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Donovan The Bold

Yet another Connecticut politician – this time Sen. Joe Lieberman – has given up his sinecure in the U.S. Congress.

Mr. Lieberman follows former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd out the door. After pledging not to become a lobbyist, Mr. Dodd, shaking from his feet the dust of Washington D.C., has now become – ta! da! – a lobbyist. But not just any lobbyist. Mr. Dodd has covered himself in tinsellated glory and is now the chief lobbyist for the motion picture industry. Mr. Dodd sups with the stars, sure and begorrah. This year the former Beltway fixture missed Connecticut’s Jefferson, Jackson Bailey dinner.

Mr. Lieberman – on the outs with his party for being Joe – also missed the dinner. But Mr. Lieberman offered progressive Democrats his compliments by leaving office, which has opened a frequently shut door to present Speaker of the House Chris Donovan.

Mr. Donovan was seen at the JJB dinner this year sporting on his lapel a picture of a guitar – the Speaker is really a frustrated rock star – emblazoned with the words “Chris Donovan for Congress.”

Present U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, who for the purpose of an ensuing Democratic primary advertises himself as a progressive, is hankering after Lieberman’s seat, and Mr. Murphy’s ambition has left open a seat in the 5th Congressional district for, among others, Mr. Donovan, who politically stands a couple of centimeters to the right of Daniel Livingston, the chief Negotiator for SEBAC in the union coalition's talks with the Malloy administration.

Among Republicans who already have thrown their hats into the 5th District ring are two energetic conservatives, Mark Greenberg and Justin Bernier, both of whom are committed to small and efficient government, free markets, adherence to constitutional principles and a fidelity to Abraham Lincoln’s definition of liberty:

“We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word many mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name - liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names - liberty and tyranny.”
Though Mr. Donovan this year was constrained to avoid schmoozing with union chieftains while the budget negotiations were under way, it is generally acknowledged that there are in Connecticut three or four important legislative union facilitators; Mr. Donovan is one of them. In the general election, should he make it that far, Mr. Donovan will affect moderation, and Connecticut’s left of center commentariat will as usual wink at the deception.

All this coming and going of politicians has reporters and political commentators scratching their heads and wondering – perhaps the imposition of term limits is not such a bad idea after all. Upon Mr. Lieberman’s leave-taking, Connecticut will be represented by newbie former Attorney General Dick Blumenthal and – the Grand Poobahs of the Democratic Party willing – the fresh faced Mr. Murphy. The newness of Connecticut’s U.S. Senate delegation blows out of the water the chief objection to term limits; namely, that once term limits are dangerously implanted in the political system, the Government will lose its intellectual capital.

Assuming he is successful in his Congressional run, Mr. Donovan will be replaced as House Speaker without loss of intellectual capital; Mr. Blumenthal already has been replaced as attorney general by the softer and kinder George Jepsen, without loss of intellectual capital. And so on down the line: With a nudge from Connecticut’s Supreme Court, former Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz has been replaced and is now running for Mr. Lieberman’s seat. No measurable loss there, eh? So then, can we all kick into a cocked hat this antique notion that term limits will destroy the Republic?

We Can? Good.

Omnipresent journalist Christine Stuart of CTNewsJunkie snagged Mr. Donovan as he was emerging from the V.I.P. Room at the Connecticut Convention Center. Mr. Dovovan identified himself as the only candidate in the race already working for the betterment of the state and said he now wants to work for the people of Connecticut in Washington D.C. He was praised by fellow Democratic state Rep. Peter Tercyak of New Britain, who thought the manner in which Mr. Donovan announced his candidacy singled him out from more pedestrian candidates who avail themselves of press conferences for such purposes.

“How bold to do this instead of a carefully staged event,” said Mr. Tercyak. “He’s different. He’s bold.”

“Donovan the Bold” -- coming soon to a bumper sticker on a car near you.

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