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.

This is one of five departments I run with a free hand to manage as I see fit.  Because, you see, I report to myself and to no one else.

Which means I’m like Donald Trump.  I only have to answer to myself, no one else.

So, hereby, I open the Department of Bits and Pieces.

VICE PRESIDENT VANCE AND THE NEW POPE:  News broke this week that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was setting out to establish a relationship with the new Pope, Pope Leo.

If I was the new Pope, I would not schedule Vance for a meeting.  Remember, the last time Vance with a Pope — Pope Francis — the Pope died!

So, I say to Pope Leo, move on with your priority to emphasize the importance of pastoral care, even though Vance would not know the meaning of that term.

CABINET SECRETARY BOTCHES THE DEFINTION OF HABEAS CORPUS:  As reported by national publications Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mangled a response to a question about habeas corpus at a Senate hearing Tuesday, referring to the constitutional right of due process as a “right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.”

New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan asked Noem about the constitutional protection after noting that White House adviser Stephen Miller told reporters earlier this month that the administration was “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus, the right to challenge an arrest or imprisonment.

“I want to clarify your position,” Hassan asked. “What is habeas corpus?”

“Well, habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country, and suspend their right to … ,” Noem responded before she was cut off by Hassan.

“That’s incorrect,” the senator said.

“Habeas corpus is the legal principle that requires that the government provide a public reason for detaining and imprisoning people. If not for that protection, the government could simply arrest people, including American citizens, and hold them indefinitely for no reason,” Hassan said, calling it a “foundational right.”

Well, no surprise here.  On this and most other issues, Noem is like most other appointments by Donald Trump.  She has no idea what she is doing or saying, unless its obedience to Trump – and unless she wants to shoot her dog again as she vowed she could do a few months ago.

A MILITARY PARADE FOR GUESS WHO – TRUMP!  No surprise here – he wants a military parade for himself, which probably illustrates his “I want to be Putin” instinct.

Guess what?  The parade will cost in the range of $45 million.

There are far better uses for this federal money.

Plus, as I read Psalm 33 in the Bible this morning, I came across a verse that applies to Trump and other military-minded leaders in our world: 

“No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.”

So, I wish Trump would read the Bible, instead of Mein Kampf.