There's a long standing tradition in this town.  Regardless of who the governor is, the opposition always trashes his or her budget before the ink is even dry on the darn thing.

     This governor, with fingers crossed and a cross over her heart as she often does, launches into her last budget cycle hoping to find a legislative utopia where both sides compromise.

     Based on the predictable opening reviews from the Republicans, utopia is but a dream.

     The Senate GOP leader trashed it.  The GOP chair of apprpritions didn't like a veto threat the governor tossed into the mix and, well you get the picture i.e. the R's had nothing nice to say.

     Wouldn't it have been delightful if instead they would have said, "We congratulate the governor on constructing a difficult budget in these tough economic times and while we do not agree with everything in it, we pledge to work with her to find a common ground for the common good."

     The earth under the capitol dome would have moved had they uttered that but of course they did not.

     The governor's detractors tried to make an even bigger deal out of the statements from Granholm's supposed amigo in the Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon.

     He warned, in what looked like a breech with the governor, that reforms of government need too come before there is any talk of a sales tax on services.

     Come to find out that is exactly what the governor has said as she works toward her Grand Bargain.

     The republicans should applaud that strategy because it mirrors exactly what they want, but even if you turn up your hearing aid, you won't hear any clapping either.

     Grandstanding for political gain once again rules the day and trumps the citizen's desire, no make that, demand for bipartisan cooperation in Lansing.

     If there is none in this election year, the palpable anger out there were get even worse with the voters taking it out on all the incumbent lawmakers regardless of the letter, R or D, after their names.