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| Written by PI Web | |
| Friday, 23 May 2008 | |
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End joke of a recall We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again. The effort to recall state Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater, is an ill-conceived idea promoted by a senate leader who wanted to punish Denham for refusing to support an ill-conceived budget last year. Sen. President Pro-Tem Don Perata, who provided the financial backing to put the recall before voters, has since officially withdrawn his support, but the recall remains on the ballot nonetheless. It would be hoped that voters within the 12th Senate District could see through the absurd rhetoric the anti-Denham campaign put forward early on and vote against this farcical ouster attempt. The recall is an abuse of the electoral process: an attempt to do away with a senator who did not toe Perata’s party line and to remove a Republican from a seat that is gerrymandered for Democrats. Despite those political goals, this is not even simply a matter of partisan politics, as many Democrats, including Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani, D-Livingston, and former Agriculture Secretary Bill Lyons, have opposed the recall. It’s a matter of revenge upon a senator who refused to bow to the wishes of a power-hungry Bay Area senate leader. Modesto recall supporter Gary Robbins is correct when he says voters in the district are perfectly within legal rights to carry on with the effort. However, one must ask not only whether it could be done, but also whether it should be. Even if this were a citizen-led effort from the get-go — which it was not — it’s sad to see a senator recalled for voting his conscience. Recalls should be reserved for corruption and illegalities, not used to oppose one’s voting record. If successful, this recall could be part of a dangerous trend that is harmful to Republicans and Democrats alike. Hundreds of thousands of dollars already have been wasted during a time when the state suffers from major budget cutbacks, including strains on education. It’s time to pull the plug on the recall and move on with more important matters, such as making California solvent once again.
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