LANSING — “Laws are like sausages — it is best not to see them being made.” Though that quote is often wrongly attributed to Mark Twain, it was actually said by Otto von Bismarck, the first and greatest chancellor of the 19th century old German Empire.

The iron chancellor has been dead since 1898, but he might have appreciated how well his advice was followed during negotiations to agree on the state of Michigan’s budget.

For a while, it looked like Michiganders might have to endure a double whammy of both federal and state government shutdowns.

The deadlines for both were Sept. 30. But at the last moment, Republicans and Democrats in Lansing agreed on a resolution to keep the state open for a week. And sometime after 4 a.m. last Friday, the final bills were passed and sent to the gover

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