Peter Tateishi — Fixer of the Assembly

Peter Tateishi is a Republican candidate for the 8^th Assembly District, which was created in the new redrawing of legislative lines. It includes communities and unincorporated areas northeast and southeast of Sacramento, including Carmichael where Tateishi lives with his wife, Anna Feliz, and daughter Victoria, his campaign website says.

Drivers in the area Tateishi wants to represent can’t help but see a number of lawn signs placed by him and the five other candidates who also seek the seat.

Among them are those for Barbara Ortega, another GOP contender.

The district’s voter breakdown is 40 percent Democrat, 37.5 Republican and 18 percent who are members of no political party. The voters without a party affiliation will be the deciding factor.

Tateishi’s lawn signs are startling.

They don’t deviate from the standard red, white and blue political palette but they make a rather stunning pledge: If elected, Tateishi will “fix the State Assembly.”

Tateishi is the chief of staff of the local Republican Congressman, Dan Lungren, and, no doubt, a swell person. The photograph of Tateishi and his family on his webpage would certainly attest to that.

However, voters should take an extremely skeptical look at anyone who claims they will “fix the Assembly.” Or the Senate. Or Sacramento. Or Congress. Or Washington. 

Putting aside the hubris of such a statement,what needs to be fixed has to be stated before embarking on any discussion of how that condition will be remedied.

Complaints about the operation of state, federal and, often times, local government are legion.

A “fix” — unless it’s a euphemism for neutering — seems a complicated undertaking that would require more than one person’s involvement. Even the neutering of a legislative body requires a bit more manpower than a lone lawmaker.

Additionally, should Tateishi win election, he would be a member of the minority party, which, under almost all circumstances, has their policy objectives,including whatever their idea is for “fixing” the Assembly, quashed by majority Democrats. Such a condition will not change after the November 2012 election with or without a Tateishi victory. 

However, benefit of the doubt, given the obvious space limitations of a lawn sign, the most likely place to seek amplification of this sweeping vow would be the candidate’s website.

The most obvious click for the answer would be “Why Peter Is Running.”

“Join Our Team,” “Make Your Contribution” and “Are You in the Eighth District?” seem far less likely to yield the desired information. 

Tateishi says he is “excited” about representing the people in this new Assembly district.

He notes that he has lived in the area since birth and knows he will represent the district well.

Then he explains his philosophy of government, which at first blush seems a preamble to the sought-after detail backing up his audacious  lawn sign promise.

“My approach to government is quite simple, I want state government to foster an environment that empowers job creators, not cripples them with burdensome regulations and obstacles to success,” Tateishi says. “In my view, raising taxes in this environment is an obstacle to success. While on the park board in Carmichael, I successfully developed new parks without raising taxes or bankrupting the district.

“I’ve worked in government and the private sector and I understand that government should not be in the business of creating winners and losers. It should free the hands of small businesses and not get out of the way.”

(Presumably the “not” is a typo. Given the previous sentence it seems like  Tateishi would want  government to get way out of the way.)

Then he unabashedly admits his love for California and says he wants his infant daughter to “live in a state with personal, educational and professional opportunities.”

And, as a consequence of this desire, he believes he must run for the Assembly.

This is an explanation of how he plans to fix the Assembly?

Through a love of California and a “simple” approach to government?

Even a search of the less likely areas on the webpage yields no helpful information.

The News section says merely that Tateishi is running and the Republican Party endorses him – apparently not based on the specificity of his campaign promises. 

Perhaps Tateishi offers details in his public appearances or when he knocks on doors in Wiltern and Rancho Cordova,  tirelessly explaining what needs to be fixed and how he’ll miraculously single-handedly accomplish what he promises. 

But the only readily available information about his campaign makes the pledge ring hollow.

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