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.

Remember that moniccker – Project 2025?

It was a long summary outlining how right-wing activists would take over the federal government.

At the time the report was published during the last presidential campaign, Donald Trump disavowed any connection to it.

Of course, now as president, he is implementing it…in spades, fluent with his vision of himself as an autocrat in charge of everything.

Here is how Atlantic Magazine writer David Graham wrote about Project 2025 this week:

“A year ago, no one knew for sure whether Project 2025 would prove to be influential or if it would fall by the wayside, like so many plans in Trump’s first term.  Today, it stands as the single most successful policy initiative of the entire Trump era.

“Project 2025, which was convened by the Heritage Foundation during the Trump interregnum, was not just one thing:  It was a policy white paper, an implementation plan, a recruitment database, and a worldview, all rolled into one.

“The authors sought to create an agenda for the next right-wing president that would allow him to empower the Executive Branch, sideline Congress, and attack the civil service.  The resulting politicized, quasi-monarchical government would enact policies that would move the United States toward a traditionalist christian society (and note that I did not capitalize the word Christian because, in Trump world, that word does not apply in any real sense).”

In the 11 months since he took office, Graham reports that Trump has closely followed many parts of Project 2025, finally embracing it by name in October.

From Graham:

“Both Trump and the plan’s architects have benefited:  His second administration has been far more effective at achieving its goals than his first, and the thinkers behind Project 2025 have achieved what Paul Dans, one of its leaders, described as ‘way beyond his ‘wildest dreams.’

“Project 2025’s biggest victory has been an extraordinary presidential power grab, which has allowed Trump to act in ways that previous presidents have only fantasized about, and to act with fewer restraints.  He has laid off tens of thousands of federal employees, sometimes in defiance of laws.

“Elsewhere, the administration has slashed environmental regulations, withdrawn from a major international climate agreement, undermined renewable energy, and worked to encourage oil and gas drilling on public land.

“It has discarded key civil-rights-enforcement methods, dismantled anything that might be construed as DEI, and set the agenda for aggressive immigration policies, not just closing the border to many foreign nationals and deporting unauthorized immigrants, but also cracking down on valid-visa holders and seeking to denaturalize citizens.”

So, in all this, where is Congress?

The answer?  Nowhere.

Those in Congress have ceded almost all power to Trump and the Supreme Court has done the same.

More from Graham:

“The administration has dabbled in impounding funds appropriated by Congress, despite a law barring this.  It has also mounted a major assault on the independence of regulatory agencies, as established by Congress; Trump has fired multiple appointees, sometimes in apparent violation of law, but the Supreme Court has allowed him to proceed.”

For Graham – and, by extension, for me – two questions remain.

1. How far will right-wingers who support Project 2025 go to implement more of its agenda?  One problem is that some of the proposed changes will not be popular with voters and that could impose realities in the mid-term elections.
2. Will right-wingers worry that, if a Democrat wins the 2028 election, he or she will inherit Project 2025 White House powers, under, of course, a different label?

I’ll be interested in the answers to both questions.

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.

As the lights dimmed in the elegant McCallum Theater in Palm Springs — an intimate yet grand venue known for bringing Broadway-caliber productions to the desert – I settled into my seat with a sense of anticipation.

For me, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical wasn’t just another holiday show; it was an opportunity to revisit the soundtrack of one of my favorite singers.

Plus, what father wouldn’t cherish my experience:  I was on a father-daughter date with my daughter, Lissy, who was in town from Woodinville, Washington.

We had a great time together as we watched a play that wove together Diamonds life with his music.

I knew every song portrayed by a great traveling cast.

At the McCallum, first impressions matter.

From the moment we walked into the theater, we appreciated the relaxed yet cultured atmosphere the McCallum fosters — there’s no strict dress code, which makes every performance feel welcoming, whether you’re dressed up for a night out or in smart casuals.

The audience’s energy changed over the course of the evening:  Curious chatter before the curtain rose, followed by collective recognition and joy as the first familiar chords of Diamond’s songs filled the hall.

Our energy changed, too.

This musical isn’t just a show — it’s a communal experience where fans and newcomers alike find themselves singing along silently (or not so silently) to classics.

A Beautiful Noise weaves Diamond’s life and music into a narrative that’s more than a concert — it’s a theatrical journey.  The production was created with his active involvement because he now has stopped touring as he deals with a diagnosis of Parkinsons.

Hearing hits like Sweet Caroline, America, and ‘Forever in Blue Jeans performed live evoked both nostalgia and reflection for me on how deeply these songs have threaded themselves into my life over almost as many years as Diamond has sung them.

The production showed not just Diamond’s rise to fame, but the personal challenges and triumphs that shaped him.  

About halfway through the show, the cast performed a rendition of Diamon’s most famous song, Sweet Caroline, which always involves audience participation whether at a restaurant we love in La Quinta, California, or, yes, at the McCallum.

Oh yeah, two more things.

Neither at the McCallum or our favorite restaurant, do I sing along to Sweet Caroline, which is a good thing because I can’t sing a lick and Sweet Caroline deserves solid voices like Diamond’s.

And, my daughter loved the McCallum performance as much as I did.

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.

New York times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who has roots in Oregon, wrote this week about the subject contained in this blog headline:  Helping the poor is one mark of being a true Christian.

Real Christianity is very different from what Donald Trump says and does in recruiting voters to his side of the political ledger, which is marked by invective and burnishing his own image, regardless of the adverse effect on the country, as well as no relationship to real Christianity.

I thought of this for one, major reason.  As I participated in a Bible study last week, the leader called us to react with joy during this Christmas season, which commemorates the birth of Christ.

From my youth, I remember the definition of the word “joy.”  It was expressed to me as “Jesus, others, and you.”  Which is a good order.

Love Jesus.  Take care of the poor.  And then, at the end, look after yourself.  Which can spark joy in your life.

In the Kristof column, he wrote that he spoke with Bart Ehrman, a prominent new testament scholar at the University of North Carolina and the author or editor of more than 30 books.

He asked questions of Ehrman, so here is his first:

“You have a new book coming out soon, “Love Thy Stranger,” arguing that Jesus taught a revolutionary message that transformed western moral thinking.  What was that message?”

The answer: 

“The heart of Jesus’ message is that loving ‘others’ means caring not only for family and friends but even for strangers — whoever is in need, whether we know them or whether they are like us.  This kind of altruism was not promoted — or even accepted — in the Greek and Roman worlds that Jesus came out of.  But it is a view that completely transformed the thinking and ethical priorities of the western world down till today.”

Kristof goes on to ask another question:

“I admire that message of Jesus about helping strangers, but did it really transform the moral conscience of the west?  White evangelicals overwhelmingly voted for President Trump, and he’s not helping strangers but deporting them and breaking up families.”

The answer:

“That’s right:  A number of outspoken Christian leaders and Christian communities promote views that are quite contrary to the teachings of Jesus.  Even so, his teachings continue to affect most people in the west, whether Christian or not.  When a hurricane hits, many of us feel inclined to send money for disaster relief.  or we volunteer in soup kitchens to help people we don’t know.  These practices are rooted in teachings of Jesus that became ethical norms once Christianity became the dominant religion of the west.

“Public hospitals, broad social programs that focused on the poor, orphanages, poor people’s homes, disaster relief — these didn’t really exist before Christianity took over the empire, and they obviously have made a huge difference in the lives of millions.”

My reaction is two-fold:

1. First, without trying to gain credit, my wife and I set out to use our commitment to Christ and portions of our money to support programs that help the poor.  One example is Salem Free Clinics.  Another is Salem for Refugees.  Still another is Church at the Park.  All do great work and we are glad to help, with God getting the credit for our “good works.”

• Second, I cannot believe how Trump has turned real Christianity on its head.  Instead of caring for the poor, he sets out to deport them.  Instead of supporting federal programs that provide food for people who don’t have much, if any, Trump cuts those programs.  And, then he claims that his actions are Christian, as he tries to round up more supporters who value themselves, not others, just as he does.

To this, I say “no,” emphatically!

The Bible emphasizes helping the poor as a core Christian duty, with verses like Matthew 25:40 (“whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did for me”), Proverbs 19:17 (generosity to the poor is a loan to the lord), and Deuteronomy 15:7 (don’t harden your heart to a needy brother) showing God calls his people actively to provide for the needy, upholding justice, and demonstrating love through tangible acts of kindness.

Here are a few key bible verses underlining our responsibility to help the poor:

• Again, Matthew 25:35-40:  Jesus connects serving the poor, sick, and imprisoned with serving him directly, promising rewards for acts of mercy.
• Luke 14:12-14:  Jesus advises hosting the poor, blind, and lame, promising blessings for those who serve those who can’t repay.
• Acts 20:35:  Paul reminds believers that Jesus said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
• 1 John 3:17-18:  Warns that if someone has material wealth but closes his or her heart to a person in need, God’s love doesn’t remain in them.
• James 2:2-4:  Condemns favoritism toward the rich and neglecting the poor, showing God’s impartiality. 

Back to one of my main points:  By his actions and conduct, there is no way Trump is expressing Christianity.  Instead, he uses religion as just another attempt to create political support — support he doesn’t deserve by his conduct.

What we need in this country is more real Christians who will follow Christ’s admonition to help the poor and downtrodden, as well as honor their savior, while, at the same time, turning their backs on Trump and what he stands for.

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.

A few golfing friends and I ask often ask ourselves, in a middle of a bad round, “why do we play this stupid game?”

Well, it is a choice, no matter how hard it gets or no matter what success escapes us.

In both Salem, Oregon where I live seven months a year, and in La Quinta, California where I live the other five, I CHOOSE to play nearly every day.

Further, I am what I call “a recreational golfer,” not a competition golfer, at least not any longer.

There are two reasons for my dedication to golf:

1. I love the courses where I play most of my golf – Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club in my #1 home, Salem, Oregon, and The Palms in La Quinta, California near where I have the privilege to live in the winter.

On the courses, there is something new every time I play, even after many years.  I never get tired of playing both tracks.

• My best friends in both places play golf, too – and that makes for great experiences, every day.

My wife often tells me, as I head out to the course, “to have fun no matter how I play.”

Solid advice.

I try to remember it every day, though I add that I often have more fun if I play well.

So, onward I go. 

Where?  To the golf course.

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.

As we reach the end of another year, it helps to look back on what happened in 2025.

For me, that requires too much effort, so I rely this time on PEW Research, which published an e-mail on trends in the United States in 2025.

By the way, just think about this:  It was more than 25 years ago that everyone was concerned about the effect of turning 1999 into 2000.  What affect would the new year with a “2” in front of three other digits have on, say, computers? 

Well, without much dislocation then, we made it into the 2000s, so now I include PEW’s look back.

1.  After more than 50 years of rapid growth, the number of immigrants living in the U.S. is on the decline.  Between January and June 2025, the nation’s immigrant population fell by more than 1 million.
 

2.  Views of the U.S. have worsened – and views of China have improved – across many of the 10 high-income countries we surveyed this year.  A median of 35 per cent of adults in these countries have a favorable opinion of the U.S., while 32 per cent feel favorably toward China.  These shares are the closest they’ve been since 2018.
 

3.  Seven-in-ten Americans now say the nation’s higher education system is generally going in the wrong direction, up from 56 per cent in 2020.  Colleges and universities receive poor marks in areas like affordability and preparing students for well-paying jobs.
 

4.  Americans have grown more critical of the widespread legalization of sports betting. This is especially the case among young men: Close to half say legal sports betting is a bad thing for society, up from 22 per cent in 2022.
 

5.  Around seven-in-ten Americans say Donald Trump is trying to exert more power than his predecessors.  Most of those who say this view it as a bad thing for the country.
 

6.  A majority of parents with a child under 2 years old say their child watches videos on YouTube, up from 45 per cent in 2020. This includes 35 per cent who say their child watches YouTube daily.
 

7.  Google users who encounter an AI Overview are about half as likely as other users to click on search results.  In our study, those who landed on a Google search page with an AI summary clicked on a search result 8 per cent of the time. Those who did not see a summary clicked on a search result 15 per cent of the time.
 

8.  Republicans have become much less likely to say healthy children should be required to get the MMR vaccine to attend public school. The percentage of Republicans who hold this view has fallen from 79 per cent in 2019 to 52 per cent this year.
 

9.  Partisans differ especially sharply in how much they trust Fox News and CNN.  For instance, 56 per cent of Republicans say they trust Fox News, while 64 per cent of Democrats say they distrust it.  The pattern is reversed for CNN.
 

10.  For the first time in nearly two decades of surveys, most Hispanics say their group’s situation in the country has worsened over the past year. About seven-in-ten Hispanic adults now express this view, up sharply from 26 per cent in 2021 and 39 per cent in 2019.

11.  Sub-Saharan Africa is now home to more Christians than any other world region:  About 31 per cent of the global Christian population lives there, surpassing Europe’s 22 per cent.  While Christianity remains the world’s largest religion, Islam was the fastest-growing religion between 2010 and 2020, among the seven major groups we study.
 

12.  Americans are far more pessimistic than optimistic about the effect AI will have on human creativity and connection.  About half say AI will worsen people’s ability to think creatively, and same proportion say it will worsen people’s ability to form meaningful relationships with others.

To conclude, I agree with columnist George Will, who wrote this in the Washington Post:

“As 2025 slinks offstage, at least that’s something to cheer about.  Farewell to a year that brought the Cracker Barrel brouhaha, the DOGE dud, and the Gulf of America.”

But, for me, beyond PEW and George Will, I also relish the time spent in the last year with family and friends.  I am fortunate to have both as 2026 begins, with whatever the new year holds.

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.

As I write this on Christmas Day 2025, I reflect on another great evening last night when, with friends, we attended a Christmas Eve service at our church here in Salem, Oregon.

The service always ends with singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

As tradition goes, persons from the audience are asked to come to the platform to sing the chorus if they know how to read music and have sung the chorus before.

It’s good that I sit in my chair because I cannot sing as lick.

So, I prepare to listen and, then as the choir start singing, I join all others in the audience to stand up.  That’s what you do when the Messiah is sung and played.

If I happen to play the music while driving in my car, of course I cannot stand up, but I do so in my head because that’s what the chorus deserves – a standing ovation.

Here are the words from the chorus:

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah


For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

(For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth)

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth

(Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)

Hallelujah


The kingdom of this world;

is become the kingdom of our Lord,

and of His Christ

and of His Christ

And He shall reign forever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever


King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

and Lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

and Lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

and Lord of lords

King of kings and Lord of lords


And he shall reign

And he shall reign

And he shall reign

He shall reign

And he shall reign forever and ever

King of kings forever and ever

and Lord of lords hallelujah hallelujah

And he shall reign forever and ever

King of kings and Lord of lords

King of kings and Lord of lords

And he shall reign forever and ever

Forever and ever and ever and ever

(King of kings and Lord of lords)

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hallelujah

Okay, it’s better to hear the chorus than to read the lyrics.  But, if you persevere, as you read the words, they can draw you closer to Christ.

And that’s one of the basic purposes of Christmas, which commemorates the birth of the Christ-child.

So, on this Christmas day, read the words again remember the “real reason for the season.”

Accept the free gift of salvation.

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.

When I  wonder whether to write something on Christmas – or what to write — my thoughts often go to the words of great hymns.

That’s good – thoughts.  Not singing because I am not able to carry a tune.

But, it is good to focuse on the words when they underline the real reason for the season – Christ’s birth which started our way to gain salvation through Him.

By the way, I am writing this, not on Christmas day, but rather on December 23, which is the day my wife and I will be having Christmas with our family here in Salem, Oregon.

So here goes on hymns.

One of the best ones is “O HOLY NIGHT.” 

Here the great lyrics that, when we listen to or hear them can draw us to Christ.

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim

So, focus on these words.  And, if other hymn words draw you, focus on those, too.

And enjoy the reality that Christ came to earth, was born as a baby in manager, taught for about 30 years, then died a grotesque death, but rose from the dead three days later.

That provides salvation for anyone – yes, anyone – who will accept the free gift!

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.

What is the definition of power in politics?

For me, that question has come up in two ways in the last couple days.

1. In one case, a writer for the Washington Post suggested that Donald Trump is losing power as president because “he is now a lame duck.”

Sounds a bit early for me, but it is becoming clear that Trump is not as powerful as he once was — or at least thought he was.

• The other case arose in a column called Capitol Chatter written by the former editorial page editor of the Salem Statesman-Journal, Dick Hughes.

He questioned whether politicians in Oregon, including Governor Tina Kotek thought they had enough power – call it “staying power” — to pull off their announced bids to improve the state’s economy.

For Kotek, that is critical as she runs for re-election.

One of her opponents on the Republican side is Christine Drazan, now an Oregon senator, who lost to Kotek last time around.

On the general subject of political power, columnist Frank Bruni, writing in the New York Times, said this:

“The first year of Trump’s return to the White House has shown or reminded us of many things, including the fragility of democracy, the prevalence of cowardice and the intensity of tribalism. But it has been an especially stark and galling education in the intoxication of power.”

As an example of “intoxication,” Bruni cited Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles, who allowed herself to be interviewed 11 times by a reporter for Vanity Fair.  In the story, she came across as incredibly honest about the faults of Trump and those around him such as Russell Vought, Kash Patel, and Pete Hegseth, all in jobs beyond their abilities as they seek “power.”

So far, Wiles appears to have survived her more-than-candid criticisms of Trump and his band of power-seekers.  But, even as someone who tries to stay out of the political limelight in Washington, D.C., this time it appears she couldn’t resist the approach to emphasize her power.

Back to Capitol Chatter.  In his column, Hughes described how Oregon governor candidates Kotek and Drazan have framed their candidacies

:

• In a press release, Kotek proclaimed, “The choice is between a governor who will stand up for Oregon and protect what we believe in, or a governor who will let Donald Trump do whatever he wants.” 

• An hour later, Drazan responded in her own press release:  “Tina is all talk and no results.  She wants Oregonians to believe this race is about Washington, D.C., when it’s really about our home.” 

It is possible that former Portland Trailblazer center Chris Dudley, another Republican, also could make the race, though he has been out of politics since he lost to Democrat John Kitzhaber a few years ago.  Some of my sources say Dudley will not run; other say he will.  So, at the moment, no one knows for sure.

One challenge for Kotek is that she will be on the ballot at the same time as an initiative to try to overturn the Legislature’s decision, with Kotek’s support, to approve higher transportation taxes to fix Oregon roads.

It appeared to be relatively easy for Republican leaders in the Legislature to gain signatures to get the issue to the ballot, even without major money to pay for signature collection.  They lost in the Legislature; they now want to win at the ballot. 

Some recent polls suggest that many Oregonians are not ready for higher taxes, so Kotek will have to explain on the campaign trail why she wants them.  And that’s why the question emerges about whether she has the “staying power” to win at the ballot, either for herself as a candidate or for the tax increases.

In this blog, I am not expressing favoritism for any candidate.  For one thing, it is far too early to do so.  For another, I want to listen to the debate in the next year before landing some place.

For you, I wish the same, even as we wonder about power in politics.

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.

Anyone who knows me knows that I like words.

Better than numbers, charts, graphs, and even photos.

So it is that I enjoy reading columns by Frank Bruni, who writes for the New York Times.  He likes words, too, and uses them well.

A recent column from Bruni said this:

“In The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Philip Martin praised the writer Walter Isaacson’s depictions of the authors of the Declaration of Independence in his new book, ‘The Greatest Sentence Ever Written,’ about the document’s opening words:

“He doesn’t carve them into monuments.  He lets them breathe as men at work, leaning over a draft, arguing about commas, listening for cadence.  You can feel their hope that a sentence might do what armies could not:  Define a people by the rhythm of a thought.  That faith in language, more than any creed, is the American religion:  The belief that words, if built well, can hold our contradictions long enough for us to grow into them.”

Note the phrase, “listening for cadence.” 

When I have a chance, that’s what I like to do – listening for how words flow together, as Bruni would say, “in cadence.”

At the end of all Bruni’s columns, he quotes good words that his followers have sent him from around the country – quotes in various newspapers.

The fact is, Bruni says, good words can help us surmount our disagreements, or least understand our differences better.

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.

As I followed news over the last couple days, I almost decided to write a blog building on this headline – “the petty, hollow, squalid person, Trump.”

Then, Bret Stephens, writing in the New York Times, performed a service for me when he wrote:

“Though I tend to think it’s usually a waste of space to devote a column to President Trump’s personality — what more is there to say about the character of this petty, hollow, squalid, overstuffed man? — sometimes the point bears stressing:  We are led by the most loathsome human being ever to occupy the White House.”

Stephens wrote following a new low for Trump.  He refused to provide solid, statesmanlike language to mourn the passing of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele.  Instead, as you will see below, Trump turned the tragedy into an incredibly acrid social media post about himself.

Remember, to Trump, the epitome of a narcissist, everything is always about him.

If you read what Trump wrote, I don’t mind if you throw up.

“A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.

“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before.”

Stephens writes this conclusion:

“I quote Trump’s post in full not only because it must be read to be believed, but also because it captures the combination of preposterous grandiosity, obsessive self-regard and gratuitous spite that ‘deranged’ the Reiners and so many other Americans trying to hold on to a sense of national decency.

“Good people and good nations do not stomp on the grief of others. Politics is meant to end at the graveside.  That’s not just some social nicety. It’s a foundational taboo that any civilized society must enforce to prevent transient personal differences from becoming generational blood feuds.”

I’ll give Atlantic Magazine the last word.

“Looking for a considered meaning in Trump’s words might be a wild-goose chase, though.  The simplest reason Trump posted this is the same reason he posts anything:  The man cannot resist making everything about himself, even if it’s the heartbreaking murder of a beloved artist in an alleged domestic dispute.”