PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

That phrase – bemoaning the loss of civility — sticks in my mind, given the current state of politics in this country.

In my hearing, it was first uttered by General Colin Powell as he said he would not be running for president back about 10 years ago or so.

I wonder what he would say today.

It would be possible to indict all of the current presidential candidates on the loss of civility, which must be a foreign term to them.

Hillary Clinton dispenses favors to insiders when she holds government positions, then uses a personal e-mail system to avoid public disclosure. Bernie Sanders rails against government as he campaigns for socialism. Donald Trump spews rhetoric and bombast on almost any subject – no any subject – including ones you never thought you would hear in public. Ted Cruz wants everyone to adopt his brand of far right-wing conservatism. Marco Rubio tries to translate his inexperienced junior senator status into a credential.

But, for this post, I prefer to focus only on one, Donald Trump, who has stooped to new lows in political discourse.

Consider these positions he has advocated on the campaign trail:

• He says he will throw out all immigrants to the United States even as he demands that Mexico build a wall to keep immigrants out. Throwing out all immigrants includes children who were born in the U.S. and, as for Mexico, leaders say Trump can go to h_ _ _.

• He admires Vladimir Putin, even as the Russian leader kills those who oppose him, including journalists.

• He praises North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un as a credible leader by saying, “you’ve got to give him credit. He goes in, he takes over, he is the boss. It’s incredible. He wiped out the uncle, he wiped out this one, that one.”

• He ridicules a person with disabilities at one of his early campaign events.

• He appears to detest women, ridiculing a female journalist at one of the early debates and treating women as objects.

• He focuses in public on the size of his genitalia.

• He goes into bankruptcy several times, actions which give the lie to his so-called business acumen.

• He fails for several days to repudiate an endorsement from Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

• He says he will negotiate new trade agreements with such countries as China, even though the word “negotiate” should not be in this sentence because Trump says he would impose his will on other world leaders.

Civility? Far from it!

Further, it seems that, no matter what vulgarity Trump utters, his popularity among parts of the electorate continues to grow. The more vulgar he is the more supporters he gains.

If Trump wins the Republican nomination for President and Clinton wins the Democrat fight, many voters are likely to feel that Clinton is the lesser of two evils and thus will cast ballots for her.

For my part, as one American, I wish that we had better choices, which may mean that I will cast my vote for neither Trump nor Clinton come November. At least that way I’ll be true to my civility in politics.

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As a footnote, here is a list of the over-the-top quotes from Trump, all of which illustrate how he lacks the civility – read, honesty – to run for or be elected President of the United States:
“He referred to my hands, if they’re small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there’s no problem. I guarantee it.” – Donald Trump, bragging about his penis size in reference to a joke by Republican rival Marco Rubio, GOP presidential debate, March 3, 2016

“Just so you understand, I don’t know anything about David Duke, OK? I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don’t know. I don’t know — did he endorse me, or what’s going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.” –Donald Trump, refusing to condemn former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard and noted white supremacist David Duke, who endorsed Trump for president, February 28, 2016

“It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” –Donald Trump in a tweet quoting fascist Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, February 28, 2016

“We won with poorly educated. I love the poorly educated.” –Donald Trump on his performance with poorly educated voters who helped him win the Nevada Caucus, Feb. 23, 2016

“I love the old days, you know? You know what I hate? There’s a guy totally disruptive, throwing punches, we’re not allowed punch back anymore. … I’d like to punch him in the face, I’ll tell ya.” –Donald Trump on how he would handle a protester in Nevada, sparking roaring applause from the audience, February 22, 2016

“There may be somebody with tomatoes in the audience. If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Okay? Just knock the hell — I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.” –Donald Trump, encouraging violence at his rallies, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, February, 1, 2016

“For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful. I am proud to be a Christian. … If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS’ ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President because this would not have happened.” –Donald Trump, in response to remarks by Pope Francis saying that “a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian.” February 18, 2016

“That was so great. Who was the person who did that? Put up your hand, put up your hand. Bring that person up here. I love that.” –Donald Trump, praising two audience members who tackled a protester at his rally in South Carolina, February, 16, 2016

“I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, okay? It’s, like, incredible.” –Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Sioux Center, Iowa as the audience laughed, January 23, 2016

“Even a race to Obama, [Hillary Clinton] was gonna beat Obama. I don’t know who would be worse, I don’t know, how could it be worse? But she was going to beat – she was favored to win – and she got schlonged, she lost, I mean she lost.” – Donald Trump, using a vulgar Yiddish word in reference to Clinton

“I know where she went – it’s disgusting, I don’t want to talk about it. No, it’s too disgusting. Don’t say it, it’s disgusting.” – Donald Trump on Hillary Clinton taking a bathroom break during a Democratic presidential debate

“I think our country does plenty of killing also, Joe.” –Donald Trump, seemingly unconcerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin kills journalists who disagree with him, when pressed to condemn such actions in an interview with MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough

“There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down.” – Donald Trump, making an unfounded accusation regarding the 9/11 attacks

“Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” – Donald Trump campaign statement

“You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.” – Donald Trump, insulting Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly over questions she asked during the first Republican primary debate

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems…they’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” – Donald Trump

“He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.” – Donald Trump on John McCain

“The beauty of me is that I’m very rich.” – Donald Trump