"Help Me Help Myself!"

Just when you think arrogance has reached its zenith for legislative Democrats you can always count on them finding greater heights to ascend to. Just as the weekend began on Friday, it was quietly confirmed that former House Speaker Jim Amann would be hired by new House Speaker Chris Donovan as a $120,000 per year adviser.

That's right, following a week where House and Senate Democrats were unable to find the courage, ability or smarts to make any significant cuts in a budget that apparently now has a billion dollar deficit for this year, they added a $120,000 new position to their staff, continuing to show that the last people on earth they intend to let suffer in this economy are themselves.

Amann continues to be a candidate for governor, and this large salary ought to help him toward that end considerably.

Jim Amann has never been shy about being a pig, ever-ready to be slopped at the public trough. It should be remembered that he ran into some difficulties back when he was simultaneously serving as Speaker while strong-arming lobbyists to contribute to the non-profit he worked for, hiding behind the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the sick people it helps to personally enrich himself.

His indifference to the notion of being wise with the public penny is summed up best by the useless $65,000 special session he called a little over a year ago that required scaffolding to be taken down and immediately erected again for one hour of work that achieved absolutely nothing.

He also managed as Speaker to use a $2 million contingency fund meant for statewide projects solely in his own legislative district.

I was particularly amused by Amann's remarks in The Day where he explained how he came to take his new job. He said he considered private sector employment, but opted for the security of a state job since the private sector was laying off so many people. The money-line? “If I could run for governor and live in a tent I would,” Amann said. “I got a wife to take care of, I got bills to pay.”

Everyone else in Connecticut has family to support and bills to pay Jim. But, as it always was in your legislative career just as it is now... you're not about the people of the state. You're still just about yourself.

I'd say the pants are dropping off the new Donovan Speakership, and a little hairy crack is showing.