SACRAMENTO _ The Green Party of California hailed the inauguration of the nation's first African-American President - President Barack Obama - and suggested that much of what Pres. Obama said in his inaugural speech should put his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature here on notice.

"When the President called for an `end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas that... strangle(d) our politics,' he seemed to be speaking directly to California Democratic leaders who have failed the people repeatedly by not following through on their promises," said Alex Walker, a Green and civil rights activist in Southern California.

Greens, Walker added, hope the state Democratic Party - which controls both the Senate and Assembly - will heed Obama's call for laying "a new foundation for growth...harness the sun and winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories."

"This should remind the Democratic Party not to pander to oil companies, and begin moving legislation, which they have failed to do until now, that truly exploits alternative energy and quits subsidizing `old' energy," he said.