Yes, the recall is, indeed, a Republican power grab, just another attempt to overturn an election THEY LOST against a popular, successful governor who was elected overwhelmingly, with 62% of the vote.
For goddess’ sake, the Republican election-stealers began circulating the recall petitions the first day they were eligible to do so, because they know that THEY CANNOT WIN A STATEWIDE RACE IN A HIGH-TURNOUT GENERAL ELECTION in California in which the winner must get an outright majority (more than 50%), not merely a plurality (the most votes in a field) in a low-turnout special election in which their base is energized by their only chance to win statewide office.
It has NOTHING to do with the pandemic — they filed and began circulating petitions long before the pandemic hit. And Newsom has been the most aggressive in taking wildly popular steps to actually end the pandemic, and blue areas of the state are doing well while pockets of outbreaks are occurring in the red areas (Central Valley; far North; Inland Empire area) that oppose the efforts to actually stop the spread.
California has a ridiculously low threshold of signatures to qualify a recall (half that of most states). And even then, the Republican recall effort failed to get the necessary number of signatures, so a judge arbitrarily ruled they could have an extra four months because of the pandemic, something not provided for in the recall law and, in a strategic mistake, Newsom did not appeal.
We need to revise the recall law to double the number of required signatures to qualify as in other states and only have a yes/no up-or-down vote on the recall itself and then, if a governor is removed from office, have the vacancy filled by the LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR as in other states, which would also be someone who was elected with an outright majority in a high-turnout general election.
Yes, the recall is, indeed, a Republican power grab, just another attempt to overturn an election THEY LOST against a popular, successful governor who was elected overwhelmingly, with 62% of the vote.
For goddess’ sake, the Republican election-stealers began circulating the recall petitions the first day they were eligible to do so, because they know that THEY CANNOT WIN A STATEWIDE RACE IN A HIGH-TURNOUT GENERAL ELECTION in California in which the winner must get an outright majority (more than 50%), not merely a plurality (the most votes in a field) in a low-turnout special election in which their base is energized by their only chance to win statewide office.
It has NOTHING to do with the pandemic — they filed and began circulating petitions long before the pandemic hit. And Newsom has been the most aggressive in taking wildly popular steps to actually end the pandemic, and blue areas of the state are doing well while pockets of outbreaks are occurring in the red areas (Central Valley; far North; Inland Empire area) that oppose the efforts to actually stop the spread.
California has a ridiculously low threshold of signatures to qualify a recall (half that of most states). And even then, the Republican recall effort failed to get the necessary number of signatures, so a judge arbitrarily ruled they could have an extra four months because of the pandemic, something not provided for in the recall law and, in a strategic mistake, Newsom did not appeal.
We need to revise the recall law to double the number of required signatures to qualify as in other states and only have a yes/no up-or-down vote on the recall itself and then, if a governor is removed from office, have the vacancy filled by the LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR as in other states, which would also be someone who was elected with an outright majority in a high-turnout general election.