Perspective from the 19^th Hole 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 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.

I went golfing yesterday without worrying about Donald Trump.

Wise move.

But, then a frost delay meant we would tee off a bit later than normal.  So, with time on my hands, I had no choice but to come up with the following thoughts about Trump.  Couldn’t help myself.

• Consequences – he doesn’t understand the consequences of his over-the-top actions, or if he did, he wouldn’t care

Example:  Threatening to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Colombia because that country wouldn’t bow to Trump on immigration flights, yet Colombia is one of America’s prime supporters in the region

• Laws – he doesn’t care what laws say, having violated many so he carries a felon label into the White House

Example#1:  He fired inspectors general in 17 federal agencies despite the fact the law requires a 30-day notice to Congress if he wanted to do what he did

Example #2:  He tried to end birthright citizenship, thus scrapping the constitutional right that anyone born in the United States receives citizenship, regardless of their parents’ legal status (various legal challenges are pending)

Example #3:  He’s freezing money that Congress approved to spend…he ordered the Executive Branch to stop spending billions of dollars on a variety of issues that run counter to his agenda, like climate mitigation, infrastructure spending, foreign aid, and money for “sanctuary” cities…but Congress approved this spending during President Joe Biden’s term, and for the most part, presidents must spend the money that Congress appropriates…they can’t just hold it, or “impound” it because they don’t agree with it…that would be in violation of the Impoundment Control Act

• Conflicts – he, of course, thinks he has none…if his actions accrue benefits for him, including financial benefits for his pocketbook, so be it

Example:  And, if the federal government produces financial results for companies run by him or his family, good

• Tariffs – guess who will pay higher costs when Trump imposes tariffs – you and me

Example:  Same as above regarding Colombia because the reality is that all of us – including Trump’s MAGA followers – will pay for what he says he wants to do, which is impose tariffs on every country

• Immigration – Some of those who voted for Trump are now being deported

Example:  Many these individuals were surprised as they were rounded up and put on flights to somewhere — deportation

• Appointments – management credentials don’t matter to Trump… after all, he has none himself…thus many of his Cabinet-level appointments have no management experience either

Examples:  Peter Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Robert Kennedy, Kash Patel – none of have management credentials to manage anything…and, of course, neither, as I said above, does reality-TV host Trump…and consider this about Kennedy… he has made millions by referring clients to trial lawyers, and he advocates mass tort litigation that would ruin the vaccine industry, on top of which he opposes most vaccines…so, in effect, what he says is “good luck on your health”

Amber Phillips wrote this in the Washington Post:

“…Trump made clear his first week that he has no qualms about pushing the boundaries of presidential power to shift the government and the nation to the far right.

“Experts say several of his actions might be illegal or unconstitutional, and at least one has been challenged in court.

“But it’s not clear what else could stop these policies from being implemented or what consequences Trump might face for taking potentially illegal actions.  He was impeached by House Democrats in his first term for doing something similar but acquitted by a Republican Senate.

“Then the Supreme Court gave Trump and all former and future presidents immunity from official acts.  Watchdog groups say congressional intervention will be needed to keep some of these potentially illegal moves from being implemented.  But Republicans control both chambers and Democrats and are still trying to figure out how to respond to the avalanche of changes Trump made in his first week.”

And, don’t rely on Republicans to be a check on Trump autocracy.  So far, all they are doing is bowing and scraping to him.