Cross Purposes

t seems that there are some things that never change - like the fact that in government, the left hand doesn't always know what the right hand is doing. In this case, the left hand is Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire, and the right hand is Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna, setting up Washington State government to be at war with itself. The basic conflict is a simple one. Attorney General McKenna believes that certain provisions of the health care overhaul bill recently signed into law are unconstitutional, and so joined the lawsuit lead by Florida. Governor Gregoire has no problems with the new law, and is upset that the Attorney General signed Washington up without consulting her.

Of course, the party affiliations of the actors is lost on no one, and the more politically active of Washington's citizens are lining up behind their sides, and (unsurprisingly) loudly denouncing each other. But like most such disputes, this one is generating a lot of heat, but no light, and seems likely to degenerate into a spate of internet-fueled name calling. Once the initial anger passes, the Governor and Attorney General are still parts of the same administration, and will likely mend fences enough to work together, leaving their followers to argue uselessly until the next elections.