Getting recalled is exactly the kind of thing that I like to see happen to incompetent boobs like Gray Davis. But now that it's actually happening, it's like inheriting a house from my crazy great aunt, the one who dabbled in witchcraft; I'm not exactly sure it's a good thing. Please allow me to share my yin and yang:

I think the recall is a great idea, because all politicians everywhere should live in constant fear that they are on the verge of losing their jobs. In Davis' case, it's the deals he made to stay in office -- the special interest pork that bought him the support of the unions -- that are going to get him kicked out, making the object lesson all the more obvious. Imagine how the politicians' world would be turned upside down if lying and pandering to voters was actually punished. They might be forced only to make promises that the government could afford to keep.

I think the recall is a terrible idea, because if Californians are stupid enough to elect Gray Davis as their governor, their punishment should be four years with Gray Davis as their governor.

I think it would be great if Arnold Schwarzenegger were governor, because California is a heck of a bully pulpit, and he could use it to the Republicans' advantage. Charisma-wise, he is the Super Bowl halftime show next to Davis' Antiques Roadshow. He could win a lot of support -- in a state with 54 electoral votes, no less -- without even doing any governing.

(Note: If you say, "Arnold isn't really a Republican," I say fie on you. If the Democrats attack him because of his party affiliation, and they do, then he must be a Republican. Is he less conservative than a lot of Republicans? Yes, but we're talking about a state wherein there is a city that provides sex change operations as part of its employees' health insurance. Take what you can get.)

I think it would be terrible if Arnold were governor, because California is a basket case, and it will take yeoman work from a political professional to fix it. He may be a savvy businessman, but there's no reason to think Arnold has built up throbbing muscles of competent governing skill.

If the next governor botches it (read: if he doesn't work a miracle), he and his party will be easy targets. As soon as he makes the "d" sound in "...zo halp meh Gaud," all California's problems become Arnold's fault. At least that's what all the Democratic ads will say if he hasn't pulled the state out of its nosedive by the next election cycle. Can you hear them now?

Contemptuous, hissing voice: "Since Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger became California's governor, it's 86 googzillion dollars in debt, has lost 19 flopdillion jobs, and is slowly sliding into the ocean. Now, what the Terminator has done to California, the Bushinator wants to do to America."

I think it would be great if an experienced Republican became governor, because California is just angry enough to let some real reforms get through. If a conservative governor gets enough leeway to shore up the state's finances, he could become a hero of Giuliani proportions.

I think it would be terrible if any Republican period became governor, because, like I said before, it will take a miracle to turn the state around in what remains of this term. Sans miracle, the head of America's most visible state is a big bullseye in the next election.

I think it would be great if another Democrat became governor, because, being a Democrat, he will inevitably try to solve all problems by raising taxes and spending more money. One day, a prosperous Malibu liberal will look out his window, see piles of tires burning and naked, filthy children running down the street, and think, "Gee, we had two different liberal Democrats as governors this term. Where did we go wrong?" Maybe then the light bulb will go on. (Insert rolling blackout joke here.)

I think it would be terrible if another Democrat became governor, because, first of all, I don't really want Californians to suffer. And secondly, the national economy is starting to pick up speed. If it pulls California's economy along with it, all the fiscal problems might solve themselves. A Democratic governor would get the credit without instituting any reforms, the promise-tax-spend cycle would remain in place, and nobody's light bulbs would go on. (Insert rolling blackout joke here.)

So, I've gone through all my recall rigmarole and we're right back where we started. Hopefully, California won't have the same problem.

jason@jaceonline.com

Jason is a technical writer in Birmingham, Alabama, where he recently achieved the twin American dreams of buying a house and going into debt for more money than he's ever seen in his life.