Sometimes it can be a huge mistake to associate with the wrong people. Such associations can end your career, wreak havoc on your family life, or lead to jail time. They can change your life forever—and not in a good way. Let’s take a quick look at the misfortunes of some of the people who hitched their wagons to the Donald Trump star. 

More than 1,100 people have been charged for their roles in the January 6 riot on the Capitol. Many of those people who were convicted said they came to Washington and rioted because Trump told them the election was stolen, and they believed him. Henry Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Stuart Rhodes, leader of the Oath Keepers, and Ethan Nordean, a military veteran, were both sentenced to l8 years in prison. Joseph Biggs, a former leader of the Proud Boys, was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Zachery Rehl, president of the Proud Boys Philadelphia chapter, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Many more rioters received lesser but significant sentences.

In the Georgia election case, Donald Trump and 18 others have been charged with participating in a wide-ranging illegal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Last week, two of those who were indicted pleaded guilty. Kenneth Cheseboro, a lawyer who advised the Trump campaign, pleaded guilty to a felony for conspiring to interfere in the 2020 election. Sidney Powell, another lawyer who advised the Trump campaign, pleaded guilty to one count to commit theft and five counts of conspiring to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties. Earlier this year, Scott Hall, a bail bondsman, pleaded guilty to five misdemeanors and agreed to testify against others. 

 Steve Bannon, former White House strategist, was convicted of contempt of Congress. He is appealing that conviction. He also has also been charged with money laundering and conspiracy. That case goes to trial in May 2024. 

Allen Weisselberg, the former CFO for the Trump Organization, spent more than three months in jail for tax fraud.

Peter Navarro, Trump’s former White House Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, was found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress. One charge deals with failing to appear to the January 6 Committee after receiving a subpoena. The other charge deals with failing to produce requested documents. Navarro is in the process of appealing those convictions.

Roger Stone, Trump’s friend and advisor, was found guilty of obstructing a congressional investigation, giving false statements, and tampering with a witness. He was sentenced to 40 months in prison. Trump pardoned him shortly before his sentence was scheduled to begin.

John Eastman, a Trump election lawyer, turned himself into authorities regarding the Georgia election case. He is famous for writing a memo describing how Vice President Pence could overturn the election results. The State Bar of California accused Eastman of promoting election lies and has sought to revoke his California law license. Eastman pleaded the 5th more than 100 times when he testified before the January 6 Committee. 

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, was sentenced to three years in prison for tax fraud, lying to banks, and violating campaign finance laws. The campaign finance charges related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. Following his felony convictions, Cohen was disbarred in New York.

Michael Flynn, once Trump’s National Security advisor, pleaded guilty to the FBI about his interactions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States. Trump pardoned him shortly before he left office.

Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, pleaded guilty to fraud, money laundering and lobbying violations. He was sentenced to 7 ½ years in prison. Trump later pardoned him. 

Rick Gates, Manafort’s former business partner, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to investigators about the Russia campaign probe. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail. 

Rudy Giuliani has a sizable number of legal cases in play, including lawsuits from lawyers who are suing him for unpaid legal bills. The New York Times recently reported that Giuliani owes more than $3 million in legal fees. His cases include making false statements against Fulton County election workers, and he faces 13 counts of racketeering charges. His New York City apartment is currently for sale. Giuliani is no longer America’s Mayor.

Walt Nauta, Trump’s personal aide and Carlos De Oliveira, the head of maintenance at Mar-a-Lago are both charged in the classified documents case—charges that deal with mishandling classified documents, false statements and attempting to delete surveillance footage. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 counts related to the handling of classified documents. 

More people are likely to face legal problems because of their relationships with Trump. Jared Kushner and Lindsay Graham to name a few. 

The author Louisa May Alcott once wrote, “Keep good company…and good books…love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” Great advice Louisa. I wonder how many of the people mentioned above wish they had taken it. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of a Federal Human Capital practice for an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, piano, nature, kayaking, and gardening. 

Here’s what I don’t understand. Donald Trump has relentlessly maligned his own appointees in business and in his administration. He has relentlessly maligned political contenders in his own party and other parties. A guy who has never served his country (claimed bone spurs)—nor have his children—maligns those who have served in the military. He continues to malign government institutions. His comments about women are crude, rude, racist, and misogynistic. So, given all that, why is anyone still loyal to Donald Trump? 

Trump claims that, “If they’re coming after me, they are coming after you.”  Folks, Trump is not your friend. “They” aren’t coming after you. He is coming after you. Why? Because he has come after virtually everybody else. Below are just a few cases in point.

Jeff Sessions, his attorney general. Trump said his appointment was “one of the worst mistakes I ever made. He’s an idiot.”

John Bolton, his national security advisor. Trump said, “If I had listened to him, we would be in World War 6.” (What?)

Michael Cohen, lawyer for the Trump organization. Trump said, “If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don’t retain the services of Michael Cohen. He’s a weak person, not a very smart person, a fraudster.” 

Steve Bannon, Chief Strategist, White House. Trump later called him “Sloppy Steve.”

Omarosa, former Apprentice contestant and later a Trump campaign director. Trump called her “not very smart,” a “lowlife.” 

Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State. Trump described him as “a moron,” “dumb as a rock,” and “lazy as hell.”

General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump called him a “traitor who deserves the death penalty.”

Nikki Haley, UN Ambassador. Trump called her a “birdbrain” and later sent her campaign a birdcage and bird feed. Haley’s campaign manager called his actions, “weird, creepy, and desperate.”  

These people are Trump’s political appointees. He chose them. Please help me understand why any sane person would agree to serve in his administration should he be reelected.

Here are a few comments that Trump has made about those who have served our country. Trump called those who served in the military and died “suckers.” He did not want to be seen in the presence of amputees because it didn’t make him look good. He refused to visit the graves of soldiers in France. He called them “losers.” Please help me understand why any veteran or any parent of a child who served in the military would vote for this man.

Here are just a few nicknames Trump has for his adversaries: Crooked Hillary, Little Rocket Man, Little Marco, Low-energy Jeb, Pocahontas, Crazy Maxine Waters, Sleepy Creepy Joe, Little Adam Schiff, Shifty Schiff, Wild Bill Clinton, Cheatin’ Obama, Lyin’ Ted, Alfred E. Neuman, Nervous Nancy, Mr. Magoo, Slime Ball James Comey, Ron DeSanctimonious, Meatball Ron, Letitia Peekaboo James, Deranged Jack Smith, Psycho Joe.   

Here is just a sampling of the institutions that Trump has maligned: the FBI, Department of Justice, Department of Education, CIA, US Courts, the Military, and NATO.

Here are a few derogatory comments Trump has made about women:  slobs, pigs, dogs, fat, ugly, and horseface. 

Here is how Trump describes himself: “Great looking,” “smart,” “a true stable genius.”

My case rests. 

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, gardening, piano, kayaking and nature. 
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According to several polls, most Americans do not welcome an instant replay of the 2020 election—Trump versus Biden. An overwhelming majority of Americans want the country to move on for a variety of reasons—age, indictments, too much baggage and more. I agree.

The philosopher John Locke coined the term “tabula rasa” which means a mind as a blank slate with no preconceived ideas—a mind which has not begun to process ideas from outside forces. 

So, here’s a concept. Let’s wipe the 2024 presidential candidate slate clean and start over. Let’s select two sane reasonable moderate Republicans and two sane reasonable moderate Democrats and give those currently running their walking papers. 

You say it sounds farfetched. You say it’s not going to happen. You’re probably right, But a girl can dream. Here’s my dream scenario. Some well-respected legal scholars claim that Trump is not eligible to run because he violated the 14th Amendment by inciting an insurrection. What if they are right? What if the case goes before the Supreme Court and five Supreme Court Justices agree that this is so? That would mean Trump could never run for public office again. 

Then, maybe, just maybe, if Trump were out of the picture, Biden wouldn’t feel compelled to run. Maybe, just maybe, he would step aside and encourage younger, more vibrant, more articulate leaders who are prepared to support future generations to run. 

And maybe, just maybe, if Trump were out of the picture, some sane Republicans would step up to the plate and call for a reset to normalcy and promote civil discourse, compromise, and fiscal responsibility. 

And were this dream to continue, who would those candidates on my wish list be?

On the Republican ticket, perhaps former Ohio Governor John Kasich as president and our own former Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan as Veep. These are two sane reasonable men who have tons of experience, know how to reach across the aisle, and who have appealed to both Republicans and Democrats. There are many more combos to consider—New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski as cases in point. 

On the Democratic side, how about Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as a presidential candidate and California Governor Gavin Newsom as Veep? Both these governors have garnered votes from the other party, and both are young, vibrant and support climate change, Ukraine, sound economic policies and more. There are many other such Democrats waiting in the wings—Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Governor, Josh Shapiro, Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo come to mind. (I would be most excited if a qualified woman were the Presidential candidate as it is past time for a woman to be president of the United States.)

You may ask why not consider some of the Republican candidates who debated last week? Why? Because six of the eight said they would support Trump if he were the nominee. They did not qualify their support and say unless he was convicted of a felony. They just blindly said they would support him. Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson did not raise their hands. But Christie has a ton of baggage, and Asa Hutchinson has his own age issue. 

Wiping the slate clean is sometimes the right answer. When workplaces become toxic, or a Board is unethical, wiping the slate clean makes good sense. 

Therapists who use the tabula rasa theory in their practices claim that patients who have anxiety, for example, suffer from that malady because of learned behaviors. Their therapies focus on unlearning those “target situations” and imagining “target situations” differently and therefore reactions become different as well. Basically, they focus on unlearning learned behaviors.

I say we as Americans should unlearn some of our past learned behaviors and react differently to some “target situations.” Let’s stop the vindictiveness, name calling and crude behavior and once again try civility, try listening to the other side, try compromise when appropriate, and try dealing with issues with a sense of compassion, kindness, and humility.  

And remember as Buddha once said, “No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.”

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 reading, writing, piano, kayaking, gardening, and nature. 

Like many other families—perhaps most—I have experienced excruciating heartbreak from losing family members because of mental illness and addiction issues. Pain from such losses never ends. 

Recent data shows that U.S. deaths from suicide, alcohol and opioids totaled more than 156,000 in a one-year period. Numbers have risen for a variety of reasons—Covid, access to fentanyl, border security issues, and more. 

Some users and abusers have been saved thanks to rehabilitation, counseling, therapies, and support groups. Hunter Biden is one of the lucky ones. Read his book Beautiful Things: A Memoir to learn how serious his addiction was and how arduous his road to recovery. That is why I find jokes and wisecracks about Hunter Biden’s addiction unconscionable, heartless, and just plain wrong. 

Should Hunter Biden pay taxes he owes to the federal government? Absolutely. (And he has.) Should Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine and China be analyzed and must he be brought to task for any wrongdoings? Absolutely. And trust me, no stone is being left unturned. 

But is it wrong to mock Hunter Biden for his former drug use? To make jokes about the cocaine packet found in the White House? Is it wrong to suggest that President Biden should hide his troubled son from public view? I say a resounding yes. 

As a nation, we must celebrate those who have conquered their demons and come out victorious on the other side. We should encourage their continued sobriety and do whatever is in our power to promote a continued and sustained recovery. Many of us reading this article know loved ones who have reached a recovery status only to stumble and fall back into the abyss of alcohol or opioid addiction or acute depression. Remember the struggles of Heath Ledger, Kurt Cobain, Whitney Huston, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and River Phoenix to name only a few. 

It is a tenuous and arduous task to sustain sobriety. Constant ridicule and mocking insults are not helpful. They harm and they hurt. 

Joe Biden has been a good father to his son. He has supported him and stood by him in times of trouble. He applauds his son’s sobriety as he should. And he understands that addiction is a disease—not evidence of lack of character. 

The State of Maryland is not immune to the trauma of substance abuse. In 2021, Maryland recorded 2,460 opioid overdose deaths. Such drug induced deaths in Maryland exceed the national average. One study reported that more than eight percent of Marylanders reported using illicit drugs in the past month. 

So instead of criticizing the shortcomings of those who suffer from these maladies, what steps should we as a nation take to reduce the preponderance of such dreadful statistics? Here are just a few suggestions from various mental health organizations.

Expand access to substance use prevention programs and mental health programs in schools.

Increase access to mental health and substance use healthcare through full enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

Reduce availability of illicit opioids. 

Limit access to lethal means of suicide.

Expand efforts to combat stigmas about mental health issues.

Expand the mental health and substance use treatment workforce.

Build community capacity for early identification and intervention with individuals who require mental healthcare.

And finally, and most importantly, show compassion, kindness, and support for those who travel that difficult road to recovery. Dusty Springfield said it best: Let’s “put a little love in our hearts.”   

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

Ever think your creative juices are all used up?  Maybe you’re over-the-hill and your best years are long past? Think again. I have been ruminating about older women who are crazy talented and chock full of grit and determination. I wish the world valued their gifts more than they currently do. Many of these women are role models for younger women who are moving on to that stage where they are seen as “past their prime” (as former CNN commentator Don Lemon might say). How misguided is that thinking? It is important to appreciate these women with special gifts who gained even deeper insights as they aged. 

If you haven’t watched the Paramount series 1923, I highly recommend it. It’s a prequel to Yellowstone and follows the series 1883. The series 1923 features Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and Timothy Dalton, to name a few cast members. It’s well acted and has a compelling plot. In my mind, the star of the series is Helen Mirren. At age 77, Mirren is at the top of her game. She is a phenomenal actress and has won American Academy Awards, British Academy Awards and the Laurence Olivier Award. She’s best known for her portrayals of Queen Elizabeth and for her role in Prime Suspect. Mirren was appointed a Dame for her services to drama in 2003. She is the absolute best actress!  And I might add, her talent only seems to grow as she ages.

Maggie Smith is my second nominee for stellar performances by older actresses. Love, love, love her. Who wasn’t charmed and delighted by her character Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey? At age 88, she too doesn’t appear to be slowing down. She has won two Academy awards, a Tony Award and four Primetime Emmy Awards. She’s best known for her roles in The Prime of Miss Jean Brody, the Harry Potter film series, and Death on the Nile. Let’s hope she continues to add to this amazing acting repertoire.

One of my favorite writers of all time is Maya Angelou. Angelou, considered a poet, memoirist and civil rights activist, died in 2014 at age 86. With her publication of I know Why the Caged Bird Sings in 1969, she told of her life up to age 17. In addition to her prolific writing career, she made several appearances on the lecture series each year and continued doing so well into her 80’s. She recited her poem On the Pulse of Morning at Bill Clinton’s inauguration. Angelou appeared in a supporting role in the series Roots and later became a friend and mentor to Oprah Winfrey. At the age of 85, she published the seventh volume of her autobiography. Her words continue to resonate with so many of us. She was simply amazing. 

I just finished reading the novel Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. At age 67, Kingsolver has written a true masterpiece. I found the novel in short, brilliant. Kingsolver took the plot of Dickens’ David Copperfield and transferred it to the plight of a boy growing up in rural Appalachia where she lives. The novel is powerful and an intense description of the plight of the downtrodden in terms of education, healthcare, and discrimination. It also is a novel about salvation. Kingsolver won the Pulitzer Prize for Copperhead as well as the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She is the only woman who has received that award twice. Born in Canada, Kingsolver is a novelist, essayist, poet, literary critic, teacher, environmentalist and inventor. Her best-known works include The Poisonwood Bible, and Animal, Vegetable Mineral.   

For the last few years, I have had the pleasure of attending several Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival Concerts at Easton’s wonderful Ebenezer Theater. If you haven’t gone to one of these concerts, please do. They are spectacular and inspirational. One truly inspiring contributor is Marcy Rosen.  She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Chesapeake Music Festival, and an outstanding cellist. Every time I hear her play, I am transported. Rosen made her career debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 18. Currently age 66, she has appeared with numerous symphonies and served on the faculties of several schools of music. She is considered one of the most respected musicians of her day and The New Yorker Magazine called her “a New York legend of the cello.”  She has released recordings of Mendelssohn, Strauss and Grieg, and many more, and has collaborated with the world’s finest musicians. Rosen is currently a professor of cello at the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College. We are extremely fortunate to be able to hear her play the cello locally. Her mastery of the cello is beyond impressive. And her familiarity with so much of the music draws you in. It’s as if she’s coming home each time she plays one of her standard favorites.

I applaud the accomplishments of these women who have continued their creative pursuits as they aged. And one could argue many have improved with years gone by. The author Herman Melville once wrote, “To know how to grow old is the master work of wisdom, and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living.”  Perhaps we can all take a page from these amazing women’s chapters. 

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

A proclamation from the mogul and family patriarch Logan Roy to his children in the HBO series Succession is, “I love you, but you are not serious people.” I have been thinking about how many people in the public domain today are not serious people—that is to say, you can’t take them seriously. They have become almost caricatures of who they aim to be. 

Truth be told, I find this revelation about the preponderance of unserious people disturbing. How is it that so many people who have substantive positions or are celebrities in the constant spotlight have gone off the deep end? 

Here is a random list of people who are difficult to take seriously in no particular order.

George Santos. An imaginative novelist could not dream up this character who is a Republican congressman from Long Island, NY. How did this guy get elected? He lied about where he went to high school and college. He lied about his religion. He lied about working on Wall Street. He lied about founding an animal charity. He lied about claiming that his mother’s death was related to 9/11. In short, he has lied about pretty much everything. He is the least serious person in Congress today—and that says a lot. It is beyond bizarre that this guy roams the hallowed halls of the Capitol building. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene. The congresswoman from Georgia has said January 6 protestors have had their rights “fragrantly violated,” has lied about the definition of Critical Race Theory, has called a petri dish a “peach tree” dish, and has referred to the “gazpacho police,” and “wonton killings.”  And that, fellow reader, is the tip of the iceberg.

Josh Hawley. It’s hard for me to get off my Josh Hawley soapbox. A Republican Senator from Missouri, who writes a book called Manhood, fist pumps January 6 Capitol insurrectionists, and when he finds himself in danger after the Capitol break-in becomes deadly serious, scurries away, tripping over people in an effort to run for cover. 

Ron DeSantis. The current governor of Florida and Republican contender for the 2024 presidential nomination, has already become somewhat of a caricature. This governor has taken on the so-called “woke” mob, banned books in schools, and then taken on Disney for its inclusive approach to hiring. And folks, we have only just begun.   

J Lo and Ben Affleck. Like many other movie stars, they claim to be strong environmentalists.  Within the last month, they purchased a 38,000 square foot $60 million mansion in Beverly Hills. That’s right, 38,000 square feet.  How environmentally sound is that?  How big is that carbon footprint? Obviously, it’s great to have a nice pad when you have tons of money, but does any family require 38,000 square feet?  Call me crazy, but would 19,000 square feet suffice?  And, by the way, they own more than one home.

Kanye West. This rapper recently legally changed his name to Ye with no middle or last name. Ye once claimed that his greatest regret was not being able to see himself perform live. And he said he is too busy writing history to read it. My case rests.

Johnny Depp. Many claim he is an extremely talented actor. That may be so, but during the Amber Heard trial he admitted to painting on walls with the blood from his finger. In earlier days, he also admitted to spending $5 million blasting Hunter S. Thompson’s ashes from a cannon.   

Lauren Boebert. A Republican Congresswoman from Colorado, Boebert’s Christmas card features her four young sons holding semi-automatic rifles in front of the Christmas tree. She has made several anti-Muslim and anti LGBTQ+ remarks. During Biden’s State of the Union speech, she heckled him and turned her back on the Cabinet. She promotes family values, but her husband, who recently filed for divorce, once exposed his private parts in a bar the couple owned. 

Robert Kennedy Jr. He is the only Democrat to date to announce that he is running against Joe Biden in the next election. While getting kudos for his work as an environmental lawyer, he has drawn sharp criticism for his promotion of conspiracy theories, for his anti-vaccine stance, for his claim that Bill Gates was pro-vaccine so he could make more money, and who equated Dr. Fauci with fascism and claimed that Fauci was in the pocket of big pharma. When his book The Real Anthony Fauci was published, Fauci called it, “a complete lie.” He has also claimed that federal health officials conspired with the Chinese to hide the pandemic’s origins. Many in his own family refuse to support his candidacy. 

Mark Zuckerberg. His accomplishments are beyond impressive. He is the CEO of Facebook (and now its parent company Meta) and has donated billions of dollars to medical research. He became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire at age 23. His net worth is estimated at $85 billion. He has, for many years, been described as “quirky.” At one time, he challenged himself to eat meat only if he killed it himself. He said he wanted to be more connected to the food and the animals that give their lives so that he could eat them. He wore a tie to work every day for a whole year to prove to his employees he was a serious person. His power is complicated because, as he has claimed when testifying in Congress, if he controls content, he becomes even more powerful. He has a history of apologizing—mostly about misinformation posted on Facebook. And he has repeatedly apologized to users to whom he promised that their information would remain private. He then repeatedly allowed it to be made public. 

Rudy Giuliani.  Once “America’s mayor,” this guy has clearly fallen from grace. His appearance in Borat 2 will live in infamy. He peddled disinformation relentlessly after the 2020 election. He recently was accused of sexual assault. And who can forget his stellar performance on the Masked Singer or seeing hair dye dripping down his face during a press conference when he claimed election interference?

Aaron Rodgers.  I must admit that after living in Green Bay for two years, I became a Green Bay Packers fan and have watched Rodgers play too many games to count. He is a great quarterback—no doubt about it. But he has gotten increasingly weird.  He was weird about the vaccine (immunized not vaccinated). Weird about unconventional methods of self-reflection and mind-altering drugs. And most recently weird when he decided to decide his football future by going to a four-day sensory-deprivation total darkness retreat in a hobbit-like structure called a “sky cave.”

Lindsey Graham. The Republican senator from South Carolina is the ultimate flip-flop man. Once best friends with republican Arizona Senator, John McCain, Graham’s backtracks on issues are too numerous to count. When Graham was running for president against Trump, his distaste for the man was off the charts. He said he didn’t even vote for him in the 2016 election but instead voted for a third-party candidate. How times have changed! He is now Trump’s major wingman and ultimate toady. He has stated that if Trump gets indicted, there will be violence in the streets—in a sense encouraging another insurrection. 

Donald Trump. He is my last example. He is a liar, a cheat—the ultimate grifter. Where Graham is a flip-flop man, Trump is a flim-flam man. He is not a serious person. And when president, he made no effort to fill his cabinet with serious people. He certainly made no effort to do a deep dive and promote America’s policies and priorities. Instead, he made a mockery of pretty much every American institution. 

The big question is why is this happening? Why do we idolize these people? Why do we settle for mediocrity and worse?  Many psychologists opine that Americans are going through an identity crisis. We don’t know who we are or who we want to be. So, what do we do? We glom onto people’s points of view who are constantly in the news. Psychologists theorize that we use these people as some kind of life raft to hold onto. Also, over the last few decades, many people have achieved fame without exhibiting any real talent or expertise—think social media mavens like the Kardashians.  With the rise of social media, we find ourselves wanting to be entertained as opposed to being educated—hence the rise of Donald Trump. Unfortunately, our quest for competence and expertise has been kicked to the curb.  

Where have all the serious people gone? Let’s hope and pray, to quote Peter, Paul, and Mary, not to “graveyards every one.” When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn?

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

I have always been fascinated by the concept of irony… And in these past few weeks, irony has smacked me in the face more than once. Every new political revelation that surfaces reminds me of events in days gone by. And every new such revelation also reminds me how often America fails to learn from its past. 

In 1994, Kenneth Starr was looking into Whitewater—a real estate controversy involving Hillary and Bill Clinton–a failed investment that cost the Clintons more than $46,000. While doing so, Starr uncovered the whole Monica Lewinsky/Clinton affair and began investigating allegations of sexual harassment and later perjury. Ironically, a current Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh, was a deputy on Starr’s team and wrote a portion of the final Starr report which went into excruciating, almost pornographic detail, describing Clinton’s escapades. In an internal memo at that time, Kavanaugh wrote to Starr, “It may not be our job to impose sanctions on him, but it is our job to make his pattern of revolting behavior clear—piece by painful piece.” Ironic, don’t you think, when those chickens came home to roost for Kavanaugh, and later for Trump? Starr’s investigation of Clinton cost more than $52 million and lasted more than four years. It was the most expensive investigation of its kind in American history. 

After his investigation of Clinton, Starr was a hero to fellow Republicans. However, Starr’s “star” fell in 2016 when he resigned his position as chancellor of Baylor University after allegations that he had mishandled a rape case involving football players. Such allegations did not deter Trump from adding Starr to his first impeachment defense team. And there is still more irony when you consider Trump’s many controversial real estate and bankruptcy transactions that were being investigated during that time. Apparently, a decade later, Starr had no problem representing a man with a ledger full of questionable real estate transactions, as well a series of sexual allegations and one rape allegation. 

During Trump’s 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly chanted “lock her up” referring to Hillary’s email server and missing emails. He also said that if she were elected, we could very well have a president under felony indictment and ultimately involved in a criminal trial. And then Trump and his allies published innumerable stories that Hillary was solely responsible for the deaths at the embassy of Benghazi. Ten investigations were conducted regarding Benghazi. None directly blamed Hillary for the death of four Americans. (Let me also note that during George W. Bush’s presidency, there were 13 attacks on embassies and more than 60 people died. No investigations were held.)

Simultaneously while Trump was maligning Hillary, he was paying off a porn star, a Playboy model, and a door attendant who allegedly knew some tale of a Trump child born out of wedlock. During that time, David Pecker at The National Inquirer agreed to a “catch and kill” scheme financed by Trump in which Pecker would buy stories, pay off people involved to be silent, and either kill the story entirely or hold the story from being printed until after the election. In addition, there are now several investigations involving Fox News knowingly spewing forth false information to sway voters towards Trump. One such case currently underway involves Dominion Voting System’s claim that Fox was amplifying a lie about its voting machines simply to maintain its pro-Trump audience. 

Plus, during that same time, FBI Director James Comey, who also worked on the Whitewater investigation, made the unprecedented move of announcing that he was reopening the investigation regarding Hillary’s treatment of classified documents. His announcement came less than two weeks before the election—a move unprecedented for an ongoing FBI investigation. Comey later described Hillary’s actions as extremely sloppy but not prosecutable. Many believe that Comey’s statements in those final weeks before the 2016 election cost Clinton precious votes.

One cannot help but wonder if only these events had been different—if the Trump stories had been divulged, if Comey had not announced a reopening of an investigation and Trump had lost the election, how different would our society be today? Would we be a more civil and less-polarized society—less likely to be crude, and mean-spirited? How different would the Supreme Court look? Would Roe v. Wade have been overturned? Would we have progressed further in dealing with climate change issues? Would we have continued our tradition of a peaceful transfer of power? And then there is the fact that if Trump had not won, the U.S. would finally have elected a woman President–something long overdue. 

Pro-Trump defenders will say the 34 indictments against Trump represent Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg making mountains out of molehills. It is difficult for that argument to hold water. Many New Yorkers have gone to jail for far less. And couple that with current ongoing investigations involving inciting an insurrection, attempting to overthrow an election in Georgia, the handling of classified documents, lying to lenders and insurers by fraudulently valuing assets, and the E. J. Carroll case that charges Trump with rape—in short, an overwhelming number of pending cases. 

The list of politicians who have been charged with indiscretions is long—Gary Hart, John Edwards, Newt Gingrich, and Bill Clinton come to mind. And the number of screwups are many—think Chris Christie and Bridgegate for one. But it is difficult to come up with another politician who has faced as many credible allegations as Trump. 

Is there anyone out there today who really thinks Trump made America great again? The vitriol, cruelty, overt racism, and juvenile name-calling alone have reduced America’s stature throughout the world. Recovery will take time. Let us hope that Catherine the Great was right when she once said, “I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.” 

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

  

 

Aging gracefully is difficult. Knowing when to stay and when to go is complicated. There are no easy answers. I have been thinking about this a lot lately, perhaps because I’ve been watching two ageing quarterbacks—Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tom Brady. 

I find myself rooting for both of them, although neither quarterback made it to the final playoff games this year. We need not feel sorry for them. Both have accolades galore. Brady is often called the GOAT—Greatest of All Times. And both quarterbacks had some spectacular games–even this season. It is not yet clear what either quarterback will do next season. I find myself hoping they both will return. 

I worked for a consulting firm that required partners to take mandatory retirement. After I retired, I felt I still had a lot of gas in the tank and took several temporary positions. I still am on the lookout for interesting work and continue to participate in volunteer activities. 

There is a lot of talk about age in the press recently given Biden’s probable decision to run for reelection. Certainly, Congress is chock full of aging members. In an article in last Sunday’s NY Times, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told Maureen Dowd that it bugged her that people kept asking her if she would move on from Congress given her age—82. Yet no one was asking Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that same question who is also age 82. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are both 89. Hal Rogers (R-KY) is 84. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is 83. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is 82. Today the average age in the Senate is 63.9 and in the House it’s 57.5.  Today the youngest member of the House is 25-year-old Maxwell Frost (D-FL). The second youngest is AOC (D-NY) who is 33. The youngest senator is 35-year-old Jon Ossoff (D-GA). Interesting. 

Some older authors are my favorites. Elizabeth Strout is 67. She won a Pulitzer Prize for Olive Kitteridge and her more recent novel Oh William, which made the shortlist for the 2022 Booker Prize, was followed by the excellent Lucy by the Sea. Frank McCourt was 66 when his Pulitzer Prize winning book Angela’s Ashes was published. Laura Ingalls Wilder published Little House on the Prairie when she was 65. 

Some of my favorite actors are “old.” Clint Eastwood is 92. Robert Redford is 86. Dustin Hoffman is 85. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Al Pacino are 82. Harrison Ford is 80. Morgan Freeman and Robert De Niro are 79. Meryl Streep is 73. I am grateful that they continue to seek interesting roles. All are magnificent. 

In college, I authored a paper about Grandma Moses who began painting in earnest at age 78. She painted almost until her death when she was 101. Matisse created his famous cutouts when he began losing his eyesight. Some of his best cutouts were created the year before he died at age 83. Georgia O’Keeffe kept painting until the end of her days. She died when she was 98. 

Scientists who are still making amazing discoveries include Richard Attenborough and Jane Goodell–both are 88. Businessman Warren Buffett is still going strong at 92. 

Commercial airline pilots have a mandatory retirement age of 65, although, given the pilot shortage, it may soon be extended until age 67. In 2009, Sully Sullenberger ditched a US airways flight in the Hudson River after both engines were disabled by a bird strike. All 155 passengers survived. “Sully” was 58 years old at the time. Many attributed his many years of experience as the reason he landed the plane safely. 

This month I went to a classical concert featuring classical pianist Emanuel Ax. It was one of the best concerts I have heard in my lifetime. At age 73, Ax played Beethoven’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 flawlessly with no music in front of him. It was spectacular. 

The other side of the coin is what happens when you stay too long. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a case in point. A hero to many, still even some of her most ardent advocates wish she would have retired when she was 80 and Obama was president. If she had, perhaps we could have avoided at least some of the current Supreme Court nightmare and the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

By 2050, one of every six people in the world will be over age 65. All kinds of articles give advice on aging gracefully. Many involve maintaining healthy relationships, keeping a sense of humor, staying active, meditating, appreciating all the good things life has to offer, eating a healthy diet, and getting plenty of exercise. 

The actress Ingrid Bergman once said, “Getting old is like climbing a mountain, you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better.”  Like I said, it’s complicated.

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

When I was a grad student at Georgetown, admittedly many years ago, it was easy to enter the House gallery and witness the proceedings. I spent many afternoons after class in the gallery watching bills become laws. I was in awe of the process and impressed by the impassioned speeches. I remember envying the “gravitas” and eloquence of the whole environment.  

Let’s fast forward to last week’s circus on the House Floor. It took 15 ballots and four days for California Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy to gain his long-coveted Speaker of the House role. During that time, children were slouched over, babies slept, bags of popcorn were brought into the Chamber. One representative brought her puppy into the chamber to show off to her colleagues. Husbands and wives, who were there to witness the long-delayed swearing-in ceremony, were frantically rescheduling plans to remain in DC for extra days. Some representatives brought novels to read—one appeared to have finished about three-quarters of the book before the proceedings ended. A few congresswomen were knitting scarves. After the 14th round with no victory, Alabama Republican congressman, Mike Rogers, lunged at Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz and had to be restrained, preventing a true fistfight from breaking out on the floor. Nice.  

As I watched this clown-show continue, I reflected on the quality of many of the elected candidates.

Gaetz, one of the leaders of the far-right pack, has been under investigation for several months for sex trafficking. His colleague, Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector, received an 11-year prison sentence. 

Colorado Republican, Lauren Boebert, who received her GED—the equivalent of a high school diploma—a few months before winning her election, has had several altercations with the law. She refused to walk through a metal detector at the Capitol. She’s been cuffed for disorderly conduct at a music festival. She’s been charged with reckless driving after rolling her truck into a ditch. She has failed to show up in court a few times. Her husband has been booked on domestic violence charges and has been charged with exposing his penis to women in a bowling alley.  Boebert has been charged with third-degree assault charges against her husband. During the Speaker nominating fiasco, Boebert, was Gaetz’s partner in crime, sitting next to him and smugly smiling whenever the cameras surfaced.

We’ve all read recent reports about the fraudster, Republican Congressman from Long Island, New York, George Santos, who lied about his employment, his education, his ethnicity, his mother’s death, and who Brazil is accusing of writing stolen checks. In the last few weeks, Santos came up with a scheme to charge supporters hundreds of dollars to witness his swearing in, thereby violating campaign financing laws.  

The infamous Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, now expected to lead the Judiciary Committee, has been accused of knowing and doing nothing about a sexual abuse scandal when he was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University. Today Jordan is best known for disrupting congressional hearings whenever the topic strays to Trump or other right-wing hot-button issues.  

Pennsylvania Republican Scott Perry, Chairman of the Freedom Caucus, who is being investigated for his role in the January 6, insurrection and for other efforts to keep Trump in office, will now be in charge of initiating a series of his own investigations.  The Justice Department recently seized his phone. 

Before he became a congressman, Arizona Republican Eli Crane, hawked a bottle opener on the TV show Shark Tank made of spent bullet casings with an ad that encouraged others to “Shoot open a bottle in the manliest way possible.”  

Arizona Republican Paul Gosar’s own family called him a traitor and urged Congress to investigate his role in the January 6 insurrection. They endorsed his opponent. 

Arizona Republican Andy Biggs, who put his name in the hat to challenge McCarthy, is also under investigation for his role in aiding and abetting the activities of January 6.  

And how frightening was it to witness Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene of “gazpacho police,” “our enemies are quacking in their boots,” calling for “Marshall law” as opposed to “martial law” and “peach tree dish” fame, getting Trump on the line in the late hours after the 14th try to get McCarthy elected to Speaker and watching her swing her cell phone around, encouraging defectors to speak to Trump. 

Of course, let’s not forget our own Republican Congressman Andy Harris, who was one of the infamous 19 who didn’t vote for McCarthy until the final rounds, and who is legendary for bringing a handgun into the Capitol and participating in the planning for the January 6 insurrection. Harris has made it clear that he is interested in chairing the health subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee which controls billions of dollars in government spending. If he succeeds in getting this assignment, one of McCarthy’s loyal supporters or someone who should be next in line based on seniority will be out of luck.  

Thanks to McCarthy’s negotiating skills, the above-mentioned so called “patriots” will have leadership roles on the Judiciary Committee, the Rules Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and more. in addition, they have received McCarthy’s promise to create a committee on “the weaponization of the Federal government” –a forum for their efforts to investigate the FBI, the IRS, and perhaps the Department of Justice. They’ve also gotten an agreement to have a vote on not raising the debt ceiling. And they’ve asked for the ability to call for a vote to oust the Speaker with only one such request—called “the motion to vacate.”  Some claim that McCarthy also promised to hold votes on term limits and border security early in the year. Clearly, the Freedom Caucus will have more say over how bills are proposed, amended and passed.  In Gaetz’s own words, “I couldn’t think of anything else to ask for.” 

On subsequent news programs, Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy, who voted against McCarthy for 11 rounds of voting, stated that the Freedom Caucus will use the tools of the House to enforce the terms of the agreements mentioned above. Some moderate Republicans have already stated that they will fight against McCarthy’s “deals with the devils.”  This is not a promising start for the 118th Congress. 

We can do so much better than this. It’s way past time that we require candidates who run for office to pass a sensible entrance exam that verifies their understanding of government processes. Physicians, lawyers, accountants, teachers, actuaries, financial planners—all are required to have bonafide credentials.  It’s time we ask candidates who control the legislative agenda and manage our tax dollars to have basic credentials and at least some rudimentary understanding of how a bill becomes a law, etc. In addition, a background check, required for all kinds of employment, is not too much to require of a candidate.  If one had been done on Santos, I guarantee he would not have been elected. 

So, Kevin, prognosticators predict your speakership will be short and miserable. Only time will tell. Good luck.  But as my mom used to say, “Be careful what you wish for.” 

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

 

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Repibocam 

 

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This may be the wrong time of year to write this article, but here we are. It feels as though the world is off kilter—fallen off its axis or gotten hit by a massive meteorite. Why do I feel this way? Here is just a small sampling of what is going on in the world these days. 

Hundreds of people in Ukraine and Russia continue to die each month that the war continues. Many Ukrainians are without power and heat—some have lost their homes. Ukrainian babies are being born outside of hospitals in total darkness and in freezing temperatures. Putin is colluding with Iran, and Iran plans to provide Putin with advanced lethal drones and possibly ballistic missiles. 

Iran hung a 23-year-old man from a metal crane whom they accused of killing two members of the paramilitary and wounding others. His hands and feet were bound, and a black bag covered his head. He was not allowed to choose a lawyer, challenge the evidence against him, or ask for a public trial. Fears are growing that Iran is preparing to execute scores more protesters. 

Just this past week, earthquakes were recorded in the San Francisco Bay area and Midland, TX. Massive blizzards blasted the country, and more are predicted. I recently arrived at our home in Florida and witnessed the devastating results of Hurricane Ian—yet more evidence of climate change. We were luckier than many. Still our home suffered substantial damage. More than 100 people died as a result of Hurricane Ian, mostly from drowning. More than 5,000 homes were destroyed and another 13,000 suffered substantial damage. Florida has made impressive progress in rehabilitating the state, but huge piles of debris remain, and most waterways are impassable. Many beaches remain contaminated and closed. 

More than two million migrants have crossed the U.S. border in 2022. A growing number of migrants have arrived in El Paso, Texas, in recent weeks—an average of 2,500 per day. The situation is becoming a full-grown humanitarian crisis. The increase has been attributed to the scheduled end of Title 42, a policy that kicked many migrants out of the U.S. A humane solution to this crisis is a significant challenge.

Every night in America, more than 300,000 men, women and children are in homeless shelters. An additional 200,000 spend each night unsheltered—on the streets, in subway trains, etc. California has the highest number of homeless people in the country, and the situation is worsening.

In addition, recent estimates indicate that approximately nine million children in the U.S. live in “food insecure” homes and often suffer from hunger and malnutrition. A recent study claimed that 42,000 people on Maryland’s Eastern Shore are “food insecure.”

The already-announced 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump is exhibiting Increasingly bizarre behavior, highlighted by last week’s release of NFTs—non-fungible tokens—digital trading cards featuring caricatures of Trump in various guises including an astronaut, a fighter pilot, and a superhero with lasers coming out of his eyes. They originally sold for $99. Sadly, people are buying these (although there is some speculation that Trump himself may be the biggest buyer) from a man who is certain to be indicted for obstruction of an official proceeding and incitement of an insurrection. 

And although we can be grateful that Herschel Walker did not win the runoff election for Senate in Georgia, the fact remains that almost half of Georgia voters chose a clearly unqualified and mentally troubled candidate over contender Reverend Warnock. 

Then, of course, there continues to be the unhinged rantings of Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who claimed that “if Steve Bannon and I had organized that (the insurrection), we would have won. Not to mention, we would have been armed.” Don’t hold your breath for the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives to discipline her for her comments. 

And finally, Covid continues to rear its ugly head, coupled with the worst flu season in recent history. And then there is RSV. These three maladies have caused hospitals to be filled to capacity, and the health system in general to be taxed beyond measure.  

So, like many, I find it a bit difficult to be “merry and bright” this holiday season. But let’s try to find reasons for hope and good cheer. 

First, the amount of aid and support both individuals and countries have given Ukraine must be acknowledged and applauded. And then there is the unwavering spirit of the Ukrainian people which is truly inspiring. 

Next, Vladimir Putin has lost support from most of the world. He is now widely viewed as a modern-day Hitler. Iran remains a Russian ally, but that’s about it. It’s hard to see how Putin can emerge a winner in this situation.

The bravery of Afghanistan women who protested against losing their rights is hard to understate. Such protests have quickly spread across multiple provinces in Afghanistan and are being applauded in many countries across the world. Several agencies fight each day to protect and promote the rights of Afghanistan women. 

The migrant issue remains a challenge. However, there continues to be strong determination to move the issue front and center and finally pass constructive legislation. 

Several federal and state agencies are developing initiatives to combat homelessness and hunger. Some initiatives involve addressing solutions for prevention of homelessness, including early intervention programs and strategies. There are also dedicated programs for farmers markets and other local food entities to promote ways for the hungry to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Food banks have also stepped up to the challenge and have been especially responsive during the Thanksgiving holiday, as well as upcoming holidays. 

And though illnesses continue to assault us and our health system, we are in a better place than we were a few years ago. Vaccinations, boosters, home health tests and medicines have come to our rescue and helped to reduce symptoms and the severity of these illnesses. 

We also can be grateful that President Biden has exceeded expectations thus far in his presidency. Although his approval rating remains low, he has passed significant infrastructure legislation and presided over a scandal-free administration. He also has succeeded in appointing dozens of qualified Federal judges. Midterm election results were also encouraging. Because no widespread red wave occurred, Biden will have a fighting chance to address legislation that is responsive to America’s needs. 

Desmond Tutu once said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.” This season, it would be a special gift if each of us could seek the light and find a way to make it brighter. 

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