California INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Report |
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United States Reelects President Bush President George W. Bush claimed a narrow victory in the U.S. Presidential elections this week while California voted overwhelmingly for his Challenger John Kerry. In one of the most polarizing elections in America's history, Bush put together a coalition that included the Southern States and Texas, religious conservatives, and people who agreed with his approach to the "war on terrorism". California was largely disenfranchised from the process: in an election limited to a few "battle ground" States, candidates from both parties only visited California for fund raising purposes. With this election, the Republican party retains its control of all branches of the United States Government and now has an even larger majority in both the House and the Senate. What this means for California and International Business remains to be seen, but America remains deeply divided and it is likely that the U.S. Government will continue to weaken as a result of this decision: soaring budget deficits will mean few if any new Federal programs, soaring trade deficits mean less investment capital for business and a foreign policy may continue that does not reflect our deep yearning to be a positive force in the world. In this environment, we can expect international business to continue to be extremely difficult- and all the more so for small business. This is our second edition of the newsletter, and while you may not agree with everything you read here, we think this is an important topic that is not being adequately covered elsewhere. We hope you find this information useful and interesting. Please let us know what you think.
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Letters to the Editor
backMessage from Mexican Trade Consul I am very glad to be in your mailing list for getting this wonderful publication that has all the information that people involved in International Trade and Business really need regarding news and views on California economy, politics and society. I have as main duties to provide information and advise to Business people willing to invest in Mexico or needing investments partners in Mexico. I do the networking with the 32 states of the Mexican Republic also for providing information of Mexican goods and services to be sold in the Northern California Market. The Mexican Government has 10 Consular offices in California and 46 in all US Territory. I have responsibility for Northern CA and Hawaii including San Jose and Silicon Valley. In this region I do have frequent relation with around 15 Hispanic Business Chambers but also with regional Business Centers and the CA-Mexico Trade Centers in the region. Of course, my relation with SBA-San Francisco is very key for helping and advising nearly 1.5 million Mexicans living in our consular jurisdiction that –many of them, women and men- are willing to start or have started already small businesses. Your publication is very key for many of us and will be happy and open to share my data base of business relations with California International Business Report. Bernardo Mendez Likes the Newsletter This is great and is something
that has been missing. Sees a pro Democrat, anti Republican Bias You may accuse me of reading too much between the lines, but my reading of your October issue, came across has highly biased against Republicans and for Democrats. I would hope that whatever you write would be an attempt to go down the middle, not favoring the "R's" or the "D's." " Roger J. Baccigaluppi Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RB International.
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California Jobs Commission Charged with Conflict of Interest. The State Fair Political Practices Committee has charged that the new California Commission on Jobs and Economic Growth is violating State conflict of interest and financial disclosure requirements. While Governor Schwarzenegger has frequently called this "my jobs commission" this group is now claiming that it is a private non-profit organization with no connection to the government. The FPPC, however, has written this commission to say that "some private non-profits are still considered government entities because of how they are formed and who controls membership". The California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth includes some of Governor Schwarzenegger's biggest campaign contributors and he has announced the appointments of many of its members. The Jobs Commission has also arranged for the Governor's trip to the Middle East earlier this year and an upcoming trip to Japan. Bustamante "Unofficial" Trade Offices Spur Controversy. The Orange County Register has reported that Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante is exploiting a loophole in state law and opening "unofficial" trade offices in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Beijing, despite the State Legislature's repeated attempts to do away with state trade offices. The Register noted that some of the same people who ran the failed state-funded trade offices are resurfacing, including Janie Fong the former director of the state's Hong Kong office: "Fong is highly networked in international trade organizations and is now president of the California Association of China and Hong Kong- this group will finance and run the new trade office in Hong Kong". State Senator Joseph Dunn (D-Orange County) who fought to close the offices a year ago was quoted as saying that that these offices should be monitored so they don't present themselves as state-sanctioned, "If there is any desire to mislead Californians or people in other countries into believing that these are official offices, representing the state of California, that would be inappropriate, there are no California trade offices, nor if I have my wish, will there be anytime soon." Grant Loss May End Technology Incubator. the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it is officially terminating the $6.4 million construction grant it awarded for a biotechnology business incubator in Alameda. The State Department pulled the plug on the project after a federal audit revealed the incubator violated terms of the grant by diverting more than $300,000 of the initial $2.5 million grant money to pay for operational expenses. The grant was to finance the building of a 45,000-square-foot facility at the incubator's site at the former Alameda Naval Air Station. The East Bay Business Times has reported that the future of the organization that launched this incubator: "Advancing California's Emerging Technologies" (ACET), is now also in doubt. "ACET survives on federal grants and once you've been terminated for a federal grant, it's a big mark against you," Chairman Alan Mitchell was quoted as saying. The ACET board held an emergency meeting Oct. 13. and they believe that it will be impossible for the incubator to stay in the black without the project. Stepped up Enforcement of Human Smuggling. Federal authorities today announced a stepped-up enforcement effort targeting human smuggling at the California-Mexico border, with particular attention on the Lindbergh Field airport. Authorities will focus on the illicit transport of undocumented people into the San Diego area and into Imperial County, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials reported. Combating the "violent criminal enterprise" is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said Asa Hutchison, DHS undersecretary for border and transportation security.
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Shell to Supply Russian Natural Gas to California through Mexican LNG Terminal. A consortium led by Royal Dutch/Shell Group that is developing gas reserves off Russia's Sakhalin Island has struck a $6 billion deal to supply liquefied natural gas, or LNG, to North America. The "re gasification" terminal for this will be built near Encinitas in Baja California, about 50 miles south of San Diego, and will be the first LNG project on North America's West Coast. Under the agreement, Sakhalin Energy, whose partners also include Japan's Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corp., will eventually send 1.76 million short tons of LNG, and shipments will begin in 2008. Sempra Energy of San Diego will own, construct and operate the terminal, which initially will have processing capacity of 1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. More about this project can be found on the website for Sakhalin Energy: http://www.sakhalinenergy.com/Gridlock at Ports may hurt Christmas Sales. Toy and clothing retailers are starting to worry that the massive ships carrying thousands of containers that are are lined up waiting offshore the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports may affect Christmas sales. Because of a worker shortage and inadequate equipment, it is taking more than 10 days to unload these ships, rather than the usual three or four. This delay cascades through the supply chain that feeds retailers around the nation. Since retailers do at least a third of their business in the last three months of the year it is a horrible time for this logjam. Several social and economic factors are causing the port gridlock including the growing trade imbalance with China, the rise of "big box" retailers like Wal-Mart, rising fuel prices and general problems with the infrastructure of the ports and rail lines that service them. First Hydrogen Filling Station Opens. The State's first hydrogen fuel station has been opened at Los Angeles International Airport. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger dedicated the hydrogen fuelling station calling it the first stop in a "hydrogen highway" that would some day stretch across the state as drivers switch to the cleaner-burning fuel. We will not just dream about the hydrogen highway or hydrogen fuelling stations. We will not just dream about hydrogen cars," he said. "We will build them." In April, Schwarzenegger signed an executive order creating a partnership to build a network of hydrogen stations across California by 2010, said he wanted to end the "chicken and egg debate" over which would come first - fuelling stops or cars to use them. Schwarzenegger rolled into the station at Los Angeles International Airport in a metallic blue prototype hydrogen-powered Hummer loaned to California by General Motors as a promotional tool. Tomato Crop Devastated. The early, wintry storm that hit California last week may have ended a drought in Southern California and helped to refill our reservoirs, but it also devastated the State's tomato harvest. This has contributed to a mounting national shortage that has doubled prices at many stores. October is normally a busy month for the state's $375 million tomato industry, as workers pick the last of the season's crops before production shifts to Florida. California and Florida are the nation's main tomato producers, with California dominating the market in summer and fall, and Florida in winter and spring. California Winegrowers Fighting EU Subsidies. The European Union (EU) recently announced that it had allotted 450 million euros (US $562 million) for the restructuring and conversion of EU vineyards. Winegrape growers in Europe are naturally happy about this, but U.S. winegrape growers, led by the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), see this as a violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments previously undertaken by the EU and are organizing an official protest. Genentech To Build World's Largest Biotechnology Facility. Genentech Corporation plans to expand its biotech manufacturing operations in Vacaville, 54 miles northeast of San Francisco. South San Francisco-based Genentech is the world's largest biotechnology company, and currently represents 50 percent of the world's total bioreactor manufacturing capacity. When completed, the new facility will be the largest recombinant protein manufacturing facility in the world and will create as many as 5,500 new jobs. Governor Schwarzenegger joined with Genentech President Susan Desmond-Hellman to open the facility. Google Reports Record Income. Reporting for the first time as a publicly traded company Google Corporation of Mountain View more than doubled its year-ago performance, posting a third-quarter profit of $52 million on soaring online advertising revenue. The Google stock price has also more than doubled since their public auction and their shares are now trading close to $200. Google's recent invasion of Microsoft territory with a slick new desktop application has also been well received: http://desktop.google.com/ eBay Profits Up from International Growth. Profits at San Jose, California-based eBay grew by 77 percent from a year ago, fueled by growth in its international and PayPal businesses. Revenue from PayPal, eBay's online payment unit, rose 56 percent to $166.3 million while revenue from its U.S. and international businesses increased 29 percent and 82 percent to $330.6 million and $282.3 million respectively. eBay also recently bought a 10 percent position in Craigslist - a bulletin board service that has been immensely popular in California and now has a nation-wide user base.
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Steve Chen, a Taiwanese-born U.S. citizen who was considered one of the nation's most brilliant supercomputer designers while working for the technology pioneer Seymour Cray in the 1980s, has moved to China, where he is leading an effort to claim the world computing speed record. The Chinese government is seizing upon supercomputing to help speed the nation's transition from low-cost manufacturing to becoming a more powerful force in the world economy. Chen was recently profiled in a New York Times article that noted that his decision to set up shop in China was driven because the opportunity to build a new company looked more promising to him there than in the United States, where he was unable to secure financing from U.S. venture capitalists for his latest ideas, and he concluded that the fallout from the collapse of the Internet bubble had poisoned the investment climate. Chen is currently splitting his time between China and San Jose, California, where his wife, Kate, and their four children live. Duane Roth has been named executive director of the University of California, San Diego's CONNECT organization after a yearlong search. UCSD CONNECT was established in 1985 to foster entrepreneurship and growth companies in technology and the life sciences and to "commercialize" government research expenditures. Roth is currently chief executive officer of Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp. which he founded in San Diego in 1989. He also serves on many local boards and earlier this year was appointed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commission on Jobs in the Economy. Mr. Roth will have his work cut out for him: membership in CONNECT has dropped from a peak of 600 to only about 200 today Kathryn Smits, Director of Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau, and Nan Marchand, Business Development, recently attended the JATA (Japanese Association of Travel Agents) Congress and the TIA (Travel Industry Association) Media Marketplace in Tokyo, Japan. In addition to participation in these trade shows, the CVB conducted meetings with wholesalers, and travel professionals in this important Beverly Hills feeder market. "The meetings gave us an opportunity to gain insight on how to better position Beverly Hills to multiple niches within the Japanese market," Smits was quoted as saying,. "The exclusivity of the brand, the variety of experiences including the powerful shopping experience, and the reputation of our collection of hotels, makes the destination very desirable to the Japanese". John Donovan, a Bay Area Business Consultant has founded The Alliance of Service Providers and Manufactures. Software is being tested that will allow member companies to be connected 24/7 via a secure and interactive knowledge base offering horizontal communications among and between both sectors. It is expected that the new communication channel will help companies find new business opportunities and reduce the inherent risks associated with the business of manufacturing. For more information contact: jdonovan@asp-m.com or call 650-571-6766.
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The Los Angeles Times has written a story about the extraordinary influence the California Chamber of Commerce has had on Governor Schwarzenegger: "The chamber is deeply entwined with Schwarzenegger's government. Three former staff members at the institution now work for the governor, including the senior aide who oversees his legislative agenda, Richard Costigan. Donna Lucas, a deputy chief of staff who also works as an advisor to First Lady Maria Shriver, once served on the state Chamber of Commerce's board of directors". "The governor has collected more than $1 million in political contributions from companies represented on the chamber's board, including $250,000 each from Hewlett-Packard and Anheuser-Busch and $200,000 from PG&E.". In return, the Times has reported that the Schwarzenegger Administration and the California Chamber have been in virtual lock step on all major on all major policies and referendums involving business. Meanwhile, people could be forgiven if they are beginning to wonder whether the California Chamber is becoming a branch of the Republican Party. The Chamber broke with a tradition dating back more than 100 years when it endorsed Schwarzenegger in last year's recall election, and it recently endorsed seven Republicans running for legislative seats. The California Chamber is based in Sacramento and has has about 15,000 members said to represent one fourth of the State's workforce. More information about this organization and their political positions can be found on their website at www.calchamber.com What's going on at the Port of Los Angeles? First, Port Director Larry Keller is forced to resign under a cloud of suspicion about contracting irregularities, then the Harbor Commission immediately turns around and offers him a lucrative $540,000 consulting contract. Was this hush money? Was there a "pay to play" operation at the Port? This is a growing scandal Los Angeles and investigations are sprouting all over the place. Federal and county prosecutors are investigating contracting procedures, subpoenaing records and calling officials to testify. With a criminal inquiry hanging over the Port, the Los Angeles City Council recently decided that they would review the three year contract awarded to Mr. Keller. In a related story, an evaluation of the LA Harbor Commission by a private consulting group has found that the LA Harbor Department "has no clear vision for its future" and its citizen commissioners have been "too often directly involved" in day-to-day management. Most intriguing is the finding that, "two commissioners interviewed and picked five top managers over the last year, leaving top department staff like Keller out of the hiring process". Since the Commission is appointed by the Mayor, and also oversees the city's airports and Department of Water and Power, this scandal is far from over and could run wide and deep. The controversy about the "unofficial" trade offices doesn't seem bother Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante who is bounding all over the globe opening new offices. In December, he is planning to travel to India to open an office, followed by another in Mexico. The legal loophole he has used to justify these office involves a mysterious group called the California Commission for Economic Development. As Chairman of this Commission, he is authorized to sign agreements that advance California's economic development. His office did not return calls requesting comment but here is a link to his press release announcing the new unofficial California Trade office in Beijing. The LA Times also reported on the the growing political and economic muscle of the Vietnamese community. In two Orange County elections Vietnamese candidates have attracted nearly $1 million in contributions. Most of that money has gone to Van Tran, a Garden Grove councilman who ran as a Republican for a seat in the Assembly who has just become California's first Vietnamese American state legislator Tran had gathered about $800,000 both from traditional GOP donors and from Vietnamese Americans locally and across the country. Andy Quach, a Westminster councilman who is now Mayor, also raised a substantial amount of money about $177,000 the Times reported. "The money is testament not only to the perceived electability of the candidates but also to the economic and political vitality of the ethnic group from which it was raised, political experts said. Following a well-established pattern for immigrants, Vietnamese Americans have grown increasingly active in politics". Little Saigon, which straddles the neighboring Orange County cities of Garden Grove and Westminster, is the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam. The atmosphere at the recent State of the State Conference at the Milken Institute was said to be downright gloomy, a perfect match rare rainy day in LA on which it was held. Attendees reported that several speakers expressed alarm about how jobs and even entire industries continue to flee California. One speaker noted that more and more high paying jobs are being outsourced, and even the Entertainment industry has been affected as more movie production moves to Australia and other lower wage countries. Concerns that no one is defending this job loss were also expressed: all our Law Makers have "sold out" to special interests and the Labor Unions are powerless in defending job loss due to overseas outsourcing. All we are being left with is "retail jobs" one participant lamented. Your tax dollars at work: fortunately not, the tab is being picked up by the California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth, but the California Wants Your Business billboard campaign is beginning to take on comical dimensions. The campaign was launched by the Governor with billboards in high-profile locations around the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco. The billboards feature Governor Schwarzenegger, arms folded, posing in a California state flag T-shirt with the tagline: "Arnold Says: California Wants Your Business. (Actually, he says Kah-li-fornia.)". In Las Vegas, Governor Schwarzenegger stood before the cameras in front of a van with "Arnold's Moving Company" stenciled on the cab. "To the next employer who calls me about coming to our state, I will bring this moving van to your business, help you pack up and move you to California," Schwarzenegger said. In September, the Governor got his wish and took credit for luring a small printing shop from Nevada for a net gain of 10 jobs. "This is the first company that is moving back to California, bringing jobs back to California,'' Schwarzenegger said after riding up to the company's rented warehouse in the passenger seat of the van and proceeding to help the owners move boxes in a scheduled publicity event. Now other States are beginning to counter punch: Fellow Republican Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts commissioned billboards in San Francisco, San Diego and near LAX that shows a picture of himself, also with arms folded and the caption "Smaller Muscles, but Lower Taxes! Massachusetts Means Business". Did the Governor start an inter-State job war? Romney's Communication Director was quoted as saying" "In Massachusetts, we don't treat our employers like economic girlie-men". Nevada's Commission on Economic Development is retaliating with a series of newspaper advertisements and billboards next week trying to lure businesses away from California. The theme: "Will your Business be Terminated?" Meanwhile, rumors are spreading about the reasons for the cancellation of the Governor's trip to China that had been scheduled for this month. We reported here last month the official line that the trip had been cancelled because a prisoner was scheduled to be executed around that time, and that the Governor felt that because of this responsibility he should be in the State at that time. Now we are hearing that it was actually the Chinese Government that cancelled the meetings, believing that the events being planned were not substantial enough to warrant a State visit and instead were being organized mostly as photo ops. The Governor's trip to Japan planned for November 10-13 is proceeding as scheduled.
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Silicon Valley Database. If you have ever wanted to know who is in the venture capital community in Silicon Valley here is your chance. A new directory service called "Link Silicon Valley" has been soft launched and is currently offering free trial accounts of a yet to be determined length. The service has complete information on all the major venture capitalists in the Silicon Valley as well as a directory of more than 6000 technology firms. The registration on this system provides immediate access: www.linksv.com Los Angeles Small Business Global Trade Directory: Another interesting directory has been built by the Los Angeles County Office of Small Business. It appears to be part of the WAND supplier directory but allows users to search a special directory for firms in the LA area. The directory has full contact information with the exception of email addresses. It can be found at this link: http://lacob2btrade.org/ Manufacturing Innovation Grants Available. National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for Manufacturing Innovation grants. Companies with technologies aimed at increasing the competitive capability of manufacturing firms are encouraged to apply. Projects that make the country’s manufacturing base more competitive through innovation and responsiveness to changing needs are encouraged. Proposals must be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology and its potential for commercialization. The proposed technology also must target the private sector (Government and non-profits do not qualify). The deadline is December 8th: http://www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir/MI.htm |
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November 5: Marina, Homeland Security and the New Import-Export Regulations. Sponsored by the Marina Technology Cluster, U.S. Commercial Services, and the Monterey Bay International Trade Association. Luncheon meeting. Cost $25. More info: http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=76022 November 7-10: Monterey, U.S. - Africa Agribusiness Conference. Organized by the Corporate Council on Africa in collaboration with Monterey Bay International Trade Association, California Department of Food and Agriculture and other organizations. Event Description. November 8: Fullerton, New Uses for Documentary Letter of Credit Workshop. Sponsored by the Foundation for Emerging Markets at California State University Fullerton. Description of InterNetLC Utility Software and a Transactional Loan program which enables importers, exporters, service providers and bankers to save time and cost of payment for international transactions: http://www.babcla.org/ct_event_show.php?id=230 November 9th: San Francisco, Business Round Table at The Mexican Consulate. Multiple speakers on legal issues and doing business in the United States. This event will be in Spanish and no translation or interpretation will be provided. More information with Bernardo Mendez, Trade Consul 415-354-1731 or e-mail: consulmendez@yahoo.com or bmendez@consulmexsf.com November 11: Los Angeles, Project T2: A Technology Transfer Conference. Organized by the Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance. A showcase of 35 new technologies from several top Universities. For more information: http://www.projectt2.org/ November 11: Los Angeles, Finding and Entering New Export Markets. Seminar organized by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. Learn how to plan for export market diversification, identify high potential markets, devise market entry strategies and establish effective distribution in the target markets. More info. November 12: Chula Vista, Hispanic Business Fair. Organized by Southwestern College. Hispanic Businesses are invited to attend free business seminars presented in Spanish near San Diego. http://www.sbditc.org/ContentPage.asp?ContentID=107 November 15, Beverly Hills. Rebuilding Iraq Through Trade. Organized by the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce. Meet with Mohammed Mustafa Al-Jubory Iraqi Trade Minister. http://www.beverlyhillschamber.com/general.asp?id=662 November 16: City of Industry, Financing Your International Trade: How to Increase Profits. Organized by the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership and the East West Bank. http://wtcanet.org/acrobat_files/ITWsignup.pdf November 18: Santa Clara,
International Technology Forum. Organized by Teksia, Inc, ITF 2004
features seminars, expert panels and exhibitions, is a forum for all
high-tech professionals worldwide to exchange ideas about November 30: San Francisco, 2004 International Development Celebration. A year-end celebration of the International Development Series (IDS) with an evening of world music, networking, raffle prizes and food in a wonderful art gallery. Cost $10. RSVP and questions to martin@baido.org or call BAIDO at (415) 788-3666 (x 204) at the Earth Island Institute. December 6-8: Monterey, Red Herring Fall Conference: Top 100 Innovators. Sponsored by Red Herring. The top 100 most innovative companies and their CEOs as selected by Red Herring Magazine. For more information: http://www.redherring.com/EventsHome.aspx
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November 3: China: Trade Mission to China. Two-week trade mission sponsored by the City of Ontario Economic Development Agency and the Global Trade Center of the Inland Empire. November 7-10: Taipei, Taiwan, The Taiwan Business Alliance Forum. Organized by the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs as part of its continued efforts to promote foreign investment and boost Taiwan's economy. This year's conference will focus on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, IC design and IT services: http://investintaiwan.nat.gov.tw/en/forum/about.html November 15, 16: Osaka Japan. Global Venture Forum. Organized by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. For more information: http://www.wibv.com/gvf1.htm November 18: Paris, France. Invest in Successful Women Entrepreneurs. A contingent from Southern California will be attending this conference. For more information contact Jennifer Beckey at 858-344-3825 or visit: http://www.investinentrepreneurs.org/
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Project for a New California Century In early 2003 I participated in on online discussion group about international politics. This group had participants from many different countries, and was one of those rowdy, "no holds barred" Internet forums that allow just about everything except foul language. This was during the build-up for the Iraq war and in an astonishingly brief time, America had gone from being absolutely united as a people to being completely divided, and the world that had been unequivocally on our side after 9/11 was now completely against us. On this, and almost any other public forum, internationally-oriented Americans who were skeptical about the Bush Administration claims of Iraqi WMD and links to Al Quaeda were immediately attacked by other Americans as being unpatriotic. At the same time, an arrogant approach to foreign policy had spurred the largest anti-war protests in history on a massive global scale. Foreign friends who wrote would all say the same thing, "How can this be happening in America?". We had let them down. We didn't even listen to them. Amazingly many of them still believed in America- even as half of a divided America began to have extremely serious doubts about the direction our country was taking, they just were extremely worried about us- as you might become worried about a friend who's behavior seemed to be getting irrational. Although the right wing people hated us for even thinking it, it was becoming increasing difficult to be "proud" to be an American. This was also early in the campaign to recall Governor Davis, and another more civil discussion was taking place about what kind of State California should strive to be and a few interesting ideas were being passed around. One day, there was a particularly nasty post from a right-wing participant with some idea about bombing Saudi Arabia to take their oil fields or some such idiocy and he mentioned the "Project for a New American Century". This is the philosophy of the Neoconservatives that believes America, while it is the world's sole super-power, should take advantage of this situation by using our Military force whenever and wherever we want preemptively and solely in our own self interest. What if California used the same logic I wondered? As a parody, I wrote a post called "Project for a New California Century". Here is part of it that I dug it up in the archives of the newsgroup:
That's right- I called for California to militarily attack our neighboring State Nevada! This was satire, of course, a joke- so imagine my shock when some people wrote me and seemed to take the idea seriously. Most people naturally understood that this was a parody but several wondered if there there might be a germ of an idea here. What if California was far more globally assertive and governed as an independent nation-state on the shores of America, in partnership with the United States but not beholden to her? Could an idea born in the lunacy of an Internet discussion forum actually have some merit? I think this got passed around the Internet a little more than I expected, because people of all political strips wrote me to ask about the Project for a New California Century- some even asked if they could join or asked if they could help organize it. So this naturally got me thinking. If there were a Project for a New California Century what would it look like? Could we build a modern progressive democracy whose culture and economic influence is felt in every corner of the world. A true "Project for a New California Century" would be a massive undertaking, involving every facet of how we live and work. Even defining such a project would be far beyond the scope of this newsletter but we can broach an important part of this topic: California's economic development and international business development. The Schwarzenegger administration has been slow out of the gate on this issue. As of this writing, we still don't know the State Government's strategy for international business development, or if one even exists- or even if they think one would should exist. The Governor's true power was his promise of bi-partisanship, but his recent actions have been disappointing to many "Schwarzenegger Democrats". Certainly stumping for President Bush in Ohio earned the Governor more standing in the Republican Party, but we thought he had no ambition beyond California and he promised to be the Governor "for all the people". The situation with the California Commission for Jobs and Economic Development is particularly troubling.. As we understand it, this group is made up mostly of the Governor's campaign contributors and Republican supporters of his recall election bid. They have already launched nation-wide marketing campaigns on behalf of California, and have also arranged the Governor's overseas trade missions. This sounds very much like a de facto economic development agency with the exception that the economic and business information they collect, possibly at Government expense, is passed through a private network political associates. This is the exact mistake made by the Davis administration with their overseas trade offices. It seems very much "business as usual" in Sacramento. The first thing we need to do- at least if the Government wants to help- is get rid of this partisanship- international business is simply not a partisan issue, opinions fall all over the map with both parties. Then we need to get over the idea that "business" means only "big Corporations", and we also need to get over the idea the international trade means only "stuff you can put in a box". California professionals need more overseas experience, we need to help them find these opportunities. Small business needs better connections with international supply chains- we need to help find those opportunities. Where do we find these opportunities? Our ethnic communities are absolute treasure troves of business contacts and information about the needs and desires of other cultures. California expatriates form an "on the ground" army living in every corner of the globe- we need to help connect them to the motherland. Most of all we need to find a way to tap into the incredible energy of small business and entrepreneurs, and find ways to help them. Together this could form a network of incredible economic power. This may not be the Project for a New California Century but it would be a good start. The Government may not care, but somehow we need to find a way to work together so California can again be the land of opportunity.
Rob Gordon
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The California Trade Network The California Trade Network is a small business, private sector initiative with the goal of providing high quality information and communication services for California's international business community. This is a commercial service but we are offering an array of free services as a benefit to internationally-oriented companies and professionals in California. This includes the California International Business Directory and a Trade Opportunity Database as well as several other information services and on-line business forums. We are also developing more sophisticated commercial services including an international trade opportunity matching service and higher quality information content and communication services. We are especially excited about the new CALTRADE Community Portal it uses a business networking technology with integrated Internet Telephony which we intend to offer as a fee based service. We are also actively looking for partners and sponsors for this initiative so please contact us if you would like to discuss business possibilities. For more information about the current services of the California Trade Network please see this link or visit us on the web at: This report is published by the California Trade Network and we are solely responsible for its content. Please send comments, suggestions, corrections and ideas for inclusion to CALTRADE@gmail.com or call 858-483-7250. We will also consider short opt-ed pieces. This is part of an outreach effort to the international business community in California. Please help us by using the link at the bottom to forward this to the person responsible for international business development in your organization, or to your associates who may be interested in this topic. To remove yourself from this mailing list use the "unsubscribe" link at at the lower left. Also use the unsubscribe link if you want this delivered to a different email address- the current delivery address will be removed and a form will display that will allow you to enter a new email address. |
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