The Candidates for Governor - In Their Own Words
Eastern Groups Publications, Raul Vasquez, Posted: Nov 02, 2002
The following are responses to five questions EGP posed to California Gubernatorial challenger Bill Simon (Republican), Incumbent Governor Gray Davis (Democrat), and challenger Peter Camejo (Green Party), to help our readers gain some additional insight into their differing points of view.
Q) Political participation remains extremely low in California, especially among Latinos (even among those eligible to vote). While this reflects the mindset of the public, it also highlights the inability of most politicians to lead/inspire their constituents. Please tell of an action of yours in recent memory that inspired the public to “get involved” (i.e., vote, participate in civic issue, etc.)
Bill Simon: Voters are turned off by negative campaigns. I have tried to run my campaign by focusing on the issues that matter to Californians: the economy, education, and our quality of life. I tried to encourage open and honest debates with Gray Davis – but he refused to attend even one prime-time debate. I have been campaigning hard since May of 2001. In the general election alone, I appeared on over 200 radio shows. I hope these efforts helped to inspire voters to get involved.
Gray Davis: I am a very strong believer in the tenant that your vote is your voice. During my tenure, I signed legislation to broaden participation in the voting process. I signed the Voting Modernization Bond Act of 2002, which was approved by the voters, to upgrade voting systems. I also signed a bill that allows citizens to register to vote up to 15 days before an election, instead of 29 days. Another one I signed allows unaffiliated voters to participate in the primary process… I have been out on the campaign trail, rallying the troops, and encouraging them to get-out-the-vote. One of the most important elements of any campaign is energizing voters to actually get out to the polls, so that's what we've been focusing on.
Peter Camejo: I’ve addressed volunteerism with the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. I’ve always encouraged people to vote, and not just for the Green Party, but to vote and become politically active. People come up to me after hearing me speak and tell me that I’ve inspired them to want to get involved in activism.
Q) Immigrants make crucial contributions to California’s culture and economy. But clearly they remain marginalized by the law. Do you think that everyone who pays taxes, works, and consumes goods (and are otherwise law abiding) should share the same privileges, regardless of immigrant status? Do undocumented immigrants even belong in the state?
Bill Simon: Immigration is what makes our country and our state great. But our immigration system is broken, and needs fundamental reform. I support President Bush’s efforts to fix the system and look forward to working with him to achieve this goal. I am also committed to raising the quality of life in California for all our citizens. That means fixing our education system, improving California's economy to create jobs and addressing our state's energy, water and transportation needs.
Gray Davis: We are the most diverse people on the planet Earth. It is a strength, and it's my function and duty to persuade people of the benefits they receive from sharing this state with people from all over the country – all over the world. I recognize the reality that we are living in. I think all people, regardless of their status, ought to be treated with dignity and respect. Immigrants work hard to overcome their resistance… To California's credit, we say: “you are the best employee, we are hiring you.” Or they make the best product, and we say: “we're going to buy that product.” And that is one of the real reasons why this economy is as good as it is. (U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman) Alan Greenspan said all that extra work that immigrants expend to prove their doubters wrong, economists call productivity… IF you’re a good citizen we want you to be part of our economy.
Peter Camejo: I absolutely believe undocumented immigrants in California have a place here. A recent Wall Street Journal article shows how necessary immigrants are to keeping the economy strong. We need more immigrants, in fact. If immigrants are already here, then we can’t treat them as if we’re living in a caste system. We need to end the mistreatment of undocumented residents, legalize undocumented workers, and provide a legal driver's license for all immigrants. Davis promised for three years he would sign a driver’s license bill, but then he betrayed the Latino community and didn’t sign it. I would have signed the original bill. I think people who are living here and paying taxes – and all the powers that be know they’re here and accept that they’re here – cannot be denied to have normal status.
Q) In cities like Los Angeles, blacks and Latinos continue to receive sub-par educations in big-city public schools. Is this reality institutionalized racism or just a sad coincidence? What long-term solution(s) can erase this education gap?
Bill Simon: I have made education a centerpiece of my campaign. We cannot continue to allow our children – a disproportionate amount of which are minorities – to be trapped in failing schools. I have outlined a plan that encouraged flexibility for teachers and parents, so that no child is stuck in a classroom that does not teach. My plan also brings real accountability to California’s classrooms. The current system allows failing schools to opt out of accountability programs. That is not acceptable.
Gray Davis:Education affects all people, but obviously, because of the disproportionate number of Latinos in public schools, what we do overwhelmingly affects Latinos… And it's a source of some frustration to me – I came out in the '50s when the public schools were very good. Something happened in the '70s, '80s and '90s. There was busing, there was Prop 13; and by the time I became governor, the last year of the twentieth century, California schools ranked 50th, 49th, or 48th at best... It's like an ocean liner going in the wrong direction; we're trying hard to turn that ocean liner around. We've invested 34% more money in the schools…High schools, they've got about one computer for four children; they used to have one computer for eleven children. Most have modern textbooks; we've trained the teachers; we have an academy for principals… after which they have to be a principal in a school in the bottom 50%. We have money for low performing schools, and for schools that do well. The good news is that test scores are up, not once…but four years in a row. English language learners in Los Angeles are doing disproportionately better than their counterparts. That means we've got this thing headed in the right direction.
Peter Camejo: The educational system really can turn into institutionalized racism because of the heavy concentration of African Americans and Latinos. The solution is to reclaim a place to have equal funding. The future of our state and our nation depends on educating our youth on issues such as the environment, drug addiction and morality so that we make America a better place and have its role in the world be one of respect. One thing is that teachers should get increase pay. They should get more than what prison guards get. I would try to shift the money out of the education bureaucracy and to the front lines.
Q) There is a big difference between abiding by the law and doing what is right. Name at least one positive and one negative influence you've found campaign contributions can have in California politics: the business of the people.
Bill Simon:A positive that can be found in campaign contributions is that they provide the funding to help raise voter awareness. The negative effect of campaign contributions: Gray Davis. The governor has turned his pursuit of campaign cash into an obsession and has left Californians wondering whether his policies are based on what is good for our state or what is good for Gray Davis' campaign wallet.
Gray Davis: The positive influence is that contributions allow people of limited means - people who aren't multi-millionaires or celebrities - to run for office. I am not independently wealthy, so I have to raise funds in order to get my message across. The money we raise does not finance my lifestyle. My opponent in this race has loaned himself nearly $11 million. When he pays himself back, that money will go straight into his pocket. That's not to say that people who are wealthy shouldn't run for office. But, I think the people benefit by having representatives from different walks of life and different socio-economic backgrounds. The negative influence is that fundraising creates perception problems. But, I think that as long as you are open about the contributions you receive and put them out there for everyone to see, people will be able to make judgments for themselves.
Peter Camejo: Contributions from individuals are essentially for the Green Party and other small parties what allow us to grow and reach voters with our message. These contributions come from individuals who believe in what we are doing and who want to see us expand our work and our message. But what the Democrats and Republicans get are not contributions, but investments. They are expecting something in return for their investments, and that is absolutely sickening. My platform is what makes me better than Simon or Davis. That I’m not associated with money, not influenced by money makes me the best candidate.
Q) What is your single proudest achievement in recent memory that qualifies you to be Governor of California from 2002 to 2006?
Bill Simon: I think three things qualify me to be governor: I am a successful businessman, a former federal prosecutor who worked under Rudy Giuliani, and a charity leader. Over the years, I have donated both my time and money to charitable causes including many Latino efforts. I am very proud of my record. But what I am most proud of is my family, my wife and my four children.
Gray Davis: I don’t think you can boil it down to just one thing. As Governor, I think I’ve put together a record I can be proud of. In education, we’ve reduced class sizes, demanded more accountability and made historic investments in teacher recruitment and training… We’ve expanded 10-fold the Healthy Families Program for uninsured children, provided one million kids with health insurance and established the first agency in America to help patients fight their HMO – and win. We’ve signed the nation’s toughest gun laws, banning assault weapons and requiring trigger locks. We’ve signed tough new laws cleaning up our beaches, signed the nation’s first law reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sued the federal government to block more offshore drilling. As a Vietnam veteran, I’m pleased we’ve improved our veterans’ homes and are building five more. Finally, I’m proud we’ve moved California’s economy has grown from the 7th to the 5th largest in the world over the last four years.
Peter Camejo: I’m proud that in this campaign I’ve broadened the debate so that people understand issues better and have more choices – real choices, not just the Republicans and the Democrats which are kind of the same thing.. This is the kind of attitude a governor should have, promoting the free flow of ideas.
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