The California Recall: Looking For The Silver Lining

[Freddie Stubbs]

Californians are used to earthquakes. Even stomach-flipping jolts of the ground beneath us are met with a shrug and a ho-hum yawn. Wait a few seconds, and they're over. Life goes back to normal.

But this one's different. It started slow, but it just won't go away. In fact, it has so rattled the political landscape in the Golden State that it has the state's political establishment running for the doorjambs and stocking up on bottled water and canned goods. It's swiftly dawning on them: this could be THE Big One.

I'm talking, of course, about the snowballing effort to oust Gov. Gray Davis in a special recall election. What just a few short weeks ago seemed like little more than a summer diversion for bored, angry and powerless California Republicans -- the political equivalent of a trashy novel enjoyed while baking on the beach -- is now looking like an inevitability.

All across the state, Democratic leaders are emitting a collective "Oh my god!" as they realize that Davis will now be forced to face the wrath of vengeful voters incensed over the state's $38 billion budget deficit -- which the GOP is blaming on Davis' fiscal irresponsibility while conveniently ignoring the orgy of fiscal irresponsibility being thrown by the White House and its congressional cohorts.

more: http://www.ariannaonline.com/columns/files/070903.html