Yes we have a budget... mostly

So after much deliberation the CA Senate approved the budget today in nearly identical form as the Assembly passed it weeks ago. What was the holdup?

Apparently Republican Senators were unhappy with the promise of the Governator to make some line-item veto cuts on his desk. According to the Sac Bee, they didn't trust their own party Governor to uphold his word to remove an additional $700 million from the budget. Yet suddenly, they have a newfound trust and believe the Governor will keep his word. The only other major gain the Republicans made by holding out was an amendment to protect infrastructure bonds from greenhouse gas emission lawsuits. That doesn't strike me as a major gain, nor one the Democrats would have refused in regular session.

Perhaps it's time to sit down and seriously reevaluate the CA budget process. Obviously, being 52 days late on a budget is not a good plan. If I were 52 days late paying my credit card, you can bet there'd be someone calling my house, my cell, my work and anywhere else they could find me. Why then are Californians so unconcerned with the ongoing budget problems?

Could someone explain to me why our legislators were out playing softball instead of wrapping up loose budget ends so that we could pay healthcare providers, childcare centers and others?