A break from politics, please?
Like everywhere else in America, we here in Greenwood Lake area have just emerged from the longest presidential campaign in American history, with the first debates between Republican candidates to replace President Obama taking place two years ago.
The local Congressional contest, between Congresswoman Hayworth and a field of Democratic candidates,also took ages from first announcements of candidacy to the final result lasted well over a year and a half.
Even more locally, for many months now we’ve been dealing with the extremely contentious issue of where the our children will go to high school next year.
Right now, that’s in a quiet phase, as individual students and their families make some thoughtful choices.
With all that controversy over the past two years, I’m really looking forward to the relative peace and quiet of the holidays, and decisions no more difficult than what to buy my wife and children for Christmas, which football game to watch and whether to have another helping of turkey or two.
Unfortunately, it seems that was not to be. One of the candidates for mayor of the Village of Greenwood Lake has decided to hit the campaign trail running, with signs and committees and fund-raising events, all a full four months before the election in March.
To which I say: Enough.
We need a break from “all politics - all the time” for a while. There will be plenty of time for all that goes with retail politics. Just wait until January or February, and give everyone a break, for Pete’s sake.
I’m not an anti-political person by any means; after all I was chair of the Warwick Town Democrats for a few years.
But there is a time and a place for everything, and now is not the time for politics. It’s the time for celebrating the season with our family, friends and neighbors, not badgering people with lawn signs, gathering petitions or enlisting volunteers.
It can wait. Really.
And a final note, for all those fine candidates who ran in November, you have some signs you need to take in.
Trust me: they’re still out there.
Come get them, please?
Luke H. Gordon
Greenwood Lake