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.

FACT #1: The Washington Post Fact-Checker – imagine, just for a minute, having that job – reports that President Donald Trump has told his 10,000^th lie.

FACT #2: Senator Mazie Hirona, D-Hawaii, went on a tirade in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, calling Attorney General William Barr a liar (call it slander) multiple times over four minutes of what she no doubt thought was her glory.

For Trump, he lies as a basic nature. He doesn’t think twice about it. In fact, he probably thinks that, because he says something, it is true.

As a citizen in this country, you cannot believe a thing he says, which is a sad commentary on the state of the presidency.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I traveled to Woodinville, Washington to see my daughter and two grandchildren. At one point, we attended my granddaughter Kate’s class where she gave a report on President Rutherford B. Hayes.

She said historians usually rate him as the worst president in U.S. history.

Well, Hayes may now be the second worst.

As for Hirona, in the Judiciary Committee hearing, she earned the nickname Senate Republicans have given her – Crazy Mazie.

In addition to a blistering monologue in the hearing – no surprise that she won instant plaudits from the left for her harangue and gave AG Barr no chance to respond – Crazy Mazie told Barr he should resign.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina) accused Hirona of slandering Barr “from top to bottom,” and told her to stop talking.

She did, barely.

As a public official, Barr has no standing to sue Hirona for slander, but I wish he could. He was slandered.

What do these two incidents show?

Unfortunately, they show that politics in this country has dipped to new lows. And the fault lies with many, if not most, public officials on both sides of the aisle.  They want to advance themselves and slander those who don’t agree with them.

I say a pox on both sides and it’s time for us, as voters, to elect centrist officials who can lead this country with skill and distinction, not to mention the ability work together to solve pressing public policy problems.