Inland Empire Progressive

I have to hand it to the Republicans in this election year here in the Inland Empire. They have launched a concerted effort to stave off their irrelevance, not by switching their stance on issues but by trying to paint themselves as the aribiters of good governance with a homely appearance. Republicans have tried to make some cities more competitive, targeting specifically San Bernardino and Highland but have generated mixed results. In San Bernardino, the advantage is with the Democrats and remains a bastion of working class populism due to its impoverishment and general malaise due to bankruptcy. While Pete Aguilar has struggled here, Paul Chabot's extremism is a turnoff to those rely on government benefits directly to make ends meet. Chabot's talk of cutting taxes and not saying how you will pay for them means giveaways to so called job creators will be paid for on the backs of the poor. No matter how much Chabot harps on his belief that conservative Democrats are the major...

 Seven years after Congress banned payday-loan companies from charging exorbitant interest rates to service members, many of the nation’s military bases are surrounded by storefront lenders who charge high annual percentage rates, sometimes exceeding 400 percent. The Military Lending Act sought to protect service members and their families from predatory loans. But in practice, the law has defined the types of covered loans so narrowly that it’s been all too easy for lenders to circumvent it. Full Story here and more here.

  Lawmakers Push Payday Lender Bill House lawmakers are pushing new legislation that would allow nonbank lenders, including payday lenders, to choose to operate under a federal charter instead of following different state laws. Backers of the measure say it would help consumers who are unable to obtain affordable credit from traditional sources. Introduced by Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.) and Joe Baca (D-Calif.), the bill would allow the payday loan industry to circumvent rules enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Instead, nonbank lenders that received a federal charter would be under the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. However, the proposal would prohibit loan periods of less than one month; and firms could not make loans that they do not believe consumers can pay back. But consumer advocates say the law would not ban predatory lenders from charging excessive fees and other unscrupulous practices. The legislation would actually block regu...

Full Story Excerpts: Joe Baca weakens regulation of Payday Lending Industry   Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), chairman of the subcommittee with authority over consumer credit issues, had once advocated extending to all Americans an effective ban on payday lending for military personnel that Congress passed in 2006. By last year he had scaled back, urging an amendment that would have limited to six the number of loans a borrower could receive in a year. Gutierrez’ less-restrictive amendment died when Democrats including Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), threatened to vote against the entire consumer protection act if the payday provision was included. It also faced opposition from Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.), who countered Gutierrez with an amendment the industry regarded as favorable because it had the potential to open payday lending to new markets. Baca said in a statement last year that while "fly by night lenders" should be banned, he wanted to “ensure that ...

The revolving door. It is a feature of American politics, whenever a Congressmemeber or a person from any administration retires, resigns, or quits they immediately go join a firm where they use their contacts to influence the very folks they used to be apart of or worked for. Why? Because these contacts are worth money, sometimes big money and here is case in point. After being summarily fired by the folks in the 35th Congressional District, Joe Baca co-founded a lobbying firm called the Financial Services Innovation Coalition . This coalition specializes in keeping regulation lax for predatory payday loans to low income families and veterans.  According to the California Department of Business Oversight, San Bernardino  has 51 active payday lending institutions the most in San Bernardino County. And if you think that payday lending is banned for veterans and military service-members, think again!  Oceanside has 29 active payday lending i...

By Todd S. Purdu   It’s the predominant paradox of contemporary American politics: If Republicans prevail in this year’s midterm congressional elections, it will be because of their party’s sharp-edged stances on topics like abortion and Benghazi, Obamacare and immigration, gay marriage and the minimum wage — issues that energize the GOP’s core base of support. But if Republicans lose the race for the White House in 2016, it will be because of their party’s polarizing, out-of-step stances on those very same issues, which alienate much of the broader electorate the GOP needs to win a national contest in a country whose demographics and political realities are shifting under its feet. Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/how-republicans-lose-by-winning-106961.html#ixzz32nYjPyds

Cal Voter for Honest Government Violation Baca is once again trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Inland Empire voters. Instead of voters having to find out after the fact that Baca took illegal donations, now he can hide behind the secrecy that surrounds SuperPACs to back his play. Baca accepted over $15,000 in 1999 so that he can win a special election seat...who knows how much Cal Voters for (dis)Honest Government spent to promote Baca as a Reagen Democrat. We probably won't find out until after the fact and quietly to boot! Do you want a congressman who is unaccountable to the voters and who only pays attention to monied interests?  I think not! As the reports below show, Baca is willing to play fast and loose with the rules in order to get what he wants, which is another seat in Congress. Don't be fooled voters! Baca's Campaign Snafus Revealed Too Late in by ieprogressive

Birthday Celebration for Joe Baca The Washington Elite are thick as thieves these days with Leslie Gooch and former Congressman Joe Baca in it to win it...or should I say in it to swindle it.  I ran across this flyer the other day and I was surprised to see that Leslie Gooch put on a B-day bash for Joe Baca. I don't know why I was surprised because Washingtonians run in the same circles... Trading favors and apparently $5000 a plate birthday cakes while the folks in the Inland Empire are barely scraping by. However, once in the Inland Empire they act like they don't know each other and are the sincerest of enemies.  These Washington Elites are only out for one thing, lining their pockets and that's with a cherry on top!

Now that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has purchased the election for Rep. Gary Miller, what is next for the housing market here in the Inland Empire? My feeling is that we should contact NAR since Rep. Gary Miller will vote the way they tell them him to. The city of San Bernardino is being sold wholesale to investors, increasing blight and absentee slumlords from Orange and Los Angeles counties. Over half of the houses in San Bernardino are now renter occupied. How is this a recipe for local control? Rep. Gary Miller could care less, as long as the campaign contribution keep rolling in form the National Association of Realtors.

As Ezra Klien points out, the Ryan Budget (which Rep. Gary Miller voted for) is a radical document that balances the budget in 10 years on the backs of middle and working class folks. Mr. Miller's states that he doesn't want to raise taxes on middle income and low income folks. No, he wants to cut the programs that they are currently relying on to help make ends meet, while asking the higher income folks for little sacrifice. Mr. Miller's also states that other budgets raise taxes on middle and low income folks. This is a lie. The Progressive Caucus Budget, the most liberal of all the budgets creates 5 tax brackets on high income folks, while holding middle and low income folks harmless. Mr. Miller is so elite and out of touch that he thinks folks in the North End of Rancho Cucamonga are low income. Hey, Mr. Miller try living in San Bernardino on minimum wage and see what real  poverty feels like. 

The Perspective of Rich and Poor Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as the flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. James 1: 9-11 You would think that being a ranking member of the Financial Services Committee, that he would use his subpoena power to have Wall Street hauled before the man to demand justice for the financial devistation. Or at the very least, light a fire under Attorney General Eric Holder's ass to be more aggressive in going after Wall Street crimes. But sadly, no. He defends Wall Street tooth and nail, while Main Street withers.

The problem with the 31st Congressional District is that there is no natural leadership. There is no candidate that really excites on the Democratic side. I mean look at Riverside's Rep. Mark Takano, a Proud Progressive. Now that's a person who inspires volunteers to fight the good fight. Why is San Bernarino County so late to the party all of the time? It would be nice to be first for once. Anyway, I guess we'll just have to settle. It's too bad Justin Kim is sitting this one out . It's no secret that Rep. Gary Miller's seat is a prime pickup opportunity for the Dems. The curious thing is that even though Mr. Miller knows he is a target, he hasn't shifted any of his policy positions to the left. He makes nice sounds, but no real movement.  I think a certain fatalism has taken hold of him, like the captain of the Titanic. He would rather go down with the sinking ship than vote with the Dems on anything. At least the Blue Curs (Dogs) side with Reps now a...

Imagine what it take to leave you country to move to a foriegn land because the opportunities there are so much greater than your home. On a local level, I think about it all the time. San Bernardino is not the safest city, public meeting places (third spaces) are few and far between, there are not that many job prospects for a person of any skill set. Yet, I choose to stay here because I want to fight make this city a better place. It would be hard for me to leave Now imagine again what it takes for someone from Jalisco, Juarez, or even Mexico City to pick up, travel to the border, pay a coyote (someone who smuggles a person across the border), and risk being abandoned or killed in the process. It is a great sacrifice. The person might be the sole bread winner in the household. And when they get here the propects aren't that great, but they are greatful because they can send money back home to feed their extended families. In addition, they do jobs that most Americans will ...

Rep. Gary Miller likes to go on and on about the full repeal of the Frank-Dodd act, but offers no substitute legislation to regulate Wall Street and hold them accountable. Like many of his Conservative allies, he probably believes it was all the regulator's fault by not being competent enough to understand what was going on. But what Conservatives fail to point out is the revolving door between regulators and Wall Street and that financial institution shop for the most lenient regulator. I think the reality is that Mr. Miller does not want to bite the hand that feeds him. Wall Street and the financial industry are big contributors to his campaign coffers and any sense of holding them accountable for misdeeds is thrown out the window. The most glaring fact is that to date, not one financial executive has been arrested our charged with fraud and sent to jail. You would think that someone would be held responsible for the Global Collaspe of the enconomy. It would seem as if legisl...

Just in case Congressman Gary Miller has not seen this viral video on income inequality in America, I wanted to bring it to his attention. The United States of America is on its way to becoming a Plutocray in which the elite and wealthy in country increasingly have massive influence over our election process. This erodes accountability in our system by placing the Plutocrats interest above those of an elected officials constituents and by shielding the Plutocrats from disclosure. In addition, income inequalty creating two tiers of justice in America. One for the elite and the other for the rest of us. Conservatives are sowing the seeds of civil unrest and eroding the sense of fairness in this country when no financial officials has been prosecuted for fraudlent actions. If an ordinary American were to defraud the American public, they would be subject to trial and imprisonment. However, if an financial institution or any of its employees committed fraudlent actions they would ju...

I pay attention to local government issues alot. If video was available for city commission meetings or neighborhood associations (which we should), I would probably watch them. As it happens, I was watching the March 5th school board meeting and stumbled upon this tidbit. The impact of Congressional Conservatives sequestration on the San Bernardino Unified School District (SBUSD) is estimated to impact low income students heavily.  To the tune of $4 Million Dollar cuts will happen to  Title I (Low achieveing students in high poverty areas), Title II (Teacher Quality), Special Ed., and Tech Ed. The shortfall will attempted to be covered by Unrestricted General Funds to support this project.  However, SBUSD is trying to balance its budget and had to issue layoff notices to 166 teachers so using Unrestricted General Funds might be limited.  This shows you the priorities of Congressman Gary Miller who has proven himself to be the defender of the elit...

Grand Terrace is the smallest community in the 31st Congressional District. I canvassed the apartment complex there once during the former 63rd State Assembly race and know one of the recently council members. As with most other areas, their was a steep Conservative spike in voter registration followed by steep declines until the online wave pick it registration again.     

Loma Linda is small city defined by the VA Hospital, Loma Linda University, its healthy eating habits, and a large proportion of 7th Day Adventist Community. I don't know much about its partisan politics except that it usually votes Republican.  However, a Democratic candidate for Congress, Justin Kim, came from the city so maybe the winds of change are beginning to pick up.

The city of  Rancho Cucamonga is seeking to continue making itself a player at the local, state, and national levels. It is the 3rd largest Democratic city following San Bernardino and Fontana respectively. Many political leaders from the Republican side of the isle, from soon to be GOPer party chairman  Jim Brulte to former Senate Leader Bob Dutton have come from this city.  I would also imagine that Rancho Cucagmonga would be the place where San Bernardino County GOP Chairman Asm. Curt Hagman would begin the so-called comeback for the Republicans in San Bernardino County.  The Democrats have an establish political club, the Inland Valley Democrats whose President Erick Jimenez is working to make Dems a political force there.  By looking at the registration, it seems possible that he can. 

Redlands, I think, is the most activist city in the whole county. I think this not just because of their high median income, but also because many highly educated people live there. However, this city can sometimes come off as elitist and snobbish, which is a downside to the overall friendly atmosphere. The North-Side is heavily working class and make up the majority of Democratic votes. I'm real surprised the Conservative wave of '10 didn't make as much of a dent as I thought it would.