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 (Les AuCoin), 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 could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Is it too early to propound a series of New Year’s resolutions?

Perhaps.  But, I do so anyway.

And, what appears below are not typical resolutions in the sense that they do not express intent to change my own behavior.  Rather, they express my wishes for my country as we enter a new year.

So, therefore, I wish:

…Donald Trump would go away quietly now that he is a loser.  [And, to point a recent point on it based on news accounts today, residents of Mar-A-Lago, where he may choose to live, don’t want him there.]

…Joe Biden would be given room by Senate Republicans to form his Administration similar to what has been done traditionally as new presidents take over…in other words, make Senate confirmation processes based on substance and credentials, not politics.

…Biden’s Cabinet level and other significant appointments would be judged first on their experience and credentials and, then if at all, on the basis of their ethnicity.

…Members of Congress would find a way to land in the middle on complex public policy questions rather than prattle away on their own side of the agenda.

…Members of Congress would realize the true definition of politics – compromise.

…The Biden Administration would place a huge initial priority on undoing one of the Trump Administration most egregious acts, the kidnapping of children from immigrant parents.  [Hard to imagine a more tragic policy!]

…The Oregon Legislature, as is the aspiration for Congress, would find middle ground on tough issues.

…Those who lead the Legislature – all Democrats – would find a way to listen to and respect the views of the minority…all Republicans.

…Republicans in Salem would find a way to express their minority views without walking out to avoid quorums.

…Both sides in Salem would find ways to restrict or at least contain the “two-Oregon’s” issue…the reality that, in the past, urban legislators appear not to care about rural issues and rural legislators appear not to care about urban issues, so they fight.

…Journalists in and around Salem would follow the example of the Salem Reporter, which means they would focus more genuinely on “news” of interest to area residents.

…And this conclusion:  The pandemic would recede as millions of Americans – as well as Oregonians – take one of the vaccines, with thanks to those who have provided it, including pharmaceutical companies working with the federal government, scientists in those companies working against long odds, and the huge distribution network required to get vaccines throughout the country in short order.