People Changing the World

When I ran for governor last year, I had a dream of bringing the best and brightest people back into government, and it's still important for me to support up-and-coming candidates. That's why I founded the California Leadership Committee (CLC).

In September, the CLC held its first campaign boot camp, where candidates for local and state office gathered with top political strategists to discuss how technology is changing fundraising, political strategy, and polling. “What made this boot camp special,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, “is that most of us would never get access to this many of the nation’s best political experts. Hearing from the leading strategists, pollsters and media authorities gave us the tools we need to go to the next level of public service.” This was the first of what will be an annual gathering meant to strengthen the Democratic Party in California.

The recent CINACON event in Santa Clara brought together over 400 of Silicon Valley’s Asian-American business leaders to discuss key economic and environmental issues. I spoke about the dangers global warming poses, and why the situation is worse than most people realize. The good news is that states like California are working with Europe and China to tackle global warming through more fuel-efficient vehicles, cap-and-trade programs, and incentives for more solar energy.

The United Farm Workers (UFW), founded by Cesar Chavez, has been protecting workers in California's agricultural sector for the past 45 years. As part of their efforts, UFW hosts an annual, three-week, Camp Justice training and organizing session that educates thousands of farm workers about their rights. When I asked the over 300 farm workers how many of them did not have water or shade for breaks, it was striking to see how many raised their hands. That’s why I’ve urged the governor to sign the “Fair Treatment of Farm Workers Act” (SB 180 - Migden). California's economy must work for everyone, especially those who keep our agricultural economy going.

Last month, I spoke to 800 members of a new group, the Indo-American Council (IAC), founded to increase Indo-American participation in the political process. Over the last thirty years, Indo-Americans have emerged as leaders in the technology, legal, business, and entertainment fields, yet there are no Indo-American Senators and only one Member of Congress. The Indo-American community is expected to reach 4.5 million by 2010, and the IAC is committed to ensuring that Indo-Americans are elected to office, and that America's political leaders protect our relationship with India and consider issues important to the Indo-American community.

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer is one of the most interesting political leaders I've met in a long time. You would be hard-pressed to find a state more Republican than Montana, yet Governor Schweitzer, a Democrat, has combined local sensibilities with innovative ideas to become one of the most popular governors in America. Now, he has set his sights on renewable energy and decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels. He stopped by my office to discuss ways for Silicon Valley companies to work with states like Montana to solve the problem of global warming. Governor Schweitzer is exactly the type of innovative leader our country needs. Don’t be surprised to see him on a national ticket in the future.

Anne Frank described it so eloquently when she wrote, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” We should give thanks for these people and organizations who are doing all they can to change the world.

Sincerely,

Steve