While serving as President, John F. Kennedy was asked, “How do you make good decisions when presented with huge amounts of information from your advisors who want you to approve their position on any given issue.”  JFK’s answer was succinct and insightful. “I always ask, what am I not being told?”.

Two recent developments in Washington DC should be of deep concern to all Americans who care about transparency and openness in government and who are not getting answers to the question — what am I not being told?

One deeply concerning development was a decision by John Fetterman to voluntarily commit himself to a hospital to address chronic deep depression that he and others have publicly acknowledged is impacting the performance of his duties as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. We now know depression has been a long-term issue for Senator Fetterman, made worse by a debilitating stroke he suffered on the campaign trail. We also know now that his inpatient hospital treatment may take up to a month without guarantee that it or other complications from his stroke may recur. Most concerning is the fact that he and many others, including his campaign staff, knew about his depression issues and stroke after- effects well before his election. Hiding truth simply to gain and keep power by intentional subterfuges is wrong and always will be.

The second deeply concerning development was the recent release of physical exam results for President Biden. That release did not include results from a cognitive examination or say if such an exam was even performed. We heard a much heralded “clean” bill of health for President Biden. But every president’s cognitive ability (or lack thereof) should also be a matter of transparency and openness.

Before I go any further, I want to address what I expect may be negative responses to this commentary.

I expect some may say I am insensitive to and uncaring about those who suffer from mental health issues. Not so. I spent nine long years watching my father slowly and steadily being ravaged by dementia. In his final years, he did not recognize me or remember me. As a result of his condition, I was forced to take his car from him and place him in an assisted living facility. Even toward the end of his life, he adamantly expressed his belief that he was doing fine and needed both his car and to stay in his home. It was challenging to stand firm in  doing what was best for him; but it had to be done, and I did it, albeit with a very heavy heart.

I also expect some to say my concerns about Senator Fetterman and President Biden are driven by opposition to their political party affiliation and/or their progressive views on issues of the day. Not so. I had the same concerns with at least two conservative Republicans as well. One was Republican U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond. In his final years in the Senate, Thurmond was not in a condition physically or mentally to make good decisions.

The second was conservative icon and Republican President Ronald Reagan. In President Reagan’s twilight years in the White House, there was speculation (never fully confirmed) that he had early onset dementia. Regarding both men, I said then, as I say now, America is best served if any elected official or candidate who cannot perform well on a cognitive abilities test, should not run for office, or remain in office regardless of their political party affiliation, their popularity, or their positions on issues. What matters most is their ability to fully perform all the duties of the job they were elected to do.

I expect some may say I am advocating the premature removal from office of a President and/or a U.S. Senator. Not so.  I am suggesting our political leaders have the courage to engage in candid dialogue and deliberations on these matters so they can make informed decisions for the good of America rather than decisions that maintain positions of power for certain elected officials.

Last, but not least, I expect some may say President Biden or Senator Fetterman leaving office before their term is up thwarts the will of the voters who voted for Democrat control of the U.S. Senate and the White House. Not so. The progressive Democrat governor of Pennsylvania would appoint another progressive Democrat to replace Senator Fetterman and progressive Democrat Vice President Harris would automatically replace progressive Democrat President Biden.

Now more than ever, we live in a “VUCA” world, one characterized by high levels of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Accordingly, we need to confirm our President, our U.S. Senators, and all elected officials are at the very top of their game all day … every day. It bears repeating. Hiding the truth simply to keep power by intentional subterfuges is not right and never will be.

It is a time to get truthful and complete answers to the question — what am I not being told?

David Reel is a longtime observer of ever-changing events in the political arena. He is a public affairs/public relations consultant who serves as a trusted advisor on strategy, advocacy, and media matters.

 

 

Oyster aquaculture is a growing industry in the state of Maryland. Similar to watermen, these intrepid individuals and companies utilize the water column or bottom of the Bay to cultivate and harvest farmed oysters. The industry has achieved steady growth since the allowance for aquaculture leases in 2010. In turn, generating new jobs and economic multipliers.

One major contributor to pollution in the Bay and cause of subsequent harmful impact on its natural resources is the Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam (formerly owned by Exelon Generation Company, LLC, now Constellation Energy). Since beginning operations more than 90 years ago, the dam has blocked fish from traveling upstream to spawn and eels that carry the larvae of freshwater mussels. This has significantly reduced the millions of fish that once traveled up the Susquehanna River and impaired the filtration capability of freshwater mussel populations.

The dam’s reservoir, which once provided benefits by trapping sediments, is now full. And for the last 90 years, its operators have failed to maintain the reservoir or take responsibility for its maintenance. When there is overflow or the dam’s gates are opened, sediment is released, smothering underwater grasses and oyster beds. Nutrients attached to the sediment feed algae blooms, which create anoxic conditions and block sunlight. Furthermore, the artificial timing of the gate openings creates massive influxes of fresh water. The depressed salinity levels and their lingering effects hinder oyster growth and survival. As the farm in closest proximity to the dam (our Chester River site), we have witnessed these prolonged and artificial freshets. Debris piled up behind the dam is also sent downstream, which can damage gear used for recreation, commercial fishing, and oyster farming.

Despite Maryland’s commitments to restore the Bay’s health, in 2019, the Maryland Department of Environment agreed to largely absolve Exelon of any responsibility for the dam’s impacts on the Bay’s water quality. As a result of this deal, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decided to ignore a 2018 water quality certification from MDE. And grant a new 50-year license to operate, with insufficient action from Exelon. However, the 2018 certification (issued under the Clean Water Act) included (subsequently ignored) provisions that MDE deemed necessary to ensure water quality under the CWA.

In December, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found that ignoring the 2018 certification violated the Clean Water Act and vacated (threw out) the license. This is a win for the Bay.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, a Constellation Energy spokesperson claimed that those who care about the Bay should not cheer this decision. This refutes recent findings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: that the majority of the Bay states are not on track to meet the 2025 water quality restoration goals under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load – a multi-state clean-up effort to restore the health of the Bay and its local streams, creeks, and rivers. A key-missing piece of those efforts is addressing the pollution which enters the Bay from the Conowingo Dam’s operations.

Oyster farmers and watermen, who experience the dam’s impacts almost every time there is significant rainfall in the region, are breathing a hopeful sigh of relief after the Court’s decision. Although Maryland and Exelon once touted the environmental benefits that might have been realized under their 2019 agreement, they likely would have amounted to little in terms of pollution reduction. And by decreasing instream flow in hot summer months, would have actually worsened conditions for some aquatic species. Compounding it all, the impacts felt today are primed to become even more severe with increasing frequencies and intensities of storm events as a result of climate change.

We must ensure that Constellation (a private utility profiting from a public resource) includes all appropriate water quality protections in their 50-year operating license. The new FERC license should uphold the 2018 certification, which would require Constellation to reduce nutrients and storm scour, and run the dam with operative flows for fish to survive below the dam. While the court’s decision is a win for the Bay, it is yet to be seen if the conditions of the original certification will impact the dam’s future operation. In the race against a thousand tiny cuts to the Bay’s health, this court decision represents triage for a major wound — it is still undecided if the resulting treatment will be sufficient to meet our collective public goals.

The writer is a partner at Orchard Point Oyster Co. and an Eastern Shore native. He currently serves on the boards of the Oyster Recovery Partnership, Maryland Sea Grant, Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, and is treasurer of ShoreRivers. He is also a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland Tidal Fish Advisory Commission and Maryland Aquaculture Coordinating Council.  

Frederick Douglass is by far Talbot County’s most famous native, and with good reason.  But there’s another Talbot native who survived slavery and went on to make significant and lasting contributions to the citizens of the county that still have impact today.

The name Nathaniel “Nace” Hopkins might not be as familiar as Douglass’s, but he is a Talbot County legend.  His story has been told occasionally through the decades — but it can never be told enough.  What Frederick Douglass was for the Nation, Hopkins was for Talbot County.  He was a well-respected, well liked man of his time who helped the county move forward in the post-Civil War era.  

Nace Hopkins was born an enslaved person near Bellevue and enlisted in the Union Army on November 20, 1863, to serve in the newly formed United States Colored Troops (USCT).  Whether he was still enslaved or a freeman at the time of his enlistment has remained uncertain.  During that period, it was common to free enslaved persons in their early to mid-30’s.  This may not be as altruistic as it seems, since Maryland law required slave owners to care for enslaved persons for the rest of their lives once they reached age 45 or at any earlier age if they became disabled or infirmed.  This led to many emancipations while they were in their early 30’s and still able bodied and was a contributing reason why nearly half of Talbot County’s black population was free at the start of the Civil War.  

Past written accounts of Nathaniel Hopkins record his birth year between 1830 and 1834.  Reviewing Nace’s death certificate and tombstone however, place his date of birth as January 18, 1834.  Additional research and consultation with local historian James Dawson leads to the belief that Nace was most likely enslaved at the time of his enlistment and was probably recruited when the Union was actively recruiting free and enslaved black men on the Eastern Shore. 

Nace’s military career was short.  He was released on furlough on January 4, 1864, for sickness and “varicose veins.”  But sometime things happen for a reason, as the saying goes, and history had other plans for Nace.  Those plans were soon to be revealed. 

Although Nace was illiterate, he was a natural leader and orator.  He was known for being a man of his word and his descendants described Nace as always trying to help people — black and white.  Family members who knew him were quoted as saying, “He accomplished whatever he had to do for his people” and he “planted his feet solidly on the ground and walked tall and strait with a look of determination.”  

His natural leadership abilities, along with the respect of Talbot County citizens that he received, can be seen in the retelling of a story about the arrangements Nace made with a local farmer.  Seeing a large pile of corn in a farmer’s barn, Nace made an agreement that he and some men would husk that corn in exchange for a feast of ham, cakes, and some hard cider.  The farmer agreed to have “Aunt Ruth” cook the ham and provide the meal and cider.  Nace arrived early on the appointed date to begin husking corn but the men he invited never appeared.  Later that evening he heard sounds of revelry across the creek in the direction of Aunt Ruth’s.  Upon investigating, Nace found his invited guests making merry instead of fulfilling their commitment.  After some choice words, he marched them over to the corn pile and kept them at it until the wee hours of the morning and the last ear was husked. 

Nathanial Hopkins is credited for helping to establish the Talbot County school system’s first black school in Trappe in 1878.  Specifically, he’s been noted for his assistance in procuring the land for the school.  Nace was also instrumental in building another school in the black community of Barber, originally called the Manassas School, to which he received a nomination as trustee. 

Hopkins was one of the original members to incorporate the Ashbury Methodist Episcopal Church with the cornerstone laid for the new building in 1869.  The church is now the Scotts United Methodist Church in Trappe and is named for the Rev. Levi Scott, who was the presiding Bishop for the area.  

After the Civil War, many black communities were established throughout Talbot, and Nathanial Hopkins did his part.  He helped procure 23 acres approximately four miles southeast of Trappe to establish the community of Eastfield and worked with the county to establish a proper road to the new town.  In 1888, Hopkins, along with three other black men — Daniel Joshua, James Nixon, and Robinson Sewell, were appointed Road Supervisors for the Trappe district by the Talbot County Commissioners. Nace and these men were essential to maintaining and upgrading the road system in the Trappe area. 

Hopkins also contributed to Talbot County politics.  Although he never ran for political office, Nace put his oratory and organizational skills to good use.   Along with his friend Joe Gray (also a former enslaved person), he worked diligently to “get out the black vote.”  Nace and Joe gave numerous speeches nearing election day and they are greatly credited for getting many Republicans elected to local positions during that period.

One of Nathanial Hopkins’s most celebrated accomplishments has had a lasting impact upon all Talbot citizens to this day.  In the summer of 1867, Nace, along with friends Jeremiah Thomas and Morris Trippe, decided to celebrate the Emancipation of Maryland’s enslaved persons, which occurred on November 1, 1864, by organizing a parade and official celebration.  Nace worked diligently towards the endeavor by training local boys and girls to drill with music provided from a drum, flute, accordion, and tambourine, borrowed from neighbors.  He traveled throughout Talbot asking for and securing assistance. 

The citizens of Talbot, both black and white, pitched in providing many needed items and money.  Nace secured permission from the County Commissioners to use the streets of Trappe for his planned parade and celebration.  November 1, 1867 was the designated day for the first celebration. That day, wagons with stoves and food arrived at sunrise.  Some of Trappe’s town folks had placed kitchen stoves in their front yards to prepare meals for the visitors attending the celebration.  The day began with a prayer service and an 11 o’clock church service. 

The parade was led by Nathaniel Hopkins himself, with his Aunt Audy Nixon by his side carrying her bible.  Nace was dressed in his Union uniform with gold epaulettes and sash, a Lincoln styled top hat and a sword from the Knights of Columbus.  Behind Nace and Aunt Audy came the young drill team marching to the beat of the music played by Nace’s sons, Charles and Alexander and the sons of George Brummell playing the borrowed instruments.  Next in line were men in uniform, men on horses, and finally colorfully decorated wagons.  After the parade the celebrants gathered at the church to listen to speeches from many orators, including Nace.  Then the fun began, with games and events for the kids, horse racing and, of course, good Eastern Shore cooking featuring the region’s bounty of food.  

The celebration was so successful it became an annual tradition. Nathaniel Hopkins continued to plan and lead the parade with his Aunt Audy by his side until his death thirty-three years later.  Eventually, the parade became known as the “Nace’s Day” parade and grew with bands and marchers coming from not just the Eastern Shore, but Baltimore, Delaware and New Jersey as well.  The church services, good food and entertainment continued.  After Nace’s death the celebration started including a prayer service at Nace’s gravesite and the playing of taps over his marker.  

The parade and celebration continued every year until it was interrupted by World War I.  The Maryland Emancipation celebration has, however, been held many times since, with the latest in 2019.  Former members of The St Michaels High School Band recall marching in the Nace’s Day parades of the 1980’s.  The 1976 celebration included the unveiling of a roadside marker on Route 50 commemorating Nathaniel Hopkins that reads: “Nathaniel (Nace) Hopkins, Leader of his People Who was Born a Slave circa 1830; Fought for Union in Civil War; Originated Annual Trappe Emancipation Day Celebration, 1867 and Headed it until his Death in 1900.  One of the Founders of Scott’s Methodist Church.  Helped Establish First “Colored Schools” at Trappe and Barber.  Buried in Old Paradise Cemetery on this Site.  

This celebration of Emancipation Day was considered the first and only in the State of Maryland, and one of the first in the United States.  It was an incredible accomplishment for the time.  The history of the citizens of Talbot, both black and white, coming together to organize and celebrate Emancipation Day, is something we all can be proud of. 

I look forward to the next fall day where we again can come together in celebration of Maryland’s Emancipation Day and to celebrate our incredible Talbot ancestor who contributed so much during his life – and to enjoy more of that great Eastern Shore food!

Paul Callahan is a Talbot native, a graduate of Saints Peter & Paul High School and the Catholic University of America and served as an Officer in the United States Marine Corp. 

Sources for this article include “Irregularities in Abundance – An Anecdotal History of Trappe District in Talbot Co Md” by James Dawson which incorporates various other sources, numerous past newspaper accounts to include Easton’s Star Democrat, The Baltimore Sun and The Times Daily (Salisbury Md)

Illustrations by John Raschka

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. 

The Talbot County Comprehensive Plan’s mission is to “preserve the rural and agricultural character of the area while promoting economic development and protecting the environment in natural resources so that the special quality of life we enjoy remains intact.”

Spray wastewater technology for 54 residences on 480 acres having been in and out of compliance over the past two decades, Talbot County is taking over spray wastewater treatment for the Preserve at Wye Mills. And so it’s hardly any wonder that Lakeside’s proposal for 2,500 residences on 865 acres concerns us.

Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) shares these concerns, having approved 100,000 gallons per day of sprayed wastewater serving approximately 400 homes in Lakeside, as opposed to the 540,000 gallons requested to serve 2,500 residences.

With hopes that a Reset Lakeside Resolution would be introduced at the county council meeting on Tuesday, a rally was held at the courthouse on Saturday, January 21. The resolution offered logically proposed that since the planning commission’s certification is required for a resolution to be passed by the council and their certification has been rescinded, Resolution 281 should also be rescinded.

Had their rescission occurred before Resolution 281 was passed by the council, there would be no problem. But having initially found Resolution 281 to be compliant with Talbot County’s Comprehensive Plan, it was passed by the council on August 11, 2020. Presented with additional information, the planning commission rescinded its certification on December 13, 2021. A year and a half may be nothing in a 20-year saga, but having granted rights for legal decisions and actions complicates matters.

The January 24 county council meeting included the introduction of new Board of Elections Director Tammy Stafford, a presentation by the Bellevue Passage Museum, requests for architectural and engineering services for the public safety complex, and retirement benefits for county EMTs, all followed by public comments in support of Reset Lakeside and the closing statements of our county council.

James Smullen shared comments submitted by supporters, mentioned a Reset Lakeside rally scheduled for February 4, and summarized by suggesting we “do the right thing.”

Having grown up on a farm in Trappe, William Turner recalled the east side of Route 50 being reserved for farming. That may have contributed to objections to the Lakeside development beginning two decades ago, but the town of Trappe’s current wastewater treatment concerns him now.

Retired development planning executive Tom Dennis politely insisted that the county must “get on with the business of planning.” With concerns for schools, the medical community, and public safety, he recommended the adoption of an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.

Susan DuPont suggested that Reset Lakeside presented opportunities to work with the Town of Trappe, and a resident of St. Michaels was concerned by Wye Mills’ record of noncompliance and years of pollution.

Chuck Powers, retired hydraulic engineer and resident of Talbot County, is concerned not only “where the water is going, but where it is coming from,” and some questionable data reported.

Bob Flowers’ commentary would be “short and sweet.” He suggested that 2,500 residences is “simply insane.” Closing statements from the council followed.

Council member Dave Stepp reported meeting with the Board of Education, Board of Elections, Parks and Recreation, and Community Center. Ice rink repairs are nearing completion, and “we should have ice this week.”

Keasha Haythe cited community efforts in support of the recent Martin Luther King Basketball Classic and Business Resources Fair and expressed concerns regarding Reset Lakeside communications.

Having sought legal counsel and MDE’s guidance, Vice President Pete Lesher has been advised that the planning commission’s rescission of its certification of Resolution 281 should have been made before the council’s approval. Likewise, Lakeside’s current permit cannot be rescinded now. But Lakeside has been delivered a setback, and we must recognize what can still be accomplished.

Lynn Mielke concurred that “our glass may be half full,” but MDE’s permit is “a win for slowing Lakeside’s progress.” The council is committed to keeping an eye on this development and exploring options.

Council President Chuck Callahan commended Vice President Lesher for his efforts and reminded us that we’re going to have a new comprehensive plan. “This council is going to take care of the county and do the best we can.”

Three phases of development are planned, but Lakeside has been put on a short leash, at least for now. 400 of 505 homes planned for phase one are currently permitted, but MDE has confirmed that further development requires permit modification and additional public scrutiny is welcomed.

The county must also approve additional wastewater treatment plans, as the County Water and Sewer Plan must be amended for change in land classification in order to become eligible for connection to a wastewater treatment plant.

Resolution 281 states, “Before the County Council may adopt the proposed amendment, the Talbot County Planning Commission must certify that the amendment is consistent with the 2016 Talbot County Comprehensive Plan.”

The 2016 comprehensive plan requires state of the art wastewater treatment for new development in Talbot County. As the passage of time can make a difference, the amendment submitted for the rescission of Resolution 281 by Talbot Integrity Project will not be considered. But resolutions the council could pass and support of our comprehensive plan are always welcomed.

Carol Voyles is a graphic designer/illustrator who retired to the Eastern Shore and became interested in politics. She serves as communications chair for the Talbot County Democratic Forum and lives in Easton.

Dear President Biden:

This is an urgent message. 

Send our M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. And do it soon. You have about 5,000 of them. Ukrainian forces say they need 500.  Surely you can spare some.  Maybe 250 or so?  Maybe that will stimulate Germany and Poland to send their Leopard 2 tanks. Together they can play a major role in helping turn the tide of battle.

And don’t listen to your senior aides when they give you a lot of excuses why it cannot be done. “They use jet fuel and only get 3 mpg. They are too hard to maintain. It will take too long to train Ukrainian troops to use them.”  

Please remember, Mr. President, that you have 10,000 troops stationed in Poland right now. Surely among those forces are resources to train Ukrainian soldiers how to operate the M1s and to maintain them. 

The negative excuses sound like a cover up for fear and timidity. “Oh, if we send tanks to Ukraine Mr. Putin will step up his efforts to crush the Ukrainian people. And he will take his war to the rest of Europe.”  

The facts do not bear this out. Vladimir Putin is on the ropes and this is the time Ukrainian troops should strike him with the strongest force possible 

He needs to be stopped now and he can be.  Consider his panicky efforts to enlarge his armed forces.  Throwing youngsters into the front lines with little training. Opening jails and giving prisoners freedom in exchange for military service. Allowing a mercenary force—the Wagner Group—to have a free hand in its private war against Ukraine. Changing battlefield leadership frequently. Running low on ammunition. Suffering much greater losses of men and equipment than he ever could have believed possible. 

You were born in November, 1942, a little more than two years after President Franklin Roosevelt announced support of Great Britain in its fight with Hitler. 

The war was going badly for Britain. They had lost eleven destroyers to the Germans in a ten-day period. Prime Minister Winston Churchill begged President Franklin Roosevelt for help.  The two concluded a deal in which the United States sent 50 destroyers to England in exchange for use of British naval bases in the Caribbean and Newfoundland.   That action led later, in March, 1941, to legislation on Roosevelt’s creative Lend-Lease program in which the United States pledged money and material to countries fighting against the Axis governments. And he succeeded in accomplishing this while faced with an isolationist Congress and citizens leery of doing anything that might cause the United States to become involved in a European war. 

Roosevelt’s courage in standing up to Hitler by supporting Britain, became a key element in his legacy. In the face of Congressional opposition, he had demonstrated presidential leadership overflowing with creativity, perseverance and persuasive power. 

You, sir, already have demonstrated leadership in supporting Ukraine and rallying others to do the same.  But there is much more to be done. 

The majority of Americans still favor sending material support to Ukraine. Negative rumblings about decreasing aid to Ukraine already are emerging from the new Congress.

Now is the time to act, Mr. President.  Send in the M1 Abrams tanks. 

Ross Jones is a former vice president and secretary emeritus of The Johns Hopkins University. He joined the University in 1961 as assistant to President Milton S. Eisenhower. A 1953 Johns Hopkins graduate, he later earned a Master’s Degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

I’ve recently learned a new word that I wish we hadn’t needed: polycrisis, first offered by Edgar Morin and Anne Brigitte Kern in their 1999 book Terre-Patrie (Homeland). It describes the complex enmeshment of large scale problems that must be understood and tackled as interconnected parts of a whole rather than separate and independent issues. Unsurprisingly, it’s gained traction in recent years. Last week’s World Economic Forum pushed it squarely into 2023 buzzword territory.

Relatedly, Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, shook people up by announcing that she will not seek re-election in the fall, and furthermore that she will step down in just a few weeks. Like all world leaders, Ardern has been swept into the chaos of the polycrisis as it has ricocheted around the globe. She distinguished herself and won admiration with swift, compassionate, and decisive responses to multiple major crises, including the Christchurch mosque shootings, which were the first ideologically-motivated mass killings and by far the deadliest attack in New Zealand’s history.

At the helm of an island nation with over 3,000 melting glaciers, she’s confronted the escalating climate emergency. She focused her government’s attention on reducing child poverty, including food and housing insecurity. There’s also been the small matter of protecting New Zealanders from a global pandemic—interwoven with a vitriolic, sometimes violent backlash from those who apparently resented living in one of the only places in the world where life expectancy actually increased from 2020 to 2022.

New Zealand is also part of the larger global community, so in addition to the above, Ardern has led through multiple other intertwined crises, including the war in Ukraine, wobbly democracies around the world, an unpredictable global economy, high energy costs, supply chain disruptions, global food shortages, and refugee and human rights crises.

Announcing her resignation, Ardern said “I know there will be much discussion in the aftermath of this decision as to what the so-called “real” reason was. I can tell you that what I am sharing today is it. The only interesting angle that you will find is that after going on six years of some big challenges, I am human.”

She was correct about the widespread discussion; much initial speculation centered around her falling approval ratings. Mere moments after the news broke, talking heads theorized with knowing smirks that, waning in popularity, she was reluctant to face an uncertain re-election effort. I believe the Prime Minister’s explanation, which is simpler yet more complex. Her ‘surprise’ announcement wasn’t surprising to anyone paying attention to leaders of all kinds and at all levels—especially women—in recent years. She joins a strikingly high number of CEOs, college presidents, hospital executives, school principals, elected officials, and business owners who have made similar decisions. Their specific roles and stressors, and the scale and nature of the pressures upon them vary, but for many people in positions of responsibility, the equation of resources versus demands has become impossible to balance. For a lot of accomplished and ambitious people, the expectation to carry on with business as usual is no longer viable, or simply no longer worth the cost.

Such is the nature of the polycrisis: too immersive to perceive clearly; too entangled to unravel one thread at a time; too fast-paced and widespread for standard problem-solving methods. Danny Ralph, Professor of Operations Research at Cambridge University, notes “If you don’t have this word in your vocabulary you might think ‘Don’t worry, we’ll fix this problem and get back to normal.’” Normal was reasonably predictable seasonal patterns, an upward trend in average human life expectancy, and democratic leaders reliably  staying in power as long as, but not longer than, their electorally-secured terms in office.

The polycrisis resonates from the highest geopolitical and global business stratosphere to the grassrootsiest levels of community, family, and individual. The effect is burnout and exhaustion and a level of social and market dysfunction that the world is reluctant to acknowledge, much less fix.

It sounds serious because it is. When a shooting star at the pinnacle of her career like Jacinda Ardern needs a timeout, something has to change. But there was a lot about normal that was never optimal, and change can bring improvement, if we let it. Just as the polycrisis has begun to scare us into using energy more responsibly, it could begin to encourage systems and institutions to use human capital with a little more care.

We haven’t yet discovered how this might look. Preventing the demands of leadership from destroying our leaders’ ability to lead may be even more complex than saving the planet for future generations while protecting and supporting today’s population with today’s technology and resources.

We can’t answer these questions on an individual level. What we can do is accept the complexity, recognize the needs directly in front of us, and offer grace and compassion to each other. We can believe that, in Jacinda Ardern’s words, “you can be kind but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused. And that you can be your own kind of leader – one who knows when it’s time to go.”

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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It is not every day that a former student and now good friend gets engaged at the White House, but, on December 13, 2022, Rod popped the question to his partner of eight years, Alex, at the White House signing ceremony for the Respect for Marriage Act. It was great to see their tweet (of course a tweet) and then to read the Religion News Service story about their engagement.   

For me, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, the day had double significance—not only did good friends become engaged, but now a federal statute requires states to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages. The act also invalidates the Defense of Marriage Act which had defined marriage as between “one man, one woman” and had permitted states to not recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Passage of the act was a positive note to end 2022. 

And yet, many challenges remain in 2023. Despite the Respect for Marriage Act, should the Supreme Court overturn its Obergefell v. Hodges decision (2015) that established a federal constitutional right to marry someone of the same sex, then that right would be in question in 35 states that have either a state statute, a state constitutional amendment or both prohibiting same sex marriages. The Obergefell decision, decided by only a 5-4 majority, was authored by Justice Kennedy whose seat now is filled by Justice Gorsuch. There is at least one justice who thinks the Court should revisit Obergefell, namely Justice Thomas, who said as much in his concurrence in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision which overturned the fifty-year precedent of Roe v. Wade.

The Court remains a focus for other reasons. The very same week that the House passed the final version of the Respect for Marriage Act the Court heard arguments in 303 Creative v. Elenis in which a Colorado web designer and evangelical Christian who does not support same sex marriage is arguing that she should not be required to design a wedding website for same sex couples because to do so would violate her freedom of speech. Colorado law prohibits businesses from discriminating against LGBTQ+ persons. Court observers predict that the conservative majority will side with the web designer.

And then there is the wave of state legislation and local school regulations targeting the rights of transgender and nonbinary persons.  A Washington Post article noted that in 2022 more anti-transgender laws were proposed than in any other year, laws which would limit participation on school sports teams to use of bathrooms to gender-affirming medical care.

Maryland, however, continues to protect its transgender and non-binary youth. In February 2022, the House of Delegates Ways and Means Committee unfavorably reported out HB 757 also known as the “Save Women’s Sports Act”  which would have barred transgender youth from participating on sports teams that reflected their gender identity and not their biological sex.

In May, our state enacted a law which requires private schools that receive state aid to not discriminate against students based on “race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.” 

Even more sobering than laws that target trans and non-binary youth is the rate of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth. Just three days after the Respect for Marriage Act was signed Henry Berg-Bousseau, the 24-year-old, transgender son of Dr. Karen Berg, a Kentucky state senator , committed suicide. Henry had been  a deputy press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT+ advocacy group. According to The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, “45% of LGBTQ youth considered attempting suicide in the past year” and “fewer than 1 in 3 transgender and nonbinary youth found their home to be gender-affirming.” 

And the violence against the LGBTQ+ community continues. Right-wing militia groups, such as the Patriot Front, have targeted the LGBTQ+ community. This past June, thirty-one Patriot Front members were arrested in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho before they were going to interfere with a Pride Festival there. And, in November, at the Colorado Springs LGBT club, Club Q, an assumed haven for the LGBTQ community, five persons were gunned down, among them two transgender persons. 

Safe havens are so important. I was encouraged to read that the three LGBTQ+ organizations at Washington College are active again after the effects of Covid on campus clubs. I hope that Kent County LGBTQ+ youth have safe havens where they can be who they are and be celebrated for who they are. 

I began this piece with Rod and Alex. Let me end with them. On June 26, 2015, the three of us were outside the Supreme Court with hundreds of others, waiting to hear what the Court had decided in the Obergefell case. I had flown in from Spokane, Washington where I was teaching and was at the Court with a dear friend. I’ll never forget the cheers that erupted when the crowd learned of the outcome. It was a joyful moment. The signing of the Respect for Marriage Act on December 13 was also a joyful moment. Yes, much has changed for the better, but meanness and discrimination and violence continue. Much work remains to achieve full equality. 

Kathryn Lee (Ph.D., J.D.), is  the former chair of the Political Science Department and Director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Whitworth University in Spokane, WA. Kathryn was recently profiles in the New Yorker which can be read here. She retired to Chestertown last July.