To those who think that democracy is an outdated and ineffective process, think again.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the recall of former California Gov. Gray Davis.
Davis, who was only the second governor to be successfully recalled in U.S. history, was embroiled in numerous controversial issues at the time of his departure.
Issues that had plagued Davis included his repeated veto to an overhaul of California’s workers compensation system and his plan to triple California’s vehicle registration fees, according to the New York Times and SF Gate.
While Davis’ recall led to movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger’s assuming office, removing Davis was one of California’s proudest moments.
Instead of complaining, California voters took action and shocked many by taking power into their own hands.
To comprehend the magnitude and reverberations caused by Davis’ recall, one must first understand who Davis was and his time in office.
According to the New York Times, Davis oversaw rising state energy costs and a $38 billion budget deficit. In addition, Davis’ inability to talk to voters and legislators further worsened his already-low popularity.
While it’s true that Davis could never have controlled some of the problems that plagued his governorship, it’s evident that he did not do enough to fix them.
Take a look at Davis’ vehicle registration plan.
Californians who owned 2003 Ford Explorer XLSs would have seen their yearly registration fees rise from $182 to $561, according to SF Gate. Owners of 1999 Honda Civic EXs would have seen their fees rise from $52 to $159.
Clearly, Davis’ plan was flawed as it would have likely had an unfair effect on low-income car owners.
While a few hundred bucks wouldn’t matter much to the wealthiest Californians, it would undoubtedly penalize those who can barely afford their car in the first place.
Tripling one’s vehicle registration fees to partially fill the budget shortfall was part of Davis’ undoing.
After witnessing Davis’ inadequacies, voters took action.
According to SF Gate, proponents of recalling Davis from office needed 897,158 signatures.
When July 2003 rolled around, recall supporters had already gathered almost 1.3 million signatures, according to SF Gate.
The rest, put simply, was history.
Whether Davis was completely deserving of being thrown out of office is not the point. What’s more important is that California voters woke up to take action against a figure they perceived as unfit for his position.
Californian democracy was exercised in one fell swoop. Instead of enduring the painful status quo, voters took action and exercised their full political rights.
Yes, Davis’ successor was not as effective or popular as some had hoped.
One cannot doubt, however, that the recall of Davis exemplified the power of democracy as the founding fathers had envisioned.
Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor at the Daily 49er.