Out with the Bad!

What do Italy and Arizona have in common? That they recently managed to get rid of politicians who were no longer working. Italy took a little more time than Arizona, but in both cases the withdrawal of the politician in question was done with legal power and without a coup or violence.

In Arizona, State Senate President Russell Pearce was voted out of his seat just two years after winning it. Pearce was the author of the controversial SB1070 initiative. This was the first of the toughest laws against immigrants in the U.S. that allows authorities to demand, of any person, at any time and for any reason, their immigration documents proving that they are in America legally.

This was a racist law, from the hand of a racist senator, who put an already non performing state economy into an even more difficult situation.

Because of this, a group of citizens formed the association “Citizens for a Better Arizona.” Through this organization, they collected nearly 20,000 signatures from citizens dissatisfied with Pearce’s politics, and solicited a special election.

The state constitution allows the recall of elected officials if the citizens manage to collect enough signatures within the district of the politician in question. These signatures are equivalent to 25 percent of the votes in the previous election; in Pearce’s case, 7,756 signatures were necessary. After the validation of 10,000 signatures, an election was held on November 8 in which Pearce, who is also known as the tea party president, faced Democrat Jerry Lewis.

Lewis won the election with 53 percent of the vote, versus 45 percent for Pearce; with it, Citizens for a Better Arizona scored its first win. “We removed a politician who was a national embarrassment for the state,” said Randy Parraz, one of the founders of the civic organization.*

Russell Pearce thus became the first leader of a state Senate to be removed from office by a recall election. His departure has forced certain politicians in other states that have also passed harsh immigration laws, such as Georgia and Alabama, to scratch their heads.

On the other side of the Atlantic, in Italy, Silvio Berlusconi submitted his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano. After winning three elections and holding power longer than any European leader since World War II, Il Cavaliere — given the enormous economic problems his country is facing — officially stepped down.

“It’s not for me to decide what must happen. I see early elections as the only option. The parliament is paralyzed,” said the now ex-prime minister after announcing his decision to President Napolitano.

Think global, act local. Thus, Mexico has two good examples of how the recall can work in favor of citizens. In favor of democracy.

* Editor’s note: Unable to verify exact quotation.