Eight days ago, the White House told us a Russian attack on Ukraine “may be imminent.” Since then, the Russians have moved more troops in position to execute a massive invasion. Secretary Blinken has ordered the withdrawal of embassy personnel in Kyiv. And reports have surfaced that President Biden is considering sending troops to neighboring countries. None of these actions has made any difference. Vladimir Putin shows no sign of backing down. Rather than considering the consequences of an invasion, he is plotting a coup in Kyiv to install a puppet leader who will do his bidding. 

The odds of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are now close to 100 percent.

A war in Ukraine is unwelcome news for everyone except perhaps Putin. Looking at the situation from a U.S. perspective, it is not too farfetched to say the crisis couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Biden administration doesn’t need another foreign policy crisis, especially when policy experts still worry about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan after the Olympics end. And the war would come when the U.S. is politically divided, is still dealing with the pandemic, and is led by an unpopular president. 

 The Biden administration and our European allies are figuring out what to do if Putin moves forward. They are also evaluating whether the threat of sanctions will be enough to convince Putin that the invasion would be a mistake. Don’t hold your breath. Does anyone remember a time when Putin was open to reason or admitted a mistake? I don’t. That makes the situation in Ukraine particularly challenging for the U.S. and for the Biden administration. Most Americans know little about the country or its people. Any decision by President Biden to intervene in this dispute is bound to be unpopular.

How bad is the situation for Biden? The 20-year war in Afghanistan just ended with an ignominious American withdrawal. Can you tell me what countries, excepting Russia, border Ukraine without resorting to a Google search?  And do you speak Ukrainian? How do you say, “Please save us, America” in Ukrainian?

So far, the U.S. has the support of our European allies. That’s reassuring, but the allies are waiting to see what Biden will do, and it’s not clear he knows. Will our allies stick with us if the bombs start falling? And, if we got involved in a war, what would he end game be?

Current discussions include imposing sanctions now, before the invasion takes place. Would that deter Putin? Or would Putin be more inclined to proceed with the invasion if Russia has already been punished? And will the stationing of troops in neighboring countries just further provoke Putin?  I’m not sure anyone knows the answers.

While the question of whether Putin will respond to sanctions or the threat of sanctions is important, we are unlikely to know the answer until Putin withdraws his forces. Because some suggest that an American-led response to the invasion would benefit Putin domestically by convincing Russians that they need a strong leader to protect them, Putin may not want to end the crisis. Then there is the more puzzling question of whether Putin has already concluded that Biden’s hands are tied because the American public won’t support any response beyond economic sanctions. 

So, does that mean that a Russian annexation of part or all of Ukraine is inevitable? My guess would be yes. But asking me what that means to the U.S. is a harder question to answer. I’m not sure the war would tank the U.S. economy. Nor would a war not involving U.S. troops hurt Biden’s popularity. How much lower can Biden’s popularity go?

All the above makes the Ukraine crisis a dilemma for the U.S. And the only way out of the dilemma is for President Biden and his team to figure out what America’s interests are and what we need to do to protect them. Once he figures out those interests, he will need to convince the American public to follow his leadership. That will be a tall order. 

As this piece is being written, reports are emerging that Biden is contemplating decisive action. He doesn’t want a war but, I suspect, he is worried about the long-term consequences of not responding forcefully to a Russian invasion. If the U.S. allows Putin to annex Ukraine, what message does that send to China as it seeks to “reunify” Taiwan. Remember Neville Chamberlin? My guess is that Biden is thinking about him a lot these days. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

 

“What is going on with the January 6 committee?” I’ve been impatiently wondering about that for months. Why is the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol moving slow as molasses? When will the Committee hold public hearings? Is the Committee risking not finishing its work before the end of 2022?

More simply put, because almost 14 months have passed since Trump lost the 2020 election and more than a year since his followers marched to the Capitol with orders to prevent the certification of Biden’s win, I am worried that Trump once again will not be held accountable. Last Thursday, Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a member of the Select Committee, offered a dramatic answer to my questions on a Zoom call before the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Raskin thinks Trump’s luck is about to run out. 

As most Marylanders know, Raskin is a constitutional lawyer representing the 8th Congressional District, the D.C. suburbs. Raskin told the Zoom-call participants that the upcoming hearings will be a “game changer for American history.”  

Said Raskin: “We are going to do everything we can to subpoena all the information we need and to enforce our subpoenas. But even if we don’t get every last person in there, we are going to have hearings that I believe will be compared to the Watergate hearings, because they are going to blow the roof off the House in terms of explaining to America what actually happened in the attack on our democracy.”

Those of us who were around for the 1973 Watergate hearings recall that the hearings led to Richard Nixon’s resignation. After hearing evidence of Nixon’s involvement with the Watergate break-in and other efforts to undermine the Democratic party, a critical mass of Hill Republicans urged Nixon to resign. 

It’s unclear whether today’s Congressional Republicans will respond to hard evidence of sedition and other Trump crimes. (Don’t hold your breath for our own Andy Harris to break ranks with Trump. If Trump were to shoot someone on Washington Street in Easton, I would expect “Handgun” Harris to find a way to blame the Democrats.)

Jamie Raskin, like many of us, has had it with Trump. We are sick of hearing “the Big Lie,” and abhor Trumpism. His examination of the evidence of Trump’s activities led him to offer this assessment of the former president: “The guy’s a walking crime wave, and he has committed crimes all over the country, including sexual harassment and assault on a lot of people. There’s bank fraud and there’s real estate fraud and there’s tax fraud. And there are prosecutors all over the country, looking at all that stuff. I don’t want us to fetishize Donald Trump that much — he will meet you know, his maker, one place or another, there will be accountability and a reckoning with the law.”

A video of the discussion is on Facebook.

Raskin did not specify what he expects the January 6 Committee will find. It is premature to make specific predictions on what the committee’s hearings will disclose. With that caveat, here are a few guesses based on what I’ve been reading:

Details documenting President Trump’s direct involvement in the planning, funding, and execution of the January 6 insurrection.

Proof of direct involvement of several members of Congress in facilitating the January 6 attack. (I don’t expect Dr. Harris to be among the group.)

Documentation that the organizers of the attack, including White House officials, saw the attack as an attempted coup. Evidence is likely to include multiple email communications and proof that the organizers stockpiled weapons to use for even more violence had the January 6 effort been successful.  

Proof that several Fox News personalities had advanced knowledge of the January 6 attack and discussed it with Trump and key White House and Trump advisors.

Full documentation of who paid the insurrectionists’ expenses.

Documentation on what Trump planned to do to solidify his hold on presidential power had the coup been successful.

The seriousness of the attempted coup is becoming apparent. Did the insurrectionists plan the arrest and possible execution of their adversaries? No evidence of that has surfaced to date, but Congressman Raskin seems to suggest that once the full findings of the committee are released, we will also see Trump and the fragility of democracy in a new light. 

If Jamie Raskin is correct in saying that the January 6 committee public hearings will be “must see” TV, the hearings could be a turning point in the effort to hold Trump and his co-conspirators accountable. The Watergate Hearings, including ones featuring another lawyer named John Dean, captured the public’s attention. As Nixon’s guilt and lying became obvious, his public support evaporated. Congressional Republicans abandoned him, with some urging him to resign. 

Today’s Congressional Republicans, with few exceptions, have proven less principled, more cowardly, and less patriotic than their predecessors. It remains to be seen whether the revelations that Raskin predicts will come to light will prompt a change in Republican attitudes.

Full disclosure:  Although I went to the same law school as John W. Dean, III, received phone calls intended for him from numerous reporters in 1973, I am no relation to “the other John Dean” but still recommend Dean’s Worse Than Watergate, which is about the George W. Bush administration, not Trump’s. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

 

A friend from Toronto recently shared an editorial from that city’s newspaper, the Globe and Mail. entitled, “The American Polity is Cracked and Might Collapse.” The piece said Canadians must “prepare.”  After reading the piece, I must agree.

The author, Thomas Homer-Dixon, is a left-leaning Canadian academic. Before reading the piece, I was ready for another spirited condemnation of Donald Trump. That’s not what the editorial is about. Trumpism is referenced but is described as more a symptom than cause of underlying, deeper problems. Worsening income inequality, a more vulnerable economy, and a host of other challenges are leading many Americans to question democracy. The writer also notes that changing demographics are fueling a fear that “traditional U.S. culture is being erased” as “whites are replaced.”

The writer assumes that effective government could respond to the challenges and contribute to renewed support for democracy. That isn’t happening. Homer-Dixon suggests that the wealthy and powerful in the U.S. are starving government of the resources it needs to address our economic, educational, and racial problems. This, in turn, leads to more people giving up on democracy because an “under-resourced government” cannot solve problems. Why bother to vote if government “doesn’t work?”  

Homer-Dixon’s assessment, dour as it is, is relevant to the consideration of voting rights legislation in the U.S. Senate this week. Unfortunately, despite renewed efforts by President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Schumer, approval remains uncertain. To date, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) are unwilling to modify the filibuster rule that enables a minority to block passage by requiring 60 votes.

It remains to be seen whether a compromise of some sort will be reached. It is telling that some see passage of the legislation as critical. Because the bill would effectively federalize election integrity, it is seen as a response to well-documented Republican efforts to make voting more difficult. The bill would also outlaw gerrymandering and make election day a holiday.

I am not fully convinced enactment of election reform will end the threat to democracy represented by the January 6 insurrection and continuing efforts to promote political division and dysfunction. Free, fair, and full elections will not by themselves cure racial, social, and economic injustice. Enactment of the legislation would, however, make it more likely that action could be taken on some U.S. societal trends that are ripping the country apart—things such as income inequality and inadequate investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Is the U.S. about to disintegrate as Homer-Dixon suggests? I hope not, but I do see dangerous signs of American decline. Our role as a world leader is now questioned. European and Asian allies are no longer sure they can depend on us. We also are no longer seen as a leader in addressing climate change. And, unfortunately, since Trump left office, despite Biden rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, passage of meaningful measures to address climate change has proven impossible. 

Then there are the threats from Russia and China. Both seem ready to test American military resolve. Some interpret recent threats to Ukraine and Taiwan as prompted by a perception of Joe Biden as a weak president. That is naïve. The real problem is that both Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi may be convinced that public support for military action in response to an invasion in either place is lacking. Unfortunately, that may be true, especially after the long-overdue end to the Afghanistan war.

So where does this leave us? The answer is “vulnerable but not yet dead.”  If Americans wake up to the fact that we are in a crisis, action will become more likely. Democracy and political stability are in jeopardy. Congress must do all it can to buttress democracy and restore the public’s faith in it. And if Congress passes the legislation, further action is needed to excise the dysfunction out of Congress.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

 

It is hard to believe that a year has passed since I walked into my family room and saw rioters smashing windows, throwing flagpole-spears at police, and using bear spray at the Capitol. My significant other looked up from the TV, tears in her eyes, and said, “This can’t be happening.” But it was. Directed by their president, a Trump mob, replete with banners, buttons, and military garb, attempted to overthrow the government. 

Fortunately, calls for the hanging of Mike Pence and the murder of Nancy Pelosi were not followed. This failure may have disappointed the president who was watching events unfold from the dining room adjoining the oval office at the White House. 

We now know that Trump resisted calls, even from his own daughter, to direct his followers to stop their deadly assault. Evidence now surfacing, some of which may be unveiled at the first public hearing of the House January 6 Committee, is expected to show how complicit Trump was in planning and directing the assault.

Trump has not yet been held accountable for what was either a severe dereliction of duty or outright treason on January 6 and the days leading up to it. It is that injustice—the top perpetrator remaining at large—that makes me cautious about commemorating January 6. We do not yet have closure on January 6, and we may not for some time. The problem is that the January 6 insurrection is not over. We are learning that the political dysfunction that gave rise to the violence of that day lies much deeper. Democracy remains in jeopardy. America’s embrace of the Constitution is loosening as the faith in government and democracy weakens. We are in trouble.

A recent Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found that one in three Americans believes that violence against the government is sometimes justified. The respondents cited civil rights, elections, and other grounds as potentially justifying violence. This is troubling. People on both the right and left are losing faith in government as the best means of resolving injustice. A second poll found that 62 percent of respondents expect violence in the case of a future disputed presidential election. Yes, 62 percent. What should we make of these numbers, other than that our political divisions represent a more serious risk to “domestic tranquility” than we might appreciate? 

I have come to separate Donald Trump from the vile collection of prejudices and delusions of his followers. Trump may be more a symptom than a cause of the rise of QAnon, Proud Boys, open racism, and the evaporation of civility in political debate. Trump, in my perception, is gradually fading from the American political stage. The more he fades, the more he works to remain in the news. Yet cowardly Republicans, such as Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, continue to kowtow to Trump. Dunleavy sought Trump’s endorsement for re-election and got it on the condition that he not endorse the re-election of Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial. Trump may soon find himself indicted for treason as well as tax fraud, but it really doesn’t matter. The group of people commonly referred to as “Trump’s base” don’t need Trump to oppose immigration, refuse vaccines, fly “Lets Go Brandon!” banners, and circulate anti-Black, homophobic, and similar memes on the web.

I think we should stop calling the mob that attacked the Capitol “Trump supporters.” The treasonous rioters were simply opponents of democracy. Best I can tell, the 2020 election won’t be the last election they protest or attempt to overturn. I also fear that as the efforts underway today through the instrument of the Republican party fail, they will turn to violence.

I don’t think there is anything to celebrate about January 6. Those who want to celebrate the date as a successful defense of democracy better wait until the causes of insurrection are understood and addressed. Much greater efforts are needed than just indicting the rioters or even holding Trump accountable. The cancer that gave us Trump must be eradicated. 

We don’t yet know how to convince a group of fellow citizens alienated from democracy that they are mistaken. We better get to work figuring that out before it’s too late. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

 

Each December, I prepare two lists that I put in a box in the back of a drawer. One list consists of resolutions for the new year. The other list consists of predictions for what the new year will bring. Each December, I pull out the previous year’s lists to assess how successful I was in achieving my resolutions and how accurate my predictions were.

My list of 2021 resolutions will remain private. Things such as committing to eat healthier, read more, be kinder, and take better photographs are nothing special. And I’m not sure I want to share my report card.

My predictions for 2021 included more climate change-induced weather, more racial tensions and protests, an indictment of Trump and his disappearance from the national stage, the beginning of the end of the pandemic, and a troubled economy. 

That’s not the complete list but includes the big items. As you can see, my crystal ball was cloudy. I was right about climate change (no rocket science needed there), but I was mostly wrong about the rest.

With that record in mind, here are my predictions for 2022:

Worse weather and more natural disasters caused by climate change. I expect more hurricanes, “heat domes,” forest fires, tornados, and flooding. I would like to predict that the Eastern Shore will again dodge the bullet, but I can’t. We were lucky in 2021. I hope and pray we are again lucky in 2022.

The pandemic will continue. My friends with medical credentials tell me that the worst of the COVID-19 may be in front of us. They remind me that another variant or two could pop up. I expect that we still will be wearing masks and monitoring the news for medical breakthroughs for better treatment of COVID and the availability of more booster shots a year from now. (Personal disclosure:  My resolutions list includes getting my second booster shot as soon as possible—my first booster shot was the Pfizer booster that becomes less effective after 10 weeks.)

Inflation will continue and get worse. I feared inflation last year but did not expect the huge price increases we have seen this year. Without ascribing blame to anyone, I predict that the Federal Reserve response will help but not corral inflation. Prices will continue to go up, making a recession more likely. 

An economic downturn. I am not an economist, but I expect more economic hardship in the latter half of 2022. I hope I am wrong. If I am right, I hope Congress and the Biden administration work together and formulate some sort of a response to help those hit hardest by the recession. (I’m not making a prediction on that.)

Trump will be held accountable for his role in the January 6 insurrection. I am heartened by the aggressiveness of the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol. We already know that the Committee has “smoking gun” emails. When public hearings start early next year, we are likely to learn how complicit Trump and his immediate family were in trying to stage a coup. If evidence of Trump’s personal involvement is produced, I hope prosecutors will get to work.

Joe Biden will have a challenging year. If 2021 is any indicator, 2022 will not be a banner year for President Biden. With the pandemic continuing, both Russia and China threatening to start wars, and the economy looking fragile, we need extraordinary leadership. I’m not sure the president is up to the task. I hope I am wrong. 

Republican wins in 2022. It is always dangerous to predict the outcome of elections, but as of today the odds suggest that Republicans will win majorities in the House and Senate. For the sake of the country, I hope I am wrong. If you agree that the last thing America needs now is Kevin McCarthy running the House of Representatives and Mitch McConnell running the Senate, you need to get busy registering voters.

In terms of the Eastern Shore, I predict a better harvest of blue crabs, continued growth in the quality and variety of cultural offerings, and, another year of outstanding community journalism in the Talbot, Chestertown, and Cambridge Spies. 

In closing, I wish Spy readers a happy and peaceful new year. 

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.

 

The holidays are upon us. In just 10 days, it will be Christmas. It’s a time for giving—and a time for receiving. This week’s column is about what I want for Christmas.

Before getting started, I acknowledge that not all of us celebrate Christmas. That’s today’s America, but it shouldn’t stop any of us from asking for things that will make our collective lives better. That’s why there are no requests for traditional gifts here. I am thinking about what will help us all, not what might make me smile for a few minutes.

Here’s the list:

An end to inflation. Last week’s announcement of the highest inflation in 36 years signals trouble ahead for the economy. Inflation must be controlled, or we will have a worsening economic crisis on our hands. Biden and Congress must do their parts. Inflation is not going to go away on its own. 

A Biden revival. While indisputably better than a president seeking to torch the Constitution, Joe Biden is struggling. I want to see him wrest control of his party from its warring factions and show some leadership. Debacles like the Afghanistan exit need to be avoided. It’s not too late for Joe Biden to become a popular, successful president. Right now, he is neither.

More progress on climate change. It’s great that more of us want to drive electric cars. That won’t stop climate change. If we want to be above water 30 years from now, we need more action in Washington and on the Eastern Shore. Biden and Congress need to make climate change the top priority for 2022. The clock is ticking. 

That China and Russia calm down and stand down their militaries. Have you heard that China is about to invade Taiwan to reassert control over it and that Russia has amassed troops on the Ukrainian border and could invade it at any time? I hope that both these countries choose peace over war. I don’t know what the Administration would do if either war broke out. Nor do I want to find out. I’ve had enough war. 

That the House Select Committee on January 6 continues to pursue the truth aggressively and finishes its work by next summer.

For a serious challenge to be made to Rep. Andy “Handgun” Harris. There are two good Democrats, Heather Mizeur and Dave Harden, running. Either would be an improvement on the Trump-idolizer who currently purports to represent us. Thus far the campaigns of both challengers are less than impressive. They need to step up their games, or I could be writing about Harris’ efforts to return Trump to the White House for another four years. 

Convictions and jail time for Ghislaine Maxwell and Elizabeth Holmes. The juries are still out as this is written, but I’m convinced both are guilty. Their crimes are quite different, but these two women ruined lives—Maxwell by her complicity in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex crimes and Holmes by fraudulently marketing non-working blood testing devices. I want to see them held accountable. 

That Donald Trump either quits lying or finds a psychiatrist to convince him that it is in his own best personal and financial interest to shut up and golf. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But it isn’t a crime to dream.

That the Talbot Boys move to Virginia or somewhere else other than the courthouse grounds by December 25. Unrealistic? Unfortunately, yes, but I remain grateful for the progress made by the County Council and the courageous citizens who have worked so hard to remove this unfortunate symbol of racism. 

Continued cultural growth in Easton, Chestertown, Cambridge and elsewhere on the Eastern Shore. As the pandemic abates (at least temporarily), live music, art fairs, theater, and festivals have returned. More, please!

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects.

 

We live in troubled times. The public space seems populated with lunatics. It is sometimes hard to determine who is just plain stupid and who is evil. One thing is sure—there are a surplus of rogues–public figures who live or act outside the parameters of normalcy.

The new wing to my gallery would have to be huge to accommodate everyone I have in mind. I’ve had to prioritize. I want to include only people to whom I owe space. People so bizarre that it is easy to imagine them being remembered as bizarre 20 years from now. I also do not want to include people who are so-well known for being a bizarre rogue that it is boring to read more about them. Thus, I will not be honoring Donald J. Trump (senior or junior) in my gallery. Everyone knows what that pair is about. . . .

Being a Washingtonian by birth, I will focus on Washington and Congress. Here are a few honorees and a few words about how they made the list.

Laureen Boebert. A champion of the Second Amendment, the Colorado Congresswoman from Colorado recently accused a fellow member of Congress of being a suicide bomber. She also is suspected of aiding the January 6 insurrectionists.

Marjorie Taylor Greene. A Congresswoman from Georgia, Greene has filed articles of impeachment against President Biden and harassed the parent of a student killed in the Parkland High School shootings as he attempted to lobby Congress for gun control.

Louis Gohmert. Currently a Congressman from Texas, he just announced that he is running for attorney general of Texas. He asked a member of the U.S. Forest Service at a Congressional hearing whether changing the orbit of the earth or moon was a solution to climate change.

Paul Gosar. A Congressman from Arizona, but also a right-wing dentist. His brother has called for him to be removed from Congress. He posted an anime of himself killing fellow legislator Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Twitter. This got him censured by the full House and stripped of his committee assignments.

Matt Gaetz. A Congressman from sunny Florida. He is accused of transporting underage girls across state lines (not into Maryland as far as I know) for sexual purposes. He is MTG’s best friend in Congress.

Josh Hawley. This rogue is a Senator from Missouri. His Ivy League education did not stop him from fist-pumping fellow insurrectionists on January 6.

Ron DeSantis. Another product of the Ivy League, Florida Governor DeSantis has just announced a plan to create a small military force not answerable to Washington. He will command it. Let us hope Maryland’s next governor does not get any ideas. (If Daniel L. Cox, the right-winger endorsed for governor by our own Andy “Handgun” Harris, fails in his bid for the State House, the risk of Maryland creating its own army is decreased.)
What! No Democrats?

Do not forget it is my rogues’ gallery we are discussing here. Please feel free to build your own and include the entire Biden cabinet, the vice president, and, of course, Hunter Biden.

I have two Democrats on my priority list. Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Tlaib made a name for herself by announcing, shortly after being elected, ““We’re going to go in there, and we’re going to impeach the motherf***er,” referring, of course, to Donald Trump. She also has called for the elimination of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, prisons, and the police.

Congresswoman Omar most recently received notoriety after her colleague, Representative Boebert, jokingly suggested that she was a suicide bomber. Her selection for the gallery was earned back in 2012 when, as part of her long-term criticism of Israel and the U.S. support for it, she said, “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.” Omar also offers T-shirts on her website reading, “F*uck around and find out.”

I will stop there with the politicians, but want to include one businessperson—Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced former CEO of Theranos now on trial in California for Fraud. Ms. Holmes’ company, which she founded at age 19 after dropping out of Stanford, claimed to have developed a machine for testing patients for a variety of diseases with a single drop of blood. Anyone who has ever undergone extensive blood-testing can understand why her claim of having made this technological breakthrough” was so exciting. Unfortunately,Theranos’ machines did not work. Fraud is alleged.

I have about four dozen other people on my priority list but will stop here. Please feel free to suggest additions or subtractions to my list in the comments section. As readers of this column know, I have an open mind.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and occasionally, golden doodles.

 

Last week we got the unwelcome news that the pandemic may be going into extra innings. We still are learning about yet another COVID-19 variant, newly named the Omicron variant. Unfortunately, preliminary assessments suggest that calling it the Delta variant on steroids isn’t much of an overstatement. It spreads faster and more easily than the Delta variant. And, even worse, it may be immune to current vaccines. OMG!

Let me be clear:  It’s still too early to panic over the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus. But it’s not too early to fear the worst; to start monitoring the news carefully and doing whatever we can to prevent the spread of Omicron.

My fear is that we may be in for a repeat of 2020. With that in mind, it makes sense to do everything we can to prevent that from happening 

I will listen closely to the CDC and the World Health Organization.  Both organizations are on the case, aware that potential trouble is on the horizon but not yet ready to panic. Last week, the CDC told us that if the Omicron variant emerges in the U.S., it anticipates identifying it quickly. That is good news.

The agency’s press release also added:   

“We know what it takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. CDC recommends people follow prevention strategies such as wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high community transmission, washing your hands frequently, and physically distancing from others. CDC also recommends that everyone five years and older protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting fully vaccinated. CDC encourages a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for those who are eligible.”

Last week, many of us learned of the not-yet named new COVID-19 variant after the stock market crashed (the Dow lost more than 900 points) and by New York Governor Hochul declaring a state of emergency. Said Hochul: “We continue to see warning signs of spikes in COVID this winter, and while the new Omicron variant has yet to be detected in New York State, it’s coming.”

The stock market frequently overreacts to news or even rumors. I suspect that some of that is happening here. But I think Governor Hochul may be onto something. Maryland should do the same thing. Better overreact now than be sorry later. Right? I hope Governor Hogan and others follow Hochul’s leadership. 

For the time being, I will ignore the relaxed social distancing restrictions. Although I was ready to burn my remaining supply of KN95s, I will start wearing them whenever I go inside and even when I run into people on the street. 

So, it looks as though we may be headed for a difficult winter and spring. But I try to remember that it could be worse. We are fortunate that so many of us are vaccinated and that much has been learned over the last two years about how to develop vaccines, manufacture them in massive quantities, and distribute them in quick order. We also are learning that Pfizer and other pharmaceutical firms are developing drugs to treat those of us who get the virus. That gives us hope. 

Given the current situation—we don’t know if this new variant will be as bad as some fear—there isn’t much to do other than worry. So that’s what I’m doing.

I’m also crossing my fingers that the lessons of the last two years will help the federal government and states to act quickly to prevent a repeat of 2020. President Biden’s imposition of a travel ban on several southern African nations is a good start.

J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government and occasionally, golden doodles.