THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Patrick “Kit” Bobko, the Mayor of Hermosa Beach, California.

http://www.kitbobko.com/

While some people think of Southern Californians as beach bums, people living here have the same love of country and worries about the future as everybody else.

While Kit Bobko has a terrific sense of humor, and is fun and engaging in real life, he is also somebody with the talent, ability, and likability to go very far in Republican circles. For now, Hermosa Beach is lucky to have him as their Mayor.

With that, I present my interview with Kit Bobko.

1) What is the Kit Bobko story? What made you decide to enter the political arena?

Service runs in my family.  My father was a career Air Force fighter pilot and my Mom was a high school teacher.  I have a brother who is a doctor and an uncle who was an astronaut.  I knew I wanted to serve at a young age, and was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the Air Force Academy.  I spent 5 years on active duty, and when I left the Air Force I went to law school with the idea of getting back into public service.  Working for the people of Hermosa Beach on their City Council was really just a continuation of the path I began when I went to the Academy in 1987.

But I won’t consider my political career complete until John Stewart satirizes me.

2) What political issues are most important to you?

In my role as a City Councilman, I’ve seen how dysfunctional the State of California is.  My time on City Council has also confirmed my belief that government is best when it is small and local.  Billions are squandered in Sacramento because no one is really watching where the money goes, or who’s spending it.  But at the local level, folks really pay attention to every nickel, and let the government know when they don’t think those nickels are being judiciously spent.  And because local elections are normally competitive, city officials tend to pay attention because their jobs depend on it.  The same cannot be said in Sacramento.

The Leviathan in this State is bloated and voracious, and is killing business and opportunity in California.  We need to put him on a starvation diet, and move him back into the towns and cities around California.

3) While the Mayor of a city does not deal much with foreign policy, a terrorist attack could wreak havoc on everything. What can ordinary citizens do, besides donating money and voting for you, to help win the War on Terror? What obligations do we have, and how can we help?

It may sound silly and simple, but the best thing you can do is to get out of your house and meet your neighbors.  God forbid something happens here in Southern California, but if it does, you and your family may have to be self-sufficient for a number of days.  Make sure you have the basic necessities stored in your garage or pantry.  And go out and meet your neighbors, did I mention that?

If your city doesn’t already have one, you can start a Neighborhood Watch program.  You can also check with your Fire Department about obtaining CERT training for life saving and first-aid.

4) It is one thing to ask people to have faith in God. It is much tougher to ask people to have faith in Government. What does our government do right, and what does it need to do better so people can start believing in their government again?

I believe Americans have a healthy skepticism about our government, and that’s a good thing.  I also believe government does best when it’s small and local, but it appears we’re heading in the other direction right now.

Its important to remember that this country isn’t the greatest on earth because of our government; it’s the greatest country on earth because of the lack of government.  Men came to this country to escape oppression and find the freedom to make the most of their natural gifts and hard work.  Our system was designed so they could do that.  And it worked.  Freedom (i.e., the lack of government interference) let the men and women who came to this country create the wealthiest, most productive society the world has ever known.

A simple counter-example probably makes this point best – if government involvement in every aspect of our lives (economic, social, civil) was a good thing the Soviets should have had the best country ever.  But that experiment lasted only 75 years, and history has shown us again and again that more government is not the answer.

5) What are your main concerns, if any, with the current process regarding health care reform?

Two thoughts on this, both quotes:

“The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”  Prime Minister “Iron” Maggie Thatcher.

“Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government’s purposes are beneficial.  Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers.  The greater dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.”  Justice Louis Brandeis, Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 479 (1928).

6) Who are your three political heroes, American or worldwide?

From history, I have a deep admiration for Winston Churchill.  There was a moment in history in 1940 where his will to fight was the only thing that stood between England’s capitulation and the Nazis.  As a military man I have great respect for Robert E. Lee.  In civil life he was graceful and chivalrous; on the field he was a lion.  From my lifetime, of course, there is Ronald Reagan.  As an aside, I am proud to say he nominated me to the Air Force Academy.

7) What can the rest of America learn from Hermosa Beach?

Bikinis, bikinis, bikinis.  Sorry, what was the question?

8.) Without delving too deeply into your personal life, what would you want Americans to know about Kit Bobko the person? 100 years from now, what would you want people to remember about you, and what would you hope the history books say about you?

I’d want the history books to say the e-mail interview with the Tygrrr Express solidified my position as a statesman and humanitarian.  Won’t the history books be a series of Twitters by then, anyhow?

I would like to thank Kit Bobko for his time and humor. Government is not sexy. It is often not fun. It can be nuts and bolts and widgets. Yet getting things done requires being able to work with people. Being likable is a great start. Kit Bobko has a bright future ahead of him.

eric

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 12:37 pm and is filed under POLITICS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.