Add The California Post on Google Xavier Becerra has decided that the race for governor is in the bag. So he’s not offering policy details, or promises, that anyone might use to hold him accountable later.
There’s almost no political risk for a career Democrat running in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 2-to-1 margin.
You’d think that would help a candidate feel more relaxed, and more comfortable sharing ideas.
It’s what voters want, and deserve — so why not do it?
Becerra says he learned the hard way from a mistake early in his career.
He campaigned against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), then changed his mind once he was in office, and voted for it.
When NAFTA became unpopular, he regretted his decision.
Lots of people underestimated the job losses that NAFTA would cause. Many people — including many Democrats — thought that trade would benefit the economy overall, even if some industries moved production offshore.
Some would still make that argument. In fact, that’s why Trump signed — and Congress approved — the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2019.
Being in public office means making tough decisions. It means taking the risk of being wrong.
It also means learning how to fix your mistakes, when they happen.
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The only people who never get anything wrong are people who never do anything important.
Becerra has spent his career in other people’s shadow. He was a minor player in Congress. He was a fill-in as California attorney general. He was invisible as secretary of health and human services under President Joe Biden.
And he was an afterthought in the governor’s race, until Eric Swalwell crashed out and Democrats needed a new front-runner.
Becerra was their man — largely because he hadn’t done enough to offend anybody.
But it’s a terrible way to govern. You can’t run from tough choices.
You have to have the courage to fail — and to change your mind.
Also — as a candidate, you owe it to the voters to give them a clear sense of where you stand. It’s the only way they can hold you accountable, if and when you win.
Becerra needs to decide if he is running to govern, or just to be an empty suit.
The status quo in California isn’t cutting it. The Golden State needs leadership.
