Ok I figured out something else with the auto-launch blue-bar thing. We all have been noticing that it works most often after rebooting. Well that is because Google Search just started. The reason I think that is the reason is I got auto-launch to work (without the double flash happening) 2-3 times after a reboot. Then it stopped working, but instead of rebooting the phone, I got into task manager and killed the Google Search Process from running, I then restarted Google Now by pressing the mic on the search bar and everything so far has allowed the blue bar to load and auto-launch.
I figured out what starts the double flashing though. It is when you press the search bar to get into the actual Google Now full app, or the microphone from inside your previous auto-launched search window that shows after you successfully auto-launch something. As soon as you do that you lose the auto-launch because the blue bar doesn't finish and the double flash happens. If you press the microphone on the search bar on your home screen only each time you need something to auto-launch it has worked for me over and over again without problem without second flash happening.
So here is the summary so write it down: The minute you actually press the search bar and get into actual "Google Now" (with the mountain background and the cards showing) no matter what you do you lose auto-launch. So if you want auto-launch to start working again, you have to kill "Google Search" in your task or application manager and then you can go about again only pressing the microphone on the search bar and you should again auto-launch for unlimited searches. Remember always go back to the search bar and do not enter the actual app, if you do you must kill the app to get auto-launch function back.
Surely some developer can look at my testing/debugging and fix this.
Nice sleuth work.. doesn't work for me unfortunately . I killed Google Search, then pressed the mic from the search bar.. still double takes. My "call" and "dial" command's blue bars get to about 85%-ish and then it double takes each and every time. Still haven't been able to get a single auto-launch to work correctly, reboots and taskkills included :-/