Staff Reports
California is finally waking up to the shoplifting crisis that has turned retail theft into a national embarrassment. The state is on the verge of passing a ballot initiative to reclassify repeat shoplifting as a felony, but not without plenty of Democratic hand-wringing. With videos of brazen criminals looting stores in broad daylight going viral, it’s no wonder voters are fed up.
A diverse group of law enforcement agencies and retailers has rallied behind the initiative, pushing for stricter penalties for both repeat offenders and drug dealers. The proposal just needs the secretary of state’s certification to make it onto the November ballot. Of course, top Democrats are scrambling to quash it, claiming it will unfairly target low-income communities and those struggling with addiction. But, let’s face it, they’re really just worried about Republican voters showing up at the polls in droves.
Powerful New Measure on Verge of Appearing on California Ballot May Affect Who Controls Congress via @WestJournalism https://t.co/tkFxqbaz6t
— Mgtywzrd (@Mgtywzrd1) June 27, 2024
The political stakes couldn’t be higher. Both parties agree that the outcome of California’s congressional races could decide who controls Congress in 2025. Tight races in the Central Valley and Southern California districts won by Biden in 2020 are prime battlegrounds. The Democrats are desperate to keep Republicans from leveraging this crime crackdown to tilt voter turnout in their favor.
Adding to the intrigue, Democratic candidate George Whitesides broke ranks with his party to support the ballot initiative. Grilled over smash-and-grab robberies and a surge in auto break-ins, he’s arguing that the Democrats’ piecemeal approach won’t cut it. Whitesides wants to wrestle the seat from Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, betting that voters care more about safe streets than party loyalty.
Governor Gavin Newsom and top California Democrats are trying every trick in the book to undermine the initiative, including an attempt to stave it off until 2026. They’re pushing a watered-down legislative package of 13 bills targeting online resale schemes and auto theft, but it’s unclear whether they can muster the votes to pass it. Behind the scenes, they’re scrambling to cook up a competing crime-related initiative of their own before next week’s deadline.
Crime remains a hot-button issue, dominating the political discourse in California’s upcoming election. The Democrats’ reluctance to address the crime wave head-on is not lost on voters whose communities are suffering the consequences. This ballot measure could be a game-changer, tipping the scales in favor of Republicans eager to bring law and order back to the Golden State. It’s no surprise that the Democrats are running scared.
