As we are about to hit the midpoint of the summer we are faced with two climates. Overall, the summer has been favorable for vacations, camp visits, daily outings and tourist events. The sun has shone frequently and the little bit of rain has been welcome. The disturbing aspect of the summer is that it seems that there is just too much negativism wherever we look and every day feels like a trip to the dentist.
Since the time of John F. Kennedy right up to the present, American politics has been a series of ups and downs. In most cases, we would hear from our presidents on a weekly and sometimes monthly basis, but there were no daily assaults on our senses. I remember countless summers when a president would go off to New England, Texas, California or the Hamptons, for the month of August and leave us alone.
For some unexplained reason President Donald Trump turns each day into a head-pounding event. It’s hard to escape the constant tweeting that the media magnifies by calling it a “breaking news.” Simple dinners with friends have become boxing matches with each side insisting that they are right. I know the country is polarized but it does not have to invade our summer escapes.
Many of us turn to sports to get away from the political buzz saw. Yankee fans have had a lot of good news and bad news but mostly good news. New York Mets fans have had nothing but grief as once again their team has hit rock bottom, after starting off their season on a high note. Injuries have plagued the team and are partially responsible for their woes. But the deeper one looks, the more it appears that the Mets are ready for a wholesale revamping starting at the top. New owners would invest serious money into the team and make the players feel like it’s fun to come to work each day.
Long Island Rail Road commuters have once again been tortured with delays, cancellations and last minute dramas. The LIRR has new leadership but the system has never been given the funding it deserves and the people who need the train to get to work are the victims of the MTA’s sloppy management. Taking a train to work shouldn’t be an adventure.
William Shakespeare coined the expression “the winter of our discontent” in Richard III. Perhaps the best way to describe the past few months is to call them the “summer of discontent,” which is historically followed by better times. Hopefully, September will mark the beginning of some positive changes, as we sure could use it.
Jerry Kremer is a former state assemblyman. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or Anton Media Group.
