinstein's desire to extend her 31-year-plus tenure in the Senate by another few months.

This doesn't seem like a difficult decision at all. It just seems like Feinstein is choosing herself over us.

Geoffrey Reed, Manhattan Beach

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.