President Obama signed into law a program the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is calling the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS). This is a federal program that helps you purchase a new, more fuel efficient vehicle when you trade in a less fuel efficient vehicle. See the Frequently Asked Questions for more details.

While the CARS Act makes transactions on and after July 1 potentially eligible for credits under the CARS program, interested dealers and consumers may want to wait until all of the detailed issues that must be addressed in the implementing regulations are resolved and the final rule is issued. Issuance will occur around July 24. See Program Rollout

What is NHTSA doing to guard against fraud? Click here for more information. Allegations of fraud may be reported by calling our toll-free 24-hour hotline at 1-800-424-9071. [Cars]

CARSON CITY, Nev.—Cindy Trigg, an early announced contender against Republican Rep. Dean Heller for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional seat, ended her campaign Tuesday three months after it began.

Trigg, 54, of Zephyr Cove, alerted supporters to her decision in an e-mail.

“As of today, I am ending my campaign for Congress,” Trigg wrote. “This decision came after a sudden series of unforeseen professional obligations that required and will continue to require more of my attention than a campaign for Congress will allow.”

Trigg, president of the Douglas County school board, told The Associated Press she realized she could not embark on both endeavors and do them well.

“It just became very obvious that I needed to spend more time raising money than my school board issues allow, and I had to make a decision,” she said by phone.

“I underestimated the time that it was going to take.”

Federal Election Commission records show Trigg raised $8,700 and had $3,300 on hand as of June 30.

Douglas County Democratic Party spokesman Paul Belt said Trigg’s withdrawal came as a surprise.

“A lot of people are disappointed,” he said.

He said he hadn’t spoken with Trigg but was contacted by her campaign to distribute her statement.

Heller won his second term to the largely Republican district in November, beating two-time Democratic challenger Jill Derby.

Campaign finance reports show he raised $166,442 last quarter, bringing his cycle total to $264,790. Heller reported having $255,000 cash on hand. He’s the first choice of national Republicans to take on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the 2010 elections.

Heller’s spokesman did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment. [Times Standard]

Senator John Ensign sent this tweet about 2 hours ago. “The Family isn’t as creepy as the media says. It’ll make sense when Jesus returns on a white horse and the maw of Hell claims your souls.” [Ensign Tweet]

The Las Vegas Sun’s Sunday edition of July 19, 2009 carried a front page story about Republican Senator John Ensign and his connection with a “secretive fundamentalist Christian group known as The Family with whom he lives when in Washington, D.C.” [Read more at The Christian Mafia by Wayne Madsen]

Doug Hampton, in his interview with Ron Ralston said he asked members of The Family for help to stop Ensign’s affair with his wife, Cindy Hampton, at the groups’ house at 133 C Street S.E., Washington, D.C.

The fundamentalist group was the subject of a book written by Jeff Sharlet. (Photo of Jeff Sharlet below right from Wikipedia) You can find the book on Amazon. [Read more →]