The UCLA School of Public Affairs is celebrating its 10th
anniversary with a lecture series that began Monday with a
discussion on issues pertaining to California politics from former
speaker of the California Assembly Herb Wesson.
Wesson served as Westwood’s assembly member and speaker of
the assembly during such important times in California politics as
the gubernatorial recall and the continued budget crisis.
He has also been connected to UCLA as a commencement speaker,
teaching fellow and researcher, said School of Public Affairs
Associate Dean Bill Parent.
Wesson was joined by Daniel Mitchell, UCLA professor of
management and public policy, and Michael Stoll, UCLA professor of
public policy and urban planning, to talk about leadership within
California. Focusing on the relationships between policy and
politics, Wesson noted the constant need for negotiation.
“It’s easy to get elected,” he said.
“The hard part is governing.”
Wesson talked about his experience with former Gov. Gray Davis,
calling him a “good guy” whose problem was the extreme
partisan nature of Sacramento that forced Davis to spend his time
“fighting the Republicans.”
Wesson blamed the recall on the frustration of Californians with
the inability of legislators to get along and consequently
attempted to cooperate with the new Republican governor.
The decline in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity is
partly a result of the alienation of firefighters, nurses, teachers
and law enforcement, all of whom have the resources to nearly match
his money, Wesson said.
He cited the constant political ads that run against
Schwarzenegger as an example of “politics driving
policy.”
The situation, Wesson added, has almost come full circle since
before the recall election.
Wesson then went on to specify term limits as a large problem in
California politics, saying the short limits make individuals
afraid to act and risk losing re-election. Moreover, these limits
have actually empowered special interests, Wesson added.
The event was co-sponsored by Millennium Momentum Foundation, a
non-profit program that focuses on helping to transition
undergraduate and graduate students interested in careers in public
service into jobs in politics.
The non-profit organization provides scholarships, internship
placement and mentors for students.
Jason Seward, founder and president of the foundation, said his
internship working with Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Burke
resulted in a job as her deputy and spurred him to provide similar
opportunities to aspiring professionals.
Wesson also worked with Burke as her chief of staff at the
beginning of his speedy rise in California politics. He currently
works on “special projects” in Los Angeles, for now
including helping to restructure the Martin Luther King/Drew
Medical Center, which he called the “biggest crisis for the
entire county.”