One complaint we have shared with readers about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget process is that his proposals have been contingent on big, sweeping changes — legalization of marijuana among them — that we believe deserve nuanced, thorough debate on their own merits by our legislators.

We were disheartened to see the Democratic caucus in the U.S. Senate approach the shutdown in a very similar way — and relieved Republicans and a handful of moderate Democrats are forging a path forward that excises the debate that might end in big, sweeping changes and thus required greater nuance and focus from the matter of resolving the shutdown.

We doubt the efforts to tie the practical functions of our federal government to whether the Senate could find answers to persistent challenges in health care affordability were ever going to end in either an acceptable budget or a better alternative for paying for health care than the status quo.

The scope of both issues is daunting. The answers that align with each side’s underlying principles are vastly far apart. In short, both are complicated issues — and making them even more intertwined — entangled, really — was always going to leave both issues facing even greater complications.

We are glad that the Democratic senators supporting the compromise recognize the necessity of separating the federal government’s budgeting from other, far-ranging matters of public policy, and we believe the opportunities for more efficient budget practices and transparent consideration of our nation’s health care needs are only improved by this small step toward not using one issue as a cudgel for the other.