By Donna Westfall – June 18, 2020

This is the third attempt at recalling our Governor I call Gruesome Newsom. There are 160 days to gather about 2 million signatures of registered California voters when actually about 1.5 milion need be valid.

The issue that first made me sit up was his declaring California a sanctuary state. WHAT?  WHY?

When the head of our government declares that rights will be given to “foreign nationals in our country illegally” over the rights of bonafide citizens, then I take exception.   I was born and raised in this once great state of California.  It pains me to look at what it’s become. Our major cities look like third world countries. Existing taxes like gasoline continually go up and new taxes are created all the time.  Businesses are leaving left and  right.  Wish John Cox could have been elected.  We’d be seeing a completely different picture about now. But then John Cox is a business man.  Newsom is a professional politician.

Let’s look at a lawsuit initiated by Judicial Watch out of Washington D.C. President Tom Fitton’s comment:

“We are also litigating in California over “open borders” Governor Gavin Newsom’s initiative to provide $75 million in taxpayer cash benefits to illegal aliens in the Golden State. We’re fighting the governor’s move because he overstepped his authority and acted without legislative approval. One more outrageous example of a radical liberal politician “weaponizing” the coronavirus epidemic to achieve Leftist policy goals without voter approval.”

What about that bullet train?  LA to San Francisco. 520 miles.  A train that would reach speeds of 220 mph, oops that’s now maybe 180 mph and maybe lower. To cost somewhere in the region of $30+ billion….. oops that’s now $80+ billion.

Voters first approved Proposation 1A in 1996 with 52.7% of the vote. About $10 billion in general obligation bonds were approved.

The project has been stalled due to a number of reasons some of which are numerous lawsuits.  Long story short, in February 2020, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) announced that the cost estimate for the project was $80.3 billion.

Looking backwards, May 16, 2019: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that it was terminating $929 million in federal grants for the high-speed rail project. The FRA said the state “repeatedly failed to comply with the terms of the FY10 agreement and has failed to make reasonable progress on the project. Additionally, California has abandoned its original vision of a high-speed passenger rail service connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles, which was essential to its applications for FRA grant funding.”

Gov Gruesome February 12, 2019: (D) gave his State of the State Address and discussed the high-speed rail project, saying, “The project, as currently planned, would cost too much and take too long. There’s been too little oversight and not enough transparency. Right now, there simply isn’t a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to LA. I wish there were.” Newsom said he wants a segment of the rail, Merced and Bakersfield, to be completed.

If you fly from LA to San Francisco, it generally take about 1 1/2 hours with 56 minutes spent in the air. Other time factors to consider….. get to the airport 90 minutes before the flight. If you have luggage, be sure to check it 30-60 minutes before the flight.  Take into consideration driving to the airport, waiting around to get your boarding pass, go through security and be at the boarding area 10-15 minutes before actually boarding or risk losing your seat….. total time could be up to 5 hours.  So, there was a definite need for a train that could accomplish going from LA to San Fran in less time spent more like under three hours. However, once the bullet train is completed will there be enough passengers to pay for it? Or will California taxpayers be on the hook to subsidize it?

Let’s turn our attention to public education.  Well, that’s a pretty dismal failure. A Teachers Union that’s too strong.  An educational system that once boasted that our publicly educated was first in the nation. From First to Worst, a production of the Merrow Report, details how California’s public school system went from the nation’s best in the 1950s to its worst by 1994. California was ranked 37th in the nation for pre-k to 12th grade in 2019.

Homelessness and housing that’s not affordable.  He can’t solve that either.  Take into account that Covid 19 is rampant with over 2900 dead in LA and an overall economy that has tanked due to all the closures of non essential businesses for months. Evictions stalled. Landlords getting screwed left and right.

We’re seeing Gruesome Newsom blaming President Trump for many of the problems California is dealing with because the guy just can’t get a handle on how to turn our once great state around.

In my opinion, recalling this Governor makes a lot of sense.  We need better, smarter people in the position of governor and Newsom just can’t cut it.