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.

The New York Times asked the question in this blog headline – where is the middle ground? – in a column circulated on-line late last week.

I also ask the question repeatedly, as indicated by this excerpt from the introduction to my blog, which is called Perspective from the 19^th Hole:

“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.”

Note that my phrase links two of my favorite passions – golf and public policy.

In a question-answer format, the NY Times added the following:

“How does the middle regain its voice in the national debate?

The Times reporter answered this way:  “This is a good question, and I don’t really have an answer; only more bad news about this.

“Much of America seems to be in the middle of the political spectrum on major issues right now. As the Supreme Court weighs restricting abortion even more, polls show roughly 60 per cent of Americans are fine with allowing abortion up until about halfway through a pregnancy, as Roe v. Wade currently does.

“The weekly testing part of Biden’s vaccine requirement for most American workers is actually pretty popular, too.  And calls from progressives to change the way police departments are run and funded have fallen flat, even in liberal communities.

“But gerrymandering, which is going on across the nation right now, is only going to weaken the influence of moderates.  Both parties are eliminating competitive congressional districts, where lawmakers have an incentive to listen to the middle, in favor of districts that will reward lawmakers who drive hard to the right or left.  So it’s going to become even more structurally difficult for less partisan Americans to influence American politics.”

With the apparent loss of any ability by those in government to compromise – to find middle ground – I am preparing to vote for candidates who will express support for discussion and give-and-take, not rabble-rousing.

In the next election in Oregon, for example, we should spend time, effort and energy reviewing the backgrounds of those running for governor and try to cast a vote for person who best exemplifies working for the middle.