The Widder Says “a Mistake Is Being Done”
By Judi Curry
There is so much unrest going on in the world today – Afghanistan, Haiti, climate, refugee’s, fires, drought. The one I would like to focus on for a moment is the Recall of Governor Newsom.
Today I received a door hanging that was hard to miss: Shaped like a stop sign; white lettering on a red background, and the words “VOTE NO!” in yellow on one side; on the other side was more of the same in Spanish as well as English. For some reason the whole thing really bothered me.
First of all I want to say that I support the Governor.
I think that he did a fantastic job during the first Covid pandemic, and has continued to do a great job in masking, closing indoor facilities, etc. Yes, he made a mistake by going to an expensive party, but that really did not affect the way he is managing the State. Everyone is allowed one mistake a year – he made his.
I am looking forward to voting “No” on whether he should be recalled. I can’t help but feel that those people that are running against him – particularly on the Republican ticket – are one of the bigger jokes that California has perpetuated lately. And that is why I am disturbed by the door hanging received today.
I have heard the Elizabeth Warren commercials; I have seen other Democratic commercials telling us to “vote no on the Republican recall” and I think that entire premise is wrong.
This is not about Democrats vs Republicans – or at least it wasn’t. It is about the running of our state – the State of California. With so much emphasis on it being a Republican recall I doubt very much if any Republican will vote not to recall Newsom. And in elections of this sort it is usually the Republican that votes while the Democrat stays at home.
If Newsom is recalled, I think the only people to blame are the Democrats for not promoting the great things that he has done rather than those things that he did that had nothing to do with the State.
He took a lot of heat by imposing closing facilities such as schools, restaurants, gyms, etc.
Right now he is being blamed for the homeless situation. It took a lot of guts to do something as unpopular as it was, but it was the right thing to do.
It is so ironic that Kevin Faulconer is running for Newsom’s job when he, in fact, did a horrific job with the homeless; with the Hepatitis outbreak; with the purchasing of buildings, etc. He did a much worse job than Newsom but between him, Trump, and Elder, who, by the way is a Trump supporter and a very conservative talk radio host, the emphasis is going to the Republicans and not to the success of the Governor.
It may be too late to change the emphasis of this election. The ballots are being sent out today.
People like me, that always file an absentee ballot, will have them filled out and mailed back tomorrow. And so will the Republicans. What a shame that it has come down to a fight between the two parties, when, in fact, the Governor of California is the head of all of the government in California; the chief executive of the state government; the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard as well as the California State Guard.
Someone sure missed the ball on this one, in spite of the Republicans trying to oust Newsom from office. If only the Democrats had played up the things that Newsom did rather than succumb to the dirty tricks of the Republican Party.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Does the Rag have any recommendation as to which of these “candidates” on the ballot is the best of the lot? I don’t want to leave that section blank because I understand Larry Elder is in the lead
No, no and no.
Recommendation is to leave the second section blank. A law suit was filed today to have Newsom’s name put on the ballot. It is conceivable that someone getting many fewer votes than him could become the new governor because he is not an option. Wouldn’t surprise me if they threw out this first batch of ballots and started all over again.
I hope they put his name on the ballot… I am afraid that the Republicans will use this flawed law into putting someone in the seat that wouldn’t qualify under a regular election. I have heard that it is not legal to put in Newsom’s name on the ballot… is that really true??
That lawsuit filed today comes after I and many others mailed their ballots this morning. It is too late. Unless, of course, the judge who rules on the suit is as biased as the one who allowed extra time for the Republicans to gather thousands more signatures to qualify this recall initiative for the ballot. Constitutionally, the Governor’s name cannot appear on the recall ballot because he IS the Governor, not a candidate to replace himself. Got it?
Vote No because it is wrong to recall an elected officer of the State without cause.
Vote No because we need a steady hand on the tiller of government at a time of pandemic emergency, wildfires and economic uncertainty.
Vote No because Newsom will stand for re-election in one year’s time and will have to run on his record and presumably will have a qualified opponent — not a bunch of nonentities, wannabes and weirdos.
Vote No because the Legislature needs to act to protect the public and change the bizarre setup that permits recall of the Governor of California based on narrow initiative signature numbers. If we wish to retain the old-time progressive triad of initiative, referendum and recall, (which have been sorely abused in recent history) let us allow recall of a sitting Governor with his or her automatic replacement being the duly elected Lieutenant Governor. Period. No expensive freak show ballot of 46 highly unqualified alternatives.
Vote No and don’t bother picking a name from from that insulting slate. You will be joined
by at least 50%-plus one voter and then we can breathe freely again.
At the risk of wading into a rip current on this, I do want to say I agree with your take, Judi.
There are more registered independent or “no party preference” voters than Republicans. The strategy of the Democrats is an appeal to a negative claim, that this is a partisan recall (which it is), rather than offering a positive claim for why it should matter to anyone outside of the two-party system.
In my opinion, it’s not just the wrong strategy: it’s emblematic of the problem many in the state feel about the way the party leadership on both sides dismiss as irrelevant the concerns of anyone not contributing to their coffers.
While I don’t necessarily disagree with the job that Newsom has done thus far, I can see an argument for voting for the recall in order to stop, in my opinion, a run away legislature that has brought nothing but nonsensical bills to the table. AB5, SB9 and SB10, to name just a few come to mind.
With a super majority in the legislature there is no serious attempt to make compromised, common sense bills. This legislature has become a caricature of itself with representatives tripping all over themselves to claim bragging rights as to who is the most liberal among the bunch, and yet they still can’t get the homeless population off the street, even with a 76 billion dollar budget surplus in 2020!
Legislating from the extremes, whether it be from the far right or the far left, leads to garbage policies that only take into consideration one point of view, which in turn alienates a large portion of the population. It’s time to get back to common sense solutions to real world problems that are facing us in right now. Can Jerry Brown run again???
right on!!
Anyone who leaves the second question blank forfeits their right to bitch about who takes his place if he is recalled. Do you really want to leave that decision in the hands of just those who oppose Newsom?
Honestly the best campaigning his money can’t buy, is the terrible choices for alternates. That will give many pause about recalling him, even if they don’t approve of him.
It’s smart for the Dem party to rally around their guy and not endorse an alternate, but telling people to leave the second vote blank is just plain irresponsible. It shows you their first priority isn’t doing what’s best for the citizens of CA. This tells me if the recall prevails, they actually want the most far right candidate to win, so they can make a sideshow out of it for the next year. At our expense.
No, this “recall” requires a resounding No vote from the people and it does not require us to pick our poison from a slate of terrible alternatives. Are we sheep? Or are we citizens who can distinguish a scam being perpetrated at our expense? We can vote No on Recall and refuse to pick a name from that insulting slate. Unlike answering Question One, answering Question Two is not required.
Also this being advertised as a republican recall… is dishonest. I understand their strategy, but it’s still dishonest.
Only 25% of registered voters in CA are in the republican party. The polling on the recall is close to 50/50. So it’s quite clear it’s much more than just a partisan effort.
It’s true that only 25% of CA voters are Republicans, but 100% of the huge money that finances this ballot initiative and campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom is from the right-wing GOP that allies itself with former President T****. Newsom is targeted now because he is a potential rising star and presidential candidate whenever Joe Biden steps aside. Don’t let a GOP cabal nullify your past vote for our Governor. Vote No on Recall and decide how you feel about Gavin when he has to run again in 2022.
If this ballot is not thrown out, isn’t the logical course of action for a Newsom supporter to vote “No” on the first part, and then write in his name on the second part?
I don’t know if you can do that, but I do know the only write-ins permitted have to be vetted beforehand — permissions and stuff like that. So writing in Gavin might invalidate your entire ballot. Constitutionally, Gov. Newsom cannot run as a candidate in an election seeking to recall Gov. Newsom himself. (Yes, CA Legislature needs to change State Constitution to say only duly-elected Lieutenant Governor may replace duly elected recalled Governor.) Probably you should find another way to live beyond the pale and just Vote No, sign the ballot envelope and mail everything in postage free.
Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee wrote a column which was reprinted in the UT. He (correctly, I believe) details the kind of chaos that will descend on Sacramento, and by extension on all of us, if there is a recall and any of the current candidates should prevail. I doubt that Dems will coalesce behind the real estate guy from Orange County if he is elected. What we’ll have is executive orders over-ridden by the legislature and gubernatorial vetoes likewise over-ridden. None of the significant problems we face will be the subject of constructive debate or even attempts to achieve beneficial solutions. It will be trench warfare. No one will benefit.
I highly recommend reading the column.
Thank you for this, Judi. For the record, as someone who teaches critical thinking and political analysis, etc., I am not voting to recall him.
CLARIFICATION: Newsom is not a qualified candidate for governor on the second part of the ballot. If you were to write his name in it would not be counted. The only vote for Newsom is the “Yes” or “No” for recall. The feeling – which is being challenged – is that if the majority of voters vote “no” for recall, you don’t have to vote for him in the first place because he is still the governor. Hope this answers the questions that I am being asked. The next question I have been asked is IF his name was written in would that disqualify the entire ballot, in spite of voting “no” on the recall. I am still waiting for an answer to that question and will post it as soon as I find out.
Newsome didn’t just make a mistake in being photographed dining. His brazen behavior was a candid display that his rules by executive fiat were meant for us to follow, not him.
He should be recalled for shutting down public schools while sending his children to private schools that were in session. The incalculable harm to our children from shutting schools will be an unfair burden that they will carry for years.
Extending the eviction moratorium once again will only further exacerbate the rising cost of housing. Why do we think that apartment rents have risen more than 10% year over year? The worst of the pandemic is behind us, and there is no reason at all for the moratorium to remain in place, let alone for another 1.5 months when there are thousands of available jobs in San Diego right now that are going unfulfilled.
Unfortunately, the unintended consequence of the moratorium will be that when they are again permitted, many of those evicted will have little choice but to leave San Diego since they will be unable to pay market rates that will have risen upwards of 20% by the time they’re looking for new housing.
Bearded one – I disagree with almost everything you said. Yes, the party was a mistake. Shutting down the schools? Should have been shut down earlier. There are so many fun ways to teach your own children. The bonding is like nothing else. Children should not be in school when the epidemic is so bad.I didn’t know you were a scientist, but those that I follow say they do not think that the worst is behind us; rather, with the variances now attacking the younger people, the number of deaths has already gone over the largest number of deaths from a year ago. I personally think that Newsom did a wonderful job with what he had to work with. I hope he keeps the masks in place; closes the inside activities, and cuts down on the number of people attending outside venues. He has my “no” vote.
Agreed, Judy. No way in hell should the public schools have been left open as long as they were…especially after they were informed that the 1st Wave infections were far more deadly to older people from children who were asymptomatic. They brought it home to granny and she died. Now of course the 2nd Wave Delta has mutated enough to target the younger age groups…and they are sickening and dying. It’s what virus’ do.
Another HUGE mistake was made by Biden & CDC cancelling mask mandates in May though at least they had the sense to re-instate ‘recommended’ wearing even by the vaccinated recently.
The trouble is politicians only respond to pressure from the tiny monied minority and not the scientists. I’ve always seriously enjoyed the words ‘but I’m not a scientist’ uttered by different politicians and so-called ‘pundits’ which is never followed by ‘so I’m going to shut the hell up and listen to what they are saying and so should you.’
BeardedOBcean: You do realize that your first two paragraphs can be pinned on the chests of just about all Republicans, too, not just wealthy democrat politicians, yes? It’s a Class thing as the powerful always think they are immune and invincible and privileged (sort of like teenagers who never grow up perhaps?).
As for extending the eviction moratorium, it goes completely against what the wealthy want as they are salivating at the profits to be made. They don’t care who ends up on the street as they know rising rents are NOT going to decrease for any reason anyway regardless if the moratorium is in effect. Because that’s the only direction that Capitalism allows, ever upward ever more profits for the few no matter how it affects others.
Can you imagine rent going down ? For any reason? They didn’t during the Great Depression according to my grandparents…so what’s different now?
And your folding in the ‘thousands of jobs’ without takers in that paragraph without even touching on the absolute fact that most of those jobs don’t pay enough to even pay the current rents & bills. Was this accidental, did you forget? Maybe you haven’t read this:
Report Finds Min. Wage Earners Can’t Afford One-Bedroom Rental in Most of US
https://truthout.org/articles/report-finds-min-wage-earners-cant-afford-one-bedroom-rental-in-most-of-u-s/
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And the Pandemic is behind us? Really? Do you have any historical science knowledge of all the previous pandemics that have arisen for thousands of years we have records of. We are in the 2nd Wave, dude, with the rise of all the mutated variants. The 1919 type, and then there was the 1920 3rd Wave my grandparents lived through… And we’ve got 7 billion more people on this planet with the majority of them NOT getting access to any vaccines so the new mutations are going to continue to find new access to replicate…in us.
Wait until it gets cold and rainy and snowy and we’re all stuck inside again. With the ridiculously low vaxx rates expect an explosive uptick in sickness and death in this 2nd Wave.
You might want to read this:
The Only Way to End the Pandemic
https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/08/13/the-only-way-to-end-the-pandemic/
sealintheSelkirks (a ponytailed mustached native OBcean)
I’m not a scientist, but really? The worst is ahead of us even though 70% of our population is vaccinated?
Schools should have been shut down sooner? They were closed for more than a year, and while it might be fun to have the kiddies at home, those same kiddies lost a year of education, particularly when the young population was least susceptible to transmission.
All this does is feed the paranoia that we should all just continue wearing masks and avoiding others in perpetuity. There’s a reason we all, or most of us, have gotten vaccinated, so that we can return to a sense of normalcy, not hunker down until the virus is wiped off the earth.
FINAL CLARIFICATION: If you write in Newsom’s name on the 2nd part of the ballot, that write-in will not count. However, the “No” on the recall still be be counted. Contrary to what people have heard, writing Newsom’s name in does not make the ballot null and void – it just isn’t counted.
Bearded Obcean: 70% of our population is not vaccinated, and if you add the millions of underage kids that are starting to go down with Delta who are not allowed to be the numbers get very scary…babies are dying in hospitals now and preschoolers are being put on ventilators. That’s horrifying.
You admit that you are not a scientist so it’s understandable that you don’t seem to understand how virus’ mutate, thrive, and spread. Quick primer: we have been warned that the vaccines we have now are going to be completely ineffective within the year or less (and that was last year!), and if the wealthy countries do NOT get vaccines into the arms of the rest of the world damned quick the new variants that will show up will be much more effective in replicating themselves in bypassing any vaccine. It’s already happening since there is a percentage of fully vaxxed people that are going down with Delta already… To get a better grasp of this please read up on the three years of 1918/1920 pandemic and its mutations. And this link:
Experts Warn Rich Nations’ Push for Boosters Could Lock in Vaccine ‘Apartheid’
“More for me. None for you. America first. This is American Covid-19 vaccine policy now,” one epidemiologist lamented as the U.S. moved ahead with its booster campaign.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/08/19/experts-warn-rich-nations-push-boosters-could-lock-vaccine-apartheid
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Judy: on Newsome this isn’t good:
How California’s Top Democrats Paved the Way for a Republican Governor This Fall
Whether Newsom will remain governor past mid-autumn now looks like a coin flip. And what’s at stake in the recall goes far beyond California—in fact, all the way to the nation’s capital.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021/08/19/how-californias-top-democrats-paved-way-republican-governor-fall
sealintheSelkirks
How corrupt is this? Answer:
Constitutional law scholars Erwin Chemerinsky and Aaron Edlin on the questionable constitutionality of California’s recall election system:
The first question is decided by a majority vote. If a majority favors recalling Mr. Newsom, he is removed from office. But the latter question is decided by a plurality, and whichever candidate gets the most votes, even if it is much less than a majority, becomes the next governor. Critically, Mr. Newsom is not on the ballot for the second question.
By conducting the recall election in this way, Mr. Newsom can receive far more votes than any other candidate but still be removed from office. Many focus on how unfair this structure is to the governor, but consider instead how unfair it is to the voters who support him.
sealintheSelkirks
There’s no way that lawsuit goes anywhere. If a majority vote to recall Newsom, and he doesn’t go, then you have violated that contract.
The 2nd vote is absolutely distinct. The only real flaw is the lack of runoff voting for the replacement candidate. I assume this is for cost savings. Ideally, a ranked choice ballot could resolve that by allowing the votes to coalesce around the top alternates.
But most Californians are probably too dense for that, as we can’t even seem to figure out how to fill out this simple ballot.
If the recall process is undemocratic and too easily manipulated by special interests and wealthy donors, then we should change the process going forward. I doubt any of these people complaining about it would be doing so if it was over a republican governor.
OK. Now that we all have our complaints about the stupid recall attempt out of our systems it is time to get down to democracy, folks.
Everyone should have received their mail-in ballot by now. If you haven’t yet, wait a couple of more days to let the USPS get their s***t together, then call (858) 565-5800 to request a replacement.
VOTE EARLY! There is no reason to leave the envelope in your inbox. At the most (if you actually believe this is legit and want to vote for Angelyne the billboard girl) you have two boxes to check. If you vote no, then your task is simple . . . one box to fill in, an envelope to sign and date . . . Postage paid. Drop it in the mail, then sign up at ttps://california.ballottrax.net/voter/ and you will get email verification of each step of the process.
Don’t be lackadaisical about this one, folks. First, it cost us a whole bunch of millions of bucks to run this dumb thing, second and more important: there are some truly evil people who are being pushed by the Trumpified minority of nutcases that, through apathy, just might invade the Governor’s residence without the use of bear spray.
VOTE LIKE YOUR STATE DEPENDED UPON IT!
This popped up today:
Sanders Says Last Thing California Needs Is ‘Some Right-Wing Republican Governor’
“The September 14 recall of Governor Newsom is a bold-faced Republican power grab. Don’t let it happen.”
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/08/30/sanders-says-last-thing-california-needs-some-right-wing-republican-governor
a cut: “Larry Elder, a longtime right-wing radio host who recently said that “the ideal minimum wage is $0.00,” has emerged as the Republican frontrunner to succeed Newsom.”
And he also publicly stated he would immediately end mask mandates and vaccination. Was he born stupid or did he learn it at his daddy’s knee? Please oh please VOTE AGAINST THIS (and no, Newsom isn’t ideal but I mean, really?).
sealintheSelkirks