As I ponder the paucity of intellectual rigor in the public square and the manifold degrees of separation between media reality and the unvarnished truth, I come to a startling conclusion.

In the old Hippocratic Oath, one of the key lines is, “First, do no harm.” As a thoughtful voter, it is increasingly difficult to get excited about the B-grade drama being played out on all levels.

The current election season is in full swing and the “spin doctors” are hard at work explaining the explanations of their candidates.

Once again our Golden State will have a budget that ignores both economic sense and the desires of the electorate. Our new govenor has failed at every level to foster systemic change in a process that has taken the wealthiest state and made her a greator debtor than most nations of the world.

We are in the midst of a decisive debate on the values and vision that will determine the direction of our culture and society for years to come.