Welcome back, BBC
It's great to know that the Bakersfield Business Conference is making a comeback after a four-year absence. Founder-host George Martin has always had good instincts about the day-long festival of politics, entertainment and conservatism. First, back in the 1980s, he was prescient in divining that there was sufficient interest in such a gathering in the first place. Second, he correctly recognized that even an event regularly featuring presidents and prime ministers could grow stale and predictable, and that perhaps it was time to retire it. And third, he now wisely sees that the players and the topics of national debate have changed enough that the Bakersfield Business Conference can seem fresh again -- especially if it is only held once every five years instead of annually.
Some will complain that, despite Martin's inclusion of a token liberal or two each year, the BBC is basically a celebration of Republicanism and not a balanced debate of the issues. True. But this is Martin's party, and, after all, this is Bakersfield, where conservatism reigns supreme.
The conference's October 2010 reprise ought to be lively, coming a scant three weeks before the midterm elections. And that's good news for Bakersfield hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, which surely missed the spike in business. Conservative, liberal or in between, that money all spends the same.
Do we really have to wait until 2015 for a follow-up?
