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CNN Live Sunday
Govenor Recall: A Classic Example Of West Coast Democracy
Aired August 10, 2003 - 18:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: When voters go to the polls they'll have to answer two questions. Do they want to recall the governor? And if so, who should fill his shoes? Well, ironically, the recall is costing more than $60 million. And the issue that started it, California's financial woes. Our Bruce Morton says it is a classic example of West Coast democracy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): America is a democracy, of course, but usually the voters are a step away from the action. They elect representatives, and then, if they don't like what the representatives do, they throw them out and get new ones.
In California, though, they like direct democracy. So the people voted one year to say a two-thirds majority of the legislature to raise property taxes. And they limited the number of terms you could serve so you wouldn't get too good at the job. And now they're deciding whether to recall the governor they elected last year. Well, why not?
It's a two-part ballot. First you vote yes or not no on him. Then you vote on who should replace him. And boy, do a lot of folks want to do that.
There's Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Terminator, Arianna Huffington, a columnist, who used to hang out with Newt Gingrich, but who is a progressive. Whatever that is.
There's Angeline, who appears on billboards in the Hollywood area. And Larry Flynt, publisher of "Hustler" magazine. He may have the best slogan: Vote for the smut peddler with a heart.
Gary Coleman is running, Mickey Mouse is not running. I think he moved to Florida.
There's a guy who wants to persuade 1,000 people to run. It takes $3500 and 65 signatures to qualify. He thinks that many names would overload the ballot and make them call the whole thing off. But maybe they wouldn't.
And it's easy to win. Get enough people on the ballot and they're doing that. And somebody could win with 10 percent of the vote. And that's it. There's no runoff. The guy with the 10 percent is the new gov.
They're having a recall because people are mad at the governor because the state's in such a financial mess, but the recall will involve spending another $60 million or so.
Never mind, it's the California way.
I keep reading and hearing we Americans are going to teach people in Iraq and Afghanistan about democracy because they don't have any experience with it, and will need to learn how it works.
MORTON (on camera): I don't know who the teachers are, but I do have one suggestion about the course. Whatever you do, guys, don't tell them about California. I'm Bruce Morton.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 10, 2003 - 18:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: When voters go to the polls they'll have to answer two questions. Do they want to recall the governor? And if so, who should fill his shoes? Well, ironically, the recall is costing more than $60 million. And the issue that started it, California's financial woes. Our Bruce Morton says it is a classic example of West Coast democracy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): America is a democracy, of course, but usually the voters are a step away from the action. They elect representatives, and then, if they don't like what the representatives do, they throw them out and get new ones.
In California, though, they like direct democracy. So the people voted one year to say a two-thirds majority of the legislature to raise property taxes. And they limited the number of terms you could serve so you wouldn't get too good at the job. And now they're deciding whether to recall the governor they elected last year. Well, why not?
It's a two-part ballot. First you vote yes or not no on him. Then you vote on who should replace him. And boy, do a lot of folks want to do that.
There's Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Terminator, Arianna Huffington, a columnist, who used to hang out with Newt Gingrich, but who is a progressive. Whatever that is.
There's Angeline, who appears on billboards in the Hollywood area. And Larry Flynt, publisher of "Hustler" magazine. He may have the best slogan: Vote for the smut peddler with a heart.
Gary Coleman is running, Mickey Mouse is not running. I think he moved to Florida.
There's a guy who wants to persuade 1,000 people to run. It takes $3500 and 65 signatures to qualify. He thinks that many names would overload the ballot and make them call the whole thing off. But maybe they wouldn't.
And it's easy to win. Get enough people on the ballot and they're doing that. And somebody could win with 10 percent of the vote. And that's it. There's no runoff. The guy with the 10 percent is the new gov.
They're having a recall because people are mad at the governor because the state's in such a financial mess, but the recall will involve spending another $60 million or so.
Never mind, it's the California way.
I keep reading and hearing we Americans are going to teach people in Iraq and Afghanistan about democracy because they don't have any experience with it, and will need to learn how it works.
MORTON (on camera): I don't know who the teachers are, but I do have one suggestion about the course. Whatever you do, guys, don't tell them about California. I'm Bruce Morton.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
