A Subtle Message on the Essence of Competition From California Governor Jerry Brown

Source: xtelesis

updated at  21:39 hr

Governor Brown expressed his reservations about legalizing marijuana for recreational use.  

"fiscal discipline is the fundamental predicate of a free society, ...  but it may help if everyone isn't getting stoned.  ... Well, we have medical marijuana, which gets very close to what they have in Colorado and Washington,  ... I'd really like those two states to show us how it's going to work. The problem with anything, a certain amount is OK.  But there is a tendency to go to extremes. And all of a sudden, if there's advertising and legitimacy, how many people can get stoned and still have a great state or a great nation? The world's pretty dangerous, very competitive. I think we need to stay alert, if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the potheads might be able to put together."

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/jerry-brown-worries-about-marijuana-legalization-and-potheads.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/jerry-brown-worries-about-marijuana-legalization-and-potheads.html#storylink=cpy

Sources:   Politico,   Sacramento Bee and  Washington Times

It is rare that the top-down results-based people and the field level "ground up" people are able to see the possible positivity and the possible negativity that could originate from the opposite view.  . . .  Governor Brown is one of those rare individuals who understands the opposing sides that originate from the legalization of marijuana.  . . . 
, 
Look at the state of Copenhagen, Denmark. One man's positive is another man's negative and vice-versa.   . . . Read and reflect on why other countries are still illegalizing marijuana.  . . . 

It takes an abundance of rules and regulations to manage this legal process. Who is willing to create the system and manage it? Is the projected outcome is greater than the projected income?

The State of Competition
"Competition is the greatest matter of any capitalistic economy, the basis of success and failure, the Dao to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly contemplated and analysed." 

- Art Of War 1

The understanding of the social-economic psychology behind a grand situation enables one to see the risk benefits, the risk consequences and the challenges of a major political-social decision.   Could you see the chain reaction that could originate from this above decision?

The only way to stay safe is to assume the worst until one could see the matrix of connectivity that lies within the situation. 

Side Notes
The competitively innovative people are regularly mindfully alert. The state of being mindfully "stoned," will usually lower the state of competitive efficiency. 

One stays alert by practicing the art of mindful centerness. From personal experience, mindful centerness and sipping some good tea will assist one in become innovative.  ... While necessity is the mother of invention, mindful experience and conscious awareness are usually the causes for great innovation.

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Applying the AoW Principles in the Real World

Governor Jerry Brown has been known as a major implementer of the Art of War (AoW) principles.

The Process

In his past political campaigns, Governor Brown and his team usually assessed the big picture within his grand terrain and the massive participants within it. Once the situation and the prevailing influences are recognized, they examined the advantages and the disadvantages and then quietly adjusted to the relevant points with solid planning and preparation.

This practice of the process has put Jerry Brown into a strategic position of near-political invincibility.

During the 2010 campaign, Jerry Brown consistently displayed the political image of wisdom, benevolence, credibility, discipline and courage while adjusting to the political voice of his terrain.

At the end, he was able to win back his old job as the Governor of California, with minimum effort from the competition.

Then and Now

Governor Brown is currently trying to influence his fellow politicians and his constituents on the benefits of his tax extension measure. Getting the votes behind it while countering the argument of the possible drawbacks has been a grinding challenge for him

Photo from Artofwarchess.com

Ruminations from the Compass Desk

The key to strategic success is to understand the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) in terms of the prevailing influences (political, economic, social, etc.).

There are many approaches to viewing the BTP. Some people prefer to see it from a result-oriented outcome view. Others would rather look at it in terms of different categories (i.e., the civil factors, the martial factors, the leadership, the tactical essentials and the tactical specifics.) Whether they can connect those categories of data together and see the risk-benefits and the risk-consequences, that is a different story.

Certain situations demand different view. It all depends on one's own skill and the specifics of that situation.

In our world of instantaneous demand, the only thing that counts is the results. Whether the people are able to achieve their ends is a different story.

Side note

Interestingly, there are some strategic implementers who prefer to espouse the virtue of the Art of War principles by using one or two principles (from a pool of 360+ principles) at a time.

Serious strategy professionals usually prefer to read the Seven Strategy Classics (Seven Military Classics of Ancient China). It gives them a grander perspective of the following points:

• grand strategic view;
• macro strategic view;
• operational strategic view; and
• tactical strategic view.

In our future posts, we will elaborate on how to connect those points into one big tangible picture.

Strategic Assessment #4: How the Big Boys Play the Game.

We were talking to a C level officer of a startup who told us that he did not believe in the reason of having competitive intelligence gathering. He felt that his view of the marketplace is good enough and that constant intelligence updates would distract him and his team from implementing their initial plan. ... He believed that the 100% effort toward execution was the way to go.

My response was "Not knowing the mindset of the competition and the configuration of your business terrain is like traveling into a dark forest without knowing where is the path of minimum resistance and not having a compass and a flashlight to get you there. ..."


The following news item depicts how the political big boys in California play the "election" game. They gathered intelligence on their opposition. They know their strategic priorities and find the obvious weaknesses in the opposition's position and exploit it to the maximum.


Pete Wilson to Jerry Brown: GAME ON!

Team Whitman just rolled out its campaign chair -- ex-Guv Pete Wilson -- and The Marine had a message for Jerry Brown and his union pals ready to sling $40 million worth of oppo research at Meg: Game on!

Or, as Wilson put it: "Jerry Brown and his allies are beginning the General Election today. We must respond."

"Meg and our campaign team are beginning the General Election today," Wilson wrote, "and we are not wasting time."

That means no more sunshine and rainbows TV ads from Meg. (Somewhere Angelyne is weeping.)

Instead, as Wilson said, "we will expand our ad campaign as needed to take on Jerry Brown and his allies before the conclusion of the primary season."

And, Pete sez that Team Meg will be stepping out its grassroots support (asking local supporters to reach out to the media), fundraising outreach (yes, silly, to people OTHER than the candidate) and voter outreach. Meg's "already busy campaign schedule will ramp up quickly" with a Bay Area stop next week.

Now, let us pick up our Irony Meters for this line from Wilson:

"They will use any means possible, including this multi-million dollar negative assault, to try to stop Meg's message of reform."

Takes a multi-million dollar assault to know a multi-million dollar assault.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=57114

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Brown's allies fund effort targeting Whitman
Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Democrats and unions, fearful that Meg Whitman's early radio and TV blitz will leave Jerry Brown in the dust, are setting up a $20 million "independent expenditure" effort aimed at cutting the billionaire Republican gubernatorial candidate down to size.

It's called "Level the Playing Field 2010," and it's being put together by progressive unions and wealthy donors worried that Brown's $12 million war chest is spare change next to Whitman's mega-millions.

The idea is to allow Democrats to take on the largely self-funded Whitman without having to worry about the gubernatorial campaign contribution limits that are certain to put a lid on Brown's own spending.

Leading the effort: former Brown campaign manager and opposition research specialist Ace Smith, former Clinton White House spokesman Chris Lehane and fundraiser Michelle Maravich, who has also worked for Brown.

The goal is to be on the air with their first TV ad in a couple of weeks.

The consultants are mum on the details, but we hear the first target will be the layoffs and executive pay perks that Whitman presided over during her tenure as CEO of eBay.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/09/BAD81BV2AH.DTL

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In summary, they (the strategists) assessed the big grand picture in terms of politics, economic matters, social matters and technology. They positioned themselves with a good strategic plan. Then they will influence the California masses with their view of the opposition.

As smart California voters, we preferred to be influenced by pragmatic solutions.

The Dao of Strategic Decision-Making

Making political decisions at the level of a state official is always difficult.

The following story was sent by an associate.

ACORN puts Jerry Brown in a political pickle

Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, November 16, 2009

Attorney General Jerry Brown, a likely Democratic candidate for governor next year, faces political blowback no matter how he rules on the undercover videotaping by conservative filmmakers at offices of the community group ACORN in Southern California.

Brown is investigating the filmmakers, who posed as a prostitute and a pimp, for possible violations of state privacy laws. He is also investigating the group for what is shown in the video: an employee of ACORN apparently advising the filmmakers how to smuggle Mexican girls across the border to work as prostitutes.

After the tapes were released, House Republicans used a series of similar videos to pass a resolution to cut all federal funding for ACORN, or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. The group sued the federal government Friday to restore funding, claiming Congress punitively targeted an individual organization.

Political quicksand

Brown, the state's top law enforcement official, is stepping into that political quicksand in California.

If he charges the filmmakers, he'll be accused of hypocrisy because he chose not to bring charges against his own spokesman, who has admitted secretly recording journalists. If he doesn't bring charges against the filmmakers, he faces criticism from grassroots liberals and supporters of ACORN, which Republicans have also accused of voter fraud.

Brown's spokesman Scott Gerber admitted recording six interviews with five journalists, including a reporter for The Chronicle, without their consent. Officials in Brown's office said they had told him not to record the conversations without the reporters' consent, as required by state law.

Gerber resigned last week, and the attorney general's office said it had completed its investigation.

But the attorney general faces political problems in addition to legal questions surrounding the secret recordings by the filmmakers and his spokesman.

Last week, his Republican rivals for governor, as well as consumer advocates and newspaper editorial boards, blasted him for not ordering an independent investigation of Gerber's recordings.

"Jerry Brown has to know that without an independent probe, there will be a cloud over his office - and his pending run for governor," editorialized the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Troubling signs

While analysts say the story may seem minor to Brown's gubernatorial candidacy - with the June primary months away and without a Democratic rival - it raises troubling signs for Brown's exploratory campaign.

"It's giving a lot of Democrats reason to worry that he's not ready for prime time," said Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio, a top aide to former Gov. Gray Davis and other politicians.

The secret taping scandal should have been a one-day story, Maviglio said. Now, Republicans are tying it to his investigation of the ACORN filmmakers, raising questions about Brown's trust.

"Apparently, California's attorney general thinks that he and his cohorts can sidestep the very laws that they are using as justification for their investigations of ACORN filmmakers James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles," blogged California Republican Party chair Ron Nehring.

An online ad produced by the state GOP asked: "Really, Jerry? An unbiased investigation of yourself? What do you have to hide? We just can't trust you on this one."

Attempting to show Brown's bias in his investigation of ACORN, conservatives circulated audio clips of Dan Lagstein, ACORN's lead San Diego organizer, speaking at a Democratic Club meeting in El Cajon last month.

"The attorney general is a political animal as well," Lagstein said. "Every bit of communication we've had with (Brown's office) has suggested that fault will be found with the people that did the video and not with ACORN."

Lagstein, in an interview with The Chronicle, declined to discuss details of his contact with Brown's office but said he believes ACORN has done nothing illegal.

Christine Gasparac, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office, said the ACORN probe has not been prejudged.

"There is absolutely no truth to the assertion that this office has come to any conclusions in the ACORN matter, in a preliminary way or at all," she said.

'Wake-up call'

Maviglio said Brown's handling of the two cases "should be a wake-up call that he can't continue to run his campaign out of his basement."

Because Brown has not officially declared his candidacy, he is working with a skeletal staff. "When you let things like that linger in this age of the Internet, they fester," Maviglio added.

Tony Quinn, a press official in the attorney general's office three decades ago who is an editor with the nonpartisan California Target Book, which tracks statewide races, said Brown's actions in the cases "are raising some serious questions about how he's running the office."

E-mail Joe Garofoli at jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/16/MNAC1AK9NC.DTL

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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Jerry Brown is currently involved in an unique double-edged situation where he can get hit by either side of the political spectrum. The lack of relevant data prevents us from properly assessing this situation.

However, we can play armchair quarterback and surmise what are Mr. Brown's strategic possibilities.

One of our associates suggested the following:
"I would authorize an independent probe so that the Republicans can't use the issue against him. I would say that my friendship with Scott Gerber and the fact that he resigned should have been enough to satisfy anyone upset with the secret taping, but if an independent probe is necessary, I will authorize it. ... I would also delegate the investigation of the filmmakers to an independent panel, committee, etc. so that I won't be the one recommending whether charges will be filed. I would just follow the recommendation of the panel. ... Mr. Jerry should show the public that he is not playing favorites, create a side deal with Mr. Gerber and that continue with the investigation of the filmmakers. ... Have the Republicans go after the independent panel instead of you. Be prepared to go negative if the Republicans go negative first in the governor's race. ... "
...

In summary, the best solution usually begins with the understanding of one's goal and the current circumstances regarding to the grand situation. The next step is defining the general priorities and the approach.

Mr. Brown understands that the significance of reaching the 2010 California governor's November election politically unblemished is.

His current priorities is to confront and resolve this issue with the least amount of political damage.

Following is the possible approach that could be utilized:

• Display an unquestionable image of non-partiality to the public by creating an investigative panel
  
• Use the panel as a composite of a moving target and a pseudo stalking horse to misdirect the opposition.
• Create a contingency strategy to go negative against the opposition.

At this level of game playing, perception is reality.


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Some food for thought
"The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision. That's the time to listen to every fear you can imagine. When you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead." Gen. George S. Patton

"The ruling quality of leaders adaptive capacity, is what allows true leaders to make the nimble decisions that bring success. Adaptive capacity is also what allows some people to transcend the setbacks and losses that come with age and to reinvent themselves again and again." Warren G. Bennis

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities, and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." Harry S. Truman