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.

I cannot believe that President Donald Trump doesn’t try to capitalize more on the state of the U.S. economy, which, on his watch, is growing at a record pace.

He may not be solely or directly responsible for the growth, but presidents often live or die politically with the state of the economy.

Trump should be living!

Of course, instead of emphasizing the positive character of what is occurring, he takes three other actions: (1) he continues to blame everyone else for the Mueller investigation troubles, including guilty results for two of his long-time colleagues, Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort; (2) he risks economic gains by threatening more tariffs and roiling the stock market; and (3) he intentionally snubs U.S. hero John McCain at the time of his death.

The dissonance could not be greater.

This was called to mind for me when I read a column by Jason Riley in the Wall Street Journal. Here is what he wrote:

“Take the economy, which is faring better under Trump by many measures than it has in a generation or longer. Each week throughout this summer has brought almost nothing but economic sunshine. The pace of factory hiring has more than doubled since last year. A July survey from the National Federation of Independent Business notes that optimism among small-business owners, who employ nearly half the nation’s private-sector workforce, is at levels not seen since 1983. Wages are also increasing, which was reflected in a Commerce Department report last week that showed retail sales—on groceries, restaurants and clothing—far exceeding economic forecasts and surging at double the rate of inflation.

‘The best feature of this economic growth is its inclusiveness. The simultaneous gains among various demographic groups is something the country hasn’t experienced in a long time, if ever. Older workers, women, minorities, seniors and the less-educated all are faring better in the labor force today than they did under President Obama. The jobless rate for Americans age 16 to 24 hit a 50-year low this summer. In May, the black unemployment rate dipped to 5.9 per cent, the lowest number on record at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. People who had stopped looking for work are sending out resumes. More people are quitting jobs because they are confident that a better one awaits. Employers are increasing perks and benefits in an effort to attract new hires and keep the ones they already have. There were 6.7 million job openings last quarter, a 17-year high.”

Of course, economic growth won’t last – the valley will come – but everyone should appreciate the current up-cycle.

When I worked for Oregon Governor Vic Atiyeh more than 30 years ago, we tried to be careful about citing a gubernatorial responsibility either for economic growth or stagnation. After all, there is only so much any governor can do to boost the economy.

One action governors can take is to expect state government to live within its means, so it doesn’t became a drain on economic growth. Atiyeh, with his superb credentials, lived this out on a daily basis during his two terms in office.

For presidents, the issues are different. They can take a variety of actions to boost economic growth – and then they can credit or debit for the results…not singular credit or debit, but some of each.

Trump doesn’t do this. Instead, he creates the widest chasm possible between his actions and the economy. In doing so, he continues to miss the benefit of a surging U.S. economy.

To change the subject just a bit, in the last few days Trump only has served to elevate his terrible personal credentials. He intentionally failed to commend Senator John McCain, a true American hero, on his passing.

To Trump, nothing matters more than aggrandizing his own so-called credentials – who cares about the economy – and minimizing the credentials of others, including, in this case, McCain who deserves the nation’s respect for his life of service.