So Far, No Good

This from Tom Loftus at the Courier-Journal:

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- House and Senate budget negotiators have spent seven working sessions over the past three days trying to craft a final 2008-10 spending plan for the state.

And as leaders of each side made their case, the friction between Senate President David Williams and Rep. Harry Moberly surfaced time and time again....

... "We want to do these good things, but we don't want to pay for them," Moberly said. "One of us is just being irresponsible about this."

Williams answered, "We're praying for you that you won't continue being irresponsible."

Moberly replied, "Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate that. I appreciate your smart-ass remark."

The two clashed again yesterday morning when Williams asked House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, "to get your chairman under control and talk to him and have him take a couple of deep breaths."

Moberly shot back, "I don't appreciate that, that I need to take a deep breath. You need to take it just as much as I do." ...

Elsewhere, Governor Steve Beshear waved a white flag.