Login
  • A A A
Search
  • Home
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Who We Are
      • Fairfax GOP Leadership
      • Magisterial Districts
      • FCRC Forms
      • Republican Organizations
      • 2016 Annual Report
      • Trump and Republicans Deliver for America
    • Become a Member
    • Volunteer
    • Contact Your Representatives
    • Contact Info
  • Issues
    • Immigration
    • Education
    • Taxes
    • 2nd Amendment
    • Healthcare
    • Transportation
  • Action Center
    • 2020 Sample Ballots
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Become a Member
    • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Jobs
    • Student Volunteers
    • Suggestion Box
  • Calendar
  • Community
  • Voter Toolkit
    • 2021 Candidates
    • Voter Information
    • Get Absentee Ballot
    • Find your polling place
    • Federal Voting Assistance Program
    • Election Officer application
    • Contact Your Representatives
    • Become a Candidate
  • Resources
    • Contact Your Representatives
    • Republican Party History
    • Republican Party of Virginia Creed
    • Republican Party of Virginia Leadership
    • 2020 Republican Party Platform
    • The 5 Basic Forms of Government (Video)
    • Founding Documents
      • Declaration of Independence
      • U.S. Constitution
      • Bill of Rights
      • Constitution of Virginia
  • News
    • Videos
    • Trump and Republicans Deliver for America
    • Volunteer Highlights
2021 CandidatesDonate

Gov. Northam Shows Why Virginia Needs a Recall Election Law

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • / Gov. Northam Shows Why Virginia Needs a Recall Election Law

Gov. Northam Shows Why Virginia Needs a Recall Election Law

If there is one thing that is clear from the last few years in Virginia politics, it is that the Commonwealth desperately needs a law to permit recall elections. With his incompetence, radicalism, and scandal, Virginia’s Democrat governor has thoroughly embarrassed what was once a well-run state.
May 23, 2020 in News

Image Credit: Craig (CC BY 2.0)

Richard McCarty | Daily Torch

If there is one thing that is clear from the last few years in Virginia politics, it is that the Commonwealth desperately needs a law to permit recall elections. With his incompetence, radicalism, and scandal, Virginia’s Democrat governor has thoroughly embarrassed what was once a well-run state.

Throughout the pandemic, the incompetence and wrong priorities of Governor Ralph Northam have been on full display. For example, Virginia has lagged badly behind most of the rest of the country in coronavirus testing. To try to make the numbers less embarrassing, Northam’s Administration decided to combine viral test numbers with antibody test numbers. This is in spite of the fact that the two tests measure different things: the viral test tells you if you currently have the coronavirus, and the antibody test tells you if you have ever had the virus. Unfortunately, by combining the two sets of numbers, the value of the data is diminished.

Even worse, Northam did too little to prevent unnecessary deaths at nursing homes, and his Administration has since been trying to cover up the problem. Now hundreds of long-term care facility residents are dead, and Northam claims that state law does not allow the release of information about which nursing homes have had coronavirus outbreaks. There is disagreement as to whether or not the law actually prohibits transparency; and there is bipartisan support for a legislative fix, if necessary. However, Northam has done nothing to try to remedy the situation, probably because he would like to keep the public in the dark. Fortunately, the federal government will soon begin collecting and releasing coronavirus data from nursing homes to help mitigate the problem.

While Northam has done too little to protect the elderly in nursing homes, he has done too much to protect violent criminals. Northam’s Administration is releasing them — without regard for the safety of the public — to keep them from getting the coronavirus in prison. Given the fact that only five state prisoners have died of the coronavirus out of tens of thousands of inmates and that 96 percent of prisoners that test positive for the coronavirus have no symptoms, it makes no sense to be setting violent felons free. Of course, it is likely that the coronavirus is more of an excuse rather than the reason that Northam is freeing criminals; after all, Democrats have long been soft on crime.

Even setting aside his coronavirus response, Northam’s governorship has still been a disaster. He expanded Medicaid and signed a pro-abortion bill along with several anti-gun bills. He also hiked the minimum wage, which will further harm small businesses that have been devastated by the coronavirus. Finally, he recently signed “green energy” legislation, which will hike the average electric bill by about $50 a month.

Furthermore, Northam lacks the character to hold public office. In college, Northam’s nickname was “Coonman,” and a photo with a person in blackface and another in a KKK robe and hood appeared on his medical school yearbook page. Initially, he admitted that he was in the racist photo, but then he denied it the following day while admitting to having worn blackface. For over 30 years — with the help of co-conspirators from his college and medical school — Northam hid his tawdry, racist past. Consequently, Virginia voters were unaware of his history when they went to the polls.

If Virginia were one of the 19 states that permit recall elections, voters would have the option of ousting Northam. For those concerned that recall elections would be abused, we can examine the record of other states, which shows that recall elections are relatively rare. In fact, over the past 20 years, there have only been two recall elections for governors and 21 recall elections for state legislators.

Virginia’s current recall law, which permits citizens to petition for a recall trial to be decided by judges, is wholly inadequate. It is unclear if it applies to state officials, and it has never been used against them in over 40 years. While it is not possible to pass a recall election law with the current governor and legislature, Republicans should run on this issue in next year’s elections and enact a recall election law once they regain power. By doing so, Republicans would empower citizens to deal with disgraceful officeholders, like Northam, who lack the decency to resign.

Richard McCarty is the Director of Research at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Tags:2nd AmendmentCoronavirusCrimeRacismRalph NorthamRecall Election
Share this:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google Plus
  • Pinterest
  • Email to a Friend
Previous Post
New Proposal to Allow Outdoor Dining, Fitness and Exercise Activities
Next Post
Proclamation on Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day 2020

Related News

How Many More Weeks of Winter for FCPS Students?
How Many More Weeks of Winter for FCPS Students?
February 2, 2021 by admin
LISTEN: Steve Knotts Breaks Down Latest Dem Failures
LISTEN: Steve Knotts Breaks Down Latest Dem Failures
January 30, 2021 by admin
Virginia Families Want Alternatives to Closed Public Schools
Virginia Families Want Alternatives to Closed Public Schools
January 27, 2021 by admin
Subscribe to the Fairfax GOP Newsletter!
Follow FCRC on Twitter
Tweets by @fairfaxgop
Featured Video
https://youtu.be/sbOOibsEUrM
View All Videos
Article Categories
Become a Member of Fairfax County Republican Committee Today
Join
QUICK LINKS
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Info
Suggestion Box
Paid by Fairfax County Republican Committee

Copyright © 2018 Fairfax County Republican Committee.
All Rights Reserved.

Donate

4246 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: 703-766-4GOP (4467)
E-mail: info@fairfaxgop.org