Getting it: The need for a new paradigm

Back in the day -- and today in reruns -- Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld put a show on TV "about nothing." Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger's tenure as governor of California would be lucky to be about even that. The same can be said for the state legislature.

"The governor doesn't seem to appreciate the seriousness of the situation," The Contra Costa Times editorialized about the current budget crisis. "When asked at a news conference last week whether the state would be running out of money soon, the wealthy movie star pulled out his money clip stuffed with cash and said, 'Not at this point. As a matter of fact, I still have some left.' He just doesn't seem to get it."

These days, when the budget is late and there is no sign of resolution on the deficit -- and the state is literally burning -- one searches for reporting that might explain it all, that might "get it." Few in the media are pointing out the deeper reasons for why the state is in the shape it's in and few in the media are holding accountable those who ran to be responsible for fixing things. The news pages can't seem to get their ink around the task. TV newsrooms can't seem to figure out where Sacramento is located. All-news radio can't get much past the 20-second report. It's left to public radio, websites and opinion writers to explain what's going on.

"The Capitol's atmosphere is infinitely more confrontational and ideologically ossified than anything the four previous governors faced," Dan Walters explained in the Modesto Bee in giving reporters enough leads for life. "Legislative term limits, gerrymandered districts and cultural polarization in California itself have made serious progress on any major issue, including the budget, nearly impossible, given the structural restraints we call 'checks and balances.'"

"Cultural polarization?" Dude.

Journalists, traditional ones at least, face a "structural restraint" of their own. They must be "fair and balanced," as the slogan goes, alongside "we report, you decide." The flaw has always been that presenting both sides with equal weight without a finding of truth -- always elusive -- doesn't much help the ignorant and the lazy decide. That's a relevancy problem for the news media and for all of us.

For the citizens and consumers of the media, there is no lack of data available. Finding the truth becomes more confusing and frustrating when we get reporting under the old paradigm. Take, for example, these two paragraphs, similar to reporting all over the state, in the news story on July 1 in the Los Angeles Times about coming up with a budget.

Paragraph 1: "Democrats in both houses have released budget plans that call for as much as $11 billion in new taxes. But so far they have not identified which taxes they would like to raise."

Paragraph 2: "'Until we get to a spot where Democrats realize that taxes are not going to work, it will be tough to move the budget forward,' said Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines of Clovis."

All the players -- government and media -- in this saga are talking only to their supporters, talking past one another and operating under an old paradigm that is not going to change soon. Is it working for you?

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Not unrelated to the need for structural reform is an effort by some prominent Californians -- Leon Panetta among them -- to create a more efficient and responsive government. It's called California Forward and offers in its goal statement that it "seeks reforms that strengthen the electoral process so elected officials are motivated and empowered to respond to the needs and priorities of all Californians and reach pragmatic solutions to the most significant problems."

California Forward's approach, using op-ed pieces and foundation funding, to achieving reforms is to first support proposition 11, the California Voters First initiative that proposes to take the drawing of electoral districts out of the hands of politicians. Laudable? Maybe. If successful, however, the measure would create a commission to draw the district lines. Appoint a commission? Dude.