In just a month’s time, the Democratic Party’s bastion state will host a high-profile referendum on the recall of its incumbent governor. Gavin Newsom, ruling California for the third year in a row, suddenly faces a real threat of removal from power
Democrats have ruled California single-handedly for more than 15 years. The once golden state is fast becoming a third-world country with African-level inequality, rolling blackouts and a mass exodus from high taxes and expensive living under “advanced liberalism”.
But the last straw in the cup of patience was the harsh and prolonged quarantine measures, which have only recently been lifted. They have led to the mass ruin of small businesses and the soaring unemployment rate, which is still 25% higher than the national rate. While between $10 billion and $30 billion in financial aid allocated to Californians has simply been embezzled.
Voters have long been used to the fact that nothing can be changed in this state, so they silently vote with their feet. Now, desperate Californians have risked to collect two million signatures and declare a vote of no confidence in the local government, forcing it to go to early elections.
The Democrats were not out of the blue by the prospect of losing outright control of America’s largest state. Under the same scenario, back in 2003, they were briefly removed from power in California when Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor.
Fearing a repeat of history, they played dirty and refused to register the most popular Republican candidate, radio host Larry Elder. The pretext was that he allegedly failed to submit tax deductions to the local election commission, which were apparently “lost” there. Elder still managed, with difficulty and through the courts, to get himself registered for the election.
The polls show almost equal numbers of supporters and opponents of the California Democrat Party forfeiting the governorship: 47% to 50%. Should a majority vote for the recall, the current governor’s most popular opponent will take his seat.
Under normal circumstances, Republicans in California have long had no chance of winning anything. But now the level of dissatisfaction with the Democrats, drunk out of absolute power in a one-party state, has grown so much that they may be simply swept aside by the mass protest vote.
Malek Dudakov