Sen Boxer

Re "Boxer Still a Fighter," May 21: Barbara Boxer's style in the Senate is often defined by those who oppose her politics as exactly the characteristics that we need more of in the Senate to be effective, namely: sublimating bellicose rhetoric and transcending partisanship to build working relationships, while tending to the needs of constituents. Her greatest strength is that she is almost always underestimated. DAVID NOVAK, Santa Monica

WASHINGTON -- Arnold Schwarzenegger met with a bunch of California Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday while on Capitol Hill to lobby for after-school programs. But it was notable that the one with whom he strode to the podium at a Capitol news conference was Sen. Barbara Boxer. The once strident opponents and ideological firebrands have mellowed over the years. Schwarzenegger's path to the political middle is well-documented. Activists in the state GOP were ready to ex-communicate the movie star who first ran for office as an antitax crusader, but who had raised taxes by the time he exited government in 2010.

Re "Rose, and Thorn, From California," Jan. 19: In the confirmation hearings for Condoleezza Rice as secretary of State, the roses and thorns are in the eyes of the beholder. Sen. Barbara Boxer sent roses to disheartened Democrats everywhere by courageously opposing the policies and exposing the many limitations of the woefully incompetent and dangerously overrated Rice. However, by unequivocally embracing Rice and all she stands for, Sen. Dianne Feinstein has cast thorns at her constituents and has failed to serve the people of California with honor.

WASHINGTON - California Sen. Barbara Boxer's Capitol Hill office was locked, with a sign reading, "Office closed due to government shutdown. " Much of her staff has been furloughed. The number of staffers answering calls has been scaled back. Casework has been suspended. But the Democratic senator was inside -- steaming. "Grow up," she said of House Republicans, whom she blames for the shutdown. Boxer said she is open to negotiations on any subject but only after legislation is passed to reopen the government.

At the conclusion of her commentary on Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) ("Boxer's Spine Gets Her Cut Off at the Knees," Jan. 27), Margaret Carlson says: "In Washington, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice sail on, and everybody's mad at Barbara Boxer." Au contraire, Margaret; not everyone. That gutsy little lady representing us is the only senator with the backbone and courage to stand up and vote against certifying the almost certainly fraudulent Nov. 2 presidential election (where were you, Dianne Feinstein?

Re "Opposition to Credit Act May Prove Costly," Commentary, Nov. 16: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and I are not holding up the legislation that would reauthorize the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This legislation has passed the Senate and needs to be reconciled with similar legislation that passed the House before it can go to the president for his signature. Sen. Boxer and I do oppose this legislation for one simple reason: It would undermine the privacy rights of 36 million Californians.

I am writing to thank Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) for co-sponsoring Senate Bill 773 to protect America's Redrock Wilderness. I've visited much of Utah's southwestern corner and plan to return at the end of this month. I cannot express enough my personal excitement at seeing America's Redrock Wilderness Act back in Congress very soon, and I want to urge Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) to co-sponsor HR 1500. Thanks, Sen. Boxer, for doing the right thing! ALICE TSENG Moorpark

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer views Republican Sen. Dan Coats' statement as "unpatriotic and very unwise" (Aug. 22). Time and time again we see the double standard of the Democrats. Sen. Boxer, Sen. Coats was not on foreign soil when he spoke his views as did Clinton and Jane Fonda with their views against the Vietnam conflict. He spoke his concern and concerns of millions of Americans and he did not have to pay a pollster for his views. NANCY L. LITTLE Claremont

Concerning the "Boxer Rebellion" (Sept. 22), which was launched by Americans for Democratic Action and other supporters of a single-payer health-care system, my quotation was taken out of context. What I said was, "Sen. Boxer has been excellent on a variety of issues, including abortion rights, gay rights, the environment and many others. Health-care reform and immigration do not happen to be among them. Those of us who worked to elect Barbara Boxer with the understanding that she supported real health-care reform feel that she has sold us out on this issue."

It is scary, but not surprising, that Sen. Barbara Boxer would sponsor legislation that would restrict the freedom of employees to make their own investment choices in their 401(k) plans ["Enron Woes Prompt 401(k) Bill in Senate," Dec. 19]. Though Enron is certainly a disaster, there are many, many other employees in other companies' plans that don't have such problems. Sen. Boxer, in a clear knee-jerk reaction typical of her liberal politics, feels she and government have the right to take away the supposed freedom of choice that we have in America, and to tell employees that they cannot choose to invest more than one-fifth of their retirement account in any company (including their employer, which they can monitor better than any other)

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) attacked Republicans on Thursday for their repeated attempts to repeal Obamacare, saying threats to shut down the government or limit the debt ceiling are irresponsible and ineffective. “The big problem we have are Republicans,” she said, speaking at a health center in North Hollywood. “They are the obstacle.” Despite the continued discussions about repeal, Boxer said the states and federal government are moving forward with the Affordable Care Act and plan to begin enrolling people in new coverage options in October.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Monday sent a letter to CBS Corp. Chief Executive Les Moonves and Time Warner Cable chief Glenn Britt, urging them to end the dispute that has resulted in CBS-owned channels being blacked out in Los Angeles, New York and Dallas for a second week.  “Millions of customers in the Los Angeles area and throughout the country have subscribed to receive the programming CBS networks...

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) urged the nation's governors to ensure the safe storage of ammonium nitrate, a dangerous chemical that exacerbated the April explosion at the West, Texas, fertilizer plant.   “We know what has to be done. Ammonium nitrate has to be stored in a separate facility," said Boxer at a press conference Tuesday. "It's not rocket science here. "   When heated or contaminated, ammonium nitrate can explode. Hundreds were injured and 15 died in the blast, which also damaged or destroyed nearby homes, businesses and three unoccupied schools.

WASHINGTON - As Congress readied for a new battle over raising the debt limit, Sen. Barbara Boxer announced legislation that would prevent lawmakers from being paid if they do not increase the nation's borrowing authority. "It is an American value to pay your bills. It's also an American value to do your job," Boxer (D-Calif.) told reporters Wednesday. "If we as members of Congress refuse to pay the bills we have incurred, we should not be paid our salaries. " Boxer announced the legislation along with the lead House sponsor, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.)

A letter sent by a Southern California Edison executive in 2004 shows the company was concerned about the possibility of design flaws in replacement steam generators manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that could lead to the type of "disastrous" equipment problems that ultimately led to the San Onofre nuclear plant's yearlong shutdown. The letter was released by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who argued that the letter shows that Edison may have misled federal regulators about the extent of design changes in the new steam generators.

A letter from a Southern California Edison executive shows the company became concerned about the potential for serious design flaws in replacement steam generators at the San Onofre nuclear plant as early as 2004. U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who released the letter Tuesday, said it showed that Edison misled regulators about the extent of differences between the old and new generators and said she will ask the U.S. Justice Department to investigate. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's office of investigations and office of inspector general are already investigating whether there was any wrongdoing by Edison.

Re: Michael Hiltzik's business column "Fiorina's uninspiring product launch," Nov. 5: Ruthlessness, dishonesty, complete lack of empathy and total narcissism are traits that allow CEOs to rise to the top of the corporate ladder. But it is not a combination that makes an effective public servant. Those qualities did not even translate into success for former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina, now running for the U.S. Senate. Her reign at HP was a disaster, and she's been pointing fingers ever since.

During a renomination hearing before the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works committee Thursday, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) pressed U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairwoman Allison Macfarlane on the agency's plans for the San Onofre nuclear plant. The plant has been shut down for more than a year because of equipment problems with its replacement steam generators. The NRC is reviewing a restart plan submitted by plant operator Southern California Edison.  In the meantime, the NRC's office of investigations and office of inspector general are probing whether there was any wrongdoing by Edison.

Re "Israel's free pass from Boxer," Opinion, April 28 George Bisharat grossly misleads readers when he claims that bipartisan legislation I introduced would allow Israel to "continue racially profiling Americans of Arab and Muslim heritage who travel to Israel. " My legislation would give Israel the opportunity to join the U.S. visa waiver program, allowing Israeli citizens to travel to the United States without first obtaining a visa - a privilege extended to 37 other countries.