The Governor has outlined his ideas for keeping state programs and services going despite severe budget problems. And, it’s time for partisan evaluation. State of the State messages become instant targets for the opposing party and reveal partisan disputes that are usually under the surface in the first days of good feeling in each legislative session. Now Republicans have something to shoot at — House Minority Leader Catherine Hannaway ripe the Governor for using $135-million inemergency money to balance the budget. And, Democrats have a reason to attack Republicans for their attacks. The top democrat attack dog in the senate is Columbia’s Ken Jacob, who says Republicans are mostly talk. The Democratic leader in the Senate, Ed Quick, says Republicans are good at throwing rocks but not good at offering alternatives. Republicans say they have plenty of alternatives, but the Democrats don’t, or won’t, like them.
