Do recalls equate to fascism?

The Sam Adams Alliance has a daily email of their feature called "Common Sense" written by Paul Jacob. Today's column features a quote by an op-ed writer, Jack Lessenberry (who is also the ombudsman for our Toledo Blade newspaper) about the petition drive to recall Michigan legislators who voted for the recent tax hike in that state.

Recalling Mussolini!

October 26, 2007

Leon Drolet and the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance are not very popular . . . with politicians and Lansing insiders.

But they were clear. Michigan taxpayers told legislators they would launch recalls against those who voted to push big tax increases against citizens.

So, after legislators did hike taxes, what could they expect?

The Michigan Taxpayers Alliance is now working with local leaders on recall petitions against those who voted to raise taxes. Recalls have already been filed against six legislators, and MTA promises that ten — five Democrats and five Republicans — will face recall in what the group calls the “first round.”

Citizen action sure can make a difference.

I love seeing voters hold elected officials accountable. Some folks? Not so much. Remember all the moaning by insiders over the recall of California Governor Gray Davis? Today, in Michigan, there’s even more hysteria.

In Detroit’s Metro Times, Jack Lessenberry impugns the recalls as “a form of fascism.” He compares recall to “When Benito Mussolini . . . [and] his Blackshirts used to intimidate and kill members of Parliament. . . .”

Amazing! Petitioning one’s government for a vote of the people to determine who will represent those people gets equated with political death squads murdering their opponents in cold blood. Who’d think that?

Someone without a good argument. Get a grip, Mr. Lessenberry.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Here is Lessenberry's original column with the second item, "Political terrorism, Michigan-style:", featuring the quote.

Also, in my search for Lessenberry's original column, I came across this commentary on the issue. While it has some interesting email exchanges between the author and Lessenberry, I find myself agreeing with the following two statements:

"While I have mixed-feelings about recalls generally, there is no question in my mind of the People's right to use them at will..."

"Whether a recall is right should only be judged by whether enough people sign petitions asking for one."