by Lance T. Izumi, Fellow in California Studies
Pacific Research Institute
February 6, 2001

Announcer lead: Time for Perspectives. Lance Izumi says that Gov. Davis’ recent leadership has been Jimmy Carter-esque.

A few months after he was inaugurated, I wrote an article that compared Gov. Gray Davis’ management style to that of former President Jimmy Carter. Both were micromanagers who were unwilling to delegate authority. Both were bright, detail-oriented and cautious, but had trouble with big-picture concepts. When times are good, these management problems are hidden. But when crisis hits, these problems can quickly sink a politician. My comparison between Carter and Davis has been borne out by the similarity with which each mishandled critical energy crises.

The parallels are quite astonishing. Back in 1978, the United States faced an oil-supply shortage because of production cutbacks in Iran. The federal government had made things worse by controlling the price of domestic oil production. Long lines at gas stations developed. In response, Carter demonized the oil companies, refused to fully decontrol prices, urged greater government intervention, and eventually became paralyzed in his decisionmaking.

Today, Gray Davis faces a shortage in electricity supply caused largely by California’s refusal to build new power plants. State government has made this problem worse by decontrolling wholesale prices for electricity, but continuing to control retail prices. Rolling blackouts are a harsh reality. Like Carter, Davis demonizes private power companies, refuses to decontrol retail prices, and urges massive government intervention into the energy market.

And like Carter, Davis has been plagued by indecision and procrastination. According to the Los Angeles Times, despite warnings from experts, Davis spent most of last year isolated, aloof and more concerned with avoiding political blame than in solving the state’s energy problems. His proposed solutions, like Carter’s, are band-aids that fail to address fundamential issues. A power company executive says, “To say we’re appalled is an understatement.”

For his political future, Gray Davis must not only offer more realistic solutions, he must change his leadership style. If he doesn’t, he will suffer the same political fate as Jimmy Carter.

With a perspective, I’m Lance Izumi.

Lance Izumi is the Director of Center for School Reform at the California-based Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy. He can be reached via email at lizumi@pacificresearch.org.