Since the election, do you find conversations with friends, family and neighbors start out friendly, then quickly devolve into an anxious mess when the subject turns to politics?
According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association titled “Stress in America, Coping with Change,” you are not alone.
The political environment has many of us on edge.
The January 2017 survey states, “more than half of Americans (57 percent) report that the current political climate is a very or somewhat significant source of stress.
Two-thirds (66 percent) say the same about the future of our nation, and nearly half (49 percent) report that the outcome of the election is a very or somewhat significant source of stress.
While Democrats were more likely than Republicans (72 percent vs. 26 percent) to report the outcome of the 2016 presidential election as a significant source of stress, a majority of Republicans (59 percent) said the future of our nation was a significant source of stress for them, compared to 76 percent of Democrats.” Seems like we are all stressed out but Democrats are feeling it more.
Nassau County, with chaos and corruption at all levels of government, may be one of the most politically stressful places in the nation. Here’s why:
Town of Oyster Bay
Indicted Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto stepped down in early January to fight federal corruption charges. The transition was anything but smooth as several tumultuous town board meetings ensued.
Recently, after another dysfunctional meeting, state Assemblyman Joseph Saladino was appointed Town Supervisor and said after his swearing in, “My destiny is to come home and to rebuild the town of Oyster Bay.”
It’s still early, but to the dismay of many, Supervisor Saladino has been picking and choosing which questions he answers at board meetings. He also hired a new deputy supervisor, his former campaign treasurer, for $135,000, when the previous one did it for free.
Not a good first move if you are trying to assure residents you are “destined” to rebuild your community’s government.
So far, nothing in Oyster Bay’s stressful mess of a government seems to have changed.
Nassau County
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, also under federal indictment, refuses to step down and may even run for re-election.
Many residents are livid, as the poorly run county is struggling to provide basic services and a broken assessment process has caused some homeowners financial harm. The county, on the brink of insolvency, keeps insisting things are wonderful and the County has a surplus. The Nassau Interim Finance Authority oversees county finances and insists there is a huge hole in the budget and predicts a $191 million deficit next year.
If you are a youth services organization that relies on county funding, a homeowner with an erroneous sky-high tax bill or a recipient of a ridiculously expensive red light camera ticket used to balance budget deficits, you are definitely stressed out by the chaos.
State Senate
Keeping the same federal indictment theme that is consistent on Long Island, former state Sen. Dean Skelos was convicted 10 months ago and sentenced to five years in prison for corruption. All state Senate candidates campaigned on ethics reform last year, yet somehow the discussion has ceased and nothing has changed.
When two thirds of Americans, including Nassau County residents, say they are stressed about our future, it’s in part due to the lack of ethics reform, and the conga line of federal corruption in our community.
Federal Government
There is little I can say about President Trump that hasn’t been said already.
The many stresses on residents because of our new President’s policy initiatives include: the environment, the Republican’s dumbed down version of healthcare (Trumpcare), threatened defunding of Planned Parenthood, Russian involvement in our election process, destructive immigration policies, building a wall on our southern border, worries about the future of public education, racism, vilification of the media and concerns about preserving America’s dignity. Trump’s recent action, forcing 46 U.S. attorneys to resign (which includes the firing of Preet Bahara, who refused to go quietly), has thrown the federal courts into disarray. New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said it best, arguing, “the President is interrupting ongoing cases and investigations and hindering the administration of justice.”
How can you fire U.S. attorneys without having replacements ready to go?
I am sure Mangano and Venditto are searching for a way out of their federal indictments after Robert Capers, U.S. Attorney in charge of the Eastern District, which encompasses Long Island, was also forced to resign.
So much for Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp.”
Many of my friends, family and neighbors, regardless of political persuasion, are stressed out. I am too.
