Six months ago, we thought things would be better by now.  Many of us hoped for the end of the Trump presidency and the social unrest that rocked America last summer. All of us hoped for an end to the pandemic. Unfortunately, as January nears its end, hopes for a return to normalcy are not looking good.  In short, 2021 is shaping up to be another challenging year.

The new year has, if anything, more problems than the one that just ended.

New strains of the pandemic, more contagious and deadly than the strain we have been fighting, are being reported.  Will the vaccines now being distributed work against these new strains?  Will the coronavirus continue to evolve?

The distribution of the vaccine has been frustrating.  We are fortunate that two different vaccines are being distributed with more on the way from other manufacturers.  The distribution of the vaccines, however, has been anything but smooth.  National reports indicate that many are unable to get a reservation for the vaccine. We spend many hours online or dialing the phone to reach a distribution center.  Did it have to be this hard?  Will governments and commercial entities charged with distribution improve the process to receive the virus? 

The economy remains precarious. It appears increasingly likely that the economic devastation caused by the virus will continue for at least most of 2021.  What if it lasts longer than that?  How long can small businesses, especially restaurants and other enterprises dependent on in-person customer traffic, survive?

Political strife continues. Hopes that the acrimony of the last four years would end with the exit of Trump appear to be unrealistic.  Notwithstanding evidence that the now ex-president may have played a significant role in the assault on the Capitol on January 6, Trumpism is not yet dead. That is unfortunate because it means attempts by the new administration to address the pandemic will be undermined.  

Social justice issues remain unresolved. President Biden has announced an initiative to promote racial equity, justice, and healing. Will it be enough to move the country past social unrest? I fear other police shootings or similar events will trigger more protests, especially after the weather gets warmer.

White nationalists and Nazis remain at large. The ugliest parts of America were on display on January 6.  Since then, we haven’t heard much from the Proud Boys, Boogaloo and the host of militias that seek to destroy democracy.  I’m worried that these terrorists are planning a comeback. That’s why it is so utterly important to bring the ones involved in the events of January 6 to justice.

The disruption to all levels of education caused by the pandemic cannot be overstated. My guess is that educational achievements for many students have stagnated or declined because of the pandemic.

I’m certain that I left a few issues off this list. Climate change comes to mind, to name just one.  But what good does it do to produce lists of problems?  The answer is that we cannot meet the challenges without recognizing them.  And we cannot solve the problems unless we work together. 

In 1961, John F. Kennedy implored us, “Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  If we take Kennedy’s words to heart, we will recognize that we are in a crisis that is worse, in many ways, than a war and more difficult to win. I hope that all of us will rise to the challenge before us, contribute however we can, and redouble our efforts to return to normalcy.

It won’t be easy, but we don’t have an alternative.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

Most presidential inauguration days are happy affairs. The dawn of a new administration brings with it hope and curiosity. Most of us welcome the change.  A new president means a fresh start.  An opportunity to take stock of where we are and look at new options for where we are going.  We also are eager to learn more about who our new leaders are, what the themes of the new administration will be, and how fast the impact of new leadership will affect our everyday lives.

This year, things are a bit different.  We are not yet over the shock of January 6 and still worry that the forces behind the insurrection were stronger than first assumed.  We also worry that we have not yet seen the end of Trumpism, even though its leader self-destructed after his attempt to remain president by force fizzled.

President Biden is being sworn-in in the middle of an armed camp. More than 25,000 troops are at hand to make sure that Proud Boys, Boogaloo, QAnon, and a host of other dangerous terrorists don’t try a second attempt to trash the Constitution. Nationwide, police and governors are on high alert.  With their efforts, and with a bit of luck, the day will pass without someone else dying.

The new president and his administration deserve better. And, truth be told, those of us who did not aid or abet the insurrection of January 6 also deserve better.  All of us are amid a pandemic that most likely will get worse before it gets better, and an economy that is functioning on the life support of recent and anticipated trillion-dollar plus stimulus bills.  Add to this the need for racial healing and the need to root out right-wing extremists, and it’s an understatement to say that President Biden has a full plate.

So, what do we do?  The most obvious thing is to give Biden and his proposals our support. Even those of us who are fiscal conservatives need to assess the current mess and let help be delivered to our fellow Americans who need it. Too many people are dying (400,000 as of today), too many people are unemployed (10.7 million), too many businesses  (well over 100,000) have closed, and too many pressing social problems remain largely unaddressed.

In this last category is the issue of how to reform our police to the point where we do not go to bed each night worrying about another black person being shot in the back.  We also need to figure out a way to combat systemic racism to the point where African Americans tell the rest of us that they see and feel progress. Not an easy task.

Then there is the issue of the insurrectionists and their fellow travelers.  We don’t know how many of them there are, but it is certain the new administration must assume that they remain a clear and present danger. Left alone, the far right is likely to attempt to undermine the Biden administration at every turn, through fake news, through additional acts of domestic terrorism, through obstructionism, and by fomenting hate and fear. This means bringing those who have engaged or who will engage in this type of behavior to justice.  “National healing” does not mean letting these dangerous criminals go on their merry way. And, yes, the ex-president needs to face the same standards of justice that are supposed to apply to the rest of us.  If this means jail for the (ex) chief, so be it.

The Biden administration appears poised to hit the ground running on those parts of its agenda that it would like to emphasize—the “Build Back Better” parts, the empathy, the justice, and the sense of community.  If Congress passes Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, we will see immediate progress on the distribution of the vaccine, on relief for those most in need, and on a return to common sense on climate change. What’s not to like?

So, although I will have a tear in my eye as I watch an inauguration take place in an armed camp, I will join the celebration of a fresh start for America.  I am proud to call Joe Biden my president and will do my part to help him help us build back better.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

On January 6, just before noon, President Trump addressed around 5,000 ardent supporters, telling them, “You’ll never take back our country with weakness.  Demand that Congress do the right thing… fight like hell.” 

By 1:10 p.m., the first groups of Trump supporters reached the Capitol and clashed with police.  By 2:20 p.m., the group had breached police lines.  A rampage was underway that would eventually leave 5 people dead, including a Capitol Hill police officer.  By 4:17 p.m., after prompting by his staff, Trump tweeted, in part, “I know your pain. I know you’re hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it, especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. …  So go home. We love you, you’re very special. … I know how you feel.”

Among the activities of the mob that had entered the Capitol were calls for Vice President Pence to be hanged, for Speaker Pelosi to be killed, and the parading of a confederate battle flag through the halls. Various protesters had loaded guns, wore anti-Semitic clothing, and smashed windows.  Molotov cocktails were found in the cars of some of the protesters.

Just after 8:00 p.m. the House of Representatives reconvened to continue consideration of an objection to the electoral college vote.  Tensions were high, with many legislators questioning why anyone would want to continue to fight the election results after the day’s event.   Trump, in the view of many, had incited the riot.  He had watched the riot from the White House and reportedly did not understand why aides in the White House were not as excited about the “protests” as he was.  

Representative Andy Harris was not one of those whose views of President Trump were changed by the insurrection. He returned to the House Floor and came close to getting into a fight with Representative Conor Lamb (D-PA) after Lamb suggested Republicans were lying about election fraud. Only the intervention of a Texas Democrat, Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL player, prevented Dr. Harris, an anesthesiologist, from knocking-out Lamb.

What was Andy Harris’ role in last week’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol?  Why would Harris, knowing that, after the riot, the effort to overturn the election was even more unlikely to succeed than earlier in the day, continue to support it? What made him want to pummel Rep. Lamb?

The answer is that he continues to believe the challenges to the validity of the election results are “legitimate.”  He also seems to have been less troubled by the mayhem than most of his colleagues. While he now claims to condemn the violence of January 6, he noted that “People have the right to the Capitol grounds, we have protesters every day on the Capitol grounds.”

Also, consider this statement made after Wednesday’s events:

The Capitol police does such a great job that I never felt unsecure. I was in the military, I’m a veteran, you know, tear gas doesn’t frighten me. Obviously, later we heard there was a gunshot, but other than that, there was no indication that this was a truly violent protest, as violent as one that you’d worry about. This should have never occurred in the U.S. Capitol. I never support a protest that breaks windows, breaking into the Capitol, disobeying a lawful command of a Capitol police officer not to enter the building. So it definitely got out of hand, no question about it. It shouldn’t happen like that. But, again, people are very discouraged, they’re disappointed, the country is polarized, people have watched riots over the summer for valid reasons, but they’ve turned violent with no repercussion, and I think the message has gotten out to Americans, I’m sad to say, that violent protests are somehow acceptable in America. . . . 

Harris appears to be telling us that the violence at the Capitol resulted from “violence” at Black Lives Matter protests last summer that “turned violent with no repercussion.”  Really?  Is that what Trump told him?

Who does Harris think he is representing in Congress?   Does anyone on the Eastern Shore still want Harris representing them after last week’s events?  Why does Harris appear more interested in serving Trump than his constituents? What is going on inside his head?

Who is this guy?

In talking to people after last week’s events, I realized that not everyone is familiar with Rep. Andy Harris.  Who is he?

Other than kowtowing to Trump whenever possible, Harris may be best described as an ethically-challenged right-winger. His record includes voting against the most recent economic stimulus bill.  He voted “present” on a resolution condemning QAnon and the conspiratorial theories it promotes.  He’s one of the leaders in opposing Obamacare.  He also routinely sponsors anti-LGBQT legislation.

In 2018, Harris also was subject to ethics charges for failing to disclose payments made to his wife’s political consulting firm.  Harris responded by saying the omission was “a mistake” and filed an amended disclosure firm.  

Harris won re-election in 2020, defeating Democrat Mia Mason.  Here’s Ms. Mason’s comments on Harris’ performance of last week:

Andy Harris’s behavior is a disgusting display of a politician who will do anything to try and agitate the new base of the Republican party. He has desecrated the office he holds and embarrassed the entire district to which he serves. He has done as much as anyone, including the President, to incite this riot and even when he saw what destruction his words helped to cause, he doubled down on pushing baseless conspiracy theories.

Mason continued, “Make no mistake, Andy Harris does not believe what he is saying. He is taking advantage of people who continue to put him in office.”

Don’t hold your breath for Mr. Harris to resign.  It’s also doubtful that the House of Representatives will expel him for his role in the insurrection.  That’s unfortunate.  We deserve better. 

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

What on earth was President Trump doing on the phone with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking for 11,780 more votes?  What is going on in Senator Josh Hawley’s head that prompted his plan to challenge the electoral college vote?  And more than 10 dozen House Republicans, reportedly, plan a similar stunt.  Could it be the full moon?

The belief that a full moon leads to craziness is well established.  Hal Arkowitz and Scott Lilienfeld, writing in the Scientific American write:

“[M]any people think the mystical powers of the full moon induce erratic behaviors, psychiatric hospital admissions, suicides, homicides, emergency room calls, traffic accidents, fights at professional hockey games, dog bites and all manner of strange events. One survey revealed that 45 percent of college students believe moonstruck humans are prone to unusual behaviors, and other surveys suggest that mental health professionals may be still more likely than laypeople to hold this conviction. “

Add to the list of “unusual behaviors” the belief that Joe Biden “stole” the 2020 election, or that somehow the certified election results will be thrown out despite the absence of credible evidence of voting fraud.  

Notwithstanding  any possible connection between the lunar cycle and the circus expected to take place today (January 6) at the Capitol, the legislators involved need to be held accountable.   The nonsense has gone too far.  Have you  read the op-ed of 10 former Secretaries of Defense warning of the dangers of the military getting involved in the electoral dispute? Do we really need to worry that Trump might attempt some sort of military coup to stay in power?  Apparently, yes.

Can this nonsense go on indefinitely?  Fortunately, no.  The Georgia Senate race is now behind us.  By the time the sun sets today, Biden’s electoral win will be certified.  Absent some truly strange development—and the president should not be underestimated—the “Game Over” light will start flashing brightly.  Even a self-described genius like Trump should realize that it’s time to stand up and go home.

As this piece is being written, rumors continue that President Trump will skip the inaugural ceremonies after flying (at our expense, of course) to Scotland on January 19. Let’s hope this rumor is true. A Washington, D.C. without Trump on January 20 is likely to be one with fewer super-spreader events, less violence, and more hope.  I hope the rumors are true. 

Once Trump is out of office, I wish him all success on the golf course.  On the issue of his probable prosecution by New York and other states, I, to quote Melania Trump’s infamous coat, really don’t care.  Do you?

I do care about the Republicans who challenged the electoral college vote.  Their attempt to overturn the election, as futile as it is likely to be, was a threat to democracy.  Shouldn’t they be held accountable? 

The full list of the reported 140 House members was not available as this was being written.  I expect the Eastern Shore’s own Andy Harris is among them.  No surprise there.  Harris also signed onto an amicus brief in support of Texas’s Supreme Court case challenging the election.

A dozen Senators are also involved in what some are calling a borderline act of treason. prominent names include Ted Cruz of Texas and Missouri’s self-identified president-in-waiting Josh Hawley. 

Although voters most likely will have the only say in ridding Congress of the legislators involved in this week’s electoral college stunt, there is another solution.  It won’t happen, but Congress could also choose to expel the legislators involved.   

The framers of the Constitution foresaw the possibility that circumstances might develop requiring the expulsion of House or Senate members. Wisely, Article 1, Section 5, Clause 2 was included in the Constitution: “Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.”

The authority to remove duly elected members of the House and Senate was granted without additional limitation. Unlike the power to impeach a president, which includes a reference to “high crimes and misdemeanors,” the House and Senate can, in theory, expel any member for pretty much anything.

I’m not sure it would be a good idea to expel more than 150 legislators for their misguided loyalty to Trump, but we should remember the Power to Expel if this nonsense continues. It’s time to turn out the lights on Trump.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

It will be a long time before any of us forget 2021, a year that saw both the nation’s health and our Constitution suffer.  Both spent time in the equivalent of an emergency room.  And, with the grace of God, both have survived (so far).  Over 340,000 Americans are dead as this is written and prompting great angst on the part of many of us, the White House has a tenant that is threatening not to leave despite his lease ending January 20.  It’s a double crisis. (and a triple or quadruple one if you consider the economic crisis and climate change).

In the face of our current situation, it’s easy to become disheartened.  While there may be a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, the tunnel is long.  Six months from now many of us will still be waiting for our vaccine, a job to open up, or figuring out how to survive.  Others of us will simply not be here.   The coronavirus death count is far from over.

Fortunately, Americans are not ones to give in to despair.  We are anxious to return things to normal, or, as the new President is likely to tell us on January 20, “Build back better.”  We are impatient, however, and while that impatience is spurring many of us to redouble our efforts to help others through the mess, it is also risking prolonging the crisis.   I shuddered every time I saw pictures of crowded airports full of people visiting loved ones this past week.  I understood why they were doing what they were doing, but I also wondered if they understood the risks they were creating.   (hint:  super spreader).

Despite everything, the new year is a time for hope and resolutions.  I have my own resolutions but this year my hopes may be more important.   Here are mine:

1.  Successful distribution of the coronavirus vaccines.  We are off to a good start, but the challenges may get greater as the process moves forward.  I’m hopeful that those leading the effort on the vaccines will enjoy full success.
2. That everyone—yes, everyone—will take the vaccine.  Many of us remain fearful or skeptical about the vaccine.  Will it kill you?  Are there long-term side effects?  I respect those asking questions, but, so far, the vaccines appear safe.  If this remains the case, everyone should take the vaccine.  My hope is that they do.
3. Congress will pass all the economic stimulus necessary.  People are hurting.  Now is not the time to worry about a balanced budget.  My hope is that the new Congress will do its part to provide more help to small businesses, individuals, schools, States and cities, hospitals, and others.  If this happens, next year’s holiday season will be a lot merrier than this one.
4. Action on climate change.  The U.S. was relatively lucky this year in avoiding multiple devastating hurricanes.  The record number of storms this year was a reminder that the threat of climate change is still with us.  The coronavirus and the economic crisis it caused did not push a pause button on climate change.  Quite the contrary—we are one year closer to some sort of era-defining event, caused by climate change that could kill millions of us.  My hope is that President Biden signs back onto the Paris Climate Agreements and sends Congress an aggressive set of job-creating proposals focused on a solution.
5. Civility. Many of us, this writer included, have been less than civil to the outgoing president.  I don’t apologize for that (in my view, he has been the worst president in the nation’s history), but I also recognize that that name-calling creates obstacles to progress.  My hope is that members of both parties will also step up their efforts to be civil and start working with each other.  Is that too much to ask in the middle of this devastating pandemic?

One final hope:  I hope all Spy readers, and, for that matter, everyone living on the Eastern Shore, will have a happy, healthy, safe, new year.  Happy New Year. 

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy

 

In the long-term, the appointment of Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation-designee may prove to be Biden’s most important appointment to date. Not only will the Transportation Department play a pivotal role in Biden’s “Build Back Better” administration, but Buttigieg has been given an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate the skills one looks for in a president. 

Mayor Pete is making history—again. The first time was his run for president as the first openly gay candidate. This time the 38- year-old former South Bend, Indiana, mayor is the first openly gay appointee to a cabinet post. He would also be one of the youngest appointees to a US Presidential cabinet. Both are reasons to celebrate. But, perhaps more importantly, the appointment is taking a major step towards Buttigieg’s long term career goal—election as president of the United States.

In making the appointment, President Biden is getting an exceptionally bright leader for a department likely to play an important role in an administration focused on recovery from the economic and social devastation caused by the coronavirus.  Buttigieg, a Rhodes Scholar, honed his project management and data analysis skills at the blue-chip consulting firm McKinsey.  He will bring vision and brains, and the ability to communicate that vision to the job.  Biden’s chances of delivering on his promise of rebuilding America’s infrastructure just got better.

Earlier this year candidate Buttigieg released a detailed infrastructure plan titled, “Building for the 21st Century: An infrastructure plan to create jobs, increase resilience, and usher in a new era of opportunity.”  The plan proposes changing the funding base for the Highway Trust Fund from a gas tax to a user fee, assumed to be a “miles-driven formula.” The new tax would produce $165 billion for the trust fund, helping to make it solvent. 

Perhaps more importantly, the plan called for $50 billion in grants to states and local governments to repair or replace at least half the nation’s failing bridges by 2030. He also called for $6 billion in grants to support infrastructure, such as charging stations, to support electric vehicles.

Differences with the president-elect’s infrastructure plan are difficult to find.  Buttigieg’s plan would invest $1 trillion and produce six million jobs. Biden calls for “an accelerated $2 trillion investment” that includes infrastructure repair but with a more prominent focus on climate change.

John D. Porcari, a principal advisor to Biden during the presidential campaign, Deputy Secretary at the Transportation Department in the Obama administration, and two-time Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, said that the priority of the new administration would be to get the economy moving again.  After that, Porcari expects a new surface transportation bill to implement several of Biden’s proposals, including an enhanced rail system, grants to states, and clean energy initiatives.  It is unclear whether Porcari will play a major role under Buttigieg or elsewhere in the Biden administration.

Although service as Secretary of Transportation will undoubtedly make Buttigieg a more credible presidential candidate in the future, his commitment to service is well-established.  He served in Afghanistan in a non-combat role as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve  and has long been an advocate for national service.  He told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow:

“We really want to talk about the threat to social cohesion that helps characterize this presidency but also just this era. One thing we could do that would change that would be to make it — if not legally obligatory but certainly a social norm — that anybody after they’re 18 spends a year in national service.”

During the campaign, Joe Biden proposed granting $10,000 of undergraduate or graduate student  loan forgiveness for each of up to five years of national or community service. Biden’s principal domestic policy advisor, Susan Rice also has championed community service as a means of healing national wounds. 

So, Biden is both tapping an exceptional talent and providing a rising star an opportunity to demonstrate his skills on a national stage. Just as service in the Senate and as Secretary of State eliminated any questions about Hillary Clinton’s qualifications to serve as president, four years of service in the Biden administration will do the same thing for Mayor Pete.  It is also not unreasonable to speculate that after a year or so at Transportation, Biden may give Buttigieg an opportunity to work in an international or national security role.   

Any opportunity to further his political career would, of course, be sidetracked should Buttigieg become involved in a scandal or trouble of the type involving several Trump appointees.  Is trouble likely?  Buttigieg’s track record, though currently slim, suggests he has a high probability of executing the office of Transportation Secretary with little risk of scandal.  Absent something negative happening, Buttigieg could emerge as a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024 if Joe Biden doesn’t run for re-election and Kamala Harris’ performance as VP doesn’t meet the public’s current high expectations, or 2028.

Given that the new president has not yet even been sworn into office, it’s too much to hum “A Star is Born,” but good things lie in Mayor Pete’s future. 

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

We may have underestimated the damage President Trump is doing on his way out the door. In addition to issuing last-minute executive orders intended to continue his policies after he leaves office, undermining confidence in the Constitution by challenging an election he lost by eight million votes and overseeing a rash of federal executions, he is encouraging rioting. Rioting? Yes. The shameful visit of The Proud Boys to DC this past weekend is a case in point.

The Proud Boys are Trump’s pet white supremacist terrorists. A large contingent of them came to Washington to support the president’s increasingly laughable efforts to overturn the election. The idea here is that while the courts (so far) are having nothing to do with Trump’s quixotic efforts to cancel the votes of millions of Americans, maybe a little terrorism would help.  

Is it fair to call the Proud Boys DC handiwork “terrorism?”  The FBI appears to think so. It defines a “terrorist act” as “a violent act or an act dangerous to human life, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States, or of any state, to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”  Perhaps not so curiously, while the Proud Boys were in town, the president tweeted, “Wow! Thousands of people forming in Washington (D.C.) for Stop the Steal. Didn’t know about this, but I’ll be seeing them! #MAGA.”

A helicopter identified as Marine One also flew over the assembled protestors, who were joined by infamous Infowars radio host Alex Jones and recently pardoned former Trump national security advisor, Michael Flynn.  From the steps of the Supreme Court, , Flynn told the crowd, “Our sacred honor triumphs over infamy.”

Did Trump telephone the Proud Boys to invite them to Washington for a weekend of stabbing, vandalism, drinking, and racism?  No evidence (so far) of that, but the Proud Boys’ head toured the White House.  No evidence (so far) that Trump invited Enrique Tarrio, but Tarrio bragged of a “last-minute invitation to an undisclosed location.”  The White House press office claims Tarrio was on a public tour, so it must be true.  Right?  

The last time I tried to get a White House tour, no tickets were available for three months. Excuse me, we are in the middle of a pandemic.  Why is the White House holding tours?

In any case, if the only thing the Proud Boys did while visiting the Nation’s Capital was sightseeing, I’d be fine. Instead, there were four stabbings, assaults on police officers, and open displays of racism, among them protestors destroying “Black Lives Matter” banners hanging from various churches.  Only prudent deployment of the DC police and considerable restraint on their part prevented more violence.

What will happen as the last embers of hope for the election to be overturned go cold?  Will the 126 Republican congressmen, including Rep. Andy Harris, admit Biden won and urge Trump supporters to sit down and face reality?  Will giants like Texas Senator Ted Cruz stop talking about the election and start working to combat the coronavirus?  We can only hope.

The events in Washington this past weekend remind us that racism and intolerance are alive and well.  Our democracy is under attack. Those of us who are offended by the white supremacist message of the Proud Boys and by Trumpism need to speak out.  We need to be clear that White Claw chugging drunks brandishing knives and carrying “Trump 2020:  No More Bullshit” are not welcome in our communities.  

And when we have politicians who are part of the problem or cowardly refuse to acknowledge the Constitution and democracy, we need to vote them out before it is too late. 

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

Are you attending one of this year’s White House holiday parties?  You know, the ones where nobody wears masks.  No?  Neither am I.  My invitation got lost in the mail.

That’s OK with me. I hope to survive the pandemic long enough to celebrate Christmas—Christmas 2021. That is not guaranteed yet, despite the hopeful news about a vaccine, and my expectation that President Biden will lead us through this winter’s spike and minimize infections and deaths as much as possible. 

I hope we soon will see a drop in the incredible daily numbers of infections and deaths (around 200,000 infections and 2,800 deaths). To cut those numbers in half, we need strong leadership from the President.  We also need to do our part—follow CDC guidelines and encourage others to do the same.

Last week President-Elect Biden called for all Americans to wear masks for 100 days. He also announced that Dr. Fauci would serve an enhanced role in directing the response to the virus. Better yet, the new president is not going to waste time figuring out a way to take credit for the production and distribution of a vaccine but is mapping ways to mitigate the spread of the virus before those vaccines are widely available. 

Healthcare experts believe that if the nation were to follow Biden’s directive, hundreds of thousands of infections, and perhaps thousands of lives, would be saved.  That is presidential leadership.

What If the mask requirement were implemented now? One particularly sad aspect of the Biden announcement is that it did not include a request for the current administration to make the same suggestion.  Would President Trump suddenly encouraging everyone to wear a mask make a difference?  Maybe. It would be worth a try.

Did President-Elect Biden even ask Trump if he were interested in a joint announcement?  That is perhaps a naïve question. Because Trump still believes (or claims to believe) he won the election, cooperating in such a prominent way with Biden is illogical. Thus, an opportunity to save lives is missed.

President-elect Biden’s mask directive is the first of many actions he will take in coming days and weeks, signaling a fundamental change in White House leadership on the virus. His appointments for the Departments of HHS, (California Attorney General Xavier Becerra), Education, and other agencies will be leaders who are ready to lead on the virus. The HHS appointment may be the single most important appointment to his cabinet. His nomination for the Secretary of Education is also pivotal in reopening schools in a responsible manner.

I will be watching the appointments for the new administration in the coming weeks and cheering them on as they take on the coronavirus challenge.  It may be naïve, but it would be nice if everyone did the same.

Stay tuned. 

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

How is Donald Trump spending his last 50 odd days in office? It’s getting more bizarre each day.  Presidential temper tantrums.  Reality-defying delusions.  Daily rounds of golf in the middle of a rapidly escalating pandemic.  A pardon for Michael Flynn. And lots of lies.

Did you read about Trump letting his hair turn grey?  About Ivanka tweeting that she’s going to the moon and Mars?  Did you see Rudy Giuliani sweat a stream of hair dye at a news conference at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping Company?  Or have you been focusing on election fraud?  Will Trump’s attack on Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reverse the state’s certification of Biden’s win?  Will Trump run in 2024, perhaps launching his campaign on January 20, 2021? 

You can’t make this stuff up. It won’t take much for Oliver Stone to produce a movie about him.  

Unfortunately, there are 49 more days of this circus remaining. We want to take a large sleeping pill and wake up only after it’s over but worry too much about what might come next to do that.  Our friends warn us, “the worst might be yet to come.”  

We are not yet done with the Orange Menace. Will Trump blow his top and start a war?  

I’m irritated.  Logically, relief will come when Trump leaves DC and heads for Mar-a-Lago.  Unfortunately, that won’t be the end of the Trump story.  Only now are we starting to get a full appreciation for the depth of the damage done not only by his final clown acts, but by Trump’s full four-year record.  Trump demonstrated to the world that American democracy can produce a president like, well, Trump.

Billions of dollars have been spent over the last 50 years by the U.S. and others in the belief that all countries benefit from constitutional democracy.  We were an example of a stable, free, and successful nation. Many countries sought to follow our example, often with our encouragement. Some nations even went to war against forces that rejected democracy. 

Today, faith in democracy is on the decline. Trump has contributed to this trend. Trump, to many, makes the Chinese authoritarian system look attractive.  Could a Donald Trump rise to power in their system?  Probably not. This, of course, doesn’t mean an authoritarian system of government is preferable to democracy, even a challenged one.  One only need look to the recent history of Hong Kong and the Chinese government’s treatment of minorities to see that.  Or to Putin’s Russia.  But there is no denying Trump has undermined confidence in democracy as the best means of producing a government with the best interests of the people as its goal. Awareness of Trump’s racism, his denial of climate change, and his personal greed is well known across the world.  He’s made the U.S. a laughingstock. Far worse, he has shattered the belief that the U.S. is the last best hope for mankind.

The long-term damage to America’s relations with its allies is also part of the Trump legacy.  NATO allies logically will question the commitment of the U.S. to the organization.  Asian countries, including Japan, Vietnam, and even Australia, now question whether trade agreements with the U.S. can be relied on.  Even if Biden totally reverses Trump policies, allies are likely to ask what prevents another Trump-like president from reversing Biden.

One other Trump legacy is the reminder he provided the world about the state of U.S. race relations.  Any perception that the U.S. was moving beyond its shameful history of racism was destroyed by Trump praising white nationalists, opposing efforts to dismantle confederate monuments, and treating immigrants as criminals.  

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The picture of children being separated from their parents and tossed into for-profit jails is hard to forget.  How can America exercise moral leadership in the world with this image still fresh in the world’s collective mind?  

Much more of the Trump legacy is yet to be recognized.  It is likely that Trump, his family, and his cronies will be prosecuted for crimes in State and Federal courts. The world will be educated on the quality of the people who ran the country for four years. They will also get a lesson in American capitalism that, even if partially true, undermines our credibility.

Joe Biden’s work is cut out for him.  With each passing day, we are learning that the mess Biden has been elected to clean up is much worse than imagined.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.

 

President-elect Biden’s announcement of major foreign policy appointees this week is a cause for celebration. The list is headed by Antony Blinken, a former Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy National Security Advisor. Also included is the appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry, who will serve as a “Climate Envoy” on the National Security Council. Other appointments include career diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Ambassador to the UN and Jake Sullivan as National Security Advisor. All are great appointments. 

The most important of the appointees is that of Secretary of State. Mr. Blinken’s appointment will restore morale at the Department which has suffered under Secretaries Tillerson and Pompeo. So bad were the Trump years at State that some have speculated permanent damage was done to the Department and its vitally important Foreign Service.

Perhaps it is unnecessary to review the Trump legacy at the Department, but the Biden appointments can be viewed as medicine to apply to the injuries his predecessor wrought. 

Former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson was a disaster.  Eliot A. Cohen of The Atlantic described him as “a debacle, pure and simple, the worst Secretary of State in living memory (and there has been serious competition) not because of ineptitude, but because of the semi-intentional demolition job he was doing on his own Department even as he fell out of presidential favor.” 

Once Tillerson was fired, via tweet, by Trump, Mike Pompeo continued to undermine the State Department. After promising to restore the “swagger” of the Department and fill dozens of vacant positions, Pompeo did neither. As the Washington Post noted, “Scores of senior positions and ambassadorships remain vacant or filled by acting officials, including 11 of the Assistant Secretary and Undersecretary posts whose occupants typically are the workhorses of U.S. diplomacy.” 

It should surprise nobody that the foreign service welcomes the Biden nominees. All four come from the foreign policy establishment and have served in high-level positions in the past. No on-the-job learning need happen here. All these appointments are likely to see career foreign service officers and diplomats as assets, not obstacles.

Senate approval of the nominees is likely.  Each of them may be evidence of Biden’s intention to work in a bipartisan manner. Republicans, with the possible exceptions of Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and a few others, will have difficulty finding reasons to justify a “no” vote. Expect approval shortly after Inauguration Day.

All nominees have extensive experience in government, making them “known commodities” who will be welcomed by career diplomats and foreign policy experts. Around the globe, they also will be viewed as welcome indicators of stability. Little research will be needed to determine where any of these appointees stand on key issues.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry as Climate Envoy. Democrats applauded the selection, and undoubtedly the rest of the world will see this appointment as a sign that the U.S. is once again serious about addressing climate change. Because of his previous reputation at the Department of State, Kerry’s appointment will be welcomed among diplomats. And, in the process, Biden will have an experienced former Secretary of State on his team to help reverse many of Trump’s policies.

Hey Joe, any possibility of tapping Hillary for a similar special envoy position?  Maybe after Trump finally concedes?

All appointees are also likely to work well with the President. Blinken worked with Biden both as a Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffer and while Biden was Vice-President. Jake Sullivan has similar experience.

All of nominees are likely to be loyal, more interested in promoting the new administration’s success than furthering their careers. This will be a sharp contrast to the Trump team, which featured several appointees with presidential aspirations (Ivanka Trump, Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley, and Jared Kushner).

As is inevitable, not everyone will share my excitement over the Biden nominations. Republicans may bemoan movement away from the “America First” policies of Trump, including his Muslim ban and conflicts with longtime allies. But some disagreement also may come from within the Democratic party. Progressives are likely to express disappointment that more progressive people were not chosen. Some may even question Biden’s propensity to compromise, something seen as a negative in the face of challenges like climate change.

Stay tuned.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.