CALIFORNIA WILL SOON have its first gubernatorial recall in history. Intended by turn-of-the-century progressive reformers to strengthen citizen participation, the recall is being manipulated by wealthy right-wingers, and its saga could develop more twists and turns than the plot of an old-time melodrama. Armed with a fistful of proposals to get California back on track, Green candidate Peter Miguel Camejo is looking for the silver lining for progressives.

Contrary to popular belief, a recall is not an impeachment. The concept is that the voters may replace any elected official if they are dissatisfied with him or her. Gov. Gray Davis has been working overtime to place himself in this category. Yielding to blackmail by rogue energy companies, he signed long-term electricity purchase contracts that lost Californians $34 billion, the single worst trade ever made.

Apparent corruption in the governor's administration is being given a pass by his chum Attorney General Bill Lockyer but Davis's ethics don't pass the smell test. And Davis and company have parlayed the highest state income ever into record state deficits and a falling state bond rating.

Like sharks smelling blood, the Republicans hope to take advantage of the wounded administration to circumvent the will of the electorate. They want a special recall election, because special elections mean low turnouts, and low turnouts mean more votes for conservatives.

The recall works like this: The first ballot item will be the question "Should we recall the sitting governor, yes or no?" The second item will be "If the governor is recalled, who should replace him?" This replacement election is a simple plurality election – no primary, no runoff. If there were 10 candidates, one who received 11 percent of the vote could become the next governor. This could be the most undemocratic election in California history, a shocking example of why we desperately need statewide electoral reform, particularly instant-runoff (ranked-choice) voting.

But weird gets weirder. All of the major Democrats have made what Camejo calls a "political suicide pact," declaring their intentions not to run. Are they going to hand the governorship to the Republicans?

Like all Californians, Greens are divided. In a recent speech, Camejo expressed what appears to be the consensus view. Though Davis is utterly incompetent and corrupt, Camejo disapproves of the Republican attempt to manipulate the process. Still, it is important that the Green voice be heard.

Camejo now stands alone against the Republicans. What would happen if he won? He would appoint an independent, nonpartisan commission to audit state finances, looking for incidents like the giveaway of $6.4 million to the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant, which Davis did on March 13. When employees seemed more disposed to boo than cheer, and criticized Davis's handouts to corporations while cutting education funding, Davis canceled a planned plant tour.

Camejo also proposes to make taxes fairer. According to the California Budget Project, the poorest 20 percent of families (average income: $15,300) pay an average of 11.3 percent of their income in state and local taxes. The middle 20 percent pay 9.2 percent in taxes, while the top 1 percent pays only 7.2 percent! This is contrary to every principle of fairness that Californians hold dear, yet where are the Democrats speaking out for fair taxation? Why do the Democrats let California be tarred as a "high-tax state," when 19 states have higher taxes than we do? Why have the Democrats continued Republican policies of lowering taxes on corporations and raising taxes on individuals?

Fairer taxes and an end to wasteful giveaways to balance the budget without cutbacks. Solar energy. IRV. We could go on and on regarding ideas too sensible to be looked at in Sacramento. The Democrats control the legislature and all statewide offices but have left the door open for the Republican end run around the electorate through corruption, incompetence, and undemocratic tax policies. Camejo wants to hold Davis and the Democratic legislature responsible for the mess they created and lay the groundwork for a new era of progress for California.