The California Recall Election Offers an Important Lesson in Politics

ToogoodReports.com ^ | 08/14/2003 | Lee R. Shelton IV

[sheltonmac]

How anyone can claim to be uninterested in politics is a mystery to me. The political arena—or, more appropriately, the political circus—is getting more and more entertaining all the time, and the upcoming California recall election could very well turn out to be the Greatest Show on Earth. (My apologies to Phineas Taylor Barnum and James Bailey.)

Many analysts are criticizing the recall election of Gov. Gray Davis as a bad idea. They seem to think that it makes a mockery of the political process (as if that's even possible), and they believe that chaos will be the end result.

My opinion? I think this is one of the best things to happen in American politics since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and certainly the best thing to happen to California since...well, ever.

Granted, there are both negatives and positives to this recall election process. Let's compare some of them:

NEGATIVE: Removing a sitting governor by a simple majority vote and electing a new governor by an even smaller majority vote in effect thwarts the will of the people who voted in the last election.
POSITIVE: Removing a sitting governor who is effectively destroying the fifth largest economy in the world in no way thwarts the will of the voters.

NEGATIVE: The recall effort is going to cost the state an extra $40 million on top of an already bloated budget deficit.
POSITIVE: $40 million spent now could save billions in the near future.

NEGATIVE: The instability caused by the recall election gives California, in the words of State Treasurer Phil Angelides, "a banana republic-like reputation for this state that will begin to affect business decisions."
POSITIVE: California already has a deficit that is bigger than most state budgets. A banana republic-like reputation would be a step up.

NEGATIVE: Gov. Gary Coleman.
POSITIVE: No more Gov. Gray Davis.

NEGATIVE: The current recall process is set up in such a way that virtually any politician can be removed from office for any reason.
POSITIVE: The current recall process is set up in such a way that virtually any politician can be removed from office for any reason.

NEGATIVE: Recall allows for the possibility of "unqualified" individuals being elected to office.
POSITIVE: Recall sends the message to "qualified" individuals (i.e., career politicians) that no one is entitled to a position of power.

I could go on, but this last item is by far the most important, and it bears repeating: no one—not even Gray Davis—is entitled to sit in a position of power.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of career politicians operate under the assumption that they are somehow superior to their fellow citizens. After all, they are the ones who have invested a great deal of time and money over the years to get where they are today. What a slap in the face it must be to think that any slack-jawed yokel with 65 signatures and $3,500 can just step in and start running an entire state!

But according to California's constitution, almost anyone is "qualified" to be governor. A potential candidate need only be "a citizen of the United States and a resident of this State for 5 years immediately preceding the Governor's election." There is no stipulation calling for previous political experience, nor is there a requirement demanding an uncanny ability to squander billions in taxpayer dollars.

California's recall process may not be perfect, but not much can be done now short of amending the state constitution. No doubt this will become a major national issue during the next few years.

The important lesson to be learned in all of this is that a government of the people, by the people and for the people leaves little room for an elitist ruling class. Politics has been kept out of reach of the common man for far too long, and recall elections are simply one possible way to remedy that injustice.

[sheltonmac]

*ping*

[magua]

dems had no problem rscalling the torch.

[.cnI redruM]

I'm always amused at liberals who gripe at the concept or the mechanics of recall. They loved the idea before they were the arrogant establishment. It's amazing how hard an aristocracy will fight to prevent increased social mobility.

[goldstategop]

Yes... its grates on them the peasants are running to become King.

[xzins]

The recall is an excellent idea.

The petition does not CHANGE the governor....the petition only makes it POSSIBLE to vote again.

The governor gets to make his case. The people get to vote. If he gets more votes than he doesn't, then he gets to remain governor. If he doesn't, then something was bad wrong.

The requirement for the petition is ONLY to get another vote on the fitness of the politician.

[kevkrom]

NEGATIVE: The instability caused by the recall election gives California, in the words of State Treasurer Phil Angelides, "a banana republic-like reputation for this state that will begin to affect business decisions."
POSITIVE: California already has a deficit that is bigger than most state budgets. A banana republic-like reputation would be a step up.

Great, now I have to get Diet Coke out of my keyboard...

[p. henry]

The important lesson to be learned is that, if you tell the electorate a $30,000,000,000 lie to get elected, they do have recourse against you and can remove your ill-gotten gains, i.e. your job.

[inquest]

Since you pinged me, I'll just throw in my 2 centablos. As far as I'm concerned the chief executive in any government - that includes federal - should never be a directly elected position. The holder of that position should never be allowed to entertain the delusion that he represents "the will of the people", since that will can never be expressed in a single vote or lodged in a single person. That's why we have legislative assemblies, and it is there where people should be encouraged to express themselves.

[sheltonmac]

That's exactly why I have always been uncomfortable with calling the president of the U.S. the "Leader of the Free World."

[sola gracia]

Once again, with uncanny wit you have touched the "liberal" nerve. Hmmm... "of the people, by the people for the people".... has a good ring to it, don't ya think??