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I still do not "get it". If the governor had 8 million votes to elect him (or whatever the number was), then the people who want to recall him should have the same amount of votes to recall him, not some much smaller number. I think this is dirty politics. And I think you will see it *each-and-every-year*. It will be a way to stop the sitting governor from doing his job.


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well John, blaime it on the PROGRESSIVE administrations that put it in place...I forget if it was WIlson or TR or Taft, but it was one of them that this was made under

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well John, blaime it on the PROGRESSIVE administrations that put it in place...I forget if it was WIlson or TR or Taft, but it was one of them that this was made under
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Could someone just explain this recall thing for us non-Americans?

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Could someone just explain this recall thing for us non-Americans?
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Not just non-Americans, there are a few of us American's who don't quite understand it either. From what I gather, someone didn't like the way Gov. Davis was doing the job and they decided to have a recall election-meaning that the last election is basically null and void. I think that California is setting a dangerous precidence. This really defeats the purpose of having terms. It seems like anyone who is elected can be recalled (I just wish someone would do that with Dubya). So, this could lead to a perpetual election because what if two months after the recall election, someone doesn't like how whoever gets in there is doing the job and it starts all over again. It is just turning into a media circus and a total farce. Someone who has too much time on their hands (and a little money to spare) has decided to run. Granted, having more people running does create better democracy but this is ridiculous.



Cat

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Could someone just explain this recall thing for us non-Americans?
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Go to this thread.  There's a post I made with the CA state constitution that explains it in detail.

And how is it "dirty politics" when the governor is doing a crap job and both parties want him out?  And I'm not talking about the party brass, I'm talking about the registered voters who signed onto this recall.

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Go to this threadAnd how is it "dirty politics" when the governor is doing a crap job and both parties want him out?  And I'm not talking about the party brass, I'm talking about the registered voters who signed onto this recall.
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Then get as many people as the number who voted for him to sign the petition, not a smaller number. If he had 8 million votes, then just the republicans alone should be able to get half that number. It is dirty.

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Then get as many people as the number who voted for him to sign the petition, not a smaller number. If he had 8 million votes, then just the republicans alone should be able to get half that number. It is dirty.
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Hey, it's in the state constitution.  Everything was done to the letter.  Don't like it?  Change the constitution.

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To Taoist, this is similar to a no confidance vote by your House of Commons, which would force an election, right?
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-modified after reading earlier posts-
OK Thanks.

In the UK, the confidence vote seems usually to be held by the party in power and attached to an unpopular measure to force it through (ie Party MPs may rebel on a personal issue but are less likely to threaten their own party in a confidence vote)

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900000 does seem quite small.
If the present guy got 8 million votes (I haven't verified this) then there must have been at least 1 million who didn't vote for him.
Surely, this means if my guy doesn't get in, I can automatically force an immediate recall?
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Not necessarily.

California has had plenty of Democratic candidates in the past (and Republicans too, if you're on the other side), like any state.  Something like 15 states have recall provisions in their state constitutions.  Statistically, yes, the numbers are there, but if there's no cause, most people are not going to bother.

If you are willing, you can research the timeline of Davis' years in office and watch how an economically powerful state in California crashed into a record deficit, and how his approval rating dropped to abysmal levels.  

Going back to the numbers: yes, you only need a certain number of people (and it seems few) to set up the recall election, but that's just like the initiative or referendum system.  You have a group that supports an initiative, they go out and gather support to put it on a ballot, and then the rest of the state votes.  That's the same thing with the recall.

The thing is, with all candidates, initiatives, and referenda, you gotta have the support.  Just because enough people in the state hate a certain candidate doesn't mean they'll automatically set up a recall.  They have to have a good reason other than "He's a Democrat (or Republican)".

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Not just non-Americans, there are a few of us American's who don't quite understand it either. From what I gather, someone didn't like the way Gov. Davis was doing the job and they decided to have a recall election-meaning that the last election is basically null and void. I think that California is setting a dangerous precidence. This really defeats the purpose of having terms. It seems like anyone who is elected can be recalled (I just wish someone would do that with Dubya). So, this could lead to a perpetual election because what if two months after the recall election, someone doesn't like how whoever gets in there is doing the job and it starts all over again. It is just turning into a media circus and a total farce. Someone who has too much time on their hands (and a little money to spare) has decided to run. Granted, having more people running does create better democracy but this is ridiculous.



Cat
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theyre not setting any precedent, this has been done before many times.....the most common place it has been done is for recalling judges and lower officals...it has been done to semi-higher officals too...Im not sure its been done to a governor before though......

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Michael Jackson (NOT THAT ONE-wanted to clear that up)
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Heh, there's also someone called Richard Simmons running as well.  ;D

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Heh, there's also someone called Richard Simmons running as well.  ;D


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on the treadmill?

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I was watching TV and they are reporting the "Game Show Chanel" is going to have a new show called "Who wants to be governor of California". They will have some of the people who are eligible to run appear on the show. They did not say what format the show will take.
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Too funny. I can just picture it now. Something like "Bowling for votes" or "If you choose the right door where Carol Marle is standing, you will either win the governorship or go home with a year's supply of rice-a-roni."


Cat

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I was watching TV and they are reporting the "Game Show Chanel" is going to have a new show called "Who wants to be governor of California". They will have some of the people who are eligible to run appear on the show. They did not say what format the show will take.
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Iheard Fox was picking that up for 9:00 to follow "Who wants to marry an insurance salesmen" and to go before "Last Hooker standing"

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Go to this thread.
And how is it "dirty politics" when the governor is doing a crap job and both parties want him out?  And I'm not talking about the party brass, I'm talking about the registered voters who signed onto this recall.
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Not being from CA I really don't know what kind of a job Gray Davis is doing, but one thing is clear, the $$$ problems are intimately connected to Enron's manipulations (which is to say rip-off) during the energy crisis last year, and our beloved President hidding behind a bush when asked for help.  Have you noticed that neither Ken Lay or Sikking have been indited?  Both are good friends and big contributers to junior's war chest, by the way.  Only Fastow has been indited.

I guess its easy to blame the sitting governor, and he may bear some, or even a lot of the responsibility, but he did not cause these problems on his own.