The recall, recalled (for now)
The 9th Circuit Court (the one that makes decisions the Supreme Court lives to unanimously overturn... see Pledge of Allegiance, medical marijuana, assisted suicide... etc.) has decided that California precincts that use the punchcard system could unfairly influence the outcome of the state gubernatorial recall election. From there, I guess we can invalidate the results of every election in the history of the country.

I've followed the recall news with interest, but without the same detached disdain that many non-Californians show. Those wacky Californians are at it again. I actually appreciate the mechanism in California law that allows for recall, and though it's not so well drawn, it is unarguably democracy at work. The press will tell you all about the fringe characters that jumped on the ballot, but it's become clear that the voters are focused on the usual range of political positions, and there are only three plausible candidates at this point; Schwarzenegger, Bustamante and McClintock. And many voters seemed to be deciding that, no matter how much they disapprove of Gray Davis, recalling him from office is not the best option. Looks normal to me. If it weren't happening in California, we wouldn't hear about that lunatic fringe so much... they crop up in a lot of elections.

This is a case of media distortion, biased reporting of a fairly straightforward (if unusual) electoral process. They call it a circus, but where's this circus? The closest thing to a circus is Schwarzenegger's campaign, but it's no different from the campaigns of hundreds of other underprepared people making an entry into politics without, yet, a lot to say.  We're used to such campaigns, and sometimes they produce quite capable politicians.  It's an open country and we give clowns, as well as actors and football players and Hall of Fame pitchers and convicted thieves, a chance at high office.

And voting with punchcards? Heh. Today I voted in the Springfield municipal preliminaries, and I used a magic marker. Turn the dashes into an arrow pointing at the candidate of your choice. Do this in a curtainless "voting booth" that stands about three feet off the ground and reminds one of the study carrels in the elementary school's media center. Then carry that 6" x 18" card, with your choices boldly markered and plainly visible, across the room to the ballot box. My high school's student council elections provided more secrecy. Guess it's a good thing we're not in the 9th circuit, because we don't seem to be worried about that. 11:39:22 AM    comment []trackback []