Republicans in the state Senate nearly all held together in passing a budget with major spending cuts, to avoid a government shutdown and a massive tax increase. The bill keeps education spending at its current level (instead of increasing it) and closes three prisons (as a way of forcing privatization of a small portion of the prison system in the coming year).

The bill now returns to the House, where majority Democrats are itching for a huge tax-hike, but haven’t managed to get enough members to vote for it. For the backstory on Democrats’ fight to raise taxes, and the Republican resistance, read this.

The situation is a bit dangerous. The government shutdown deadline is Sunday, and Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) has threatened to veto any temporary continuation budget.

But if she does that, won’t the press have to blame her for shutting down state government?