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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

For this idea, during my “stay at home” due to the coronavirus pandemic, I am indebted to my friends at Links Magazine.

A reporter at Links, Al Lunsford, asked his colleagues this question — if you were playing one course for the rest of your life, what would it be — as one way to pass the time sequestered at home instead of out on the golf course.

Good question.

For me, I decline to limit myself to just one.  I have three.

ILLAHE HILLS GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB:  The first is my home track in Salem, Oregon, where I have been privileged to be a member for more than 30 years.  It has been a time of both good and bad golf, as would be the case anywhere, but a place to start and build lasting personal friendships.

The course itself is a standard parkland-type track characteristic of the Pacific Northwest.  I don’t use the word “standard” with any negative implications, for playing the course effectively requires a combination of skill and luck.  The greens often run down hard from back to front, so, if there is an adage to playing Illahe, it is this — always remain below the hole.

There also are trees galore, at last count more than 1,000.  Perhaps too many – yes, too many – but it is a challenge to cut back on the number for several reasons:  Some members have a love of trees and hate to see any go; and, once a tree is cut down, the hard work begins – removing the stump and bringing the ground up to standard.  And, the trees add dimensions to how to play course from any of four tees, so removing one or more has to be the product of a clear-cut (pardon the pun) consensus.

As designed by a Northwest architect Billy Bell, about 60 years ago, Illahe has stood the test of time.  Efforts to build more water-tolerant fairways started about 15 years ago and have raised many fairways by four or five inches.  Greens were re-built about 10 years ago or so because, with as much water as we get in the winter, we came close to losing several greens each year.  Now, our greens are known as some of the best in the region.  Then, a couple years ago, we set out to re-build all of our 80-some bunkers, providing more effective drainage and better sand.

At all times, it is possible to walk the course, with reasonable distances between greens and the next tees.  Plus, the hills are tolerable, even for an old person like me.

The phrase I have used about Illahe over the 30-plus years of membership is this:  I never get tired of playing it.

ROYAL DORNOCH IN SCOTLAND:  My second all-time favorite course is one I have had the privilege of playing three times and, on each occasion, it was a pure pleasure to walk the historic links-land hard by the North Sea.  On each trip, my guide was my wife whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Scotland, so the country is, in fact, my wife’s homeland and she knows a lot about the colorful and hardy history of the Scots who have received credit for starting golf, though some would say the credit goes elsewhere.  In every small Scottish town, including Dornoch, there is at least one course and sometimes more than one.

One of the times I played Dornoch was with my son, Eric, a far better golfer than I am.  It was a great father-son experience to remember forever!

I first fell in love with the place, not having been there in person, by reading a book by the acclaimed golf writer Lorne Rubenstein.  “A Season in Dornoch”” chronicled four months Rubenstein and his wife spent living in Dornoch in a flat above a bookstore.  It is still there today.

When I first read the book – I have done so numerous times – I was struck by one of the phrases Rubenstein wrote, which by my paraphrase, noted that how much he relished the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other to hear the sound of a foot-fall on the hallowed ground of Dornoch.  He played the course almost every day, falling even deeper in love with it, as well as the citizens of the community who welcomed him as if he was a long-lost friend.

Just think of this.  It is possible to join Dornoch from afar for a $1,177 initiation fee, plus $557 in annual dues, making that $1,734 first year cost the bargain of a lifetime.  Membership also includes reciprocity and discounts at a few other Scottish courses.

Returning to Dornoch is on my to-do list.

Further, imagine the joy when, on the occasion of my birthday this fall, two great friends gave me a Royal Dornoch flag.  Today, it sits prominently in my office where I can see it all the time, thus recalling what it was like to play there.

THE PALMS IN LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA:  The Palms celebrated its 20^th anniversary this year, so it is young by comparison either to Illahe or Dornoch.

I have had the privilege of being a member for almost four years, playing the course in the California desert during the winter when the temperature is tolerable – and, of course, better than that, being in the range of 70 degrees-plus most days.

The Palms has a few distinctives:  (1) there are no tee times; the pros work you in as you arrive at the course; (2) you are required to play 18 holes in three and a half hours, which is not difficult if you set your mind to it; and (3) you face a test where the greens are the course’s best defense — when I first played there, the veterans said it was not possible to read greens well…you had to memorize the breaks.

Over its young life, The Palms has welcomed a number of golf pros as members.  One of them was Mike Weir, the Canadian golfer whose main claim to fame was that he won The Masters Tournament a few years ago.  He said he wanted to practice at The Palms because the greens gave him a test of what it would be like at Augusta.

In a design by pro golfer Fred Couples, an original member, The Palms also allows walking, which is unusual in the California desert.

Well, there’s my three-course list.  So, back to the Links Magazine article, with a list from its writers of “if I could play one course forever, what would it be:”

• Jack Purcell (President/Publisher): Secession Golf Club—Beaufort, S.C.
• George Peper (Editor): Old Course at St Andrews—St. Andrews, Scotland [First, it’s the perfect course to grow old on—dead flat with short walks from tee to green. On a mild day it’s not hard at all and on a blustery day it’s all the challenge you’d ever want. Virtually every shot calls for a bit of thought and planning, and to watch your ball bound, pitch, careen, and roll toward the hole is to know what Alistair MacKenzie called “the pleasurable excitement of links golf.”]
• Jim Frank (Senior Editor): San Francisco Golf Club—San Francisco, California
• Al Lunsford (Digital Editor): Winter Park Golf Course—Winter Park, Florida
• Tim Carr (Art Director): Tashua Knolls, Trumbull, Connecticut
• Nick Edmund (Contributing Writer): Royal County Down—Newcastle, Northern Ireland
• Ryan Asselta (Contributing Writer): Pinehurst No. 2—Pinehurst, North Carolina
• Tony Dear (Contributing Writer): Gamble Sands—Brewster, Washington [Incredible views over the Columbia River and North Cascades. Sublime, sandy, fescue turf and holes that make you blink and think and hit shots you don’t elsewhere. It’s just thrilling, unforgettable golf.]
• David DeSmith (Contributing Writer): Pebble Beach—Monterey, California
• Adam Stanley (Contributing Writer): Cabot Links—Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Erik Matuszewski (Contributing Writer): Cypress Point—Monterey, California

With all of this, here’s a challenge for you — come up with your own course to play for the rest of your life – or, as with me, don’t limit yourself to just one!

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

There is a word in government that always has been confusing to me – “essential.”

It has been used a lot lately in the government response to the coronavirus pandemic.  Only “essential services” will be allowed to remain open.  But the definition of “essential” is open to wide interpretation around the country as almost every state has imposed “stay at home” orders, under whatever name.

In such situations, I guess I understand what essential means because, in fact, to try to control the virus, it cannot simply be business as usual.

Before the coronavirus, in my role as a lobbyist, I often encountered the word “essential.”  It was in relation to the need to cut back government services in response to previous recessions in Oregon, which is a state that survives on personal and corporate income tax revenue, buttressed on occasion by lottery dollars.  In the previous cutbacks, it was said that only “essential services” would remain in place.  But I said to myself and sometimes in testimony before legislative committees, if a state service was not essential, why was it being offered in the first place.

My plaintive cry often fell on deaf ears.

But now, back to the current use of essential in the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the headline, “What’s essential? In France: pastry, wine. In US: golf, guns,” the Associated Press produced an interesting article that I read this morning.  Here are excerpts:

“The coronavirus pandemic is defining for the globe what’s ‘essential’ and what things we really can’t do without, even though we might not need them for survival.

“Attempting to slow the spread of the virus, authorities in many places are determining what shops and services can remain open.  They’re also restricting citizens from leaving their homes.  Stay-at-home orders or guidance are affecting more than one-fifth of the world’s population.

“This has left many contemplating an existential question: What, really, is essential?

“Whether it is in Asia, Europe, Africa or the United States, there’s general agreement:  Health care workers, law enforcement, utility workers, food production and communications are generally exempt from lockdowns.

“But some lists of exempted activities reflect a national identity, or the efforts of lobbyists.

“In some U.S. states, golf, guns and ganja have been ruled essential, raising eyebrows and — in the case of guns — a good deal of ire.

“In many places, booze is also on the list of essentials.  Britain at first kept liquor stores off its list of businesses allowed to remain open, but after reports of supermarkets running out of beer, wine and spirits, the government quickly added them.

“Countries including India and U.S. states are listing the information technology sector as essential.  The world’s dependency on the internet has become even more apparent as countless people confined to their homes communicate, stream movies and play games online to stave off cabin fever.

“Several states where marijuana is legal, such as California and Washington, deemed pot shops and workers in the market’s supply chain essential.  For some, the emphasis is on medicinal uses, not enabling cooped-up people to get stoned.

“Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont added gun shops to his list of essential businesses, generating shock and dismay among families of gun violence victims.

“In Europe, the current epicenter of the pandemic, Italy has the most stringent rules, with only essential businesses such as food shops and pharmacies remaining open.  The manufacturing sector was ordered shut down on Thursday, though factories that make needed products like medical supplies will continue to operate after making conditions safer for employees.

“Britain, which was initially reluctant to shut down business, has issued orders to close non-essential operations.  Restaurants and eateries must be shut, but Britons can still get fish and chips and other meals, as long as they’re carry-out.

“In France, shops specializing in pastry, wine and cheese have been declared essential businesses.

“In a nod to Israel’s vibrant religious life, people can gather for outdoor prayers — with a maximum of 10 worshipers standing 2 meters (2 yards) apart. Demonstrations — also allowed — have occurred outside parliament and the Supreme Court, with participants maintaining social distance.

“In times of uncertainty, institutions and practices that are central to the cultural identities can become really important touchstones — material markers of certainty, comfort, and mechanisms to persist,” said Aimee Huff, marketing professor at Oregon State University, specializing in consumer culture.

“In the United States, lobbyists have been trying to influence what gets on lists of essential services, so their clients’ businesses can remain open, including lobbyists for manufacturers and the golf course industry.

“Despite their efforts, golf wasn’t deemed essential in Connecticut. But Arizona Governor Doug Ducey included golf courses on his list.  Officials in Phoenix encouraged the city’s 1.7 million residents to ‘get outside, get exercise and practice responsible social distancing’ in golf courses, parks and trails.”

In Oregon, it has not been necessary to lobby for golf courses to have the option to remain open.

The course where I play in Salem, Oregon, Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club has done a good job of imposing restrictions while staying open – restrictions such one rider per golf cart, no flags touched in golf holes, no rakes in bunkers, maintaining the six-foot social distance standard, and this additional, very smart step – placing a plastic sleeve over the bottom of a flag in a golf hole so, if a ball ends up in the hole, it does not go down to the bottom, thus aiding safe retrieval.

As I said, smart actions.

Also, in Oregon, key staff for the governor here, Kate Brown, said this about golf:

“Golf is allowed as long as the social distancing measures are in place.”

In California, by contrast, Governor Gavin Newsom has mandated that all golf courses close.  Too much, I say.

So, in general, what’s essential?  Well, two answers.  First, as we have seen around the country, it’s in the eye of the government official who imposes a stay at home order.  Second, it is open to individual interpretation – and I hope each of who is doing the interpreting will live up to a goal, which is, I submit, to live within both the spirit and the letter of the new rules.  Be smart.  Guard your own life and the lives of those you love – and add to the list your friends and neighbors.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

The old adage about passing laws crossed my mind in the last few days as, from afar, I watched Congress enact the coronavirus relief law.

It didn’t pay to watch that happen.

Just like it doesn’t pay to watch sausage be made.

I was a lobbyist for about 25 years, after 15 years as a manager in state government, so I saw my share of the lawmaking process.  Not pretty.

But, in the current case, my basic proposition is this:

We are facing an unprecedented challenge in this country, one not unlike a world war, so, drastic action is warranted.  If, upon inspection, the result doesn’t look perfect, so be it.  We cannot let perfection be the enemy of the good. 

I could have wished for a more reasonable process that did not consider the pet projects and special interests of some Members of Congress, but focused instead on substantive action.

At one point, in fact, there was a proposal circulating that would have silenced lobbyists.  But it also is true that some lobbyists provided solid information –not pet project information — that enabled Members of Congress and bill drafters to achieve more precision.

Congress, not known lately for being able to act, managed to get its act together long enough to pass the bill.

The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and Politico have produced analyses of what happened, as well as of what is in the final bill.

Here is a summary, with credit where credit is due to all three publications whose reporters are closer to the action than I am.

FROM POLITICO:  In the race to save the economy and pass the largest economic rescue package in American history, Congress still found a way to do some old-fashioned home state favors and reward key special interests.

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy managed successfully to push a minimum assistance figure for every state — $1.5 billion — to make sure small states like his weren’t left out in the legislation.

A provision for the Food and Drug Administration to approve “innovative” sunscreens—which would benefit L’Oreal, which has operations in Kentucky—appeared in the bill, which was steered in the Senate by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

The gaming industry wasn’t left out either:  Casinos will be able to tap government loans for disaster assistance, a payback after casinos were blocked from receiving tax breaks extended to other businesses in earlier bills.

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Lawmakers were able to pack pet provisions into the final, omnibus bill.  Special-interest beneficiaries of the $2 trillion stimulus package range from sunscreen makers to seafood companies.

Lawmakers used the opportunity of a must-pass bill to make a slew of policy changes that had gathered dust, some for years in a stagnant and divided Congress.

From streamlining the approval process for sunscreen ingredients to giving tax-preferred treatment to feminine-hygiene products, the package is blending emergency stimulus for the economy with small-bore alterations to federal law.

Buried in hundreds of pages of dense legislative language were dozens of measures added to the bill by Republicans and Democrats alike seeking to advance their own priorities.

Along with a temporary repeal of alcohol excise taxes for makers of hand sanitizer are provisions that would ban companies that receive federal loans from weighing in on efforts by their employees to form labor unions.

Community and regional banks each scored wins on separate measures to allow them to reduce capital requirements so they can make more loans.

Democrats added language that would ban the use of any money in the legislation to pay for a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and Republicans added a measure to promote sexual abstinence.

Some special-interest wins resulted from efforts to keep things out of the bill.

Lobbyists for the banking industry and credit bureaus defeated a proposal from Democrat lawmakers that would have suspended reporting of negative credit information to credit-card issuers and banks for four months in an attempt to help laid-off workers who are likely to miss bill payments because of the economic crisis.

Makers of over-the-counter drugs, such as Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol and Benadryl, won inclusion of a long-sought bill to change the federal approval process for new products.

The industry attached an existing bill to the stimulus package that includes several wins, such as an 18-month marketing exclusivity period on new products.

The bill also streamlines the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process for new products, a change sought for years by the trade association that represents companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Bayer Consumer Health, and Bausch & Lomb.

THE WASHINGTON POST:  The newspaper so far has not produced the same kind of story outlining the pet projects – call them “pork” – in the bill, but probably will do so soon.

What the Post did write:

“Republicans had a deal until Nancy Pelosi rode into town from her extended vacation. The Democrats want the Virus to win?” Trump tweeted. “They are asking for things that have nothing to do with our great workers or companies. They want Open Borders and the Green New Deal.  Republicans shouldn’t agree!”

That tweet produced a comment from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pleading with Trump not to impugn Members of Congress in further tweets.  And, frankly, Pelosi, in the business of producing a bill, even one laden with pork, deserves credit, I think, for passing the bill in only a couple days, given the extremity of the national circumstance.

Plus, I almost never agree with Schumer, but he is right this time – this is no time for Trump or anyone else to impugn the character of those involved.  Too much is at stake for that to occur — unless it relates to the footnote below.

So, all in all, my notion is that, with all its warts, the final coronavirus bill is good for the country.  Frankly, there was no choice but for Congress to act and that emergency produced the final imperfect, though defensible, result.

And, this footnote:  Representative Thomas Massie ought to be run out of town on a rail.  For him to require Members of Congress to return to Washington, D.C. to vote instead of doing so by remote means, literally meant members had to risk their lives by traveling.  And, for what?  Nothing!  The bill was going to pass anyway.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

The headline in this blog appeared couple days ago in Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in a story contained very useful information about to separate the wheat from the chaff in what we read about coronavirus pandemic.

I say “useful” because, if left to our devices as we engage in social distancing, we could drown in coronavirus information – and not all of it is either accurate or worth reading.

To be sure, quality journalists provide useful information such as the story from the WSJ, which appeared under this headline:

In the Coronavirus “Infodemic,” Here’s How to Avoid Bad Information

Misleading information about Covid-19 spreads through texts and emails—but you can protect yourself from dubious claims and reports

The writer, Nicole Nguyen, started her story this way:

“The same coronavirus post kept popping up on my Facebook feed last week. People in my network—a friend’s mom, a college classmate and another ‘friend,’ who I’m not sure I’ve even met in person—had somehow obtained identical symptom and treatment guidance from Stanford University.

“There were details about an at-home testing technique involving breath holding, as well as something truly dubious about sipping water every 15 minutes. On March 12, the university said the text was ‘not from Stanford.’”

Overnight, Nguyen reported, the viral post disappeared from the social network.

For my part, I had received the Stanford information from one of my golfing buddies in the California desert – I am not there now; instead I am “staying at home in Oregon.” My wife was smart enough to know immediately the information was not accurate, more like a hoax.

My friend passed on the information innocently, believing that the supposed source – Stanford University – was credible, so he wanted to make sure his friends had the information. I relayed to him that the information was wrong and he apologized for sending it.

No problem. In these times, all of us can be taken in by bad information if, for no other reason, than that we are looking for good news amidst the unprecedented bad news of coronavirus.

Nguyen agrees: “Many people spreading these fraudulent posts have good intentions. Everyone’s trying to keep up with an ever-shifting situation. And they want to help each other. But the current regularity of forwarded falsehoods is revealing: Any absence of good information leaves room for a lot of terrible information.”

The World Health Organization recently described this moment as an “infodemic,” which, Nguyen writes, “means we are getting virus news through a fire hose—push notifications, TV, social media, hearsay through our networks. There’s misleading or inaccurate information at every turn, despite companies’ efforts to remove it. And as social networks crack down on misinformation, it’s growing in grass-roots channels, like text and email.”

Many people, confused by all the noise, are still searching for answers. Here are some ways to help, which I list based on Nguyen’s reporting:

• PolitiFact, the Poynter Institute’s non-profit fact-checking organization, has a website dedicated to confirming and debunking coronavirus information spread by government officials, text messages and social media.
• Focus on factual information from official channels. “I would strongly urge people to get their information from sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or highly respected news organizations. Everything else should be regarded as suspect,” says Angie Drobnic Holan, editor in chief of the PolitiFact.
• Focus more on facts from official sources, and less on chasing down every shred that might be true, says Claire Wardle, a research fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center and co-founder of First Draft, a non-profit dedicated to studying misinformation. Further, right-wing wackos trying to act like “the media” don’t dispense facts; they dispense only their own biases.
• The more people are exposed to a falsehood, the more likely they are to accept it as true—what Dr. Wardle refers to as the “familiarity backfire effect.” Once in play, falsehoods take on their life of their own. Correcting them is tough.
• Focus on facts directly from official channels. The World Health Organization recently launched a WhatsApp messaging service bringing updates on the outbreak and information about myths right to your phone.
• The primary sources that reporters rely on include the World Health Organization and U.S.-based CDC. Both agencies provide virus outbreak updates and guidance on how to stay healthy from public officials. The CDC mobile app serves this information right to your phone. Pro tip: Turn on the app’s filter for “Coronavirus Disease 2019.”
• Many state and local authorities are also excellent resources as they try imperfectly to provide solid information. The CDC website includes links to every accredited state and health department across the U.S.

Plus, in this infodemic, the information shared most often can seem plausible, if only because of the repetition.

The most recent wave of misinformation reads more like rumors that could be true or are close to being true rather than outright falsehoods. Fraudulent messages are often attributed to “a friend of my friend who works in the government” or other authoritative entities.

Even though misinformation is moving from public to private channels, the Internet’s largest social networks are working to moderate coronavirus content. In mid-March, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube sent out this joint statement: “We are … jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus and elevating authoritative content on our platforms.”

And this final point.

Who is the largest disseminator of misinformation and exaggeration? It’s President Donald Trump. He usually doesn’t know what he is talking about and talks anyway. His press conferences are hugely destructive, but, after he shares what’s on top of mind for him, whatever that is, it often it is too late for credentialed figures to make corrections.

So, in addition to the advisories above, I say turn off Trump. Don’t listen to him. Don’t watch his press conferences, which only are campaign rallies. Ignore what he says and we’ll all be better off.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

There is no right answer.

If you are a public official, do you:

• Support coronavirus restrictions to save lives?
• Support the economy to save lives?

As I said, no right answer.

It would be nice – to use a word, “nice,” that Trump uses all the time when his limited vocabulary fails him – if it were possible to achieve both aims at the same time.

It is not. At least not so far.

Meanwhile, by various news or social media posts, we are pulled this way and that way as we try to deal with the pandemic. Imagine what it must be like for reasonable public officials (exclude Trump) as they try to decipher ways to go and to bring those they govern along with them.

Examples:

• Trump says he wants the economy to begin operating by Easter — while various governors and mayors say that would be disastrous for the regions they govern. [See below.]
• Trump and even New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are touting hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as treatments for coronavirus — while many scientists and epidemiologists say the drugs are untested and even could cause death or blindness.
• A ray of hope arose when the U.S. Senate surmounted political considerations to pass a coronavirus relief bill by a unanimous vote — while the U.S. House dithered as if it was political dissension as usual…including when one opponent of the bill said he would object, thus requiring members of the House to return to Washington, D.C. to vote in person instead of doing so remotely.
• Under substantial pressure, not to mention threats to their own health, reasonable journalists continue to try to get solid information to the public — while right wing media wackos continue to propound the notion that the epidemic is only another chapter in the Democrat goal to get Trump out of office.
• Those same wackos are coalescing around the phrase, “the cure is worse than the disease” — while hospitals prepare for what could be a run on their facilities, supplies and staff by coronavirus victims.

Back to the Trump goal to free the economy by Easter.

In the Washington Post, columnist Michael Gerson described his concern:

“…Easter is the holiest date on the Christian calendar, when the resurrection of Christ is celebrated. And it would be blasphemous to use a day dedicated to the renewal of life in a manner that leads to further death. The packing of churches in a little over two weeks would almost certainly be an epidemiological disaster in much of the country. It is impossible to imagine most priests and pastors treating the lives of their congregants with such disdain.”

For my wife and me, Easter will be a day of celebration, but I suspect it will occur by remote means – still meaningful, but different than our normal “up from grave he arose” collective anthem.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

If you think about it for only a minute, there are huge differences between the person who occupies the Oval Office, Donald Trump, and the person who wants to get there, Joe Biden.

I would be possible to cite many differences, too many to count, but two key differences are:

• Biden has some credibility. Trump has none.
• Biden has some empathy. Trump has none.

If this indicates that I intend to vote for Biden if the presidential race comes down to these two – Trump the reality TV clown and Biden the experienced public servant — so be it. It’s true.

Nowhere have the differences been more evident that in the current and unprecedented coronavirus pandemic.

Washington Post writer Jennifer Rubin pointed this out cogently in her current column:

“Former vice president Joe Biden made the TV rounds on Tuesday, reminding us why so many Democrat voters have rallied to his side. On MSNBC, he showed off his technical knowledge of government (recounting that he long ago recommended use of the Defense Production Act), as well as his empathy for people who have lost loved ones.

“On CNN, Biden scoffed at Trump’s suggestion that we should re-open businesses (presumably schools and everything else, right?) around Easter. The Democrat presidential front-runner essentially pleaded with Trump to put a sock in it and let the experts talk.”

To Rubin, Biden displays nearly every quality and ability Trump lacks: Appreciation for expertise, candor, respect for fellow Americans, empathy, understanding of government, foresight, thoughtfulness, coherence and a reverence for American values and spirit.

“With Trump, who is obsessed with his economic and political fortunes,” Rubin says, “the question is always, what do I gain from this?”

Rubin adds: “It is not that the challenger in a presidential election has more experience, granular knowledge of policy and gravitas than the sitting president. Here, it is not even close. Having spotted the threat of the pandemic and urged the Defense Production Act be activated, Biden already is demonstrating he is more competent than the incumbent. If Americans cannot figure out under these circumstances which candidate has the character and capacity to look after them, then the future of self-governance truly is in doubt.”

Trump had a perfect chance to express empathy and enlightened leadership the other day when a reporter, in a televised press conference, asked what he, Trump, could do to provide reassurance America, something solid leaders do during a crisis. Instead of seizing the opportunity, Trump went after the reporter.

Stupid.

Now, to be fair, Biden has come under criticism lately for agreeing with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as they negotiated various additions to the coronavirus relief bill that eventually sailed through the Senate on a unanimous vote yesterday.

He should have spoken out against the goodies and said it was time – past time – for Congress to act in statesmanlike way given the unprecedented crisis.

So, in all of this, is Biden perfect?

Of course not. No one is.

While sometimes he talks too much, his authenticity is obvious. Given the trials and tribulations he has faced in his life over the years, with huge losses by death of loved ones, he has an unusual ability to demonstrate empathy.

At this time in America’s history, with our future as a nation in doubt, we need leadership marked by empathy. With Biden, we have a chance to get it. With Trump, we have none.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

Even as daily White House briefings on the coronavirus pandemic have had a circus-like atmosphere and President Donald Trump’s claims have been picked apart, he has seen an uptick in his piolitcak approval rating over the past two weeks.

Incredible.

How is that possible?

According to the Gallup polling organization, Trump may be enjoying a small rally in public support just because Americans often rally to their leader in a time of national emergency. Perhaps because that notion makes more sense than the rise being due to Trump’s performance.

Forty-nine percent of U.S. adults, up from 44 per cent earlier this month, approve of the job Trump is doing as president. Trump also had 49 per cent job approval ratings — the best of his presidency — in late January and early February around the time of the Senate impeachment trial that resulted in his acquittal.

Also, Independents’ and Democrats’ approval of Trump’s performance has increased slightly since earlier this month, tying as the best he has registered to date among each group. The president’s approval rating among Republicans was already above 90 per cent, and remains so — but is not currently his highest on record (which was 94 per cent in late January).

The Trump Administration (again, the word “administration” suggests that there is more organization than there is) has received some criticism for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including that the president downplayed the threat, at least up until his nationally televised address on March 11.

On March 16, Trump acknowledged the seriousness of the situation by urging people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and to have workers and students stay home if possible. The Administration has had daily press conferences since then to update the nation on what the federal government is doing to address the situation.

In the latest briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a credentialed expert in epidemics, was conspicuously absent, probably because he has spent much of his time having to correct Trump lies, misstatements and exaggerations. And Trump hates being corrected.

I hope Fauci will stay in his current position and that he can be relied upon to speak from credentialed science.

Trump, of course, believes he knows all about science and epidemics because, as he incredibly claimed a few days ago “his uncle knew about medicine, so he did, too.”

For my part, I go back to a piece written a couple days ago by Washington Post media reporter, Margaret Sullivan. Here is what she wrote:

“More and more each day, President Trump is using his daily briefings as a substitute for the campaign rallies that have been forced into extinction by the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“These White House sessions — ostensibly meant to give the public critical and truthful information about this frightening crisis — are in fact working against that end.

“Rather, they have become a daily stage for Trump to play his greatest hits to captive audience members. They come in search of life-or-death information, but here’s what they get from him instead:

“ ● Self-aggrandizement. When asked how he would grade his response to the crisis, the president said, “I’d rate it a 10.” Absurd on its face, of course, but effective enough as blatant propaganda

“● Media-bashing. When NBC News’s Peter Alexander lobbed him a softball question in Friday’s briefing — “What do you say to Americans who are scared?” — Trump went on a bizarre attack. “I say, you’re a terrible reporter,” the president said, launching into one of his trademark “fake news” rants bashing Alexander’s employer. (Meanwhile, he has also found time during these news briefings to lavish praise on sycophantic pro-Trump media like One America News Network, whose staffer — I can’t call her a reporter — invited him to justify his xenophobic talk of a “Chinese virus” by asking rhetorically if he considers the phrase “Chinese food” racist.)

“● Exaggeration and outright lies. Trump has claimed that there are plenty of tests available (there aren’t); that Google is “very quickly” rolling out a nationwide website to help manage coronavirus treatment (the tech giant was blindsided by the premature claim); that the drug chloroquine, approved to treat malaria, is a promising cure for the virus and “we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.” (It hasn’t been approved for this use, and there is no evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness in fighting the virus.)

So, with Sullivan, I say we need far less of Trump and more of credible figures, like Fauci, who can lead us in dealing with an incredible pandemic. With her, I also advocate that media outlets decline to televise Trump’s supposed press conferences live.

By the time he conveys lies, there is no time to correct the record.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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 now have even more time on my hands than I did in retirement. With everyone else, I am now faced with how to comply with a “Stay at Home” order in the coronavirus pandemic.

One option, I suppose, is literally to stay at home at ALL times, but, despite the emergency, that strikes me as a bit over the top.

Plus, even the government officials who imposed the “Stay at Home” order here in Oregon say it’s okay “to go for a walk.”

One question is whether I’ll be able to take that walk on a golf course.

So, amidst all this, I have been continuing to look for good quotes, which, as this blog headline says, may now not be “good,” but still worth reading.

Even as I write, so-called “political leaders” in Washington, D.C. are struggling to come up with a coronavirus response of legislation. So far, incredibly, they have failed.

Here’s the way Wall Street Journal editorial writers put it this morning:

“What a spectacle. Much of America is quarantined at home, the public is so panicked there’s a run on toilet paper, the country desperately wants reassurance, and Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer decide to take a bi-partisan rescue bill as a political hostage.”

Do I mean that Republicans are all right and Democrats like Pelosi and Schumer are all wrong? No. Middle ground is the place to be in the face of national catastrophe that ought to put the country on a “war footing” above the worst kind of politics.

Now, for the quotes.

FROM MARGARET SULLIVAN, THE WASHINGTON POST MEDIA CRITIC: “Trump press conferences have become a daily stage for Trump to play his greatest hits to captive audience members. They come in search of life-or-death information, but here’s what they get from him instead:

• Self-aggrandizement. When asked how he would grade his response to the crisis, the president said, “I’d rate it a 10.” Absurd on its face, of course, but effective enough as blatant propaganda
• Media-bashing. When NBC News’s Peter Alexander lobbed him a softball question in Friday’s briefing — “What do you say to Americans who are scared?” — Trump went on a bizarre attack. “I say, you’re a terrible reporter,” the president said, launching into one of his trademark “fake news” rants bashing Alexander’s employer.
• Exaggeration and outright lies. Trump has claimed that there are plenty of tests available (there aren’t); that Google is “very quickly” rolling out a nationwide website to help manage coronavirus treatment (the tech giant was blindsided by the premature claim); that the drug chloroquine, approved to treat malaria, is a promising cure for the virus and “we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.”

Trump is doing harm and spreading misinformation while working for his own partisan political benefit — a naked attempt to portray himself as a wartime president bravely leading the nation through a tumultuous time, the FDR of the 21st century.

The press — if it defines its purpose as getting truthful, useful, non-harmful information to the public, as opposed to merely juicing its own ratings and profits — must recognize what is happening and adjust accordingly.

Business as usual simply doesn’t cut it. Minor accommodations, like fact-checking the president’s statements afterward, don’t go nearly far enough to counter the serious damage this man is doing to the public’s well-being.

Radical change is necessary: The cable networks and other news organizations that are taking the president’s briefings as live feeds should stop doing so.

Comment: It never will be possible to take a microphone away from Trump. But, the media, if it does its job in the right way, should heed Sullivan’s advice. Don’t televise live all of his lies and personal aggrandizement.

FROM JENNIFER RUBIN IN THE WASHINGTON POST: If a captain on a ship froze in the middle of a crisis, he would be relieved of command. If a CEO routinely dispensed false information and was incapable of getting into the weeds to rescue his company from a disaster, he would be fired.

By any definition, Trump is failing, caring more about creating a Chinese boogeyman to blame than in competently addressing the problem before him.

This is not simply a matter of assigning blame for having left us unprepared and allowing precious time to slip by. This goes to Trump’s ongoing inability to competently manage the federal government. The Post reports that “the growing gulf between the White House and officials on the front lines of the pandemic underscored concerns in cities, states and Congress that Trump does not have a coherent or ready plan to mobilize private and public entities to confront a crisis that could soon push the nation’s health-care system to the brink of collapse.” In short, lives will be lost because no one can tell Trump he is wrong and making things worse.

Comment: Right, again. Trump is ill-prepared to lead the country in what should literally be “war-time footing” that the problem will be much worse than it already is.

FROM THE WASHINGTON POST: “I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down.” So says Dr. Anthony Fauci, the public health expert trying to lead us through the coronavirus crisis.

Amid the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been charged with a herculean task: Trying to keep Trump’s public statements about the novel virus rooted in fact.

Now it appears that Fauci’s frustration is showing.

When asked Sunday by Science magazine’s Jon Cohen about having to stand in front of the nation as “the representative of truth and facts” when “things are being said that aren’t true and aren’t factual,” the 79-year-old said there is only so much he can do.

“I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down,” Fauci said, referencing Trump. “Okay, he said it. Let’s try and get it corrected for the next time.”

Comment: It could be contended that Fauci has THE most difficult job in the federal government – trying to provide facts and perspective about coronavirus when Trump does the reverse.

FROM WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL WRITERS: Elizabeth Warren’s Ranting Resumes. We won’t go so far as to say bi-partisan comity has descended with the coronavirus crisis, but given the low standards of our time, it could be worse. Americans everywhere have stepped away from politics the past week to help each other. Even the Senate seems to be working toward a decent legislative response, though it is not done yet. Then there’s Elizabeth Warren.

In a series of tweets Sunday, Warren ranted (there’s no other word): “Millions may now lose their jobs. And Trump wants our response to be a half-trillion dollar slush fund to boost favored companies and corporate executives.” She calls the Senate bill a “bailout” and gripes “it makes no long-term changes to make future bailouts less likely.” What planet is she living on?

Comment: With Warren’s withdrawal from the Democrat presidential contest, I hoped we had heard the last of her rants. No. She’s back. I simply pledge not to listen to her any longer.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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 hadn’t thought about this approach before reading a Wall Street Journal editorial last week.

Here is what it said:

“As the coronavirus threatens to stall the U.S. economy, a relatively easy countermeasure is to hit the emergency 401(k) button: Congress should allow people to take a certain sum, say $10,000, from their retirement accounts without facing penalties or taxes.

“This is a way to tap liquidity that already exists. Among non-retired adults, 54 per cent have some kind of defined-contribution plan, such as a 401(k) or 403(b), according to a Federal Reserve report last year. Also, 33 per cent hold an individual retirement account. For Americans overall, it represents a huge pool of money, estimated by one survey at roughly $17 trillion.

“Early withdrawals generally face automatic tax withholding. Plus there’s a 10 per cent penalty, with narrow exceptions. Congress created a new exception in December when it passed the Secure Act: Up to $5,000 can be taken out, penalty free, ‘in case of birth of child or adoption.’ In hindsight, lawmakers should have added a provision “in case of global coronavirus pandemic.

“In the past, Washington has given increased withdrawal flexibility to victims of hurricanes and California’s wildfires. What’s needed this time is bigger, since the coronavirus pandemic is nationwide and economic idling will affect millions. But the mechanics appear relatively straightforward. Lawmakers could pass legislation saying that early distributions during a defined period won’t incur the 10 per cent penalty. Maybe they could waive the usual income tax and withholding, too.

“This idea has many advantages, compared with the talk of giving every American a federal check for $1,000—or is it up to $2,000? It provides an option for people who need the cash, without blanketing everyone. Under Washington’s current plan for a Coronavirus Basic Income, the government would take out debt to pay everyone. Further, each dollar pulled from a retirement account would cost the Treasury only a fraction of that in forgone revenue, for a multiplier effect.

“Not everybody has a retirement plan, but a limited period of allowing free-and-clear withdrawals would encourage parents, brothers, uncles and so forth to act as a financial backstop to younger and less-fortunate family. That’s a much healthier dynamic than simply telling Americans to sit tight, crank up “Ride of the Valkyries,” and wait for the government helicopters dropping $100 bills.”

As I write this, Congress is battling over what to do in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Agreement has been hard to reach despite the incredible urgency of doing something.

The proposal above would be worth including in anything that has a chance to pass. It represents a solid combination of federal action combined with private resources.

And this from the current stalemate:

“Impasse turned on Democratic concerns that the legislation would help businesses more than the public.”

I suppose that concern could be considered to be valid in the age of Trump, when he perverts everything to support himself and, thus, could use resources for business to help his cronies as he done time and time again.

But, given the extremity of our circumstance, it is time for political figures to rise above petty politics and take action to protect America – despite Trump.

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 press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.

In the midst of the current pandemic, it may seem strange to write about lessons we can learn from it.

Normally, such an aspiration is more likely to be uttered after the emergency, not during it. Plus, at the moment, survival – either from coronavirus or economic dislocation – is the priority.

But, I persist.

ONE DOCTOR’S STRAIGHT TALK: Emily Landon, the chief infectious disease epidemiologist at University of Chicago Medicine, took the lectern after the Illinois governor announced the state would undergo a “shelter in place” order.

“The healthy and optimistic among us will doom the vulnerable,” Landon said. She acknowledged that restrictions like a shelter-in-place may end up feeling “extreme” and “anticlimactic” — and that’s the point.

“It’s really hard to feel like you’re saving the world when you’re watching Netflix from your couch. But if we do this right, nothing happens. A successful shelter-in-place means you’re going to feel like it was all for nothing, and you’d be right: Because nothing means that nothing happened to your family. And that’s what we’re going for here.”

Landon’s comments were less than 10 minutes of the hour-long news conference, but they quickly made an impression on listeners and drew praise for their clarity and sense of empowerment while still conveying the urgency of the moment.

RELY ON GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS: It is clear that Donald Trump has given short shrift to government scientists who have been trying, against long and tough odds, to prepare America for an epidemic. He won’t listen to them and, even if he did, he always knows best, given what he labels as his high medical acumen – though, frankly, he wouldn’t know the meaning of the word acumen.

The current situation proves beyond a shadow of doubt that we need smart people to do good work for us in government.

TELL DONALD TRUMP TO STOP TALKING: Speaking of smart people, Trump continues to prove every day that he is not one of them.

I would say to him – stop talking. Let experts guide us. Or, let smart political figures – yes, there are a few of them left – talk to us about proper preparations for the virus.

Trump proved his narcissism again yesterday when, in response to a question from an NBC reporter – essentially a softball designed to give Trump a chance to express enlightened leadership to Americans – Trump chose instead to go after the reporter.

Thus, he missed a major opportunity to reassure Americans. No surprise there. He doesn’t see opportunities and, if he did, he would have no idea about what to say to provide solace and a bit of comfort.

Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan showed up this weekend with an excellent suggestion.

To stop what she labels Trump’s self-aggrandizement, media bashing, exaggeration and outright lies: “Radical change is necessary: The cable networks and other news organizations that are taking the president’s briefings as live feeds should stop doing so.”

LOOK FOR POSITIVE STORIES AMIDST THE PROBLEMS: Even as we engage in “social distancing,” there are ways to look for good deeds.

One example. At the doctor’s office the other day, I saw that an elderly woman had come in for an appointment, but arrived on the wrong day, not to mention by taxi. She would have had to leave and return another day.

Except another woman in the waiting room stepped up and said, “I am willing to give you my appointment and I can come another time.” She had arrived in her own car, so she had options.

The appointment was changed due to the selfless actions of one person.

One other example. A business friend of mine builds and places modular structures around the region. As we talked yesterday – six feet apart – he told us he had provided several structures to hospitals in the area to use as expansions for their capacity in the face of the virus.

He also did so for free.

If you look for such good news – assuming you can leave home to do so – you are liable to find it.

KEEP RECORDS ALL ALONG TO HELP NEXT TIME, IF THERE IS A NEXT TIME: One of the lessons I learned during my career as a lobbyist was to keep better records as I handled public policy issues for clients.

I didn’t do well in that regard, so, when I wanted to reflect on the high and low points of various actions, I had to try to remember, not refer to timely notes.

So, as we try to survive with the virus, I say, keep good notes so we can learn for the future.

AND THIS FINAL QUESTION: How do we, as Oregonians comply with all the instructions provided by government officials?

Hard. Because, for one thing, the instructions lack clarity.

So, I say, work to comply with the spirit, not the letter, of the instructions. And try to do so as a good citizen concerned, not just about your and your family’s future, but also the well-being of your neighbors.