Reich: Times too far left

Today's political notes columns are light on City Hall items, but Rick Orlov does mention the new blog by Ken Reich, the former Times political writer, that we reported on last week. Orlov notes that Reich was "known for his doggedness as well as being a curmudgeon." If Reich keeps this up, he's going to get more attention. His latest missiles at Take Back The Times complain that the paper has cut too much of its suburban coverage and that the editorial page has drifted too far left:

For the most part, the news coverage remains fairly straight. But the editorial pages are now as sharply to the Left as they once were to the Right....

Recently, since Michael Kinsley took over the editorial pages, the situation has gotten worse. Kinsley didn't deign to so much as congratulate President Bush on his victory, before going on to whine about his policies. Kinsley writes a weekly column that echoes Bob Scheer, but I don't think he conveys as much sincerity as Bob Scheer. Together, the two have hijacked the editorial pages. It wouldn't be as bad, if they had shrill writers from the Right as well. But the Rightists that are used are bland and respectable. It's all costing The Times a lot.

Meanwhile, the Downtown News runs a feature story by Michelle Gubbay about exploring City Hall—the building itself—on an L.A. Conservancy walking tour. The photo above from 1928, when City Hall opened as the first structure in L.A. higher than 150 feet and became an instant design icon, runs with her piece. She also mentions a 1971 story about downtown by Bill and Nancy Boyarsky (he currently sits on the city Ethics Commission) that ran in Westways.

Separately: Day Two of the Times series on King-Drew Medical Center asserts that the facility squanders money, spending "inordinate sums on people who do little or no work."