Voting Recall - Good or Bad Idea

Miakal

Do you think recalling elected officials is a good idea?

Obviously there are a lot of sides to the argument.

I don't think it's a good idea. If people voted for someone he should be able to serve his elected term limit. Otherwise, the first moment of dissatisfaction the guy could be kicked out. The only way someone should be able to be removed for office is if he commits a crime worthy of being removed for.

Think of President Bush could be recalled. As much of a great ideas as that is, it's still horrible from all viewpoints. Bush may turn the economy around, he might make America the strongest it's ever been, but if we don't allow him his full elected term then we will never know.

AudioSavior

I think it is a good idea because the whole point of voting is to elect someone the people want. If that person is not doing what the people voted for want and promised then why should they be allowed to stay in power? In Canada it is not about the votes when it comes to who will be the Premier. It is whatever party leader winds the most amount of seats for the province. I think a recall should be allowed in that case because like what happened in BC once, one leader got the most votes but wasn't elected because the other leader got the most seats for his party. Obviously it is he was not who the majority of people wanted in power yet he was elected.

Miakal

Yes, but if the people elect someone for a specific term then why should he be ousted? Aren't you just opening the doors for politics gone mad?

I can understand in Canada where you might not've voted specificially for that person, but like in California it was pretty clear. I'm not saying Davis is a great govenor, far from it, but he should've been able to finish his term.

AudioSavior

It seems pretty fair to me, I mean it is not like he was doing a great job and was recalled without any reason. If he was, then they would have kept him in power. I am sure it is not an easy task to get a recall and whatever it took, it gave the people a chance to speak and show their displeasure in the job he was doing. I can see there being something where the person has to have served at least half of his term before a recall can be done. That way, the person is given a chance to show he can do his job. If I was working and doing a shitty job and making a mess of things, Chances are I would get fired after my probation. They don't and get to continue to do their job even if they are messing things up more. The recall lets that not happen and allows the person to be "fired" so to speak.

DMW

It's important to remeber that this election would have never happened without Davis becoming monumentally unpopular. We're talking Nixon/Watergate unpopular. There have been many recall attempts in the past but they never came close to fruition because no governor has ever pissed of that many people that badly.

One absolute positive that has emerged is that the politicians have been shown who exactly they are working for. We are paying attention and we're not going to let you screw us over time and time again.

On a side note, I was watching the Daily Show last night and they showed someone holding my favorite signs of the election:

"I'd rather be groped by Arnold than bent over by Davis"

Miakal

Well yeah, the people were unhappy with Davis but that's not the end of the story either. This also was a large conservative movement with a lot of money behind it to make this recall happen.

I guess that is what my problem with this is. There are always going to be people who do not support the governor, just by differences of political affiliation. Instead of throwing a monkey wrench into things after he has already been elected, why not just let him serve his time and oust him once his term limit is over?

With the time that is left, is Arnold really going to be able to do anything anyway?

DMW

There's over 3 years left on the term so I think that's a lot of time to change things, for better or for worse.

The recall was started by a conservative, but I don't think that should come as a surprise since conservatives are the ones that have hated Davis with the most passion. I wouldn't call it a "large conservative movement" though because that Issa fellow financed this pretty much by himself. It's not a situation where all the California Republicans convened to finance and organize the recall effort.

Miakal

[quote:post_uid0="DMW"] I wouldn't call it a "large conservative movement" though because that Issa fellow financed this pretty much by himself. It's not a situation where all the California Republicans convened to finance and organize the recall effort.[/quote:post_uid0]
That's actually what I meant. I meant large in terms of money which is what makes this thing the most awful, in my opinion.