The LA Times today has a bizarre editorial in support of a proposed initiative that would fire all the legislators and the governor if they do not agree on a budget by the Constitutionally-mandated deadline of June 15:

Brad Morisoli of Livermore has proposed an initiative that provides, among other things, that if the Legislature fails to adopt a budget by midnight on June 15, every elected lawmaker’s term ends. The governor’s too. Right then, right there. See ya. None of those people could hold office again for at least two years. The “Pass Our Budget Act” is not just cranky, it’s kooky. Simplistic. Destructive. Where do we sign?

What this would do is essentially turn California government into a parliamentary democracy, where a government falls and an election is called if a budget is defeated. I’m not entirely opposed to that concept. But this is not a solution to the budget crisis.

Once again the media, in the form of this LA Times editorial, ignores the elephant in the room. The budget crisis is being caused by Republican obstruction alone. Democrats have bent over backward to try and get a budget done. But instead of telling its readers that fact, the state’s largest and most influential paper has this to say about the Legislature:

But no, Democrats, Republicans and the governor are acting like brats on a playground. “They started it!” “Did not!” “Did so!” “We did everything we could.” No, folks, you didn’t.

All those angry and irresponsible ballot measures Californians have adopted over the years have exacerbated the situation, but it’s hard to believe that we deserve the childishness we are getting from the Capitol in this fiscal emergency.

Adopt a budget. Now.

This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve read in a newspaper in quite a long time. Legislators aren’t children – they’re adults engaged in a political process. One side – the Democrats – are willing to piss off their base and cut a bad deal to balance the budget. The other side – Republicans – refuse to do anything, placing Grover Norquist above the economic security of 36 million Californians.

The LA Times editorial is the equivalent of a driver standing over a mechanic screaming “fix it! fix it! fix it! fix it!”

Except in this case, the state’s paper of record could actually help fix it by refusing to mislead its readers about the situation in Sacramento, and tell Californians the truth – Republican obstruction is the only reason California lacks a balanced budget.