We've received a couple of letters recently that, rather than evincing a typically Republican or Democratic slant, instead ask a simple question: Does the Legislature know what it's doing?

You would think, after all, that when you prepare a multi-billion-dollar, two-year budget for an entire state, you had better have a careful plan of action to guard against goofing up. Surely you don't want to wait until the last minute and then start making it up as you go along.

However, as we watched a single budget bill become six budget bills become eight budget bills, that's just what seems to be happening. And when we learn that the only way to get the full budget out of the House may be to "temporarily" remove all $2 billion or so federal dollars from the state's health and human service agency, people have to wonder what's going on.

Actually, of course, what's going on is political gamesmanship gone wild. Republicans are determined to use every stratagem necessary to trim the governor's budget proposals. Democrats are unified in their refusal to go along, leaving the 50 GOP members of the House dependent on Constitution Party Rep. Rick Jore for a majority vote. And Rep. Jore thinks accepting federal money for things like CHIP or Medicaid is unconstitutional.

On Wednesday, Appropriations Chair John Sinrud, R-Bozeman, accused Democrats of being "just like a little kid who sits in the corner not playing the game because he doesn't get his way." Responded House Minority Whip Art Noonan, D-Butte, "If there is somebody saying 'play our way or we'll take our ball and go home,' it's not this side of the aisle."

We're sure that some of the partisanship is happening with an eye toward the next election. Democratic campaigns will highlight Republican attempts to cut back proposed budgets for social programs, while Republicans will tout their emphasis on property tax relief.

But voters might be more likely to remember those quarreling kids.