Lowman S. Henry offers an interesting analysis of Gov. Ed Rendell's mental status as the state's budget impasse enters Day 14 and Rendell is unable to drum up support for a massive tax hike to dig his way out of a fiscal hole.

From Henry's latest post at Lincoln Blog:

The governor is clearly becoming unglued. He is acting like a junkie who can't get his next fix. Which is exactly what he is: a spending junkie. The governor is used to the legislature rolling over and funding his insatiable appetite for spending.

But this year is different. This year, Republicans - and not a few Democrats - are refusing to cave into the governor's demands for new taxes in the midst of an economic recession.

As a result, Rendell is becoming hysterical.

Obviously 4,000 state employees are not going to be laid off. And, if that many could be laid off the question that pops up is: were they even needed in the first place?

Read the full post at Lincoln Blog.