What a week! Today is 01/21/21, a symmetrical date unlikely to be back any time soon. This Postcard, from a Swamp perspective, is a happy one. Mr. Biden was safely inaugurated yesterday, though it required locking-down the capital with the greatest number of troops on the streets since the Civil War. There is a sense of relief that there was no challenge to peaceful change, except in Portland and Seattle. Far away from this secure city.

In our old line of work, there Is still some lingering uncertainty. Gen. Austin requires a waiver from Congress to serve as SECDEF, but it may come. Other new picks throughout the leadership seem likely to be confirmed without issue. Former CIA director John Brennan is out front on transition issues, which tells you that people involved in the last tenuous transition are comfortable that those issues appear to have been buried. Issue, issue, issue.

The primary issue I had feared was the appearance of a ‘black swan’ event in the last few days before the inauguration. But the show of force may have worked, and there is an eerie sense of tranquility in the air this morning. The coverage of the inauguration ceremony was singularly upbeat, and included fashion tips on the participants.

The mass signing of Executive Orders following the pageant, and kicked off what used to be a honeymoon for the new administration. In this one, we are supposed to mask-up on all Federal property for the hundred days, while we rejoin the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate agreement.

But those things are relatively minor in the great scheme. There is peace in the streets, or at least the ones east of Seattle. That is good. There is now a certainty about some important things to us creatures of the mire. Like what to plan, and to whom the plans are for. There is the possibility that an overabundance of stimulating funds could create some gigantic bubbles in sectors of the economy. The threat is there, but it is balanced by a general consensus that extravagant spending is a concern that will have to be dealt with “presently.”

But that is not how things work. The Blue states have to be bailed out after their extraordinary COVID shutdowns, and I am proud to be part of that effort. As is everyone who does not live in a blue city, I assume. In order to fix their problems, tons of billions of dollars will go into whatever sort of relief act is passed. It will include all sorts of vital things, like other stimulus bills did. The Kennedy Center must be protected.

There will be a ton of fresh money to spread around. I base some of my planning for business the need for new analytic capabilities to track domestic terrorism, which according to some now includes about half the registered voters. It will be interesting to follow the new opportunities from a contracting perspective.

Anyway, there is peace in the valleys and most of the streets. There is the real possibility that commutes may get back to normal in DC, maybe in electric cars. There will certainly be some exciting new opportunities in Government requirements. Forward!

Copyright 2021 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com