“It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use," Upton said in a statement to The Hill. "The public response on this issue is a clear signal that markets – not governments – should be driving technological advancements. I will join my colleagues to vote yes on a bill to protect consumer choice and guard against federal overreach.”

◼ Upton’s support for the bill represents a change of tune for the Energy panel chairman. He supported the 2007 (light bulb ban) light-bulb efficiency law, much to the chagrin of his fellow Republicans. - The Hill

But Upton now says the law limits consumers' choices.

Major Garrett: Town hall a sign of ‘anxiety’ at Obama reelection HQ

◼ as it stands right now, Obama’s failing to connect and Garrett cited his so-called Twitter town hall meeting as an attempt almost in desperation to resurrect the messaging success the president in his prior election. - Daily Caller

“[I]f people aren’t listening to you on that core message, it doesn’t matter what you say anymore,” he said. “And I think the president is dangerously close to losing that connection with the American people on what he knows about the economy and what he can predict about the economy. And presidents who can’t lead on the economy tend to be replaced. And I think today’s Twitter town hall is evidence of a low-level degree of anxiety bordering on panic within the Chicago reelection headquarters because back in 2008 and 2007, I watched this develop on the ground. There was a sense that ‘oh social media created the energy.’ No, social media harnessed and built it out. It made it exponential. But it didn’t create it in the first place and you see a lot of sort of feverish attempts to engage social media as if that’s the means by which to create energy. No – you create energy by what you do, what you say and how you lead, especially if you’re seeking reelection and it’s at that level that I think the energy pool is much more shallow for President Obama than the campaign would like it to be.”

◼ Net Right Daily

Co. Of Humboldt: Redistricting 2011 - Weigh In!

Humboldt County is required to redistrict, or adjust, supervisorial boundaries every ten years following the U.S. Census. The new boundaries must be drawn to balance the County’s population.

The 2010 Census data show that the total population of Humboldt County is 134,623, an increase of 8,105 over the last 10 years. This increase and the distribution of the County’s population as counted by the Census will require adjustments in the supervisorial district boundaries.

◼ http://co.humboldt.ca.us/election/content/content.asp?pg=redistricting.htm

◼ Guidelines (62Kb pdf)
◼ Maps and Redistricting Worksheet
◼ Communities of Interest (53Kb pdf)
◼ Community Workshop Schedule (Check for updates; two meetings have been held; 5 to go; next meeting is July 13, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00p.m., Agricultural Center, 5630 South Broadway, Eureka
◼ Public Hearing Schedule (38Kb pdf)

Maps and Redistricting Worksheet

Interested parties can access the county linkGIS maps to view supervisorial district boundaries as they currently exist. A Redistricting Worksheet (excel format) is also provided with precinct names and population totals by precinct.

Community Workshop Schedule

Any community expecting to be impacted by district boundary changes will be considered for a redistricting workshop. Please contact the Redistricting Committee at redistricting@co.humboldt.ca.us

(37Kb pdf)◼ Redistricting Workshop Schedule

Contact Information
Email inquires or proposals to: redistricting@co.humboldt.ca.us. All communications with the Redistricting Committee and the Elections Department are public record.

Republicans, U.S. Chamber ‘crash’ Obama Twitter Town Hall

◼ Republicans, U.S. Chamber ‘crash’ Obama Twitter Town Hall - Yahoo

Republican House Speaker John Boehner, who posted dozens of questions for Obama on his page.
"After embarking on a record spending binge that left us deeper in debt, where are the jobs?" Boehner asked.

Obama chuckled, and called Boehner's question "slightly skewed."

Through a spokesman, the Speaker fired back: "'Where are the jobs?' isn't a 'skewed question' to the millions of Americans who lost jobs since President Obama's failed 'stimulus' spending binge began," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck told Politico.

◼ You can catch video highlights of the Twitter Town Hall here. (Though the coverage there is a bit 'skewed.'

Gunrunner Bombshell: ATF Director Secretly Testifies That DOJ Lied to Congress and Obstructed Its Investigation

◼ Gunrunner Bombshell: ATF Director Secretly Testifies That DOJ Lied to Congress and Obstructed Its Investigation Doug Ross

ATF Director Ken Melson secretly testified Monday before the House Oversight Committee concerning Project Gunwalker -- without the knowledge of either the Justice Department or the ATF. Most importantly, he directly refuted the official "party line" coming from Washington regarding "Operation Fast and Furious":

• Contrary to denials by the DOJ, Melson said agents had witnessed transfers of weapons from straw purchasers to third parties without following the guns further

◼ Gunwalker: The ATF’s Kenneth Melson Blows the Whistle on the Justice Department - Pajamas Media

This morning, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley released a copy of a letter they sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on July 5 about Melson’s testimony. Melson’s revelations raise even more serious issues not only about the operation itself, but about apparent attempts by the Justice Department to mislead Congress on the details of the operation....

The details of Operation Fast & Furious just keep getting worse from the standpoint of prosecutorial ineptitude and incompetence. But with Melson’s testimony, it is also appears that the Justice Department and specifically Deputy Attorney General James Cole have been obstructing Congress and engaging in a cover-up to prevent Congress and the public from finding out just how much the leadership of the Justice Department was involved in this expanding scandal.

◼ Letter to Eric Holder - grassley.senate.gov/judiciary

The evidence we have gathered raises the disturbing possibility that the Justice Department not only allowed criminals to smuggle weapons but that taxpayer dollars from other agencies may have financed those engaging in such activities.

◼ Fast and Furious update: Ken Melson’s secret testimony. - Redstate
◼ Agenda Behind Fast & Furious Gunrunner Program (image source: noisyroom.net)

Local News

◼ Council adopts budget; EPD members: we support council, city manager
◼ Two Rivers Tribune controversy sparks First Amendment debate; Editor: Did the council want a newsletter or did it want a newspaper?
◼ End of Fortuna redevelopment agency? Under new state laws, council could dissolve agency in November or wait until it runs out of funds
◼ State budget includes additional funding for Del Norte DA; Chesbro secures up to $700K to help county prosecute homicide cases
◼ Left Out: While California sees violent crime rates drop, Eureka hasn't followed suit

Change Direction

◼ gop.com

Got Twitter? #AskObama

The ◼ @townhall is today! ◼ #AskObama your Question throughout the webcast (don't forget the hashtag) it starts @ 2pm ET ◼ http://t.co/CjGTUa6

◼ The Twitterer in Chief, who just started tweeting himself a few weeks ago, will host the first presidential Twitter town hall at the White House this afternoon. - Jake Tapper/ABC

◼ TWEET BHO A QUESTION - Powerline

President Obama is conducting a Twitter town hall today. He will answer questions that are tweeted by the public at #AskObama. You can follow the event live at ◼ Townhall beginning at 2:00 this afternoon (Eastern).

You can be sure that most questions tweeted to the President will be softballs, but Heritage wanted to make sure that some more meaningful questions are in the mix. So it suggested these questions to be tweeted by conservatives - at the link

◼ Saturday Night Live should satirize this - Redstate

Marco Rubio: Ready for Political Primetime

◼ At first he didn't want to do any national media, preferring to focus on Florida issues. He didn't make his maiden speech on the Senate floor until June 14, five months after being sworn-in. - Cal Thomas at Townhall

“the president’s right-hand woman”

◼ Letting Obama Be Obama - Paul Kengor for The American Spectator

Jarrett is trying to let Obama be Obama, protecting the president from the pragmatists and moderates, from the Blue Dog Democrats and voices of sanity in foreign policy who would tug Obama from his true beliefs.

◼ Valerie Jarrett’s Father-in-Law Worked With Obama Mentor Frank Marshall Davis - Trevor Loudon
◼ Discover The Networks: Valerie Jarrett



◼ Muckety: Interactive Connections Map

CA-36: Democrat Janice Hahn Spent a Million Scaring People, Now She’s Broke! UPDATED

◼ Janice Hahn perfectly exemplifies her party’s commitment to deficit spending. And what has she been spending all that money for? Scaring people about that dangerous “radical right-wing extremist” Republican, Craig Huey. - theothermccain.com
◼ Democrat Hahn's debt leaves her with $44 - LA Examiner.com

[July 1] the Federal Election Commission issued the last Campaign Finance Reports before the election.

Democrat Janice Hahn has $323,348 “Cash on Hand.” Subtracting the $323,304 Ms. Hahn owes in debts leaves her with $44 once her debts are paid.

Her opponent, Torrance businessman and Tea Party Republican [Craig Huey] has largely financed his own campaign. . . .

Ms. Hahn has received over a million dollars in campaign contributions, almost entirely from unions and individual contributors who receive taxpayer dollars....

Ms. Hahn is the Government candidate. Her entire adult political life has been spent in the pursuit of taking money from taxpayers and giving it to government union members and various left-wing organizations such as her infamous inner city programs which hired known gang members - Many of whom were lated indicted and/or convicted for subsequent criminal acts.

UPDATE:
◼ Obama throwing his OFA (Organizing For America) minions behind Janice Hahn - Protein Wisdom
and this:

Gang Intervention Money Controversy Not Over Yet: MyFoxLA.com

California Congressman Mike Thompson in The New York Times

Representative Mike Thompson grows 20 acres of sauvignon
blanc grapes at his farm north of Napa.  Jim Wilson/The New York Times 

◼ Congress’s Man of the Vines, Including His Own - New York Times
◼ Mike Thompson in the Times: Grape Conflict - Davis Patch
The Congressman's dual role as industry backer and grape producer has drawn criticism, according to the Times

BACHMANN WINS HUMBOLDT REPUBLICAN STRAW POLL

Hundreds of visitors to the Eureka Main Street Fourth of July Festival on Monday stopped at the Republican booth to vote in a straw poll whose ballot listed 10 declared candidates for the 2012 Republican persidential nomination. Minnesota Rep. Michelle Bachman with 33 percent of the votes. Closely bunched for second, third and fourth place were former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Atlanta businessman Herman Cain and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, respecitvely.

The results:
Bachman.....33%
Romney.......15
Cain .........14
Paul ........ 13

Three others received a little under 4 percent each: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman . Others receiving smaller votes were gay activist Fred Karger , former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum. There were scattered write-ins for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter and Alan Keyes.

Eighty-three percent of those voting were Republicans and 17 percent were non-Republicans.

The next Republican presidential straw poll will be held at the party’s booth at ◼ Wildwood Days in Rio Dell, August 6-7.

GOP Candidates on the 4th

◼ GOP Rivals Meet Up on the Trail - Wall St. Journal

Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman came face-to-face Monday at an Independence Day parade here, but there were no fireworks...

It was among several Independence Day appearances by Republican presidential candidates. Herman Cain was scheduled to be at a minor league baseball game in Manchester, N.H., while Newt Gingrich and Rep. Michele Bachmann were to participate in a July 4 parade in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Happy Fourth!

◼ Image Source - CLICK HERE to enjoy the show!

HUMBOLDT COUNTY REPUBLICANS WILL VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL STRAW POLL AT THE OLD TOWN 4TH OF JULY FESTIVAL

With 10 men and women having declared they are candidates for the Republican nomination for president in 2012, the Humboldt County Republican Party will conduct a straw poll at its booth at the Eureka Main Street July 4 Festival in Old Town.

Throughout the one-day fair, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Republican voters may cast their ballots for Michelle Bachman, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Fred Karger, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum. “There is even a space for write-ins, in case fans of Rick Perry or Sarah Palin want to vote,” said Peter Hannaford, county chairman.

The booth will be Number 30, near the northeast corner 2nd and C Streets.

America, The Exceptional

◼ For the last 235 years, on the Fourth of July, Americans have celebrated the birth of the United States, and the founding ideas that have made it the most powerful, wealthiest and freest nation in the history of civilization. - Victor Davis Hanson/New York Post
...There is no rational reason why a small republican experiment in 1776 grew to dominate global culture and society -- except that America is the only nation, past or present, that put trust in the individual rather than in the state and its elite bureaucracy. Such confidence in the average free citizen made America absolutely exceptional -- something we should remember more than ever on this July 4. Read the rest

Perry Takes on Holder and the Gaza Flotilla

◼ In his letter to Holder, the governor specifies the U. S. laws which he thinks are being violated by the American individual and corporate participants in the flotilla: - Roger L. Simon at Pajamas

The acts of funding, supporting, organizing and engaging in these efforts appears to constitute participation in a naval expedition against a people with whom the United States is at peace, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 960; the furnishing of a vessel with the intent that it be employed to commit hostilities against a people with whom the United States is at peace, in violation 18 U. S. C. 962; and the provision of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2339. See, e.g., Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, 130 S. Ct. 2705 (2010).

◼ Last whimper from the Gaza flotilla? - HotAir Greenroom

(Texas Governor Rick Perry wrote on Thursday to urge the Obama administration to intercept and/or prosecute the American flotilla participants, citing Title 18 Section 962 of the US Code.)

“I want you to know, as president of the United States, I look forward to creating real jobs for both the Treasury secretary and the president of the United States,” Bachmann said.

◼ Bachmann: I'll help Obama find a job after I win - CNN

Exit polls showed Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai (For Thais) party winning a clear majority of parliament's 500 seats, paving the way for the 44-year-old business executive to become Thailand's first woman prime minister.

◼ Thaksin party wins Thai election by a landslide - Yahoo
◼ Party of ousted PM's sister wins Thai elections - Breitbart

Breitbart on media bias

Take The Hot Air Candidate Survey: Fourth of July Weekend Edition

◼ Please vote only once. Your ballot should take less than a minute to complete. We'll (they'll) announce the results after voting has concluded. - at the link

Bam's tired tax trope... America should just say no.

◼ There he goes again. Yesterday, President Obama trotted out that same old class-warfare rhetoric that Democrats always use to flog tax hikes.

And, as usual, his argument was just one big exercise in deception. - New York Post

...what can be worse for America's shaky economy than new taxes?

That's especially true for small businesses, whose revenues are generally taxed as personal income -- and which generate much of America's job growth.

As Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell noted, Obama himself has said "that keeping taxes where they are enables businesses to hire more workers. In other words, that raising taxes leads to fewer jobs." The prez, he said, "can call for tax hikes. But he can't call for tax hikes and job-creation. It's one or the other."

Obama should also come clean about just whose taxes he'd hike; after all, it's not just "millionaires and billionaires and corporate-jet owners" in the crosshairs.

Scrapping the corporate-jet break, for instance, is estimated to bring in just $3 billion over 10 years. But Democrats are calling for $400 billion in new tax revenue.

Americans (particularly in New York) should know by now that when pols talk of taxing "millionaires," they usually mean folks earning as little as $250,000 (what a married veteran teacher and cop often nearly make).

Fact is, Obama's hikes would be economically ruinous. But equally troubling is his use of divisive class-warfare rhetoric to mask his true intentions.

America should just say no.

Actually, hell no!

Obama's approach to debt talks: refuse to meet with GOP, skip town for fundraisers

◼ link - Philip Klein/Washington Examiner

Rand Paul: I’m here today Mr. President. Where are you?

“If this were a Republican president, you know exactly what the story would be every night, every day. It would be the high level of unemployment. They would be doing stories of all those people that lost their jobs. Now the stories are actually saying, ‘Hey, it’s not that bad being unemployed.’ It’s amazing.”

◼ GOP senator blasts Obama: ‘I don’t know why he even wants to be president’ - Daily Caller
“[I] watch President Obama,” Johnson said. “You know, what 76 rounds of golf? He’s held 10 times the fundraisers at this point in his presidency as President Bush did. The guy really is just phoning it in and it’s unbelievable.”

Two days after scolding Congress, Obama heads to presidential retreat for holiday weekend...

◼ I NEED A BREAK! - AP
Two days after scolding Congress, Obama heads to presidential retreat for holiday weekend.
◼ Senate GOP mocks president with video of Obama on golf course - The Hill

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP's campaign arm, released a Web video that spliced images of Obama playing ping pong, drinking beer in Ireland and hitting the golf course over audio of him lashing out at congressional Republicans Wednesday for not working hard enough to hammer out a debt-reduction deal.

"Actions speak louder than words," the ad says.

Harvard Study: July 4th Parades Are Right-Wing

◼ Democratic political candidates can skip this weekend's July 4th parades. A new Harvard University study finds that July 4th parades energize only Republicans, turn kids into Republicans, and help to boost the GOP turnout of adults on Election Day. - US News

Their findings also suggest that Democrats gain nothing from July 4th parades, likely a shocking result for all the Democratic politicians who march in them.

"There is no evidence of an increased likelihood of identifying as a Democrat, indicating that Fourth of July shifts preferences to the right rather than increasing political polarization," the two wrote.

The three key findings of those attending July 4th celebrations:

When done before the age of 18, it increases the likelihood of a youth identifying as a Republican by at least 2 percent.

It raises the likelihood that parade watchers will vote for a Republican candidate by 4 percent.
It boosts the likelihood a reveler will vote by about 1 percent and increases the chances they'll make a political contribution by 3 percent.

What's more, the impact isn't fleeting. "Surprisingly, the estimates show that the impact on political preferences is permanent, with no evidence of the effects depreciating as individuals become older,"said the Harvard report.

Finally, the report suggests that if people are looking for a super-patriotic July 4th, though should head to Republican towns. "Republican adults celebrate Fourth of July more intensively in the first place."

Under the new Wisconsin budget repair, one school district goes from a $400,000 deficit to a $1.5 million surplus.

◼ Let's stop and think of all the protesters who carried signs asserting that their opposition to Scott Walker was for the children. - Althouse
◼ District swings from deficit to surplus with newly enacted employee contributions - The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Cost savings from worker contributions to health care and retirement, taking effect today as part of the new collective bargaining laws, will swing the Kaukauna School District from a $400,000 budget deficit to an estimated $1.5 million surplus.... The district... plans to hire teachers and reduce class size.