Arnold in "The OC" for Poizner

Steve Poizner is the Republican nominee for State Insurance Commissioner.  Poizner is a rather quiet, unassuming sort of fellow who has been extremely successful in business, with a net worth measured in many, many hundreds of millions.  He also has the libertarian position of someone who has run a business, and that what we despirately need on the office of Insurance Commissioner.  The position weilds a vast amount of power in the Golden State, and the incumbent, John Garamendi, has been a disaster (one of MANY reasons to work hard to elect Tom McClintock as our next Lt. Governor).

On Tuesday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger spent the day with Poizner, both in Southern and Northern California, helping him to raise funds for his race (yeah, Poizner can write his own check, but in politics, that doesn't look so good -- ability to raise funds from others is a sign of a healthy candidacy). 

The lunchtime event on Tuesday here in Orange County was held at the Hyatt Hotel in Irvine (Scott Baugh's "Western White House") where about a hundred and fifty folks were treated to quite a lot of 'quality time' with the Governor. 

The Governor enjoyed the change to jab at Poizner's Democrat opponent, Cruz Bustamante, whom Arnold soundly defeated in the Recall Eleciton.  The Governor told a funny story about how he was supposed to join his wife on the East Coast, but it was just after the National Guard had been deployed at California airports after the Great Britain scare.  Arnold said he told Maria that he could not join her because he couldn't leave the troops under the command of Bustamante!  LOL.

Typically the Governor speaks and zips off to his next event, but because he was "All Steve, All Day" -- that meant the Governor stayed around and talked to just about everybody.

Speaking for myself, I was pretty impressed when the Governor engaged me in an in-depth conversation about a column I had just posted on the FlashReport a couple hours before the lunch. 

There were a lot of GOP notables in the room, including the leadership of both the Lincoln Club, the New Majority, Generation Next (photo credits, by the way, goes to GenNexter Sinan Kanatsiz) and many others.  Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona led the Pledge of Allegiance.  In the photo to the left, Schwarzenegger is chatting with former State Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte.  By the way, Schwarzenegger came over and sat at Brulte's table, not the other way around.

After lunch, Poizner and the Governator took off for the Bay Area for another fundraising event.  A big day for Poizner.

Comments

[Lt G's race]

Jon,

Could you detail how Garamendi has been a walking disaster?

or is this just your self admitted bias since John is a Dem?

[Jon Fleischman]

Here are a few choice items on Garamendi:

* The disastrous take over and liquidation of Executive Life

* 25% vacancy rate in the DCI's fraud division (while doubling his PR staff)

* It takes on average 18 months for companies to get a decision on licenses, rates or products. (Note: no company can change their rates without a decision from DCI.)

* The department's "ambush" mentality in dealing with the regulated community, creating a hostile environment which drives out insurance companies and thus, competiiton (bad for consumers)

That's enough for now...

[Lt G's race]

Jon.

You are long on accusations and generalities. Short on details.

Point by point:

1. Garamendi opponents claim the Executive Life deal was a disaster. Yet they offer no rationale or proof anyone could have negotiated a better deal. Given the last GOP to be IC had to resign in disgrace, we know he would not have been the savior in that issue either.

2. How many individuals are involved in the percentages you throw out? Increasing the PR staff from one to two people would be doubling. How many positions are 25% of the DOI's fraud division? Could it be there aren't that many qualified individuals for the job? Is this something Poizner has pledged to rectify?

3. Given how insurance companies have pushed legislation requiring consumers to buy their products this is the reaction to that action of 'free' market interference. And given how the price of their products rarely decrease this is a good thing for consumers who live in the state.

4. Would filling those 25% vacant slots cease the 'ambush' mentality? Describe what you mean by that. Isn't this the best way to insure that compliance is taking place. Companies that are leaving the state would only do so because they do not wish to comply with law. Is this a good thing? Or a bad thing? Would it be better to announce an inspecting individual is coming? Thereby ensuring the offending company or individual would put forth a facade.

Your points only clarify that Garamendi is doing a good job. Given his record of winning statewide elections (vs McClintock's) I'm thinking he'll be the next LG. But hey. If his GOP supporters want to throw money down the drain, who am I to say they shouldn't.

McClintock's best opportunity to remain in public office will come when Gallegy finally retires. Then Tom can continue riding the taxpayer gravy train (which he claims to abhor) for the rest of his life since that is all he has ever done, and there are no term limits in federal office.