I Should Leave the State More Often

I take off for a weekend and they turn the lights back on in the state. I was pretty void of any news most of the weekend. It wasn't until a stop in Tomah, WI when I saw the headlines on the Sunday PiPress detailing the budget discussions and the term of the ratified Lights On bill.

Like Jeff said:

It's the voters.

We voters elected Tim Pawlenty in 2002 knowing that he was unwilling to ever raise taxes, but kept the DFL entrenched in the Senate. Then, in 2004, we emboldened the DFLers by restoring them to near-parity in the House.

This, of course, cannot stand. Because both sides think they've got the voters on their side.

It's our fault, folks. If we want government to function smoothly, we should've voted straight-ticket all the way.

Of course, we can vote the bums out, but that would create just a different deadlock.

I'll reserve final judgment till I see the final budget bill.

Flash