As media stories increase regarding the State of California potentially issuing IOUs in coming months, many astute reporters seem to have completely missed a significant point.

News references have consistently lumped possible IOUs for State employees, vendors, taxpayers, and social services such as student aid, mental health and other welfare programs into the same basket. An IOU is an IOU, apparently.

However, an important distinction exists that simply should not be ignored in this “horn of un-plenty” situation. An IOU for a State program is quite different thanone for a tax refund.

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As media stories increase regarding the State of California potentially issuing IOUs in coming months, many astute reporters seem to have completely missed a significant point.

News references have consistently lumped possible IOUs for State employees, vendors, taxpayers, and social services such as student aid, mental health and other welfare programs into the same basket. An IOU is an IOU, apparently.

However, an important distinction exists that simply should not be ignored in this “horn of un-plenty” situation. An IOU for a State program is quite different than one for a tax refund.

Put aside for a moment the debate over whether many of the services being provided by the State should be provided by government at all, as well as the inefficiency with which California administers its programs. (Remember those “boxes,” Governor?) Just for now, place on the nearest shelf the question of whether our taxes are currently too high.

In the case of IOUs going out instead of checks, in nearly every instance it means… Read More

Officially, America still has a few days before Barack Obama is sworn in as president. But here in California, Obama is already president—of Legoland. The Carlsbad amusement park erected a Lego tribute to President Obama with a rather impressivedepiction of his swearing-in ceremony at the United States Capitol.

Hopefully Legoland didn’t have to declare a state of emergency to pay for this inauguration…… Read More

As the Obama Love Train makes its way from city stop to city stop to the inaugural in Washington, D.C., the idea of a budding "cult of personality" is becoming starkly real.

The Wikipedia definition of cult of personality or personality cult "arises when a country’s leader uses mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are often found in dictatorships. Acult of personality is similar to general hero worship, except that it is created specifically for political leaders. "

The major examples of "personality cult" leaders all come from one-party states where the leader controls all the media. Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and the "Great Leaders Kim" of North Korea.

Everytime that Love Train stops, and Joe Biden finishes his saccharine introduction, the high fldelity speakers start blaring some of the most pompous and bombastic music I’ve ever heard associated with a politician in America.Maybe Communist Romania, but not America.

And though the Goverment and Obama don’t… Read More

Yesterday’s Flash Report highlighted an excellent Golden Pen selection from George Will regarding the judiciary’s meddling in Proposition 8. Among his many keen observations, Will made the following comment about states’ use of the initiative process:

“Passing laws by referenda is an imprudent departure from the core principle of republican government – representation: The people do not decide issues, they decide who shall decide. But the right of Californians to make laws through the direct democracy of referenda is as firmly established as it is promiscuously exercised.”

Although Will doesn’t seem to agree with the initiative process—based on republican principles—he concedes its use has passed constitutional muster. Will’s position recalled to my mind an experience I had last year when I was helping collect signatures for the marriage constitutional amendment. One man I talked to said that although he agreed with the amendment’s definition of marriage, he would not sign the petition because he believed, as George Will argues, the initiative process violates the… Read More

Liberal election lawyers are calling "bold and dangerous" and a "potential blockbuster" a brief filed by former Solicitor General Ted Olson on behalf of Citizens United in a Federal election case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. Citizens United produced a critical film about Hillary Clinton during the presidential election, and marketed it as a commerical venture a la Michael Moore. Regulators didn’t like the idea and Citizens United couldn’t get a court to agree with them that their film should not be subject to Federal Election Commission regulation, such as the ban on corporate funding in any federal election. Now the issue of whether such an activity is an illegal "corporate" expenditure in a Federal election is one of several issues to be decided by the nation’s highest court.

The liberal pro-regulation lawyers are concerned that the Citizens United case might be a basis for the Roberts Court, which has proven itself to be deregulatory-oriented inFirst Amendment/election law cases, to overturn the case of Austin v.… Read More

Holy mackerel. Former OC Sheriff Mike Carona beat the rap — or almost all of it.

The jury acquitted him of all charges but one: witness tampering. It’s interesting that he escaped conviction on the underlying corruption charges — which was the public focus — but not the charge of trying to influence witness Don Haidl. The latter struck me as one of the weaker counts, and I’ll wager he beats that on appeal.

This is obviously good news for Debbie Carona. It’ll be tough for federal prosecutors to convict her of being part of a conspiracy of which her husband was acquitted.

This is a legal exoneration of Mike Carona, not a moral one. The legality of his conduct notwithstanding, he clearly disgraced the office, manipulated and lied to family and friends, and lived a double life. None of that is illegal, but it is real nonetheless.

Amazing.

There’s an open thread on the topic over at OC Blog, if you want to… Read More

The Bush Presidency is almost over. In November the President announced the pardons of several people that included embezzlers, drug dealers, liars and the like.

There is an injustice that President Bush still has a few days to correct. Read my lips: Pardon Pat Nolan.

Most people know Pat Nolan now as the president of Justice Fellowship and his work for prison reform.

I met him over two decades ago as he served as State GOP Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan. Pat Nolan was an Assemblyman from the Glendale area.

But he was more than that. Nolan was the conservative movement in California. He was the one that helped organize conservatives in attempt to capture Democratic seats and preserve Republican ones. He found and developed leaders. He led fights in internal battles with GOP “old guard” types that stood in the way. Nolan also took care of his constituents.

That came to a screeching halt when he plead guilty in a FBI sting, one year before the Republicans took control of the State Assembly. One can only… Read More