When Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Friday and Saturday with President Obama at the Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, the agenda will likely focus on the same issues that have dogged the relationship for years – currency values, North Korea, protection of intellectual property, human rights More…
California
Californian Governor Jerry Brown had the engagement rules straight for his followers: offer your business card with two hands; clap along if others clap; do not present clocks or knives; arrival gifts for your friends and clients are welcome. And, as Brown said upon arriving in Beijing on Tuesday, in his first trip to China since 1986, ”California is a green state and loves greenbacks”, which are now mostly in Beijing’s coffers, the governor hinted. More…
Pity poor Gov. Jerry Brown. The challenges he is responsible for resolving are not of his making. But when he threatens deeper cuts to services if voters don’t pass his tax-increase measures, then it is definitely his mistake. It is a big mistake because he wants to solve new problems with old ideas. This has never worked. More…
Bill Mundell – The Huffington Post – Question: How do you run California without a balance sheet? My answer: Apparently, rather poorly. We all know about California’s liabilities, the $72 billion in debt, the $100 billion plus in unfunded pension liabilities, IOU’s, etc. But, where is the list of the state’s assets? Incredibly, the state of California, the 8th largest economy in the world, doesn’t have a complete balance sheet. California needs to show the world that our state isn’t bankrupt, isn’t in dire need of raising taxes or cutting essential services. How? By redeploying its significant assets. More…
California’s “spending extravaganza” was in the spotlight last month when the Chairman of ZBB energy corporation, Bill Mundell, delivered a lecture to Governor Schwarzenegger and his delegates at the State’s biannual Republican Party convention. “It has been said that the financial crisis is the mother of all inventions, and out of the ashes of our own California crisis can come a brand of Conservatism, one we Republicans can rally behind because it directly addresses our state’s inexorable drive towards indebtedness and financial Armageddon.” More…
With California in a continuous cash crisis, there are now innovative ideas coming out on how it can balance its budget, and how it can make actually some money for public services that are vitally needed and suffering major cutbacks. With us, Bill Mundell, an environmental entrepreneur, a businessman, a thinker, and one who has been talking about something called the Australian model. More…
In recent days, the reality of the state’s budget cutting extravaganza is sinking in for Californians of every situation and location. State workers are looking at their personal bills and figuring what they can live without to make up for their 15 percent pay cuts and seeing if they can find part-time jobs for those three days a month they will be on furlough. School officials are trying to figure out how they will continue to provide adequate education to their students when they must cut teachers and increase class sizes. College students must determine how they will graduate in time when classes have been cut and fees hiked. More…
Bill Mundell discusses California economic issues on China Central Television (CCTV), the major state television broadcaster in mainland China, and one of China´s most important news broadcast companies. More…
California, the world’s sixth largest economy, is experiencing the most serious fiscal crisis in its history. Bill Mundell dialogued with NetEase (a leading China-based Internet technology company) and said he thinks the government should adjust its strategy in California, open its horizons, and look outside of the box for new alternative ways to restructure its financial situation. [Netease.com]
In 1996, Australia reached its high-water mark for public debt, hitting roughly $100 billion. Today, even in the midst of the global economic meltdown, Australia is virtually debt free and has a $100 billion “Fund for the Future.” A funny thing happened on the way to this impressive turnaround. Australia realized it had a significant but unexploited potential: Redeploying its public assets. More…
Bill Mundell, the only Republican making serious preparations to challenge U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bid for reelection, said Tuesday he has decided not to run, leaving the GOP with no clear contender for one of California’s top races for 2006. The move by Mundell, an education software executive, reflects the difficulty Republicans face in finding a strong candidate to challenge the popular Democratic incumbent. More…
Michael Finnegan – Times Staff Writer: Bill Mundell has carved a lonely spot for himself in California politics: The wealthy technology executive is the sole Republican openly weighing a serious run to unseat U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. “If I make a decision to go forward with this, I will give Dianne Feinstein a run for her money,” said Mundell, whose last campaign, a state Assembly race, ended in defeat 19 years ago. More…
