BY BRUCE APAR
MAYOR, PENNYSAVER COMMUNITY

You know Mom & Pop Culture. We all do. They are us. They surround us. They appear on reality TV shows. They eat, drink and sleep gossip. They complain that people complain too much. Let’s listen in as they get ready to call it a day in the life…

MOM CULTURE: Pop, how do these government websites work?
POP CULTURE: How so, Mom?
MC: I mean their purpose is what exactly?
PC: I imagine to inform folks like us what our elected officials are up to.
MC: You mean, like scandals and stuff?
PC (guffawing): No! They’re not going to report on their own foibles, after all.
MC: But you mean they will try to attack the opposition?
PC: What opposition?
MC: People they don’t agree with, like members of another party they want to make look bad. Isn’t that part of the politicians’ toolbox?
PC: Thing of it is we pay for those government sites. They are for informational purposes for the electorate, period.
MC: Then you have not been to the Westchester County Board of Legislators website, my pet.
PC: How would I even know it’s there?
MC: After seeing it, you might want to forget it’s there.
PC: Huh?
MC: Nasty business, dear. Check it out at westchesterlegislators.com.
PC (now online): Oh, yes, it says, “Voice of the People of Westchester…”
MC: Yes, if you voted for a Democrat.
PC: I see. This story says, “Democratic Legislators Condemn Astorino’s “Cruel” Decision to Spike Child Care Costs for Working Mothers.”
MC: How does someone “spike” costs, Pop?
PC: The funny part is, as a noun, it means to go up, but here, as a verb, it means to knock down, like in football or volleyball, so in their grammatical goof, they seem to be saying Mr. Astorino decreased costs.
MC: Strange.
PC: Well, they are so bent on being hostile to the opposition, the site may as well be funded by a Political Action Committee.
MC: Well, Pop, you know that’s politricks, right?
PC: It’s not right, Mom. Go to the New York State Senate or State Assembly sites and you won’t see anything like this. The political parties are not even mentioned in their news releases except to identify the affiliation of a legislator. Here, the majority party in the Westchester Board of Legislators is brazenly campaigning online on our dime and our time.  
MC: It’s a shame that this type of boorish behavior can turn people off to their own government.
PC: You mean like being bored of legislators?