One sign of the upturn: My wife approved the budget for me to tour Germany for a week before attending a research meeting here at IMEC (Interuniversity Microelectronics Center).

Being an American tourist in Germany on the day when Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor of California just added to the fun.

Wandering into a neighborhood bar in Dusseldorf, I encountered four Germans having a loud argument. One beefy guy pounded the heavy wooden table with his fist. The bartender kept the beer glasses full, and the volume increased even more.

After the men finished their discussion (something about Dusseldorf) and hustled home for dinner, I got to thinking about the value of a good air-clearing argument, one where your brain comes together with your values, where you put your heart and soul into it.

Did California get that with hasta la vista Arnold?

His carefully scripted answers at the one debate he attended, the way he avoided the press and considered Jay Leno and Oprah Winfrey to be his toughest interviewers, are not promising indicators for political discourse in the Golden State.

The bartender in Dusseldorf volunteered his fear that Arnold would become president in 10 years. A man came over briefly to inform me that actors should not be politicians.

A woman told me that the biggest challenge facing Germany was "the invasion of American insurance and financial companies," global concerns that she said were driving local German companies out of business.

And so we face the global economy, with the threats (and opportunities) that come with the rapid shift of manufacturing and design engineering jobs to China, India and other emerging countries.

We need leaders who understand how to improve public education as the manufacturing landscape changes rapidly. Let's hope Arnold will be able to hoist California's educational system to a higher standard.

But it is not just up to him. Engineers should take the time to discuss politics, and formulate plans to improve their profession.

We citizens need to pound our own tables and engage in heartfelt dialogue that will allow us to change with the times. That is why Arnold's election worries me: The real world is not a movie set, and real debates are not scripted.

David Lammers covers SoC process equipment. Contact him at dlammers@cmp.com.