Re: legislation to require a balanced state budget:

Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, the House majority leader, said she thinks the balanced budget bill is a good idea, but members of her caucus will likely view it with suspicion because Republicans did not approach her party to push the bill in a bi-partisan fashion.

She noted that all the bill's sponsors are Republicans so "there must be something devious going on."

"Something devious," what did Oliver Stone introduce the bill from the grassy knoll? Good grief. A balanced budget isn't exactly a ground-breaking concept at the state level.

Meanwhile,

[Minority Leader Richard] DeBolt said Kessler should feel free to redraft the bill and put her name on it. "We don't care."

Well, then why not approach Democrats to see if some - especially some in suburban swing districts - might be interested in signing on to the legislation? If some did, that would actually apply more pressure on Democratic leadership than the current Republican-only bill.