How the Pa. budget deal was sealed

Inquirer Story on how the budget deal was made. If you have a weak stomach, read how sausage is made, that won't be as sickening as this.

"You folded like a cheap suit," Fumo joked when he ran into his friend and
hunting buddy, Sen. Gibson Armstrong (R., Lancaster), in the rotunda. Fumo
grabbed Armstrong, one of the GOP negotiators, in a bear hug and they
laughed.

I thought that was going to the punchline, but I read further.

On Friday, it seemed the two sides would be able to get together, but a meeting about 11 p.m. Saturday involving Republican and Democratic leaders and Rendell aides "blew up," said State Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

The Democrats walked out, he said.

"The Republicans said they were not willing to talk about any other issues except the budget," Evans said.

Dwight Evans thinks he's the hero for walking out of a budget negotiation because Republicans only wanted to talk about the budget? People were furloughed because you refused to talk about the budget until you got all your other demands met?

Rep. Evans - you're the villain in this saga.