A quick reminder to sign the petition urging DiFi to stand with Americans on health care. It’s really one of the biggest issues of our time, and it needs to get done this year.  By the way, those of you in California on MoveOn’s list probably got the email about calling DiFi about her comments, as well as donating money for an ad they will be putting up challenging her on her remarks.  We have to keep up the pressure.  Now, to the links:

• Lots and Lots and Lots of stories about Villaraigosa not running for governor.  Calbuzz has the take from the other governor candidates.

• The federal government will lend California-based Tesla Motors $465 million dollars to help fund the building of electric vehicles.  It’s very good to see Tesla get a kick-start from the Feds, which they can hopefully leverage into another round of funding to increase their efforts.  This will help finance factories in Northern and Southern California, and it makes perfect sense to invest in alternative technologies in the auto industry to drive innovation throughout the sector.  Good stuff.

• Calitics mentioned previously that Ted Lieu’s bill puts a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures to allow lenders and borrowers to come to agreements on modifications that would keep people in their homes.  One problem with that: seven lenders have immunity from the ordinance, including Bank of America Home Loans, CitiMortgage and Carrington Mortgage Services.  And more lenders may follow with immunity provisions.  Suddenly this bill doesn’t seem so spectacular.

• A follow-up story about how Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is doing at her current job.

• A good story in the LA Times about the people who harvest our food. Things really haven’t gotten better for them; it has always been and will continue to be a hard life.

• LA County passed a temporary budget filling their huge deficit, but it doesn’t account for potential state budget cuts, which obviously are coming.  No wonder Antonio won’t be hitting the campaign trail.