Op Ed: Is California’s Recall Against Newsom or Biden?

California is proof quasi-socialism can ruin even the most wonderful places.”

– Tiffany Madison

For decades, California has been the most dependable promoter of radical left existentialism. The left coast state, a vanguard of progressivism, drives the national DNC. California pressured President Joe Biden into choosing their very own Kamala Harris as his VP even though she is the least qualified person to be the understudy for a president who seldom remembers what day of the week it is.

Since progressive Gavin Newsom became California governor in 2019, the state has moved further left than the socialists who took DC. He gave illegal immigrants free health care, food stamps, and housing. He outlawed the death penalty, plastic bags, straws, cups, and plates. He banned smoking on the beach, except for weed; released felons from jail, helped cities defund police, and made bathrooms transgender.

Since Biden took office, Newsom has begged for federal help to bail out his pension system, over-spending and help fund his migrant camps. He’s been Biden’s chief apostle. He ran out of taxes to increase so he supported initiatives to gut Prop 13 property tax protections, a sacred cow for homeowners.

“Prop 13 has tied our hands to increase our state spending.”

– Gavin Newsom

In February 2020, many on the left joined the minority GOP and filed a petition to recall Newsom due to his attacks against Prop 13 and the state economy’s lack of recovery. Newsom refused to reopen the state economy until Joe Biden took office and continued imposing ludicrous mandates.

Orin Heatlie, a former Yolo County sheriff, “got mad as hell” and founded the “Recall Gavin 2020” campaign. In an interview with ABC San Francisco, he said disgruntled citizens are displeased with Newsom’s patronizing illegal immigrants at the expense of hard-working taxpayers.

“California is no longer the land of opportunity for state natives. But it is for illegal migrant workers.”

– Orin Heatlie

Heatlie explained that many Democrats are just as frustrated with Newsom’s radical policies and his job-killing environmental restrictions on business. He said people think he has gone too far by forcing Biden’s far-left liberal agenda down the throats of moderate and conservative Californians.

In the last gubernatorial recall in California, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, “The Terminator,” ousted Democrat Grey Davis, the first U.S. governor to be recalled since 1921. He took 48.6% of the vote. Schwarzenegger unveiled his candidacy on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. Throughout his campaign, the left accused him of using steroids, having illicit sex with countless women; and of course, racism.

“I don’t walk away from things that I think are unfinished.”

– Arnold Schwarzenegger

Though the recall is part of the state constitution, the left is squealing this effort is a blatant attempt by Republicans to nullify the voters who elected Gavin Newsom. Yet the same voters who elected Gov. Gray Davis kicked him out of office when he doubled the wheel tax and promoted initiatives to dismantle Prop 13’s coveted property tax protections. This is nothing more than leftist sour grapes.

Joshua Spivak, of the Wagner College’s Institute for Government Reform, writes that recalls have increased in recent decades. These attempts have bolstered interest because it’s far easier now to generate support due to the ease of finding online information. America is a right of center nation, not hard right or far left. So the politicians that are too radical or untrustworthy are being recalled.

This crop of California recall hopefuls comes in every flavor. There are politicians like former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, John Cox who lost to Newsom in 2018, celebrities such as Caitlyn Jenner, whichever you prefer, a comedian, an out of work actor and dancer, a plethora of political far left and right activists, and a long list of regular every day “wannabe” headline grabbers.

The left has spent most of their time characterizing the tarnished Gold Coast’s recall as a typical charismatic Trump rally. They’re scripting it as a political event much like those that attracted over-flow crowds for Donald Trump. Their goal is to over-shadow the comedy show put on by Newsom.

So far, their strategy has worked. But it could blow up and they might end up with egg on their face on Election Day. In 1966, Democrat Pat Brown felt confident he could easily defeat Republican Ronald Reagan in the governor’s race. He didn’t take Reagan seriously. And the rest is history.

“The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away.”

– Ronald Reagan

Until recently, it seemed that left coasters could count on their radical progressives to come through at the wire, and eke out a photo-finish for the unpopular Newsom over anyone in this entourage of newcomers. But when former liberal Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who believes in climate change, gay marriage, and liberal immigration, became a voter favorite, Newsom’s gang got nervous and sent an APB to Washington! They begged for troops to help put out the moderate fire.

Just when they thought the liberal dragon had caged the GOP’s Goliath, another candidate came riding into Sacramento dressed in black riding a Republican Trojan Horse. And this could be the left’s worst fear. Conservative attorney and talk show host Larry Elder is difficult to paint as racist since he is black, which disables their weapon of choice. And in two weeks, he is leading the pack!

“I’ve been told that Conservatives consider liberals well-intentioned, but misguided.”

– Larry Elder

W. C. Fields said, “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS.” When Elder set foot on the left coast; liberals panicked. Newsom, who takes pride in his impressive vocabulary, has been carefully fumbling for “talking points” since Elder arrived. Unprepared for a Black Republican, he is reaching deep into his dictionary for insults and barbs that can’t be misconstrued as racist remarks.

A total of 19 states have the recall and they use it to remove politicians who are not doing what they were elected to do in the “people’s” governments. We have the same provision in Congress, Article I, Section 5, clause 2, of the Constitution.

When representative government fails us, all states should have the authority to recall politicians that do not do what they are hired to do! This is the time when we need direct democracy and it works best.

“If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost.“

– Aristotle

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This article was published on August 17, 2021 and is reproduced with permission from The Center Square.