The World Stands with Ukraine!

This has been a tough week for anyone who watches the news. It is difficult to watch beautiful cities being destroyed and their peaceful citizens fighting and dying all because of a little man and his paranoid ideas. A little man with nukes, we are reminded.

These events brought to mind the words of an ancient Chinese philosopher-Lao Tse-the founder of Taoism and author of many wise words:

If there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors, there must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart.

 

As I write on a Sunday evening, fighting continues on the streets and in the countryside of a country of 44 million people. A country that threatened no one, attacked no other country, and fought for its right to exist. It was attacked by a bully, who lied to justify sending his troops across their common borders and from neighboring countries once controlled by the USSR. President Putin of Russia is described as having become increasingly isolated during the pandemic and obsessed with restoring what he considered the glory of the Soviet Union.

What he started in Crimea, and with the Russian separatists in the southern part of Ukraine, he wanted to finish by restoring a puppet government in Kyiv. A puppet government, installed with the help of Paul Manafort, was overthrown by the Orange Revolution, and Democratic elections installed popular Presidents. The Ukrainians were proud of their democracy, imperfect as it was. The country was working to overthrow a history of corruption, which was a remnant of the Soviet era.

As described by Thomas Friedman in the New York Times today, the world has never seen a war like this before. Russian tank movements are being shown on Google maps so that the Ukrainians can avoid the convoys as they move to leave the country. As he says, “the Cossacks meet the World Wide Web.” While Putin tries to pull Ukraine back into Russia’s fold, Ukraine is already moving toward the European Union, its largest trading partner. It wants to join NATO, which Putin claims threatens his nation and he is trying to demand that Ukraine give up that membership dream. Russia ringed three sides of the nation with troops, tanks, and additional firepower; when the invasion started, it came into the country from every direction, land, air, and sea and quickly belied the claim that this was a war to rescue the Russian-speaking people from oppression, Nazis and drug dealers. Drones, missiles, cyber-warfare, and bombs all attacked cities and the countryside as citizens, trained with weapons and fought back, formed neighborhood patrols, and prepared Molotov cocktails to throw at tanks.

At the United Nations, no nation joined Russia in its denial of passaging a resolution condemning the invasion; even its good communist friend-China-abstained. And, why not, China has more trade agreements with Ukraine than it has with Russia. The world spoke out and created sanctions to punish Putin and his cronies. When he did not stop his advance, the penalties increased and the international banking system closed off contact with Russian banks and transactions in the country. Sports events were rescheduled from Russian sites; the Russian airline Aeroflot was banned from most European airspace. BBC is reporting that the Russian currency, the rouble, is already decreasing in value by 30%. NATO nations moved troops into countries bordering Ukraine and Russia and several sent millions of armaments to Ukraine. Germany took the extraordinary step of suspending the agreement for the Nord Stream pipeline, which will harm its need for gas supplies.

Meanwhile, across the world, citizens of many countries have taken to marching in the streets to support the Ukrainian people and against the Russian invasion. Even in Russia, many people marched in defiance of their government’s actions and thousands have been arrested in 44 cities across the country. In response to these protests, access to the internet has been restricted; Facebook has taken down many false claims made by the government as the misinformation wars also increased. NATO has been accused by Putin of taking threatening actions against Russia, which is untrue. He has conjured up many versions of these truths; these myths can be refuted here. To see the 30 countries in NATO and their borders, there is an interactive map here.

Ukrainians have asked the Red Cross to come in and help claim the bodies of Russian soldiers that were left on the battlefields as the troops marched forward. There have been over 300 civilian casualties and reportedly over 3000 Russians killed, but those numbers are not verified. Russian troops are said to be demoralized as they expected to be welcomed as liberators and, sometimes, were not eager to fight. Commentators have considered that the Russian population was not prepared for tragic events, such as body bags. However, with reported nearby Russian troop numbers of over 150,000, there are plenty of troops in reserve, should the cease-fire not happen; the major cities are still under assault.

So, what happens next? Well, there is supposed to be a cease-fire meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and a Russian one tomorrow at the Belarussian border. Will Putin give up on his idea of replacing the elected government with his chosen puppets? Will there then be a guerrilla war? Few expect the talks will make a difference as they expect the Russian side to make demands, which will be rejected. Putin has been threatening that he might use tactical nuclear weapons; to do this in a country as densely populated as Ukraine would be a crime against humanity.

NPR reports also noted that the Russians had “kill lists,” and the list “is said to include journalists, activists, ethnic and religious minorities, and LGBTQ Ukrainians. Other likely targets include opponents of Russia’s strategic goals and dissidents from Russia and Belarus who have taken refuge in Ukraine.” President Zelensky and members of his government are also supposedly on the lists.

The United States offered to give President Zelensky a safe exit from the country as troops closed in on Kyiv, but he refused, stating that he would stay and fight with his countrymen; that “he needed ammunition, not a ride.”

Usually, in times of international strife, people in the US rally behind their president, however with this current state of extreme partisanship, some Republicans are blaming President Biden for this crisis, saying Biden is weak and this would never have happened under DJT. President Biden stepped up, declassified certain messages, and rallied NATO and others in the EU to support opposition to the Russian threats by adding sanctions; the former President is calling Putin a genius, like others in his party and on FOX News, agree and have opposed Ukraine. These opinions are more than dishonorable, they are also extremely disturbing. I applaud the President for showing leadership.

I have no crystal ball and I cannot imagine these concerns having a happy ending. For how long can Molotov cocktails and civilian militias hold out against tanks and missiles? What has to happen, so that Putin saves face and withdraws? How can the Ukrainians get their country back from this edge of uncertainty? Who will pay for the restoration of this country when hostilities cease, assuming the Russians lose this effort? The world can hope for peace.

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Mask requirements now depend on the level of infection in your area. While Montgomery County levels are under at 3%. Frederick County is still considered in the Substantial High-Risk infection range at 8%, so masks are advised. The MD Board of Education has made mask-wearing decisions up to each school board. MD has a vaccination rate of 74%. Disease rates have fallen across the country, so there is hope that we are over this surge. MD has finally tallied over one million cases, while the US is closing in on one million deaths. Total deaths are under 2000 for the first time in months.

,COVID Stats – NY Times:,

US Totals: Total Cases: 78,834,025. New Cases: 65,858.

                   Total Deaths: 946,817. New Deaths: 1867.

Maryland Totals: Total Cases: 1,002,153. New Cases: 536.

                              Total Deaths: 14,119. New Deaths: 15.

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This has been a momentous week with the selection of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as President Bidens’ nominee for the vacancy on the Supreme Court when Justice Breyer steps down. This judge is a formidable nominee, graduating from Harvard College and the Harvard Law School, where she served on the law review and graduated with honors before clerking for Justice Breyer. Jackson practiced law, served as a federal public defender, and was on the sentencing commission before being chosen to serve as a judge. She has already been confirmed by the Senate several times as she moved up the stages on the Federal courts to her current position on the court, which is considered a stepping stone to the court. If the Senate agrees, she would be the first African-American woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court. However, Senators Graham and Collins, both Republicans who voted for her on her earlier positions, are now making nonsensical partisan noises and refusing to commit to approving her nomination. I hope their better visions will emerge.

‘Til next week: let’s hope for world peace.

Lying and Cheating

 

The United States celebrates Presidents’ Day this week, which honors Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Washington supposedly did not lie and, as a child, admitted to chopping down a cherry tree to try out his new ax. Perhaps the story is a fable, but it is a good moral lesson for children to learn about our first president. One of Lincoln’s nicknames was “Honest Abe”, as he was considered to be a man of his word. How times have changed!

Transition now to our most recent president (DJT) who set no example for our children about moral behavior. On the campaign trail, he regularly cursed during his speeches, something no modern president has done. He lied while in office and continues to lie as a private citizen. DJT reportedly cheated associates and students at his university, refused to pay many hired contractors, and misled his accountants. The American people were told falsehoods about COVID treatments and their severity when he had information that was the opposite of what he said in public. He silenced the officials who did not agree with him about public health and safety.

Even after his contracted scientists rapidly developed saving vaccines, he was reluctant to promote them because many of his supporters had become vaccine deniers and mask averse. When he belatedly promoted the vaccine booster, many in his audiences booed; he could have led them, but he decided to instead follow their misguided opinions.

Of course, his continued utterances against the 2020 election outcomes have been nothing but lies and he persists in efforts at the state level to push the ideas that many votes then were fraudulent. As a result, legislatures, dominated by Republicans in red states, have doubled down, repeated his lies, and treated them as truths. Now many are trying to outdo the previous excesses and mistruths. Republican Party members in Florida, Georgia, and Texas are being joined by others in Arizona and Wisconsin in still trying to recount or deny the last election and prevent fair voting in the 2022 elections. Ron DeSantis in Florida is urging multiple extreme measures to be passed in the Florida legislature and is trying to ban public demonstrations.

There are many reports that members of the Republican Party in Florida visited several elderly or minority housing developments in South Florida, supposedly to help the residents update their voting registrations. Instead, they re-registered the residents, altering their party status to Republican from the previous status as Democrats. Many of the voters first learned of this when they received their new ID cards as Republicans; for several people, these cards were received too late to fix the status before the primary, thus keeping them from any action as a partisan primary voter. Florida primaries are closed, meaning Democrats vote for Democrats and Republicans can vote for candidates in their party. The voters whose registrations were changed are essentially disenfranchised until their status can be fixed. However, as the Florida Republican Party has shown, lying and cheating worked for them!

The saying from Mark Twain: “A lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots,” appears to be appropriate here. Truth has gotten precious little fanfare these days as the noisy liars drown out the truth-tellers. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has joined with the former president and is now supporting a primary opponent to former Republican Party leader Liz Cheney in her 2022 Congressional race. Cheney, a true Conservative, but an opponent of the insurrection and a member of the House Select January 6^th Committee, has also incurred the wrath of the Republican National Committee, perhaps at the urging of the former president and the MAGA folks in the party. Because she is truth-seeking, she has been abandoned by her party.

Now onto the international scene: The Russians and the Olympics.

Well, first the President, Vladimir Putin as a liar, he is a champion. He lied when he went into Georgia, Moldova, and Crimea. Why should we expect him to do otherwise now as he threatens Ukraine? He went into each of those states under the pretext of protecting native Russians who lived there from genocidal actions by the local state government. Those claims were false. In Crimea, infiltrators were sent in to destabilize the government and cause disruptions. In Eastern Ukraine, uniformed troops without insignia were sent to take over local governments with the help of Russian-speaking expatriates. The government in Kyiv was against a Russian invasion and fought back. Now, eight years later, they continue to fight skirmishes against the Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk region. Shells were sent into that region this week, frightening the residents; Putin sent buses to help evacuate women and children to Russia, promising them a modest stipend upon arrival. Men and boys were encouraged to remain and take up arms. Many reporters noted the shells came not from the Ukrainian forces nearby but probably came from the separatists themselves in an attempt to provoke further battles. Again, Putin went on the air in Russia to decry this assault on Russians and the threat of genocide-all from one car bomb and a few shells that injured no one. Few westerners were fooled this time; they had seen this show before.

As I write tonight, Russian forces surround Ukraine on three sides and are supposed to number close to 200,000 troops. Battleships are in the seas off Crimea, armored tanks, artillery, and field hospitals support the deployed military. This certainly looks like a war is imminent. President Biden, relying on intelligence reports, indicates that it is close and threatens extreme sanctions if this invasion goes forward. News reports state that if Ukraine is not invaded that the US and Russian leaders will meet at a summit on eastern Europe soon. New analysts say Putin is paranoid and believes that NATO threatens his security; he did not want Ukraine to join NATO. NATO does not want it to be a member until the nation is a more mature democracy and has a stable government with less corruption. When DJT was president, he worked to destabilize NATO, demanding that governments pay more for the defense forces. He moved troops from Germany and took other negative measures, much to Putin’s pleasure. Putin did not want a strong unified force; now many claim his aggression has created the unity he feared. NATO continues, because of President Biden’s urging, to speak with one voice and oppose the Russian actions. We all can hope that somehow an invasion can be prevented and the aggressive forces will retreat. As I often say, fingers are crossed.

Elsewhere in China, Russian athletes competed with those of many other countries in the Winter Olympics. For the ice skaters, however, cheating was in vogue. The premier ice skater who had given a stellar performance to the tune of Bolero was a talented 15-year-old girl who was in first place after the first competition round, had been belatedly reported as testing positive for a banned substance in December. This substance, a heart medication often given to seniors, does not enhance performance but might enable endurance. Mixed with this drug were two others that are not banned. No explanation was offered for any of the drugs and the Olympic committee was uncertain what to do about awarding medals, should she medal in the competition. When she skated on her last performance, she fell and missed some of her planned moves, but still came in fourth place. So, the committee dodged a bullet and did not have to worry about awarding her a medal. However, the issue of anorectic 15-year-olds who were given drugs by adults was brushed aside and not dealt with. As the girl left the ice in tears, she was berated by her coach and isolated by her teammates. Discussions are being held to consider raising the performance age to 18, which should defuse the problems of young girls being abused and harming their bodies permanently with intense training and dangerous skating moves. Lying and cheating were prominent here as well.

The nation of China again displayed former tennis star Peng Shuai as a spectator at the games and announced that she had recanted her claims against a senior Chinese Party official, was free to move about and was retiring from tennis. IOC chair Bach, an apologist for the Chinese gave her cover, it seems. The Chinese used a Uyghur athlete to light the Olympic flame in a crass effort to say the Uyghurs are free to move about and are not being subjected to slave labor and reeducation camps. Relatively few people were convinced, despite this showmanship. I think that lying is prevalent here also, don’t you?

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Cases of COVID are decreasing nationally although the daily death rates remain high. Several states have made masks optional; testing and vaccinations continue. Maryland currently has the lowest case rate in the country.

COVID Stats – NY Times

US Totals: Total Cases: 78,378,525. New Cases: 102,590.

Total Deaths: 933,899. New Deaths: 2,184.

Maryland Totals: Total Cases: 998,398. New Cases: 735.

Total Deaths: 14,011. New Deaths: 13.

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Before I close, I want to send thanks to all the athletes who competed for the US in China, and, while we applaud each of the medalists, I also want to thank those who showed up and gave their best efforts at their sports, winning or not.

This has been a kinda down week, so I leave you with some fun panda photos here:

‘Til next week-peace!

Is Black History Month Endangered?

Historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland established a society for the study of Negro life in the early twentieth century. In 1926, they created a Negro History week in February. They chose the second week in February to honor the birthdays of President Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, which were commemorated during that week. According to History.com, the idea for a Black History month was formally presented in 1970 and was signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1976. It has been observed annually across the country since that time.

The month currently also is celebrated in Canada, the United Kingdom, and several other countries, so the story is understood to have an international interest. The names of people prominent in the Civil Rights movement, those accomplished in literature and history, music, and entertainment, are taught to students worldwide. Now, because of the movement against racial truth-telling, the laws being passed in at least 19 states prohibiting the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) may threaten subjects being taught during Black History Month.

According to an article in the New York Times, the Oklahoma legislation is like laws in other states and notes: “educators are barred from teaching that people are responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex and cannot tell students that anyone should feel discomfort, guilt or anguish. …because of their race or sex.” An Oklahoma teacher reported that he might have said previously that white residents In Texas worked to preserve slavery, but now would hesitate to say “white”. In the article, some teachers described the legislation’s effect as chilling, causing them to worry about termination if they misspoke.

Legislation passed in Texas and New Hampshire caused one teacher to remove the Black Lives Matter sign from her classroom, even as the governor claimed that the legislation does not prevent anyone from teaching about racism, sexism, or slavery. Clearly, the issue of race must be mentioned in any discussion of slavery, after all, who were the plantation owners (white men), who did they enslave (Black people); seems pretty straightforward to me. Certainly, slavery should not be mentioned as describing plantations as places where the enslaved lived comfortably and who were well cared for, as some have claimed.

Black history is more than slavery, of course, but the achievements of many historical figures that the students will learn about need to be understood against the shadow of the obstacles in their way. I wonder, will the students will be taught, for example, about the massive resistance to school integration, the closing of all Virginia public schools, the virulence of the white mobs protesting integration, and the assault by law enforcement officers against peaceful voting rights marchers? If this may not be taught, just what is permissible?

The Washington Post also had an article about some changes Florida is implementing in its so-called anti-woke campaign. Laws have already been passed that allow parents to challenge or sue schools over curriculum items they believe can cause discomfort. Other bills under consideration can allow book banning, prohibit teachers from discussing sexual orientation in primary school and allow parents to review curriculum content they consider improper. They promote teaching the Declaration of Independence and patriotism but discourage teaching about world wars, the Civil War, and civil rights. Teachers say teaching about the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, and slavery is bound to cause some discomfort, but that is why it must be taught.

Some say these measures are being promoted to enhance Gov. DeSantis and his quest for the Republican Presidential nomination, should the current front runner-DJT-fail. So, he is trying to outdo the already outlandish anti-vax positions currently in play, to woo away the MAGA crowd. This may also be the reason he was so much against vaccinations and mask mandates. He complained that the Biden administration would not give his state enough Monoclonal Antibodies to treat his COVID victims, even though that drug would not work against the Omicron variety. DeSantis was opening clinics to promote the drug instead of giving vaccines. Recently President Biden spoke out against proposed anti-LBGTQ legislation named “don’t say gay” which is making its way through the Florida legislative bodies. The closer one gets to 2024, the more outrageous the ideas being concocted may become.

There are some parental groups forming to speak out about excesses such as these across the country. Heather Cox Richardson mentioned a group of suburban women who created a group called Red, Wine, and Blue in 2018, as did the Washington Post.

They can be found on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/redwineblueusa

In Florida, some parental groups are forming in opposition to the groups challenging school boards and curriculum decisions from the right in attempts to make the educational system responsive to all parents and address the diverse needs of those in the system. They emphasize fact-based teaching from textbooks based on actual truths. I do hope that these types of groups will expand before the mid-terms.

The January 6^th Select Committee continues investigating events around that day and recently requested former trade advisor Peter Navarro to give a deposition; of course, he declined, citing he needed permission from the former President. He has written a book about that day, but cannot testify, interesting. The National Archives made news as it demanded the return of some 15 boxes of documents, some labeled top secret that were improperly taken to Mar-a-Lago by the former president. In any other universe, this would be a criminal offense, but DJT does not seem to believe he has to follow any rules. Reports by both the Times and the Post this week again addressed his refusal to follow rules about document preservation and noted that he regularly tore up important papers; the staff went behind him and tried to tape the torn-up papers back together. He also reportedly tossed torn documents down the toilet in the White House and on foreign trips; plumbers were called in to unclog the pipes. Doesn’t this seem really strange to you? It does to me. The White House staff are not supposed to use everyday shredders, but rather place particular documents in “burn bags” for secure and non-secure documents with further evaluations later.

On the local front, Governor Hogan announced he would not run for the Senate seat currently held in Maryland by Democrat Chris Van Hollen; Senator McConnell had been encouraging him to run. Hogan left open queries whether he would run for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024. He has been trying to promote the idea of moderate Republicans, an ever-decreasing number, it seems. Leader McConnell spoke out against the Censure movement voted in by the RNC last week chastising Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger, leading to further divisions in the party. In another example of the lack of intelligence exhibited by some members, Georgia Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene railed against the Gazpacho police spying being promoted by Democrats on House members. Some are now referring to the Soup Nazis of Seinfeld fame. It has been a week!

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Covid is still with us, but the number of cases is decreasing and are down some 75% from recent weeks. Lagging indicators, deaths, are still high; we are still tallying 2500 deaths each day. Several states are dropping mask mandates as their numbers improve; the CDC is urging caution. Pfizer did not get as much immune response in its tests for the 2-5-year-olds getting the vaccine, so they have held off asking for an emergency approval from the FDA. Parents of toddlers sighed yet again.

COVID stats – NY Times:

US Totals: Total Cases: 77,629,672. New Cases: 174,592.

Total Deaths: 948,373. New Deaths: 2,465.

Maryland Totals: Total Cases: 970,566. New Cases: 822.

Total Deaths: 13,917. New Deaths: 28.

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As I write, the stand-off by the truckers on the US-Canadian bridges and city streets is being broken up by Canadian authorities after a state of emergency was declared by the Governor of Ontario. The protests, supposedly against vaccine mandates to enter the US, but which attracted many fringe elements, have paralyzed much of the auto industry in the two country areas, as supplies have been disrupted. Estimates of lost wages over the week of the protest are in the billions. Fox News and other right-wing media have been supporting the movement, the MAGA mobs and the former president also jumped on the issue, egging on the protesters. Perennial vagabonds, Senators Cruz and Paul had to get in on the glory as well. FYI, over 85% of Canadian truckers were already vaccinated; the Teamsters are not supporting these efforts.

That’s all folks- LA Rams won the Super Bowl; in case you didn’t watch.

“Til next week-Peace!

Pence Says No More

Last week former Vice President Mike Pence was the keynote speaker at a Florida meeting of the conservative Federalist Society. He surprised his audience when he broke with his former running mate (DJT) and clearly stated that he was wrong when he claimed that Pence could have changed the results of the election in his ceremonial role during the counting of the elector votes. To resounding applause, he continued, stating that January 6^th was a dark day for America and that no one man had the right to select the President in America.

So, what is next for Pence? Will there be a place for him in DJT’s Republican Party? This party just censured the two Republican members of the Select House Committee investigating the events of January 6^th at a periodic party meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The incredible resolution was approved with no open discussion, by a voice vote, almost unanimously by the delegates. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that it said in part:

“WHEREAS, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse, and they are both utilizing their past professed political affiliation to mask Democrat abuse of prosecutorial power for partisan purposes, therefore, be it- RESOLVED: 

That the Republican National Committee hereby formally censures Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and shall immediately cease any and all support of them as members of the Republican Party for their behavior which has been destructive to the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic, and is inconsistent with the position of the Conference.”

Republican senator Mitt Romney (UT) condemned the move and said on Twitter:

“Shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol. Honor attaches to Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for seeking truth even when doing so comes at great personal cost.”

Romney is one of the few Republicans who voted for the impeachment of the former president and has been consistent in the condemnation of his actions.

It is ironic that his niece, Ronna Romney McDaniel, is the head of the Republican National Committee (RNC) and has been all-in on supporting the lies of the former president. The party is even paying many of the legal bills for the appeals and other court battles he became embroiled in.

As reported in Vanity Fair, DJT has recently upped his attacks on his former sycophantic Veep, even calling for an investigation of his actions on January 6^th. Almost a year later, after Pence certified Biden’s win, the former president told ABC’s Jonathan Karl that his former V.P. deserved the chants on January 6 calling for his hanging. The Washington Post opined that the departure by Pence was not such a noble act of courage, since he was being trashed more frequently in recent weeks. And, while he has not yet testified before the Select Committee, his aides have given several hours of testimony and assisted in the transmission of important documents. Perhaps Pence might be the next one the RNC chastises, who knows? I think he is probably not likely to testify, but it appears that his aides can provide much of the information he might relate to. He has already released some of his communications stating why he believed that his role at the Certification was to accept the votes and note them. This was purely ceremonial, and he had no authority to do otherwise.

Now that the National Archives have released many of the documents the former president tried so hard to protect, the Committee is learning many formerly unknown details about the days surrounding the insurrection. One surprising fact reported by the Washington Post (well, I guess it should not be so surprising since he flouted many rules) was that DJT tore up many official communications and other documents which by law under the Official Presidential Records Act must be preserved and stored. Many of the documents the committee has received have been taped back together by staff to allow them to be read. Hundreds of hours of testimony have now been logged by the staff investigators, most of who are former prosecutors. It has recently been revealed that, besides previously reported efforts to use the Military to seize voting machines, the White House also tried to get Homeland Security and NSA to take actions to prove the election was stolen. Rumors of foreign influences or voting machine mishaps were circulating and the White House wanted the NSA to investigate phone records of certain “suspicious actors”.

The NY Times reported recently that the committee is using methods that have been employed in criminal prosecutions of organized crime activities. If you remember, when DJT’s former lawyer/fixer, Michael Cohen, testified before Congress during the Mueller investigation, much of the vocabulary used and the actions described reminded many of dialogue from crime shows; the only odd thing was, it was from daily activities in the entrepreneurial world of the former president. Paying off strippers or mistresses was nothing new, nor was killing tell-all stories in deals with sensational tabloids. By reviewing phone records, the committee has learned that Congressman Jim Jordan spoke with the White House on the morning of January 6^th, not later in the day, as he has claimed. Conspiracy theorist host Alex Jones claimed he took the Fifth for many of the questions he was asked when he appeared before the committee, but he said, they had my phone records and emails, so they already knew the answers. If he had communicated with someone who provided their side of the conversation in emails or memos sent, then he could not restrict those communications. The phone records received are just noting the calls between identified numbers and the length of the calls; they do not have information on the content of such calls.

But, as all know, the committee has yet to hold open hearings. They need to do this sooner, rather than later, as the opposition is trying to delay, delay, delay, hoping the investigation will run into the midterm elections and be stymied. Congressman Jamie Raskin, a member of the select committee, has said he hopes the hearings will start in late April or early May and be held in prime time, so the American people can get the true story of what happened that day and how the former president was complicit in those destructive acts. While the committee cannot prosecute, but only issue findings and recommend related legislation, many on the committee hope the Attorney General will take up their findings and bring them before a grand jury. Representative Liz Cheney has noted she believes that several actions of the former president crossed the threshold into illegal acts and deserve prosecution. Doing that would be a step that many do not think that this cautious Attorney General will take; however, as we have not yet seen all the evidence that the committee has, those moves are unclear.

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Omicron sub-variant BA.2 is now identified in half the states, according to data from the Mayo Clinic, but it is not yet dominant here as it is in Denmark, where it accounts for 95% of the new cases. The current vaccination covers this variant. In the United States, Omicron cases have dropped along the Eastern US by 50% in some states and 70% in Maryland. Vaccination rates continue to creep up in the country and in Maryland, which has now reached 73%; (Frederick County reports 75%). West Virginia currently has the highest rates of hospitalization and is among the lowest in vaccination rates. Even with these decreases, we are averaging over 2500 new cases daily and will expect to record over one million deaths soon.

Covid Stats NY Times:

U.S. Totals: Total Cases: 76,419,014. New Cases: 295,922.

                   Total Deaths: 901,405. New Deaths: 2,565.

Maryland Totals: Total cases: 964,815. New cases: 1,478.

                               Total deaths: 13,724. New Deaths: 37.

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To the surprise of many, the January jobs report demonstrated a strong showing for new jobs with 467,000 new hires and a revision upwards from the previous two months to over 700,000. Unemployment rose a bit, but those numbers might reflect new people entering the jobs markets. Then our troops located the head of ISIS, who killed himself and his family by detonating a bomb, before he could be captured. This terrorist was said to be the cruel person behind the massacre and sexual enslavement of the Yazidi ethnic group in Iraq. This was a good news week for President Biden, who could use a few more enjoyable weeks. Next, he has to slow down inflation, solve the Ukrainian crisis with Russia and hold the EU and NATO nations together in opposition to Russia’s aggression. Oh, and deal with recalcitrant Democrats, along the way.

The Washington Football Team (WFT) introduced the team’s new name after an 18-month search with polls and focus groups…. drum roll, please…. it is….The Commanders…!!  If you are like me, you remain underwhelmed. No new name would be an improvement if this is the best that they can do, IMHO. [Many have said since that is the name of the Oppressors in The Handmaids Tale, the selection committee must not be very well read.] I am also not thrilled with the month-long honoring of the military by the NFL each fall, with staff wearing fatigues. Bad idea, NFL. We are a peace-loving nation, not a militaristic one, and this practice encourages a combat image. I do not mean this comment to disparage the enlisted military, but with all the local militias already out there (Three percenters, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and others) as seen on January 6^th, do we need to cheer them on? As for the NFL sitting on sexual misconduct claims against the WFT, do we need this? Transparency, folks!

‘Til next week-Peace!