Quick administrative note before the main event: I taped a segment for the Dennis Miller radio show that will air tonight around 8:10pm PST on 870 AM in Los Angeles.
Now on to business.
At the 2009 California Republican Party Fall State Convention in Indian Wells, I had the pleasure of meeting and listening to Meg Whitman.
Meg Whitman is the Founder and former CEO of eBay. She is currently running for the Republican nomination for Governor of California.
(In a completely irrelevant note, she has one incredibly hot brunette staffer. While some find this irrelevant, they can go read another blog. Anyway, the girl is not a Hebrew, so she is off limits. What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, Meg Whitman.)
As I was saying before I drifted off and interrupted myself, Meg Whitman is running for Governor. While I am publicly officially neutral in the primary race, I came away from hearing her speak quite impressed.
She has a very commanding presence about her. She is tall, elegant, and very dignified. More importantly, she is exceptionally astute to the problems afflicting California. I was expecting standard boilerplate. Then midway through her speech, she started giving the audience a ton of substance. I cannot remember the last time a candidate for political office offered specifics on anything.
I can say with certainty that Meg Whitman is worth giving a listen to.
With that, I present some remarks from Meg Whitman.
“I am proud to have as my campaign chairman former Governor Pete Wilson.”
“In Riverside County, there is 30% unemployment.”
“California spending has increased 80% in the last ten years.”
“California has added 40,000 new government employees since 2004.”
Ms. Whitman then showed a passion that comes with having spent her adult life in the state.
“I refuse to let California fail.”
“I am consistent and principled. People will always know where I stand. I won’t repackage myself.”
“I started a company with 30 people and four million in revenues and built it into a company with 15,000 employees and eight billion in revenues over ten years.”
“I am competent, efficient, focused, and accomplished.”
“Government does not create wealth. Inspired individuals do.”
“I have been inspired by long friendships with Mitt Romney and John McCain.”
Ms. Whitman then turned her remarks to nuts and bolts, and did so in an engaging manner.
“My three priorities will be to create jobs, cut spending, and fix our broken education system.”
“I will create two million private sector jobs by 2015. I will reduce taxes and redundant regulations.”
“I will provide sales tax exemptions for research and development, and for manufacturing firms.”
“Politicians in other states tried to get me to leave California when I ran eBay. As Governor, you can be sure that I will be burning up the phone lines to Colorado, Utah, Texas, Nevada, and beyond to get their businesses to come here.”
“Bureaucrats lack the desire to think things through. Politicians lack the courage.”
“On my first day, I will put a moratorium on new regulations until the economy gets better.”
“The needs of the environment have to be balanced with the needs of people and the economy.”
“I will declare a one year moratorium on AB 32, which provides greenhouse gas requirements. I am not going to repeal it, but the law allows the Governor to place a one year moratorium on it when economic conditions dictate.”
“Liberal environmentalists may not like people or jobs, but California needs both.”
“The problem is not revenue. Our addiction is spending.”
“For those interested in being popular and getting reelected, becoming California Governor is not a good fit.”
“I will reduce the state work force by 40,000 people. This will save three billion dollars, and take us back to 2004-2005 levels.”
“Right now every state worker gets an automatic annual pay increase. This cannot continue.”
“We need to apply the same passion and drive toward fixing education that we have done with winning wars and sending a man to the moon. We cannot lose our ability to innovate. We need the next eBay, Google, Genentech, and Amgen.”
“We need more charter schools. We need to make California schools number one by the next decade.”
Ms. Whitman has a deep love for California. Her husband is a neurosurgeon, and she beams with pride at her two sons, one of whom “has a job and pays his own rent.”
California was once the Golden state. I have built my life here. I love it here. I want this place t succeed and be functional again. It needs less bureaucracy, and must be more hospitable to business.
Given that Ms. Whitman is from the Bay Area, I did not ask her if she was willing to put San Francisco on eBay. (I am sure somebody in Boston or Seattle would overbid on it.)
I am sure she has her own creative ideas for this state.
The problems run deep, but Ms. Whitman has the business acumen.
Hear her out. I am glad I did.
eric
It seems like every Republican candidate has the same whipping boy (or girl), the State employees. Reduce the force by 40,000 and stop annual pay rasies?
There is an old expression, “you pay for what you get”.
The real culprit for California’s troubles doesn’t reside in those 40,000
workers, or 2-3% pay increases each year ( an incentive to work for
civil service), but the fact that stats show the State’s pop is increasing
by 600,000 year. These people need services folks, paid for by
those already here.
Look at facts: the State has the highest unemployment in the country, hovering over 12%., mainly in construction and housing.
The “bubble’ burst in California as we all are aware..homes were bought
on a wish and a prayer, literally in the hundreds of thousands. They became banks for the owners..who thought they could refinance at will, to pay for their 3 cars, 4 TV sets, a boat, and new furniture.
Well, life just doesn’t work that way.
This is a very rich state..but the middle and upper middle class have
been relocating for decades. We Republicans have become a minority.
Illegals constitute about 3m in California. and they work everywhere,
replacing legals who seek jobs.
Hospitals emergency rooms cannot bear the work load..from people
uninsured (the law requires hospitals to treat everyone, regardless of
ability to pay).
The State is being choked to death with traffic. The Metro only
handles a small percentage of traffic, even though costing billions.
I ask, are we spoiled?
And what about the University system and State colleges?
Is it necessary to provide what amounts to 3-4 years orf baby sitting
for high school graduates? Letters and science courses are a total waste.
Shouldn’t we take a long, good look at these?
70% of high schoolers drop out in certain neighborhoods, even though
their parents demand brand new schools? What is wrong here?
Perhaps their parents should be made to re-imburse the taxpayers!
Think about it.
Children are taught to speak everything but English at home.
Yet teaching English in school is at a great cost.
The Gov. has made a proposal to change the State’s taces.
There would be two tiers..for those above and below 56,000
and a shift in taxes on businesses and services.
All California taxpayers would pay less..some more, others less.
We hear the cries starting..but those earning over 200,000 will make
out better. (Folks, the top 10% of income earners pay over 40% of
the taxes here). The top 20% of the US pop. pay over 60% of IRS taxes,
yet assume most of the risks of spending their denaro on investments.
Low and middle income people do not risk their money, people.
So, typically Democratic..the shrill cry is, but the rich will get richer.
So!
Whomever wins the Gov or Senator job, depends on the numbers.
Henry Waxman has the numbers…Boxer has the numbers.
Brown (the ultmate liberal) might become gov..he has the numbers
and money.
To the potential gov..don’t knock the State employees. They deserve
their 2% increase/yearly. Get off their backs and target the real
problem in California, unfettered growth, paid for by the rest of us.
Meanwhile, back in Washington, our do-nothing President is going
to solicit for the Olympics, while Afghanistan is still up in the air.
Guess what, 30 more people were blasted to heaven today, thanks
to a roadside bomb…and our President cannot decide what to do.
Maybe we should write and tell him..win this war, or get out.
Why isn’t my comment posting?
JMJ
Man, I put ALL that time into that. Am I in the doghouse or something?
JMJ
Jersey…not at all…I have no idea why. Try again good sir.
eric
It says it’s a duplicate…
JMJ
Darn! Well, thanks Tygrrrr. I’ll try again tomorrow.
JMJ