Can we just split the difference ?

I don't know what's in the air or the water in Wisconsin, but that state certainly produces a toxic strain of Republican politicians. Rep. Paul Ryan, elected to represent a congressional district, has apparently been assigned responsibility for re-shaping the entire federal budget to meet his standards of thrift. If there was ever an argument to be made for divided government, this budget proposal is it. With luck, the Senate will strip out the most radical components of the House budget plan, and keep the good parts if they can find any. God save us all if the GOP ever gets complete control of the federal government again.