And Now ... FaultLines

Think of it as a deep dive into the cracks and crevices of California politics, an effort to better map where we're really joined together as a state... and where we are, ever so slowly, coming apart.

Our new project, FaultLines: California Politics In Depth, is a big step forward in the creation of KQED's California Politics and Government Desk -- a multimedia project that's the first of its kind in the state when it comes to covering the world of elections, legislation, and governing.

But in many ways, it's simply the next step in a long journey for me into trying to better explain what makes our politics tick.

In 2004, I launched KQED's first blog -- Capital Notes -- with the goal of simply adding some layers of context to our already thoughtful radio reporting. At that point, online was at best a companion to the broadcast journalism... something we did after filling the airwaves. Ten years later, online reporting goes hand in hand with broadcasting -- and yet, never has it been more clear that there's simply not enough in depth examinations of California's political past, present, and future.

This project, for me, was shaped by two remarkable mentors who passed away within weeks of each other in late 2013: venerable political journalist Susan F. Rasky and KQED's executive director of news and public affairs, Raul Ramirez. Both would have been thrilled, I think, with the goals we have for this project in the days to come.

Rasky, an award winning former congressional correspondent and longtime lecturer at U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, had a sixth sense of sorts when it came to finding the real meaning behind the political events of her time. She implored legions of young journalists to better explain not only what was happening in her native state... but why.

Ramirez, the true moral compass of KQED's news team, was a great champion of conquering new journalistic frontiers -- from using the latest technology to searching for stories that offered a better glimpse into the rich tapestry of California's civic and cultural life.

I mention them because they are part of the reason that I have such enthusiasm about this project. We'll attempt to better explain how, or if, your government really represents you. We'll search for more understandable ways of examining the complex and conflicting choices facing both the electorate and the elected. And we'll experiment with new ways of engaging you in the choices that lie ahead for California -- from video to data and beyond.

All along, our goal will be to better map the state's true political fault lines -- the places where powerful forces collide, where ultimately something's got to give. Some of those intersections may surprise you, as the political pressure of today aren't always in the familiar places.

We welcome your thoughts about not only the political system you now see in California, but also the one you wish you saw. There's a lot of ground to cover. Let's get started.