Are We Really California Dreamin”

By | August 18, 2003

When I moved to California eight years ago, I had accomplished a dream growing up.

Maybe I watched too many episodes of the Brady Bunch or saw too many Westerns, but I was always fascinated with the Golden State as a kid.

When I first set foot here, I knew I was in a place just a tad different from the rest of the country. Now eight years later, I can say that I’m in a place that could very well be a country of its own.

Larry Flynt, Gary Coleman, and now the Terminator? Yes, Arnold himself announced recently his plans to run for Governor of the nation’s most populous state. Just what the heck is going on here?

Well, if former pro wrestler Jessie Ventura could have governed Minnesota, I guess one of the above-mentioned governing the Hollywood elite, mom and pop in Fresno, the convicts at Chowchilla, and the rest of us is not out of the question.

All of this started with the planned recall of current Gov. Gray Davis.

While on his watch, the state has turned a $12 billion budget surplus into a $38 billion deficit, watched while electric bills skyrocketed and brownouts were a part of daily life, seen the nation’s highest gas prices and faces likely higher auto taxes, and watched a workers’ compensation system approach meltdown status.

Now granted, Davis is not the single blame, but someone has to accept responsibility for his actions and those under him and the man with the charisma of a turtle has not exactly come out fighting for Californians.

Insurance issues alone will take up a good portion of the next Governor’s daily job. Workers’ comp, auto insurance, mold, fraud and more go beyond the Insurance Commissioner’s desk.

Oh, and speaking of our Commissioner, John Garamendi, after announcing he would join the fray, well, how quickly times change.

Whether it was to unite the Democratic Party, thinking he could not get elected, or really wanting to fix the problems in the industry, Garamendi withdrew his name from consideration. The same man who less than a year ago told Insurance Journal that he was in his current office to solve the insurance problems facing the state and that he was not looking beyond that office.

The question, though, is will Larry, Gary or Arnold be the answer?

Are we going to get someone in office like Ronald Reagan who was skilled, articulate and a great communicator or are we going to get someone who makes California look like an episode of the Jerry Springer show?

Where is Pete Wilson when you really need him?

Share your thoughts with us by e-mailing me at dthomas@insurancejournal.com.

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.

From This Issue

Insurance Journal Magazine August 18, 2003
August 18, 2003
Insurance Journal Magazine

Personal Auto/D&O/Bonds