With the votes of Snowe, Collins, and Ben Nelson, the Senate finally managed to get cloture on an education jobs and state Medicaid payments bill, clearing the way for final passage with a 61-38 vote. The aid won't actually be off to states yet as House will have to vote on it as well, but the major hurdle has been overcome to provide the critical assistance to states to prevent layoffs of hundreds of thousands of teachers and state workers.
We still will have layoffs. There are still cuts coming, big ones too - especially if Dillon decides to play poor loser and punts on this budget. Place yer bets on that one, but my money is on abdication of responsibility. Call it a hunch.
One interesting note to add: A headline at MIRS indicates Granholm said she would veto any continuation budget. Don't know the details on that, but I do know these guys have to have something finished by Sept. 30th - or perhaps the consequences of their actions, or inaction, will be felt in the election a month later.
It's the great untold story out there right now. While everyone has visions of the future dancing in their head, we still have one big hurdle to get over this year - and it should be very interesting as to how they finally manage to do it.