Pro-Democrats Do Have a Choice

Pro-Recall Democrats Do Have a Choice

By Audie Bock

Gray Davis must be recalled from office and Democrats must take action to rebuild a better California.

For five years the people of California have been suffering through the failures of a callous governor whose only interest is the amassing of his own campaign millions. He is so self-absorbed with his own political ambitions that he has devoted sparse attention to providing positive leadership for our state.
Gray Davis has squandered the energy future of our state, pandered to the interests of big oil and his big water cronies, and while posing as the "Education Governor," has pushed our schools and our children's health over the cliff as an excuse for budget balancing.

In spite of his abysmal record, he is calling upon Democrats to stand behind him as he portrays the Recall effort as a right-wing Republican plot. This is far from the truth. Recent statewide non-partisan polls show him with the lowest approval rating of any governor in California's history. His 21% approval rating is not a reflection of just the opinions of Republicans, but of voters of every stripe. Democrats constantly bemoan the fact that they have no one to vote for when the Recall comes upon us, because Gray Davis thinks he can keep his seat by strong-arming all other Democrats to support him.

Gray Davis's viciousness toward those who cross him is legend. Every qualified Democrat who is a current office holder has backed down in the face of his threats. But the Democratic Party cannot afford to be complacent in this crisis of confidence. Let there be no doubt about it, Gray Davis is going to be recalled, and Democrats must have an alternative to provide leadership to restore the hopes and dreams of Californians.

When famed teacher and women's rights activist Helen Keller was asked what might be a worse fate than being blind, her reply was "losing one's vision." Gray Davis has proved to us that he never had any vision to lose. I served in the State Assembly during Gray Davis's first term, when he contemptuously asserted that the purpose of the Legislature was to "implement his vision." His attacks on health care and education, in favor of prisons and sweetheart deals for corporate contributors, go back to those beginnings. He sent his henchman to try to intimidate every Democrat who wanted to preserve nursing home care for a few hundred refugees during the first-year budget negotiations, when the state had a $12 billion surplus. He sent them to bully us into voting profligate millions for his new prison as well. In both cases, I was not swayed.

Intimidation is not the mark of a true leader, and as Governor I will use my experience as a State Legislator, professor and community leader to guide California to a better future than the one she now faces.
I am the ONLY candidate - of any party - with state level experience to solve the problems facing our state.

Now is the time to select a person who is experienced, imaginative, and forward-looking to lead California into a better and brighter future. It's time to select a person who has respect for her colleagues and the desire to work with them. It is time to put Gray Davis behind us and put a leader committed to leading - not intimidating - in the Governor's seat. I humbly ask you to vote for me, the only Democrat, Audie Bock, on the Recall ballot this fall.