THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:

Antiwar protesters delivered some Christmas cheer to U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher last week, serenading the congressman’s Huntington Beach home with reworked holiday favorites such as the “Exit Plan Rock,” sung to the tune of “Jingle Bell Rock.”

“Hey Rohrabacher, are you listening? In Iraq, blood is glistening. A horrible sight, we’re frightened tonight, walking in Iraq war-torn land,” the protesters sang on the congressman’s front lawn last week.

Rohrabacher voted in favor of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and has been a supporter of the war in the past.

“We all have loved ones in Iraq, and we need Dana to remember this holiday season that we want them home now,” said Pat Alviso, a member of the antiwar group Military Families Speak Out, which helped coordinate the event.

Alviso’s son, a 31-year-old Marine gunnery sergeant, is spending Christmas in Afghanistan this year after two tours in Iraq.

The congressman did not come to the door during the roughly hourlong concert, but the carolers believe Rohrabacher was at home for the show.

“We saw shadows going back and forth across the windows — and somebody said they saw the profile of a man in a jacket that might have been him,” Alviso said.

Attempts to solicit comment from Rohrabacher’s office were unsuccessful Wednesday.

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TRAN ASSAILS NEW TAXES

Assemblyman Van Tran railed against legislative Democrats this week for trying to pass a budget plan he called “fiscally irresponsible” in a written statement.

The failed budget plan would have included billions in tax hikes, including a new 39-cent highway user fee, increases in car taxes and an oil production tax, according to Tran.

“I am disappointed that Democrats would put more effort into trying to raise your taxes than working with us on realistic solutions that focus on savings, reform and jobs. With California’s unemployment rate jumping to 8.4%, the third highest in the nation, Californians can’t afford higher taxes and are demanding a budget that cut wasteful spending and most importantly — create jobs,” Tran said. “Raising taxes in an economic downturn is like a shop keeper raising his prices because business is slow. Increasing the tax burden on working families in this slowing economy is only going to make these difficult budget cuts deeper and more painful.”

State Controller John Chiang revealed earlier this week that California will run out of money by February if the mounting budget crisis isn’t solved soon.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger met with Democratic leaders Tuesday to discuss a plan that would address the state budget deficit with about $9.3 billion in tax and fee increases, $1.5 billion in labor concessions and an additional $7.3 billion in government cuts. State Republicans oppose the tax increases.

“Hard-working families pay more than enough in taxes, and it’s time that the Legislature stop playing word games by violating the Constitution and trying to pass higher taxes,” Tran said.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected].