While President Obama proposes a three-year spending freeze on domestic spending, he churns out a record military budget.  Here are the pertinent highlights from the campaign's latest press release*:

California regulators recently approved a $350 million plan to subsidize costs of replacing natural gas and electric hot water heaters with solar thermal power, which generally works by preheating the water before it gets to the tank. Solar heaters cut down on carbon emissions, save money and preserve natural resources.

Widespread political discontent with the powers in charge is nothing unique these days, being an almost hip, countrywide trend.

According to the most recent Gallup Poll, the country as a whole holds a subpar 48% job approval rating of President Obama.

California lawmakers continue to offer their opinions of the upcoming Top Two Open Primary initiative in June. Assemblyman V. Manuel Perez briefly presented his views in a recent Q&A session with The Desert Sun.  Perez stated, "I am not convinced this proposal will support the type of reform so many of us desire...This might mean fewer choices for voters on the general election ballot."  

In the aftermath of Citizens United v. FEC, the most recent (and most controversial) decision released by the Supreme Court this year, there have been a variety of highly predictable reactions. From the Right, one hears the incessant rhythm of jubilation over the fact that the corporate world will be liberated from its forced silence, with the prospect of union abuse either ignored or rhetorically shoved under the rug.

Do the rich really get an advantage in the typical political race? A recent editorial pointed to Tom Campbell's dropping out of the California gubernatorial race as a sign that California politics just costs too much and doesn't offer a level playing field. The editorial asserts that "the campaign finance system increasingly favors rich candidates" such as Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina who run in California.

According to Tom Herman at the Wall Street Journal, if Congress does not pass legislation this year, then millions of additional Americans will be caught in the throes of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).  Last year, Congress was able to pass legislative relief, but the legislation was only valid for one year.

First there was a "Tea Party" whose members said they did not care about party, but principle. They railed against corporate America's tax-funded bailouts, they demanded more transparency at the highest levels of government, and they stuck up for the little guy against the establishment.

Is there anyone is the United States who believes we need more money funneled into the political process?  Apparently there are at least five justices of the Supreme Court who do, and there are likely many other corporate executives who agree.  On Thursday, January 21, the court ruled (in a rather complex and confusing case) that speech is free, whether it’s paid for or not.

Since the panic of 1893, every major economic crisis in this nation’s history has reinvigorated relief garden movements to help inner-city underemployed. In 1917, the Liberty Garden Movement was started by the federal government to build community morale for our troops and feed a nation at war. The United States School Garden Army was instituted in the same year to carry on the successful School Gardens program of the early 20th century.