State of gr

Ah, maybe a pleasant winter and an early spring. With the state strapped for cash, it is speculated that Gov. Daniels will use his State of the State address tonight to focus on smaller issues and how to keep the state solvent, rather than proposing bold new initiatives as he has in the past. And:

But he's likely to spend just as much time patting the legislature on the back.

That's because, for the most part, lawmakers have met his recent demands.

They passed a budget in 2009 that allowed for his insistence on a $1 billion surplus.

They gave Daniels flexibility to further cut spending in the event revenues continued to fall.

And, wait, there's even more good news:

Leaders in the Indiana House say it's possible the General Assembly could adjourn before a March 14 deadline.

Every day they aren't in session is a day they won't be creating more mischief. Of course, the reason they want to leave early, especially in the House, is to get in some extra campaigning as each party tries to win control. So maybe we shouldn't be too excited.