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.

Two voices – one old and one new – emerged yesterday to discuss the government shutdown, which is heading into its third week.

In a way, I hate to write about the shutdown again because the debacle in Washington, D.C. strikes me a couple of kids saying they will take their toys go home unless they get their way.

What is not happening is mature, real world negotiations over competing priorities. Both sides want to win the public relations/political battle as opposed as to striking a deal that, almost whatever its elements, would be in the best interest of the country compared to the shutdown.

The old voice belonged to Peggy Noonan, one of my favorite columnists who writes for the Wall Street Journal. The new voice belonged to U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw who won a seat in the House from Texas.

Worth noting what both of them had to say.

From Noonan: “Those of us who are not politicians agree that neither party has really wanted to solve the problem. Both played it for their own gain, cynically, as if they weren’t even invested in this place. They should be ashamed.

“It was not in the interests of the Republican Party to address the border problem because that might leave them open to charges they were driven by questions of race and color. Also their major donors didn’t mind illegal immigration, which was good for business. It’s always convenient when you see things the donors’ way! The affluent and powerful in America enjoy feeling liberal and are uninterested in how poor Americans view chaos (as a threat—America is all they have; they don’t have two passports and a share on a plane) and jobs lost to cheaper labor.

“Democrats never intended to control the border because they think doing nothing marks them as the nonracist party, the compassionate, generous party that Hispanics will see as home. They would reap the electoral rewards in a demographically changing country. They will own the future! Their big donors too opposed border strictness. They don’t think about security a lot, even after 9/11. I think it was Murray Kempton who said Republicans are always hearing the creak of the door at night. It’s true. Democrats are less anxious about security. It’s fair to point out they tend to be more affluent and have the protections money can buy. Their fearlessness is not bravery but obliviousness. They off-load anxiety onto Republicans, who are always mysteriously eager to take it up.”

Noonan is write. No one really wants to deal with the problem. They just want to upstage the other side.

On to Representative Crenshaw: “This whole debate is a classic case of one side attacking the other’s worst arguments instead of seriously addressing the actual proposal. Democrats need to stop assuming we are talking about a contiguous 2,000-mile wall. Republicans know that’s not practical. The budget’s small allocation of $5.7 billion that President Trump has requested would build 234 miles of wall. It’s a start.”

Crenshaw uses his military credentials to discuss important real-world aspects of the wall, points left out of most discussions.

But Noonan and Crenshaw, with different views, both speak like adults. They want the created crisis to end.

The best way to achieve that would be for adults – whomever they are – to get in a room (yes, make it a room with a round table) and find middle ground.

As the Wall Street Journal has put it, give Trump money to build “his wall” and give the Democrats legal status for the “dreamers.” Simple. Both sides win.