The blame the media game

Bill Cavala, writing on California Progress Report scolds the news media for not reporting more on the benefits of the term limit ballot initiative.

The initiative would allow individuals to seek election and reelection to the same branch of the legislature for a period of 12 years. Currently they may seek election and reelection to different branches of the legislature for a total of 14 years. So the initiative limits the current lifetime ban on reelection to two fewer years.

That means the issue for voters is whether a trade of 12 possible years in one house of the legislature versus 14 years in two Houses (current law) is a good trade – and why?

No news story or editorial has focused on this fact.

Well, actually that's not completely true. Early stories in the DN and other papers reported on the fundamentals of initiative and then got wise to the real story. The media recognized that this isn't really about better government; it's about extending the career possibilities for the people currently holding office. If the media hasn't focused on this fact, it's because the media isn't as dumb as all that.

Here's some more of his column:

Because the proposed change would allow the current leaders of the Senate and Assembly to seek additional time in office through the reelection process (which may explain their support for the initiative), the press corps obviously felt an obligation to explain that fact to voters.

But the next step was the manipulation of the issue by the Governor. Because Legislative leaders supported the initiative, Schwarzenegger attempted to use that fact to extort action from them on redistricting.

Well, good. Aren't we all for redistricting anyhow?