Governor Gavin Newsom. (Photo: Kevin Sanders for California Globe)
Recall Gavin Effort Booms Despite Media Blackout
It is a rebellion that has attracted millions of disillusioned California voters
By Edward Ring, September 18, 2020 2:15 am
When the history of the 2020 election in California is written, the prevailing question may be “why didn’t the California Republican Party take advantage of one of the biggest populist movements in modern history, the ongoing campaign to recall Governor Gavin Newsom?” The period this recall effort has been allocated for signature gathering overlaps neatly with the peak political season, hence there is a tremendous opportunity for CAGOP to capitalize on its momentum.
It’s easy enough to understand why, despite gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures, and being on track to gather more signed petitions than any volunteer effort, ever, there is virtually zero media coverage. California’s establishment radio, press, and television networks are determined to ignore the RecallGavin 2020 campaign for the same reasons the CAGOP ought to embrace – it is a rebellion that has attracted millions of disillusioned California voters and it has the potential to fundamentally transform the political landscape of the state.
For California’s media, this blackout is merely malpractice. Their partisan bias – expressed in how they frame issues, what issues they choose to cover, what facts they emphasize, and their many sins of omission – is well established and comes as no surprise. In the case of CAGOP, their lack of support is, to be charitable, due to an excess of caution.
To appreciate the weight of the populist uprising sweeping California, the media, and CAGOP, might choose to attend the next large event organized by the Recall Gavin 2020 campaign, a rally to be held on the north steps of the State Capitol on Saturday 9/19 from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. They will witness not hundreds, but thousands of supporters, showing up in a “Rolling Thunder” vehicle caravan as well as congregating on the north lawn. Smaller crowds at the Capitol, often comprised mostly of people who were paid to attend, consistently manage to attract television cameras and reporters. But to be newsworthy, you have to further the Democrat narrative.
The ingenuity displayed by the Recall Gavin 2020 campaign could teach a lot to the CAGOP consultants and their donors, a tight-knit network that has displayed remarkable continuity while presiding over an unrelenting decline that has lasted for three decades. But it comes down to this: If you support the people, the people will support you.
California GOP has three choices
To support the people, CAGOP has three choices: First, they can aggressively promote a visionary platform with a few revolutionary but very concrete objectives. Things have gotten so bad, this ought to be easy. Thin the forests. Round up the homeless and put them in supervised tent cities (saving billions). Permit expansion of suburbs on the perimeter of cities which is the only way home prices will ever come down. Keep Diablo Canyon open, along with clean natural gas power plants (saving billions). Widen the freeways. Fix the aqueducts. Build more reservoirs and underground water storage. Enact school choice, preferably by issuing vouchers (saving billions). Start prosecuting criminals and get drug addicts off the streets. Quit harassing businesses (adding billions).
To the naysayers: Stop relying on polling, which is merely a good way for legacy consulting firms to collect, say, $900,000 to compile increasingly unreliable data on voter sentiment. Voter sentiment changes. Leadership and vision change the minds of voters. Get out there, and listen to people. You will be astonished at how close California’s entire population is to embracing a completely new agenda. But not one powerful CAGOP politician or donor has the guts to not just promote a revolutionary agenda, but demand it.
Choice two for CAGOP is even easier. Fire a shot that will be heard around the world by supporting the Recall Gavin 2020 campaign, unequivocally and without reservations. This will serve notice to voters that the party means business, and it’s gone onto offense. Have every CAGOP candidate express their support for the recall, and make it the centerpiece of a statewide slate declaring the CAGOP position on the many ballot initiatives facing voters in November.
Opposing Gavin Newsom gives much needed coherence and excitement to everything else CAGOP is fighting for in this state. For example, there is not one significant state ballot initiative Newsom is for, that CAGOP is not against, nor is there one that he is against, that CAGOP is not supporting. The votes on many of these initiatives will be close. Enlisting the support of the recall volunteers could make the difference.
Choice three is the strategy that CAGOP is currently pursuing. Their strategy is thus: “Vote for us because we are not Democrats, and therefore you should support us.” That strategy is adequate – not good, but adequate – with the 24 percent of voters who are still registered Republican in California. For the rest, not so much.
Reluctance on the part of CAGOP to support the Recall Gavin 2020 campaign is understandable only if you view grassroots activism as a zero sum game. There are literally tens of thousands of Californians currently circulating petitions to recall the governor. These are people who could be, to mention perhaps the most important variable, walking precincts to recapture battleground seats in the U.S. Congress. But it is not a zero sum game.
The field directors for those candidates in tight races should be delivering their campaign material to the volunteers who are coordinating the recall efforts in their counties. Supporters of the recall are not exclusively Republicans, in fact, in many counties they may not even be majority Republican. But Newsom personifies Democrats, and they’re already fighting Newsom. If CAGOP endorses the recall, these recall volunteers become ripe prospects for conversion.
This bears reflection. Consider this revealing map, prepared by the Public Policy Institute of California (below), that depicts the political geography of the state as if the number of voters in each county drove the size of the space in which they resided. See that tiny, tiny little red patch up in the great white north? That’s your base. Get real. Take a chance. Swing for the fences.
CAGOP strategists and donors have to ask themselves some tough questions: “Are the recall volunteers people who would have otherwise volunteered to help us?” Some of them would have, but the vast majority of them would not. With that in mind, the question then becomes “will these recall volunteers support our candidates?” And to that, one can only say why wouldn’t they? If they’ve had it with Newsom, they’ve had it with his party.
The final question to pose to CAGOP strategists and donors at this critical time is simply this: Why are you blasting out millions of emails deriding the governor, if you’re unwilling to support the recall effort? Emails with subject lines such as “King Newsom will stop at nothing” (9/17), “King Newsom’s Reign Must End” (9/16), or “King Newsom Has Gone Too Far,” (9/06)? Are you kidding? Or do you mean it?
When you stand up for what you believe in, people are attracted. When you say one thing, and do another, you don’t matter. This recall campaign was inevitable. It was unstoppable. From the beginning the opportunity for CAGOP was either to embrace the recall effort, which would unify the base and attract new followers, or ignore it, confirming their status as the residual irrelevancy exemplified by the PPIC political map.
The Recall Gavin 2020 campaign’s lead proponent, Orrin Heatlie, is a capable and determined campaigner who has, from scratch, mobilized an army. There is a path forward for this campaign to beat the odds and put this recall onto the ballot. As will be seen, they are likely to surpass any similar sort of volunteer signature gathering effort in the history of California. Should they come tantalizingly close to success, yet fail, CAGOP will have a lot of explaining to do. Or they can have the courage of their declared convictions, and join the fight.
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Not mentioned, how many signatures that have been collected or approved by SoS. Check the numbers and you’ll see another story of corruption.
The CA / GOP is a sad bad joke. It does nothing to promoted Republican’s values or Trumps agenda. It is comprised o f Never Trumpers and In-Fighting. It should be dissolved and re-booted with Trump people in charge.
What exactly does “SOS” mean?
Same old shit !!
They’ve collected only 600,000. And only turned in about 50,000. Not a story of corruption. Rather, it’s a story about voter disinterest. There have been 50+ recall attempts on governors of California over the years, including Newsom earlier this year. All but one have failed because there’s no appetite for it generally and now. We elected the guy to a 4 year term and he’s doing a decent job under the circumstances in most people’s estimation. And his 60%+ approval rating even now belies that fact.
The CA Rep Party decided to remain the “Washington Generals” with the (probably rigged) selection of Jessica Patterson. This allows Patterson and her fellow consultants to feast off the dying carcass.
The CA Rep Party is at best useless.
When you have Edward Ring on your side you have something powerful. So glad to see another excellent and persuasive essay for this important movement.
It seems to me that if the very corruption people are fighting against in the Recall Newsom movement somehow prevails (and it looks like it won’t), the leaders and volunteers have nevertheless done something extremely important: They have created activists out of California citizens who were previously content to live their lives and mind their own business. And true grass roots political activists tend to get angrier when they are thwarted by cheaters — they don’t just slink off into the shadows never to be heard from again. What’s more, a lot of the value of true grass roots political activism is in REVEALING, for everyone to see, who certain people and certain organizations really are. We can see their worth from their actions, not just what they SAY. And seeing is believing.
P.S. If you missed the link in the article, here is the official Recall Newsom website:
https://recallgavin2020.com
Where are our candidates for governor for the next run? Cox is going to try again, just so the slate isn’t empty. The problem is, no one gives a damn anymore. The smart people moved, the retired with low house payments stayed, the poor and illegal filled in the gap, and the taxpayers are supporting them and asking nothing in return.
Given Jerry Brown’s going away present of legalizing vote harvesting to guarantee results by the use of “captive collection*” , the die is cast. Until California goes bankrupt and takes the dwindling middle class with it, no one will care. We all might as well be passengers on a pirate ship.
*We order the ballot for you, we fill it out, you sign it.”
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=major%20williams%20for%20ca%20governor%202022
@ Chuckiechan
I remember moonbeam saying he had a way to keep California democrat forever. Then came the voter fraud known as ballot harvesting.
He also changed the electoral votes in federal elections to go to one party instead of the results of each county going to whichever party won that county.
https://recallgavin2020.com/
The CAGOP actually – do – anything? Serious, LOLz. Ever since Pete Wilson mortally wounded it with his tax increases, the CAGOP has basically existed to take care of itself. I’ve waited decades to see any sign of life, but have come to the sad conclusion that it’s basically been co-opted by the leftists to sit in the corner and have a cookie and some milk while the donks run the state into the ground. As long as senior members of the party keep their hookers, lobsters, and Cadillacs, they’re all good with it.
Good lick, my fellow Californians, you aren’t voting your way out of this.
PS: I’m writing this from my new home in Texas, where we can run the A/C without going broke, and the state isn’t actually on fire.
The Calif died due to the efforts of schwarzenegger and his left wing ideas. The jungle primary, heavily gop supported, destroyed one man one vote. His global warming stance is insane. Yes steroids rotted his brain.
@ Iva & Deserttrek
California started to die with the election of grey davis, who very quickly devoured the millions left in excess by Pete Wilson, and just as fast reversed what Deukmejian and Wilson accomplished.
Schwarzenegger’s mistake was hiring VERY liberal susan kennedy as his chief of staff. She helped him gain re-election but everything went downhill from there. She was behind his liberal policies, and I believe she was involved in the car tax hike that put an end to grey davis. She was davis’s cabinet secretary and a member of the CPUC in 2005 as well. Kennedy was the “ woman behind the curtain “ so to speak for both Governor’s but especially in Schwarzanegger’s. She has been involved in California’s decline for over 15 years and still is. In 2018 she was fined $32,500 for illegal lobbying, and cozying up to the CPUC security chief as a paid consultant of PG&E in 2012 after the 2010 blast in San Bruno.
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/emails-reveal-pge-efforts-to-avoid-fines-over-san-bruno/189798/
https://www.capradio.org/articles/2017/11/27/susan-kennedy-cpuc-under-investigation-after-pge-releases-more-san-bruno-emails/
What’s the CAGOP???
I got a mailer from them last week, but I didn’t think that they actually DID anything….
At least now I know they fundraise….
But seriously, hey CAGOP – GFY until you actually DO SOMETHING AND TAKE A STAND against Newsom’s reign of terror in a masked state of frightened sheep….
I’m in NorCal for the weekend and the STUPID is strong up here….
I’ve signed the Newsom recall petition; more than once. Why? Someone (?) higher up in the chain of command, was disallowing signatures that weren’t completely between the lines on the recall form. Also, disqualified as valid entries, were people who didn’t write out their exact address with the words “Street, Avenue or Boulevard” (no abbreviations accepted). Who makes those petty and arbitrary rules??? If you ask me, Newsom supporters or he, himself, is out to sabotage this recall measure.
I’ve signed the Newsom recall petition; more than once. Why? Someone (?) higher up in the chain of command, was disallowing signatures that weren’t completely between the lines on the recall form. Also, disqualified as valid entries, were people who didn’t write out their exact address with the words “Street, Avenue or Boulevard” (no abbreviations accepted). Who makes those petty and arbitrary rules??? If you ask me, Newsom supporters or he, himself, is out to sabotage this recall measure.
LOL! You’ve just admitted to submitting invalid signatures by signing ‘more than once’. Way to go dummy!
The signature was invalid so the person sign twice I don’t see how that’s being dumb
You’re the dummy- there have been multiple recall efforts and you could have signed all of them as they were separate actions
He needs to GO!!
Excellent analysis! I would vote for a GOP candidate in a second that had CHOICE ONE for their platform!!!
I am a 71 year old retiree and am a born and raised Californian. I am embarrassed by what our state has become. I am astounded by what people willingly gave up to have the devastating results we call California today!!!
Born and raised in the Sacramento area. Been here for 75 years. I now have my house for sale and plan on moving out of this state. It is truly sad what California has become…..,,,it’s so frustrating to see people just submit to Newsom the dictator.
I voted for Newsom in 2018 but reluctantly .. I now say recall this idiot.
He will not be recalled. Newsom enjoys tremendous support throughout the state.
Whos that stupid? Millions id guess, dominion probably has it handled anyway.
I am stunned that we as Californian’s have been forced into such a disgusting and repulsive lifestyle. He builds expensive sports arenas while California’s kids have now lost the equivalent to 1.7 yrs of education under his COVID Plan. His kids NEVER stopped attending school. His winery never closed it’s doors. Homelessness and crime are rampant state wide. With so sanctuary cities crime has seeped into what used to be the safest of neighborhoods. California pays over 73.82 cents per gallon and our roads and infrastructure is a disaster. California has always been a free state. Newsome now wants to pay reparation’s to descendants of slaves. Well I think all Californian parents should sue Newsome for the loss of education. Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Tennessee just to name a few have multiple school districts who opened in SEPTEMPER FULL TIME WITH NOT ONE COVID CASE! That is only a few states, there are thousands of successful districts that have opened because their Governor truly wants the best for their state and it’s people. Not California, we got an extreme liberal pushing his own agenda that is devastating millions. Gavin Newsome, you are truly an evil man.
I agree with every word! You read my mind exactly
CA lockdowns have destroyed our state… wrong wrong wrong the way it has all been handled and especially in those Dem states. I’ve been a lifelong Dem but lots of wondering here in 2020…
Crooked politicians are RAPING the country’s coffers while passing laws that are destroying this country. Conservatives need to unite & revolt, just like radicals leftists & take back this country. Sign the damn petition, go out of your way to get it done. Show the country that Californians can & will fight back. #neverconcede!