Saving California: Votes talk and We Aren’t Talking
The June 7th primary election witnessed some incredible wins and some disappointing losses. Since 2006, California has been a supermajority hell-bent on expanding abortion, squashing parental rights, amplifying gender and sexual agendas, and taxing everything that lives, moves, and breathes.
Regardless of your political loyalty, most would agree the last two years in California have been like a story out of a fairytale. No, not that fairytale where the princess and the prince live happily ever after, where unity abounds and prosperity flows in the Kingdom and some happy-go-lucky snowman comes out in song. No, the kind of Hansel and Gretel fairytale where children are abandoned, you’re alone in a dark, evil forest, and find yourself in the presence of a cannibalistic witch.
The scary part of the story is we’ve done little to save our kids, little to promote a pro-life agenda, little to elect good leaders to the state legislature, little to get moms and dads elected to school boards, and almost nothing to combat the cannibalistic witch.
This manifesto of sorts is a reality check that no one really wants to hear, but a wake-up call that everyone needs to see. If we are going to save our state and usher in an era of common-sense, human decency, and a brighter future — then it’s going to take more than a Facebook post and some sign-holding on a freeway to turn this demonic ship around.
The Election Wasn’t Interesting Enough
Turnout in midterm primaries is historically much lower than in a general election, but the state is looking at ~30% voter turnout, compared to 38% and 48% in the last two June primaries.
Paul Mitchell at Political Data Inc. says that the “…election just isn’t that interesting right now to Californians.” I want to meet these “uninterested” voters. Was it uninteresting when California passed S.B. 245, preventing insurance companies to charge co-pays for abortion and passing on the bill to taxpayers? Was it uninteresting when our State Assembly passed A.B. 2223, decriminalizing infanticide? Was it uninteresting when the State Senate passed S.B. 1142, a bill that uses taxpayer money to pay for people out-of-state to fly to California and get an abortion? Was it uninteresting when Scott Wiener (yes, terrible name), got S.B. 866 passed in the Senate, allowing minors 12+ to get vaccinated without parental consent or knowledge? Was it uninteresting when Gov. Gavin Newsom shut down churches but let strip clubs, wineries (his, of course), and big outlets stay open? Was it uninteresting when gas prices, home prices, and food prices skyrocketed to uncharted territory?
More importantly, what is going to be “interesting” enough to mobilize those people? If church shutdowns, killing children, soaring costs of living, rising crime, and the moral depravity of a state isn’t interesting, what will be?
Moreover, many Californians are feeling election fatigue after the 2021 September Recall election for Gov. Gavin Newsom.
It is expected that ~4,000,000 voters will have chosen Gov. Gavin Newsom when 100% of the reporting comes in. But a quick look at the 2021 Recall shows that ~5,000,000 voters (Democrats, Republicans, and independents) voted to Recall Gavin Newsom.
Where are all Californians with moral scruples? Where are the 5,000,000 men and women who wanted a brighter future for California in 2021? They’re fatigued, complacent, or on a beach somewhere in Florida.
The truth is your voice and your vote have tremendous influence over society. In a recent study from the Pew Research Center, 49% of Californians said they were “highly religious.” The largest voting bloc in California is Latinos. In that study, 44% of Latinos identified themselves as Christians.
The Christian voice is the most influential community in the nation, but we either don’t use it or we don’t use it how Scripture tells us to use it. There is a large community of men and women who possess moral conviction but who are refusing to get out and vote.
Pastor Sammy Rodriguez says it beautifully when he says “Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity.”
We Don’t Like to Put Money Where Our Mouth Is
I’ve seen a growing trend of parent groups and community advocacy organizations showing up for candidates.
Posting long rants on social media, waiving signs on freeway overpasses, and throwing fundraisers at local parks are great grass-root efforts to support candidates. But, unless a serious, viable financial effort comes alongside those strategies, it won’t work.
It takes approx. $15,000–30,000 to win a school board seat, $25,000-$45,000 for city council, $250,000-$350,000 to win State Assembly/Senate, $1,000,000-$5,000,000 to win a congressional seat, etc.
“In politics, money talks, and Christians are silent.”
According to Open Secrets, over $240,572,997 was raised for Democrats in California. How much to Republicans? $122,738,982. 63% of all money raised in the state goes to Democrats and 32% goes to Republicans.
When a donation is made to a candidate, it’s a financial investment. When you give $25 to your local school board candidate, Assemblymember, or councilmember, you’re making an investment into your kid’s future, your church, your family, and your local community.
A donation to a candidate isn’t a political donation, it’s an investment into your future because having Godly men and women in office ensures a legacy that supports children, supports parents, supports religious liberty, and personal freedom.
A Wake-Up Call in California
We made progress in the June primaries, and a lot could happen between now and the November general election.
When you look at what’s happening in the San Francisco District Attorney Recall or the L.A. Mayoral Race, it’s clear that across the political spectrum, people are clearly dissatisfied with the status quo in California. They’re hungry for fresh leadership, bold ideas, and common-sense government.
But, we need a reality check that what we are doing is not effectuating enough change to shift things. It’s going to take time, it’s going to take our votes, it’s going to take money, and it’s going to take a mighty move of God.
We need those things if we’re going to Save California.
If we don’t, what we witness next will be our fault.
