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Read points of view from syndicated columnists on today’s Opinion page.

The evening of June 27, 2017 marked a key milestone for the Saratoga Springs Charter Review Commission. By a vote of 11–2, the Commission adopted a new charter for our city. I am fairly certain that the two absent members would have voted with the majority. For me, a member of this Commission, this milestone represents an American experience unlike any other in my 40 years as a naturalized citizen of this country.

The 15-member commission included a variety of people with different political ideologies, life and work experience, gender and background. The American-ness of the experience lies in the fact that it epitomized the democratic process of self-governance, the idea of people deciding how they should organize themselves to be governed in a fair and just system for the benefit of our city as a whole. I could not but think about how the 39 delegates on September 17, 1778 must have felt when they signed the first Constitution of The United States of America. My experience of serving in our city’s Commission brought me as close as many people will ever get to be in a real-life scenario where such lofty objectives are at stake on a smaller scale, but nonetheless important for our community. This was an experience in democracy beyond any ideology of liberalism, conservatism, or any other isms.

I have participated in the political process as a citizen, activist, and candidate. I do consider all these experiences to be an important part of being an American. But no other experience has placed me closer to experiencing self-determination, choice, democracy and participation than my experience with this Commission. The very first question of democracy is how it is possible for all citizens to have a meaningful voice in their government. It is the local government that provides for the many necessities and comforts of daily life, defines our environment of work and leisure, and provides a myriad of city services that we all expect and rely on. Collectively, the Commission’s primary job was to present our city with a form of government that would allow the wish of the people to be reflected in our city’s government clearly and efficiently.

In addition to working with and becoming acquainted with the members of the Commission, my participation brought me much closer to my community. Many issues that I had not even thought about were brought to the surface. I was forced to think through them and decide how to best address them in our Commission’s work. I thought about our typical city residents who may have some dealings with City Hall. Is it clear to them who they can approach if they have a problem? Does our current form of government address their problems quickly and efficiently? What do the City Hall employees think about how well the city government meets the city’s needs? What do key business leaders, not-for-profit agencies and other constituents think about our city’s form of government? Are the city’s long-term needs being addressed? In getting answers to these questions, I became much more aware of the richness, diversity, history and complexity of our community.

Another important aspect of being a member of this Commission was to think through issues and to come up with ideas and decisions, and then have these ideas altered and changed once I interacted with other Commission members. The collective power of a group of citizens has become much more clear and obvious to me. Given the contentious issues that were addressed, I was, at the end, very impressed with the large majority vote to approve the new charter.

To me, this has been a defining experience in how our form of democracy works. To be sure, the fate of the proposed charter is up to the people of Saratoga Springs who will make their wishes known at the ballot box in November. All I can hope is that my fellow citizens will consider the process that the Commission undertook, its many hours of deliberations and listening to our community, and the soundness of our final proposal and the reasons behind our decisions. But the final decision is the people’s, who will choose what kind of government they prefer for our city. I have the comfort of knowing that I was part of the process that is offering them this choice. — Bahram Keramati Saratoga Springs

An open letter to Reps. Faso and Stefanik

Our nation is in a crises which threatens the foundations upon which we govern ourselves. Patriotic Americans and legislators of conscience must step forward and act with courage and conviction to counter the forces pulling us toward oligarchy.

Consider that Donald Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey within days of Comey requesting additional funds with which to pursue an investigation of Trump’s ties

to Russia. Earlier he met with Comey and requested both a pledge of loyalty from him and assurance that he was not being investigated. The evidence appears to show that Trump asked Comey to drop his investigation of former National Security Director Michael Flynn. This is preposterous conduct by any standard and should be found offensive by everyone including officials of both political parties.

All major intelligence organizations agree that Russia engaged in efforts to manipulate the US election in favor of Trump who may have business interests in Russia and whose affection for Putin and other authoritarian politicians such as the despicable Duarte is indisputable. Trump’s aids, including Flynn and Manafort, have been heavily implicated in dealings with the Russian Government and have been targeted by Congressional Investigatory Committees. His son in law, Jared Kushner, has been invited by the House of Representatives to discuss his business dealings with Russia.

Trump, without notice to anyone, disclosed highly classified information to a Russian diplomat, an indiscretion of such egregious proportions that the Israel Government, which was the source of the information, is reconsidering its relationship with the United States.

The appointment of Robert Mueller as Special Counsel holds promise for an unbiased investigation of the Russian involvement in the US election. However, Trump’s unhinged accusation that the appointment constitutes a “witch hunt”, like so many of his unfounded slash and burn remarks, illustrates the depth and seriousness of the threat he represents to our nation. And, like Comey, Mueller is subject to discharge at Trump’s whim an option under public consideration by Trump surrogates.

Finally Trump, after describing the House health care plan as “mean,” has embraced the senate version which deprives 22 million people of coverage and shifts massive amounts of taxes off the backs of the wealthiest citizens.

These events have all occurred within the last month or so. This record of gross malfeasance is jaw dropping. When considered alongside Trump’s wholesale disregard for truth and his overt disrespect of the institutions of government he has come to represent a “clear and present danger” to the American Way of Life.

In 1920 Journalist HL Mencken wrote in the Baltimore Sun, “As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron”. Almost a century later, the satirist’s prophecy has been fulfilled and its portent is ominous.

It can no longer be argued, after five months of his Presidency, that the office of President will mature Trump. It is abundantly clear that he is morally hollow and psychologically unfit for the office he occupies and that condition will not change. It is essential therefore, that others step up to contain the threat Trump represents.

The time has passed for party unity where that unity causes immediate verifiable harm to the nation. I call upon you to show courage and a degree of personal integrity by engaging in activities to contain the widening damage of the Trump Presidency, doing so even where such activity does not match party orthodoxy. I urge you to set aside partisan considerations, use the instruments of power bestowed upon you as elected members of the House of Representatives and act decisively in defense of the basic principles of democracy being threatened by the Trump Presidency.

— Eric Lawson Saratoga Springs

Mentoring in summer helps school performance

As chair of the New York State Mentoring Program, I am writing – together with State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia – to tell you about a very exciting program.

In 1984, I created and implemented the NYS Mentoring Program at the request of my husband, Governor Mario M. Cuomo. The Program was the nation’s first statewide, schoolbased, one-to-one mentoring program designed to help prevent students from dropping out of school. As Governor Cuomo said at the time, “there is no time to lose.”

To encourage students to stay in school, graduate and build a better future for themselves and New York, my son, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, reinstated the Mentoring Program in 2015. I am proud to chair the program again, and am thrilled to have Commissioner Elia as my partner in this important work. The mission of the Mentoring Program is straightforward – we seek to create positive and supportive mentor relationships to help students stay engaged in school and in their studies. It is a comprehensive program, matching students with screened and trained mentors and mentees. These dedicated mentors help their mentees develop selfesteem, embrace healthy lifestyles, appreciate diversity, improve their financial literacy and make positive life choices.

As the academic year winds down, we want to promote the continuation of the mentoring relationship. This summer would be a wonderful lifetime experience for all the young students who are mentees to visit their local libraries with their mentors. Both mentees and mentors have had training and would enjoy time together in the library to read and discover a new book. If asked, we would appreciate it if you would extend open space in your library for mentors to meet with their mentees.

Before now, you should have received posters and brochures about the New York State Mentoring Program through your Library Systems Youth Coordinator, but you can also learn more at www.ny.gov. You can also contact the program at (212) 383-4708 or NYSMentoringProgram@ny.gov.

— Matilda R. Cuomo Chairwoman, New York State Mentoring Program

MaryEllen Elia New York State Education

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