Business of politics

State government is alternately very boring and absolutely fascinating.

I've discovered recently that the Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert had stopped charging for its subscription, to my delight. The very talented team, lead by Shane Goldmacher, has a hard job and posts excellent news. For example, this story begins with an update on political squabbles, and ends with a very poignant quote from the Governator:

The governor continued to blame cuts on the budget system and called for a long-term fix that includes a rainy-day fund. He tried to disassociate himself from his own proposed cuts on education and social services, even insisting that he'd like to stand with the protesters who have rallied against him at the Capitol.

"Sometimes you see schools protesting out there or sending me letters," Schwarzenegger said. "I'm with them. I wish I could stand there protesting, too. Because we have to protest the budget system. Not this year's budget. The budget system is the failure. That is what has to be corrected as quickly as possible."

Such a telling quote about the business of politics.

Also recently on the California Majority Report, according to a link from the Alert, the capitol press core is shrinking. Among others leaving, two reporters will be headed to Washington DC.

I remember hearing in my public affairs reporting class that the press core in Sacramento is much different from the press core at Washington DC - that Sacramento's much less competitive. Whereas the DC crowd might all chase one story, and clamor for a response from one source, California reporters have a lazier mindset: "Why bother? Someone else has the story already."

Oh, I'm sorry. That's not laziness, that's the politics of business. Say no more...