Oh, no, wait.  What's $1.35 billion in new taxes when you can discuss how brave and amazing and wonderful and perfect and beautiful and inspiring the governor is for making $400 million in tough tough cuts forced on her by those mean nasty Republicans.

That's their angle this morning and it's hammered home right out of the box with the pity-inspiring headline: "Even with tax increases, programs could face tough budget times."

When did the headline writers at the AP move into the Democrat Governor's PR department?  It isn't unless you delve into the article and employ those critical thinking skills that you push past their bias to see the truth.  

Little tid-bits like this:

Universities and community colleges thought they would see an increase under the budget deal. But a press release from Granholm's office said planned funding increases for higher education will be eliminated.

Or...

Local K-12 education may get a 1 percent funding increase...

They also tell us that food service in prisons might have to go down a notch or two on the gourmet-quality scale and that some state run healthcare provisions may be shifted to the private sector.  

You can almost visualize lefty readers across the state wiping tears from their eyes, just as the AP intended.  How can we ONLY give a 1% funding increase to anything in times like these?  How can we not increase funding for colleges and universities who's own spending practices (Gary Peters at CMU anyone?) indicate they're not necessarily as concerned with delivering value for the dollar as the average bear.

Um... hello?  McFly?  Anyone home McFly? (Sorry, just watched Back to the Future a couple weeks ago.)

Thankfully the rest of the press seems to have shaken off the Governor's charisma spell just long enough to cover the actual story in a $1.35 BILLION tax hike.  The tax hike.  

The FREEP catches us up on a bit of reaction to the Democrats job killing decision.  Yes, Samantha, there is a Leon Drolet and he has your tax-hiking state Rep's voting record.  There's been a lot of talk about recalls here and in the forums over at the Free Press.  And leading the charge...

Drolet declined to identify the lawmakers the group expects to target, but said the criteria are these: The lawmaker must have voted for one or both of the tax increases, live in a district where voters might be convinced to expel a pro-tax legislator, and live in a district where those angry voters are willing to collect signatures and do what's necessary to oust him or her.

And down the hall and around the corner the Detroit News includes an interesting statement from the Speaker of the House.  Not sure what his angle was in saying something like this but... well... Andy, take it away.

"Republicans refused to put up votes for anything," said House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township. "Basically, this entire package was delivered by Democrats."

Can I quote you on that?  Can your caucuses Republican opponents quote you on that this coming campaign season?  Seriously, thanks for clearing that one up for us.