Gov. Gavin Newsom needs to be recalled, not so he can lose his job, but because he needs to be reminded he serves California residents.
At first glance, Newsom is everything conservatives consider the “liberal elite.”
He’s an ineffective, hypocritical San Francisco Democrat who comes from money and has more ideas than common sense, to many of his detractors.
The truth is more complex than that. Newsom has a long tenure in politics, from his time as San Francisco mayor to his current term as California governor.
In that time he’s gotten plenty done.
As governor, Newsom has expanded family leave, passed anti-rent gouging laws and gave the working class a greater tax break, according to a Newsom policy tracker on CalMatters, a news site focused on California government.
But from the coronavirus raging throughout the state to the damaging optics of his ill-advised maskless night out at the Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, Newsom seems to be proving his detractors right.
As backwards as it seems, the recall could be beneficial for Newsom and California as a whole.
Newsom waffled on social distancing enforcement throughout the state and allowed the virus to spread.
In December 2020, sheriffs representing five of California’s counties refused to enforce stay-at-home orders that could’ve limited the spread of COVID-19, particularly in Southern California, according to a June 20, 2020 KTLA article.
Now that region is the most affected by COVID-19 in the state.
One could argue the sheriffs are responsible for the lack of enforcement, but the buck stops at the top.
Newsom threatened these counties for non-enforcement but never followed through, according to a Jan. 11 Sacramento Bee article.
If he had mitigated the issue, California wouldn’t be as deeply affected by the virus.
Newsom will be more inclined to be an effective leader with a potential recall putting his governorship on the line.
After all, if voters elected Newsom, they should be able to take him out if he proves unfit for the job.
If Newsom remains in office despite a recall, it would show California Democrats they backed the right person and may even silence detractors.
If a recall vote is successful, there would still be time for him to get his act together because the vote wouldn’t happen for 60-80 days after signatures have been verified, according to Ballotpedia.
If Newsom can prove he’s worthy of governorship, then a failed recall vote will prove he should keep the job.
It would show those who attempted to vote him out that he was rightfully elected into office.
And if he can’t beat the rap, then it would prove he failed Californians during the time we needed him most.
