California, one out of eight people in America, is finally seeing a political turnover, with the retirement of Senator Barbara Boxer (age 76)in 2016, and the future retirement of Governor Jerry Brown (age 80) at the end of 2018.
Now it is urgent that Senator Diane Feinstein, who will be 85 in 2018, decide NOT to run for another six year term. The best choice to replace her is Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
“Senior Citizens” in their late 70s or 80s should not be running for office, although many have, but it is time for California to set the standard, and already they have Senator Kamala Harris to replace Senator Boxer, and the likelihood of Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom succeeding Jerry Brown as Governor.
Having leadership in their late 40s and early 50s would be a sign that the Golden State is looking to the future, and interestingly, all three–Harris, Newsom, and Garcetti—would be potential Democratic Presidential candidates in 2020, 2024, or beyond.
Fresh, young blood is desperately needed to deal with the issues of the 2020s and beyond, and no matter how good a record some may think Diane Feinstein has had, it is time to retire, Diane! Do you get it?
I live in California, and I wish Jerry Brown had run for the presidency this past election. He would have been a better choice than the 2 that did run. People who are not from California and do not realize that it is the greatest state in the union still call Jerry “Moonbeam.” That is because in his first stint as Governor in the ’70s Jerry proposed that California start it’s own space agency. That is how far California is advanced over the rest of the nation. Jerry Brown twice rescued California from the ineptness of previous Governors Ronald Reagan, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. I believe that Gavin Newsom will pick up right where Jerry Brown left off. I see him running for Presidency some day soon. But will “Middle America” vote for a San Francisco liberal who was the first to bring America Gay marriage and legalized marijuana? They will if they know what is good for them which they sadly do not at this point.
I agree wholeheartedly with you, Rick!
California, in many ways, IS the future!