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December 31, 2025

Cambridge Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Cambridge

3 Top Story Point of View J.E. Dean

Are Constitutional Amendments Needed to Get Better Presidents?  By J.E. Dean

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Foreigners are forgiven if they look at our most recent elections and scratch their heads.  In 2016, voters elected a candidate with no government experience (other than fighting government), a checkered personal and business history, and signs of psychosis.  A more qualified, better known, and experienced candidate was passed over.

In 2020, one party renominated a failed President with a documented history of lying and grift.  The other party nominated a 77-year-old former vice president while passing over several candidates obviously qualified to run the country.  

How does this happen?  More importantly, is there anything we can do to avoid a repeat?

Actually, there is. But it won’t be easy. The Presidential selection process needs to be improved, making it look more like a job interview and less like a reality TV competition with the winner being either the most obnoxious candidate or the last survivor.

Unfortunately, an amendment to the Constitution may be needed. That is likely to make the process lengthy and a divisive process, especially if the “reforms” are viewed as favoring one party over the other. Also, special care is needed to avoid a “solution” worse than the problem.  There are good arguments to be made that any new restrictions on who can serve as President reduces the right of citizens to choose one.

With that in mind and if you look for lessons in the last two Presidential elections, here are a handful of approaches to improve the quality or fitness of the women and men we might choose in the future to head our nation:

Age:

The Constitution  (Article II, Section 1, Clause 5) provides that a candidate for President must be at least 35 years old to be elected.  That qualification has largely been unquestioned since written.  Most of us would argue that it has never really come into play or kept a good candidate from running. But what about an upper limit?  Should anyone over 75 be elected president?

Gary Schmitt, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, suggested 70 as a possible limit.  He noted, importantly, that the number was, like the current minimum age, somewhat arbitrary.  All of us know 50-year-olds who are “over the hill” and 75 or 80-year-olds who are not.  

If an age 70, or 75, limit was established, it may make sense to exclude candidates running for reelection. Covering them could effectively deny a good President the opportunity to a second term.  Some would see this as unfair, especially if the candidate were in good health and doing a good job. 

If the new requirement were enacted, the nation would benefit in the form of increased political stability. The possibility of a President becoming debilitated in office, as occurred during Reagan’s second term and, arguably, Trump’s first, would be reduced.  

FBI Background Check:

Painful as it is to consider, it is quite possible that America elected a criminal as President in 2016.  Mind you, Donald Trump hasn’t been convicted of a crime yet, but some legal scholars expect that to change in 2021 once Trump leaves office.  Wouldn’t it have been better for this issue to be raised before, rather than after, election day?

Given that the Presidential campaign cycle now lasts more than two years, it is unlikely that the requirement for an FBI check would interfere with that cycle.

The benefits of an FBI check are obvious.  A candidate found to pose a national security risk would be flagged. The possibility of crimes committed before government service might be identified.   Examples corresponding to these two scenarios are Trump and Richard Nixon’s first vice president, Spiro Agnew.

Tax Returns:

A candidate’s tax returns can inform voters on the quality of candidates, especially their honesty, and even their patriotism. What does aggressive avoidance of federal and state taxes tell us about a candidate?  That depends on your perspective.  Some people admire Trump’s tax strategy (pay as little as possible). Others believe that all of us should pay our fair share of taxes, especially self-described billionaires.

Shouldn’t voters get access to a candidate’s tax returns so they can make up their own minds?

Until Trump, all recent Presidential candidates released their tax returns. Trump successfully fought release of his returns for four years, repeatedly claiming that he was under audit.  Although other recent Presidential candidates have disclosed their tax returns, the Trump precedent could be cited by future Presidents with something to worry about in their tax returns.

To prevent a repeat of the Trump farce, the Constitution should require the release of at least three years’ worth of returns.  To give candidates an advance warning of the new requirement, it should be prospectively applied.  Making it effective three years after the ratification of the amendment would give all candidates the opportunity to “get their house in order” with the knowledge that the tax returns they filed would be released to voters.

Physical:

Should voters be informed about the physical health of a candidate?  Yes.  If a candidate has a progressive disease making it unlikely for them to complete their term of office, voters should know about it before election day. Similarly, if candidates are on drugs that alter their moods or otherwise interfere with their ability to make clear decisions, voters should know.

In the most recent election, many people, including the President’s own niece, questioned the President’s sanity.  Other people believe that a candidate suffering from senility or dementia was just elected President.  Wouldn’t it make sense for the full results of comprehensive physicals were released to the public on all major candidates?  This ideally would occur well in advance of the primary season.

There are obvious issues to be addressed on this idea, among them personal privacy.  Any requirement for a physical needs to be drafted carefully with these and other concerns in mind. 

Too Early to Act?

Any change to the Constitution needs to be approached carefully.  An amendment on Presidential qualifications would entail major risks of “getting it wrong.”  That does not mean that the issues associated with who serves as our president should not be examined.  

Only the next four years will tell whether the damage done by the Trump administration is permanent, or if a 78-year-old President has the energy and focus to serve effectively as President.

Because Trump was the worse choice of the two final presidential candidates, we should be glad that Biden ultimately prevailed in the electoral college. Still it may be time to revisit Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution and consider additional qualifications for the office.

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.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Tending the Garden by Jamie Kirkpatrick

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In this highly complex world, there is still great beauty even in the simplest of things. Take daisies, for example—Oxeye, Shasta, English, Marguerite—almost any member of the Leucanthemum vulgare family. Just a central yellow flower surrounded by fifteen to forty white or roseate petals: nature’s simple way of saying “Good morning!” in Esperanto.

Daisies have recently caught the wee wife’s gardening eye and I have no doubt that come next summer, several varieties will be cropping up in our garden. That’s fine by me. Daisies are perennials that spread easily so you can bet that we’ll have plenty of blooms for the dining room table. That’s something to look forward to while we endure the cold, dark days of winter.

Speaking of winter, it’s coming. I realize we’ve been floating through a string of lovely Indian Summer days, but they’re only a prelude to the dreich days to come. Not to worry; we’ll get through it; we always do. The promise of better days to come…

Speaking of which, I wish our political garden were as simple as a bed of daisies, but it’s not. By the time all the ballots have been finally counted, more that 160 million votes will have been cast in the recent election. That’s nearly 67% of all eligible voters—a record-breaking turnout for both parties. Whether or not this historical high turnout is a harbinger of greater participation in the political process or just a blip on our democratic radar remains to be seen.

At the same time, the high turnout and the narrow margin of victory only serve to underscore the deep divide that exists among us. I’d like to think that a new administration can bring some much-needed healing to this nation, but, honestly, I’m worried. All the vitriol that fueled that record turnout won’t simply disappear in a month or two. While there may well be a lot of chaff swirling in the air now, the wheat of legitimate grievances will still need to be addressed before any measure of healing can begin. The pandemic is still rife; our economy is still ruptured; systemic racism still runs rampant; climate change is all-too-real. Grousing about the outcome of the election is just time lost, or worse, only throws gas on the fire. If we’re going to come out of this tunnel in one piece, we need to get to work.

So what does this all have to do with daisies? Just this: believe it or not, lovely as they are, daisies are weeds. Because they spread by rhizome fragments, daisies can pop up in unexpected or unwanted places: lawns, cow pastures, even cracks in the sidewalk. Sure; daisies make lovely ornamental plants in a garden bed or add a touch of grace to a table top, but left unattended in a pasture, they can turn a cow’s milk sour or even carry crop disease. In other words, daisies need tending.

Democracy needs tending, too. May we all be up to the enormity of the task that lies ahead.

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives in Chestertown. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. Two collections of his essays (“Musing Right Along” and “I’ll Be Right Back”) are available on Amazon. Jamie’s website is www.musingjamie.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Out and About (Sort of): Here, But Not Settled by Howard Freedlander

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I’m writing dateline Annapolis. It’s our sixth day in another universe. We have already received the menu for the first two weeks of November, And, of course, a daily schedule of activities severely limited by Covid has come our way.

Our apartment is a mess, exacerbated by serious renovation that may take a month. A livable, comfortable setting, no longer distinguished by boxes, is our modest goal.

We’re just imposing our own personal stamp on our domicile, as new homeowners habitually do. Dust is flying as we continue to acclimate ourselves to a retirement community with a Bay-front view still blocked by trees with leaves hanging on for dear life.

If I allow myself a watery flashback, I could conjure up memories of a Viking river cruise, including promises of delicious food, a program director and friendly staff. A major difference is we can’t disembark and see UNESCO sites. We can, however, visit family and enjoy Annapolis.

You cannot pass go without a temperature check. You cannot host a visitor without specific permission. You cannot move around without a mask.

The residents’ handbook resembles a military operation plan. The detail is astounding. For some reason, I sense that a retired U.S. Navy officer, imbued with the Navy’s checklist mentality, wrote and edited this masterpiece of precision.

Please excuse my facetious attitude. I’ve just stepped onto a ballfield with its own peculiar set of rules aimed at providing a safe, hospitable environment for senior citizens. We no longer are masters of our fate, if that were ever the case.

BayWoods of Annapolis is not like any other apartment community. It serves a distinct age group where youthfulness is not part of its mission statement. It offers a structured residential living arrangement that caters to the needs of people who no longer feel capable of, or interested in living in a home ridden with responsibilities, not to speak of maintenance costs.

I think too that BayWoods-type retirement communities are intended to provide comfort to family members who no longer need to worry about their older parents. As one ages, it seems that roles change between parents and children. The latter gradually take control, even when not sought.

My wife asked me how this move differed from others. In the past, we moved to better and more spacious surroundings. This time, we chose a wholly different lifestyle where schooling for children and kid-friendly neighborhoods no longer matter.

By the way, I’m attending a Veterans Day ceremony tomorrow on the upper deck (sound like the Navy influence?). I look forward to paying homage to our veterans. It seems right and necessary to do.

Fellow residents are friendly and welcoming. Masked faces block a total view of our new neighbors. Sandy, our lovable Yellow Lab, continues to draw attention, as she did in Easton. She’s a people magnet.

My comments may seem presumptuous after spending less than a week in a quality retirement community but then again, I’m continuing my chronic tendency to observe, analyze and comment. I suspect my thoughts will change in time.

Most importantly, we have responded appropriately to an admonition from two Talbot County friends: “Just leave.” Perhaps we had overstayed our departure and needed a rhetorical push to cross the Chesapeake Bay.

And so we did.

Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Is Greed Our Primary Motivator? By Maria Grant

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In the movie Wall Street, Michael Douglas said, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”  He went on to make the point that greed “captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all its forms: greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.”  

Donald Trump has been quoted as saying, “The point is that you can’t be too greedy.”  And, he has said, “My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy. I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy. But now I want to be greedy for the United States. I want to grab all that money. I’m going to be greedy for the United States. “

 After an election such as the one we just experienced, it’s important to reflect on just what kind of country we’ve become. The fact is that 48 percent of the US population voted for Donald Trump. Despite what we know about Trump’s character, his aversion to truth, his crude and base statements about others, his lack of empathy for those who have fallen ill or died from the pandemic, many of us held our noses and voted for him. Why?

I contend that greed is a big reason—not the only reason—but a big reason. When I ask my Republican friends how they can overlook this man’s character, his lies, his crude behavior and vote for him, they say things like. “I don’t like to pay one cent more in taxes.”  “I don’t believe in open borders.”  “Foreigners are taking our jobs.” 

Many of these comments have an element of greed in them. It’s the, “I worked hard for my money, and I don’t want the government or other intruders into my space to take it away” mentality.  Perhaps I’m oversensitive to this thinking, but this is depressing. We are so afraid that if someone else wins, we will lose. 

Trump convinced many of us that if we voted for him, we too could share in the “greed” that has worked for him. We too could “gild the lily” and wallow in conspicuous consumption. Even his promise to save the suburbs was in essence about greed.  Basically, he was saying if you vote for me, you won’t have to share your suburbs—your nice parks, your good schools. Your property values won’t go down. I will put my arms around you and keep them from harm. No need to share.  

And then there was the “America First” theme. Is that really the focus America should have? Yes, we must establish fair trade agreements so that America gets her fair share. But it’s also important that we, as the leader of the free world, set a good example by promoting peaceful solutions and encouraging environmentally sound and helpful policies that lift all nations. 

In Trump’s glory days as a businessman, he leveraged himself to the hilt and kept buying more and more properties, each one glitzier and more ostentatious than the next. Many of us see that as the sign of a successful businessperson. Ironically, he built those buildings on the backs of immigrants—many of them illegal. 

Trump isn’t alone in the “greed” grab. Think about the many businesses that seek to line their pockets by pandering to accomplish whatever administration’s “hot buttons” are so that they too can benefit from them. There is a good reason that Fairfax and Montgomery counties are some of the wealthiest in the country.  There is nothing wrong with trying to make an honest buck by providing solutions to government priorities. But consider businesses and lobbyists who criticize reasonable regulations that keep people and the environment safe simply because it costs them money and eats away at a percentage of their profits.  Thomas Jefferson once said, “Experience demands that man is the only animal which devours his own kind, for I can apply no milder term to the general prey of the rich on the poor.”   

And the US isn’t alone in the big grab. Clearly Great Britain’s Brexit movement illustrated that same attitude. Many Brits didn’t want immigrants invading their country and sucking up all the government healthcare and other services and insisting “legitimate” Brits pay the tab.  

Most countries in the world are guilty of bad behavior at one time or another. Many of them have owned up to it and taken steps forward to improve.  Many of them also have taken a few steps backward before going forward again in their journeys. Other countries are well aware of past bad behavior in the US.  Still they admired much about our democracy, our ingenuity, our moral compass, and our willingness to help other countries that suffer in some way. 

That respect for America has steadily dwindled over the last four years. This administration has shown the ugly underbelly of the US time and time again. According to Pew Research, other countries’ favorable view of the US is the lowest it has been in the 20 years since the Center began its polling. Favorable ratings in the United Kingdom are at 41 percent; in France, we’re at 31 percent and 26 percent in Germany. We are seen as shallow, selfish, racist and greedy. Clearly, we have taken more than one step backward in our quest for a “better union.”

We all know JFK’s familiar inspirational quote that challenged Americans to commit to a larger vision, “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.” That concept of what can each of us do to make the US a better place is on the back burner. It’s my hope that it once again becomes front and center.     

And let’s be honest. You don’t need to become a socialist to be willing to share. There is such a thing as responsible capitalism that governs with decency, compassion, fairness and heart. 

Maria Grant served as Principal-in-Charge of the Federal Human Capital practice of Deloitte Consulting.  Since her retirement, she has focused on writing, the piano, reading, travel, gardening and nature.

 

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Snapshots of Daily Life: Elections

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I am writing this essay on Sunday morning, November 1st, All Saints Day in the Christian calendar and two days before the election when America chooses its next president.

I would describe my feelings that day in this way: it’s the kind of anticipation I remember having as a boy on Christmas Eve. I knew exciting things were on the way and I could hardly wait for the day to come. However, now there’s a new rub. On Christmas Eve, I was always sure it was Santa who’d come down the chimney. On Election Day, I fear it might be the Grinch.

It may seem odd to some that I entertain Election Day and Christmas morning in the same thought. It’s not as quirky as it first appears. Consider, that for many people, both events are significant communal experiences involving the entire nation, if not religiously, certainly socially. In one sense, Election Day and Christmas Day have this in common: it’s a time when we finally learn what’s been wrapped up and hidden, or, in election parlance, the ballots are unpacked, counted, tabulated and the results made public. We open up on Election Day what has been wrapped and kept from us, like the Christmas presents that sat unopened under the Christmas tree.

There are other ironic parallels to the social experience of Christmas morning and Election Day. It’s the common experience of people, when getting what they say they want, to find fault with it. They soon feel cheated. They complain it wasn’t what they really wanted after all. This is why stores, the day after Christmas, never sell a thing; they only exchange. On Election Day, what we get is like a sale item; there’s no taking it back or exchanging it for a long time. That makes people mad.

I suspect this kind of disappointment happens a lot more in elections than with Christmas presents. I hear people complain regularly that politicians are all liars and not to be trusted. In saying that, I think I must also own the fact that there is nothing as fickle as the American electorate. A blog called, ‘The Fickle Finger,’ announced giving its, “2016 Fickle Finger of Fate Award” to the American electorate. It was the tenth year in succession that only fifty to fifty five percent of Americans turned out to vote in the presidential elections. This recognition was not meant to bestow honor on the electorate. The number may be greater this time around.

Americans complain loudly if they think their rights are being taken away. They’ll get mean if they think they are being denied any of them. We demand our rights, but even having them we fail to exercise some of the most important ones, like voting. I think of such people like the kid who wants straight ‘A’s in school, but never does any homework or studies. Still, he faults the teacher who flunks him. American citizens have trouble showing up: We take our blessings for granted. Americans are also embarrassingly ill informed.

I confess I was feeling very nervous in anticipating how this election might go. An aura of uncertainty, even fear, has characterized the experience for me and for many; it seemed as if the president himself was working hard to stir up confusion during the election. How odd, I thought, from the very person who is supposed to champion and assure the optimum conditions for Americans in exercising their rights.

I have a book I’ve looked at over the years, particularly on mornings when I have sought inspiration for the day. The book is about saints. The saints have been selected from a broader base than sectarian hagiographies normally choose. The author’s intent was not to showcase a gallery of stained glass saints, colorful but remote. He wished to present us with stories of authentic human beings “endowed to awaken that vocation in [us] others.”

For each of the year’s 360 days, there’s a brief sketch of one saint’s life and work. It names saints we’re familiar with like St. Mary or St. Francis, but also people whom we don’t normally think of as saints; historical figures like Dag Hammarskjold, Dorothy Day, artist Vincent van Gogh, the prophet Moses, and George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement.

I couldn’t resist an impulse to look and see what saint the author selected for Election Day November 3rd. I will own, being nervous as I was, that I was indulging in some magic thinking, hoping for a sign from heaven that would signal, when the election was over, that all would be well.

The saint profiled for that day happened to be St. Martin de Porres, a 16th century, mixed-race Peruvian. Martin’s bi-racial profile –– African and Peruvian –– placed him in the culture’s social “minority,” its underclass. Dirt poor, profoundly humble, he exhibited great compassion for all living things and, like St. Francis, had a mystical relationship to nature, even to the most humble of creatures like the mice that plagued the monastery. Martin had an extraordinary gift for healing. He healed noblemen, as well as slaves and other disenfranchised folk. He made diseased animals well again.

If I could have it my way, I ‘d like the person we elect as our next president to have at least two of those characteristics: a heart for compassion and the gift for healing and reconciling. We are, after all, a deeply wounded nation, hungry for healing.

Columnist George Merrill is an Episcopal Church priest and pastoral psychotherapist. A writer and photographer, he’s authored two books on spirituality: Reflections: Psychological and Spiritual Images of the Heart and The Bay of the Mother of God: A Yankee Discovers the Chesapeake Bay. He is a native New Yorker, previously directing counseling services in Hartford, Connecticut, and in Baltimore. George’s essays, some award winning, have appeared in regional magazines and are broadcast twice monthly on Delmarva Public Radio.

 

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Election 2020: My Hopes After the Election by Craig Fuller

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Again, the voters have spoken and one candidate won the necessary Electoral College votes sufficient to be elected President of the United States.

But, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris did more than that. They won millions more votes than an incumbent President. And, they did it campaigning as people who, if elected, would represent all of the people. Indeed, by they way they campaigned, they can now govern in a more unifying way.

So, after this hard fought election, I think we all may benefit from a pause to consider our hopes.

I do hope President Biden can govern in a way that brings the country together.

I hope that process starts now with a collaborative transition leading to a smooth flow of power to a new party and a new President.

I hope Republican leaders will realize that one reason millions more voted for the candidate in the other party is out of a desire to see an honest, fact-based approach to containing the coronavirus.

I hope Democrats and Republicans find common ground on initiatives related to the coronavirus, rebuilding our economy in safe and effective ways and rebuilding the reputation of the United States abroad.

I hope thoughtful conservative Republicans will work to rebuild a party that stands for things that are positive and constructive and lives up to our greatness as a nation.

And, I hope the Republican Party finds a few leaders among the ranks who can lead it back to compete around ideas and policies that impact all people.

I also hope that pundits, commentators and news personalities will leave the gotcha approach behind while holding accountable those in public office to really address facts and issues in ways that benefit us all.

It has been a long time since voters wanted to push reset on a presidency. While George H.W. Bush was not  reelected, he had served in the White House for twelve years when voters opted for a change. Thus, not in forty years has an individual serving in the White House for four years been turned away. May this be a message and the beginning of a process that involves our better selves in actions that address the real needs of all Americans.

Craig Fuller served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. Having been engaged in five presidential campaigns and run public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., he now resides on the Eastern Shore.

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Election 2020: Biden Squeaks by in a Landslide by Angela Rieck

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Over a year ago, I presented a case for eliminating the electoral college.  This election is another example of its inherent weakness.  But for a couple hundred thousand votes, President-Elect Biden could have lost despite gathering almost 5M more votes.  The percentage differential is greater than either of George Bush’s election wins.  Yet, the outcome was in doubt until November 7th.

Unfortunately, our system over represents the isolated, less educated, rural parts of America, both in the electoral college and the Senate.  Why is this problematic?

I believe that all of us live in our bubbles.  We are kind and generous to those within our bubble.  Our bubbles can be expanded by experience with different kinds of people, education, and travel.  Those who live in rural communities do not have as much opportunity to expand their bubble.  Why is that important?

It is difficult to empathize with a group of people that we don’t know.  As our bubbles expand, we meet more people who are not like us, learn about their needs, and understand that they are just like us just in a different color, religion, or belief.  Empathy comes from “walking a mile in their moccasins.”

The other differential between the urban and rural communities are the news channels that they watch.  To better understand the conservative perspective, I watched Fox News coverage this week and discovered, while that their “slant” is definitely Republican/Conservative and they often report Trump’s message without fact checking; most of the news was accurate.  When we got to the evening commentators, however, all accuracy, decency, and humanity went out the window; and I had to stop watching.

On the other hand, the channels that I prefer are more accurate but demonize President Trump.

The conservative news channel focused on the economy (as it relates to Wall Street) and maintaining conservative Christian values.  The moderate and liberal news channels focused on the dispossessed, COVID 19, and injustice.

The news that informs us within our bubbles divides us.

So how to we bring the better angels of our nature to help us work together?

I have a solution.

I propose that we require all news programs to hire independently certified fact checkers who will “beep” into a commentator when there is misinformation and provide an accuracy score at the end of the program. That way, all of us can learn if/when there is disinformation. Commentators (on both sides) who report inaccurate information will find their programs frequently interrupted and disrupted which might bring down their viewership and lessen their credibility.  (And impose similar requirements on social media channels.)

Many of us are single or small issue voters. (I personally vote for choice, education, healthcare, and racial justice.) Some Trump voters that I knew had been convinced by their media that Democrats would take their guns away (physically impossible). Other Trump voters from the broader bubbles voted on the economy, and fear of tax increases.

We see things differently, but if we can minimize the misinformation, we will find more agreement than disagreement.

President-elect Biden also believes this.  He believes that we are a kind and generous nation.  Now it is time for us to focus on what we agree upon (health, infrastructure, economy) with empathy for all sides; and move forward.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

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Faces, Content and Leadership by Al Sikes

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It is noon on Wednesday. Trump has been lashing out, his conduct is revealing. He believes the path to victory is dicey; he isn’t in control.  

It is now Thursday afternoon. The fog of politics (perhaps war) is less. Joe Biden is now by most news outlets said to be on the cusp of victory. Trump is still lashing out. I got an unsolicited email exhorting me to send money to a legal fund to contest the election.

It is not possible, using the best forensic evidence techniques available; to identify the volume of solicitation email, posts, letters and the like I received in 2020. 

But one thing is clear, very wealthy people decided to spend whatever it takes to create a Blue Wave. In Maine, to defeat Senator Susan Collins, the money poured in; The Bangor Daily News captured the money wave with this headline: “Maine’s US Senate race has attracted so much money that it’s hard to spend it.”

Collins must, on reflection, wonder if there was a conspiracy to defeat her or just a bunch of stupid people, who summer in Maine, misidentifying the local fauna. The polls always showed her behind by well beyond the margin of error; she won by 8 points.

Blue wave? Huh? It is hard to win a national victory on a political game plan dreamed up in the 14th Congressional District of New York City. Progressive? Defund the police, Racism by pigmentation? 

The loser (perhaps) was  Donald J. Trump. He needn’t hire analysts to deduce the reasons. All he needs to do is look in the mirror. Sure he can hire lawyers, thrash about, but he is now the lamest of ducks. There are apparently people who really like the man, but I would wager a guess that much of his support came from people who do not under any circumstances want a “Progressive” revolution.

And I would wage a further guess that his characterization of John McCain as a loser and his constant harassment of, then Arizona Senator Jeff Flake caused him to lose Arizona. I suspect that Barry Goldwater (the legendary Arizona Republican) who insisted on spelling out his thoughts and plans is smiling, somewhere.

Now I realize I have ridden a hobby horse or two in 2020. One of my favorite themes has been there is power in the center, by which I mean voters who are not ideologues. Voters who might respond to my all too simple philosophy of “efficacy”. Don’t worry, there are plenty of speech writers who can add poetry to that blunt one word theme. 

In no particular order here are some other quick thoughts.

The media’s election machinery (pollsters, TV anchors, pundits, and the like) need a gap year. They should spend it in the upper Midwest, starting now. Take your parka. Make things. Punch a time clock. Hang out in the bars (when a vaccine arrives).

Republicans, who have an election conferred title, need to tell Donald J. Trump to cool it. Sacrificing foundational institutions (courts and state governments) for personal gain is, in the larger sense, criminal. The Supreme Court, which has yielded to State prerogatives in this election cycle, should continue to do so. 

Joe Biden was never an ideologue. He was an affable Senator and then Vice-President and derived his national prominence from serving as President Obama’s running and serving mate. He will soon have to go beyond those derivative assets and set a new course using his affability and some very smart aides to bring the White House and Congress together, at least occasionally. At least for two years, Party line votes will simply result in gridlock. And in his last two years, he will have little leverage.

America needs a leadership combination in the White House and Congress that can work through big challenges—challenges that are impossible to predict. It’s called patriotism.

But the bottom line is also clear. If the President, regardless of who he is, cannot shape a leadership that will work together across Party lines to take on the annual responsibilities of making laws and appropriating funds, the chemistry will not be in place to successfully respond to the unexpected. Attacks on the homeland? Another pandemic? Hackers taking over the grid? 

I close with reflections on the Squad and much of the media. The Squad is the media’s delight, they have Wikipedia fame, They are hard-edged and Left, yet feature attractive smiles. They are most often wrong, but never in doubt. They are articulate and their leader, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), is always camera ready. 

The Squad and Trump often defined politics in this divisive year. I would suggest that their respective political parties find more welcoming voices. The Democrats of course have one, likely President-Elect Joe Biden. The Republicans, well Donald Trump will continue to rage and Senator Mitch McConnell will be the Republican’s power broker. But if Trump and McConnell are the Republican face of the next two years, 2022 might just produce a blue wave. Unless, of course, Nancy Pelosi casts a shadow on the President.

Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al recently published Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Life’s Lessons – Healing by Angela Rieck

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I wander along the St Michaels nature trail several times a day. It offers a quiet place to reflect and a variety of natural landscapes: water, woodland, a horse farm, and grassland to experience. Its diversity meets the needs of a multitude of wildlife and people. I have found new friends on the trail, and I converse regularly with others who transect my path.

Most are fellow transplants or returnees…and many of us have come here for healing.

It is instinctual, being drawn to nature for healing and restoration. I am drawn to the serenity of the phalanx of creeks and rivers that quietly weave through the Eastern Shore landscape.

For others, the mountains with their dark green, verdant forests and bright snow crusted peaks, provide inspiration to recharge.  Still others are nourished by the desert’s rugged, harsh landscape and unrelenting blue sky. Then there are those who prefer frozen landscapes where mounds of snow dampen sound and the crystal clear, cold air magnifies the crunch of footsteps and the raptors’ calls.

But if you need water, the Eastern Shore is the place to be. Those who need to feel the power and vastness of a rhythmic, booming ocean and the sting of salt air go to the coast. And those of us who like the wide, gentle rivers and creeks that softly weave through the land, come to the midshore.

Medicine has always relied on the healing power of nature, Hippocrates said “Nature itself is the best physician.”

But it took awhile for scientists to confirm what our souls already knew. Nature is restorative, it is a place to go to heal and rebuild.

Scientific research has proven that being in nature just 30 minutes a day lowers stress, lowers blood pressure, lowers heart rate, improves the immune system, and even reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Scientists have recently discovered that inhaling aromatic compounds from plants and trees (called phytoncides) increases our body’s production of natural killer (NK) cells; a vital immune system weapon against viruses and nefarious cells.

Environmental psychologists have demonstrated that watching nature with a sense of awe brings out the better angels of our nature.  We are less entitled, less selfish, more generous, and more empathic when we connect to the natural world.

Nature provides symptomatic relief from depression, anxiety, and attention disorders. Walking in nature increases our creativity, problem solving ability, memory, and can mitigate some symptoms of early Alzheimer’s.

The next question is how?  How does a simple walk among grasses, water, and trees change our bodies and our brains?  In addition to aromatic compounds, it is believed that the air near moving water, forests, and mountains contains high levels of negative ions which may be responsible for body and brain changes. Studies have demonstrated that brain activity changes after exposure to nature.

But science is limited by what it can measure.

Humans are limited by what we can sense.

Nature has no such constraints.

Einstein said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

History has taught us that what we know is not all that there is.  It is logical to believe that there are energies that we cannot measure, spectrums we cannot see, and vibrations we cannot hear.  But nature has invisible rhythms that do not need to be measured or dissected, just experienced.

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” Rachel Carson

“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” Henry David Thoreau

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” Frank Lloyd Wright

“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms, their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”  John Muir

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

What Happened to My Biden Blue Wave?  by J.E. Dean

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You didn’t need to stay up all night Tuesday to know that Vice President Biden would receive more votes than Donald Trump.  He did.  You also knew, or should have known, that if Trump didn’t win, he would challenge the results and bring in the lawyers.   

As of this morning, the election has not been called, but the lawyers already are at work. That’s where we are now. Put in the vernacular, we’re in a world of sh*t.  

I feared this result, but frankly did not expect it.  My crystal ball saw a “Blue Wave” consisting of a strong Biden win (including the states of Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan), a Democratic majority in the Senate, and, of course, retention of a Democratic majority in the House.

As of this morning, I still expect Biden to win the election, but we may not know for sure for days or even weeks. It also now appears I was wrong about the Senate but right about the House.

My Cloudy Crystal Ball

Spy readers familiar with my discussion of the 2020 race know that I expected a “blue wave.”  At the risk of encouraging the small group of spirited Trumpers that repeatedly call me an idiot and sometimes worse, let me say that I was wrong.  This election was not a blue wave. It is risky to guess what prompted the better-than-expected Trump vote, but it appears that Trump’s campaign themes of law and order and the national desire for the pandemic to end may have played a role.  (This latter theme is ironic because Trump’s leadership on the pandemic has, in the view of many, extended and worsened the crisis.)

And my prediction that the Republican party might not survive the devastating loss I predicted was obviously wrong.  Even if Biden wins the election, my prediction of the demise of the party was, shall we say, premature.  I underestimated the number of voters who support Trump and the Republican party.   

All this is not to say that I understand why that is the case.  My 99 percent negative assessment of the President, especially on his handling of the coronavirus, stands.  I can only hope that Trump will change his stripes if he ends up winning re-election.  What would I like to see?  Less racism, more empathy, more science and acknowledgement of climate change, and a lot less tweeting. Ok, I am not holding my breath.

And fortunately, despite the legal challenges, I still expect Joe Biden will be sworn in as President on January 20, 2021. And I still expect that this election marks the effective end of the Trump era.

Positives About the Election

While the election results surprised many of us, several things that happened in this election cycle are indisputably positive.

First, unprecedented numbers of us voted, including many people who never voted before.  Many voters waited in line for hours to cast their ballots. I’m anxious to see the details. The high participation numbers and participation rates give me hope for our democracy.

A second positive was that people voted despite the challenge of voting amid a worsening pandemic and the doubts raised about the integrity of mail-in ballots.  This determination was a demonstration of confidence in democracy.  

Third, the election, despite the President’s claim of fraud earlier this morning, appears to have been free of fraud or interference by foreign adversaries.  Hopefully, the legal challenges now being filed by the President will be dismissed, assuming of course that the challenges are baseless.

Finally, another positive is that the Biden campaign pioneered a new form of pandemic-adjusted campaigning — the drive-in rally. Biden demonstrated best practices by structuring his campaign style around the CDC guidelines.  

Negatives

On the negative side were several things — all the handiwork of President Trump.  First were his Super-spreader rallies. One can only wonder how many people were infected or will die because of attending one of these events. When the history of this campaign is written, I expect he will be severely criticized for recklessly ignoring safe practices.

Another negative was Trump’s intimation that he might not leave office if he loses. To his credit, his 2:30 a.m. speech at the White House this morning did not repeat this claim. Trump should have promised to accept the election results. As of this morning, he hasn’t.

One other negative is the content of the Trump campaign.  He never put forward a vision for the next four years.  Instead, he campaigned on fear — fear of the suburbs being destroyed (translation, the suburbs becoming more racially diverse), fear of Communism, and fear of Joe Biden raising taxes. Trump also repeatedly attempted to paint Biden as both senile and corrupt.  

Additional analysis of this year’s vote may establish that both efforts were at least partially successful and contributed to Trump’s better than expected vote in several States. If that proves to be the case, it is unfortunate.   

Trump also declined to take responsibility for the current economic crisis despite how he responded to the pandemic earlier this year.  Remember that Trump admitted to Bob Woodward, author of “Rage,” that he knew how dangerous the virus was at the same time he was telling the public it was not a threat.  Was that Trump’s worst lie?  It’s difficult to judge responsibility because he told more than 20,000 of them during the last four years.

A final negative is Trump’s plan to stretch out the election with legal challenges to mail-in ballots.  On Wednesday night he claimed fraud. This was expected, even though the evidence appears to be non-existent.  As a result of Trump’s legal challenges, which he said he would take all the way to the Supreme Court, we may not know the results of the election for weeks.  Hopefully, however, enough States may yet certify the election outcome to identify a winner and end the uncertainty.

The Senate

The control of the Senate, as of Wednesday morning, appears to remain in the hands of Republicans.  That’s not final, but the odds are in the party’s favor.  Several “endangered” Republicans pulled off victories, including Joni Ernst of Iowa, McConnell of Kentucky, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.  Republicans also surprised some of us, especially this writer, by winning in Montana.

If the current projection proves accurate, we are likely to have “split government” for at least the next two years.  Biden, assuming he won, will have to work with a Republican Senate. That means that his more aggressive stimulus and domestic policy agendas will have to be developed with bipartisan cooperation.  While that will not make everyone happy, it could mark a turning point in the polarization of Washington. Democrats and Republicans will have to work together.

In Closing

It is regrettable that this election did not produce a definitive result. The next several weeks will be interesting.  I think my prediction on that may prove accurate. 

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.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.