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.

Another way to put the point in this blog headline:  The middle ground is missing in politics today.

Especially at the national level where both sides – Republicans and Democrats – always think they are right.  So, never the twain shall meet somewhere in the middle.

And, president Donald Trump only adds to the tension when he shoots his mouth off without any regard for the outcome he produces.

Writing in The Atlantic magazine, David Graham referred to the loss of checks and balances in the current system.

“In an interview with The New York Times early this year, Trump was asked, ‘Do you see any checks on your power on the world stage?  Is there anything that could stop you?’

“’Yeah, there is one thing,’ he said.  ‘My own morality.  My own mind.  It’s the only thing that can stop me, and that’s very good.’”

Well, not to me.

Regarding his power, Trump says “there are no limits. I know there are, but, you know, there are no limits.  We defeated them totally militarily.’”

See, speaking out of both sides of his mouth almost always illustrates Trump as words that happen to cross his brain emerge from his mouth.

More from Graham:

“If after his humiliating defeat in the war with Iran, his approach suggests delusion, but it also suggests something about Trump’s view of the presidency as a monarchical office.  During his first term in the White House, he pushed back repeatedly against the rule of law.

“In his second term, he has also raged against restraints from other branches of government, his own aides, and even reality.  His administration has clashed with and sometimes defied the courts, grabbed powers from Congress, and attempted to establish vassal states in other sovereign countries — or take away parts of them entirely.”

Checks and balances have gone away under Trump with a recalcitrant Congress.

“Trump came into his second term as president with a blueprint, courtesy of Project 2025.  He has blown through traditional restraints on his power, often by simply acting without seeking or waiting for permission.  Congress is now stocked with more MAGA loyalists, and so is the administration — which means aides are more eager and willing to do what Trump wants.”

The primary benefit of a checks and balances system is that it prevents any single branch of government from accumulating unchecked authority.  By distributing power across separate co-equal branches (such as the executive, legislative, and judicial), it safeguards against tyranny, enforces the rule of law, and protects citizens’ rights.

Key advantages of this system include:

• Prevention of Tyranny:  By allowing each branch to limit and review the actions of the others, no single individual or group can take total control over the government.
• Promotes Accountability:  Leaders are held accountable for their actions, as policies and decisions require multi-branch approval, review, and justification.
• Encourages Compromise:  Because branches must negotiate and cooperate to enact policies, the resulting laws and regulations tend to represent a broader spectrum of public interest rather than the will of a simple majority.
• Protects Civil Liberties:  Judicial bodies can strike down unconstitutional laws or executive actions, ensuring that fundamental human rights and due process are upheld.
• Improves Decision Quality:  Forcing policies to undergo rigorous scrutiny, debate, and supervision helps catch flaws, prevent rash decisions, and maintain the integrity of the political system.

Again, my point is that middle ground is gone.  Compromise is viewed as a dirty word.  A checks and balances system doesn’t exist.

And, all of us Americans, are worse off for the loss.