Removing Newsom would be a good start

Did you know? Bonnie Donovan

“All liars … lie to protect themselves, to shield their egos from the raw pain of truth.” 

— Aminatta Forna

Did you know people are calling Tuesday’s election the Republican recall? What’s Republican about it? 

We are all supposed to care about our state and what makes it livable for all. Why this consistent division of our country? Look at the ploys to divide us: racism by way of critical race theory and Black Lives Matter’s equity accusations, vaccinated vs. unvaccinated, the economic divide and of course the age-old Republican vs. Democrats.

How did we win World War II? How did we survive 9-11? We all stood together as one country undivided.

On the recall, there are nine Democrats running to unseat Gov. Gavin Newsom. However, the majority of the 42 recall candidates are independents or Republicans. People must not go against the Democratic Party narrative. 

Why aren’t Democrats talking about white privilege in this election? After all, we have the shiny white boy from the Bay Area who exudes privilege in one corner, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and the refined black man who went to Crenshaw High School in the other, Larry Elder.  

If you were lucky, you got to see Larry Elder in the beautiful Sunken Gardens at the Courthouse last Wednesday, like some of us did.

And by the way, who is bringing these politicians from out of state with such a great interest in ours? Calling on the phone at all hours, and showing up for fundraisers in California, while the world is collectively reeling in shock at our lack of foreign policy. 

For instance, last week Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and our MIA vice president of the U.S.A. came to tell us we should vote for our governor of California. What’s in it for them?  Oh, they are following orders.  

For the vice president, shouldn’t she at least be straddling the problems in our southern borders or taking the flack about the debacle for Afghanistan?  How about showing up in your own area of concern?

Now we call lies simply hypocrisy.  A gentler, softer version. Because lies are lies. And everyone knows it.

And if that isn’t enough shenanigans, President Biden is coming to California Monday, so his handlers can shore up “Sir Gavin’s statehood.”

The opposition is campaigning strenuously for No on recall — yet these are the same people who want higher paying wages, aka a living wage (as in Santa barbara). Yet they are also responsible for the taxation, regulations, policies and mandates that are driving out the career jobs, which can support a family, out of the state and out of our city.  

It looks as if the powers that be want to keep people down.

Their solutions are low-income housing provided by the government aka Housing Authority.

They don’t talk about jobs. 

What is being built in the city to encourage workers to stay and be gainfully employed? Only minimum wage jobs.

In the last several years, the city has approved four to five hotels, numerous convenience stores, and expansion of restaurants, all that serve the tourist trade. Again, these jobs are service industry jobs. There’s minimal advancement in careers here. 

Imagine a 7-11 at State/Ortega, a 7-11 on Milpas, 7-11 on upper State, the 99 Cent Store, numerous hotels from downtown to Milpas Street, all approved or built in the last five years. Lofty goals.

During Gov. Newsom’s NO on Recall Rally, he boasted “eat your heart out Texas and Florida. There is no other state in America like California…  We have the highest vax rate, lowest positivity rate. Better health outcomes, a better economic outcome — because we went with science and public health —  one in the same.”

Again, more division that separates us.

Is Gov. Newsom so angry because the exodus from California is mostly to Texas and Florida? States that value freedom and their residents.

Many California businesses have relocated to Texas and Florida along with their skilled workers,and their tax dollars. 

But cheer up, Gov. Newsom, California is still first when it comes to America’s homeless.

In fact, we hold the record of 28% of the nation’s homeless who choose California as their home.

This isn’t all about COVID-19 numbers, and masks and vaccines, and vaccine passports. The shutdowns of the people and the small businesses were the straws that broke the camel’s back. It is about California’s subpar infrastructure — the conditions of the roads, the lack of water and no viable solution after all this time, the lack of wild land management, the ensuing  wildfires that are no longer a season, but are all year long and decimate whole towns.

This is about the electrical blackouts and brownouts, the taxation, the highest gas prices in the country, while we are surrounded by oil, the vehicle license fee increases, the failing public school system, the stranglehold of the teachers’ unions, the ludicrous $100 billion projected for the high speed rail project, the loss of small businesses due to COVID-19 shutdowns, while the big box stores were allowed to stay open.  

His flagrant dismissiveness of the rules the rest of us are subjected to and not to mention — the cost of housing to live here as well as the amount of crime, the lack of police support and the drug epidemic apparent on our streets.

Texas is rated as No. 14 of the most affordable states while California is rated as No. 47 in affordability. California also pays 37% more for goods and services compared to the national average, and our utilities have the highest rates.

So, Gov. Newsom is correct, in that, “There is no other state in America like California.”

We can take our country back.

And we can start with our state, California.

Without Gavin Newsom.

“The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that’s also a hypocrite.”

— Tennessee Williams