What the heck just happened in Washington State?

[Saving Hawaii]

3 roadkill Democrats buck their party and vote with the Republicans to pass a Republican budget, to pass a bill to wreck the state's pension system, and then proceed to vote party-line with the Republicans to prevent a single Democratic amendment to the budget? You've gotta be fucking kidding me! Anybody know what the hell just happened?

[mdmc]

1. Ah, the narrow spectrum of American political discourse..

Not too much difference between the DLC and GOP

[yewberry]

2. A ninth order coup.

Three conservative Dems crossed the aisle and gave the Republicans the majority they needed to pass a budget nobody's even read yet. It'll face some hostility in the House next (where the Dems have a 56-42 majority. The Governor is pissed.

[Saving Hawaii]

5. "Some hostility" sounds like an understatement.

Hopefully the Dems in the House rush a vote and kick this garbage to the curb. I don't mind moderate Dems, but the crap the roadkill caucus pulled today was really, way over the top.

[Suich]

3. This explains it:

http://publicola.com/2012/03/02/update-on-attempted-budget-coup-senate-at-ease-as-both-sides-plot-next-move/

[Saving Hawaii]

4. Thanks. Great link.

BTW, wtf is up with the senator from Bellevue/Redmond caucusing with the senator from Puyallup/Fife? I thought I watched enough Almost Live as a kid to know that this wasn't possible. (Grew up in Renton myself, but living in sunnier climes since I graduated high school).