Astronomy lesson

(Camdenton, Mo.) Lake Sun Leader

With their increasing affection for invective, idiocy and illusion, Republican and Democratic office-holders in Jefferson City are unable to agree on a revenue forecast for the coming year, effectively derailing the legislative budget process before it begins.

Republican state Rep. Carl Bearden, who chairs the Budget Committee, says the state's economy may be healthy enough for any shortfalls to be covered by fund transfers.

Democrat Gov. Bob Holden says the state may be $1 billion short of revenue in the coming year.

There are nine planets in our solar system. These leaders apparently have no idea how budgets are made on Earth or how money is managed, so we ask: What planet are they from?

Maybe Saturn, since there is a lot of running around rings in Jefferson City. Perhaps bloated Jupiter, as large as the egos at play. It could be Mercury, hot and cold by turn, similar to support for public education. Maybe it's Mars, where we like to imagine intelligent life may have once existed, but no longer does. Most likely it's Pluto, since they are so far away from the rest of us and behaving like Mickey Mouse's dog.