[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Julie Bornstein
President of the Campaign for Affordable Housing and
Democratic candidate for Congress

The American Dream of owning one’s own home is on life support and not getting the attention it needs. For too long housing policy has been relegated to fourth tier status and now that neglect is in evidence. Foreclosures are up, sale prices are down and housing affordable to working families and seniors is still hard to find.

California’s rate of foreclosure is over twice the national average; the number of mortgage foreclosures reported for Riverside County for first quarter 2008 was over 161 percent higher than first quarter 2007. Among California Counties, the actual number of Riverside County foreclosures, 15,022, is second only to Los Angeles County (20,000). At the same time, the median price in Riverside County fell from $344,370 in October 2007 to $307,500 in February 2008.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Congresswoman Jackie Speier. I just love writing that!

Anyway ... Apparently Speier made quite the entrance after being sworn into Congress yesterday, opening with a scathing attack on the war in Iraq that caused Republicans to boo and was enough to make California Congressman Darrell "Crybaby" Issa to bolt from the floor of the U.S. House.

You gotta like that.

On the political front, Speier also made news. As a member of Congress, she automatically becomes a new Superdelegate.

Speier long ago endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton. But according to the San Francisco Chronicle, she indicated yesterday that she hasn't indicated which way she'll vote at the convention.

My gut tells me Speier sticks with Hillary. Speier knows how tough it is to be a woman in politics, and, in many ways, is cut from the same cloth as Hillary Clinton. We'll see what happens by the time the Denver convention rolls around, but it's difficult to believe Speier will throw Hillary overboard anytime soon.

by Jackie Speier [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

We did it!  

Thanks to the help from so many of you here at Calitics and throughout the California progressive blogosphere -- Bob, Melissa, Brian, Frank, Greg, Robert, Julia, Dave, and so many of you -- our campaign won a resounding victory last night.  

Your support in the blogosphere made a real difference on Tuesday.  Thank you so much for blogging about the race, building support, mobilizing activists, and helping us get out the vote.  I promise that I will work as hard as I can, every day, to make you proud.

Together, we won a tremendous victory Tuesday night -- but now it's already time to get to work.  I just got off a plane, and I am already in Washington, DC.  Tomorrow I'll be sworn in on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and cast my first vote as a Member of Congress.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

After reading the electoral winds or the home fires, or what not, Sen Leland Yee has decided to stay out of the CA-12 race:

I am humbled by the outpouring of support from the people of San Francisco and San Mateo County who have encouraged me to run for Congress.  However, at this time, my family and I have decided it is best to continue the work started in the State Senate.  I am committed to addressing the critical issues currently before the State Legislature, including providing universal healthcare and protecting services for our working families.  In the years to come, I look forward to working with the next member of Congress in serving the residents of the Peninsula.

With Yee out, it's hard to imagine anybody else who can come close to challenging Jackie Speier.  But, all the same, I hear from Ms. Speier that she will be diligently beating the bushes for votes between now and June, and then November.

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Linda*in*SFNM [courtesy of Blog for America]

I guess this IS a Beauty Pageant. And the Sponsors are deciding who moves on to the next round!

Presidential Candidates Shut Out!

Like a Fascist government, our airwaves, being used by ABC/Disney, is advising of their decision to select from the top ranked Iowa Caucus results being held on Thursday, who can be heard from in the next Presidential Debate.

This is truly UNBELIEVABLE. They are actually talking of only allowing the 4 top ranked Iowa Caucus candidates to be heard from in the Saturday Debate before the first Primary Presidential Election is held. Aren't debates the time to speak to the voters for the VOTERS to decide whom they wish to vote for in their election?

"New Hampshire has a long and proud tradition of serving as a level playing field and is the one state where each candidate can be given an equal opportunity to be heard by the voters. I would strongly encourage any NH media outlet holding candidate debates or forums not to eliminate a sitting US Senator or member of Congress"

"Talk of excluding candidates was said to be a factor in the decision of the New Hampshire Union Leader to decline a sponsorship offer like it shared with WMUR and CNN for the St. A's debates last June."

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]