The California recall is one of the most unique situations in the history of American politics. California currently has the worse budget crisis in America. Many people are out of work. Many claim Gov. Gray Davis is to blame.
The recall is going to be an expensive process that California cannot afford with its current budget crisis. Recalling Davis is a bad idea.
If the people of California were not pleased with Davis’ performance, they had the chance to voice this last November by not re-electing him.
Californians are reaping the payment for not paying closer attention to Davis’ actions. Those displeased with Davis should have turned out to vote.
Now less than a year after regularly scheduled elections, the people of California will vote on whether to recall their governor and who should replace him.
The Davis recall sets a bad precedent for years to come. If the recall goes through and another governor is elected, this will be the first of many recalls in America. People who lose elections will try to find some grounds to recall the winner. These recalls may not come immediately, but they will come in the future.
These absurd recalls will cost the states millions of dollars. They will place a burden on state agencies that will have the task of verifying all of the voters that signed recall petitions.
The basis of democracy calls for mass involvement and it is great that this many people have taken an interest in politics. Over 100 people have filed to run for the position of governor.
But this is not democracy at its best. This particular recall is an example of democracy at its worst.
This large number of candidates will cause problems at the ballot box. Voters will have to flip through a possible large number of pages just to find the candidate they want to vote for.
The potential candidates range from former and present stars (Gary Coleman and Arnold Schwarzenegger) to strippers to characters like Larry Flynt, who suggested his campaign slogan be “Vote for a Smut-Peddler Who Cares.”
The role of governor requires a person who is able to take command in many situations. It also requires a person who is savvy enough to cut deals and pass legislation. This comes from experience and many of these candidates do not have it. Schwarzenegger, Coleman and Flynt have no meaningful backgrounds in politics. They see this as an opportunity to be in the spotlight.
The experienced, qualified and serious candidates will be overlooked in this election because the inexperienced, unqualified and joke candidates have celebrity recognition. This situation makes a mockery of politics.
The recall is a gross waste of both time and money. The people who have initiated this recall are doing nothing but making an already chaotic situation worse.
Nyerere M. Tryman is a graduate student in public policy and administration. He can be reached at [email protected].