The coming recall earthquake
Arianna Huffington on the California recall
“But even given all this <Republican machinations>, it’s time for California Democrats to step back, take a deep breath and admit to themselves that there is more going on here than an underhanded power grab by disgruntled Republicans with too much time and money on their hands.
A new poll released last week by the Los Angeles Times found that 51 percent of California voters now support the removal of Davis — up from 39 percent in March. Perhaps even more meaningful is the fact that 33 percent of Democratic voters back the proposed recall.
Those kinds of numbers speak of a voter discontent that goes way beyond the ambitions of Issa and the GOP.
So, however corrupt the parentage of the recall, it offers Californians a golden opportunity to send a historic message: that it’s time to reorder our policy priorities and get back to serving the people.
It can also be used as a cudgel with which to attack the Bush administration – hammering home how its tax cuts uber alles economic policies, to say nothing of its way-too-cozy relationship with crooked energy companies like Enron, have led California to the brink of financial disaster.
If handled correctly, the California shake-up could turn into THE Big One – an 8.0 on the political Richter scale with aftershocks felt as far away as the Oval Office.