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Budget, we don't need no stinkin' budget!

My clock says it's just shy of September 3, 2008, and by the time this posts that day may have come.

California is still without a state budget. They won't even talk to each other this week. Wrangling over the budget kept most of the Democrats trapped in the state, unable to attend their convention last week. No doubt they are making sure that their Republican rivals are equally trapped this week.

Meanwhile, no budget. They're not even talking about it, as though they have more important things to do.

State law says the Controller can't spend any money without a budget. Case law says the same, except for payments mandated by Federal law.

So meanwhile, no budget.

Just saying.

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