It’s hard to deny that Walker is doing pretty much exactly what he promised to stop. But that doesn’t mean the pork projects and policy items included in his budget are bad ideas.

The movement teems with youthful exuberance. The main website for the anti-Palermo’s campaign is called sliceofjustice.com. One of its rallying cries is “No justice. No piece.”

Politicians including Gov. Scott Walker have put the kibosh on CWD-eradication strategies seen as detrimental to herd size. And James Kroll, Walker’s deer trustee, has recommended “a more passive approach” to the disease.

As the dust settles on the epic battles over union rights for public workers in Wisconsin, two new major works — the film “Citizen Koch” and the book “More Than They Bargained For” — aim to put these events into perspective.

Newly released numbers show that lobbying in Wisconsin during the tumultuous 2011-12 legislative session totaled $62.9 million — not exactly chump change, but lower than the session before.

There is always more happening in the Legislature than any person can track or every media outlet can cover. Civic groups may want to “Adopt a bill,” like they might a stretch of highway.

Drug companies have paid more than $24 million to Wisconsin health professionals since 2009, according to data compiled by ProPublica.

This column’s prediction a few weeks back that “all signs point to another jaw-dropping spend-fest” seems not to be coming true. The spending is merely substantial, not overwhelming.