california auto loans
Democratic National Committee: California
- Rep. Solis Named Labor Secretary; Fmr. Rep. LaHood to Lead Transportation
California Congresswoman Hilda Solis was named Secretary of Labor, and former Illinois Congressman Ray LaHood was appointed Secretary of Transportation by President-elect Barack Obama at a press conference in Chicago this afternoon.
The President-elect also named Karen Mills as Administrator of the Small Business Administration and former Mayor Ron Kirk as United States Trade Representative.
Hilda has always been an advocate for everyday people. When she received an award several years ago, she said, “Fighting for what is just is not always popular, but it is necessary.” And that is exactly what she has done throughout her career, blazing new trails every step of the way. Whether it’s creating green jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced or expanding access to affordable health care or raising the minimum wage in California, Hilda has been a champion of our middle class. And I know that Hilda will show the same kind of leadership as Secretary of Labor that she showed in California and on the Education and Labor Committee by protecting workers’ rights – from organizing to collective bargaining, from keeping our workplaces safe to making our unions strong. [...]
Few understand our infrastructure challenge better than the outstanding public servant I am asking to lead the Department of Transportation – Ray LaHood. As a Congressman from Illinois, Ray served six years on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, leading efforts to modernize our aviation system by renewing our aging airports and ensuring that air traffic controllers were using cutting edge technology. Throughout his career, Ray has fought to improve mass transit and invest in our highways. But he has not only helped rebuild our landscape, he has helped beautify it by creating opportunities for bikers and runners to enjoy our great outdoors. When I began this appointment process, I said I was committed to finding the best person for the job, regardless of party. Ray’s appointment reflects that bipartisan spirit – a spirit we need to reclaim in this country to make progress for the American people.
- GOP Operative Allegedly Tricked Voters into Registering as Republicans
A Republican operative was arrested yesterday on charges of voter registration fraud, reports the Los Angeles Times. Voters allege that Mark Jacoby duped them into registering as Republicans.
The owner of a firm that the California Republican Party hired to register tens of thousands of voters this year was arrested in Ontario over the weekend on suspicion of voter registration fraud.
State and local investigators allege that Mark Jacoby fraudulently registered himself to vote at a childhood California address where he no longer lives so he would appear to meet the legal requirement that all signature gatherers be eligible to vote in California. His firm, Young Political Majors, or YPM, collects petition signatures and registers voters in California and other states.
Jacoby's arrest by state investigators and the Ontario Police Department late Saturday came after dozens of voters said they were duped into registering as Republicans by people employed by YPM. The voters said YPM workers tricked them by saying they were signing a petition to toughen penalties against child molesters.
The firm was paid $7 to $12 for every Californian it registered as a member of the GOP.
- McCain Employing GOP Operative Accused of Voter Registration Fraud
John McCain's hyperbolic claims about "the fabric of democracy" ring incredibly hollow when, at the same time, he pays dirty tricksters like Nathan Sproul almost $200,000 to "register voters."
John McCain's campaign has directed $175,000 to the firm of a Republican operative accused of massive voter registration fraud in several states.
According to campaign finance records, a joint committee of the McCain-Palin campaign, the RNC and the the California Republican Party, made a $175,000 payment to the group Lincoln Strategy in June for purposes of "registering voters." The managing partner of that firm is Nathan Sproul, a renowned GOP operative who has been investigated on multiple occasions for suppressing Democratic voter turnout, throwing away registration forms and even, once, spearheading efforts to get Ralph Nader on ballots so as to hinder the Democratic ticket.
More from the Sproul file:
Indeed, Sproul's history is filled with allegations of political misdeeds. During the 2004 election, Sproul & Associates (the former name of Lincoln Strategy) was accused of attempting to destroy forms collected by Democratic voters in Nevada. That same year in Oregon, Sproul & Associates allegedly instructed canvassers to only accept Republican registration forms in addition to destroying those turned in by Democrats.
In Minnesota, meanwhile, Sproul's firm was accused of actually firing workers who brought back Democratic registration forms, while other canvassers were allegedly paid "$13 an hour, with the $3 bonus for every Bush, undecided or Ralph Nader voter registration." Similar problems related to Sproul & Associates popped up in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
- More Jobs Lost in September
CNN reported on new figures that showed increased job cuts with the tech and auto industries hit the hardest.
The number of job cuts announced in September rose as the economy slowed, according to a report released Wednesday.
Positions on the cutting board rose 7.2% to 95,094 from 88,736 the previous month, and were 33% higher than the same month last year, when 71,739 cuts were announced, according to outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
September brought the announced layoff total for the third quarter to 287,142 - the largest number since 2005, according to the report.
We cannot afford four more years of the same.
- Taking It to John McCain
Democrats Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA), Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) joined other concerned citizens on the steps of the Republican National Committee this afternoon to protest John McCain's promise to protect offshore accounts from paying U.S. taxes and lifetime support for the massive deregulation that helped usher in this economic instability we currently face.
- Former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan (R) Endorses Barack Obama
Richard Riordan, the former Republican mayor of Los Angeles, endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Riordan said the Illinois senator was by far the best choice for the White House and the only one with the intellect to shepherd the country through troubled economic times. "He's extremely bright and energetic, and he's a guy who gets things done," said Riordan, who was a successful venture capitalist before he was elected mayor in 1993, serving two terms.
Riordan criticized GOP presidential nominee John McCain's past support for financial deregulation, saying it helped trigger the mortgage crisis and subsequent economic downturn. "There's nothing in his background that shows he's a person who can understand these complicated economic issues, or shows that he is entrepreneurial enough to bring about change."
- Rep. Lois Capps
I am Lois Capps from California.
All of the women who wrote those letters are saying the same thing: We can’t afford four more years of the same policies that have gotten us into these problems in the first place.
This convention is a time of joy and hope. At the same time, we are deeply saddened to be without one of our sisters in Congress—Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones from Ohio.
Congresswoman Tubbs Jones was a forceful advocate for economic empowerment, affordable health care, and quality education. We will miss her terribly.