After the California Recall Vote - Recall the Recall

After the Three-Ring circus known as the California Recall is finished, the first thing the California State Legislature should do is to remove the recall process from California.

Just this past week, republicans in Pennsylvania want to make the Recall process available in the state of Pennsylvania. Governor Ed Rendell, a democrat, has said he would veto any measure allowing recalls in PA stating that if any Governor who breaks the law needs to be removed - impeachment will do just fine. Ed Rendell is smart, he knows PA has enough right-wing nut jobs that would pull a recall. Don't forget that the leader of the Clinton Witch Hunts, Richard Mellon Scaife, calls Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania his home. We do NOT want to give him the power of recall in Pennyslvania.

Recall is nothing more than a Revenge Tactic. Although Gray Davis isn't exactly one of the more stellar politicians from California, he surely did nothing to warrant a recall process. The entire recall was nothing more than a republican with lots of money to burn thinking he could pay for a recall process and make himself governor. That process backfired on millionaire and Republican US Rep Darrell Issa. Instead Mr. Issa's 3 million dollars was spent to have 135 candidates jump at the chance at being governor of CA including a few republicans that have stronger chances at being governor including Action Star Arnold Schwarznegger. Mr. Issa cried his eyes when he decided not to run for governor; then again he could be crying because of all that money he spent and he would have never had a chance against someone like "The Terminator"

The California Recall has set a dangerous precident. There are at least 12 states that have recall processes for their elected officials. That means anyone with a wad of cash to burn and a itch to be a governor without the hassle of a real election can pay people $1/signature to get the recall process flowing. There is no real merit to Recall Elections and these laws should be removed completely. Only politicians who have broken criminal laws should be removed from office early and most all states have some form of impeachment process available to deal with these issues

Hopefully Cruz Bustemante will prevail in the recall. Gray isn't doing too well in the polls and it was smart to have at least one real democrat on the ballot as a fail-safe should Davis not receive 51% of the vote. Cruz's popularity amongst California's large hispanic population should help offset Arnold's popularity with people who still think a washed-up Action Hero actually has a clue to how to solve California's budget problems.

So for all my friends in California, when this circus is overwith, make sure you write your state legislators & senators and ask them to "Recall the Recall". California has enough budget woes without having to spend another $50-$75million on recall elections. Impeachment is the best way to deal with criminal politicians, I hope someone out there is considering an impeachment against Darrell Issa - what he did is criminal to democracy!

otherwise there is going to be another recall. Say Davis is recalled with 48% of the vote, and Arnold wins with 26%. Does that not warrant another recall? hopefully by primary time 3/2/04.

It is going to take a grassroot effort to amend the Constitution. It is obvious by now that the GOP is using the recall process in other states to undo the results of elections they lost at the ballot box.

I will only urge caution whenever one attempts to change any Constitution, or any statute simply because it has been used for partisan purposes. We all complained about the subversion of the special counsel law to persecute President Clinton for things that took place before he took office. The statute was repealed by Congress. I wish we had it back in order to investigate Dick Cheney's role in the energy task force, and in the contrived energy crisis in California.

CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 18 AMENDING AND REVISING THE CONSTITUTION

SEC. 1. The Legislature by rollcall vote entered in the journal,
two-thirds of the membership of each house concurring, may propose an
amendment or revision of the Constitution and in the same manner may
amend or withdraw its proposal. Each amendment shall be so prepared
and submitted that it can be voted on separately.

SEC. 2. The Legislature by rollcall vote entered in the journal,
two-thirds of the membership of each house concurring, may submit at
a general election the question whether to call a convention to
revise the Constitution. If the majority vote yes on that question,
within 6 months the Legislature shall provide for the convention.
Delegates to a constitutional convention shall be voters elected from
districts as nearly equal in population as may be practicable.

SEC. 3. The electors may amend the Constitution by initiative.

SEC. 4. A proposed amendment or revision shall be submitted to the
electors and if approved by a majority of votes thereon takes effect
the day after the election unless the measure provides otherwise. If
provisions of 2 or more measures approved at the same election
conflict, those of the measure receiving the highest affirmative vote
shall prevail.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/.const/.article_18