This is likely to be a long drawn out budget fight, and its political consequences could surprise everybody.

So if the budget fight drags into July, well, they're just doing their jobs.

The issues in this year's budget fight are not especially divisive.

But this year, health care has effectively been taken out of the budget fight.

The long budget fight left little time to debate other issues.

In part, their opposition is linked to the budget fight for state dollars.

That is one question the budget fight will decide, and in doing so define the country we are.

No budget fight has gone this long, and legislative sessions almost always end by late June.

The budget fight has turned that schedule on its ear.

And that means the budget fight might be far from over.