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Democracy

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By Judie Gorenstein

The League of Women Voters (LWV) was  founded in 1920, the year that the 19th  amendment was passed, giving women throughout the country the right to vote. A major goal at that time was to educate women to be informed voters. 

Over the years, the LWV has remained a grassroots, nonpartisan organization, but its mission evolved to encouraging informed and active participation of citizens in government and to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Now, 105 years later, it is more important than ever that the LWV “Empowers Voters and Defends Our Democracy.”

Long Island is served by eight Leagues: four in Suffolk County (Brookhaven, Huntington, Smithtown, and The Hamptons, Shelter Island and the North Fork) and four in Nassau County (Central Nassau, East Nassau, Port Washington/Manhasset, and Great Neck). Although the communities they reach may be socially and economically diverse and the size of each League varies, they have the same core values and mission.

Working together through regional zoom meetings builds strength. Last month’s meeting began with their regional liaison stating “Our democracy is being tested like never before. We acknowledge problems but focus on solutions. Otherwise we become powerless.”  

Strong Leagues with engaged members are needed to accomplish goals. Leadership, membership, and orientation strategies are shared. Membership increases as a result of not only what is happening all around us but also by increased visibility in the community via street and volunteer fairs, networking with diverse groups, and generally meeting people where they are. The Leagues then use orientation meetings to not only educate new members on the values, policies and activities of the League, but to engage these new members, survey their interests and get them involved with hands-on experience.   

Leagues will continue to register and educate voters and get out the vote. But this year, all our Leagues are committed to doing whatever they can to make certain the  Safeguard American Elections (SAVE) Act does not pass. Rather than safeguarding our elections, the SAVE Act silences voters by making it harder if not impossible for  millions of eligible voters to register or reregister to vote. It undermines our election integrity based on lies about who is voting. 

There is NO evidence of widespread non-citizen voting in federal or state elections.  Newly registered voters may be asked to show identification when they vote the first time. The New York State voter registration form already clearly states that it is a crime to procure a false registration or to furnish false information to the Board of Elections. You must affirm that you are a citizen and  either enter your DMV driver’s license number or last 4 digits of your social security number.  

Under the SAVE Act this information would  no longer be  sufficient, and online or mail-in registration would not be valid. New voters, or voters with registration changes (e.g. new address) would have to physically go to their County Board of Elections with proof of citizenship, primarily an original birth certificate or passport. Married women who have changed their name would not only need their original birth certificate, but also their marriage certificate. The SAVE Act thus puts an undue burden on voters of color, rural voters, tribal voters, military members and married women. 

Would organizations like the LWV even be able to hold voter registration drives in high schools, colleges and the community? We know our democracy works best when everyone participates. The SAVE Act works to do exactly THE OPPOSITE. Millions of active voters would be unable to satisfy the SAVE Act’s requirements. There are about 12 million American citizens who cast a ballot in 2020 but who would be functionally unable to register to vote if the SAVE Act were passed.

The League of Women Voters continues to monitor and oppose the SAVE Act. This bill is being fast-tracked in the House of Representatives. Should it pass both houses of Congress and make it to the president’s desk he is certain to sign it. Leagues all across the country are networking with other organizations to oppose the SAVE Act; educating their community and calling their representatives in Congress. Enfranchising voters is  a core principle of the LWV. Defending and protecting our democracy is what we do!

For more information and data, go to Brennan Center for Justice at NYU: The SAVE Act Would Hurt Americans Who Actively Participate in Elections at https://www.brennancenter.org

Judie Gorenstein has been voter service chair of LWV of Suffolk County and past president of LWV of New York State, and is currently on LWV Huntington’s Leadership Team.

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By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

Every month it seems that the world is becoming more unsettled and divisive. No matter what one’s political affiliation, all of us would agree that there is waste and mismanagement within the federal government. It is very troubling.

However, it doesn’t help that all kinds of accusations are being made about theft, fraud and mismanagement and very little is substantiated with legitimate proof. Dedicated public servants with impeccable records, some with spouses and children, are being fired without real notice. We can and should do better.

Attempting to freeze federal grants that benefit the poor, the needy, those battling mental health issues and our veterans, honestly is unconscionable and heartless.

For more than 40 years, I have refused to take federal money because I worried that one day I would have to face what my colleagues and the nonprofit world are facing. The anxiety and unconscious stress that so many are feeling right now is so unnecessary.

The work that the not-for-profit community does in our local community and in our county is beyond words. The countless lives saved and transformed could fill pages upon pages of any newspaper if their stories were told.

As an educator, what is equally troubling is how we cannot have transparent, critically thought out conversations about the real issues that concern all of us. It seems sometimes that the people we elect leave their heart and soul at the steps of the Capitol. We have elected a senator and a Congress person to represent us, not to mindlessly repeat what the party leadership speaks.

The next generation is watching us and what we are showing them from the classroom to the workplace. 

We are so blessed to live in one of the greatest countries in the world. We are a melting pot of every race, creed, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and social status. Every American has a voice that must be heard. We must not be afraid to express ourselves, especially if it goes against our leadership. That’s the beauty of our nation. Every voice, no matter who’s speaking, is important and must be respected. 

Americans should never be afraid of reprisal for expressing respectfully what they feel and what they think.

When are our elected representatives going to represent us and what we feel is important? When are we going to elect representatives that lead and not follow?

Isn’t that what democracy is all about?

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.

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Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz
Protestors line the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown. Photo by William Stieglitz

By William Stieglitz

On Saturday, March 1, Long Islanders lined the sidewalk outside the Tesla Showroom in Smithtown to express their grievances with Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO who simultaneously oversees the Department of Government Efficiency  established by President Donald Trump (R) this year. Protesters stretching a quarter mile down Smithtown Bypass held signs expressing concerns over corruption and the endangerment of democracy. 

The rally was part of the nationwide Tesla Takedown movement, which has spawned a multitude of protests since mid-February. More than 50 happened Saturday, March 1, alone, with the protests encouraging people to “sell your Teslas, dump your stock, [and] join the picket lines” in order to strike back financially against Musk. With Tesla stocks having fallen 28% last month, organizers believe it to be working. Many of these protests were also part of the nationwide Indivisible organization.

The Smithtown rally was organized by the newly created United Voices for Freedom, which describes itself as “a grassroots group that serves to amplify progressive voices in the northern central region of Long Island.” Tiffany, who founded the group and wanted her last name kept private, said, “We’re all worried about the overreach of Musk and his ransacking of our federal agencies. No one elected Musk.” The concern of Musk being “unelected” was repeated by nearly every attendee interviewed, each having a wide range of grievances regarding the billionaire.

“He has a tremendous conflict of interest,” said Deborah Roberts, an attendee who previously organized a rally for congressional town halls. “He just ended the Verizon contract and put Starlink in, he controls communications and platforms online… he’s interfering in our economy and ruining our guardrails for safety in this country, but he’s not chipping away at his welfare program for Starlink and for SpaceX. And not only that, he’s dismantling bureaucracies that have oversight for both of those programs. He doesn’t want anyone looking.” 

Roberts spoke too on concerns of Musk operating within the executive branch while neither having been vetted by Congress nor having divested himself of personal financial interest. His accessing of Americans’ private information was something many there found especially dangerous. “If you wanted a template for corruption,” said attendee Paula Fries, “this is it.”

Others elaborated on issues of what DOGE is cutting, expressing fear for Medicaid and Social Security, as well as concern that DOGE, having not gained congressional approval, has no legal standing to make those cuts. Attendee Ian Wilder described DOGE as “doing things that are frightening and destructive, like taking people out of the FAA, taking people who are in charge of nuclear weapons out.” There is some concern that because federal workers in the Social Security Admisitration have been fired, Social Security checks and Medicaid payments will not be made on time to help recipients.  

Laura Lesch, another attendee, said this was not the way to run a government. “It might be the way to run a tech company,” she said, “but the way he’s going about this, just slash, slash, slash, without any regard for any of the fallout, is just not acceptable to me.”

More expressed concerns over Musk and Trump’s actions being those of oligarchs, and spoke to fear of authoritarianism. Future elections, multiple people expressed, would not be a certainty with this administration, unless they were fought for. “This could be our last hope for democracy,” one person said. “Unless people mobilize in large, large numbers, we’re screwed.”

In this sense, the protest, for many, had nothing to do with partisan preference. Robert Schaller, who described himself as having formerly been a Republican his whole life, said, “The whole thing is just ridiculous. I can’t even believe if a liberal ever turned around or the Democratic Party went out there and did a Hitler salute like he did, and then they try to backtrack it. … I mean, to alienate our allies the way they’re doing, is embarrassing. If my father and grandfather and the people that fought in World War II saw this today, they would be turning over in their graves.” 

This sentiment was echoed by Fries, who made a similar statement. “My father is a World War II vet,” she said. “He fought in World War II, he fought against fascism, and this is the least I can do, is to show up and protest.”

Among the American flags waved by the protesters were Ukrainian flags too, the striking yellow and blue a reminder of the incident at the White House the day before. “I was appalled by yesterday’s news conference with Zelenskyy,” said attendee Lesch. “Our entire international relationships are going to go right down the tubes. It just doesn’t make sense to abandon all of Europe, which is what we’re doing, in effect.” She elaborated how at the conference, news groups such as the Associated Press were not allowed into the Oval Office, but “the Russian press was… and when asked how they got in, the answer was they just snuck in.”

A final issue among attendees was a desire to express all these concerns at an in-person congressional town hall, which has not occurred in Suffolk County since 2017. Roberts was collecting signatures at the event to petition for one. “My congressperson is Nick LaLota of CD1,” she said, “and he never has a public town hall meeting where he answers these important questions.” The petition has gained popularity with an online version as well, which thus far has garnered over 1,000 signatures.

The rally, overall, lasted two hours with over 500 people in attendance, according to the organizer, and a follow-up is planned for later this month. At the Tesla Showroom, no one was available for comment. 

Nationally, there are Tesla Takedown protests scheduled through at least the end of the month, with protests scheduled outside the United States in Iceland, Portugal and the United Kingdom as well. Responding to the nationwide presence of the protests, the United Voices for Freedom organizer Tiffany said, “I think it shows that everyone is really unhappy with this, I think that people are really concerned about the state of our democracy and that we’re quickly falling into fascism, and people feel the need to get out and stop it, or at least try to stop it.”

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

The drive between my office and home has been treacherous for my tires over the past couple of years, with the potholes and broken stretches of blacktop causing them to whine in protest. I was taking all sorts of detours through adjoining neighborhoods to avoid them. 

So, imagine my relief when a transportation ground crew appeared a couple of weeks ago and proceeded to repair and repave the roads. The route is now smooth enough for roller skating.

This could have been a metaphor for the coming election.

After mounting anxiety among the populace and near hysteria about what voting would be like and what would lie ahead by the media, it is such a relief that nothing violent  happened. It was only an exercise in demonstrating the will of the governed.

Yes, half the population is keenly disappointed that its candidate did not win and make history, and the other half is ecstatic that its candidate did win and did make history. But an amazing calm has descended. 

Polls almost all across our nation were crowded but enabled orderly voting. There were a few bomb threats phoned in, largely attributed to Russian interference, which delayed our voting process in a minor way, but there were no scenes of perilous conflict. 

We Americans did what we are supposed to do during elections. We voted—in greater number than usual—then went about our usual business and awaited the results.

The only uptick in normal activity was in the stock market, which soared wildly at the prospect of calm and stability. There was no factual basis for any claims of chaos. And no one so far seems to be challenging the results.

We can let out our collective breath.

This election should not pass from sight without our plaudits for the poll workers. When I entered my polling place about 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, I was greeted cordially, directed to the proper table to register, then to another for the ballot and given a short explanation on how to fill it out.

When I emerged, ballot in hand, from the booth, I was further directed to one of the voting machines, then I left with a receipt and a sticker some kind soul had supplied that read, “I voted.” As I left, I was thanked a couple of times for voting by poll workers. 

It occurred to me that we, the voters, should be thanking them. Despite the severe concerns expressed in the lead-up to the election about the safety issue for those workers, they showed up, graciously did their jobs, safely put in a long day, then returned to their homes. 

They supported the ultimate key for democracy to happen: the vote.

So thank you to the many men and women, all across America, and those in our individual polling places, for your help. And thanks to those who came to protect them.

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publisher

Newspapers themselves made the news this week before the election. Both The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post decided not to endorse either candidate for President of the United States. This is so unusual that it made the national news.

What are the reasons behind this remarkable decision?

I’ll tell you the reasons given by the papers, and I’ll tell you what the pundits are declaring. I may even share my own thoughts on the matter.

After almost 50 years of making presidential endorsements, The Washington Post declared they would not be doing so in this election, or any future presidential election, according to Will Lewis, the chief executive and publisher. “We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.” This was after the editorial board had already drafted an endorsement of Kamala Harris, according to The New York Times’ article of October 26. The decision appeared to have come from Post’s owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, who also has lucrative business contracts with the government, including through Amazon and the aerospace company,  Blue Origin.

The decision drew criticism “from reporters, editors and readers, along with an unusual rebuke from the legendary Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein,” according to The Times. The newspaper was accused of “cowardice with democracy as its casualty,” by Martin Baron, The Post’s former editor featured in the movie, “Spotlight,” dealing with systemic sexual child abuse by numerous priests.

The Post tried to explain. David Shipley, the newspaper’s opinion editor, said The Post was no longer going to tell people how to vote but rather “trusting readers to make up their own minds.” 

So far this year, “The Post has endorsed candidates in House and Senate races in Virginia and Maryland,” said The Times. The decision not to endorse a presidential candidate was “clearly a sign of pre-emptive favor currying” with Mr. Trump, according to Robert Kagan, a long time writer and editor at large of The Post. In a dissenting editorial, 18 Post opinion columnists signed their names to a column calling the decision not to endorse a “terrible mistake,” since the paper all along has been emphasizing  that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy.

The owner of The Los Angeles Times, billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, had also recently quashed presidential endorsements, again seemingly due to conflicts of interest.

The Times Beacon Record, before each Election Day, publishes a section with interviews of the candidates that take place in our offices with the editorial board. In our section, to be found elsewhere in the papers and on the web today, we also print endorsements. We are an independent news organization, favoring neither major political party. Hence our endorsements run the gamut, neither red nor blue, settling on our choice of the best possible candidates to represent us.

Why do we do this? 

It takes a great deal of time to catch up with the office-seekers, schedule their interviews,  preferably with each other, pose questions to them, write up their responses and decide on whom to vote for. And that is our role: to tell you finally, as a result of our proximity to them and their previous efforts, as well as their stated goals, that these are the ones we would vote into office. 

We are decidedly not trying to push you, our readers, into your choices. We have enough confidence in you to assume you can decide if given enough information, and our role is to do just that. We try to reflect the candidates’ positions with our interviews, tell you how they registered on us, then reveal how we would vote. The rest is up to you.

What we are adamant about is the responsibility each of us has to vote. People in distant lands fight and some even die for that privilege. Because we take it for granted, statistics show that many of us don’t bother following the candidates and voting for the best choices. When that happens, we get what we deserve: government we don’t want.

Please vote, and also vote on the two propositions at the back of the ballot. 

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File photo by Raymond Janis

WRITE TO US … AND KEEP IT LOCAL

We welcome your letters, especially those responding to our local coverage, replying to other letter writers’ comments and speaking mainly to local themes. Letters should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style, good taste and uncivil language. They will also be published on our website. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include an address and phone number for confirmation.

Email letters to: [email protected] or mail them to TBR News Media, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733

Democracy at work

The proudest day of my life was when my parents and I took the oath to become citizens of the United States. I was 8 years old. 

As a Russian emigrant, my father applied for and received a Tolstoy grant, which sponsored our family’s journey to America. They arrived on these shores with a baby, a box of books and dreams for a brighter future.

This election season in Port Jefferson brought back the feeling of pride I experienced at becoming a citizen of this great nation.

I went to meet-and-greets for all the candidates and attended the debates. I observed as people of varied and even opposing political leanings coalesced around the candidate they thought best represented their vision for our village. I participated in putting up signs, knocking on doors and engaging in spirited discourse with my neighbors.

This was democracy at work, and it renewed my faith in the American spirit. All of us were motivated by the love we have for this beautiful harborfront village we call home and a desire to help steer it toward a better tomorrow.

I, for one, am honored to help us paddle.

Xena Ugrinsky

Port Jefferson

Personal attacks are not helpful

I’m deeply disappointed with the editor’s decision to print a letter that seeks to contrast me with the wonderful couple who own Kai Li Kitchen in East Setauket [subjects in our “American Dream” series, May 25]. 

This letter continues a false narrative that aims to distinguish between good and bad immigrants, painting me as a complaining socialist who doesn’t work hard. That is an unfair and unsubstantiated personal attack. I am an immigrant to this country, the first of my family to grow up and attend college here. I have been an educator for almost a quarter of a century in public and higher education. I am an advocate for a range of issues as both a volunteer and in my paid professional work. 

As a citizen of this country, I have my First Amendment rights, and I use them eloquently and fully with no apology. I love this country deeply, so deeply that I am willing to do the work of improving it. It is why I have advocated for economic, environmental, social and racial justice at all levels of government. What [letter writer] Mr. Graziano calls “complaining,” I call the work of citizenship. The progress that happens in this nation has occurred because of people who would not accept the status quo as the final product.

As someone who has written in this paper for years, I’m disappointed to see the decline in quality in recent months. It seems that the editors of TBR News Media have turned the letters-to-the-editor page into a venue where personal attacks on residents are fair game. Residents and subscribers deserve better from local journalism than this.

Shoshana Hershkowitz

South Setauket

My heart is breaking for Port Jeff

It’s a sad day in the Village of Port Jefferson today. The election is over and to the surprise of many, Kathianne Snaden did not get enough of her supporters out to vote for her. This paper called the results an “upset.”

The reason I feel compelled to write is many residents don’t realize that as a result of the vote, Kathianne is now off the Board of Trustees completely, as her term expires in a short few days. What a huge loss for this village. Four years of village government knowledge and proven results are literally out the window now. You may not fully know all Kathianne did and was responsible for, which we have now lost. And after you read this you should be “upset” as well.

As our commissioner of public safety and liaison to code, Kathianne worked with the Suffolk County Police Department and brought increased enforcement and specialized SCPD units here to Port Jeff that other villages don’t get and in doing so lowered crime numbers in the village drastically. That relationship is gone now.

As liaison to parking, Kathianne worked to build the first new parking lot in 40 years in Port Jeff to address our chronic parking problems.

Kathianne worked tirelessly to beautify this village, creating parks, cleaning up dilapidated overgrown areas and instead creating small pocket parks and green spaces. The flowers you see in this village are a direct result of Kathianne’s efforts, saving you money instead of paying a gardener to do this. That eye for keeping the village sharp looking is now gone.

As commissioner of building and planning, Kathianne worked to streamline that department and helped create housing solutions that could bring more families into the village — benefiting our schools and businesses alike. Gone.

Speaking of families, we have lost the only Board of Trustees member that has kids in the school district. Kathianne worked with the district to create a positive relationship where both the schools and the village benefited as well as every one of your kids. Parents: Kathianne was your pro-schools voice in village government. That voice is gone now, leaving louder voices intent on trying to close the schools.

The loss to this village is immense. My heart breaks for this village and for my wife. She’s being prevented from doing what she loves to do and what she excels at: Making a difference in the daily lives of all Port Jeff residents.

William Snaden

Port Jefferson

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Democracies don’t exist for their statutes or procedures or rules. They are given life by, and exist to serve, the people.

Representative government can only function if citizens direct their elected officials toward representative policy ends. This process worked to perfection Monday night, April 3, when the Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees voted 5-0 to rescind a resolution to extend terms of service for village officials — reversing a unanimous decision rendered just two weeks earlier.

We regard this outcome as a victory for the people and the board, a reflection of the dynamic interplay between public officials and their constituents. We congratulate Port Jeff citizens and representatives alike for this democratic response.

Monday meant more than a simple reversal of posture. Residents turned out in force, filling the boardroom and demonstrating their interest and engagement in the local decision-making process.

Leaders of the newly reformed Port Jefferson Civic Association made formal contact with their village officials, introducing themselves and expressing their community aims. We view this as a decisive first step toward active collaboration between the local governing body and its civic.

But the board itself deserves immense credit for its leadership and accountability over a delicate policy matter. We are all fallible creatures, prone to occasional lapses in judgment and error.

It takes a greater sense of self-knowledge and courage to publicly admit fault and correct a mistake. We thank the board for upholding the foundational principle that the power of government is derived from the consent of the governed.    

The work in this village is still unfinished. It isn’t enough to show up once amid the height of the storm. Another tempest is always brewing, and today’s calmer seas will be tomorrow’s surging tides.

Democracy requires persistent effort and engagement from residents. It demands citizens be present at all village board meetings, for they are the drivers of this system.

Still, the board’s action Monday validated the democratic principle. It illustrates that the light of liberty and conscience can and will prevail in this village. For this moment, may we all rejoice at the simple splendor of local democracy done right

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Photo by Raymond Janis

Frequent elections are a common feature of healthy, vibrant democracies. Here in the Village of Port Jefferson, the community should recognize the value elections bring.

Biennial elections, or those held every two years, have been in place since the village’s incorporation. However, during a business meeting held Monday, March 20, the Port Jeff Board of Trustees voted unanimously to alter the length of terms for village mayor, trustees and judges from two to four years.

At TBR News Media, we view one of our roles as watchdog of local government for the people. The free press must shine light upon power, especially power wielded hastily and imprudently. We, therefore, regard Monday’s decision as irresponsible and advise the voting public to reverse course.

Biennial elections strengthen the ties between elected officials and their constituents. Up for election every two years, the representative continuously returns to the people, selling his or her vision to the public, receiving ideas in exchange. This symbiotic process keeps governmental decisions reflective of the public will.

During debates over ratification of the U.S. Constitution, Americans argued most vehemently over the structure of Congress. At the height of those debates, James Madison, in Federalist No. 52, advanced the most coherent and convincing rationale for maintaining two-year terms in the House of Representatives.

“As it is essential to liberty that the government in general should have a common interest with the people,” Madison wrote, “so it is particularly essential that the branch of it under consideration should have an immediate dependence on, and an intimate sympathy with, the people.”

The “intimate sympathy” between congressmen and their districts — kindled through biennial elections — distinguishes the lower chamber as the “People’s House.” Over more than two centuries after ratification, we still elect congressional representatives every two years.

But an even greater incentive remains for preserving the current system in Port Jeff. This year’s election season is already underway, with three of the five members of the current board seeking election in less than 90 days.

Whether or not the board appreciates this fact, Monday’s vote comes at a delicate historical moment. Within the broader national context, many are losing faith in American democracy, as both major political parties and an often-unrestrained national press and social media work in tandem to erode public trust in our democratic norms.

Election denial is becoming a mainstay of our national political discourse. Allegations of voter fraud, voter suppression and election interference are commonplace today. Monday’s vote signals a lack of awareness of these broader currents, setting a dangerous precedent by localizing our national democratic defects.

Finally, the term extensions flatly disregard ongoing concerns among some villagers who fear the decisions made by this board might be made in an untransparent and undemocratic manner. By extending their terms and expanding the scope of their powers, board members risk further alienating residents from the decision-making process.

The village government has some serious work ahead. Between declining public revenue, a rising budget and a sometimes disillusioned electorate, policymaking now more than ever requires close coordination between village officials and their community. Monday’s outcome does the opposite, creating more distance and potentially shielding representatives from public scrutiny.

Citizens have recourse. Under the New York Village Law, the voters can overturn this resolution through a permissive referendum. We encourage residents to do their part to help collect the necessary signatures, then to defeat this ill-conceived measure at the ballot box in June.

But more must be done to reinvigorate democracy in Port Jeff. Too few attend village board meetings or write us letters detailing their local concerns. A lack of public participation communicates a lack of interest to the board. Citizens must actively engage and work with their local government.

May this board and electorate rediscover the power of intimate sympathy. May shared love of democracy bind citizens to their local representatives once again. As June nears, let the chimes of liberty ring out loudly in Port Jefferson village.

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Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died Feb. 13, 2016. With the presidential election 269 days away, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and his caucus set a new precedent, refusing to hold confirmation hearings or a vote on then-President Barack Obama’s (D) nominee Merrick Garland because they believed the American people were mere months away from truly having a chance to weigh in on the decision.

This week Justice Anthony Kennedy, viewed by many as the center-right fulcrum of an otherwise politically balanced bench, announced he would retire. As a result, President Donald Trump (R), with two- to six-and-a-half more years left in the White House, will get his second bite at the Supreme Court apple, having already appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch last year.

If we are to set aside the hypocrisy of Senate Republicans pledging to plow forward with the nomination and confirmation process before the midterms, jus—-t 124 days from now, we don’t think it’s too much to ask for them to consider a few things as they begin the process.

First, can our current political climate handle the nomination and appointment of a partisan justice bent on say, being the deciding vote in overturning Roe v. Wade? Yes, it would score political points with the president’s Republican base and enflame liberals even more than they already are, which seems to be one of the few pillars guiding the right. Do Republicans in Congress truly believe they don’t have a role to play in restoring some shred of compromise and unity in our politics? Would nominating a hard-line pro-life justice this close to what was already likely to be possibly as heated a campaign season our country has ever seen (outside of 2016, of course) really do anything to advance our country’s discourse to a better place than we’re in now?

Further, beyond Roe v. Wade, are Republicans comfortable with the current discourse regarding the free press and the First Amendment? Will Trump be vetting his nominee about their stance on critical issues pertaining to his own legal situation, which includes probes into his personal attorney’s alleged pay-for-play White House access business structure and a special counsel investigation into Trump’s alleged campaign ties to the Russian government and its meddling in our election? Everyone involved is innocent until proven guilty, but if the president intends to impose a litmus test on his nominee for a question like, “Can the president of the United States legally pardon himself?” that should be a red flag to anyone who claims to believe in the rule of law.

We don’t feel it’s too much to ask for Republicans to consider a nominee that could serve as a unifier in as desperate a time as any for a little compromise, even assuming they’ve made up their mind on tearing up the McConnell Rule before the proverbial ink from 2016 is even dry. Both sides like to stake claims to a mythical moral high ground. Republicans, as they cheerlead things like tearing up the Affordable Care Act and labeling the free press as the enemy of the American people, could do more to stake an actual claim to that high ground than they have since Trump burst onto the scene with a nominee in the form of an olive branch.

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Co-CEO of East Setauket-based investment firm connected to major money behind Trump administration

 

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Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding
Local protesters gather outside Robert Mercer's investment facility in East Setauket March 24 to address concerns over his influence in the White House. Photo by Kevin Redding

A large group of political protesters paraded along busy Route 25A in East Setauket March 24, aiming their outcry not just at the administration in Washington, D.C., but a reclusive hedge fund billionaire by the name of Robert Mercer residing in their own backyard.

Mercer, the co-CEO of an East Setauket-based investment firm and resident of Head of the Harbor, has been under the spotlight for being the money behind President Donald Trump’s (R) administration, maintaining a major influence on the White House’s agenda, including its strict immigration policies.

Mercer, a major backer of the far-right Breitbart News, reportedly contributed nearly $13.5 million to the Trump campaign and, along with his daughter Rebekah, played a part in securing the leadership positions of chief strategist Steve Bannon and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway.

Regarding Mercer as the administration’s puppeteer-in-chief, protesters assembled to bring public attention to the local family’s power in the White House and the influence “dark money” has had in America.

“I think we’ve reached a worrisome point in our history that a single individual can have the kind of influence that Robert Mercer has, simply because he has a huge amount of money,” Setauket resident John Robinson said. “I think he’s an extremely dangerous individual with worrisome views. He just wants government to not be around so people like him and companies like his can plunder to their heart’s content.”

The short march, made up of several protest groups including the North Country Peace Group, began at the CVS shopping center and landed at the bottom of the hill where Mercer’s Renaissance Technologies sits. Leading the march were local residents wearing paper cutout masks of Trump, Bannon and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), each strung up like puppets and controlled by a resident in a grim reaper outfit, representing Mercer.

Equipped with signs reading “Mercer $ Bought Trump We Pay the Price” and “Resist Mercer,” Long Island residents stood in front of the investment firm’s office and participated in a mock debate with the faux-political figures. The topics ranged from Mercer’s denial of climate change to Zeldin’s stance on the now-pulled American Health Care Act.

Sue McMahon, a member of the grassroots coalition Building Bridges in Brookhaven, had only recently learned about Mercer’s heavy involvement in Trump’s presidency and his close proximity and participated in the march to expose him.

“I’m very concerned we have a person like this among us who holds the power of the Republican Party,” McMahon said.

She said she’s particularly troubled by the administration’s overwhelming ignorance of environmental issues, its emphasis on money and the extreme views of Breitbart News.

“This is not the America I grew up with, this is not what I want,”she said. “I’m not normally a protester, but I believe we all have to stand up now.”

Paul Hart, a Stony Brook resident, said he was there to support democracy.

The American people have lost representative government because campaign contributions are now controlled by the rich, he said, and it’s hard to think about the needs of constituents when they don’t contribute in a way that’s beneficial to a politician’s re-election.

“The average person has absolutely no voice in politics anymore,” Hart said. “Bbefore, we had a little bit, but now, we’re being swept aside.

One protester referred to Mercer as one small part of a larger picture, and expressed concern over a growing alt-right movement throughout the country that prefers an authoritarian government that runs like a business.

“I guess that’s what Trump is all about,” said Port Jefferson resident Jordan Helin. “But we’re seeing what the country looks like when it’s being run like a business, [and it’s scary].”

Myrna Gordon, a Port Jefferson resident and member, said her organization has held previous actions against Renaissance Technologies, and was among the first grassroots groups on Long island to take notice of how entrenched in the White House Mercer and his family are. According to her, Rebekah Mercer is in many ways more powerful than her father.

“We cannot take the focus off [Rebekah Mercer] right now, because she’s become a powerful force in this whole issue of money in politics, buying candidates, everything we see in our government,” she said.

Since Robert Mercer is local and lives in our community, she added, it’s time that we showed our strength and our voice regarding what this money is doing to our country.

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