Well, Mike and Andy ran into a leetle problem on their Excellent Adventure. It was called... the "Rest of the Legislature".
Haven't even read the Lansing rags yet (one was right on this, the other obviously received some really bad information), so we will just stick with the AP for the latest on Mike and Andy's lost weekend.
Besides the Senate Democrats declining to participate in any "back room deal" between the two... ahem... "leaders", it appears that the House has no intention of going along with the Senate Republican plans, either. Although they are planning on shooting for $1.2B in cuts, they also mention a little thing called "revenue". And my oh my has the tone radically changed from this morning, like the buzz has worn off, and the hangover has begun.
And you can forget about moving budgets anytime soon.
Dillon, of Redford Township, told reporters he wanted House-Senate conference committees to start meeting Tuesday or first thing Wednesday. But no hearings were scheduled, and Dillon did not appoint members to the panels.
Bishop told reporters that House and Senate Appropriations Committee members negotiating individual budget bills were expected to shoot for at least $1.2 billion in Senate-approved cuts as their target. Yet he added: "We don't know if those meetings are going to be fruitful."
Dillon said he was prepared to pass "very difficult" budget bills.
"But I need some comfort that I'm going to protect those values of the Democratic House and the governor," he said.
House Appropriations Chairman George Cushingberry Jr., D-Detroit, said the intent was for the House to pass $1.2 billion in cuts, but not necessarily the same reductions the Senate approved months ago. The House would pass tax proposals to offset some cuts, he said.
Looks like someone stepped up in the House and said "no" to Mike and Andy's Excellent Plan. Good. Now everyone is settling down and looking at a little thing called "reality".
Dillon, who met with Granholm Tuesday, said House Democrats were studying which of her tax proposals they could support.
Asked if the governor told him she would veto a budget with only cuts and not additional tax revenue, Dillon said "she's aware of the strategy, where we're heading and she's keeping an open mind."
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said the Senate cuts would go too far.
Bet that was an Excellent Meeting. Not.
Stay tuned for the further adventures of Mike and Andy. You just can't wait sometimes to see what they come up with next.