GLENDALE, Calif.–The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) on Wednesday announced the endorsement of Republican Assemblyman Mike Villines for California Insurance Commissioner.
Mike Villines has a long history of working with Armenian Americans to support issues important to our community. He was first elected to the California Assembly in 2004 but his career in public service dates back to days he served as an aide to former Governor Pete Wilson and later Chief-of-Staff to former State Senator Chuck Poochigian.
In 2006, Assemblyman Villines voted for legislation which removed the statute of limitations for 10 years so that the families of Armenian Genocide victims could file claims against insurance companies to recover assets stolen or lost between 1890 and 1923. The legislation was introduced by then State Senator Jackie Speier and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has also consistently supported legislation commemorating the Armenian Genocide.
Villines was elected leader of the California State Assembly Republican Caucus by his colleagues in 2006 and served in that leadership role for 2 ½ years. He led the Republican Caucus through tumultuous budget deliberations and was instrumental in reaching a bipartisan budget agreement in 2009 to close California’s $42 billion budget deficit. The agreement included some very difficult choices for both parties. For his efforts at achieving a bipartisan compromise, Mike Villines was awarded the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, along with three other legislators, for working together to find a bipartisan solution to a staggering budget crisis in the face of strong adversity.
The ANCA-WR is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
It’s great that he voted in favor of removing the statute of limitations for Armenian Genocide victims and has been a supporter of Armenian Genocide commemoration legislation, and he should get some brownie points for that.
But, I would have loved to hear what he has done to advance other issues of concern to the Armenian-American community, specifically as they relate to our local concerns. Is he pro-business? How will his stances affect Auto Body Shop owners (many Armenians) who get paid by insurance companies and other such matters.
The ANCA needs to start endorsing candidates not solely on their Armenian Genocide stance but also on what they have done or promise to do for our communities and our local concerns. I know that a while back, Paul Krekorian was instrumental in preventing state budget-cuts that would take away funding for the Adult Health Day Care Centers, many of which are owned and operated by Armenians. However, that only benefited a very very small portion of our community members, namely the owners and operators of these places that are making a killing charging the state $60 a day for each senior citizen that attends their “Day Care”. But what have these politicians ever done for the average American American and his/her daily interests. That’s what I would hope the ANCA focuses on when making endorsements.
Mike you sold out a long time ago. a lousy player that under achieved, a man that offers nothing to this post.