LeadingAge New York Adviser Fall 2015 Vol. 1 | Page 10

Watching the Politics...

(Continued from page 8)

But all too often – and this is natural – many professionals feel their work is above
politics and should not be subject to the partisan whims of Republicans or Democrats.
In theory, yes. In reality, no.
We live in the real world. While the difference between good and bad policy decisions
should be as clear as black and white, they are frequently seen by elected officials and
their staffs in shades of red and blue. What you see as a clearly smart policy decision to
benefit your facility and clients might simply be seen as good politics by one party and
bad politics by the other.

In short, it means you have your work cut out for you in
advocating for your facility and your clients.

Political realities exist and they will only intensify
over the coming year. This is no time to sit on
the sidelines. Yes, you must be careful. Yes, you
must put aside your personal partisan loyalties

and pursue candidates and elected officials who will advance policies to help your
institutions and clients.
Working with LeadingAge New York to help navigate these choppy political waters
provides the best chance to reach your desir