The Problem With Government in a Nutshell

Governor digs fixing potholes / San Jose crews destroy part of road for staged event

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger traveled to a quiet San Jose neighborhood Thursday, and — dogged by protesters — filled a pothole dug by city crews just a few hours before, as part of an attempt to dramatize his efforts to increase money for transportation projects.

It’s not exactly a surprise when a politician fixes a problem and creates a news event out of it. It’s not even a surprise when it turns out that the politicians themselves created the problem. But seldom are both clearly identified as occurring on the same day.