Friends, I have some big news today: I’m running for Governor of California, in the June 8th Democratic primary, challenging Jerry Brown as a progressive.
Please join my campaign, at: http://PeterForGov.org.
From my four years as MoveOn.org’s founding Executive Director (2001-2005), and an organizing career almost two decades long, I know what it takes to win:
* Take bold, principled stands on the key issues
* Run a vigorous grass-roots campaign
* Make the best possible use of the Internet
I’m an old fan of Jerry Brown — I worked my tail off campaigning for him when he ran for President 18 years ago — but I don’t see him doing any of these things.
Six-plus years of Republican mismanagement have left California in a fiscal and civic crisis. We’ve got to win the Governor’s office, and the way to win is to fight for our core values, not run away from them. We have to campaign vigorously, on our principles. Nothing less will be enough to beat Whitman’s corporate, Wall Street billions.
I’m taking strong stands on the key issues facing California:
We have to close our budget gap by making corporations, big commercial property owners, and the richest people pay their fair share. If you care about protecting our children, our grandparents, the most vulnerable Californians, you must support raising revenues. Jerry doesn’t. Meg Whitman is actually campaigning on cutting jobs — her true Goldman Sachs colors are shining through.
We also have to break the Republican minority’s stranglehold on our state, by ending the 2/3 rule for raising revenues. Democracy means a majority vote, not rule by a few obstructionists. Jerry’s doesn’t support this change — in fact he’s been sabotaging it. Whitman wants to keep things the way they are, with the Republican boot on California’s neck.
At MoveOn.org, I fought hard to pass the California car-mileage and climate-change law that President Obama’s E.P.A. just adopted nationwide. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you were part of that campaign — thank you! But Meg Whitman wants to suspend another major California climate change law. She’s got it totally backwards. Clean tech is today’s great economic opportunity, and California can’t get left behind. Whitman trying to undermine it is like going back 30 years and cutting funding for the development of the Internet. Where would eBay be today?
We need real leadership. Not politics.
Join my campaign for California’s future at: http://PeterForGov.org
Thanks.
– Peter
Are U running a write-in campaign, OR did you submit the required paperwork by the deadline earlier in March?
Regardless, do you have a viable plan as part of your apparent campaign to get our next Democratic governor–hopefully Brown–to take forthright and principled positions on the progressive goals you share?
You say we need real leadership; not politics. Of course, real leadership and politics are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, showing real leadership in moving the ball forward on progressive policy goals often requires smart politics. I’m pretty sure you already know this, but I thought it is worth mentioning anyway.
MoveOn has done very good work on a range of high-profile issues, and no one should diminish the work that you’ve done as part of that MoveOn effort. Nevertheless, Brown will be our nominee and I’m going to work as hard as I can to get him elected in November, while at the same time supporting efforts to eliminate the 2/3 requirement and to create a ‘split roll’ prop. 13 reform.
p.s. Brown, as the state’s Attorney General, has also been a leader in supporting, protecting, and defending the state’s clean car regulations and the global warming solutions act.
Got endorsements, war chest and people ready to work? Otherwise this just seems like a vanity campaign.
Sorry to be harsh, but coming in this late is a distraction to the much needed effort to push Brown to be a better candidate.
Without giving potential supporters an opportunity to volunteer, your outreach looks more top down than grassroots.
it’s good to see someone taking up the challenge. i don’t think people realize where Brown’s politics really are these days – to the extent that even Brown knows, that is. having to face a primary opponent may help. we need someone to vote for, not just against.
Not that I watch local news much, but I haven’t see a peep about your campaign. I frequent most of the major progressive blogs and MoveOn supported the very vague Public Option. Okay so you haven’t been there since 2005, I see that, but I still believe Brown is largely playing a wait and see game. I know Whitmann and the California Chamber of Commerce are targeting Brown but let’s be honest, unless you take the voters of California for being complete morons, eMeg or iCarly will never sniff the seats they want. This is play to grab more money and both will be exposed as slash and burn CEO’s that went to school during Regan’s run in office, they couldn’t be moderate if they wanted too and will alienate the NEW Republican base if they try to move to the center.
I’m all for pushing Brown to the left of the debate and while he hasn’t come out directly in support of SB810 or legalizing marijuana, all corner stone Progressive stances, he has flippantly supported doing away with 2/3rds for budgetary issues and supports AB32.
As for his e-campaign its off to a rocky start I agree but I think the bulk of the ideas, strategy and M-O-N-E-Y will come from the DGA and DNC once the primary hurdle has been jumped.
Not saying you should run, but why should I support you and not Laura Wells??
Its not like Democrats especially at the Federal level are covering themselves in glory.