The Biden Administration and the Eastern Shore by Tom Timberman

At Noon on January 20, 2021, the Biden Administration will succeed Mr. Trump’s, introducing  substantial change in attitudes, policies, priorities and atmospherics. While the Bidens are very familiar with the Washington environment they’re reentering, this time their personalities, conversations, exercise routines, activities and friends will be reported daily in all media.

Both the permanent White House staff and the new arrivals will adapt quickly to their First Family, their pets (2 dogs, one cat), their food preferences and their lifestyles. Mrs.Biden, a long-time public high school teacher, will be the only First Lady to date, to continue working in a salaried position – English professor at a local community college. In addition, Mrs. Biden will remain involved in a non-profit they established over 20 years ago, the Biden Breast Health Initiative.    

Biden Policies Spy Readers should watch: 

The President-Elect since 11/03/20 has regularly shared his policy directions with the public as well as his choices to lead them. Three of these policy issues are particularly important to the Eastern Shore:(1) COVID-19,  (2) Economy and (3) Immigration. 

Covid-19

Mr. Biden has made it very clear that COVID-19 is his highest priority and understands the historic threat it poses, i.e. .in 11 months it has killed 283,000 Americans compared to the 122,000 since 1945, who died in combat. He and his COVID-19 Advisory Board have  outlined a science/CDC centered national plan to:  

• Create a national “pandemic dashboard” for current, consistent expert information/guidance.  
• Work with all governors to make masks mandatory; 
• Ensure Americans have access to regular, reliable, free testing with faster results. 
• Mobilize 100,000 Americans across the US to help contact tracing. 
• Provide USG resources for nation-wide vaccine distribution. . 
• Feds order/supply PPE;  use Defense Production Act to end states/cities competition to obtain.. 

Economy

The Biden Administration will confront two rare, interactive national emergencies: COVID-19 and the national economy it has seriously damaged. Americans are suffering from both. The following summarizes Mr. Biden’s economic priorities: 

• Policy focus is helping American workers/families survive pandemic and improve their future lives.. 
• Pass Congressional financial relief legislation fast; support  $908 Billion draft as “down-payment”. .  
• Raise select taxes on corporations & wealthiest families (annual incomes over $1 million).
• Senior economic candidates named are respected experts, with extensive  relevent USG experience.
• Proposals for rural America: $20 Billion broadband expansion, $50 Billion infrastructure, $10 Billion rural public transportation. , 

Immigration: 

Major Eastern Shore economic sectors dependent on temporary, seasonal foreign workers:  requiring adequate, predictable numbers of H-2A (agricultural) and H-2B (all others) visas.  Since 2017 availability has been very erratic, particularly for H-2B; as ag workers declared “essential”.  H-2B demand seldom met, hurting tourism, hospitality, crab/poultry processing, landscaping & construction businesses. Some were forced to close.   

Immigration priorities for Biden Administration immigration do not include H-2A & B visas: 

• Issue more immigration visas, number issued since 2017 down 49% .
• Permanent solution for 780,000 DACA young adults. 
• Improve treatment of asylum seekers, particularly children.
• Business associations pressing Biden Administration to stabilize H-2B visa issuance.
• Migration non-profits want USG to rescind  recent Fed rules reducing H-1A & H-2B workers’ pay.

Conclusion

The likelihood the Biden’s Rehoboth Beach home will become the Summer White House will probably be the first impact of the Administration noticed by the Eastern Shore.   

Tom Timberman is an Army vet, lawyer, former senior Foreign Service officer, adjunct professor at GWU, and economic development team leader or foreign government advisor in war zones. He is the author of 4 books, lectures locally and at US and European universities. He and his wife are 24 year residents of Kent County.