California Insider

Over at Crossroads, our new site for open-source debate on public policy, Anthony Wright has kicked off a discussion about health care by saying he thinks Schwarzenegger's entry should signal the beginning of closure on the issue, not the beginning of the debate. Wright says legislators have been debating the issue for years, and passing policy change, only to see it blocked by the voters or vetoed by Schwarzenegger. Now, he says, it's time for action. Read the whole thing here, and join the conversation.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Wednesday in Massachusetts v. EPA, a case that should decide whether the EPA has the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as "pollution." The case could have implications for California's tailpipe emissions law and AB 32, its new law to cap greenhouse gas emissions.

I got an e-mail over the weekend from someone blaming the "liberal media" for USC's rise to No. 2 in the college football rankings. According to this person, unbeaten Boise State is more deserving, and others might be as well, but the sports reporters who vote in one of the polls favor USC because it is from left-leaning California, is close to Hollywood and has well known film and journalism schools. As a native Californian, I've certainly heard of the East Coast media bias in the football polls. But never the liberal media bias. Learn something new every day.