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 don’t keep track of Donald Trump’s record.

If I did, I would be throwing up all the time because Trump has made such a mockery of the American presidency. Yet, presidents often rise or fall on the basis of what they do or don’t do from the Oval Office. 

So, Trump should fall.

Here are examples of Trump’s record that come to mind:

• He went to war with Iran without checking with Congress or explaining his reasons to the American people, the voters.  And now, as tough negotiations to end the war continue, one result is clear – not much has changed in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz is mostly open, as it was before the war.

So, this is a major blemish on Trump’s record, enough to prompt other commentators to weigh in.

From the New York Times: 

“He accepted the rose-colored assessment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who predicted that the Iranian regime would quickly fall.  Trump dismissed the views of his aides who told him that Netanyahu’s forecast was farcical.  Trump ignored the Constitution and refused to seek congressional approval for the war.  He did not listen to European and Asian allies who opposed his war.  He failed to plan for Iran’s obvious ability to close the Strait of Hormuz.  He made threats about destroying Iranian civilization that succeeded only in diminishing America’s moral standing. 

“For his sins, he has now agreed to a peace framework that the entire world understands is a defeat for him.  It is a setback for America, too.”

From The Atlantic Magazine: 

“Trump’s description of the current regime in Tehran as a bunch of swell guys was brewed in a heavy-duty vat of wishful thinking.  It’s an extreme version of Trump’s tendency, when he’s been outplayed by powerful enemies, to describe his opponents as basically reasonable people.  (He has done the same over the years with dictators and autocrats in North Korea, Russia, and China, among other countries.)  This is his way of assuring the public that he did not get taken to the cleaners — because, of course, his affable partners would never do that.”

From the Washington Post:

“Trump’s plummet will intensify what is causing it, his self-absorption and self-indulgence. Recently, he waged war carelessly, pursued a fixation incontinently, and named a building contemptibly.

“He unleashed America’s military competence, in conjunction with Israel’s, for a defensible purpose:  Preventing a genocidal and theologically demented regime from completing the Holocaust (it has called Israel “a one-bomb country”) and punishing God’s foremost enemy, America.  But this worthy U.S. goal became a casualty of presidential frivolousness.”

• He transformed the White House lawn into a cage fight venue to celebrate his 80^th birthday.

• He declined to do anything to celebrate America on its 250th birthday, preferring, as always, for everything to be about him.

• He has turned the presidency into a way for he and family to gain money – notice, I didn’t say “earned” – instead of working for America.

• Several years ago, on his way to the White House for the second time, he was found guilty of sexual assault against E. Jean Carroll, only one of the alleged crimes he has escaped, at least so far.

• Just after losing his first bid for re-election, Trump instructed supporters to invade the U.S. Capital and do all the damage they could, then later refused to accept responsibility or to ask “his troupe” to stop the damage, even as he continued to proclaim that he won.  Call that what it was, sedition.

Or, consider various promises Trump made that he did not fulfill and probably never intended to fulfill as he told lies, which is what he does as a matter of routine.

Ending the Ukraine War:  Repeatedly promising to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office, this goal has remained unachieved.

Reducing Everyday Costs:  Promising to lower grocery prices and overall costs of living, many everyday goods and services have remained persistently expensive.

Border Wall Funding:  Pledging repeatedly that Mexico would pay for the border wall, the multi-billion-dollar project was funded by American taxpayers.

Health Care Cuts:  Vowing not to touch Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, his administration’s proposed budgets have drawn criticism from organizations for targeting these safety nets.

Healthcare Protections:  Promising to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions, his administration supported legal efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Replacing Obamacare:  Pledging on day one to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare system remained fundamentally intact with ACA subsidies ultimately allowed to expire.

So, Trump’s record fails and promises are not kept.

Can we survive for two more years?