Gregoire Was Right All Along!

We are now facing a $5 billion deficit. That's on a budget of $33.6 billion. Which is up more than a third over four years ago.

If only we had listened to Governor Gregoire back in 2006:

Our state budgeting has been a roller coaster. We spend when we have a surplus and we struggle to make painful cuts when the economy slumps. It is time to even out the ride. While the roller coaster is fun at the amusement park, it is no model for state budgeting.

By treating our budget like a Washington family budget -- we will ensure stability and avoid tax increases or Draconian cuts tomorrow.

And by "we," of course, I mean Governor Gregoire.

If she had actually governed this way, we wouldn't be in this mess. She and the Democrats controlling the legislature did exactly what she said we shouldn't do: they spent when we had a surplus, and now we're struggling to make painful cuts when the economy slumps.

She was right that this was no model for state budgeting, and that is why I am confident that the people won't re-elect her.

Oh wait. She won? ... Seriously?

You're joking, right?

I mean, someone screws up this badly, even admitting they know the problem and then doing exactly what they say we shouldn't do, and they can get thrown out of office before their term is even up. No way they'd actually get re-elected.

You cannot be serious.