The Governator: what just happened?
There is an interesting map that shows a precinct-by-precinct breakdown of the California recall ballot. The distribution is simply fascinating. Largely, the coastal regions largely voted to keep Davis while the inner counties voted to toss him like yesterday's Taco Grande Meal. The inner counties have mountains and agriculture, and less of the affluence afforded the coast. But attempts to impose economic classifications on the recall results fail: consider that Santa Barbara voted 57% to toss him; San Diego 66%.
Does this mean that the decision to toss Davis was not based on the state's fiscal lunacy? Well, not exactly. For most people, the decision really boiled down this way:
- Those who voted "Yes" finally figured out that the inmates are running the asylum.
- Those who voted "No" voted based on their fear that anything that even smells conservative is evil, and it's better to keep a loser like Davis in office than risk allowing a republican to even speak.
- George W. Bush is stupid
- We hate republicans.
The strategy is this: convince the people that republicans are trying to take away your freedom, spend all your money on the military, and make themselves rich. At the same time, they portray top republicans as ignoramuses. Fortunately, and contrary to liberals' popular belief, "the people" aren't so stupid after all. They realize the flaw in the democratic line is that you can't be both clever and stupid at the same time. Which is it - are they slick, clever politicians trying to plot against us? Or are they stupid bumblers? They can't be both at the same time. Well, which is it?
The political process in America has degenerated to the following: you hold your nose, you walk into the booth, and you pull the lever for the guy who stinks the least. You win by either making yourself stink less, or making the other guy stink more. In the final hours before the recall election, California democratic operatives made their decision clear.
This isn't to say that Arnold doesn't stink, too. Some days you're the rubber, some days you're the glue. I'm just surprised California didn't elect Kato Kaelin. (Hey, at least he'd finally have a place to live).
Back to the map, upon which one has to ask the question: why the coastal vs. inner precinct rift? The conclusions one must draw are ominous indeed. It has been long understood that liberalism is not really a political idealogy. It is a mental disorder, a sociopathic disease not unlike the plague (spread by even filthier rats). The frightening point demonstrated by this map is that it is a highly contagious disease. The good news? Californians are starting to recognize this, and yesterday their first dose of antibiotic necessary to get well.
Congratulations to California, and "get well soon."