Vote NO on the California Recall
So much is at stake with the California gubernatorial election recall of Governor Gavin Newsom taking place on September 14, 2021.
Megan Valadez/ Asst. Opinion Editor/ The USD Vista
Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen endless commercials, advertisements, Instagram stories, and news articles about the California gubernatorial election recall of Governor Gavin Newsom. There are two questions being asked to California voters: Should Governor Gavin Newsom be removed from office? If yes, who should replace him?
It is so important that ALL California voters participate in this election and vote NO. With the September 14 deadline approaching, many Californians are asking themselves what is at stake with this recall election.
Three groups of Trumpian conservatives have tried to recall Newsom five different times since his inauguration in 2019. These groups, as well as many Republicans have raised arguments against Newsom’s liberal stances on the death penalty, immigration, the criminal justice system, gun control, and now, the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Nov. 6, Gov. Newsom attended a birthday party for a friend and Sacramento lobbyist at a very pricey Napa Valley restaurant called the French Laundry. He attended this event maskless and was seen speaking to many people. He profusely apologized and admitted that he made a mistake in attending the birthday party during COVID-19, but that was not enough for many Californian’s who were outraged at his actions.
If Gov. Newsom is replaced, things such as climate change, minimum wage, abortion rights, public education, healthcare, justice reform, support for immigrants, gun violence protection, environmental protection, vaccines and COVID-19, and most of all, the senate are at stake. These are all issues that Newsom is working towards and has made great progress with.
Most Republicans running in this election have said that climate change is not real, that Roe v. Wade should be overturned, want to continue building the border wall, and have said that COVID-19 is fake. If Gov. Newsom is recalled, new political leaders could completely ruin policy opportunities that are helping to advance racial equity and social justice efforts in areas such as homelessness, housing, and LGBTQ+ rights. Newsom has spent his time in office working to achieve true equality for all Californians. For example, he recently signed two bills that target structural racism and bias within our legal system. AB 2542, prohibits the use of race, ethnicity, and national origin to seek or obtain convictions or impose sentences. AB 3070 aims to eliminate discrimination in jury selection. These are just a few examples and of course, there is still much work to be done, but Gov. Newsom has taken many steps in ensuring equality for all in this state. Not to mention, this recall is costing California around $276 million, money that could be used for public education, fixing roads, addressing homelessness, mental health resources, and so much more.
There is talk that 88-year-old U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein’s term may end prematurely, as there is a chance she will retire before her term is up. If California becomes a Republican-led state, the new governor will appoint her replacement. This would flip the senate and allow Republicans to block many of President Biden’s policy proposals, especially his nominees to the Supreme Court, and will cause dramatic consequences on national politics and policies. For example, my rights as a woman could be compromised if Roe v. Wade is overturned at the state and/or national level (as we have seen in Texas), and my Chicanx community could face the struggles of immigration and deportation at higher rates, just to name a few.
California was hit extremely hard with COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, and is now struggling with the surge of the Delta variant. Gov. Newsom took the pandemic very seriously – closing down schools, restaurants, bars, and other businesses, in order to stop the spread of the virus.
Gov. Newsom gave record numbers of state aid to families and businesses who were struggling during the pandemic and also greatly helped to rebuild California’s economic health after the struggles of the pandemic. His Golden State Stimulus package provided checks to two out of every three Californians, providing $12 billion in total, over $4 billion for small businesses, $5.2 billion towards rent relief, and $2 billion towards overdue water and utility bills. Almost two thirds of Californians qualified for $600 stimulus checks and qualified families with kids received an additional $500. 69% of California’s population has received at least one dose of the Coronavirus vaccine thanks to Newsom’s push for widespread availability of the vaccines and his efforts to encourage Californians to get the shot.
Many candidates, such as front-runner Republican candidate Larry Elder, said the first thing they will do is lift or alter California’s mask mandates, which will ultimately cause spikes in COVID-19 cases. It has become increasingly apparent that Larry Elder has a high chance of winning this recall election if Democratic voters do not turn out in high numbers. Elder opposes abortion rights, has said that the minimum wage should be zero, does not believe that Americans still experience systemic racism, believes that climate change is a hoax and that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.
Almost 50% of the state of California is Democratic, while Republicans only make up 24% of the population. Having a Republican governor run a majority Democratic state is going to cause many problems for all, especially underrepresented communities and populations. I have lived in California my entire life and I have always believed that I live in the most diverse state in this nation. As a Mexican woman, I have always felt heard, seen, and represented in my hometown of Los Angeles. I fear that the work Gov. Newsom has done to ensure that people like me, as well as other people of color, feel safe and are represented will come undone if a Republican becomes the new governor of California. If California has a Republican leader, I fear that people of color and other underrepresented communities will be targets of police brutality and structural, systemic, and legal racism at higher rates. With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, and the massive fires spreading across the state; lives are at risk, jobs are at risk, education is at risk, our homes are at risk, and most importantly, our own well being is at risk.
Despite Newsom’s mistake back in November, he is still the best candidate in the recall election. When voting in this election, we need to take a step back and look at what is at stake not just for everyone in California, but also for everyone in America, as this California election can also impact the national government.
Vote NO on the California gubernatorial election recall of Gavin Newsom for the sake of underrepresented and oppressed communities, for our climate and environment, for combating COVID-19, for fixing the homelessness crisis, for public education, healthcare and so much more.