Comment on Is there a reason that all elected (not appointed) officials shouldn't be subject to a recall vote?

Canconda@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

• gibmiser@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  Which is why the threshold for a recall can be set hig enough to discourage frivolous use

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  • RIotingPacifist@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago

    People don’t like politicians, billionaires can pay people to stand around in street corners and get schoolboard representatives recalled, even if it fails that that’s a ton of money the union now has to spend defending a person that was democratically elected just months ago.

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    • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago

      Fair point in practice, but in theory that’s a campaign finance regulation problem not a recall election problem

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      • RIotingPacifist@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago

        True, if we repeal Citizens United, then the worst recalls go away.

        But the bar should still be much higher than it is in CA, Oakland just had its mayor & DA recalled over fear of crime, while violent crime was declining rapidly and before any of their policies could have an impact anyway (recall efforts were started on Day 1), I don’t think I’ll ever be convinced recalls are a good idea unless a grand jury can be convinced of meaningful corruption.

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• ramble81@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  Good points. A few thoughts in the interest of discourse.

  Because that what terms are for…

  But even cars and other things have lemon laws, and bait and switch is illegal. Term shouldn’t be the be all, end all

  Elections cost taxpayer money

  Valid point there, which is why I was suggesting that there should be a higher barrier to it occurring, not the same level as a vote. Basically it has to be egregious

  Changing leadership interrupts things…

  Don’t agree with this one. This is the same argument that has kept senators in congress for decades with no term limits. Representative democracy was supposed to be rotational in spirit. Career politicians are an oxymoron. Also the new guy being worse is a bit of a “whataboutism”. A higher barrier to recall would help the constant switching.

  … brain damage makes people conservative.

  Truth.

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  • Canconda@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨hour⁩ ago

    Few things with the car analogy. You don’t purchase a care for a term. Even tho they come with a warranty. Cars have manufacturing standards, as do the regions they are legal to operate in; the existence of these standards is what substantiates lemon and bait and switch laws.

    You’re forgetting impeachment. If someone commits crimes they can be impeached - and has been done despite recent top of mind events.

    This is the same argument that has kept senators in congress for decades with no term limits.

    You’re conflating changing people mid term with changing people at their regular term intervals. As an American you rarely experience elections outside their scheduled interval. As a Canadian I can assure you that elections do interrupt things especially when you have to go to the polls repeatedly. We had federal elections 2 years apart in 2019/2021 and it was largely a pointless expense that served only to reset the governments 5 year window to call the next election.

    Also the new guy being worse is a bit of a “whataboutism”

    No its not. Whataboutism is pointing the finger at someone else to deflect. Logically if we elected someone who is doing such a bad job that we need to recall them, it is possible we could do that again.

    A higher barrier to recall would help the constant switching

    I think thats the case. I’m Canadian and recall elections are possible for anyone given the constituants follow a multi step process leading to a recall vote.

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• IWW4@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  All of these are excellent points and one I would like to add is:

  Lame ducks can do all types of damage so a powerful moderator of elected officials is the potential for reelection.

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  • Canconda@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    AKA the carrot not the stick

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• Steve@communick.news ⁨2⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  Brain damage changes peoples brains.
  It could make them conservative, liberal, childlike, homicidal, happy, sad, robotic, face blind, mute, aphantasic. All sorts of things.
  Brain damage doesn’t = conservative.

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