In an example of lawful political change that honors democracy, the Newsom Recall has reached one million signatures. A long-time California political strategy, Mike Madrid, just said, “Very likely the recall qualifies.”

Of course, we cannot let up for a moment and need to make sure we have a huge cushion. 1.5 million signatures are required, so the campaign is aiming for at least 2 million.

Bizarrely, Newsom keeps accusing us of “refusing to accept the will of voters.” Who exactly does he think is going to decide the Recall?

Newsom also alleges that initiating a recall against him is a “refusal to play by the rules.” I’d suggest he peruse the California Constitution, Art. II, § 13-18, setting forth the rules for recalls that voters established.

Meanwhile, the latest brouhaha is over the Re-Open California conference I’m a panelist at tomorrow. It’s absurdly being called a “super-spreader event” by the county health officer and now the Sacramento Bee wants Newsom to “crack down” on us so it can’t happen, calling it a “COVID denier circus” whose “real aim is to spread disinformation.”

We have tumbled through the looking glass. A newspaper wants the state to crack down on viewpoints it finds unworthy, and the government is trying to enforce an unlawful and unscientific restriction to suppress speech opposing its unlawful and unscientific restrictions.

If Newsom tries to shut down an entirely legal and safe event (outdoors, distancing, masks provided) just because the participants oppose him, this is truly the People’s Republic of California.

The biggest irony is that what’s proven to be the ultimate “super-spreader” is Gavin Newsom’s policies. And now, his latest “major announcement” is a small business “relief” package with $1 billion in grants, which is kind of like handing someone a band-aid after you’ve sawed their leg off. The Associated Press asked for my reaction:

Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, a Republican from Rocklin and one of Newsom’s chief critics in the Legislature, said “What would help a lot more is if the governor stopped arbitrarily shutting them down and harassing them. Small businesses are not asking for the governor’s help. They are asking him to get out of their way.”

One last thing: U-Haul has released a new study of migration between states. You’ll never guess which state is the most popular to leave.

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