Last Thursday Lita and I attended a private dinner in Seattle with some twenty other  people and Governor Christine Gregoire.  Among the sujects Governor Gregoire discussed was our proposed budget. We have a two billion dollar short fall in our state, economic decline and increased costs to contend with. The Governor pointed out that the problem is complicated by the fact a large part of the budget leaves little room for cut back such as education, pensions etc. The economy is going South and sources of remedy disappearing with it. She has the enormous problem of trying to make many different factions understand the need for cut backs and each of them is resistant to any cut back. She has a legislature she has to also deal with who have their own political agenda and personal ideas about the subject. After listening I concluded that neither President Obama nor Governor Gregoire have a job I would want. She is a strong woman who led the negotiation on the tobacco litigation and had the courage to take the tobacco industry to trial in our state until they finally gave up. I am confident she will exhibit the same determination in this situation.