The Republican Party's presidential primary race may prove to be a breeding ground for third party and Independent presidential candidates in the 2012 election.  There are no less than four current contenders for the GOP's presidential nomination who may run for president as a third party or Independent candidate:  Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, Jon Huntsman and Buddy Roemer.  And, given the success of Americans Elect in its ongoing effort to obtain ballot access in all fifty

Fresh off the heels of Bureau of Labor Statistics findings that slightly fewer Americans were jobless in November – reflecting an expected uptick in temporary and seasonal employment, as well as a mass exodus of over 300,000 would-be employees from the job hunt – the U.S.

California's proposition system is unique. Few other states have anything remotely approaching it. It was meant to be a system where citizens could take direct action, bypassing the legislature, and propose new measures to the electorate. In theory, it sounds great.

Governor Jerry Brown has announced the filing of a tax initiative with the state Attorney General’s office, one touted as capable of generating nearly $7 billion in dedicated funding for the protection of education and public safety. It’s a plan that- along with the recent Think Long proposal- sells itself as moving beyond partisanship.

In my view, the Republican Party’s only two serious candidates for President this weekend announced they had turned down the invitation to participate in the completely unserious Newsmax presidential debate, which is set to be moderated by Donald Trump.  Jon Huntsman, former Governor of Utah and Ambassador to China, and Ron Paul, Texas Representative and staunch libertarian, told Newsmax that they simply were not interested in participating in a reality TV show masquerading as a serious political event.

When confronted with the possibility of a serious third party or Independent challenge to the two-party system, the partisans of the Democratic and Republican parties can be found to rely on a handful of well-rehearsed talking points aimed at disarming any and all opposition to the status quo.

While nearly half of Californians do not personally identify with the Occupy movement, 58% agree with the underlying reasons for the protests, says the highly respected Field Poll in announcing survey results last week. If this were an election, the opposition would be stomped, as 58% is a landslide. Clearly, the Occupy protests are resonating with the general public, at least in California.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority recently released a report saying their proposed plan to put a tunnel underneath Diridon Station in San Jose is not possible. The soil is poor with high amounts of groundwater. Plus, a tunnel would require buying more property than an elevated system, and would thus cost substantially more. This means the only alternative is to build huge elevated tracks.

A Field Poll released on Thursday reveals that Californians are frustrated with the current political process and have a bleak outlook for the country's future- even with a presidential election approaching in 2012.