Six more days of inaction

After that, the Alabama Legislature yet again can achieve its goal of failing to pass budgets that it's required by law to pass. In the latest development, Sen. Jim Preuitt, D-Talladega, on Tuesday officially joined the unofficial movement to hand the Legislature to Republicans in 2006 with his promise to kill the multi-billion-dollar education budget unless lawmakers increase higher education spending by an extra $46 million next year.

Meanwhile, Gov. Bob Riley, a Republican, is resting easy as Montgomery businessman Winton Blount III spends his money on infomercials to place Riley above the fray.