Derek Shearer

From KeyWiki

Derek N. Shearer is currently Chevalier Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles. He also serves as Director of Global Affairs, handling the college’s international relations and directing the expansion of its international affairs programs^[1].

He currently resides in Pacific Palisades, CA with his wife, financial consultant Sue Toigo^[2].

He was previously married to Ruth Yanatta Goldway^[3].

Education

Shearer received his B.A. from Yale University and his Ph.D. in Public Policy from the Union Graduate School. He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Swedish Bicentennial grant, a German Marshall Fund grant among other grants and awards^[4].

In The Times Founding sponsors

In 1976 founding sponsors of the Institute for Policy Studies/New American Movement linked socialist journal were;

DEMOCRACY '76

The Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee organized a DEMOCRACY '76 conference within the Democratic Party conference in Los Angeles in 1976.

Are there concrete programs that progressives can work for in this election year which could begin to democratize our social and economic institutions? D.S~O.C. thinks that there are . . . and has initiated a nationwide series of conferences to discuss the DEMOCRACY '76 program.

Already endorsed by political and union leaders - including George McGovern - DEMOCRACY '76 calls for a greater reliance on the public sector in creating genuine full employment - for a more progressive tax system - for increased social control of the corporate structures which increasingly control our lives - for democratic and public, rather than corporate, planning of our national future.

Workshop panellists included (Partial List): Jim Berland, Public Affairs Director, KPFK; Tim Brick, Coordinator, CAUSE; Paul Bullock, Director of Research, Institute of industrial Relations, UCLA; Rev. Peter Christiansen; Art Forcier ,Political Director, So. Calif. ADA; Jim Gallagher, Coordinator, Labor Studies, UCLA; Otis Graham, Prof. of History, UCSB; Jonathan Lewis, Director, California Tax Reform Association; Nancy Lieber, Prof: of Political Science ~ UCD; Jim Lowery, Director, Citizens' Committee Against Redlining; Jim Pino, Friends Committee on Legislation; Derek Shearer, economist/writer, West Coast Editor, Working Papers; Tom Thompson, author/publisher.^[6]

IPS connection

In 1979 Derek Shearer, economist, CA served on the steering committee of the Institute for Policy Studies initiated Conference on Alternative State and Local Public Policies.^[7]

Writing

Shearer's public policy books include Economic Democracy ( co author Martin Carnoy), a member of Democratic Socialists of America.^[8], A New Social Contract (with Carnoy and Rumsberger), Putting People First- 1992 Program of Clinton-Gore Campaign (with Magaziner, Reich et al); and the Public Policy Reader, edited with Lee Webb^[9].

Institute for Policy Studies

In 1979 Derek Shearer of served on the steering committee of the Institute for Policy Studies initiated Conference on Alternative State and Local Public Policies.^[10]

In 1993 Shearer was listed as a among "former Visiting Fellows and Visiting Scholars and current TransNational Institute Fellows" on the Institute for Policy Studies 30th Anniversary brochure.

Democratic Agenda

More than 1,200 people attended the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee initiated Democratic Agenda Conference held November 16-18, 1979, at the International Inn and Metropolitan AM Church in Washington 1 DC. The conference focused on "corporate power'; as the key barrier to "economic and political democracy," concepts many Democratic Agenda participants defined as "socialism.'

The Democratic Agenda meetings attempted to develop anti-corporate alternatives" through influencing the direction of the Democratic Party during the period leading to the July 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York.

Workshops included Housing: The National Issue - Cushing Dolbeare, Derek Shearer^[11]

Diplomacy/politics

Derek Shearer served in the Clinton administration as an economics official in the Commerce Department, and then as Ambassador to Finland (1994-97). Among his many accomplishments were the creation of the administration’s coordinated strategy to the Nordic-Baltic region and the hosting of the Clinton-Yeltsin summit in Helsinki. After diplomatic service, Ambassador Shearer was a fellow at the Economic Strategy Institute and then at the Woodrow Wilson Scholars Center in Washington, DC. He also was a visiting Woodrow Wilson fellow and ambassador-in-residence at a number of colleges. He served as a foreign policy advisor to Vice President Gore during the 2000 Presidential campaign and to Senator Hillary Clinton in the 2007-2008 Presidential primary contests^[12].

Carter appointment

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed Shearer to the founding Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank^[13].

Planning commissioner

In the 1980's, Shearer served as a city planning commissioner in Santa Monica, California^[14].

This came through the success of the Campaign for Economic Democracy, which had won five of the council's seven seats in 1981. the council majority elected Shearer's wife, Ruth Yanatta Goldway as mayor^[15].

Socialists organize to "challenge for power" in Los Angeles

On March 11, 1998, Los Angeles Democratic Socialists of America leader Steve Tarzynski wrote an email to another Los Angeles DSA leader Harold Meyerson.

Tarzynski listed 25 people he thought should be on an "A-list" of "25 or so leaders/activists/intellectuals and/or "eminent persons" who would gather periodically to theorize/strategize about how to rebuild a progressive movement in our metropolitan area that could challenge for power."

Tarzynski listed himself, Harold Meyerson, Karen Bass, Sylvia Castillo, Gary Phillips, Joe Hicks, Richard Rothstein, Steve Cancian, Larry Frank, Torie Osborn, Rudy Acuna, Aris Anagnos, Abby Arnold, Carl Boggs, Blase Bonpane, Rick Brown, Stanley Sheinbaum, Alice Callahan, Jim Conn, Peter Dreier, Maria Elena Durazo, Miguel Contreras, Mike Davis, Bill Gallegos, Bob Gottlieb, Kent Wong, Russell Jacoby, Bong Hwan Kim, Paula Litt (and Barry Litt, with a question mark), Peter Olney, Derek Shearer, Clancy Sigal and Anthony Thigpenn.

Included in a suggested elected officials sub-group were Mark Ridley-Thomas, Gloria Romero, Jackie Goldberg, Gil Cedillo, Tom Hayden, Antonio Villaraigosa, Paul Rosenstein and Congressmen Xavier Becerra, Henry Waxman and Maxine Waters.

Tarzynski went on to write "I think we should limit the group to 25 max, otherwise group dynamics begins to break down....As i said, I would like this to take place in a nice place with good food and drink...it should properly be an all day event."

DSA speech

On December 8, 1985, Derek Shearer addressed a Santa Monica Democratic Socialists of America meeting at 2848 Exposition Boulevard, on the subject "The future of Radical politics in Santa Monica"^[16].

Tribute to Michael Harrington

Service

Ambassador Shearer has also taught courses in business and entrepreneurship, served on the boards of media and food companies, and as an international advisor to Ziff Brothers Investment Co, and other firms. He serves on the board of the nonprofit relief group Operation USA, and is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy^[17].

Military relationships

Ambassador Shearer has served as a political advisor to the U.S. military and was a moderator of the Chiefs of Defense Conference for the U.S. Pacific Command in Honolulu in 2005 and for the U.S. Central Command in Tampa FL in 2008^[18].

References