Here are a few links. Anything else of note?

• Sen. Boxer opposes President Obama’s Afghanistan Plan.  Meanwhile in the Inland Empire, the House Representatives are split on it. Republicans Calvert and Lewis support it, but Democratic Rep. Baca is a bit uncertain http://www.pe.com/localnews/po… Probably not a good sign that the plan has more Republican support.

• The state got some money for energy efficiencies, but hasn’t spent it and might get it revoked.

• Steve Maviglio pens a story opposing the part-time legislature. I grew up in Texas, which had such a system, and he is exactly right. It transfers power from the elected legislature to the lobbyists and the staff. It would just continue the problematic process begun with term limits of neutering the legislature.

• The online buying spree, and the shift from traditional stores is dramatically hurting state revenues.

Here are a few links. What else is on your mind?

•  Arnold is blaming the tax liens on his property. Must be rough, having incompetent lackeys…

•  Looks like being a politician’s spouse just got a little less fun. Now they’ll have to buy their own tickets. stupit fppc…what a killjoy.

•  Looks like Sen. Huff avoided a recall, as the organizers didn’t even bother to turn in signatures.

•  Loretta Sanchez had a huuuge message to announce today! Ya, she stopped sending out her holiday cards in the mail and opted for e-cards. Yay!

• Hey, did you know Arnold isn’t even liked in Hollywood anymore? Well, Hollywood Park racetrack anyway. He got booed while he made an appearance in the Winner’s Circle there.

• Downey is looking to Tesla’s potential electric car plant for a chance at revitalization. Like many suburbs that boomed with aerospace and defense contracting in the 50s, Downey is struggling to adjust to a new economy. This could be an interesting example for other towns to follow into the green economy.

• UC-Irvine is creating a degree in game science starting next school year. The idea is to create future video game designers.

• John Fensterwald’s op-ed in the Mercury News calls for UC students to hold a teach-in for the public on the California budget mess vis a vis the UC system.

Thank you to all of our readers. Whether you agree or disagree with us, it is an honor to present our view of the California political world every day.

Now, for some links.

• Capitol Weekly has a profile of Chris Norby, the leading vote getter in the special election to replace Mike Duvall. He’s a right-wing ideologue. A thoughtful ideologue, but an ideologue just the same.

• Hey, look at that. It’s easy to start the initiative process, but expensive to carry it through. And shockingly, drug testing for legislators didn’t get all the necessary signatures.

• Garry South is a fan of new Meg Whitman hire Mike Murphy’s work, saying that he “brings a centrist perspective that befits the political climate in California pretty well.”

• Real estate market news: Home starts are up in the Sacramento area, and home prices increased in San Diego, but the rate decreased.

• The battle between SEIU and NUHW comes to the CDP. John Burton doesn’t normally take too well to threats.

• CalBuzz has it on good authority that Mike Murphy will be joining the Meg Whitman “gravy train“. Murphy has done work for Arnold, McCain, and many other conservatives that try to play both sides of the ideological field without actually having to do anything that pisses off the base.

• Rep. George Miller is undecided on the water bonds for now. If he does endorse the measure, he would certainly be the biggest Delta area elected leader to support the bonds.

• Arnold and our two senators sent a letter asking President Obama for more High-speed rail funding for the state.

• Tesla is moving closer to building its first big factory to build electric cars. The leading contender is Downey.

• One San Jacinto City Councilman was not indicted in the scandal that ensnared former Assembly candidate Jim Ayres. Steve DiMemmo gets a glowing portrait in the Riverside P-E for his troubles.

• The Chair of the Fresno County Republican central committee has resigned in the scandal now catching up with Asm. Joel Anderson.

• San Francisco Health Department officials don’t plan on shutting down HealthySF if/when a national  health care plan goes into effect.

• Medical marijuana is quite the topic these days. Even as national support grows, local ordinances around the state are trying to reel the dispensaries in. There’s been debate for 5 years over the LA ordinance, and the San Jose City Council is also trying to limit the number of clubs.

• The MLK, Jr. hospital that will reopen after being closed to all but outpatient care earlier this year.

Links for your weekend:

• Equality California got ad time donated during the Miss California pageant. This is the ad they will be airing. The closing line: “Give Now.” Sounds about right for EQCA.

• Yesterday Carly Fiorina got the endorsement of the very influential OK Sen. Jim Inhofe. Today, Meg Whitman gets the endorsement of former Lt. Gov. Ed Reinecke. Don’t recall that name? That’s because he resigned office 40 years ago in disgrace over some Watergate related corruption issues.

• San Jacinto City Councilman James Ayres lost an Assembly GOP primary, and now he’s about to lose more than that as he faces corruption charges. The P-E has an interesting story on the background on the story.

• An election date hasn’t been set yet, but propenents of a Santa Clara stadium for the 49ers sent out a mailer supporting the project.

• CalBuzz agrees with Calitics about Jerry Brown actually announcing for the Governor’s race.

• PG&E cut off 75% more customers than last year. Yay!

• While many of us are frequently miffed at Rep. Cardoza, he does deserve some credit for the takedown of Rep. Foxx’s ridiculous claims that it was Republicans who passed the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. See the video.

• The UC fee hikes went final. A sad day for the Master Plan. While it’s not necessarily the fault of the regents, the questions about how to pay for higher education in California seems increasingly likely to be answered as “the student pays.”

• Yay for Carly Fiorina! She got the endorsement of Sen. Jim Inhofe, you know the guy who runs around denying climate change.

• Good News/Bad News from LA County: Hate Crimes overall are down, but hate crimes against the LGBT community are up.

• Mayor Gavin Newsom is a little peeved with the SF press. SF press dutifully reports it.

• John Garamendi got his committee assignement: Science & Technology and Transportation & Infrastructure.

• Fun times with web video from CalBuzz.

• Rep. Xavier Beccera got into a bit of trouble with Speaker Pelosi about comments on giving up on the robust public option.

• Hey, the New York times took some interest in the California’s governors race to … notice that Hollywood supports the Democrat. A big revelation for its readers, I’m sure. Nary a look at the polcies of any of the candidates in the story, but J.J. Abrams gave some money to Jerry Brown, so headlines must ensue.

• Ron Dellums tenure as Oakland mayor has been tumultuous, to put it mildly. He’s now dealing with a scandal involving failing to report a trip to South Africa.

• Joe Mathews argues the biggest beneficiary of a contested Democratic primary would be Meg Whitman. This analysis doesn’t include Brown’s issues with generating enthusiasm among the Democratic base, something a contested primary could resolve.

Links:

• Some news from CALPERS: They will tighten rules on disclosure to “placement agents.” They are also thinking of allowing “salesman” to now pitch them directly.

• There is some dispute over whether Asm. Bill Emerson is eligible to run to replace Sen John Benoit in the 37th Senate seat.

• Tom Campbell made some funnies at an appearance in Sacramento. Apparently, he’s in fact not a fantastically wealthy soup heir.

• Some good news from the Port of LA, shipping is up.

• The 405 widening project in OC is causing some concern since LA County isn’t going to match the widening, repeating the bottleneck effect experienced on I-5 at the LA/OC line. The real issue here isn’t just that OC is still in the 1960s when it comes to transportation planning, but the absence of state funding for big projects leaves it up to counties, producing regional problems like this.

• The recession is hitting California’s migrant communities so hard that families are sending remittances from Mexico to the US instead of the other way around, despite the fact that Mexico’s economy isn’t exactly strong. Further sign that North America is a much more integrated society and economy than the artificial borders would have us believe – and further sign that the “immigrants” are actually intending to make the US their home. More power to ’em, I (Robert) say, literally and figuratively.

• Dan Walters finds it amusing that we “young” folks at Calitics are annoyed by Jerry Brown’s weathervane theory of politics, where he just blows with the prevailing winds. I don’t think Brown is going to find it very amusing when the progressive base isn’t motivated to turn out for him in November 2010.