Consider the alternatives

On Tuesday, September 14, Californians will be asked to vote to remove Governor Gavin Newsom from office and replace him with the people’s choice. I would ask you to consider the alternatives.

First the charges leveled against the Governor by the Republican Party, as listed in the California Secretary of State’s Official Voter Information Guide:

The charge: California’s homeless problem has increased dramatically. The facts: Homelessness has grown due to national factors over which Newsom has no control. Some come here because of the weather, which is also not under Newsom’s control.

The charge: Newsom has spent Billions (yes, with a capital B) on programs that don’t work. The facts: Most programs do work, although some less well than others.

The charge: Crime has spiked since he released 26,000 prisoners. The facts: The release was ordered by a judge due to overcrowding; slight increases in crime since then are largely related to pandemic-induced wage losses.

The charge: He had dinner at a fancy restaurant and didn’t wear a mask. The facts: He was in the Board Room with a small group that presumably had no symptoms, and most restaurants let patrons remove their masks while they eat…

The charge: A one-billion-dollar contract for masks went secretly to a Chinese company. The facts: Not a secret, a low bid. You do the same thing when you shop at Wal-mart.

The charge: Newsom sent $30 billion in fraudulent payments to prisoners. The facts: No, he didn’t. Inmates scammed EDD out of $11 billion, and the investigation may reveal more fraud. But since when is the victim of fraud the guilty party?

Republicans lie to make you mad enough to vote. If the only reason you want to recall Newsom is because you’re mad, and you’re mad because you’ve been lied to, you should be ashamed of yourself.

But the real reason not to vote Gavin Newsom out is right there in the voter’s guide. Look at these “candidates.” Most are a joke on face. The most popular one, a black Republican radio host, is accused of threatening his significant other with a loaded pistol while high. Seriously?

Gavin Newsom isn’t only the most qualified candidate; he’s the only qualified candidate. No one else has the educational background, the experience, and the intelligence to deal with California’s problems. If hate is what’s motivating your vote, see a psychologist, or your pastor. But be sure to vote; you can be sure the haters will turn out in force.

Les Pinter is a contributing columnist and a Springville resident. His column appears weekly in The Recorder. Pinter’s new book, HTTPV: How a Grocery Shopping Website Can Save America, is available in both Kindle and hardcopy formats on Amazon.com.