"Local Politics and National Political Polarization", TODAY at 3:30pm

Tue Feb 25 13:00:00 UTC 2025

 *The Institute for Ethics in Public Life would like to invite you to join
us for "Local Politics and National Political Polarization" TODAY at
3:30pm, with special guests Matthew Veitch, Vice-Chair of the Board of
Supervisors, City of Saratoga Springs, and David Rodriguez DeCancio, Senior
Advisor for New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and member of the
Bethlehem Town Board.*

It is hardly newsworthy to point out that the United States is very
politically polarized. Partisanship has been increasing in Congress over
the last 50 years, according to Pew Research
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/10/the-polarization-in-todays-congress-has-roots-that-go-back-decades/&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1740595626503028&usg=AOvVaw0ZsX_JGs6bKeIZ6G4wOp-S>.
The electorate has similarly become more polarized, with a significant
increase in antipathy towards members of the other party
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/08/09/as-partisan-hostility-grows-signs-of-frustration-with-the-two-party-system/&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1740595626503028&usg=AOvVaw20dfGSEWy8yrf9Y-5Kmp8z>.
As citizens and residents, we are used to seeing this manifest in conflict
and dysfunction in Washington, and many of us are alienated from politics
as a result.

What few of us consider, or understand, is that the vast majority of
politics and government in the U.S. takes place at the local level. Of all
the elected officials in the U.S., over 96% are at the local level
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://poliengine.com/blog/how-many-politicians-are-there-in-the-us&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1740595626503028&usg=AOvVaw3c6UBjd31wywRfJs82xCaR>(only
.1% are at the national level). Similarly, while there were some 3 million
federal government employees in 2024, there were roughly 5 million state
government employees and 15 million local government employees. There are
far more Americans involved in local politics and working for local
governments than there are at the state and federal levels.

How has the political polarization we’re seeing at the national level
affected local politics, and our communities? Join local elected officials
Matthew Veitch, ’94, and David Rodriguez DeCancio, ’93, as they share their
experiences navigating today’s divided political landscape and how these
issues are playing out in their communities.

Matt Veitch, ’94, earned a B.S. in Secondary Education with a minor in
Music.  He also earned an A.S. in Applied Information Technology degree
from Pace University in 2005. He has served as the Saratoga County
Supervisor representing the City of Saratoga Springs since 2008 and was
elected by his peers to be Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 2015. He
is currently the Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors, in his second year
in that role.  Matthew serves in a variety of public roles including as
Chair of the Saratoga County Capital Resource Corporation, and Chair of the
New York State Association of Counties Public Safety Committee.  It is also
notable that both of Matt’s parents are graduates of SUNY Plattsburgh, and
all of his siblings (4) and two of his in-laws are as well, as well as his
niece.  The latest Veitch, Matthew's nephew is currently a Freshman at
Plattsburgh.

David R. DeCancio is an accomplished public policy and communications
strategist who currently serves as Senior Advisor to New York State
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. David has held various senior-level
positions for three NYS Assembly Speakers and in the Office of the
Governor. David was elected to the Bethlehem Town Board in January 2021,
becoming the first Latino to serve on the board. He also serves on the
Board of Directors for the Bethlehem Youth Court and the Bethlehem YMCA
Advisory Council. David earned his B.A. in Political Science from SUNY
Plattsburgh.
Please join us in person at the E. Thomas Moran Seminar Room, Institute for
Ethics in Public Life (Hawkins 233) or on Zoom (below).

Daniel Lake is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Local Politics and National Polarization
Time: Feb 26, 2025 03:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://plattsburgh.zoom.us/j/87930909903
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://plattsburgh.zoom.us/j/87930909903&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1740595626503028&usg=AOvVaw1KSPOogJtXJzwW-2KIDM7H>

*Upcoming at the Institute (*all events at 3:30pm unless otherwise noted*)*:

*Mar. 5* - "Did Universities Get Too Woke?"

*Mar. 12 - *"Social Media and Mental Health" with Dr. Jennifer Bremser,
Department of Psychology, SUNY Plattsburgh Branch Campus at Queensbury.

*Mar. 19* - Spring Break

*Mar. 26* - tbd.

*Apr. 2* - The Ethics of Cryptocurrencies" with Dr. Colin Read, Department
of Economics and Finance.

*Apr. 9 *- tbd.

*Apr. 16* - Masculinity in America, with Dr. Lee Thorpe, Department of
Sociology.

*Apr. 23 *- Ethical issues with the commercialization of space, with Dr.
John McMahon, Department of Political Science.

*Apr. 30* - tbd.

*May 7* - Social Media and Education, with Prof. Bridget Haina and Dr.
Shakuntala Rao, Department of Communications Studies.

You can also see upcoming events on the Institute's Program and Events
webpage
<https://www.plattsburgh.edu/about/centers/ethics-in-public-life/programs.html>
or add the Institute's public calendar
<https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/1?cid=Y19sa245c3MxcjdscjExdmM0ZzNtMDlyaDUyb0Bncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t>
to your Google Calendar.

-- 

*Daniel Lake*

(pronouns: he/him/his)

Assoc. Prof. of Political Science

Director, Institute for Ethics in Public Life

Hawkins 149A

101 Broad Street
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

Plattsburgh, NY 12901
<https://maps.google.com/?q=101+Broad+Street+Plattsburgh,+NY+12901&entry=gmail&source=g>

(o) 518-564-5833 <(518)%5645833>

*plattsburgh.edu <http://plattsburgh.edu/>*
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