The legislative session never fails to be a brutal, tedious exercise that pushes the limits of even the most veteran of state pols. Committee hearings are long, floor speeches and votes longer. Coalitions form, break up and re-form. Deals are cut. Lobbyists and reporters constantly bang on lawmakers for support or quotes.
Members are away from their homes, families and jobs for most of four months.
Here comes the drill Throw in a partisan split and anything could happen before this sessions ends in early April. Cracks have already emerged. The whirr of a drill breaking what was already a bit of an uneasy silence was not the classiest moment in the history of Kentucky politics. Republicans don't own the whole place yet. Tuesday, they were just acting as if they did.