I have loved Paul Simon’s lyrics and music almost all my life. I loved Simon & Garfunkel. And I loved Simon when he went on his own. I’ve had the good fortune to see him perform live many times. The time that was pure magic was when I saw him perform songs from his album Graceland which he performed with several South African musicians. 

When talking about Graceland, Paul Simon once told Harper’s magazine this: “It’s my favorite record. My favorite song that I ever wrote. This is it. This is the best I ever did. This is all perfect.” And he’s right. Seeing it performed live was a rare treat indeed. The rhythm. The talent of the South African musicians coupled with Simon’s clever lyrics was both mesmerizing and amazing. And it’s even more amazing when you consider that Simon released this album during the controversial and turbulent apartheid crisis in South Africa. 

The brilliance of that whole Graceland album is an example of what happens when cultures converge in a positive fashion and truly bring out the best in one another. Graceland won Grammys for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. 

I’ve often thought that some of the most beautiful, most talented, and smartest people in the world are a result of multi-racial marriages. Black and White. Indian and Asian. Asian and White. Hispanic and Black. The list goes on. Think Halle Berry, Keanu Reeves, Alicia Keyes, Mariah Carey, Barack Obama, Zadie Smith, Tiger Woods, James McBride.

Then consider Asian fusion food which offers exciting and innovative flavor combinations by blending various Asian and global traditions, ingredients, and cooking techniques. It’s appealing because it creates new tasting profiles from spicy to sweet and savory. 

Between undergraduate and graduate schools, I had roommates who were Black, White, Jewish, Gay, male, and female. It was the best experience ever. I learned to appreciate different cultures, foods, traditions, and more. 

When I lived in La Paz, Bolivia for two years, I learned about the discrimination of various Indian groups and saw its aftermath. I also learned to appreciate Pisco sour cocktails and learned how to cook sultanas and chicharrón. In short, the experience broadened my horizons. 

One of the many aspects I dislike about the current administration is its overtly racist mindset. Clearly Project 2025 implies that Whites are superior human beings, and the purity of the race must be protected. It’s not dissimilar to the Nazi eugenics focus. Immigration—even legal immigration—has become a dirty word to the MAGA base. 

J.D. Vance wants Whites to have more children so that mixed races don’t take over America. 

Haitians are eating our dogs and cats. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives which began to level the playing field are being dismantled.

Trump pardons White supremacists who organized an insurrection and attacked the Capitol on January 6. He calls them Patriots. 

The U.S. National Park Service has begun scrubbing information from its exhibits about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. 

Trump accuses the Smithsonian of focusing too much on how bad slavery was and not enough on the “brightness” of America. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has spent a considerable amount of time scrubbing Defense Department websites of articles and images about Jackie Robinson and the Navajo Code Talkers; renaming Navy ships; leading a Christian prayer service in the Pentagon’s auditorium; organizing an effort to restore to West Point Military Academy a painting of Confederate General Robert E. Lee that shows him wearing his gray Confederate uniform and accompanied by a slave guiding his horse; restoring Confederate names of military bases; and reinstalling a racist Confederate memorial, at considerable expense, that had been removed from Arlington National Cemetery. 

Unlike this current administration, I do not feel that a “White Bread World” is a superior world. Rather, I celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion and mourn initiatives that do just the opposite. 

Maya Angelou once wrote: “In diversity there is beauty and there is strength. We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” 

Here, here! 

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Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature. 

We promise to end waste, fraud, and abuse. That was the relentless mantra of the current administration’s 2024 campaign. Exactly how is that promise holding up? Let’s review the current scorecard. 

Trump’s estimated golf tab for his second term surpasses $70 million. According to the website didtrumpgolftoday.com, Trump has spent almost 25 percent of his time on the course—about 61 days. The current $70 million total does not include the $600,000 recently revealed that the Secret Service is spending on golf carts and portable toilets. 

The tallies are in for Trump’s military parade. The Army (U.S. taxpayers) spent $30 million on the parade which covered the cost of hauling dozens of tanks and armored vehicles by train and truck from various military bases. About 7,000 soldiers converged on D.C. while a B-2 stealth bomber and dozens of helicopters flew overhead and Army parachutes sailed by. This tab does not include the cost of the Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and local police protection. 

The recent federalized National Guard deployment to California cost approximately $134 million which covered travel, housing, and food for the troops. California officials from the Governor to the Mayor of Los Angeles proclaimed the whole exercise a total waste of money.

An analysis conducted for The Intercept claims that the price tag for Trump’s military surge in D.C. is at least $1 million a day. Other analysts claim that the cost will eventually run into hundreds of millions. Trump has stated that people are going out to dinner in D.C. for the first time in a long time. The data shows exactly the opposite. Reservations for Restaurant Week are down 24 percent compared to last year and down 31 percent on particular days after the Guards arrived. Baltimore, Chicago, and other Democratic cities with Black mayors could be next. (Also, the per capita crime rate is much higher in red states than in blue States. For example, Louisiana—the home state of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson—has a violent crime rate significantly higher than the national average by more than 66 percent.)

The estimated annual cost to run Alligator Alcatraz is $450 million with each bed costing approximately $245 per day. Two environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the facility claiming that the proper environmental reviews were not conducted. A U.S. District Judge has ordered a halt on any further construction while the suit is being reviewed and ordered Florida to wind down operations. Florida, of course, is challenging the order or may just choose to ignore it. 

J.D. Vance has taken eight vacations in seven months, including trips to Italy, India, Nantucket, Disneyland, Vermont, Greenland, and England. He also indulged in a $2,500 dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Diego and a kayaking trip in Ohio where the military was asked to raise the level of the Ohio river in an effort to improve his paddling conditions. 

Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, Melania Trump makes between one to three public appearances at the White House each month. She divides her time between Trump Tower, the White House, and Mar-a-Lago. According to Business Insider, her security detail at Trump Tower costs taxpayers more than $100,000 per day. Conservatively speaking, each of her flights to Mar-a-Lago cost at least $35,000. Before she officially moved to the White House in 2017, she had racked up flight costs of $675,000. Given her extremely low White House profile, one can surmise that her travel costs during these first eight months are in the millions.

Trump is spending $1.75 million on new furniture and decorating the White House. This amount does not include the $200 million he plans to spend on the new White House ballroom which Trump claims will come from private funds. The new ballroom will house as many as 600 guests. Call me crazy, but I’m not convinced having 600 guests at the White House at the same time is a good idea. Also, the annual maintenance and operating costs for the approximately 90,000 square foot ballroom will burden taxpayers for generations to come. (The current size of the White House is 55,000 square feet.)

As part of his retribution campaign, Trump has revoked secret service protection from more than a dozen people. But now Trump has ordered 20 bodyguards to provide 24-hour protection for FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Bongino, a former Fox News host and podcaster, is quite controversial. His protection is estimated to cost more than $2 million a year. Secretary of Defense and former weekend Fox anchor Pete Hegseth also is protected by dozens of military personnel.

Stay tuned for details about the July 4, 2026, Ultimate Fighting Championship that Trump plans to host on the south lawn of the White House. Trump claims this event could attract up to 25,000 spectators. Forget the optics of the whole concept of this event, but please agree that it sounds like a costly and time-consuming security nightmare. (I wonder how George Washington would react to celebrating Independence Day with a bloody mixed martial arts fight featuring two fighters in a cage on the White House lawn.)

Juxtaposing Trump’s lavish spending against cuts to medical research, Medicaid and Medicare, the National Park Service, university research, education, public broadcasting, the dismantling of USAID, and so much more, is a bitter pill to swallow. 

Then add to the excessive spending of this administration and the travesty of the government funding cuts, the massive amounts of wealth Trump is accumulating since he won the presidency. 

A New Yorker article estimates that Trump’s presidencies have brought him at least $125 million in extra profits from Mar-a-Lago. The same article estimates that Trump has made at least $27 million from campaign paraphernalia and his online store. (You can purchase a “Trump Was Right About Everything” cap for $34.99 at MAGA.com.)

Interestingly, Trump radically changed his position on cryptocurrency and promoted modifying its regulations. He and his family and cronies invested and profited substantially from this changed regulatory environment. According to Forbes, Trump has made more than $1 billion in crypto, which means his crypto holdings are worth more than any single real estate asset in his portfolio and even more than the combined value of Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower. 

I get this sickening pit in my stomach when I think about the vulnerable and critically ill who will lose support under this administration while the uber wealthy basks in tax cuts and conspicuous consumption. (Think Jeff Bezos’ $50 million wedding.) 

In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald writes, “They were careless people–Tom and Daisy–they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”

Sound familiar? 

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Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

When I was growing up and said something mean about someone, my mom would tell me to look inward and recognize my own shortcomings before criticizing someone else. 

Just admit, here and now, that Trump has a ton of inward soul searching to do. Why? Let’s take a brief look at a small fraction of the people Trump has criticized, mocked, humiliated, or for whom he has sought revenge and retribution. 

Ok let’s begin.

Politicians and States people. Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, James Comey, Jake Sullivan, Anthony Blinken, Letitia James, Judge Arthur Engoron, Liz Cheney, Jack Smith, Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, Adam Kinzinger. (Trump has also moved presidential portraits of Obama and the two Bushes to a stairwell not visible to White House visitors. In place of the space where Obama’s portrait formerly hung, Trump placed a painting of himself surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, PA. Biden’s portrait has not yet been completed.) 

Revoked Secret Service Protection. Dr. Anthony Fauci, John Bolton, Hunter and Ashley Biden, General Mark Milley, Mike Pompeo, Mark Esper.

Fired. More than a dozen prosecutors who worked on criminal cases against him; several senior justice Department officials; more than 12 inspectors general; the Kennedy Center Director; the Librarian of Congress; the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner, laid off more than 275,000 Federal employees not including contractors. (The Elon Musk dismissal deserves a whole separate column.)

Revoked Security Clearances. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Fiona Hill, Alexander Vindman, more than 50 intelligence officials, including former CIA Director John Brennan. Trump also issued executive orders to limit certain attorneys’ abilities to access government buildings at several large law firms that worked on cases against Trump in the past—firms like Covington & Burling and Perkins Cole–stopping any consideration for future employment with the government, canceling government contracts, and preventing any company that uses such a firm from obtaining federal contracts. 

News Organizations. Trump kicked out AP reporters from White House briefings; ordered investigations into NPR, PBS, and Politico. Trump has called the press fake news, scum, dishonest, low-lifes, corrupt, dumb, clueless, and some of the worst human beings you’ll ever meet. Defunding of PBS and NPR is underway.

Performers, Writers, TV Personalities. George Clooney, Rosie O’Donnell, Taylor Swift, Jimmy Kimmel, Meryl Streep, Jimmy Fallon, Spike Lee, Anna Wintour, Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Moore, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Rihanna, Madonna, Stephen King, Snoop Dogg, Mark Cuban. Stephen Colbert. 

Colleges and Universities. Trump has cut funding at several universities with charges of antisemitism and ideological indoctrination, forced universities to pay millions to settle such allegations, and frozen billions of dollars of research funding. Affected universities include Harvard, Brown, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Duke, George Washington University, Northwestern, University of Minnesota, University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, University of California Berkeley, New York University, University of California Los Angeles.

In no way is this a comprehensive revenge list. Such a list might resemble the length of War and Peace. Think about past presidents and how short most of those lists would be. Sure, they may have criticized their opponents or shot back at someone who criticized them, but never before has this country witnessed the vitriol that emanates from this administration. 

Martin Luther King once wrote, “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.” 

If Trump took King’s advice and put a little love in his heart, it might go a long way to helping the nation begin the healing process. 

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Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

After I returned from my two-week European foreign affairs journey, my stateside friends asked me, “What’s the buzz in Europe? What are the Europeans saying about Trump?”

My response was, “They’re really not talking about Trump. They’re talking almost exclusively about Putin.”

In conversation after conversation, you get a real sense of how much the people in countries in close proximity to Russia fear Putin. They are genuinely worried. They worry about their safety. They worry about their freedom. And they worry that their country could be next should Putin move on from Ukraine.

While there, you are also reminded how few barriers there are between Russia and its European neighbors. 

One of the comments that former President of Poland, Lech Wałęsa, made is that “Poland doesn’t have great soil or a ton of minerals. What it does have is location, location, location.” Basically, Poland is in the center of all the countries that surround Russia, making it a pivotal piece of real estate. 

Last week we learned that Trump plans to meet Putin in Alaska on Friday. This announcement does not fill me with hope. Instead, I feel a sense of dread and despair. Trump has not yet invited Zelensky to this meeting. And how weird is it that the meeting is taking place in Alaska, once formerly owned by Russia? 

In my mind, it’s a sign of capitulation that Trump invited Putin to the States, given that Putin has not agreed to a ceasefire. There are good reasons that Putin has not been invited to the States in almost a decade. And whatever happened to the sanctions that Trump promised if Putin did not agree to that said ceasefire?

I would venture a guess that the rest of Europe does not have feelings of hope about this meeting either. What kind of diplomatic move is it when only one side of a conflict is invited to discuss peace? 

Sam Greene, professor in Russian politics at King’s College London said, “The symbolism of holding the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska is horrendous—as though designed to demonstrate that borders can change, land can be bought and sold. Never mind that mainstream Russian discourse maintains a claim that Alaska should be returned to Russia.”

The whole situation brings to mind the meeting that Trump had with Putin in Helsinki during his first term when Trump claimed to trust Putin’s explanations for a series of events as opposed to those of his own intelligence agencies. 

And then there’s the issue of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy and former real estate and golf buddy with absolutely no diplomatic experience, flying around to Gaza, Russia, and Iran.  

Not much progress so far in those areas. However, there has been progress in one other area. The two real estate/golf buddies have closed a cryptocurrency deal with Abu Dhabi, the wealthiest and most powerful member of the United Arab Emirates, which will reward both of them and their respective sons with mountains of profits. They’re calling it World Liberty Financial. 

So, ok, it’s not difficult to conclude that Trump is more interested in business deals rather than diplomacy. Now Trump is also in the midst of a serious campaign to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Want to garner favor with Trump? In addition to bringing him gifts gilded with gold, as Apple CEO Tim Cook did, you can nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, following the leaders of Pakistan, Israel, and Cambodia. 

John Bolton, who was Trump’s National Security Advisor in Trump’s first term and is now on Trump’s long enemies list said this about Witkoff: “He knows nothing about Russia, he knows nothing about Ukraine, he knows nothing about Iran. He knows nothing about nuclear weapons. What could go wrong?”

It is safe to say that virtually none of Trump’s ambassadorial appointments have diplomatic experience or deep knowledge about the countries in which they now reside. Just last week Trump nominated Tammy Bruce as the next U.S. deputy representative to the United Nations. Bruce is a former Fox News commentator with no foreign policy experience. Couple that with the expertise of Trump’s senior advisor appointments at State and Defense and you are not left with a sense that America is in good hands, so we can sleep soundly at night. 

Napoleon once wrote, “The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos. The winner will be the one who controls the chaos, both his own and the enemies.” 

Frankly, I have never seen a more chaotic state of American diplomacy. It smacks of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I’ve always been a fan of appointing people with deep technical expertise in the subject at hand. Otherwise, you just might find yourself on a ship that slowly begins to sink. 

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Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

When a thorny issue arises, the number one tactic in President Trump’s playbook has been to find the next shiny object. Develop an alternative story to feed the hungry mob. For the first time in a long time, that strategy is not working.

Trump can’t escape the public outcry to release the Epstein files—something both he and his minions campaigned on over the past few years. Rather than moving on to another issue, the outcry for releasing the Epstein files continues to grow stronger on both sides of the aisle.

So, what red meat has Trump tossed to the angry mob?

Trump accuses Barack Obama of treason and claims he should face criminal charges. 

Trump revives unfounded allegations that Beyonce, Oprah, and Al Sharpton were paid to campaign for Kamla Harris and claims they should be prosecuted.

Trump opens an investigation against Jack Smith for violating the Hatch Act because he claims his actions were politically motivated. 

Trump sues Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion for what he claims is a false story about Trump’s lewd birthday card drawing that he sent to Epstein on his 50th birthday. 

Trump starts a campaign for Coca-Cola to use real cane sugar. 

Trump starts a campaign to change the Washington Commanders name back to its former racist Redskins name.

Trump positions nuclear submarines near the Russian border.

Trump calls Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell a “stubborn moron” and urges the Board to take control. 

Trump fires the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Erika McEntarfer because he claims she falsely reported job numbers that made him look bad.

And when asked why he broke off a friendship with Epstein, Trump claims it was because he stole employees from Mar-a-Lago. It was never about stolen employees. It always comes down to real estate with Trump, and this was no exception. And, by the way, it was Maxwell who lured Virginia Giuffre away from Mar-a-Lago—not Epstein. 

The fallout between the two occurred over a real estate deal that Trump bought from under Epstein. Epstein bid $36 million. Trump bid $40 million for a property in a bankruptcy auction. Trump made minor cosmetic repairs to the estate and then sold the property to a Russian oligarch for $96 million a few years later—a transaction questioned by many at the time.

Trump has always campaigned as an outsider who wants to protect the common man, using an “I’ve got your back” mantra. This whole Epstein fiasco is about Trump protecting the insiders or elites—a club of which he is a member. To calm the maddening crowd, he may toss in some grand jury testimony about Epstein which won’t quell the beast. That testimony is a small segment of material and far from representative of the mounds of material in the Epstein files. 

For years, Trump has worked under the auspices of assigning blame to others whenever possible. He campaigned on stopping the Ukraine/Russia war on Day One. He campaigned on lowering prices. He campaigned on reducing taxes for the masses. And he campaigned on releasing the Epstein files. The Ukraine/Russia War is raging. Prices are up. Taxes are being reduced for the elites–not the masses. And the Epstein files have not been released. 

A growing number of MAGA loyalists feel betrayed. This time the buck may stop with Trump. Stay tuned.

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.  

I just returned from a foreign affairs journey which included visiting Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Poland with lectures by an academic, a journalist and author, a former ambassador, and the former President of Poland, Lech Walesa. 

One of the subjects discussed in these lectures was the happiness, or some might say contentment, of the Danish people. Exactly why are Danes ranked so high in happiness year after year? Several reasons account for these continually high ratings.

First, even though they pay some of the highest tax rates in the world, Danes feel a strong sense of security. They don’t have significant worries about healthcare, childcare, and education, all of which are heavily subsidized by the government. They also receive generous unemployment and social security benefits. 

Second, Danes have a long history of democratic stability which is reinforced by Denmark’s constitutional monarchy. For the most part, Danes trust the government which translates to shared responsibility for societal wellbeing, low corruption, and efficient public services. Danes strive for peaceful conflict resolutions and focus on improving living conditions for their citizenry. 

Third, Denmark has one of the lowest income inequality ratings in the world. It also ranks second in the European Union on the Gender Equality Index. In short, there is not the monumental wage gap such as the one found in the U.S. between the extremely wealthy and the average worker. Nor does Denmark have a huge disparity in wages between men and women. 

Fourth, Denmark is widely recognized as having a strong commitment to environmental issues, particularly in relation to climate change and sustainability. Denmark has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a green economy. More than 63 percent of new passenger cars in Denmark are electric vehicles. 

And finally, there is also something called hygge in the Danish culture which emphasizes coziness, comfort, and togetherness. The focus is on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, appreciating the moment, and relishing simple pleasures. 

Let’s contrast that happiness criteria with what is currently happening in the U.S. The U.S. has dropped to 24th place in the 2025 World Happiness Report, its lowest position to date. Americans under 30 are particularly affected, ranking 62nd in this age group for happiness. Reasons for this drop in happiness include rising political polarization; increased loneliness and isolation; a decline in perceived social support; and increased stress and anxiety. 

Under this administration, Americans feel less secure. Thanks to the “big, beautiful bill,” Medicare and Medicaid benefits are being slashed, and healthcare costs are rising. Given the tax cuts to the super wealthy, U.S. income inequality is increasing not shrinking. And rather than democratic stability, this administration has chosen a divide and conquer approach. 

In addition, our current President has stepped away from global climate actions, ramped up domestic oil and gas production and removed incentives for electric vehicles. Specifically, this administration has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement; declared a national energy emergency and doubled down on oil and gas production; proclaimed that endangered species cannot be an obstacle to energy development; revoked Biden’s goals on electric vehicles; and eliminated a push for environmental justice.

And as to the Danish concept of “hygge”—you know working on enhancing coziness and togetherness—that is not happening here. Rather, this administration vilifies its opponents whenever possible. The concept of unity and togetherness has left the building some time ago. 

So, there are good reasons that Americans do not feel calm, content, and cozy. Many of us wake up with pits in our stomachs over the damage being done to this country. We wonder how long, if ever, the ship will right itself. 

Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.” Somehow, I don’t think such a goal is on this administration’s radar screen. Retribution has taken its place leaving in its wake only pain and sorrow. 

Is there still hope for America to be the shining beacon on the hill? There is. But Americans must rise up and meet the moment. Americans must seek factual information. They must do the research on various candidates’ positions in the 2026 elections. And most importantly, they must vote. Close to 90 million Americans did not vote in the 2024 election. It was the closest election since 1968. Trump defeated Harris by 1.5 percentage points. 

A well-informed constituency that seeks truth and treats various political points of view with respect and dignity—not crude and rude debasement–and one that does appropriate due diligence on important issues may eventually lead to a happier America. So carpe diem America. Our democracy depends on it. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the eastern shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature. 

Just when I thought things couldn’t get much worse, they did. Our fearless leader had the brilliant idea of creating a migrant detention center in the environmentally precarious Florida Everglades. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis got on board quickly—surprise, surprise. 

The center will house up to 3,000 undocumented migrants while they await due process (so they say) before they are sent out of the country. It will cost $450 million annually for the state to operate the facility. That’s right–$450 million each year. Florida provided the initial $450 million needed to create and operate the center and will seek reimbursement through FEMA. (FYI, FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Does it sound like an appropriate use of funds to you?)

Trump claims that it’s okay to disrupt the Everglades fragile ecosystem because there already is an airport there. As usual, he is wrong. In 1968, planners envisioned a large airport but backlash from conservationists stopped the construction after just one small runway was built. The backlash inspired the Florida Everglades movement and the creation of several environmental watchdog groups. 

Let’s quickly review just how special the Everglades are. 

The land is sacred to several Native American tribes that reside in 15 villages within the preserve. 

Often called a river of grass, the Everglades are 86 percent wetlands surrounded by the Big Cyprus National Preserve. (Note the word Preserve.)  Nine distinct habitats coexist in the Everglades, including cypress swamps, sawgrass marshes, and the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western hemisphere. 

The Everglades are the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the same habitat. They are a haven for many endangered species, including the Florida panther, the West Indian manatee, and breeding grounds for tropical wading birds and home to 350 bird species. 

One in three Floridians rely on the Everglades for their drinking water.

A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit claiming that the detention center did not undergo any of the environmental reviews that Federal law requires. Let’s watch what happens next. 

In the few short days of its existence, the center has already flooded. (Just last week severe flooding killed at least 82 people in Texas.) Hurricane season is right around the corner, and it is unlikely that the center will meet hurricane codes. The risk of mosquito-borne diseases is significant. Heat and humidity in the area can charitably be described as brutal. Add to all that, a location that is virtually inaccessible to lawyers and family members. 

Trump could care less about environmental issues. He has rolled back some of the nation’s key environmental safeguards which will profoundly affect the air we breathe and the water we drink. He has gutted funding for the agencies involved in the Chesapeake Bay restoration, including funds that restore and protect native species such as oysters, blue crabs, and striped bass. 

Beside the horrific environmental implications of this center, one must also consider the racist overtones. Several studies have shown that racial resentment has contributed to Trump’s political ascendance. Clearly many of Trump’s claims smack of racism. He claimed that Obama wasn’t a legal American citizen. He said Haitians were eating the dogs and cats. He called Mexicans rapists. He said Harris was a DEI candidate. He said migrants murdered hundreds of women and girls. He tells nearly all-white crowds they have good genes. And now he is sending primarily Black and Brown migrants to what many claim resembles a German concentration camp. 

I must admit all the July 4th celebrations rang hollow for me this year. It no longer feels like the land of the free and the home of the brave. There is no “crowning thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.” Instead, the land that I love is being destroyed piece by piece. Wake up America. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

 

The best way to make sound decisions is to have access to accurate information. Under the current administration, gaining access to accurate information is becoming increasingly difficult. Let’s take a quick review of information that is no longer accessible thanks to Trump’s revised policies. 

The White House has removed official transcripts of President Trump’s public remarks from its government website, replacing them with selected videos of his public appearances.

The Trump administration told federal health agencies such as the CDC to temporarily stop communicating health messages, which included memos, reports, online posts, and website updates. Scientific meetings, including advisory panels, had also been temporarily cancelled. 

The Social Security Administration has stopped reporting current call waiting times and other performance metrics. (Recently, phone lines have been jammed and crashing. One woman reported waiting eight hours and 44 minutes on the phone and then was required to make follow-up calls.)

The Trump administration has refused to provide information sought by Congress regarding several investigations and inquiries. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has the authority to investigate whether an administration has improperly withheld authorized funding in contravention of Congressional Directives. At the heart of the issue is a process known as impoundment which would allow the President to stem the flow of federal dollars even if Congress instructs otherwise. More to come on this issue as final revisions to the ”big beautiful bill” are made public. 

Trump fired 19 agency inspectors general. They play a key role in investigations and audits that uncover fraud and abuse. The American public will no longer have access to that information.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a series of restrictions to the press that include banning reporters from entering huge segments of the Pentagon to which they formerly had access. The media is also barred from the offices of the Pentagon’s senior military leadership unless they have Hegseth’s approval and an escort. 

 Trump plans to limit the classified information that is usually shared with both houses of Congress. 

One of Trump’s executive orders gives Trump greater power over independent regulatory agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission which issues recalls and safety warnings; the Securities and Exchange Commission, which oversees markets; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which insures bank deposits. Critics claim these new restrictions limit the autonomy of independent agencies and shield corporations from accountability, while centralizing more power with the administration and limiting valuable information to consumers. 

It’s no surprise that limiting access to information can result in poor decision-making and increases susceptibility to misinformation. Lack of information can affect personal health, economic decisions, and more. 

In contrast, full access to information encourages citizens to get actively involved, contribute ideas, and express points of view on various issues. It also enables users to accomplish tasks more efficiently. In short, access to accurate information empowers individuals by providing knowledge and fostering transparency. 

Clearly, full access to information is pretty much the opposite of what’s happening with this administration. Instead, the current philosophy seems to be trust me. I know what’s best. I’m looking out for you. And there’s no way you can refute what I’m saying because you don’t have accurate data. 

Without access to accurate information, all of us become less committed, less strategic, less intuitive, and less analytically competent. 

Is the concept of withholding information and thereby making the public unable to push back with facts just one step in Trump’s current playbook? Clearly, a lack of facts means a lack of accountability, which also means full steam ahead on the Trump agenda. 

Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, who seems to be becoming more powerful each day, frequently engages in practices that impact transparency and impede the flow of information. He prefers phone calls over emails, making his actions and influence more difficult to trace. A former Trump senior advisor stated that Miller is “comfortable with misinformation to advance his cause.” Others state that his anti-immigration rhetoric is pure propaganda. 

Francis Bacon once wrote, “Knowledge itself is power.” The reverse is also true. Lack of knowledge leads to lack of power. When the masses lose power, those in control gain more power. Something that Trump and his henchman Stephen Miller are making their primary goal.

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

In recent months, whenever I turn on the news or read the newspaper, I learn about people in high-level government positions exhibiting a frightening level of incompetence. 

Here’s what experts say are signs of such incompetence. 

In the Workplace: Poor decision making and adaptability; avoiding responsibility and accountability; failing to learn from mistakes; regularly producing unacceptable results; poor communication skills; repeatedly missing deadlines; inability to accept criticism; difficulty supporting others; inability to be a collaborator; frequently lying when explaining unsatisfactory outcomes. 

In Personal Relationships: Lack of empathy, poor communication, shifting blame.

General Indicators: Difficulty recognizing people and places; lack of self-awareness; fear of failure; negative attitude–a tendency to be critical of others; talking more than listening.

Our current Commander-in-Chief checks every box. He makes reckless and irresponsible statements with alarming frequency. He blames others for his failures, even if he was president when the alleged incidents occurred. He changes his mind constantly. He moves deadlines up and then extends them. His off-the-cuff comments are frequently incoherent, crude, and rude. Last week he indicated that the Declaration of Independence was written around the time of the Civil War. He has shown a blatant disrespect for the rule of law and our system of checks and balances. And perhaps most importantly, he is consistently and significantly damaging America’s position in the world. 

When campaigning, Trump promised to end “forever wars” and bring about peace. He said he would end the war between Ukraine and Russia on Day One. Recently he said, “It may be better to let Ukraine and Russia fight for a while.”

In his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran, an agreement two years in the making. In doing so, he ignored the advice of our allies who urged him to build on the agreement. Last Saturday, American planes and submarines struck three nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran. Trump declared the attack a “spectacular military success.” It is the biggest Western military action against Iran since 1979.

Here is a quote from Trump’s most recent inauguration speech: “We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end—and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.” 

The cardinal rule for building a high-performance organization is hiring a well-qualified, experienced, and capable team. Great leaders hire the smartest people they can find. Trump’s cabinet could easily get the award for the most incompetent cabinet in American history. 

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem could not define the meaning of habeas corpus.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that Americans wouldn’t mind missing Social Security checks from time to time. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—where do I begin—the Signal group chat, mass firings, walking back his remarks about Ukraine in Brussels, his ill-fated effort to send thousands of detained migrants to Guantanamo Bay—these misdeeds are only the start of a very long list.

 HHS Secretary RFK, Jr. fires the entire Vaccine Advisory Board and begins replacing its members with bona fide vaccine deniers; swims with his grandchildren in dangerously polluted Rock Creek Park waters; and just last weekend, his Secret Service force was spotted waiting for him outside his tanning booth. What?

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blames former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for every mishap (and there have been many) that happens under his watch even though he was the one who fired approximately 400 FAA workers.

Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, a man with no previous diplomatic experience, was previously convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion and witness tampering. 

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Dr. Oz has been a tireless promotor of alternative and complementary medicinal cures that true medical experts have proven false time and time again. 

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is rapidly becoming regular fodder for late-night comedians because of her ability to deflect serious questions with ludicrous statements. My favorite is when she talks about the sacrifices successful businessman Trump has made to serve his country. Let’s not forget that Trump has filed for bankruptcy six times. 

Before being reelected President, it was questionable whether Trump would be able to produce the cash necessary to pay for his court convictions. Some reports estimate that Trump’s net worth has increased $2.9 billion since he was reelected president. Melania alone will net $28 million from the film Amazon plans to make about her life. No other President in the history of our country has pumped the grift machine like Trump. Yet Leavitt wants us to thank him for his sacrifices. You can’t make this stuff up. 

Albert Einstein once wrote, “Incompetence is the true crisis.” Truer words have not been spoken. And when you couple greed, grift, and a contempt for the rule of law to that true crisis of incompetence, it adds up to quite the sorry state of affairs. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. She is currently on the Board of Chesapeake Music. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature. 

I just finished reading The Doorman by Chris Pavone. The novel, which I highly recommend, is a bit of a potboiler. It focuses on the goings-on at a fictional grand apartment building in New York City called The Bohemia. 

In the novel, pretty much every social class is angry. Some extremely wealthy residents at The Bohemia are angry because newcomers to the building are not up to the standards formerly set—meaning people of color are resident. Other wealthy residents are angry because it is so exhausting cranking out the revenue needed to afford their lifestyles, which sometimes results in their being complicit in illegal deeds. Some residents’ wives are angry because they have become disillusioned with their unscrupulous spouses.

Protesters outside the building are angry because a White police officer killed an unarmed Black man. 

MAGA-supporters nearby are angry and coalescing around the building to protest the people protesting the Black man’s killing. 

Latinos who work at The Bohemia are angered by some of the absurd requests made by the spoiled and privileged residents. 

And the Doorman, Chicky, who has worked at The Bohemia for three decades, juggles all the requests of these various factions in an effort to keep the peace. He has his own set of issues as his wife has recently died and left him with mountains of medical bills and mountains of debt. 

What I loved about the novel is Pavone’s almost satirical portrayal of today’s society. So many Americans are angry. Why? 

After Trump’s first presidential victory, many analysts opined that White voters voted for Trump in the hopes that he would restore the racial hierarchy upended by Barack Obama. Wages for America’s working class had been stagnant for a long time. Workers were frustrated by foreign competition. And many Blacks and Latinos faced declining economic prospects. 

In short, many American voters, saw Obama’s reign as a signal that White voters were no longer at the top of the social scale, so they became angry and anxious. 

And then there was the double-whammy threat of Hillary, a woman, becoming president. Okay so first we have to deal with a Black man dethroning our former hierarchy and now a woman? What next?

The second time around, analysts opined that Trump won because many Americans were angry because they felt as though they were being ignored by “The Elites.” Voters saw Trump as a savior from that financial elite class, even though he was clearly one of them and his former tax cuts benefited those despised elites. Then there was the issue of millions of undocumented immigrants coming across our border, coupled with Trump’s opponent being not only a woman but a person of color. Hence, some voters became even angrier. 

So where are we today? Let’s just say there are a lot of angry people out there. It is estimated that during the “No Kings” resistance last Saturday, more than five million people participated in at least 2,000 protests. (An estimated 200,000 people attended Trump’s military parade, fewer than anticipated.) 

Experts claim that peaceful protests are actually a good idea when you feel a lack of control and a sense of hopelessness. They are a way of taking action and connecting with your community. And they are a helpful way of generating a sense of hope. Other actions to counteract a sense of despair and hopelessness are volunteering for worthy causes; reading books that inspire and lift spirits; and looking after yourself as best you can by focusing on self-care. 

Anger is often a double-edged sword. It can be a source of motivation and a catalyst for change. It can also lead to destructive behaviors, such as electing an unqualified leader who builds a dangerous and frighteningly incompetent administration. 

Maya Angelou once wrote, “Anger is like fire. It burns itself out, leaving behind only ashes of regret.” Given the number of people who protested last weekend, I’d say there is a lot of regret in America right now. 

Ironically, the situation brings to mind some lyrics from Trump’s favorite musical, Les Misérables, which opened at the Kennedy Center last week, “Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men? “

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm and is currently on the Board of Chesapeake Music. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.