What are your thoughts on the California 2021 recall election?

I am not a fan of Newsom, but the recall is horseshit. I will vote no.
I have often referred to Gavin as Sal Bando, the 1970’s third baseman. He always swung for the fences, almost always popped up.

It’s stupid. For one, the system itself is moronic. There are so many candidates that if Newsom is recalled, someone who receives 10% of the vote could end up becoming governor. How is that democratic? And why wasn’t this system changed after the last recall?

This recall is nothing but the product of a bunch of Republicans who threw a hissy fit over lockdowns and masks. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t much like Newsom, but I don’t see the point in getting some Trump supporter in power for a year to turn California into Florida in terms of the pandemic then oust him in 2022 because he could never win a general election…

It’s just ridiculous all around. I voted no to recall and then voted for Caitlyn Jenner. xD

I think it’s nuts.

California seems to shoot down good governors every 20 years or so.

The fundamental issue is that California ballot laws are too permissive and any idea that gets a couple of hundred people to support it gets on the ballot. People are stupid, and voters listen to the loudest voice.

The people who are trying to remove Newsom don’t have good ideas or solutions. They’re a bunch of nihilists who want to bring down the government, but have no plans on how to govern. (That’s why they are republicans – void of ideas).

I hope Newsom survives this idiotic charade.

I am voting No on the recall.

And I won’t vote for Caitlyn Jenner.

It’s an attempt to get a Republican in office without having a real vote, because they know they can never win. Newsome is not my favorite by any means, but he has done well getting us through the pandemic and I am not about to vote for his recall.

@tinyfaery I agree!

I’m not from CA so my opinion holds no importance to the outcome. But I find it interesting that there are so many efforts to get rid of governors these days. Have they always been out there an I just missed them? But Cuomo is gone and is replaced by a lieutenant governor that is far more conservative than he was. And now Newsom is on the chopping block. I think Newsom’s case is more of an indictment of his policies than Cuomo. It will be interesting to see how all this washes out. What I DON’T understand is why, if he is recalled, the Lieutenant Gov wouldn’t just step in?

@seawulf575 That’s just the way the California Constitution has it set up. That way, the Lt Gov doesn’t become the advocate for recalling the governor. Lt Gov and Gov are separate offices in California, and elected separately. They don’t hav etc be from the same party.

@zenvelo I believe THAT is the crux of the problem. You have a governor that has gotten to the point that there is a credible chance he will be recalled because of his decisions and control. That opens up the door for these elections that are full of every Who in Whoville. For continuity of the office, putting the Lt Gov in place would be the better way to do it. Then, if desired, hold a special election later on or at the next normal time.

@seawulf575 Dare I say I agree with you?

@janbb Sshhhhh…..I won’t tell.

Someone wrote this analogy:

The way California conducts recall elections is ridiculous and undemocratic.

Imagine you’re in charge of 100 kids going on an out of town field trip. Before the trip, you took a vote on where to stop for food on the way home, and 55/100 kids voted for pizza. On the way home, the bus pulls up to the pizza place, and while unloading the bus, 12 kids complain that they really don’t want pizza.

According to Official Field Trip Rules™, you now how to see if there’s another place you should go. You first take a vote on who doesn’t want pizza. This time, 52 kids raise their hand (48 kids still want pizza).

So you then take a second vote, where the kids can pick from a long list of places within a 10 mile radius (except the original pizza place). The results are as follows:

• 14 McDonalds

• 10 Taco Bell

• 9 Chuck E. Cheese

• 8 Golden Corral

• 8 Wendy’s

• 8 Panda Express

• 7 Burger King

• 7 Jack in the Box

• 6 Subway

• 6 Krispy Kreme

• 5 Starbucks

• 4 7 Eleven

• 3 The Shell Station

• 3 Safeway

• 1 Office Max

• 1 The dumpster across the street

Again, by Official Field Trip Rules™, everyone is now going to McDonalds (with 14 votes), EVEN THOUGH 48 KIDS STILL WANT PIZZA.

This is pretty much exactly how California recalls work: 12% can kick off the process, it takes a simple majority to jettison the original plan, and then whatever new plan gets the most votes is the new plan, regardless of how many people actually wanted to stick with the old plan.

Vote NO on the recall. It’s objectively terrible.

@raum

Great analogy and I agree with 99% of what you said, except that I LOVE Golden Corral! :P

If the recall fails, then the kids who voted for the dumpster will storm the pizza place. ;-o

@Brian1946 I thought it was a good way to explain why this whole process doesn’t make sense.

But I have to say my favorite part might have been the kid who voted for the dumpster across the street. :P