Experts Expound

“The governor plans a trade mission to China and, possibly, to Russia, too. Valuable trips for California or lame-duck junkets?”

It’s hard to picture a smart foreign businessperson thinking, “Gee, a former movie star turned lame-duck governor briefly visited our country, so that’s why we should make a high-stakes decision to do business in California.”

Lame-duck junkets, of course. And is a Russian company going to pay for the trip to Russia, too?

This gives junkets a bad name. A good political junket is for having fun, not talking trade.

When Arnold Schwarzeneggar visits other countries on behalf of the State of California, I believe it is hugely beneficial…

Every time he visits another country, I’m worried he’s going to start filming commercials.

It’s just plain ugly because of who is paying for it.

Not lame-duck…. just lame.

This isn’t the only governor to do these. Remember the trade offices? Remember Davis in Mexico? There is no quantifiable benefit to the state of having these so-called trade-mission trips. The only benefit is to the people who go on them. They have fun, and more power to them.

Lame duck junkets. The real work in trade relations is done far below the governor and mostly off the radar screen. Arnold’s real work is centered these days in Sacramento.
Maybe we can balance the budget with frequent-flyer miles.

Why China? Why not India or Bangladesh? Or South Africa? If he goes now, he can catch the World Cup.

Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Mark Bogetich, Barry Brokaw, Morgan Crinklaw, J Dale Debber, Peter DeMarco, Mike Donovan, Jim Evans, Kathy Fairbanks, Jeff Fuller, Rex Frazier, Ken Gibson, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Sandy Harrison, Bob Hertzberg, Jason Kinney, Greg Lucas, Mike Madrid, Nicole Mahrt, Steve Maviglio,  Adam Mendelsohn, Barbara O’Connor, Bill Packer, Kassy Perry, Jack Pitney, Adam Probolsky, Tony Quinn, Matt Rexroad, Matt Ross, Roger Salazar, Dan Schnur, Will Shuck, Ralph Simoni, Sam Sorich, Ray Sotero, Garry South,