My readers know that I spent many years in politics and I have always been running a campaign or active in lobbying some legislature or other.
The Willie in this blog title is Willie Brown. Willie was the speaker of the California Assembly and two-term mayor of San Francisco. He first went into politics in 1964. I did some of the survey work to determine whether he could win his Assembly race at that time and to design the Republican strategy against him.
Willie spent his life in politics and at several points in that long 35 year career I helped him with some financial matters. Willie must be considered an outstanding political genius in the ranks of American politicians with Jesse Unruh and Huey Long. Willie was a master politician and ran the state of California for at least 25 years from behind-the-scenes with unilateral control. He turned California into a 2/3rds majority Democrat Party state. (To me, the Democrat-Union Party is anti-commerce.)
I personally like Willie. His decisions were always political in the meaning of the word ‘political’ to: resolve power conflicts amicably.
The Jerry in the blog title is Gov. Jerry Brown. Jerry is more than just an acquaintance, he knows my name and he recognizes me when we run into each other. Jerry is approaching his fourth term as governor of California. He served two terms as mayor of Oakland. Jerry actually ran for president in several campaigns and came as close to winning the Democratic nomination in 1992 as anyone could imagine.
If Jerry had not mistakenly announced that he would have Jesse Jackson as his vice president three months before the New York primary he would have been the Democratic presidential nominee. However Bill Clinton won the New York Democratic primary, big, by pointing out that Jesse Jackson had referred to New York City as ‘hymie town’ .
I consider Jerry one of the great statesman in American politics. Jerry has done three things that are rather astounding.
* In his first term in office he appointed Ed Roberts to head the disability office and revolutionized disability in America and around the world.
* At the beginning of his third term he abolished the California Redevelopment Agency, more than 420 offices. Probably the first government agency totally obliterated.
* And third, Jerry forced the Democratic Party at a time when it controls the State of California, and is in turn controlled by unions, to fully fund the teachers’ retirement pension by making the teachers and the local school districts contribute to their own retirement over a 35 year period.
California is fortunate to have had a brilliant politician in Willie and I would say it is even more fortunate to have a brilliant statesman in Jerry.