Meg Whitman on A New California (San Francisco, Campbell: 2010, schools, taxes)

[capolitics]

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman and 2010 Republican candidate for Governor, is hoping to reshape the state of California politics with less government and more private sector investment. Whitman is also focusing on an ambitious education reform vision that promotes more standardized testing, creation of more charter schools, and a performance based pay system for teachers. Watch the video at California Politics

[Snort]

I think she'd be better for business than dear old Ahnold, but I don't think she'd make a dent in education. Education is one of those areas where there is so much fudged statistics, interest groups and private agencies looking to make a buck, that it's hard to sort out the truth from the b.s.
If you want higher scores coming out of schools, invite into the state more upper middle class families who are actively involved in their kids' education.

[Sassberto]

I'm not convinced she has any real credentials here. She did not build eBay, she came along well into it's history and in fact presided over it's current long slow decline. She just seems like the Silicon Valley version of Mitt Romney to me, pro-business republican with no teeth on social issues, which IMO are more of an issue for most regular people.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

I'm not convinced she has any real credentials here. She did not build eBay, she came along well into it's history and in fact presided over it's current long slow decline.

According to Wikipedia, she took over eBay in 1998 when it had just 30 employees and resigned in 2007. I joined in 1999 and even back then it was mostly unknown by the masses. I remember selling a bunch of stuff as late as maybe 2005 but after than it went downhill and became very anti-seller. I think the worst changes probably happened after she resigned. She was in charge when they bought Skype (well most of it at least) which has to be one of the dumbest moves ever.

[18Montclair]

I am very impressed by her and at this point, am inclined to listen to what she has to say.

As far as social issues, I have the same concerns as Sassberto, but I'm not beyond letting a fresh set of eyes tackle that.

[BayDude]

I am more partial to Tom Cambell myself. A Ph.d in economics who understands what it takes to create a more prosperous and free California and listens to the people. If anyone can beat Jerry Brown (renouned leftist) its him.

www.campbell.org

[Snort]

From Campbell's website: "From the San Francisco Chronicle: Campbell, a former South Bay congressman who has proposed detailed solutions to the state’s biggest problem, its budget, is the strongest of three."

Well, the devil's in the details. Actually, that's where the solutions are as well.
When McClintock put his name in the ring when Arnold came on the scene, he seemed to be the only one offering a detailed plan for fiscal survivability.
Now, anyone who can offer a sensible plan (WITH DETAILS) gets my vote.
I'm easy to please.

[Alexus]

Originally Posted by capolitics

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman and 2010 Republican candidate for Governor, is hoping to reshape the state of California politics with less government and more private sector investment. Whitman is also focusing on an ambitious education reform vision that promotes more standardized testing, creation of more charter schools, and a performance based pay system for teachers. Watch the video at California Politics

She's not a visionary and offers nothing novel. Absolutely nothing creative in her hollow Republican words that can guide this state. More "private sector investment." Is this yet another trickle-down approach? This has never worked and as the last 8 years showed on a national level, such a practice of unregulated bliss does more harm than good as the rich get richer and the not-so-rich or poor lose out. "Less government" is another tired Republican theme that was exposed during Bush's terms as completely ineffective. Standardized testing, more charter schools, performance based pay system, just more of the same Republican crap. Of course all of this with "no new taxes." Republicans and their candidates stink.

This dynamic, multi-cultural, highly desirable state needs someone far greater than some Republican drone by the name of "Meg." We need to find someone who is dynamic, versatile, articulate, someone with great character and integrity, someone who has themselves experienced racism and is able to relate to people who are not white, people who have unique problems that need to be addressed. We need a visionary. Someone who can offer novel solutions while listening to and working with all sides. No Republican candidate qualifies. Neither does a slimy, shallow, immoral, undignified lightweight Democrat like Gavin Newsom.

No on Meg, no question.

[Steve97415]

If there's any message that can be learned from the Arnold legacy is that governors do not "guide the future of the state." You can get the most learned and competent person possible into office, but in the face of a polarized legislature, boneheaded citizen initiatives and a super-majority straitjacket to ever change anything , it will make little difference. The state constitution just doesn't give that much executive power to the governor; it's largely a ceremonial position.

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

If there's any message that can be learned from the Arnold legacy is that governors do not "guide the future of the state." You can get the most learned and competent person possible into office, but in the face of a polarized legislature, boneheaded citizen initiatives and a super-majority straitjacket to ever change anything , it will make little difference. The state constitution just doesn't give that much executive power to the governor; it's largely a ceremonial position.

I think a lot of people are looking for a governor who can tame the more extreme elements of their respective parties, especially on the republican side.