Today’s Hartford Courant shows the outright arrogance of the Democratic Majority in the Legislature.  Last week, the Democrats called a “Special Session” which required removing scaffolding from the House chamber at a cost of $65,000. The session took an hour for a technical matters that could have been done in the hallway. That cost $55,000 and add another $10,000 for staffing.

The chamber was being renovated to install a long overdue sprinkler system. House Speaker Jim Amann response to the criticism broke new ground even for him.

“We’re the majority party. I make the call for the session,” Amann said. “It was the proper thing to do. I don’t have to consult Larry Cafero on how to run the House. … Tell him there’s a war going on in Iraq. There’s more important issues than this. When he becomes speaker, he can do what he wants. That’s how democracy works.”

Speaker Amann then took the rest of the day off to prepare for a charity fundraiser in downtown Hartford, attended by many lobbyists who were eager to curry favor. Amann was seen that night having dinner with “D List” actor Billy Baldwin.

For those of us who work for a living, $65,000 is still a lot of money. Those funds could have paid for, let’s say:

• 50,000 pounds of frozen turkey - enough for roughly 3,500 families. 
• Heating oil for 2,000 homes this winter;
• A couple of copy machines for the Judicial Department to print parole reports for the Pardon’s Board;
• A mini-van for the physically disable, the poor or elderly.
• Another official at the Elections Commission to thoroughly audit Sen. Tom Gaffey’s financial reports.
• 10 lowel level sideline seats to the 2008 Final Four in San Antonio. (according to the scalpers).

And for dessert?

• 5,400 servings of Creme Brulee.

Hey doesn’t he know there’s a war on?