George Sundheim California Republican Party Chairman Friday, August 22, 2003; 3:00 p.m ET
Is the California recall just "a right-wing power grab" as Gov. Gray Davis (D) stated in his Tuesday night address to voters? Will Arnold Schwarzenegger's new 60-second television commercial help boost his popularity? Can Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante's "Tough Love for California" plan rally supporters? George "Duf" Sundheim, chairman of the California Republican Party, took your questions and comments on the recall. The transcript follows. Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
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Arlington, Va.: If Gov. Davis is successfully recalled, what do you expect the successor to accomplish that would be considered a success, to both Republican voters and the general California public? Would you expect the next governor to eradicate the deficit by the next gubernatorial election?
Duf Sundheim: The number one issue in our state today is fiscal responsibility. At his speech earlier this week the Governor indicated he had no apology for the fact that he had run up the deficit because he has spent them on things people wanted.
Without even addressing the issue of whether it was things the people wanted or the labor unions and other special interests who contributed $70million to his campaign, the issue is responsibility. It reminds me of the husband who takes the mortgage money and buys his wife a new mink coat; and as a result, loses the house. The husband claims he is a good husband because he bought a gift for the wife. The wife on the other hand is upset because they are now out on the street. This Governor has put the people of California out on the street.
And Bustmante's solution is in stark contrast to the Republican candidates. We believe Californians have been taxed enough and we should hold the line on taxes. Bustamante wants to have the largest tax increase in our history.
So the choice Californians face is a party committed to hold the line on your taxes vs. a party that is committed to raising your taxes.
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Hollywood, Calif.: What do you think about Bill Clinton coming to California to campaign with Davis?
Duf Sundheim: That is fine. Frankly, if you look at Clinton's record in '02, many of the candidates he campaigned for lost.
Davis also is trying to use Hillary's playbook. But unfortunately, it does not play here in California. Davis claims this is all a "right wing conspiracy". Yet Dianne Feinstein, the most respected Democrat in California, says that it is not, as does Bustamante and even Democratic Party Chair Art Torres.
35% of the people who signed the petitions were Democrats. 40% of Democrats support the recall of Davis. 89% of California voters are closely following this recall. This is not a conspiracy, but a true reflection of the will of the people - and I am proud to have some small roll in it.
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Stockton, Calif.: I saw that Gray Davis went to Chicago recently and I was wondering how strong / how much influence do the unions have within the Democratic Party?
Duf Sundheim: It is the number one issue the California Democratic Party faces. The California Democratic Party is totally dependent on union contributions. And they do not even try to hide their power in this state. During the '02 election for Governor, the head of the Teacher's union publicly stated they had made an investment in Davis, and they expected a return on their investment. When Democratic candidates talked about running in the recall, the unions publicly threatened anyone who was considering such an option and said that if such candidate ran, the would not receive union support in that effort or any future effort.
At the same time, they are power hungry enough to jump ship. So notwithstanding that threat, since the Davis Farewell Tour is playing to such poor reviews, they are now settling on the back-up act.
What is equally interesting though, is that the union leadership is increasingly out of touch with their members. This was most starkly exhibited with the extortion exercised by the leadership in support of Davis as noted above, when at the same time fully 2/3rds of California union households disapproved of the job Davis is doing.
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Monterey, Calif.: I oppose the recall, not so much because I think Davis has done a great job as because the process itself, devised back in 1911, strikes me as outdated and flawed to the core. Do you really feel it's reasonable that just 12 percent of those who voted in the last election can force the rest of us back to the polls? Is it reasonable that there is no requirement of malfeasance for a recall in our state? Is it good policy for anyone to allow recalls over policy differences? Regardless of the outcome this time, would you support amendments to the law requiring a court finding of malfeasance before a recall could start (as is the case in many other states), and an increase in the required number of signatures to launch a recall to somewhere around 20-25 percent? I am deeply worried that our state may become ungovernable if we don't make some reforms to this process.
Duf Sundheim: Any time you have a process that is almost 100 years old, it probably could be updated. But no matter what changes may be needed in the future, the recall of this governor at this time would meet that standard.
Democrats are trying to make the floodgates issue. But their argument "does not hold water". If we were to continue with the aquatic analogy, this is our 100 year flood - the first time in our history this issue is on the ballot. And it is on the ballot for a good reason: the people of California have determined that this governor has lied to us, has failed to lead, and that we literally cannot afford three more years of his leadership, or lack thereof.
Parliments have votes of no confidence between elections - this is our vote of no confidence.
As I mentioned in an earlier answer, 35% of the people who signed the petitions were Democrats, 40% of Democrats support the recall. This governor is the most unpopular governor in recorded history, lower than Nixon in '74. The DEMOCRATIC leader of our state senate has said, if the issue is the record of Gray Davis, he will be recalled. DEMOCRATIC San Francisco mayor Willie Brown has said Davis has a better chance of winning the lottery than beating the recall.
A recall is a very serious action that should never be taken lightly, but I agree with the 60% of my fellow Californians that think it is time for him to go.
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Bethesda, Md.: Does the California Republican Party have a "preferred" candidate to replace Davis?
Duf Sundheim: The California Republican Party has four important roles.
1. Support the effort to recall the governor with the hightest disapproval rating in the history of our nation.
2. Explain how replacing the "Davis" of the Davis/Bustamante administration with the "Bustamante" of the Davis/Bustamante administration, is not the answer.
3. Highlight the fact that the Republican candidates are all committed to holding the line on taxes while Bustamante is dedicated to the largest tax increase in our history: $8billion!
4. Make sure that people vote either by absentee ballot or at their polling booth on October 7.
Individual Republicans are free to, and encouraged to act on behalf of their favorite candidate.
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Orange County, Calif.: What do you think of Cruz's budget plan?
Duf Sundheim: Cruz calls for an $8billion increase in taxes. The people of California have been punished enough. Spending during Davis' first four years increased 36%. If it had just increased 20% - 5% per year - we would not have this problem. The issue is not that we are not being taxed enough, it is that we are spending too much.
Bustamante's policies will continue to cost us jobs, which is a major concern of the California Republican Party. In July alone, we lost 21,000 jobs in California. Increasing taxes will only make more businesses leave, which will lead to more lay offs, which will lead to a smaller tax base and the cycle will go on and on in a downward spiral until someone with guts and determination takes the helm.
We used to be proud of California; it was known as the "Golden State". Our companies were known for innovation; now California is the least business friendly state in the union. We used to lead the way in how employees were treated; now too many people cannot find work. Our school system was the envy of the world, now we rank near the bottom in most national tests. Our credit rating was one of the best; now taxpayers are forced to pay millions of dollars more in taxes, because our rating hovers at junk bond levels.
We need a change of leadership, a change of vision, not more taxes.
Duf
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Winthrop, Mass.: Since nearly every state has had record budget problems due to economic changes that were unpredicted, and the California economy has suffered worst than most, why is the governor to blame? I understand the budget crisis is actually already fixed. I also understand that the biggest budget busting bills all passed by large majorities of both parties, and Gov. Davis acted to at least slightly reduce their cost. Unless you have a legitimate complaint about how Gov. Davis personally busted the budget, this will remain yet another Republican attempt to over throw a democratically elected official.
Duf Sundheim: The California defict Davis ran up is larger than the deficits of all other states combined. The deficit is, in fact, larger than the budgets of 48 states.
The problem has not been fixed, the new budget has an $8billion deficit.
Read the Dan Walters article from the Sacramento Bee as to whether Davis knew better, but rolled over for special interest groups.
To hold Republicans responsible when Democrats control 60% in each house and the Governor's mansion, I find a very difficult argument to sustain.
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Centreville, Va.: (formerly of San Diego)
Doesn't this set a bad and expensive precedent? Won't any future governor be loathe to do -anything- that might upset any of the voters, even if it's necessary for the well being of the state?
I voted for Davis, and even though I'm not in California anymore, I'm upset that such an important job is going to be decided by a popularity contest, and the winner doesn't need close to a majority to win. Frankly, the rest of the country and, maybe the world, is laughing at California.
Duf Sundheim: No one in California is laughing. We are in a very serious situation. While some elsewhere may focus on the mor unusual aspects of democracy at work, fully 89% of California voters are paying close attention to this process. They know what is at stake: the future of our state.
I think holding the least effective governor in our history accountable is a good thing, and 60% of Californians and 40% of Democrats agree with me.
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Duf Sundheim: Thank you for your questions, I always learn more from listening than talking.
The Democrats are trying to put lipstick on a pig, but the truth is, they are abandoning Davis for Bustamante.
There are a few things the voters of California need to keep in mind. Bustamante is the man who now is proposing the largest tax increase in the history of our state. He is so tied to the unions he already is calling for less accountability in our schools, when we need exactly the opposite.
Dianne Feinstein, the most respected Democrat in our state, has said that Bustamante is a hypocrite for saying "Vote no on the recall, yes for Bustamante." She also took him to task, as do I, for the fact that just a few weeks ago, he looked us in the eye and he would not run for governor under any circumstances - and now he is running. The recall is about accountability. Even on this most fundamental issue, Bustamante is wanting.
Bustamante has supported every spending increase, every tax increase. His office has few official duties, yet he doubled the size of his budget in four years! At the same time he regularly failed to show up for the few specific duties he did have.
We need leadership. We need people who when they say something, we can believe them. We need someone who understands we do not need more taxes.
We do not need Cruz Bustamante.
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San Jose, Calif.: How do you expect a Republican governor to fix things with a Democratic state legislature?
Duf Sundheim: First, we now have a Democratic governor, but the legislature cannot work with him - at all. The last budget deal was structured by the Democratic and Republican senate leaders. Davis was not an active participant.
For 16 years we had a Democratic legislature and a Republican governor, and for those 16 years the governor put his foot on the brake when spending was on the verge of getting out of control. We need that brake back in place.
A popular, effective governor can make a huge difference in the legislative process. And as Reagan used to say, "If they cannot see the light, we will let them feel the heat". In this context, it would be the ability to pass an initiative by public vote, which effective governors have done over the years in this state.
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