Evil, Go Away!

What do Italy and the state of Arizona have in common? They both managed this week to get rid of politicians who weren’t working for them anymore. Italy took a little longer than Arizona, but in both cases the retirement of the politician in question was done following all the laws, without a coup d’ etat, without violence.

In Arizona, the president of the state Senate, Russell Pearce, was voted out of his seat only two years after reaching it. Pearce was the author of the controversial initiative SB1070: the first of the toughest laws against immigrants in the U.S. that allows authorities to ask anyone at any moment, for any reason for their immigration documents to prove that they are staying in the country legally.

This was a racist law from a racist senator that put the already troubled state economy into an even more difficult situation.

That’s why a group of citizens teamed up and founded the organization Citizens for a Better Arizona. Through it, they collected almost 20,000 signatures from those dissatisfied with Pearce’s policies and called for a special election.

The state’s constitution provides for a revocation of the mandate for a political figure if citizens manage to gather enough signatures in the district of the politician in question. These signatures are equal to 25 percent of the votes from the last election; in Pearce’s case, this was 7,756. After the validation of 10,000 signatures, the election took place on Nov. 8 in which Pearce, known as the “Tea Party president,” faced Democrat Jerry Lewis.

Lewis won the election with 53 percent of the votes versus 45 percent for Pearce. With this, the Citizens for a Better Arizona scored their first victory.

“Russell Pearce is not only too extreme, but had remained untouched. This election shows that such extremist behavior will not be rewarded, and will be held accountable,” declared Randy Parraz, one of the founders of the organization.

Russell Pearce became the first state Senate leader to be recalled from his position. His departure left politicians from the other states that have also passed tough bills on immigration, like Georgia and Alabama, scratching their heads.

On the other side of the Atlantic, in Italy, Silvio Berlusconi submitted his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano. After having won three elections and remaining in office longer than anyone in post-World War II Europe, Il Cavalliere, “the knight,” stepped down due to the country’s enormous economical problems.

“It’s not for me to decide what has to happen. But I see early elections as the only option, because right now the Parliament is paralyzed,” said the now former prime minister after announcing his decision to President Napolitano.

Think globally, act locally. Here Mexico has two good examples of how the recall of an official can work in favor of citizens — in favor of democracy.