California is a reflection of what ails our great nation. The major party gubernatorial candidates offer us very little to chose from with their ‘platforms’…During the recent debate between former Governor, Mayor Jerry Brown and ex-CEO entrepreneur Carla Fiorina several points were glaringly apparent.
Governor Brown, for all his experience seemed like a washed out politician-bureaucrat. He has been a governor, a mayor, attorney general, and his political career seems pointless in the ‘great scheme of things. Once a possible Presidential candidate, he failed to generate enthusiasm for this post.
Brown has had a lengthy political career, spanning terms on the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees (1969–1971), as California Secretary of State (1971–1975), as Governor of California (1975–1983), chairman of the California Democratic Party (1989–1991), the Mayor of Oakland (1998–2006), and is the current Attorney General of California (2007–present).[1]
Brown unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1976, 1980, and 1992, and was an unsuccessful Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in 1982.
He has had a busy life of public service to California, and probably should retire, change focus, write some memoirs and books and perhaps teach political science at Berkely.
His performance in the debate failed to generate any enthusiasm on my part, and he and I are products of the 60s and 70s. He and I are about the same age, and I have decided to go quietly into the night and leave the stage to those younger, with brighter eyes, who are not singed with skepticism and cynicism.
CarlyFlorina also failed to generate any enthusiasm for me as well.
Attractive, well spoken, articulate she outshined Jerry Brown on stage and in content. There are some significant issues with her candidacy. Like Governor Schwarzenegger she has no previous governing or political cadence other than her time in the executive office and board of Hewlett Packard.
The following is quoted from Wikipedia.
Carly Fiorina (born Cara Carleton Sneed; September 6, 1954) is an American political candidate and businesswoman. She is the 2010 Republican nominee for the United States Senate representing California. Fiorina served as chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005 and previously was an executive at AT&T and its equipment and technology spinoff, Lucent. She currently serves on the boards of several organizations.
Fiorina was considered one of the most powerful women in business during her tenure at Lucent and Hewlett-Packard. The spinoff, from HP, of Agilent Technologies – which had been initiated by her predecessor, Lew Platt – was completed shortly after she joined the company in 1999. Under her leadership, in 2002, the company completed a contentious merger with rival computer company Compaq. In 2005, the Hewlett-Packard board forced Fiorina to resign. She attended the UCLA School of Law but dropped out after one semester. Fiorina received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in marketing from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1980. She received a Master of Science in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management under the Sloan Fellows program in 1989. Fiorina worked various secretarial and receptionist positions, including a stint at Hewlett-Packard as a temporary worker through Kelly Services. She later worked as a receptionist at real estate firm Marcus & Millichap (including working briefly as a broker). During her speech at the 2006 ICSC convention in Las Vegas, Fiorina noted that her time at Marcus & Millichap helped her learn how to navigate the business world. Fiorina taught English in Italy; her first husband's career had taken them to that country.[4] She joined AT&T in 1980 as a management trainee and rose to become a senior vice president overseeing the company's hardware and systems division. In 1995, Fiorina led corporate operations for the spinoff from AT&T of Lucent, reporting to Lucent chief executive Henry B. Schacht;[5] she played a key role in planning and implementing the 1996 initial public offering of stock and company launch strategy.[6][7] Later in 1996, Fiorina was appointed president of Lucent's consumer products business, reporting to Rich McGinn, president and chief operating officer.[8] In 1997, she was appointed chairman of Lucent's consumer communications joint venture with Philips consumer communications.[9] Later that year, she was named group president for the global service provider business at Lucent, overseeing marketing and sales for the company's largest customer segment.[10][11]
In 1998, Fortune magazine named her the "most powerful woman in business" in its inaugural listing, and she was included in the Time 100 in 2004 and remained in the Fortune listing throughout her tenure at HP. Fiorina was #10 on the Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women for 2004.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18] She became regarded by many as being the first woman to head up a Fortune 20 company, and to have overcome the proverbial "glass ceiling".[19][20][21]
In 2008, Fiorina served as an advisor to Republican presidential candidate John McCain. In November 2009, Fiorina announced she would challenge incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer for her United States Senate seat representing California.[1] On June 8, 2010, Fiorina won the Republican primary election.
After resigning from HP, Fiorina was named to several board memberships. She was named to the boards of directors at Revolution Health Group (Steve Case-AOL) and computer security company Cybertrust. The following year, she became a member of the board of directors for chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.[49][50][51] She joined the board of trustees of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum. She is an Honorary Fellow of the London Business School.[52][53][54] [55]
In October 2006, Fiorina released an autobiography, Tough Choices, about her career and her views on such issues as what constitutes a leader, how women can thrive in business, and the role technology will continue to play in reshaping the world. Fiorina signed on with the Fox Business Network to become a business commentator on the network.[58] She is Chairman and CEO of Carla Fiorina Enterprises where, according to her political campaign Facebook page, she is "bringing her unique perspective and experience to bear on the challenging issues of our world, championing economic growth and empowerment for a more prosperous and secure world."[59] She has appeared at many public events. She rang the opening bell of the Wall Street stock market on the official day of the HP-Compaq merger and in 2000 she was the ceremonial host opening the largest EasyInternetcafé at Times Square and the opening of the Epcot ride Mission: SPACE.[60] In 2004, Fiorina was a member of the President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy, which produced a report for George W. Bush. She has appeared many times on TV such as in 2007 on Real Time with Bill Maher.
In 2008, Fiorina joined as a part of the Senator John McCain presidential campaign. In early 2008, Fiorina was referred to in media sources as a potential vice presidential candidate.
The Los Angeles Times research of public records indicated Fiorina had failed to vote in most elections. Fiorina responded: "I'm a lifelong registered Republican but I haven't always voted, and I will provide no excuse for it. You know, people die for the right to vote. And there are many, many Californians and Americans who exercise that civic duty on a regular basis. I didn't. Shame on me."[99][100]
HP survived much because of her leadership which included axing the employment of 30,000 American workers. Her argument that it was necessary due to governmental regulations in the United States which prevent companies from operating economically on our own soil. This was a cheap shot because there are many factors that drive up costs for businesses in the United States.
Neither candidate will light fires for most voters, but if I had to vote, or lose everything I would have to vote for Jerry Brown….at least it is same old, same old, and he has been there before. Carly Fiorina has enough money to not work, having enjoyed entrepreneurship at it’s best. (however she did not start anything….she walked into several positions at the right time.) She has invested a considerable amount of her personal fortune into her campaign.
An important thing to remember is that the Governor has Veto Power.
And what does this have anything to do with health care? Damned if I know, but then again I am in the back 40 of the pastures.
I am going to take a hard look at lesser candidates and if nothing draws my attention I will write myself in for (other).