California's citizens are again being asked to navigate the bizarre landscape of political discourse in order to make decisions that we pay our legislators to make for us. This time, the political paralysis that is called party loyalty may well force Republicans voters to oppose the spending controls that Democrats agreed to with great reluctance.

Althougha decision on the legality of Prop. 8 by the California Supreme Courtis due any day now, leaders of Equality Califoria (EQCA) said Thursdaythey are moving ahead with a new TV and grassroots-led campaign to makegay marriage legal in the Golden State.

Which hasa longer life expectancy, a house fly or a Republican legislative leader in California?

Republicanleaders, but not by a lot.

First theSenate ousted Dave Cogdill after a longpainful weekend of budget talks that includeda lockdown. He'd lasted less than a year.

AMERICAN CANYON -- Although it's just a few miles from SanFrancisco -- arguably the epicenter of the marriage equality movementin California -- a majority of City Council members in the Napa Countytown of American Canyon voted this week to reject a resolution supporting gay marriage.

Calling it an "abuse" of the council's authority, City CouncilmanEd West successfully moved to table the resolution in support ofmarriage equality proposed by colleague Joan Bennett.

Calling them a "rotten deal," the Green Party of California announced last week that it would formally oppose Props. 1A through 1F on the May 19 special election ballot.

"We oppose the cuts in transportation, education, social services and other humane services, and we oppose this deal even though we were told that great hardship would result if (this) rotten deal failed to pass," said Michael Rubin, who analyzed the measures for the Green Party of Alameda County.

Here's one to keep us occupied during the long hot summer as the countdown drones on of days without a budget:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says it's time for California to "study" legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. Not that he's in favor of it, mind you ...

It is becoming increasingly difficult to gain admittance to many California colleges and universities. But for many students who earned the golden ticket, a key question is arising: can they even afford to attend?

It's right there in black and white, in a proclamation issued late last week from the governor of the great state of California:

"If you get sick with flu, it is recommended that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. ..." the proclamation read.

As befits a man who has been in some form ofCalifornia government service for the past 30 years, a poll releasedMonday evening shows that Lt. Gov. John Garamendi would soundly beat virtually all opponents vying to replace U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District if the election was held immediately.

Theproblem with a state of emergency is that it sounds so urgent.

So whenGov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declareda state of emergency last Tuesday due to swine flu, it immediately bestowed theoutbreak a greater sense of urgency than it had at that point. Or has at thispoint, for that matter - there still are only 14 confirmed cases in the state.