Don’t let  midnight’s end to this year’s Legislation fool you. It’s not 1931, but it might as well be. For the Democrats are living in a world of illusion and broken promises. They have 114 members in the House and 24 in the Senate and have been unable to pass even their own budget proposals during the last six months and final hours of this year’s march toward futility.

Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, is a broken record. Every time a reporter asks him a question about the weather, his reply “we need the Governor to come to the table,” followed by a demonic giggle. Williams will be saying that in August.

Speaker of the House Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, hopes Governor Rell will address his chamber in the traditional speech a few minutes past the witching hour. Fat chance. Gov. Rell will be more than likely trying to figure out how to manage the state through the balance of this fiscal year hopinhg that the rating agencies don’t downgrade Connecticut’s bonds.

Meanwhile, the state slides toward fiscal oblivion – an $8 billion and growing deficit hole, more bad news from Wall Street in the coming quarter, plus the ticking bomb of unfunded  pension and health care pension liabilities. The state Pension Fund is now $20 billion, about the same value as it was when Denise Nappier took over in 1990.

Democrats wander the majestic State Capitol as if someone who appear with the tablets. But there are no heroes in the wings. There will  be no  Moses, Not even Moses Malone. There are no responsible Democrats any more, save for State Rep. John “Corky” Mazurek, D-Wolcott, who wants to join the entire Republican caucus and eliminate the Citizen’s Election program.  Mazurek will probably be further ostracized from Team Donovan.  This move will save the taxpayers $61 million. At least that’s a cut – the only one offered yet from a credible member of the majority.

Republican House Leader Larry Cafero, R-Norwalk, and GOP Senate Leader John McKinney, F-Fairfield, offered a credible budget that made reasonable to needed cuts in spending while not moving the tax dial up. Democrats were too insipid to see the opportunity and rejected  it out of hand, unlike two years ago when they grabbed Cafero’s budget idea. The Democrats can’t bring themselves to make one sacrifice, to do without one state service or disappoint one state employee. It is sad and frightening that this state is held hostage by small, but well discplined bunch of state employees.

So now, the curtain will be drawn and the Legislators will stagger home. Soon, meetings will be held in hushed corridors with only lobbyists present in the building. The public will be kept in the dark until there is a series of press releases and counter press releases.  Williams will still be seen muttering, “we need the Governor to come to the table,” when one of the red-vester Capitol tour guides comes by with a Girl Scout troop.

Yowzer!!!