An interview with Joe Guzzardi: Candidate for governor of California

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Written By William Kaliher

an-interview-with-joe-guzzardiImage courtesy of Robert Cutts under CC BY 2.0.

Today we’ll take a look at one of the so-called long shots for the California Statewide Special Election. This author supports and encourages readers to consider the regular American, the average Joe or Jane. We’ve obviously gotten far less than we bargained or voted for by electing career politicians. In addition to this interview also check out: www.Guzzardi4Governor.com

Q: Mr. Guzzardi, people will want to know you better because you are running for governor. Tell the readers a bit about yourself. Not about your career.

A: Single man who enjoys dogs, cats, horses, mules and his bilingual African Gray Parrot. Can really bake up a storm. Won three blue ribbons at the California State Fair and the San Joaquin County Fair this summer. Have had difficulty sustaining meaningful relationships with women but forge ahead anyway.

Q: The liberal world will certainly be surprised to discover Joe Guzzardi enjoys animals, although I expect difficulty forging meaningful relationships crosses party lines. Do you own horses or mules?

A: Not at the moment, although I have owned horses in my life. And once this election ends, I intend to purchase two mules which has been a goal for about the last five years since I started attending www.muledays.org I believe animals should come in pairs.

Q: My wife owns horses and I almost hate for her to learn about this site concerning mules. I’d like to know about your career. How’d you start and exactly what do you do.

A: Multiple careers: Wall Street investment banker, commercial banker in Seattle; venture capitalist. Abrupt career change to owning and operating taverns and pubs. Another abrupt change into education and journalism in Lodi, CA..

Q: I think most of the regular Ether Zone readers know you from your columns. Could you expand on your move into journalism and has your political take resulted in any problems with your current career?

A: About 12 or so years ago, the Stockton Record (now The Record) ran a solicitation for “local” columnists. I submitted a sample editorial based on my school experiences and was chosen as one of the seven (one for each day) As the then editor told me, “You are the white guy.” If I remember correctly, there were actually two whites—the other a hippy. Others were high school student, Hispanic, Japanese, Jewish, Black Stockton is a very diverse city.

Q: What are the five most dangerous or humorous experiences you’ve had while working.

A:
1) Pretending I was awake during incredibly long and boring corporate meetings.
2) Dealing with rock and roll bands(prima donnas) at the pubs.
3) Convincing people they really didn’t need “one for the road”
4) Writing immigration reform columns while teaching immigrants in Lodi.
5) Running for governor and getting less press than Gary Coleman.

Q: I guess we all understand why the mainstream press is enthralled with Gary Coleman’s political perspectives. However, if we had a serious press as the Founder’s envisioned, how do you think the 135 candidates would have been covered?

A: I would like to think that they would have taken a few moments to review the credentials of those running to see if anyone actually has anything to say and find that person out. The pathetic truth is that among those considered by the press to be the “big names” at least three of them have absolutely nothing to contribute or any chance of winning—Ueberroth, Huffington and Camejo. At least Simon had the decency to drop out and spare us the very tedious TV appearances he would have made.

Q: Your comment on teaching immigrants also caught my attention. I find many legal immigrants become fine citizens. I know many that understand what being an American means better than many native born. At least that has been my experience until recent years. Are you seeing a different type immigrant these days?

A: Well, yes. The “typical” immigrant into California is very poor and mostly uneducated. That is why California is such a huge magnet for aliens—get here, get job, get school, get medical, get driver’s license. The equally disturbing thing is that many of the legal immigrants–especially among Indian, Paki and Chinese—don’t really seem to be on the “American” wave length—even after they have become citizens. I think this is reflected by the fact that some very significant (25%–not exactly sure) number of California households speak a language other than English at home. P.S. Vietnamese do very well—one of the exceptions.

Q: Now, we better turn to the rough world of politics. What are some of the things you’re doing to overcome the big money and special interest candidates?

A: Heavy Internet and a strong reliance on the people who have been reading my columns for 15 years to promote my candidacy among their largely passive group of friends.

Q: Are you seeing any results in awakening the passive? Have you any ideas your supporters among Ether Zone readers might do to boost your candidacy?

A: Immigration–legal and illegal—is higher on the radar screen than ever. Anyone with California contacts or relatives should e-mail me or send around the link to my website.

Q: Do you feel you’re having any success getting your message out, given the unfair playing field unconnected candidates must face?

A: Yes, quite a bit. Good press and TV coverage considering there are “celebrity” candidates in both the Rep. and Dem field: Schwarzenegger/ Bustamante.

Q: I’m guessing many of your co-workers are supporting you, but have you had any indication other groups might be considering throwing their support your way?

A: No, but I have had groups ask me to throw my support their way.

Q: Could you expound on what you mean about groups wanting your support?

A: This was unofficial but a big supporter of Tom McClintock asked me to give it up and come out for Tom…I think this fellow was a donor and volunteer in the McClintock camp but perhaps not an official spokesman.

Q: Are there any other candidates you’ve met that you particularly like or dislike in this election?

A: None that I have met but I don’t like Davis, Bustamante, Schwarzenegger (as a pol), Ueberroth or Huffington (as a pol).

Q: What are your five favorite books?

A: “Seabiscuit” (for these 59 days only); “The Boys of Summer”; “I Heard the Owl Call My Name”; “Blue Highways” and “The Art of French Cooking”

Q: Historically, who would you list as the five greatest individuals who ever lived?

A: Julia Child, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Ulyssess S. Grant and Winston Churchill

Q: What event or issue first got you interested in politics?

A: Barry Goldwater/ Lyndon Johnson

Q: What made you decide to take on the Governor’s race?

A: No one talking about the consequences of illegal immigration in CA. All venal cowards.

Q: What do you see happening to our country, the economy and culture if the venal cowards don’t develop some backbone and correct this influx of illegal aliens?

A: The outcome is very clear. The US will become a massive “Dade County” where Spanish and not English is the language and the common good will be out the window as polls continue to pander to these “new” voting blocks.

The recent CIS report that showed that something like 60% of all immigration is now from Latin America and mostly Mexico is indisputable evidence of this trend.

Q: What are the five main things you plan to accomplish as governor?

A:
1)End illegal immigration; 2) challenge all special legislation to illegal aliens; 3) enforce sanctions against employers who hire illegal immigration, 4) hound editors to make sure their reporters write fair and balanced stories about immigration (while I am phasing it out) and 5) let people know about the impact of non-immigrant visas on American jobs.

Q:  The unfairness of our media is a continuing problem. Have you got any ideas that regular readers could employ in helping make the media be more accurate and fair? Also, this would be a good place to offer a summary of the the impact of non-immigrant visas on American jobs if you would.

A: It is very hard for me–as someone who worked on a study of how immigration is reported on for three years–to envision that the media will ever be anything but a dangerous adversary to what we are trying to do. The reporting about immigration is worse–by far–than pre-9/11. The comfort is that enlightened people now get their news from the Internet.

Non-immigrant visas are a tough one for the public at large. Obviously if you are a displaced worker, you have no trouble getting riled up. But to the average citizen, the issue seems complex when in reality it is not. They come, they displace Americans, they stay for six years, they become eligible for green cards, they become US citizens and they send for everyone in their village. In the meantime, they have married and have four US citizen children. So the lone H-1B visa worker eventually is responsible for maybe bringing 10-12 more people into the US. Many will not truly assimilate. And all this is perfectly legal.

Q. I greatly appreciate your taking the time to do this computer interview with Ether Zone. Is there anything I’ve missed you’d like to make the voters of California and the nation aware of concerning your candidacy?

A: That I am a serious candidate campaigning on the most serious issue—ending illegal immigration.

Published originally at EtherZone.com : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact.”

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