Who's in Charge Here?

I spent a decade debating whether to move to Los Angeles, and not once in my deliberations did I consider the city's government. This, it turned out, made me perfectly suited to live in L.A. In my seven years here, I have not had one conversation about what our mayor does, and I have talked to our mayor several times. There is no social shaming that comes with knowing nothing about local politics. Fewer Angelenos can name the mayor of this city than can name the mayor of Pawnee, Ind., on Parks and Recreation. I am assuming here that the cast...