PLATFORM FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

Current economic policies in the state of California are clearly not working due to the number of businesses relocating out of state. 300+ companies have relocated out of California since Gavin Newsom became Governor in Jan 2019. If the trends continue roughly 500+ companies will have relocated out of California by Jan 2023.  If Governor Gavin Newsom is reelected it is realistic to forecast that by the end of his 2nd term in office in 2027 California will have 1000+ companies relocate out of the state as a result of his policies. It would be an understatement to say that Governor Gavin Newsom has been a complete and utter failure for the people of California and as a result California has been ranked the absolute worst state to do business. 

To better compete California needs to at a minimum benchmark its economic policies to the 50th percentile when compared to other states. California cannot thrive while having the nation’s highest gas price, sales tax and income tax. Reducing our tax burden to at least the middle when compared to other states would enable California to remain competitive. There is a reason why California usually has the highest unemployment rate due to its approach to taxation.

I am a pro labor Republican. As I indicated above, I believe that the labor movement is now with the Republican party. President Obama famously said certain manufacturing jobs would never come back to the United States. I can say a positive of President Trump’s presidency was his support to bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States (which he did). For example, General Motors, who was bailed out by the federal government and never fully repaid its loan (11.2 billion-plus interest) had decided to build the majority of its new electric cars in China until President Trump intervened and instituted tariffs thereby changing the decision of some American manufacturers to bring back jobs to the United States. One of my main initiatives will be the repatriation of jobs back to California.

This will be my initial focus when I become Governor. We, as Americans and Californians, will not make it if we continue this constant battle over racial issues as these racial issues impact everyone. All Americans need to be supported and included to better their lives and their families. I would propose a working group on my 1st day in office to address the inequalities that have persisted in impoverished communities but also shift the focus to any impoverished community in California regardless of race. I would further suggest to lawmakers in Sacramento that a minimum of a week out of each month’s session be held in these impoverished communities to showcase how the government is working to address their lives. The majority of new job growth is from small businesses including startup technology companies and family-run businesses. I believe to truly be a post-racial society the inclusion of all people regardless of their background is needed. Finally, I believe the civil rights issue of the 21st century is shifting to what socio-economic background someone was born into rather than someone’s ethnicity.  Both the Democrats and Republican parties are at fault and I believe someone like myself, having immigrated to this country and having managed employees of all backgrounds throughout my career, has the understanding to relate to All Americans regardless of race, socio-economic status or social standing and start the process to help address their most pressing issues. Black household wealth is 10% of that of white Americans and needs to change to move past America’s racial struggles however the same could be said for Latino Americans, Native Americans, Women (especially single moms) so everyone needs support which I aim to address.

I am a firm believer that crime is oftentimes associated with lack of opportunity.  If someone is raised in a household not believing they can make something out of their lives and having that understanding they may turn to crime. 

I have a friend who dropped out of high school who is of Mexican descent. He, however, has a curious mind and got into cryptocurrency, purchased Bitcoin early,  invested in stocks, and owns multiple homes. He is one of the wealthiest persons I know and one of the smartest. This could be anyone in California today that comes from any economic status if they just open their mind to the possibilities that exist in the United States and California for them. There are many good people out there that want to help and I as Governor will open those doors to everyone. There are certain celebrities who have raised their hand wanting to help out their communities. I will definitely reach out to them to help out since this ultimately involves all of us. 

I, however,  won’t tolerate violent crime. It is a disturbing trend that recent district attorneys specifically in San Francisco and Los Angeles, have decided to reduce crime penalties. If Californians and businesses don’t feel safe they will leave to other states where they do feel safe. I am pro-people and pro-business but if this current crime persists more Californians and businesses will continue to leave the state. I will leave you with a recent interview that Governor Newsom gave where (as a paraphrase) he was asked regarding the current crime wave impacting California. His answer was “Texas has a higher crime rate.” That sums up Governor Newsom that he will always deflect any criticism and never take responsibility nor ownership to address any problem that impacts all Californians. It is clear and should be clear that he will never have any ownership over the many issues impacting California nor solutions to resolve those issues.

SB8, SB9 and SB 10 were laws that Governor Newsom signed into law in 2021 and went into effect 1.1.2022. These laws have been referred to as the “end of single family zoning.” While some portions of these laws may favorably lead to more affordable housing units, this is yet another example of the reactionary, passive approach to resolve problems by Governor Newsom. He was elected in 2019 as Governor. He was elected Lieutenant Governor in 2011. Why did it take over 11 years to enact some sort of law to make housing more affordable that yet will take many more years to implement? The main issue still remains that while housing may become more affordable some long term residents of California will still be locked out from getting loans to purchase an “affordable” home.

My proposal revolves around rewarding and supporting long term California residents who have decided to make California their home and not give up on the California dream.

I would propose the following:

1) Home loans of 40, 50, 60 years for certain low/median wage earners. These borrowers would be given a preferred interest rate to ensure affordability to purchase homes while not impacting the current homeowners.
2) Must be a long term California resident – 20+ years
3) In order to qualify, annual wages could not exceed the California average wage over a period of 10 years prior to submitting a mortgage application.
4) Preference would be given to first time home owners, certain professions that are deemed essential such as health care workers, teachers, and caregivers
5) High school California graduates and residents would be given priority for this program. I believe this would incentivize young Californians to want to purchase homes in California and make their life here.
6) California residents who relocated out of state and gained residency in another state would lose their accrued “California” time.

The goal of this program is to support those working class Californians who made their lives in California.

Homelessness is an issue that is a difficult one. I am sympathetic to people that become homeless, especially military veterans. However, I do not tolerate the current situation of allowing rampant urination, defecation, pollution and disturbance to communities anywhere in California. My approach would include a coordination between mental health experts and non-profits already active in this space to address this issue.

If you are a long term Californian resident (20+ years) that has become homeless I believe that the state of California has a duty to fully support you in finding housing for you. However, if you move here from another state only to become homeless then that is another matter. The issue stems from the fact that the current situation where 50% of all homeless in the United States are located in California and 25% are located in Los Angeles county is not sustainable. It is not fair for the residents of California to bear the brunt of this impact where often residents from other states relocate to California only to become homeless.

While controversial the voters of the state may need to revisit the approval of funding for mental health facilities. The current state of having thousands upon thousands of mental health patients roaming our streets anywhere in California is not acceptable. We as Californians and Americans are better than that.

The Republican party policy needs to have a carve-out immigration policy for immigrants, refugees, and unaccompanied minors from the Northern Triangle Countries (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras) and Mexico due to the 300+ years of historical connection being part of New Spain. One needs to understand and be empathetic regarding the reasons that compel a mother or father to let their young child go unaccompanied if it were not for desperation and security. Greater than 75% of the DACA recipients and unaccompanied children being held by Human Health Services are from the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico. It would be wise for today’s Republican party to be part of the solution to resolving this issue before it is too late and support these asylum seekers fleeing chronic violence, environmental challenges, and hunger due to the lack of economic opportunities. I recognized the polarization of the recent waves of undocumented migrants including minors from the Northern Triangle countries has caused among segments in the American public. I hear you and get it. As President Reagan stated in his address to the nation on May 9th, 1984, “We can and must support Central America.”

It is well documented that a significant percentage of Latino Americans either have a family member, relative, or otherwise know someone that is undocumented. Worse if this person is a young person and with the vitriol being said in the media and by some fellow Americans I can understand why Latinos would choose to NEVER vote for a Republican. I believe I am in a unique position as someone who is a lifelong Republican, conservative to make the case why at least certain undocumented individuals should be considered some sort of compassion from certain countries that share the same value system as the majority of Americans. A significant percentage of the people from the Northern Triangle countries are ultra conservative devout Evangelical Christians. Some of the fastest growing religions in the Northern Triangle countries include the Church of Latter Day Saints. I ask for compassion in this time of need for the hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minors from the Northern Triangle which include the countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

I am a staunch supporter of Israel. In the aftermaths of World War II, discussions were taken place with what to do with Holocaust survivors and refugees in the aftermath of the most horrific killing that had occurred in our history. Guatemala’s ambassador to the UN, Dr. Jorge Garcia Granados, a member of the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine, cast the very first vote for the creation of Israel. He further played a crucial role in convincing Latin American countries to vote in favor of General Assembly Resolution 181, which called for the partition of Mandatory Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

The state of Israel was created in 1948 and Guatemala was the 2nd country to recognize Israel (after the United States). To this day most towns in Israel have a street called Guatemala as appreciation and thanks for this friendship between the two countries that has endured to this day in addition to naming certain streets in Israel after U.N. Ambassador Dr. Jorge Garcia Granados. In 1959, Guatemala became the 1st country to open its embassy in Jerusalem. In 1973, President Richard Nixon supported Israel with military aid during the Yom Kippur War which proved vital to Israel’s survival and then became the first United States sitting President to visit Israel in 1974 since its founding in 1948. Furthermore, in 2018, Guatemala along with the United States with President Donald Trump’s lead, recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved its embassy back to Jerusalem as one of only four countries that have done so which includes Honduras. Guatemalans know they are on the right side of history with their unconditional support of Israel and the Jewish people which has continued with its reciprocated appreciation by Israel. The United States and Guatemala share these common values in recognizing and supporting Israel’s very existence. With anti-Semitism continually present and growing I believe fostering and reinforcing those relationships and friendships with the Guatemalan people that support the Jewish people and Israel is paramount. The American unalienable rights of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are at stake and need to be fought for each and every day. As California’s Governor, I would continue this support for Israel and Californians of Jewish faith.

I believe that everyone should have access to affordable healthcare. The key word is affordable which clearly the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) failed to achieve. The law provided healthcare that most poor Californians cannot afford. The key to healthcare is prevention with a focus on fitness (both mental and physical). During this pandemic, the Americans most impacted besides the elderly were those with pre-existing conditions or otherwise having low fitness levels. Healthcare starts with eating the right foods, making time to exercise, and providing yourself the necessities to relieve the stress in your life. Any government program that supports this I would advocate to enact.

Regarding Covid, I do not support the rights of private businesses to enact vaccine mandates on their employees. I believe in personal accountability and if someone wishes to be vaccinated or not that’s their prerogative given the limited testing the vaccinations had due to them being fast-tracked through the Center for Disease Control approval process. I believe in the Covid vaccines since they have overwhelmingly saved thousands of Americans, however Americans may not know the long-lasting effects for years to come so I firmly believe it is up to each citizen to make that decision for themselves and their families. I also believe natural immunity for individuals that can prove they have had Covid and had a build-up of antibodies. In Europe, this policy has been in place since the start of the pandemic. It is unfortunate this has become a partisan issue here in the United States. However, as I indicated, the millions of Americans who already had Covid should be given the option to opt-out of the vaccine or for those not wanting the vaccine for religious reasons or otherwise preexisting health conditions. Finally, I am against the vaccine booster mandates but believe in their efficacy. Ultimately, each individual needs to make the best decision for themselves and their families with the counsel of their personal doctor.

Private businesses have to compete in the open market for the best labor so I trust the free market to set the standards that will retain the best employees. These standards could allow a short term exception to allow remote work (if possible) or a leave of absence for those employees not wanting to receive the vaccine / vaccine booster shot if the company decides to mandate the vaccine / vaccine booster. Every company knows what is best for them and should allow flexibility to its labor workforce that best meets its companies goals while ensuring Covid safety standards. Ultimately, the Supreme Court has the final say on this decision and I will abide by their decision.

I come from a family of academics. My father was given a scholarship to come and study at the height of the Cold War which changed the trajectory of my life. I was and am fortunate to have immigrated to the United States in a lawful manner. I understand how education has impacted me since my parents ensured I attended the best schools from the American School in Guatemala City, the British School (Greengates) in Mexico City, and also the American School in Mexico City, and finally attending West Lafayette High School in Indiana which is rated a top 5 high school in the state of Indiana.

Education in California ranks in the lower 20 percentile among all states. A large percentage of California Latino students drop out of school prior to their 16th birthday. I am a firm supporter of school choice despite being an advocate for the teachers’ unions. Clearly, the state of California is failing its young kids (of all racial groups). Something needs to change to allow everyone the opportunity to achieve their goals and access to the opportunities they seek. One initiative I will lead will be to support Californians from lower socio-economic groups of all ethnicities to be supported in educational and economic opportunities.

I believe in common-sense environmental policies. What I mean by this is to focus on simple objectives rather than tackle the most difficult things first. An example would be the building of the bullet train to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco. The first portion of the train route that was constructed was in Fresno. Why? If you ask the average Californian, the route that should have been built first should have been a train route connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas and incentivizing individuals to use it given the thousands of travelers that go back and forth between the two cities. Another example is incentivizing single-family homes to have solar panels installed. Solar panels are outrageously overpriced and if the climate crisis is impending and dire as is often stated then manufacturers should be incentivized to sell solar panels at cost to the public to encourage adoption. Finally, water is fast becoming our most important asset. Water runoffs waste millions of gallons of water yearly. Providing each single-family home with 55-gallon drums to catch rainfall to capture water could save thousands of gallons of water each year. Additionally, incentivizing drought-resistant landscaping in homes would additionally help minimize water usage. I believe focusing on the simple, achievable tasks first would allow more individuals to adopt personal responsibility towards the environment rather than a punitive approach that appears dystopian to Californians whose jobs are dependent on the oil industry. Providing a means to transfer skills to another industry is key to achieving net-zero but won’t be accomplished without promoting a consensus of support among all Americans and Californians.

I am a staunch supporter of Taiwan. Guatemala is the last remaining country prior to the 1949 Chinese Communist Revolution that recognized Taiwan (in 1933) and now has the longest running diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras has recognized Taiwan since 1985.  Only 13 countries remain in the world that recognize Taiwan. My support for Taiwan is not meant to disrespect the Chinese government, people or position regarding Taiwan. Rather my view simply stems from the long friendship my country of birth has had with Taiwan and continues to this day despite diplomatic pressure to end this recognition. In Central America, countries that had recognized Taiwan such as El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama only recently changed their position regarding Taiwan and broke off relations. In Central America, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize are the last remaining holdouts. 

There may be an event soon regarding Taiwan where China decides to take action to retake Taiwan. I firmly believe there could be a backlash against the Asian community similar to what occurred with Covid where Californians and Americans of Asian descent were viciously targeted. Despite the opinions of Californians of Asian descent regarding their position on Taiwan and specifically Californians of Chinese descent, these communities need to be protected if such an event were to occur. I believe the rhetoric will only increase regarding this situation regarding Taiwan and as Americans and Californians we need to clearly understand that these communities are our neighbors, friends and fellow Americans. California endured the Japanese internment camp period during World War II and we as Americans and Californians need to ensure these episodes are not repeated. The United States and Taiwan share the American ideals of democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality. As California’s Governor, I would continue this support for Taiwan and Californians of Asian descent.

I believe that voluntary military or community service for all Californians for those turning the age of 18 years of age would help to instill discipline and life lessons to all Californians. It would also help provide an immediate opportunity to those Californians that previously had never interacted with others of different racial, socio-economic, or religious beliefs to foster a more patriotic sense of being Californian and American. Even if this was several months in length it is one option to help bring more people together and more importantly provide everyone with a better understanding of how similar we are despite our unique differences.

I am a staunch supporter of gun rights. However, unlike most other Republicans who will indicate it is their inevitable rights as written in the Constitution (which I agree) I would like to expand. David Hogg is a survivor of the shootings that occurred in Parkland, Fl. He is one of many gun control advocates along with many Democratic politicians. I applaud him for his courage to take a terrible incident and lead it into advocacy for what he believes. However, what he seems to overlook (like all other gun control advocates) which I won’t condone him is the fact he fails to oversee Mexico (our southern neighbor) and more importantly the cartels. What most Americans don’t know (and maybe should) is any restriction in gun control (much like drugs) will be supplied by the cartels thereby eliminating the effects of any gun control. Until he (or any gun control advocate) understands this it is a moot point to even discuss gun control. So I (and other 2nd amendment advocates) would prefer to have the ability to defend ourselves rather than being disarmed. The country of my birth, Guatemala, is along with the United States and Mexico, one of only three countries that protect the right to bear arms.

I have never done drugs. I passed the highest government background checks to validate this. I have seen close friends struggle with drugs and never quite understood why so many Americans view them as something cool to do. Like other social issues, I don’t get it and probably will never understand and it is unimportant what I think other than like what First Lady Nancy Reagan stated when I was young “Say no to drugs” and leave it at that. 

In the spirit of my campaign slogan, For All Voices, I will be supportive of businesses that are currently in the marijuana industry located in California. I recognize these businesses contribute significantly to California’s budget and are regulated to ensure safety protocols are being followed. With fentanyl-related deaths reaching an all-time high  in 2021 these businesses need to be supported along with the continued development of the Emerald Triangle as a tourist destination. However, I should indicate as a public service announcement that while marijuana was legalized in California, federal law indicates it is an illegal drug.

I am a Reagan Republican believing in limited government, lower taxes, and a firm hand in foreign affairs. President Ronald Reagan believed in a country where strong, private social institutions (churches, charities) would handle social problems, and the government’s role would be limited to the things expressly mentioned in the constitution, mainly defending individual liberty.

The Republican Party is the party that provides:

• Strict controls on executive power
• Fiscal responsibility in all things
• Morality as a chief requisite for politicians
• Consistency and truth telling
• Honoring centrist judicial appointments that are free of political bias
• Free trade
• Human rights
• Protecting Americans from attack
• Respect for institutions

CAGOP Convention – Anaheim, CA

Come see me and the rest of the Governor candidates attending the CAGOP convention the weekend of March 22nd – 24th, 2022.

Governor Candidates such as Brian Dale, Jenny Rae Le Roux, Anthony Trimino, Sean Collins and myself will be participating in Meet the Candidates events hosted by your local Republican, Republican Women Federated Club or other organizations throughout the state.

To stay in touch and receive information regarding upcoming events where I will be speaking at and attending please submit your email address in the stay informed sign up box.

Primary Election Day – Tuesday, June 7th, 2022

Any help needed to register to vote please see the below California voter registration information

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration

California is an OPEN primary state where any eligible California registered voter can vote for any candidate from any political party despite your own political affiliation. The Top 2 candidates advance from the primary election so I hope to earn your vote.