Unionized nurses ratify new contracts with St. Elizabeth, Samaritan Medical Centers

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Nurses at St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) in Utica and Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) in Watertown voted to ratify new contracts ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend. Nurses at SMC on Aug. 31 ratified a new five-year deal, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) said in a news release issued that day. Later […]

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Nurses at St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) in Utica and Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) in Watertown voted to ratify new contracts ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Nurses at SMC on Aug. 31 ratified a new five-year deal, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) said in a news release issued that day.

Later that same night, NYSNA announced that nurses at SEMC had also ratified a new four-year contract.

NYSNA is the union representing nurses at each facility.

Both hospitals had earlier reached tentative agreements with NYSNA, avoiding one-day strikes on Sept. 1 and nurse lockouts at each location.

Both NYSNA statements included similar language, noting that the tentative agreements required “federal mediation” and followed “hours of arduous negotiation.”

“The parties are pleased that they have jointly found creative solutions to address the staffing concerns raised by the nurses. This agreement is subject to ratification.

The strike and lockout notices have been withdrawn,” NYSNA said in statements announcing both tentative agreements.

Nurses that NYSNA represents at both hospitals had planned a one-day strike on Sept. 1. Both SEMC and SMC had countered with a plan to lock the nurses out.

The Utica hospital had notified NYSNA of its plan to lock out the nurses and hire temporary ones for coverage through Labor Day, the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) said in a news release issued Aug. 24.

MVHS is an affiliation of SEMC and Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, both of Utica. The two organizations teamed up in March 2014.

SEMC had been negotiating with NYSNA for more than 14 months, MVHS said.

SMC had also planned to hire temporary replacement nurses for a period of 11 days beginning on Sept. 1, the organization said in a news release on Aug. 18.

SEMC contract
The new SEMC contract replaces one that had expired. The new four-year contract will expire on June 30, 2019, NYSNA said.

“On behalf of the nurses who work day and night at St Elizabeth, we are thrilled to ratify this agreement,” Mike Pattison, registered nurse (RN) at SEMC, said in the NYSNA news release. “This contract takes measures to provide adequate staffing so the patients get the care they deserve, it helps the nurses by giving them adequate benefits so we can attract and keep the best of the best, and it gives the hospital a workforce that makes good business sense. The nurses would like to thank the community for all of their support over the last 14 months as well as the Mohawk Valley Health System for working with us during negotiations.”

The new SEMC contract calls for an additional five full-time employees, “improved” response to short staffing, and new committees on which nurses will have a “true voice” in staffing, NYSNA said.

The new SEMC pact also calls for wage increases totaling 9 percent over the life of the contract, the union added.

The contract also calls for a health-insurance plan that replaces “the base plan with a superior health plan” at a reduced cost.

SMC contract
Ratification of the SMC contract concluded 13 months of negotiations between the two organizations, according to NYSNA.

The new contract replaces one that expired on Aug. 1, 2015, with several contract extensions, the last of which ended July 6, 2016. The new five-year contract will expire on Aug. 1, 2020.

“We are so pleased to have settled this contract and to have negotiations behind us,” Deborah LaMora, RN at Samaritan Medical Center and NYSNA co-chairperson, said in the NYSNA news release on the SMC contract. “We feel that it benefits the registered nurses and the hospital. The new contract opens up new opportunities for us and management to work together to insure safe and proper staffing levels. It truly is a win-win.”

The “mutually beneficial” contract includes agreements on “major” issues, such as pension; health insurance; and paid time off and wages.

SMC and NYSNA also resolved the staffing issue during the negotiations, the union said.

NYSNA had initially proposed mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios, but the two parties agreed instead to “alternative solutions that would insure safe staffing levels in all areas.”

Under the agreement, SMC will “purchase and implement” a patient-classification system, which determines staffing needs based on the acuity level of patients at any given time using real-time information directly from the patients’ electronic-medical record.

The hospital will create nursing-staffing committees in each of the seven clinical-practice areas throughout the hospital.

The committees include the unit’s nurse manager; a minimum of two RNs from the unit and an equal number of management, as well as a representative from NYSNA.

The committees will meet to address clinical practice, staffing and workflow improvements in their respective units, including nurse vacancies; patient volume and flow; staffing mix; and other staffing-related items.

The new contract also calls for SMC to create a nursing-resource team to “immediately” respond to and address any situation in which a nurse feels that staffing is unsafe.

At the request of the nurse, SMC will convene the team on the unit in need, at the time of need.

The team includes the nursing supervisor, the nurse manager of the unit, and the nurse requesting the team.

Together, this team will evaluate the situation and make a staffing determination “immediately.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

AARP urges New York State to create retirement plan for private-sector workers who lack them

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

AARP New York is urging New York State to “take advantage” of a new federal rule allowing states to create automatic enrollment, retirement-savings plans for employees who work at businesses that don’t currently offer a retirement plan. AARP on Aug. 25 praised the finalization of a U.S. Department of Labor rule that confirms states can

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AARP on Aug. 25 praised the finalization of a U.S. Department of Labor rule that confirms states can facilitate the creation of such plans.

More than half of all private-sector workers in New York lack access to a workplace retirement-savings plan, like a 401(k), AARP contended in a news release.

“AARP New York urges Gov. Cuomo and our state lawmakers to take advantage of this opportunity to help over 3 million private-sector workers in New York by providing an effective way for them to save their own money and create a financially secure future,” Beth Finkel, state director of AARP in New York state, said in the news release.

Nationwide, these public-private partnerships have the “potential” to help more than 55 million American workers who lack access to a way to save for retirement automatically out of their regular paycheck.

The U.S. Department of Labor also issued a draft rule that would pave the way for large cities, including New York City, to enact similar plans, the organization added.

AARP New York supports the “Secure Choice” legislation, which State Senator Diane Savino (D–Staten Island) and Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez (D–Harlem) have introduced in their respective chambers. It has attracted 90 co-sponsors in the 150-member State Assembly, AARP said.

That legislation calls for New York to “create a self-sufficient retirement savings program in the form of an automatic enrollment payroll deduction IRA, and establishes an administrative board responsible for promoting greater retirement savings for private sector employees…,” according to a bill summary on the New York State Senate website.

AARP said features such as payroll deduction and automatic enrollment are key to boosting employees’ retirement savings.

Four states have already enacted legislation creating “work and save” plans that would be impacted by the federal rule, including Illinois, Oregon, Connecticut, and Maryland.

AARP also anticipates legislation in California in 2016.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

EBRI study: low-income workers in high-deductible health plans avoid some care

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

Low-income workers who switch to high-deductible health plans with health savings-accounts (HSAs) are more likely than their higher-paid colleagues to avoid certain types of health care. That’s according to new research that the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) recently released. Based in Washington, D.C., EBRI describes itself as a “private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute that

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Based in Washington, D.C., EBRI describes itself as a “private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research institute that focuses on health, savings, retirement, and economic-security issues.”

The EBRI analysis — which looked at actual health claims of one large, unnamed Midwestern employer by workers’ income levels — found significant differences for the use of some health services, but not for others.

For instance, switching to an HSA-eligible health plan caused a decline in (nonpreventive) outpatient office visits for workers at all income levels, but the decline was twice as large for workers and their dependents with incomes less than $50,000 as compared with those with incomes of at least $100,000.

The decline in specialist visits accounted for most of the decline in outpatient office visits among the group of workers with less than $50,000 in annual income, EBRI said.

Also, the HSA-eligible health plan was associated with a reduction in various preventive services by worker income. For example, lower-income workers reduced their use of influenza vaccinations more than higher-income colleagues.

Further, the HSA-eligible health plan was associated with an increase in emergency-department visits and inpatient hospital admissions among lower-income individuals.

The usage levels of certain health-care services — inpatient hospital days; “avoidable” emergency-department visits; pneumonia vaccinations; HPV vaccinations; and blood-sugar testing for individuals with diabetes — were unaffected by enrollment in the HSA-eligible health plan both overall and by worker income, EBRI found.

“A key question with high-deductible HSA-eligible health plans is how the income differences of workers affect the use of health-care services and spending: Do lower-paid workers defer health care more than higher-paid workers?” Paul Fronstin, director of EBRI’s health research and education program and co-author of the report, said in the EBRI news release.

“We found mixed results: For some health services, yes it does — but for others, it does not,” he added.

The data for the EBRI study came from a large employer that offered an HSA-eligible health plan alongside a preferred provider organization (PPO) and covers the use of health-care services and spending over the six-year period from 2009 to 2014.

The full report, “The Impact of an HSA-Eligible Health Plan on Health Care Services Use and Spending by Worker Income,” EBRI Issue Brief no. 425 (August 2016), is available online at www.ebri.org.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

Afraid You’ll Be Forced to Work in Retirement?

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

That may not be so bad. Many older Americans who once dreamed of lounging around the house in retirement instead are waking up each morning to get ready for work. A recent Pew Research Center study showed that the percentage of Americans 65 and over who are still employed is on the rise, having reached

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That may not be so bad.

Many older Americans who once dreamed of lounging around the house in retirement instead are waking up each morning to get ready for work.

A recent Pew Research Center study showed that the percentage of Americans 65 and over who are still employed is on the rise, having reached 18.8 percent as of May. That’s up from 12.8 percent in 2000.

Depending on an individual’s situation, though, working past traditional retirement age may not be such a terrible thing.

Some people say they keep working because they can’t afford to retire. Some people don’t want to retire because they love what they do.

At 68, I fall in the latter group. My keep-at-it attitude worked in my favor after a surgery in February.

One of the people in the medical field told me that because I’m active that has helped me to rehab quickly. They said if I was retired, it typically takes longer to rehab.

Some advantages of working in retirement include:

Relief from financial stress
One of the biggest worries retirees have is running out of money. With people living longer, that’s a legitimate concern. Even just a part-time job that brings in a little extra cash can help alleviate some of the stress. I have clients who work just a few days a week and that works well for them.

Physical fitness
It’s no secret that, as people age, they tend to suffer more problems with their bodies, such as joint pains. Many jobs can keep them active and moving, making for better health.

Mental fitness
A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology this year found that activities that challenge your brain may help delay symptoms of dementia. Talk to people in their 50s and 60s and you’ll see that does scare us. Work gives us the ability to keep our minds active.

Anyone considering working in retirement does need to be aware of the financial implications with Social Security.

If you wait until your full retirement age to draw Social Security — 66 to 67 for most people, these days — you can earn as much as you like.

But if you claim Social Security early — which you can do starting at age 62 — earnings are limited to $15,720 annually. For every $2 you make over that amount, $1 is deducted from your Social Security.

That changes beginning with the year in which you reach full retirement age. At that point, $1 is deducted for every $3 earned above a different limit. In 2016, that limit is $41,880. But the only earnings counted are those before the month in which you reach full retirement age, according to the Social Security website.

I’m happy with my decision to remain on the job beyond retirement age and many of the clients I provide financial advice to find it rewarding, too.

For me, there’s nothing negative about working in retirement at all.

John Eikenberry is president of Eikenberry Retirement Planning (www.EikenberryRetirement.com), a wealth-management firm in Ohio. He has 42 years of financial-services experience.

New York State DOL Issues Regulations on Payroll Debit Cards

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

On Sept. 7, the New York State Department of Labor adopted regulations governing the payment of employee wages by any method other than cash or check, including direct deposit and payroll debit cards. The purpose of the new rules, which will become effective on March 7, 2017, is to ensure that workers who are paid

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At least seven business days before taking action to pay employees via payroll debit cards, employers must satisfy certain notice requirements and obtain employees’ informed consent. For example, employers must provide employees with:

plain language description of all of the employee’s options for receiving wages;
statement that the employer may not require the worker to accept wages by payroll debit card or direct deposit;
statement that the employee may not be charged for any fees for services that are necessary for the employee to access his/her wages in full; and
if offering the option of payroll debit cards, a list of locations of fee-less ATMs within a reasonable travel distance from the employee’s workplace or residence (a link to a website containing such information is sufficient).

Additionally, if employees are covered by a collective-bargaining agreement that provides the method(s) of payment by which employees must be compensated, the employer must obtain the union’s approval before paying employees by payroll debit card.

Under the new rules, employers will not be able to pass the costs associated with payroll debit cards onto employees, nor will they be able to accept kickbacks from card issuers, card sponsors, or third parties for delivering wages via payroll debit cards. Significantly, employees who choose to receive their wages through a payroll debit card will:

Have access to at least one (1) fee-less ATM within a reasonable travel distance from where the employees work or live;
Have access to unlimited withdrawals from a fee-less ATM; and
Not incur fees for: checking their balance, maintenance, account inactivity, overdraft, contacting customer service, receiving written statements or transaction histories, closing an account, card replacement (at reasonable intervals), taking action necessary to receive wages or hold the payroll debit card, or point of sale transactions.

Unsurprisingly, business spokespeople predict that New York employers will shy away from using payroll debit cards once these new requirements become effective. One advocate described the new rules as “unworkable.”

It is worth noting that the new rules will not apply to employees working in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity who earn in excess of $900 per week, nor will they apply to employees working on a farm not connected with a factory.

Emily E. Harper is an associate attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC who represents and counsels management in a wide variety of labor and employment law matters. This Viewpoint article is drawn from the firm’s New York Labor & Employment Law Report blog. Contact Harper at eharper@bsk.com

Projecting Your Income Needs in Retirement

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

If you want to retire comfortably, how much do you need to save before you can leave your job? You’ve probably heard that you’ll need to replace a certain percentage of your income to sustain your lifestyle in retirement. Financial experts estimate that percentage could be anywhere from 60 to 90 percent, or even more.

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If you want to retire comfortably, how much do you need to save before you can leave your job?

You’ve probably heard that you’ll need to replace a certain percentage of your income to sustain your lifestyle in retirement. Financial experts estimate that percentage could be anywhere from 60 to 90 percent, or even more. Reducing your income by a certain percentage will take into account the fact that there will be certain expenses you’ll no longer be liable for, such as payroll taxes, in retirement.

It’s a simple, common-sense approach, but it doesn’t always work because each of us have specific needs and plans for retirement. If you want to travel extensively once you retire, for example, you might need 100 percent of your income. While it’s advisable to use a certain percentage of your income as a benchmark, it’s also important to review your current expenses and to think about how they will change over time.

Estimating your retirement expenses
What type of annual expenses will you have in retirement? To determine how much to save before you retire, identify all of your expenses and project how much you’ll spend in each area. Here are some of the common retirement expenses you’ll need to consider:

Health-care costs not covered by insurance, such as deductibles, co-payments, and prescription drugs
Housing, such as rent or mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, and property maintenance costs
Food and clothing
Insurance, such as medical, dental, life, disability, and long-term care
Transportation, such as car payments, auto insurance, gas, maintenance, and public transportation
Taxes, such as federal and state income taxes, and capital-gains taxes
Debts such as personal loans, business loans, and credit-card payments

Keep in mind that the cost of living will increase as you age. The average annual rate of inflation over the past 20 years has been about 2.3 percent, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. And your retirement expenses may vary over time. You may pay off your home mortgage or your children’s college education, while your health care and insurance may increase. It’s best to build in a cushion in your projected estimates to protect yourself from these variables.

Determining when you will retire
Estimating your retirement needs will not only depend on your annual income. Deciding when you’ll retire is a key part of the equation. A longer retirement will require more income to finance it.

Your decision on when to retire will center on your personal goals and your financial situation. You may want to retire at age 50 to pursue a personal goal, such as writing a book or traveling around the world. This may be possible if you benefit from a booming stock market or a substantial early retirement plan. As you make this important decision, keep in mind that retiring at 50 will be much more expensive than waiting until you’re 65.

Projecting your life expectancy
Another factor in the retirement equation, Murphy says, is your life expectancy. Living longer, of course, means you’ll have more years of retirement to fund. To protect yourself from potentially outliving your savings, you should estimate your life expectancy. Some possible sources to help guide you are government statistics, life-insurance tables, or a life-expectancy calculator. These estimates are based on your age, gender, race, health, lifestyle, occupation, and family history. Remember these are just estimates and there’s no way to determine precisely how long you’ll live. Since life expectancies have been rising, however, it’s advisable to project that you’ll live longer than you expect.

Selecting your sources of income
After you’ve calculated your financial needs in retirement, you’ll need to determine what sources of income are available to you. You may receive a traditional pension from your former employer that will pay you monthly benefits. And you will probably rely on Social Security benefits to fund part of your retirement. (You can get an estimate of your Social Security benefits by visiting www.ssa.gov.) Other sources of retirement income may include a 401(k), an IRA, annuities, or other investments.

Dealing with an income gap
In the best-case scenario, your income sources will more than cover a lengthy retirement. But if you find that you have an income gap, there are steps you can take to make up that shortfall. For one, you can cut your current expenses so you’ll save more for retirement. You can shift assets to investments that have higher potential to earn more, although those investments involve greater risk. And you can consider delaying your retirement, lowering your expectations (forget the second house in the Florida Keys), or consider working part-time. If you do face a shortfall, it’s best to consult a financial planner to help you figure out how to bridge that income gap.

William (Bill) Murphy, CFP is a VP and senior wealth advisor with Tompkins Financial Advisors. Contact him at WMurphy@tompkinsfinancial.com or call: (607) 273-0037. Author disclosures: Some of this material was prepared by Forefield/Broadridge for Tompkins Financial Advisors. The opinions in this article are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual.

Doubledays say season attendance grew for a third consecutive year

Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

AUBURN — Nearly 53,000 fans attended Auburn Doubledays games at Falcon Park in Auburn during the 2016 season. It marks the third straight year of attendance growth for the Doubledays, the team said in a news release issued Sept. 12. A total of 52,811 fans attended the club’s 37 home games, an average of 1,427

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AUBURN — Nearly 53,000 fans attended Auburn Doubledays games at Falcon Park in Auburn during the 2016 season.

It marks the third straight year of attendance growth for the Doubledays, the team said in a news release issued Sept. 12.

A total of 52,811 fans attended the club’s 37 home games, an average of 1,427 per game, the Doubledays said.

Mike Voutsinas, general manager of the Auburn Doubledays, called the attendance-increase figures a “nice reward for the hard work” of the team’s staff.

“It’s a credit to the staff for putting in the time and coming up with some good programs and promotions. It’s a credit to the community and our fans for responding to those,” he adds. Voutsinas spoke with CNYBJ on Sept. 20.

The minor-league baseball team averaged 1,408 fans per game in 2015 with total attendance of 50,670 for 36 home games.

The Doubledays drew 44,640 fans for 36 games in 2014 for an average game attendance of 1,240, while the team attracted 39,381 fans for 34 games in 2013 for an average game attendance of 1,158, according to the website of Minor League Baseball.

Average attendance for Doubledays’ home games has increased about 23 percent in three seasons under the direction of the current management team, according to Voutsinas.

The Auburn Doubledays are a Single-A short-season affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals. They play in the New York-Penn League.

A season-high 2,938 fans attended the Doubledays’ July 4 victory over Lowell, one of six crowds larger than 2,000 fans this season, the team said.

Fan cost index
The average cost for a family of four to attend an Auburn Doubledays home game at Falcon Park is $50, which is 23 percent lower than the minor-league average.

That’s according to a news release about the Minor League Baseball 2016 Fan Cost Index posted July 7 on the Doubledays website.

The average cost for a family of four to attend a minor-league baseball game this past season was $64.97, according to the 2016 Fan Cost Index.

The price includes parking, two adult tickets, two child tickets, four hot dogs, two sodas, and two beers.

In its release, St. Petersburg, Florida–based Minor League Baseball boasted that “attending one of its games is, yet again, one of the most economical forms of family entertainment available.”

Nationals renew
The Washington Nationals have renewed their player-development contracts with the Doubledays through the 2018 season.

Mike Rizzo, Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager; Bob Boone, Nationals VP and senior advisor to the general manager; Doug Harris, assistant general manager and VP of player personnel; and Mark Scialabba, director of player development made the joint announcement in a Sept. 13 news release.

“I think again, that’s a result of our hard work to make sure that we’re providing the Nationals and their players what they expect at this level,” says Voutsinas.

Washington also announced a similar renewal with Single-A Potomac of the Carolina League. With the agreements, the Nationals franchise has now extended all of its minor-league affiliates through the 2018 season. The Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs are also a Nationals minor-league affiliate.

The Nationals began their relationship with Auburn in 2010, making it the first stop for many of their players as they begin their ascent through baseball’s minor-league system.

In the last six years, Auburn has posted a 215-235 record with division championships in 2011 and 2012.

Current Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon and pitchers Aaron Barrett, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez spent time with the Doubledays, the parent club said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

The Problem is Elitism

Opinion, Subscriber Only

In the middle of Bill Clinton’s 1992 run for the White House, his top adviser scrawled a big note on a blackboard for campaign staff to see: “It’s the economy, stupid!” In this campaign, someone should write “It’s the elitism, stupid!” There is so much evidence that millions of voters feel the country is run by

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Here are examples of what they regard as elitism.

Small-business owners have railed against taxes and regulations for years. They want government to get out of their way. Politicians glad-hand them. They promise reform, but never deliver. By their actions, they say to the business owners “Tough it out. We hear you. But we know what is best for you.” This is elitism.

Small businesses depend upon small community banks. We suffered a banking crisis, so politicians voted in new regulations. They are too onerous for small banks. They have forced them to merge and sell out to bigger banks— thus harming small businesses.

They let big banks virtually write, and certainly approve, these regulations. These are rules that big banks could live with but small banks could not. By their actions, the pols said to small banks “We know better than you. We will let you go out of business.” Elitism writ large.

Majorities of Americans said no to Obamacare. They still do. Politicians said, “Take your medicine. We know what is best for you.” Elitism.

For years, majorities of Americans have begged for a simpler tax system. Politicians have promised to deliver one, but have failed. By their actions they say, “We hear you. But your complaints are not important to us. Here are another 100 pages for the tax code.” Elitism.

About 40 percent of Americans have identified themselves as conservative. Do they feel their percentages are represented in government programs? In academia, in the colleges their taxes pay for? In the mainstream media? In how the IRS treats their organizations? They do not. They feel that such are run by elites who despise their views.

Majorities of Americans want to do something about our open southern border. They want to stop the free flow of illegal (or undocumented as the elites call them) immigrants. They want us to have records of who enters this country. At the very least. For years, politicians have promised reforms. By their actions, they say, “Forget our promises. Bottom line is that your views are wrong. We know what is best.” Elitism.

The president has seen what millions of people don’t want. By virtue of their representatives in Congress. Obama has skirted their wishes by major executive orders. “I know better than you do,” is his message. Elitism.

Then there are the lies. The president lied. His secretary of state lied. His IRS commissioner lied. Innumerable top officials have flat-out lied to the public. Basically, they say or imply, “We can lie to you because we know what is best for you. You don’t.” Elitism.

Our bureaucrats have unleashed an endless stream of regulations and rules. Millions with common sense know these are ridiculous. “Tough,” the bureaucrats tell us by their persistence. “We know what is best for you.” Elitism.

Meanwhile, elites in various cities simply refuse to enforce our laws. “Yes, we have violent criminals living in our cities. Criminals who are illegal aliens. You worry that they may harm you? Tough. We know what is best. Ours is a sanctuary city.”

Every week, Americans are told, by elites, what words they can no longer use. For fear of offending sensitive souls. If folks express disagreement, they get branded and reviled. By elites who feel it is their right and duty to dictate the rules of political correctness.

There sure is a whole lot of elitism going ‘round.

From Tom…as in Morgan.

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial and other subjects from his home near Oneonta. Several upstate radio stations carry his daily commentary, Tom Morgan’s Money Talk. Contact him at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com

Why This Democrat Wants a Strong Republican Party

Opinion, Subscriber Only

I’ve been a Democrat all my life. But that doesn’t mean I favor a weak Republican Party. Indeed, just the opposite. Before my Democratic friends drum me out of the party, let me explain why. Our nation is stronger and our representative democracy healthier when we have two strong parties. A single political party that’s

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I’ve been a Democrat all my life. But that doesn’t mean I favor a weak Republican Party. Indeed, just the opposite. Before my Democratic friends drum me out of the party, let me explain why.

Our nation is stronger and our representative democracy healthier when we have two strong parties. A single political party that’s able to dominate public policy-making undermines the give-and-take that’s crucial to effective policy and leaves us weaker as a country.

Why is this? For starters, none of us, and neither political party, has a monopoly on wisdom. Moreover, the legitimacy of the political system rests on its ability to give voice to the multitude of concerns and attitudes held by the American people. It’s important they all have a political party to turn to.

I don’t want to get into the split between backers of Donald Trump and the traditional Republican leadership — that’s for the GOP to sort out. But there is no doubt that the Republican Party has reached a crossroads.

If Trump wins the presidency, he’ll be the chief actor in determining the future of his party and what it stands for. If he loses, the GOP will more than likely move back toward its more traditional views.

I suppose I’m showing my biases here, but I believe that a robust Republican Party will strengthen its willingness to improve and broaden the policy debate and move it away from steps to impede it. This would be a GOP that advocates for limited government, wants to reform our unwieldy tax code, and is determined to remain fiscally responsible so that deficits don’t explode. It would tackle our health-care system by reforming it using market mechanisms. It would push to devolve power away from Washington, D.C. — giving states more control over such basic responsibilities as highways, welfare, and education.

Each of these issues has been at the center of the national agenda for many years, suggesting their difficulty. We need proposals from both sides that are realistic, coherent, and based on numbers that add up. We need parties that are at the top of their game, generating solutions to the issues we confront and prepared to negotiate to move us beyond our current gridlock.

This can best happen when a healthy Republican Party is competing with a healthy Democratic Party. At the moment, that’s not what we’re seeing.

Lee Hamilton is a senior advisor for the Indiana University (IU) Center on Representative Government, distinguished scholar at the IU School of Global and International Studies, and professor of practice at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Hamilton, a Democrat, was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years, representing a district in south central Indiana.

MacKenzie-Childs to open retail store inside del Lago Resort & Casino

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Manufacturing & Engineering, Regional News, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism

TYRE, N.Y. — MacKenzie-Childs, a luxury home-furnishings company, will open a 2,000-square-foot store in the upcoming del Lago Resort & Casino in Tyre in Seneca

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