[How I, a registered democrat, am voting for the environment in the June 6, 2006 primaries in California. I'm stuck voting at my old address at zip 90035. Here's my current voting list.]

My vote for CA Insurance Commissioner: No vote

What does the CA Insurance Commissioner do?: The Insurance Commissioner polices the $120 billion insurance industry, working between consumer groups and business interests.

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Dems have horrid choices here. Most likely to win: Cruz Bustamante, the termed-out lieutenant governor who says he’ll lose 50 pounds for yr vote.

Relation between weight loss and the Insurance Commissioner position? None really, except maybe Bustamante’s hoping the weight loss recipes on his website will make voters overlook the $158,000 in campaign donations he took from the insurance industry. Yes, the very industry Insurance Commissioners are expected to regulate.

[Update, 6/4/06: Now, Bustamante says he'll send back the $158,000!]

The LA Weekly gave no endorsement, saying “Bustamante’s “undistinguished record as lieutenant governor and his willingness to take money from the folks he’d regulate don’t convince us he’s up to the job.” I have to agree.

The other Dem candidate is John Kraft of South Pasadena, who has a crappy, hard-to-load site and seemingly no political experience, though he promises not to take political donations. According to the Contra Costa Times, “He promises on his Web site to carry out the wishes of voters, but provides few details of what that might be.” Frankly, I’m not sure the guy knows what the hell he’s doing.

Neither candidate’s got any of the major enviro org endorsements. Suffice to say that I’m hoping the other parties will give us some better candidates for the general elections.

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