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 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.

One of my favorite political quotes of all time belongs to General Colin Powell who, when he decided not to run for president a number of years ago, provided one of main reasons:

“I bemoan the loss of civility in politics.”

Well, I am no Colin Powell, but I share his perspective.

So does James Hohmann writing in the Washington Post this week:

“Another idea:  Showing some basic manners and civility might help heal some of our national wounds.”

Hohmann reports that two former White House social secretaries, Jeremy Bernard and Lea Berman, have co-authored a new book called: “Treating People Well: The Extraordinary Power of Civility at Work and In Life.”

Bernard worked for Barack and Michelle Obama from 2011 to 2015, and Berman worked for George and Laura Bush from 2005 to 2007.

In their book, they write: “Some people heap disrespect on anyone who dares oppose them, tap into anger and manipulate it for their own benefit, and don’t seem to see anything wrong with that. If bad behavior is contagious — as many studies have shown it is — we’re in an epidemic.”

The elephant in room, but not called out by name, is President Trump.

Roxanne Roberts writing in the Post’s Style section, put it this way:

“His belittling tweets and personal insults are the antithesis of conventional presidential discourse. Some people see the blunt language and name-calling as a sign of principle and strength.  Or are they just bad manners? Call it what you will, but it’s bad for the country.

“Good people can and do disagree, but a lack of basic respect is corrosive and crippling to democracy itself.”

One of the authors of the book mentioned above said “I think that treating people well now could be seen as a form of passive resistance and a rejection of what we see in the public arena. For generations, we’ve looked to our leaders and followed their behavior. Now, maybe the leaders need to look at the people and the way we conduct our lives. … In the past, presidents did not speak ill of others in a personal way. It seems to be something this president is comfortable with.”

How can we make an uncivil world more civil? Ignore as much of lack of civility as you can. Deflect what you can’t ignore. Consider viewpoints other than your own may have merit. And when things are really terrible, refuse to be drawn into the drama of the bad behavior because that’s usually what the person behaving badly is seeking – affirmation.

As I write this, politicians in the Nation’s Capitol are stuck in a government shutdown, which is a tribute to bad blood and immaturity on both sides – in other words, lack of civility. To hear both sides talk, it is as if they hate the other side.

I was struck earlier this week when one national news outlet gave Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, clearly a junior senator, time to utter standard Democrat themes blaming Republicans and President Trump for everything.

Almost at the same time, Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee was mouthing just the reverse – blame Democrats.

No less a Republican leader than House Speaker Paul Ryan said this: “Mr. Ryan told cheering GOP lawmakers that Republicans had been reasonable while Democrats had overreached and that the minority party was now seeking a way out. The federal government is needlessly shut down because of Senate Democrats.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was over-the-top in his anti-Trump and anti-Republican comments on the Senate floor. He labeled the shutdown, “The Trump Shutdown,” only to receive a rejoinder from Republicans, labeling the impasse the “Schumer Shutdown.”

So, again, lack of civility prevails in Washington, D.C. Whose fault? Both sides!

Let’s hope for a return to civility and a mature ability to get business done for the benefit of those in the general public who want good government.