Memo to California: DON'T

I moved to Minnesota in 1999, shortly after the state settled on its celebrity governor. Admittedly, compared to the bland candidates put forward by the traditional parties, Jesse Ventura had a certain rough appeal. He spoke plainly and simply. He tapped into the lingering frustration of voters who have never felt comfortable with either of the traditional parties. And people wrapped their heads around the notion that Jesse wouldn't be any worse than his opponents, and even if he was, he'd be a whole lot more entertaining.

He left the state far worse than he found it.

While Ventura was calling games (and haranguing coaches) for the XFL, the state was slipping into financial crisis. The consequences of this lack of leadership now reverberate throughout the state. Services are evaporating. Traditional expectations are surrendering to the brutal reality. Ventura, with the citizens' encouragement, spent the state's "rainy day fund." Well, it's raining. Hard.

I'm not immune to Schwarzenegger's "charisma." He's probably the most entertaining musclebound movie lummox since Elmo Lincoln. But he's not qualified to be governor of our most populous state. Reagan was President of the Screen Actor's Guild. Ventura had been a Mayor. Schwarzenegger threatens people in movies.
If you dump Gray Davis, for everybody's sake, will you please choose someone with at least a shred of executive experience. The late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington had it right when he opined, "Politics ain't beanbag." For years, the citizens of Minnesota got beanbag. I urge Californians to resist the temptation to substitute an occasionally entertaining reality television program for good governance.