Marsden's  Instablog

IT SEEMS that bureaucrats, when threatened with even the smallest amount of fiscal discipline, immediately propose cuts that endanger the health, safety, and welfare of the largest-possible number of citizens. Hence, prisons are to be emptied, police and fire protection are to be curtailed, parks closed, and other essential services compromised to the greatest degree possible. Why behave responsibly when you can use scare tactics? So much more satisfying--and more effective too.

Meanwhile, as in every other state, there are dozens and dozens of political-patronage programs never even considered for cutbacks. In California, for instance, here's just a sampling of obviously useless ones... 

• California Academic Performance Index (API)
• California Access for Infants and Mothers
• California Acupuncture Board
• California Adoptions Branch
• California African American Museum
• California Agricultural Export Program
• California Agricultural Labor Relations Board
• California Agricultural Statistics Service
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)
• California Allocation Board
• California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority
• California Anti-Terrorism Information Center
• California Apprenticeship Council
• California Arbitration Certification Program
• California Area VI Developmental Disabilities Board
• California Arts Council
• California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
• California Athletic Commission
• California Bay Conservation and Development Commission
• California Bay-Delta Authority
• California Bay-Delta Office
• California Biodiversity Council
• California Braille and Talking Book Library
• California Building Standards Commission
• California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education
• California Bureau of Automotive Repair
• California Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair
• California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation
• California Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine
• California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
• California Bureau of State Audits
• California Business Agency
• California Business Investment Services (CalBIS)
• California Business Permit Information (CalGOLD)
• California Business Portal
• California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
• California Cal Grants
• California CalJOBS
• California Cal-Learn Program
• California CalVet Home Loan Program
• California Career Resource Network
• California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
• California Center for Analytical Chemistry
• California Center for Distributed Learning
• California Center for Teaching Careers (Teach California)
• California Children and Families Commission
• California Children and Family Services Division
• California Citizens Compensation Commission
• California Civil Rights Bureau
• California Coastal Commission
• California Coastal Conservancy
• California Code of Regulations
• California Collaborative Projects with UC Davis
• California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth
• California Commission on Aging
• California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
• California Commission on Judicial Performance
• California Commission on State Mandates
• California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
• California Commission on the Status of Women
• California Committee on Dental Auxiliaries
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, Junior Colleges
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
• California Complaint Mediation Program
• California Conservation Corps
• California Constitution Revision Commission
• California Consumer Hotline
• California Consumer Information Center
• California Consumer Information
• California Consumer Services Division
• California Consumers and Families Agency
• California Corrections Standards Authority
• California Council for the Humanities
• California Council on Criminal Justice
• California Council on Developmental Disabilities
• California Court Reporters Board
• California Crime and Violence Prevention Center
• California Criminal Justice Statistics Center
• California Criminalistic Institute Forensic Library
• California CSGnet Network Management
• California Cultural and Historical Endowment
• California Cultural Resources Division
• California Curriculum and Instructional Leadership Branch
• California Data Exchange Center
• California Data Management Division
• California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission
• California Delta Protection Commission
• California Demographic Research Unit
• California Dental Auxiliaries
• California Department of Aging
• California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs
• California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board
• California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
• California Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating)
• California Department of Child Support Services (CDCSS)
• California Department of Community Services and Development
• California Department of Corporations
• California Department of Developmental Services
• California Department of Fair Employment and Housing
• California Department of Financial Institutions
• California Department of Fish and Game
• California Department of Food and Agriculture
• California Department of General Services
• California Department of General Services, Office of State Publishing
• California Department of Health Care Services
• California Department of Housing and Community Development
• California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)
• California Department of Insurance
• California Department of Justice Firearms Division
• California Department of Justice Opinion Unit
• California Department of Justice, Consumer Information, Public Inquiry Unit
• California Department of Managed Health Care
• California Department of Mental Health
• California Department of Personnel Administration
• California Department of Real Estate
• California Department of Rehabilitation
• California Department of Social Services Adoptions Branch
• California Department of Social Services
• California Department of Technology Services Training Center (DTSTC)
• California Department of Technology Services (DTS)
• California Department of Toxic Substances Control
• California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
• California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVets)
• California Department of Water Resources
• California Departmento de Vehiculos Motorizados
• California Digital Library
• California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certification Program
• California Division of Apprenticeship Standards
• California Division of Codes and Standards
• California Division of Communicable Disease Control
• California Division of Engineering
• California Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control
• California Division of Gambling Control
• California Division of Housing Policy Development
• California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement
• California Division of Labor Statistics and Research
• California Division of Land and Right of Way
• California Division of Land Resource Protection
• California Division of Law Enforcement General Library
• California Division of Measurement Standards
• California Division of Mines and Geology
• California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA)
• California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources
• California Division of Planning and Local Assistance
• California Division of Recycling
• California Division of the State Architect
• California Division of Tourism
• California Division of Workers' Compensation Medical Unit
• California Division of Workers' Compensation
• California Economic Assistance, Business and Community Resources
• California Economic Strategy Panel
• California Education and Training Agency
• California Education Audit Appeals Panel
• California Educational Facilities Authority
• California Elections Division
• California Electricity Oversight Board
• California Emergency Management Agency
• California Emergency Medical Services Authority
• California Employment Development Department (EDD)
• California Employment Information State Jobs
• California Employment Training Panel
• California Energy Commission
• California Environmental Resources Evaluation System (CERES)
• California Export Laboratory Services
• California Exposition and State Fair (Cal Expo)
• California Fair Political Practices Commission
• California Fairs and Expositions Division
• California Film Commission
• California Fire and Resource Assessment Program
• California Firearms Division
• California Fiscal Services
• California Fish and Game Commission
• California Fisheries Program Branch
• California Floodplain Management
• California Foster Youth Help
• California Franchise Tax Board (FTB)
• California Fraud Division
• California Gambling Control Commission
• California Geographic Information Systems Council (GIS)
• California Geological Survey
• California Government Claims and Victim Compensation Board
• California Governor's Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons
• California Governor's Mentoring Partnership
• California Governor's Office of Homeland Security
• California Governor's Office of Planning and Research
• California Grant and Enterprise Zone Programs HCD Loan
• California Health and Human Services Agency
• California Health and Safety Agency
• California Healthy Families Program
• California Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau
• California High-Speed Rail Authority
• California History and Culture Agency
• California Horse Racing Board
• California Housing Finance Agency
• California Indoor Air Quality Program
• California Industrial Development Financing Advisory Commission
• California Industrial Welfare Commission
• California InFoPeople
• California Information Center for the Environment
• California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank)
• California Inspection Services
• California Institute for County Government
• California Institute for Education Reform
• California Integrated Waste Management Board
• California Interagency Ecological Program
• California Job Service
• California Junta Estatal de Personal
• California Labor and Employment Agency
• California Labor and Workforce Development Agency
• California Labor Market Information Division
• California Land Use Planning Information Network (LUPIN)
• California Lands Commission
• California Landscape Architects Technical Committee
• California Latino Legislative Caucus
• California Law Enforcement General Library
• California Law Revision Commission
• California Legislative Analyst's Office
• California Legislative Black Caucus
• California Legislative Counsel
• California Legislative Division
• California Legislative Information
• California Legislative Lesbian, Gay , Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Caucus
• California Legislature Internet Caucus
• California Library Development Services
• California License and Revenue Branch
• California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program
• California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
• California Maritime Academy
• California Marketing Services
• California Measurement Standards
• California Medical Assistance Commission
• California Medical Care Services
• California Military Department
• California Mining and Geology Board
• California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts
• California Museum Resource Center
• California Native American Heritage Commission
• California Natural Community Conservation Planning Program
• California New Motor Vehicle Board
• California Nursing Home Administrator Program
• California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board
• California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board
• California Ocean Resources Management Program
• California Office of Administrative Hearings
• California Office of Administrative Law
• California Office of AIDS
• California Office of Binational Border Health
• California Office of Child Abuse Prevention
• California Office of Deaf Access
• California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
• California Office of Fiscal Services
• California Office of Fleet Administration
• California Office of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Implementation (CalOHI)
• California Office of Historic Preservation
• California Office of Homeland Security
• California Office of Human Resources
• California Office of Legal Services
• California Office of Legislation
• California Office of Lieutenant Governor
• California Office of Military and Aerospace Support
• California Office of Mine Reclamation
• California Office of Natural Resource Education
• California Office of Privacy Protection
• California Office of Public School Construction
• California Office of Real Estate Appraisers
• California Office of Risk and Insurance Management
• California Office of Services to the Blind
• California Office of Spill Prevention and Response
• California Office of State Publishing (OSP)
• California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
• California Office of Systems Integration
• California Office of the Inspector General
• California Office of the Ombudsman
• California Office of the Patient Advocate
• California Office of the President
• California Office of the Secretary for Education
• California Office of the State Public Defender
• California Online Directory
• California Operations Control Office
• California Opinion Unit
• California Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN)
• California Park and Recreation Commission
• California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)
• California Performance Review (CPR)
• California Permit Information for Business (CalGOLD)
• California Physical Therapy Board
• California Physician Assistant Committee
• California Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services
• California Policy and Evaluation Division
• California Political Reform Division
• California Pollution Control Financing Authority
• California Postsecondary Education Commission
• California Prevention Services
• California Primary Care and Family Health
• California Prison Industry Authority
• California Procurement Division
• California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
• California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)
• California Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
• California Real Estate Services Division
• California Refugee Programs Branch
• California Regional Water Quality Control Boards
• California Registered Veterinary Technician Committee
• California Registrar of Charitable Trusts
• California Republican Caucus
• California Research and Development Division
• California Research Bureau
• California Resources Agency
• California Respiratory Care Board
• California Rivers Assessment
• California Rural Health Policy Council
• California Safe Schools
• California San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
• California San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy
• California San Joaquin River Conservancy
• California School to Career
• California Science Center
• California Secretary of State Business Portal
• California Seismic Safety Commission
• California Self Insurance Plans (SIP)
• California Senate Office of Research
• California Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Certification Program
• California Small Business Development Center Program
• California Smart Growth Caucus
• California Smog Check Information Center
• California Spatial Information Library
• California Special Education Division
• California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board
• California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)
• California Standards and Assessment Division
• California State Administrative Manual (SAM)
• California State Allocation Board
• California State and Consumer Services Agency
• California State Architect
• California State Archives
• California State Assembly
• California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
• California State Board of Education
• California State Board of Food and Agriculture
• California State Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• California State Children's Trust Fund
• California State Compensation Insurance Fund
• California State Contracts Register Program
• California State Contracts Register
• California State Controller
• California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD)
• California State Disability Insurance (SDI)
• California State Fair (Cal Expo)
• California State Jobs Employment Information
• California State Lands Commission
• California State Legislative Portal
• California State Legislature
• California State Library Catalog
• California State Library Services Bureau
• California State Library
• California State Lottery
• California State Mediation and Conciliation Service
• California State Mining and Geology Board
• California State Park and Recreation Commission
• California State Personnel Board
• California State Railroad Museum
• California State Science Fair
• California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS)
• California State Summer School for the Arts
• California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)
• California State University Center for Distributed Learning
• California State Water Project Analysis Office
• California State Water Project
• California State Water Resources Control Board
• California Structural Pest Control Board
• California Student Aid Commission
• California Superintendent of Public Instruction
• California Superior Courts
• California Tahoe Conservancy
• California Task Force on Culturally and Linguistically Competent Physicians and Dentists
• California Tax Information Center
• California Technology and Administration Branch Finance
• California Telecommunications Division
• California Telephone Medical Advice Services (TMAS)
• California Transportation Commission
• California Travel and Transportation Agency
• California Unclaimed Property Program
• California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
• California Unemployment Insurance Program
• California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission
• California Veterans Board
• California Veterans Memorial
• California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board
• California Volunteers
• California Water Environment Association (CWEA)
• California Water Resources Control Board
• California Welfare to Work Division
• California Wetlands Information System
• California Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch
• California Wildlife Programs Branch
• California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
• California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board
• California Workforce and Labor Development Agency
• California Workforce Investment Board
• California Youth Authority (CYA)
• Central Valley Flood Protection Board
• Center for California Studies
• Colorado River Board of California
• Counting California
• Health Insurance Plan of California (PacAdvantage)
• Humboldt State University
• Jobs with the State of California
• Judicial Council of California
• Learn California
• Library of California
• Lieutenant Governor's Commission for One California
• Little Hoover Commission (on California State Government Organization and Economy)
• Medical Board of California
• Medi-Cal
• Physical Therapy Board of California

“Government doesn’t provide services to rich people,” Mike Genest, the state’s finance director, said on a conference call with reporters on Friday. “It doesn’t even really provide services to the middle class.” (NYT)

Now, some of these programs may actually provide useful services which could be more efficiently provided by private enterprise.  But many duplicate existing federal programs (themselves wasteful) and most are the results of shameless political pandering and, in the view of this author, ought to be shut down wholesale.  Their employees could then be released to become productive members of society.  Doubtless, some retraining would be indicated there. 

Every state has such a list, unfortunately.  If we're ever to regain any degree of fiscal responsibility in this country, this might be a place to start.  But no, instead let's empty the prisons and send our children's future income to Wall Street banks to reward them for impoverishing the Nation. 

California? The Way Out runs through this list.