SwimFinsSF

I have to disagree big time with you on this one. Your logic is flawed on many levels.

Firstly – we live in a democracy. If there is a mechanism for the voters to recall a politician from office (and there are mechanisms for almost every office in every city/county/state), it is there for a reason. While the GOP is behind this, it appears that the entire electorate is fed up with our governor. An impeachment is an entirely different matter! That is a criminal matter! Dianne Feinstein was recalled when she was Mayor of SF and successfully defeated the recall. Almost every initiative placed on our ballots each election is successful because of paid signature collectors. The Repubs do it – and so do the Dems.

Secondly – of course the GOP is bitter. But so are the Dems. Davis does not have many friends in either party. Nancy Pelosi was scrambling all last week to find a credible candidate to represent our party (I am a democrat!). Davis is DOA!

And lastly – people who take the time to vote will find their candidate on the ballot.

I know this all seems to be a charade, and we are a national joke – but it is real. Go out and find someone you can support. The most disturbing thing to me is that I cannot even vote for Bustamante with his past record of racist remarks. Who does that leave us?

In typical San Francisco fashion you just dismiss the entire recall effort because the victim is a Democrat. And an inept one at that. As a democrat who gave money to that bozo in Sacramento, I say he should resign so that we can move on!

RJ

I think the most fundamental piece of all of this is that I don’t believe that the recall process as defined in California is appropriate for with issues at this level. It might work for school board members and city council – but governors are very different. As defined it has created a dog and pony show that will replace an admittedly marginal leader with a list of potential replacements whose only qualifications are the ability to $3,500 and 65 signatures and given voters insufficient time to determine if one might be adequate to replace him.

I’m not, however, saying that it wasn’t put in place through democratic means because it was and it was because of something in the past that made people feel that they needed an out. What I am saying and what I would hope to see in the future is a process that, in addition to dealing with the dissatisfaction people feel with the current administration, also works to lay out a selection process that has a hope of finding a reasonable alternative as opposed to a popularity contest akin to high school prom. I actually believe that Arnold may actually be a qualified Governor but how do I know that in a field of 135.

And, as to the San Francisco comment. I’m not making this argument because the Democrats are being attacked – I try to be more objective than that (some times fail but I try at least) – and, if it had gone down the same way when a republican was in office and the Dems were going after GOP I’d have the same argument. I’m not taking issue with the concerns people have with Davis (in fact I think I said that I’ve got my own issues with him – he hasn’t exactly been a superstar)… What I’m taking issue with is the way its all going down. I DEFINITELY believe the issues in the state capitol need to be resolved. I just truely can’t understand how this process has any hope of doing that and I’ve thought about it a lot…

(LOL – now you’ve got Kevin and I debating this stuff here too… these kind of discussions help me form my posistions)…

Night! 🙂

OK Pete! I understand your position more clearly now. Your real beef is with the 135 candidates, and the fact that there is no primary – or democratic screening process to narrow the number of candidates.

We all make decisions and reach conclusions in different manners. And I agree that the 135 candidates is too unwieldy. Don’t you think that the legislature and/or political parties will remedy this situation in the future? And I know that I will know where the candidate I am supporting will lbe on the ballot. And I am definitely voting FOR the recall.

In the last election I voted for Camejo, as I could not bring myself to vote for either clown. I would have voted for Richard Riordan had I been given the opportunity and was hoping he would run. He had to support Arnold – as they would appeal to the same electorate.

So in the mean time the circus will continue. People will laugh at California. And it appears we will have a new governor in less than 8 weeks!

Now when will Arnie repeal that car tax?

Bingo…

I would have far less of a problem with what is happinging right now if the process involved in removing an official from office also included a sensible mechanism for finding a replacement that has a prayer of doing the job in his stead. That may be open primaries and a means of narrowing the field or it might mean the Lieutenant Governor steping in (as the US Vice President would should the President be removed from office).

Without that I think it is irresponsible to remove the candidate because of the danger of the alternative. This isn’t an issue of political party for me – its an issue of political process. I REALLY hope that we re-work the system in the future so that voters have a means for removing candidates AND choosing a qualified replacement..

I actually voted for Camejo in the last election as well ( I can hear the hisses of a few friends right now ) for probably similar reasons to yours. I was relatively certain that Simon wouldn’t win ( I take SERIOUS issue with some of his stands on many things ) and I was unappy with Davis and wanted him to be clear that I was watching. While I knew Camejo didn’t have a hope of winning I would have loved to see some of his stances get more air time and, frankly, I would love to see some real competition with the big parties….

As for the car tax – he’s just GOT to. He’s got what, 8 Hummers? That CAN’T be cheap…