As I read news accounts of the collapse in last night’s budget negotiations, I can’t help but wonder if Senator Johnson and the DFL leadership might have overplayed their hand. The fact that the Senate abruptly adjourned two hours before the midnight deadline, and without trying to negotiate a lights-on deal with the House, simply does not look good in the eyes of the public. The DFL seems to be so determined not to look weak, as they did in 2003 when they caved to Republican budget demands, that they might have overreacted when they felt Republicans were beginning to negotiate in bad faith. The mood at the Capitol seems really toxic today, with a flurry of finger-pointing and heated personal attacks. Lots of anti-incumbent remarks in the papers, but mostly from furloughed state workers.
And I’m really tired of the media reminding everyone that the state parks are open.
I took advantage of my forced vacation and applied for a new passport. The photo requirements mandate that the background be completely white, which meant that none of my black seat insert could be visible. With the help of some city workers, we crammed some white cardboard and the blank side of a ward map behind my back to create a white background. After we were done, one of the workers thanked me and my nurse for being pleasant and not getting upset. That made me wonder whether her faith in humanity has been permanently shaken because of all the jerks she encounters on a daily basis.
Ahh, political mayhem, manipulation and mudslinging…who needs cable TV? Here in NJ, the Senate passed the budget ahead of deadline, but no one else did. Despite being reminded quite a few times by the Attorney General about the required shutdown if the budget wasn’t done and passed by the deadline….my government (which, I’ll remind you, has no actual governor) ignored that and continued to “operate”…including paying the salary, hotel and car bills for all those assembled to work during the holiday. Some interesting things got passed, and some things got tossed. For example, the agencies that run Meals on Wheels and local, free transportation for seniors and disabled were shut down (unless another agency agreed to take over a service, in the case of Meals) and ended on Friday. That transport service was used 100% for doctor’s appointments, hospital/diagnostic visits and food shopping. It was used by 65% seniors and 35% disabled. It’s the only free transport service available, or rather, it was. Who knows how long Meals on Wheels will survive under the new agency, which stepped in as an emergency measure, but may not have the finances to continue it. And the new budget made it impossible to maintain these services. Yes, we love our politicians.