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California Recall

I really haven’t written much on the CA Recall yet, but I think it’s summed up nicely by MoveOn’s PAC. Here’s a list of 10 reasons why the recall is wrong:

  1. A single congressman brought us the recall with $1.7 million of his own money — while simultaneously putting himself forward as the man to replace the governor.
  2. The recall threatens to give California a governor elected by a tiny percentage of the electorate — and gives wealthy individuals an unprecedented opportunity to attempt to buy the governorship.
  3. It threatens to invalidate a fair election just months after it took place.
  4. It sets a dangerous precedent — if it succeeds why wouldn’t opponents attempt to recall every future governor?
  5. It’s expensive: The recall election itself will cost over $60 million.
  6. It prevents our elected leaders from working to solve the state budget crisis and other important issues by forcing them to campaign to defend the results of a fair election.
  7. The cost to the economy is too great: a successful recall would cause enormous economic instability and loss of confidence.
  8. This won’t stop in California: 18 states have recall provisions. Unless the California recall is decisively rejected, sore losers in others states will continue to use this tactic.
  9. The recall threatens California’s environment. Governor Davis has made important improvements to environmental law. Polluters see the recall as a chance for roll-back.
  10. Gray Davis has made important gains in education, health care, the environment and public safety. The recall is an attempt to reverse those advances.