Davis May Survive Recall

7 September 2003 | Fee

[Fee]

Talked to my liberal CA sister

[Fee]

Talked to my liberal CA sister about the recall election. As far as she is concern, the top three candidates are Davis, Bustamante and Schwarzenneger. She feels Schwarzenneger viewpoint on social issues is acceptable. She sees him as an outsider (very much like Ventura) but hesitates to support him because he failed to establish what he will do to solve the financial crisis in CA. Bustamante is too leftwing even for her liberal tastes. She is not comfortable with his strong pro-Latino and anti-businsess policies. She feels Bustamante will make the situation worst by scaring businesses away and favoring Hispanics over all other groups. The other GOP alternatives are too socially conservative for her taste. That leaves only Davis, to whom she does not like either. She feels that if she enters the polling booth on election day, she will have to vote for the lesser of all evils. Right now she would probably lean towards Davis, unless Schwarzennegar gets his act together. NOTE - I am a conservative. I am just offering an insight from CA. Frankly, I am not impressed with the way the individual GOP candidates fail to unite behind a common candidate to defeat a very unpopular governor. The Democrats are doing a good job in terms of party discipline and strategy. Looking at it from a cold strategic viewpoint, I hope Bustamante wins and drives CA into the ground. That way the rest of the US can witness the diseaster and never vote for any leftwing Democrat.

[Paleo Conservative]

Sample size = 1

Degrees of Freedom = 0

[Glenn]

I hope Bustamante wins and drives CA into the ground

Yeah, I've slammed CA every time I get the chance, but the reality is, it would be a national disaster if CA went belly up.

Let's hope they solve their problems in a timely, efficient and mature way.

[bootyist-monk]

Speaking as as a California native and resident of this state for 40 years, I could give a rat's ass what you think.

[T Lady]

A Cruz Bustamante victory would certainly be California's worst nightmare. But then again, when you're down, the only way to go is up. I just pray your sister is wrong. Davis has failed this state both fiscally and morally. He should go. Period. And if the voters (like your sister) had any dang sense, that G-d forsaken legislature would go with him. The Left makes me sick.

-Regards, T.

[Mark]

Is your sister a betting lady?

[Alberta's Child]

Your description of this election tells me that your sister doesn't understand how it works. Davis is not a "candidate" -- he's either going to be recalled, or he's not. If he loses the recall vote, then one of the candidates will replace him.

Voters first answer Yes or No on the recall question, then select a candidate to replace Davis if he is recalled.

Assuming your sister votes "No" on the recall question, who does she intend to vote for on the replacement question?

[Fee]

Knowing her, she would probably lean towards Schwarzennegar. Bustamante is too radical for her.

[Alberta's Child]

Knowing her, she would probably lean towards Schwarzennegar.

If that's the case, make sure she votes for the candidate to replace Davis even if she votes "No" on the recall question. You don't have to vote "Yes" on the recall vote to select a replacement candidate -- it seems that many people do not know this.

A Freeper named Congressman Billybob wrote an interesting article a few weeks ago in which he predicted that the "official" turnout for this election would actually be very low. A lot of people will vote, but the recall election is so confusing that many ballots will be discarded because of some kind of voter error.

[Centurion2000]

Yeah, I've slammed CA every time I get the chance, but the reality is, it would be a national disaster if CA went belly up.

They are going to go belly up no matter what ... it's just a question of when.

[Fee]

I am not a rat. I am just reporting what I hear from my sister in CA. She considers herself an independent and will not register as a Dem or GOP. She is a well paid single female in the software business. I figure the higher the salary, the more conservative one becomes, but not in CA. She does not like high taxes or government fiscal irresponsibility, yet she still wants the government to support education, protect the environment against suburban sprawl, protect clean air, supports conservation (but she drives a gas guzzling BMW), and provide community planning to prevent traffic, etc. She does not like conservatives, because she feels that they are too judgemental and will impose their morality and viewpoint on people who will not agree with them. Emotionally she will not support a social conservative candidate, even if he/she offers the best fiscal policy to end the crisis in CA. She fears conservative social values more than the impending fiscal crisis (go figure). My question to any CA Freeper, does she represent the profile of a sizeable number CA independents?

[Glenn]

I am not a rat. I am just reporting what I hear from my sister in CA.

Someone explain why this post gets tossed in "General Interest" while a thread about piano lessons remains in News/Activism.

What's happening to this place?

[voodoolife]

I think it would be a mistake to oust him now. Point being. We have 3 Reps. running against Bustinazi in a Dem state. Bad idea. The point has been made, and Davis will no do better period. (look at the CA drivers licence bill he signed today). Let him hang himself, and that makes 2004 a shoe in for 1 Rep. canidate. Otherwise, we go 50% Bustinazi, 20 Arnold, 15 McClintock, 15+ other. What's good for California is leave him and let him hang himself.

[chicagolady]

See, California does deserve to fall in the ocean.

[halfdome]

Isn't a "no" vote on the recall equivalent to a vote for Davis?

[EggsAckley]

What's happening to this place?

"The Mods must be crazy."

[Alberta's Child]

Isn't a "no" vote on the recall equivalent to a vote for Davis?

Yes, but she can still select a candidate to replace him in case the recall vote to oust him succeeds. And no, she can't select "Davis" to replace himself.