Sausage and Laws

Well, you knew financial whiz and political outsider John Corzine was
going to get heat for a sensible budget plan. What's telling is how
irked New Jersey state legislators are that he didn't pork it up with
them. One said, "There's been a real lack of communication," while
another lamented, "The governor doesn't seem to understand
legislators' parochial issues."

A lot of people, me included, have high hopes for him because since
he's so rich, he didn't have to pander to anyone to raise money to get
elected. But now that he's elected, he's going to have to do some
strategic pandering if he's going to have any hope to get stuff done.
After all, even if it makes sense to you and me that the state'll have
two rough years ahead before finances get turned around, that doesn't
play well with politicians who need to get re-elected in one year.
And who wants to be the legislator that signed off on the budget bill
that took jobs and services from the constituencies that will be
voting for him or her in 2007?

So expect some deal-making, some posturing, and some ugly compromises.
Now what's that famous saying about how with sausage and laws, you
don't want to see how either is actually made?