Former California Assemblyman Joe Nation recently completed his third term representing Marin and Southern Sonoma Counties. A lifelong Democrat, Nation was born and raised in Texas and worked as a newspaper delivery boy, dishwasher/bus boy, waiter, cook, grocery clerk, and eventually a Pan Am flight attendant to put himself through college.
After attending a junior college for three semesters, he transferred to the University of Colorado (CU). Forced to withdraw one semester due to a lack of funds, Nation later returned to CU to earn a B.A. in Economics, German and French, and a Masters in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Nation was one of twelve students nationwide to be accepted at RAND Graduate School, where he received a Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis. He then pursued a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University, studying defense conversion and writing The De-escalation of Nuclear Crises, a study of how nuclear powers can back down from the brink of conflict.
Nation is currently a visiting professor of economics and politics at the University of San Francisco. He also continues to operate a small economics and public policy consulting business.
As a student at Georgetown, he was awarded the James T. Webb Fellowship in Science, Technology, and Diplomacy and worked as an aide to Madeleine Albright. Those experiences ignited his desire to pursue opportunities that would impact public policy. While at Georgetown, he developed an expertise in arms control and diplomacy.
In 1992, he was elected to eight years as a Director of the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD), serving two years as Board President. During his tenure at MMWD, Nation led the district to focus on water conservation and fiscal reform. Elected to the California State Assembly in November 2000, Nation was chosen to Chair the Assembly Rules Committee 15 months later, a rare occurrence for a freshman.
In 2004, he was asked to create and direct the Office of Policy Planning and Research. Nation later was named Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. In 2005, Nation was chosen from 80 Assemblymembers as "Legislator of the Year" by the California County Boards of Education. Fiercely independent, he is an outspoken advocate for increased school funding, universal health care, and aggressive action to combat climate change and global warming.
Nation has written almost 50 bills that have been enacted into law and has focused on legislation that improves education, the environment, health care, and transportation. He was the principal co-author of AB 32, California aggressive climate change law. He also authored three additional key environmental laws.
The first, AB 1229, requires require automakers to conspicuously disclose to consumers the greenhouse gas emissions of new automobiles and trucks. The second, AB 844, ensures that replacement tires are at least as energy-efficient, on average, as original equipment tires. Finally, AB 1968 requires that rebates or vouchers received from the California Energy Commission or the Public Utilities Commission for the purchase and installation of solar, wind and thermal systems by residential and commercial electrical customers are not be considered taxable income.
Nearly six years in Sacramento have strengthened Nation’s resolve that politics get in the way of good public policy. He much prefers the time he spends in Marin and Sonoma counties where the constituents provide him with the knowledgeable perspective that promotes better decision-making. Marin homeowners since 1982, Linda and Joe Nation are proud parents of Kristen and Lexi, twin 17-year old daughters who attend public schools.
