When I think of the great state of California, I think of its people, its places, and its natural beauty and climate, which makes it the magnet for people from all around the country and all around the world. I do not, however, figure Gov. Gavin Newsom into that picture of greatness.
California has had many great governors in the past: Ronald Reagan, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and Jerry Brown, to name a few. They were men of integrity, men of leadership and stewardship, and you’ll notice that most of those great governors were Republicans, but that’s not the issue here — the issue is fiscally and socially responsible governance.
Our current governor demonstrates none of the qualities of his illustrious predecessors, and is in fact the antithesis of their greatness, and it is for that reason precisely that he has been targeted for recall. His entire campaign rests not on touting his own accomplishments but on denigrating his opponents, calling them vulgar names, and leveling unfounded accusations. Listen to him — that’s all he does, if he does anything.
Is the recall a power grab? Hardly. It’s a power takeaway, and there’s a difference. This recall is motivated by a singular purpose: to take the power of governance away from Gavin Newsom.
California is not a great state because of Gavin Newsom. California is a great state because of the aspects I enumerated in my very first sentence — its people, its places, and its natural beauty and climate. Newsom has been “riding” on that greatness, a greatness that he neither created nor has done very much to sustain. The city of San Francisco is an example of what Gavin Newsom can create: squalor. Newsom may be good at many things, like running a winery, but governing a state the likes of California is not one of them.
California is indeed a great state, and it is for that reason that we need and deserve a governor who is equally great. Gavin Newsom is simply not that person. That’s why he needs to go. Notice that I am not endorsing any particular candidate. I am merely requesting Newsom’s removal from office. Unfortunately, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, making Newsom’s removal nearly impossible.
Heaven help us, because even the threat of recall has not tempered his smug arrogance. What a piece of work he is — silver spoon and all.
Arthur Saginian
Santa Clarita
