On Jan. 14, the New York Times reported that “President Obama on Friday announced an aggressive campaign to shrink the size of the federal government, a proposal less notable for its goal — the fight against bloat that has been embraced by every modern-day president — than for the political challenge it poses to a hostile Congress.” more

Last Friday, the federal government’s long-term debt rating was reduced from AAA to AA+ by Standard and Poor’s, an unprecedented move with unforeseeable consequences. With a shaky stock market that saw a fall of more than 600 points on Monday, East Meadow residents and business owners are sharing in the national anxiety. more

We sent in the Tea Party clowns, and they’re giving us quite a show. Of course, they are ably assisted by their associates in Congress, the president and the rest of those we hired to run our government for us. It’s hard to decide who belongs in the center ring, with so many deserving participants. more

Whether it’s Washington, D.C., or Albany, taxpayers are sending a message loud and clear. They want the cost of government reduced, and they want their taxes to go down. more

The U.S. government faces a historic choice over the next very few years: get our fiscal house in order or see our status as a world economic power permanently lost in an avalanche of debt. Fiscal responsibility knows no party or ideological bounds. It is neither Democratic nor Republican, liberal or conservative. If our economy falters, the consequences will be dire for us all. Our children and grandchildren will face the very real prospect of living less well off than previous generations. The American Dream of ever-growing prosperity will evaporate. Our future will look more like that of bankrupt Greece. more

West Hempstead resident Gary Port is challenging Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray for her seat this year... more

As part of his effort to crack down on corruption and restore the public’s trust in government, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the appointments of public integrity officers … more

This is Sunshine Week, a national initiative to increase government transparency. Since its inception in 2005, it has helped raise awareness of the importance of open government and freedom of information. more

During his campaign, Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo’s transition team released a detailed and well-annotated report outlining plans for “Rightsizing Government.” The report’s findings and recommendations reiterate much of what the previous columns in this series have suggested: that New York state’s Public Authorities and agencies have “become too big, too expensive, and too ineffective — an ever proliferating tangle of boards, commissions, councils, departments, divisions, offices, task forces and public authorities, [that] the taxpaying public can no longer afford.“ Amen. more

Back in early August, I began to consider writing a series of columns on reforming New York’s dysfunctional state government. Friends and neighbors were not aware of my interest in this subject; others suggested that no amount of disclosure and transparency could possibly make a difference. more