Recall Qualifies: a Recourse for Voters, or a Hijacking?

Re “Recalls Are for Cars, Not California Governors,” by Bill Maher, Commentary, July 24: I was presented recently with a petition to demand the state Legislature be allowed to raise taxes with 55% of the vote (overturning the two-thirds now needed). I’m sure Maher will be equally outraged at this “parking lot” government, a blatant power grab by Democrats who want to complete the job of ignoring opposing views in this state.

No, Bill, over a million Californians have not signed the recall petition because we blame Gov. Gray Davis for every ill we’ve suffered. I signed it because he looked us in the face and lied to us about the extent of the fiscal crisis in the weeks before he was reelected. Those who did bother to show up and vote last year had a right to the correct information from our governor. If he lied to get elected, what are we supposed to do? Sit down and chuckle about it for the next three years?

Kelly Fogarty

Manhattan Beach

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It’s good to have Maher back from political exile, spewing interestingly inane commentary. But where to begin? How about with: Can any Davis defender so much as complete a sentence without mentioning that Davis served in Vietnam? As if somehow that service justifies keeping in office one who is well on his way to becoming the greatest single failure as a California governor in state history.

Now, I am no fan of the recall. Frankly, I relish two more years of Davis twisting in the political winds of Sacramento and handing his state to President Bush in 2004. But a recall is constitutional, if a rather blunt instrument. If this is truly a mad quest by a Republican auto-alarm-magnate governor wannabe, then Davis probably has little to fear. But when I see Davis speak, if one can get through his ability to move only his lips and drone on in a daze-inducing monotone, I see fear.

Jim Slemaker

Pacific Palisades

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Maher forgot to tell us that after Enron “gamed” the energy market, Davis panicked and signed enormous, high-priced energy contracts that have been taking from my wallet and will continue to do so for a few more years. He forgot to remind us that while winning the election (barely) by attacking Richard Riordan before the primary, Davis misled Californians about the true nature of the budget crisis. Not that Davis had control over the Legislature’s overspending when the state was flush. But he still signed those budget and spending plans into law.

The only recourse the people of California have is the recall, and I pity the poor fool who wins the replacement election.

Michael Wolfstone

San Gabriel

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Davis would be wise to stop running on his record in this ridiculous recall election we’re about to have. All Californians, regardless of party affiliation -- regardless of whether they like Davis, should vote down this insane hijacking of the state Constitution. If it succeeds, we’ll probably never have a governor serve out his term again. Every year the opposing side will refuse to work with the governor and the state will suffer and we’ll have a whole new recall process.

Like most people, I don’t particularly think Davis is the best governor we’ve ever had. But luckily we have a solution for that: elections. This recall process is a disgrace to democracy, a disgrace to every Californian who believes in fair and good government, and a disgrace to the Republican Party.

Charles Van Deventer

Los Angeles

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Knowing that in California, we vote separately for governor and lieutenant governor, I cast my 2002 vote with the understanding that the lieutenant governor is designated by law to serve when the governor is unable to serve. Any way you look at it, a special election after a governor’s recall is unnecessary and the “winner” of such an election would be illegitimate.

Theresa G. Turk

Long Beach

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Wouldn’t you love to know how many of those who signed the recall petitions bothered to show up at the polls and vote in the gubernatorial election last fall?

Eleanor Jackson

Palm Springs

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Explain the math: We’re already behind $38 billion. Now California taxpayers have to fork out $30 million or more for a recall election? Send that invoice to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista). After polluting our ears with car alarms and then the state with ill-gotten recall signatures, he should pony up for his self-aggrandizement.

Dodi Fromson

Los Angeles

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What’s wrong with this picture? It takes a super-majority to pass a budget. It takes a super-minority to nullify an election.

Jim Thompson

Calabasas