CAR BUYERS REVOLT

Used Car Buyers Seek Repeal of CA Law
Consumer groups are now calling for a major repair or outright repeal of the Car Buyers Bill of Rights, which went into effect in July 2006. “It’s like the law doesn’t even exist,” consumer advocate Rosemary Shahans told me today, citing real problems with the law’s return option for lemons. Shahans is the president of CARS – Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety.

Landmark Law?

The new law was supposed to give consumers peace of mind when buying a used car. They can purchase a “return option” giving them the right to bring back the car two days (and sometimes more) after the purchase – no questions asked. “It’s supposed to be like a no-fault divorce for your car,” Shahans says, but in reality she argues no one is really getting that protection. Why?

Shahan says many used car dealers are not telling the consumers about the “return option”, while others are charging more than the law allows. Under the law, the price is capped, based on a percentage of the price of the car (see web link below) but Shahan claims some dealers are quoting too high a price – and so consumers are rejecting the coverage that could protect them.

http://www.carconsumers.com/

Capitol News Conference:

Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety will be holding a news conference at the Capitol later this week, calling for a major overhaul of the Car Buyers Bill of Rights. We’re told several other consumer groups, including Consumers Union, Consumer Action and CALPIRG will also be there…We’ll keep you posted.

AND THEY’RE OFF…

LEADER OF THE PACK:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has three more years in office, but already the suitors are lining up to take his place. Attorney General Jerry Brown of Oakland is the leader of the pack, according to Steve Maviglio, a Democratic consultant who publishes a blog called California Majority Report(http://www.camajorityreport.com/). Maviglio works for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles. Why Jerry Brown? Maviglio notes the Attorney General has been busy getting headlines filing lawsuits against the EPA, allowing him to position himself as an environmental warrior. Brown also recently sued a number of toy companies over allegations of lead exposure.

NEWSOM #2:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is the second leading Democrat, according to Maviglio. Newsom won big in his re-election bid earlier this month and he handled the exposure of his extramarrital affair much better than big city rival Antonio Villaraigosa, the Mayor of Los Angeles. Maviglio says “Villaraigosa is stuck in the tarpits in Los Angeles.”, noting that his personal issues – a messy affair with former Telemundo anchor Mirthala Salinas,

undermined his base and caused him to lose focus in L.A. Villaraigosa, the former golden boy of the Dems, has now dropped to #4 in Maviglio’s rankings.

THE BEST OF THE REST:

Rounding out the list, Maviglio ranks Lt. Gov. John Garamendi of Walnut Grove as #3.
Ex-Controller and Bay Area pol Steve Westly is #5. As for the rest:
#6 Bill Lockyer, Treasurer
#7 Jack O’Connell, Schools Chief
#8 Fabian Nunez, Assembly Speaker
#9 Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator
#10 Phil Angelides, Former Treasurer

As for the Republicans, most Capitol insiders consider Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner of Los Gatos to be the heir apparent to Arnold Schwarzenegger, given his ability to self-fund and his high profile involvement in the campaign to defeat Prop 93, the term-limits initiative.

But don’t count out State Senator Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks.

THE BEAR WHISPERER

He Speaks to the Bears:

I just returned from a trip to Mammoth Lakes, California – home to about three dozen wild black bears – and a man who talks to them. His name is Steve Searles. He’s a pony-tailed high school dropout, who sports a beard, blue jeans and a blue denim work shirt. Folks in Mammoth Lakes, a town of about 6,000 souls on the Eastern slope of the Sierra in remote Mono County, call him the Bear Whisperer, because of his uncanny ability to talk to the bears.

“Yeah it’s silly,” Searles told me. “I rarely whisper,” he added. Instead, he uses flash-bang devices, pepper spray and even rubber bullets to teach the bears how to behave, which means redirecting their behavior so they don’t break into people’s homes or sleep under their cabins, as they are prone to do.

We spent two days hanging out with Steve Searles to see him in action…and practice his own form of what he calls, “non-lethal adversive conditioning.”

Does It Work?

Steve Searles has been working with bears for a dozen years. He says, “I’ve shot a lot of bears that have been hit by cars or tourists. But I’ve never had to put a single bear down for public safety or property damage. Not one.”

The people of Mammoth Lakes are strong supporters. One told me, “We really needed somebody like Steve to come in when he did. He’s learned to control the bears and teach us.”

The Mammoth Lakes Police Dept. liked him so much they hired him as a first responder whenever bears approached. But recently they fired him in a dispute with the chief of police.

It’s a fascinating story and one I’m working on now. It’ll be ready for air next week and I’ll keep you posted so you can see the “Bear Whisperer” for yourself.

FERRET FRENZY

Move to Legalize Ferrets

California is trendsetting when it comes to global warming laws and gay rights…but next to last when it comes to ferrets. California is one of only two states (the other being Hawaii) where owning a ferret is illegal…but I met some ferret lovers who are trying to change all that.

The ferrets are furry and tame and make great domestic pets – according to the activists who want to remain anonymous. They did get a bill to the Governor’s desk a few years back, but it was vetoed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, even though he stars with a ferret in Kindergarten Cop.

Now the ferret enthusiasts are gearing up for another possible run at legalizing their pets. We’ll have more for you on TV in the days ahead…but in the meantime, take a look below at some of the critters..