An Open Letter to Gov. Gray Davis from a Cal Dem Activist

Dear Governor Davis:

I had hoped that last November was the last time I would ever have to vote for you. I have been a lifelong Democrat, I was one of your constituents when you were in the assembly, I've served on my county central committee and been its chair (not LA County, I moved), served on the state executive board of the party, and organized and helped run (and chair) a 1998 campaign office for you. I donated considerable money to your campaign in 1998. After 16 years of Deukmejian and Wilson republican rule, 8 Wilson years of it crypto-racist, I was so excited to have a Democrat for a governor. I attended your inaugural and hoped for a new era.

Yet within months you had slandered the legislature by saying that their role was to follow only your lead. You vetoed measures to curb racial profiling by police, you appointed judges who were for the most part prosecutors, never any public defenders, and rarely any civil litigators, all of whom should be represented on the bench. You continued sweetheart deals with polluters and used your veto powers disturbingly close in temporal proximity to donations from corporate interests. You shook down unions the same way. Granted this was not illegal, but it had a distinctly Republican stench to it.

I've never yet voted for a Republican, but I was hoping that the Republicans would nominate Riodian so I would at least have the choice. But as Attorney General Lockyer has commented, you ran a puke campaign and the Republicans nominated Bill Simon, a man so sleazy and stupid that we had no alternative but to vote for you. Yet you barely prevailed over him. It was the most reluctant vote I have ever cast in my life. I almost decided to not vote in the race at all. You have abandoned your base.

Now, I don't fault you for the electical or budget crises, as those were clearly caused by Bush policies, if one can call his lootings of the state and federal treasuries on behalf of energy and munitions a policy. I see we have a $35 billion shortfall in California and roughly 30 other states, and a $450 billion federal shortfall (really more like $700 billion by the end of the year). And I see that the federal government under Bush gave California zero relief during the electrical crisis.

But I don't see you fighting the real enemy. The real enemy is the Bush administration, the same people behind the recall. The way I see it, you have done nothing to further the policies of the political party that has carried you your whole career. Not a damn thing.

Now, I'm going to vote against the recall. But not out of loyalty to you. I have no loyalty to you or your personal ambitions. But I do to the process. You were elected by the people to serve another four years. But frankly, the best result for me to wake up to on October 8 will be that Cruz Bustamante will be the new governor. For that reason, I will vote no on the recall, and yes for Cruz Bustamante.

I wish Davis hadn't of been so! Why do the repukes even want to "recall" him since he is so not a Dem?

. . . have it printed in the opinion section of a newspaper?

TYY

. . . I was wondering why you refer to it as an open letter.

TYY

that is also posted in a public fourm. The DU would clearly qualify as such a forum.

I'm sure one of his staff will see it and pass it to other staff members. Davis won't see it himself.

I call it open because it is here and open to the public to comment on.

Davis is a huge disappointment.

FYI, I'm against the recall. I think is typical neocon dirty pool. But in the event of a recall, I hope Bustamante pulls through. :hi:

TYY

I felt exactly the same about the 2002 gubernatorial race-- ok, I wouldn't have even considered voting for Riordan, and I voted for Camejo, but it's telling that Davis couldn't whip up any enthusiasm among dems even when opposed by Bill Simon.

I understand how you feel. I didn't criticize him during the campaign, and I'm refraining from it pretty much right now. But there is reason to find other sources of inspiration to beat back the ultra-right power play. Cruz is one such source.

I've decided to go my own route and vote YES on the recall and YES for Bustamante (I know this wont be a popular choice here). For all the reasons you outlined there, and a few of my own, I've decided that California needs a REAL Democrat governor on October 8. I voted for Davis in the last election for one reason and one reason only: Davis was the less revolting of the two choices (Camejo was looking good, but I didn't see wasting a vote on someone with no real chance of winning).

We now have a chance to rid ourselves of this self-serving conman-in-Democrat's-clothing scumbag and get a real Democrat into office...someone who actually believes in and promotes the progressive ideals of the party I've sworn to support. A "No" vote on the recall is a vote to ignore the fact that Davis is ONLY friendly to liberals when there's an election coming up, and that he routinely supports reich wing causes and demands what can only be construed as BRIBES in return for political support.

I wish we could have rid ourselves of Davis in the last election, and I will NOT miss this opportunity to dump him now. Vote YES for Governor Bustamante!

Robert Scheer caught somewhat the same angle in the LA Times & The Nation:

Were the Republicans not hypocrites, they would applaud Davis for implementing so much of their pro-big-business and harsh law-and-order agenda. Like other conservative Democrats, Davis wanted to appear tough, but a party led by poll-watching chameleons will always make for an easy target.

Being an easy target is what made the recall possible- and quite frankly, I'n not conviced in the abstract that this is an abuse of the process. Davis is corrupt and beholden to certain interests, such as the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, who under his watch have become sacred cows while many others more worthy have had their oxen gored. Even so, in political terms and in this specific instance, the recall is being used rather blatantly as a partisan tool for even more corrupt interests- and funded by even more corrupt interests.

Hiram Johnson must be turning over in his grave.

BTW: The recall is one of the many progressive era reforms that came out of the Progressive Movement in the early 20th century. But unlike the initiative and the refferendum, it is only available in about 15 states.