… The recall was originally a progressive reform, part of a suite of tools given to the voters of California 110 years ago by a governor determined to wrench power out of the hands of wealthy railroad barons and deliver it directly to the people.
Over the past century-plus, however, the deployment of those tools has been a stark illustration of the Law of Unintended Consequences. The ability of voters — or, more accurately, a collection of varied interests with significant money — to put laws, constitutional amendments and mid-term officeholders up for the judgment of the electorate has twisted the process of government beyond recognition.
And while the recall itself is stunningly anti-democratic — the way the math works, Newsom could take 49 percent of the vote and be kicked out, while Elder or another aspirant could then replace him with 20 percent — the broader picture of these “direct democracy” tools suggests something else: They have given an aggrieved populace the power to turn intense anger into action. And in California, that has turned policies in a decidedly conservative direction. CONTINUED
Jeff Greenfield, Politico Magazine
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