"What we have here is a failure to communicate." It is more than just a failure; it is an unwillingness on the part of the Speaker.

In a 4-1-07 post I wrote that in this year's session of the General Assembly, "Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has emerged as a big winner and House Speaker Glenn Richardson has not fared too well."

Given the current budget confrontation between the Governor and the Speaker, I think it is safe to predict that things are not going to improve for Richardson, regardless of whether the Governor vetoes the midyear budget with its $142 million tax cut and whether he can muster the votes to sustain his veto. Because of the way things have been handled, Richardson is going to be perceived as a loser in the court of public opinion.