Yesterday, Governor Christine Gregoire announced her plan to cut $4.6 billion from the state budget. The Seattle Times weighed in repeatedly during the election season about budget-related initiatives—they were for Tim Eyman's I-1053 to hobble legislative tax increases with a two-thirds majority vote of the legislature and they were against Bill Gates Sr.'s I-1098 to create an income tax on the rich that would've raised $2 billion annually for education and health care.

Just for kicks, let's look at the Seattle Times editorial coverage and their thought process involving the budget from October to now:

Before the election:

-We should limit the legislature's ability to have any sort of revenue flexibility, and boo to a progressive tax that would fund education, amirite???

Since the election:

—Hurrah! We won! The voters have spoken! Starve the corpulent beast of government! Staaaaarve the Beaaaast!

-But seriously: Now that legislators have had some sense slapped into them, they should still find a way to fund education.

—Wow. The budget is totally fucked and legislators can't fiddle with taxes for at least two years. Instead, they should meet in a special session, like tomorrow, and make some serious cuts to state programs (except education). Better get cracking!

-"Dear Legislature: This is what you get for dodging and fudging the problems of the state budget, and being so slow to act. You get a palate of unpalatable choices. Deal with it. Now."

-There go the fiefdoms of education! Sigh. Such a shame the legislature didn't listen.

And the day after the budget comes out? No editorial that addresses the budget as a whole, just: The legislature should fight the gangs! We fear the gaaaaangs!

What program that the Seattle Times had advocated we cut funding for will they lament the loss of next?

h/t Toby