California’s debt problem is worsening as it issues IOUs, which actually are state bonds with 3.75% APR interest. Articles under the Paperweight last week discussed which groups are getting IOUs and which are still getting straight checks from the state, which banks won’t accept IOUs after July 10 and the secondary market developing for them, which state vendors (some of which are being paid with IOUs) are being asked to reduce their rates for California, what problems the U.S. government will only postpone if it steps in, and what the implications of this brinksmanship over the budget are for the federal government’s deficit politics.