The dysfunction of the State Legislature mirrors that of the US Congress. Why? The art of compromise has been lost. Many refuse to listen to, much less thoughtfully consider, different points of view. Our Democracy has survived and thrived because of the ability, an imperative, to reconcile mutually exclusive points of view when developing public policy. Today's "my way or the highway" reality is not healthy, sustainable or consistent with Democratic principles. Various sides draw an absolute line in the sand and refuse to even consider compromise, which seems to have emerged as some sort of act of treason. How sad.  

There are dramatically different views about how to deal with next year's State budget; no surprise there. What can we all agree to?  Nobody will win if we don't get a budget by July 1. Funding State government from State saving accounts is not sustainable. Oil will not go back to $100 p/b anytime soon. Budget cuts will not come close to closing the deficit.