Page
9
We Don’t Need Celebrities or
Pundits Running for Governor
By
Jennifer Van Laar
In
California, the land of fruits and nuts (I say that lovingly), election ballots
are routinely filled with the names of numerous “celebrities” and talking
heads. We follow our dreams in this state, no matter how unlikely they may be.
We also have a history of electing actors to office. On the Republican side, we
elected both Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger as our governor and Sonny
Bono to Congress. As far as how that worked out, well, two out of three ain’t
bad.
In
this recall election, though, California conservatives don’t need a celebrity
or a conservative pundit to throw their hat in the ring and attempt to save the
state. We have a great candidate who’s already put his money where his mouth
is, so what we need now is for celebrities/pundits to use their platforms to
ensure that Gavin Newsom is recalled instead of further diluting the vote for
what amounts to a vanity candidacy and, in doing so, may ensure that a
milquetoast, corrupt candidate who will most assuredly lose re-election ascends
to the governor’s office.
There
are just 54 days until Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots start hitting
mailboxes in just a month. Should the recall succeed, our next Governor will
have about a year (but realistically about six months) to start visibly turning
things around in the state, or another Democrat will be elected.
★
That
means that we need a candidate who already fully understands the issues facing
California (and which are most important to the majority of voters, not just
vocal conservative activists), who can articulate the reasons why voters should
recall Gavin Newsom, who understands how to get elected in a statewide race,
and—just as importantly—who knows the ins-and-outs of California’s legislative
process and has a strategy to enact change quickly despite the Democrat
supermajority.
Those
aren’t things that can be done in 30-ish days (using the date mail ballots drop
as the deadline), and we can’t afford to elect a governor who needs on-the-job
training while the state is on the brink of economic ruin.
In
addition, how many celebrities or pundits are ready to take a huge hit in the
wallet? The governor’s salary is $210,000, and in California, that’s really not
a lot. Sure, a newly-renovated governor’s mansion is a perk of the job, but if
Gavin Newsom didn’t want to live in it with his family, it seems unlikely that
a celebrity would want to downgrade their living situation as well. Should
someone with a reality TV show or a nationally syndicated radio show win the
election, their platform goes bye-bye for at least the next year since they
won’t be able to do both. Conservatives would lose a necessary and effective
voice in amplifying their message in the state.
★
In
my view, any conservative celebrities or pundits who are considering entering
the race should stay out and instead use every bit of their voice and influence
to ensure that, first, voters show up to recall Gavin Newsom, and second, they
choose Assemblyman Kevin Kiley as their next governor. To address the elephant
in the room, yes, that includes a man worthy of admiration and respect, Larry
Elder. I believe that Elder’s vital role is on the airwaves, combating the lies
and half-truths the mainstream media is sure to spread about Newsom’s
“successes” and about Kiley’s record and policies, and if Kiley wins, we’ll
still need Elder’s voice and influence.
As
a conservative with a national following, Elder can help Kiley in raising funds
from conservatives in other states to ensure that Newsom is actually recalled.
Newsom has tens of millions of dollars and public sector unions (and their
ballot harvesting prowess) behind him. It’s going to take tens of millions of
dollars from the conservative side to combat that, and that means the rest of
the country needs to get behind this effort.
★
Some
activists are attempting to make this recall election about Trump and want to
back the candidate who is the most loyal to Trump or who most reminds them of
Trump. It’s important to remember that this election is not about Trump. This
election is about what Gavin Newsom has done to this state over the last 10 years
and, in particular, the last two years, without remorse, and without concern
for the lives destroyed. This election is about helping our friends and family
and neighbors who are frustrated about the surge in crime, the unscientific
lockdowns, the destroyed businesses, and the continuing surge in homelessness
and its attendant societal effects fully understand that it is Gavin Newsom’s
policies that led to this.
This
election is a choice between a man who sees himself as more important than
everyone else, who doesn’t follow the rules/make the sacrifices he expects us
to, and who is controlled by corporate money and a man who foregoes his
legislative per diem and legislative pay raises, who is part of a powerless
political minority yet still takes the fight to “Goliath” Newsom. We need
California’s conservative celebrities and pundits to harness their influence
and use it to help those who are already in the political trenches instead of
joining the fray themselves.
Copyright 2021, Metropolitan News Company
from WordPress https://ift.tt/3x2q9Se
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment