Opinion Piece By Samuel Strait – September 16, 2021 The recall is over and done with, may it rest in peace. While I'm sure there will be calls of fraud and malfeasance, it is nice to be able to step back and see where all the pieces have fallen. Many on the "No" side think that they have dodged a bullet by not allowing some sort of "Trump" style Republican hooligan taking a seat in the governor's office. No shame in supporting a bumbling, incompetent, gel slicked haired empty suit in the governor's office as long as he has a "D" after his name. No doubt there will be little effort to find a more suitable "D" in 2022 to replace Gavin Newsom. He's a union big money bought and paid for politician, that can be steered the "right way" so easily that a $3.7 million dollar mansion in Sacramento is but a token for his obedience. I for one am overjoyed that he has retained his post by a whopping thirty percent margin. Now the fun begins. After this Newsom will think he is "safe", and the progressive side of him and his pals in the legislature will no doubt come to the fore. Prior to his recall adventure most Californians had some sort of bone to pick with their empty suit. With the results of the recall election in and looking back to his original election as governor the die has been cast for all the voters that put him in office in the first place cemented by their "No" vote that places them fully behind Gavin Newsom, NO MATTER WHAT FOOLISHNESS HE IS INVOLVED IN AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF. In the pages of the Crescent City Times, I have chronicled Newsom's blunders of leadership in the series, "Newsom's Follies" as just a taste of what kind of leadership Californians can expect going forward. Voters who were not smart enough to look into the disaster Newsom left behind in his short stint as Mayor of San Francisco, then disappearing as Lieutenant Governor for a few years, only to emerge as Jerry Brown's heir apparent as the governor in his own right will regret their choice. Now as California has been knocked off its "golden pedestal" under Newsom's brief leadership to take on the role of the dirty, crime ridden streets of a third world country, we all know just who it is to blame. For the next year and a half, maybe even five and a half, the Democrats that voted "NO" and all other "NO" voters are going to be ridden mercilessly over the continued decline in this State. Think the taxes are high now, just wait. Think that Crime is bad now, just wait. Think that education can't get any worse, just wait. Think that Covid mandates can't get any worse, just wait. Think that homelessness will turn around, fat chance. Can't find an affordable home or rental, prepare for even fewer prospects. Think that the flood of illegal immigrants will abate, no chance. Think that wildfires will be a thing of the past when Newsom moans about "Climate Change" and does nothing about forest management, prepare to see your home or business go up in flames. Think that your business burdened by high taxes and regulation will change for the worse, now you are getting the idea. Will Newsom's climate change policies and environmental obsessions allow you to have unfettered access to electricity and water, run your air conditioner in summer, heater in winter, water your lawn, plug in your mandated electric car. Can you say for certain that the money you earn will retain its value, the economy regain its strength, and you will be able to tap into the "good life"over the remaining years of Newsom's reign? The recall election wasn't about whether or not you were a Republican or a Democrat. It was not about Donald Trump. It was about the precipitous slide that California has experienced after several decades of Democrat rule. It is about a declining population where people are fleeing the State and its Democrat leadership. It about rampant violent crime, homelessness, illegal immigration, deteriorating educational system, lack of affordable housing, unnecessary Covid mandates, uncontrolled wildfires, high taxes, and all the rest of California's ills that have worsened since Newsom and the Democrats have been in charge. Now that a significant majority of Californians have voted "NO" in favor of this train wreck to continue, let them have full measure of blame when things deteriorate further. I no longer worry about the "State Of California" and will delight in pointing to every instance of Newsom's failures and continued follies, as well as, those of California's legislative body from now on. I will be overjoyed to single out those that were foolish and stupid enough to vote for this to continue. Think that virtue signaling, pandering and finger pointing will spare derision, think again. I am not "woke" and will no longer be polite with the pin heads in California that think Gavin Newsom can turn California around…..Fat Chance! I will thoroughly enjoy the next year and a half, and hopefully four more after that. I will love seeing the progressive/ liberal disaster coming to you in the nearest local theater to humble those that voted "NO"!