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.

If a country was ruled by Communism, who would lead an effort to rid a country of that regime and restore democracy if “the people” wanted a change?

Well, here in Romania, I learned the other day that, among others, it was a 15-year-old youth who now, many years later, still lives in Romania’s largest city, Bucharest, and remembers, as if it was just recently, the overthrow of a hated regime.

This is one of the fascinating facts you learn when, as is true for my wife and me, we were stuck in Bucharest for three days when the water in the Danube River was too low to allow our scheduled trip on the river to proceed.  So, we are reduced to a bus tour instead of a river cruise.

We also found time to find out more about this former communist city.

Plus, more about what I call the “profile in courage.”

A man named Egmont Pușcașu was the protest leader who still lives in Bucharest now many years after the fall of communism where he played a major role.

In 1989, photos show him at the forefront of the protest as he chanted for the fall of a dictator who had left him and others in Romania adrift, without adequate water, food or heat as the regime exported everything with no care for citizens.

In the photo, at 15 years-of-age, Puscasu is dressed entirely in black, standing on top of a vehicle and screaming out to protest against the regime.  Just as he did that, a friend, standing just next to him, was shot and killed.  Hundreds of others died as communist leaders called in tanks and guns.

Puscasu was wounded, but was able to carry on.

As for today, so many years later, Puscasu works for Viking Cruises, the proprietor of our cruise ship – or, should I say, the renter of the buses that now will take us to Budapest in the next few days. 

Puscasu thought about entering politics and did for a few years, driven by his fame, but found out soon, he told me, that politics didn’t suit him and he could do more in private life.

So, the other day, he spoke to us and many others in person, recounting, not only his role, but all of the many other roles that turned Romania toward democracy and away from communism.

He told incredible stories of bravery and tragedy, standing as he spoke only steps from the site where communism met its end in Romania.

Beyond stories, Puscasu appealed to everyone to be thankful for liberty, if, in fact, they live in liberty as citizens of Romania now do. 

He said: 

“Don’t lost sight of the fact that liberty could disappear quickly if you don’t support it.  Communism lost in Romania because its leaders took everything from the people.  Now, in a democracy, we have the right to think, speak, and to advocate.  If you live in a democracy, hold tight to that liberty.”

Motivated by Puscasu’s comments, I went on-line and obtained more information on the revolt in Bucharest almost 40 years ago.  Here is a summary:

The demise of communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime centered on a fateful public rally on December 21 and the takeover of the Central Committee building a day later.

On December 21, Ceaușescu, fearing for the collapse of his regime, called a mass public assembly of about 100,000 people outside the Central Committee building to condemn the uprising that had begun days earlier in Timișoara.

It was a fateful mistake.  Mid-speech, unexpected boos, whistles, and explosions in the crowd broke the broadcast, shocking Ceaușescu and other leaders as they stood high on a balcony overlooking the square.

Citizens flooded major thoroughfares like Magheru Boulevard and University Square – we saw those this week — facing violent crackdowns by security forces, tanks, and police through the night.

On the morning of December 22, massive crowds that had been under the gun regrouped and overwhelmed the center of Bucharest, forcing the military to stop fighting the people – and even, on occasion, joining the protestors.

Trapped by the surging crowds, Ceaușescu and his wife fled the capital by helicopter from the roof of the Central Committee building, a retreat that marked the practical end of communist rule in Romania.  They were captured a couple days later, stood trial quickly, were found guilty, and summarily executed to illustrate that communism was no longer in charge.

So, to conclude, as my wife and I were ready for a cruise on the river, instead, we were treated to a profile in courage.

*********

And this footnote:  On one hand, it is easy for me to condemn communism, given the traits of such a regime as the one in Romania, especially in Bucharest.  It hammered the Romanian people into submission at the behest of the all-important “state.”

But, as we talked to a waiter in our hotel, he said something interesting.  As a native of Bucharest, he told us that his parents appreciated communism because it “guaranteed” (my word, not his) a way of life for their family.

Two views:  One from the patriot who led an overthrow of communism and another from a citizen who remembers the regime more fondly.

This reminded me of a conversation a number of years ago when we were in Prague.  Our tour guide there said she was glad communism was over in Prague, but her parents missed the “old way” because of the guarantees (there is that word again, mine) that it provided.

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.

You can tell I have too much time on my hands in retirement if I find time to deal with issues in this blog headline – rakes in bunkers in golf.

But time is not at a premium these days.  I have enough of it.

So:

It turns out that the United States Golf Association (USGA) does not have a formal rule DICTATING where bunker rakes should be placed.

However, it does recommend placing rakes outside the bunker and parallel to the line of play to prevent them from interfering with a rolling ball or leaving bad lies.

Further, during play:

• Moving the Rake:  If your ball rests against a rake, the rake is treated as a movable obstruction.  You can remove it, but if the ball moves, you must replace it on its original spot.
• Testing Conditions: You are allowed to use a rake to smooth footprints, but you can never DELIBERATELY touch the sand to test its condition or improve your lie before your stroke, though raking, in any case, could give you more information on the sand before you hit your shot.
• Etiquette: You may step in and out of the bunker to rake it to care for the course, provided you do not improve the area of your stance or swing.

I add there that if you find the time and want to read an incredibly stupid rule in golf, just read Rule 12.  It deals with bunkers and you will be surprise what you find there in.

Because there is not a universal mandate on rake position in bunkers, local club committees and superintendents decide whether rakes stay inside or outside for daily maintenance and mowing purposes.

At the club where I am a member in Salem, Oregon, Illahe Hills Country Club, there also is not a hard-and-fast rule.  The advice is labeled “tee-boning,” which means that you place the tongs of the rake inside the bunker but leave a few inches of the handle outside the bunker, so a golfer can pick up the rake without placing a foot in the sand.

Plus, this approach does not much interfere with power mowers as they skirt their way around bunkers.

As for the best approach to raking bunkers after play, the USGA advises that it is best to use long, smooth motions, avoid leaving footprints, and use the back of the rake to smooth large holes. 

The proper raking technique:

• Enter and exit on the low side of the bunker for safety and to keep from breaking down steep edges.
• Use long, smooth strokes instead of quick, jerky pulls or dragging the teeth aggressively.
• Use the back of the rake to level out deep footprints, big bumps, or holes before smoothing over the top with the teeth.
• Do not pull sand out of the bunker or leave piles of sand clumped near the grass edges. 

So, aren’t you glad you now all this?

If you don’t like this, my long-held premise has been this:  Place most of the rake inside the bunker, so if your golf ball strikes it and it is kicked outside the bunker, good.  If the rake was outside the bunker and your golf ball hit it ricocheting it into the bunker, bad.

Thus, the advice at Illahe – “tee-boning” – makes good sense.

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 usually am not one who applies personality to inanimate objects, but…

I found myself asking the question in this blog headline as I got up this morning, our next to the last before we head off to Europe on a long-planned river trip on the Danube from Bucharest to Budapest.

Do gardens talk?  Like the one on our deck above Illahe Hills Country Club where I play most of my golf here in Salem, Oregon?  Or the flowers and bushes in our front yard?

Well, I would say they talk to me each morning as I see them shining brightly in the sun.  If I listen.  They speak comfort and beauty.  They speak relaxation.  They speak wonder.

Then, I read a post from the proprietor of Brooks Winery in Amity, Oregon where we are members.  She wrote about the person who tends the gardens at Brooks where, among other things, vegetables are grown that make their way onto the tables for those who eat and drink at Brooks. 

The gardener is Shannon Meyhew, who, in the spirit of Brooks’ environmental commitments, also goes by the title “sustainability director.” 

Here is what she wrote:

“These long summer evenings, with golden hours that stretch late into dusk have been an invitation to visit the gardens of friends.  Each time I walk into these spaces, I leave inspired by planting combinations, trellis styles, and an appreciation for the imperfections of others’ spaces that remind me of my own.

“I love to ask how old plants are, to hear the story of how a particular garden bed was started, and what the space looked like when it began.

“It was during a twilight conversation in a friend’s garden, mosquitos nipping at our necks and that quiet hush which descends during dusk, that we came to the end of the tour. I was left in awe at the 10 years of work, of one gardener in a single space.

“In that silence, she shrugged, saying as if in summary for it all, ‘I can’t make sense of the garden anymore. It had formed into its own thing.’  Another longtime gardener, a friend, whispered back, ‘That’s how it’s supposed to be.  That’s the magic of it.’

“I thought about those words in my own garden this morning.  Walking the paths, I remembered the younger version of myself.  She came into this space with so many ideas, and with them, she shifted a garden around herself.

“Early on, I was determined to remove clashing color patterns.  I kept to the adage that yellows and reds never go together, and that hot pink should be used with restraint.  I diligently followed the rules of respected gardeners who said that single plantings in a garden border were forbidden.

“Instead, I planted in the matrix style that was advocated for by mainstream designers with multiples of plants, only in odd numbers.  With these rules held firmly in my head, I went about sculpting a garden, determined that I knew what was right.

“In the five years I have been in this garden, what was here before me has continued to quietly grow, despite my trying to dictate where and how it grows.  Fireweed consumes much of the garden beds with a ferocity and determination that leaves me stunned and unwilling to pull it.

“Yarrow appears in every corner with a persistence that silences any attempts to quiet it.  Alongside this, the columbine continues to self-seed with zealous indifference to the fact that I have long decided we have quite enough of it, and any more is really just too much.

“In the spaces of the garden that I started from scratch, I can see a shadow of what I intended.  The rose spirea hedge that forms the backdrop to the pond is growing uniformly.  However, unexpectedly, a verbena pops out within it, having seeded itself joyously in the flanks of the plants, perfectly indifferent to the fact that purples and hot pinks do not go together. “Despite the mismatch, it somehow works, so I leave that oddball there for the swallowtail butterfly that loves the blooms. 

“It’s funny how in gardening we think we are steering the ship.  Somehow along the way, the garden begins to take control, and for those humble enough to listen, we simply follow its lead.

“I thought I was creating this garden.  I had a direction and a mind of what it should be.  Instead, I now sheepishly do my best to keep the path walkable and let the garden guide me.

“So often, the plants are telling us something about the spaces where they grow.  The native twinberry that self-seeds shows me the wetter, slower-draining areas.  Clary sage crops up in those areas of soil that are dry and exposed to full sun.  I like to think the yarrow is there to protect the garden, its strong volatile aromas defending the space from pests.

“Looking down at the garden from above, I can’t help but agree that trying to make sense of the space will only confound you.  There is no order, but I think the wildness is what calls certain people to this garden, such wild spaces are so rare in this world.

“We are all told to conform to ways of looking and acting.  Maybe for once we can let that native self-heal takeover a corner.  Perhaps it will inspire us to let our own hair down, to stop looking for perfection in ourselves and our orderly lives.  

“Instead of shaping the garden, what if we let it shape us? What if we released ourselves to the wildest parts of our souls, those corners of ourselves we have long weeded and mowed into a form that society finds acceptable?  Maybe we can all learn something from fireweed.

“With Love from The Garden,

“Shannon.”

Good words from Shannon.  She has better ones than I have as I look out at our garden on our deck.  Or look in our front yard as bumble bees do their pollinating work on our plants.

So, I am trying to let the garden speak to me in the silence and glow of this and other mornings.

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.

The stories I mention in this blog headline came with these headlines:

• Experts deliver options to plug $421 million gap in Medicaid funding

• Oregon Health Authority director resigns

As for my memories:  I represented major health care organizations as a lobbyist at the State Capitol in Oregon for about 25 years and these stories, published in July 2026, could have occurred many times in previous years.

Because, health care is a controversial topic anywhere, including in Oregon.

It’s tough to provide enough money to fund growing low-income health care needs, plus it is tough to keep leaders at the top of a health care management pyramid.

Before a few further comments from me, here is more information on both stories:

Million Medicaid Gap:  In a presentation to the Oregon Health Policy Board , the Governor’s Advisory Group on Medicaid Sustainability reviewed a report with 40 options to find savings in the Oregon Health Plan to close a $421 million gap in the 2027-29 budget cycle.

Key recommendations are to find administrative efficiencies before cutting benefits, maintain dental coverage instead of cutting it, and reduce covered services based on clinical evidence.

Governor Tina Kotek tasked the group, led by former Oregon Health Authority leader Bruce Goldberg and the Governor’s health policy advisor Kristina Narayan, with finding ways to keep Oregonians insured and maintain meaningful benefits despite major cuts from the federal government.  HR 1, the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, will result in an estimated $9.4 billion loss in federal Medicaid funds by 2031.  Kotek will make final proposals for Medicaid savings in her Recommended Budget, due to the Legislature on December 1.

Oregon Health Authority Director Resigns:  Early this month, Kotek accepted the resignation of Oregon Health Authority Director Dr. Sejal Hathi.  She then appointed former director of the State Department of Human Resources, Fariborz Pakseresht, to serve as Interim Director, effective July 6.

Back to my thoughts.

First, I fought for years for more money for Medicaid, the program that tries to meet the needs of low-income citizens, including in Oregon.

But Medicaid competes for funding against such stalwarts as K-12 education and public safety.  So, it always a battle and, of course, it’s made worse these days because Donald Trump wants to cut all programs other than those from which he benefits.

As for the Oregon Health Authority director, she came to Oregon a couple years ago with high marks from her tenure in health programs in Washington, D.C.  But she didn’t last long.

In a bit of twist, the guy who is helping Governor Kotek find ways to cut Medicaid (the first story) is Dr. Bruce Goldberg, a former Health Authority director himself.  So he illustrates that former directors can find a new professional life.

Enough from my past health care past.

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.

Those who know me know that I like words better than numbers, charts, graphs and even, most of the time, photos.

So I could have opened one of five departments I manage – the Department of Words Matter.  Instead, I just post this.

The following paragraph comes from a column by Frank Bruni, who writes for the New York Times and teaches at Duke University.

In each weekly column, he appends submissions from readers about good words they have read in columns other than his own.

Here is one that appeared this morning:

“In Defector, David Roth nailed the president’s style of, um, oratory:  ‘Things come out of Donald Trump’s mouth, then just keep on coming out of it.  And Trump has wed incontinent words to incoherent actions.  The sum of the wreckage this has made is staggering; fixing it will take a long time or not happen at all.  This is just one of those things you have to walk around knowing.”

This was submitted by a reader from New Jersey and it captures very well the tendency by president Donald Trump to allow words to spew out of his mouth, even if they make no sense.  He just speaks without thinking.

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 have labeled Mark, who wrote the book of Mark in the Bible, as a journalist because that’s what he did.

He interviewed the Apostle Peter and others, then wrote down what he heard.

So, he was a “journalist.”  One of the early ones.

And, this label appeals to me because, when I started professional life, I was a journalist, too.  Surely, not as good a one as Mark, but I still loved writing back then, as well as now in retirement.

So, I give Mark his due.

His book in the Bible was written from this perspective:

“Mark’s Gospel was aimed largely at a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience in Rome.  Its purpose is to portray Jesus as the powerful but suffering Son of God, emphasizing His actions and servant-like ministry.”

Without having been on-site for much of Jesus’ life on earth, Mark still develops a sound chronicle of His life and ministry before his death.

Worth reading!

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.

Thomas Friedman showed up again this week with a great summary of what motivates president Donald Trump.  [Notice that I did not put the word president in capital letters, for Trump doesn’t deserve that elevation.]

Friedman is a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and a weekly columnist who writes extensively in the NY Times on foreign affairs, global trade, the Middle East, globalization, and environmental issues.

Here is his assessment of Trump:

“One thing about President Trump:  He is consistent.  He never surprises you on the upside.  He has never been remotely interested in being the president of all the people, only his base.  He never tries to win by addition, only by division — only by us versus them.”

The best line above – “Trump never surprises you on the upside.”  Only the downside.

Think about for just a minute.  With Trump, things are always worse because of his involvement.  Never an improvement.

Friedman also adds this to indicate that he doesn’t fear the future:

“I believe the quest for national unity is the most underestimated political force in the country today.  It is not an accident that CNN reported last month thatnearly half of Americans say they don’t consider themselves a part of either major political party, the highest level of partisan independence measured by CNN polling in more than a decade.’

“I am sure that is true because I heard the best political analyst I know make the same point.  His name is Barack Obama.  Which brings me to a third variation of ‘This Land Is Your Land.’  It was Obama’s speech at the opening ceremony of his Presidential Center in Chicago.

“My favorite passage from Obama was this:

“As algorithms keep feeding us a steady stream of distraction and outrage, as only the loudest, most extreme voices get attention, fanning our prejudices, appealing to our basest, most tribal instincts, it’s tempting to give in to cynicism and even despair, to stop trying.

“We start thinking that appeals to democracy and civic participation are corny and old-fashioned and boring and naïve, that the very idea of working on behalf of the common good is a sucker’s bet, and that in order for us to win, somebody else has got to lose.  I get it.  I am not immune to anger or doubt, but I do know this:  When we lose faith in each other, when we stop believing that voting matters, that citizenship matters, that our collective voices matter, that how we treat each other no longer matters, and we give away our power to decide our own futures, we open the door to the most ruthless, or the most careless, or the most fearful among us, who see some groups and some people as more equal than others, and see government as nothing more than a way to divvy up the spoils and punish enemies and keep those who are different in their place.”

So, as a political junkie, I like what Friedman wrote and what Obama said.

But, when we see government like Trump does – a way to divvy up spoils to increase a personal bank account – we are in trouble.

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.

In my regular reading the other day, I came across two apt descriptions of Donald Trump who has led this country, the United States of America, astray as no one before him has done.

First, from the Bible, I read 11 Timothy chapter 3 where I found these words:

“There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with such people.”

The apostle Paul wrote these words to a younger man, Timothy, for whom he served as spiritual mentor.

For me, they ring true today as a description of Trump, though, of course, that is not how they were intended back when they were written or, today, how they should be interpreted accurately.  Still, Trump?

Second, from columnist Frank Bruni in the New York Times:

“As for shame, I’ve always maintained that Trump’s utter lack of it is his single greatest competitive advantage.  When nothing embarrasses you, when nothing is beneath you, when your very brand is perfidy and provocation, you deploy lies and employ tricks that your rivals don’t dare to.  You cast off the restraints that everyone else agreed on.  We’ve learned through Trump that American laws and institutions didn’t provide our most important protection against monarchy and madness.  

“The real guardrails were manners, dignity, decency.  Politicians feared that they’d disgrace themselves — and appall supporters — with behavior too regal and repugnant.  But not Trump.  He gleefully smashed norms, cast his destructiveness as boldness, sold his immorality as authenticity and found more buyers than many of us thought possible.”

Again, very accurate.

No shame by Trump, but it is to our joint shame that we let Trump get away with violating the spirit of America.

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 editorial writers, on the occasion of America’s 250^th birthday, came up with a list of 25 reasons to be optimistic about America’s future.

For this blog, I used the same headline the NY Times did, so I attribute the words to the newspaper.

As I looked at the list, it struck me that Donald Trump, the U.S. president who wants to be king, has trampled on most of them.  At one point, I thought about describing his conduct on each of the 25, then I decided that wasn’t worth it.

Just know that Trump has shown he cares only about himself, not America.

Below, one day after our 250^th birthday, I repeat the NY Times list.  Kudos to the editorial writers for focusing on the positive, not the negative.

*********

FROM THE TIMES

The United States has had a tumultuous history, and there have always been reasons to worry about the country’s future.  The frosted glass of memory produces nostalgia for bygone eras.

Freedom and prosperity are never guaranteed, but it’s a mistake to bet against America.  That’s as true now as when the country was founded 250 years ago.

Here are 25 reasons to believe the best days are still ahead for the United States:

1

The U.S. remains a powerhouse in science. It has received almost 300 Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics and medicine — more than three times any other country. It leads the world on clinical trials for experimental drugs and accounted for more than half of the global pharmaceutical market last year.

2

The U.S. boasts the top universities in the world. More than a million foreign students traveled to the U.S. for their college education in the 2024-25 academic year, far more than any other country. That contributed $55 billion to the U.S. economy.

3

Life expectancy reached a new high this year, despite dipping in recent years, and obesity rates are falling. That’s largely thanks to the GLP-1 revolution, which is showing enormous promise to address a wide range of chronic diseases.

4

Cancer is becoming less deadly.  More than 70 per cent of people with a diagnosis now survive at least five years, compared with about half in the 1970s.  That’s partly because tests are better at catching dangerous tumors early, and treatments themselves are improving.  Since the 1990s, the five-year survival rate for late-stage diagnoses has more than doubled for all cancers, from 17 per cent to 35 per cent.

5

U.S. innovation is reaping extraordinary medical breakthroughs. Cutting-edge genetic medicine, still in its infancy, keeps producing therapy options for once untreatable illnesses, such as sickle cell disease and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

6

Advancements in mRNA technology are making it easier for biotech companies to develop new vaccines, providing a powerful tool to quickly defend against new pathogens and create personalized therapies.

7

The U.S. dollar is the world’s undisputed reserve currency and will remain so for the foreseeable future. About 57 per cent of all global foreign exchange reserves are in dollars, a testament to the stability of the U.S. economy.

8

More than half of the world’s 100 most valuable publicly traded corporations are American, far surpassing any other country. In fact, even though the U.S. has about 4 per cent of the world’s population, it claims about 65 per cent of the value of the world’s investable public stocks.

9

Most Americans have a direct stake: Sixty-two per cent of Americans own stocks, compared with a third or less in most other developed countries.

10

The U.S. leads the world in venture capital, with more than $450 billion available to American start-ups.  China, in second, has only $41 billion. That makes it far easier for U.S. entrepreneurs to access financing to start a business and pursue their dreams.

11

Americans are growing wealthier across the board.  After falling during the Great Recession, median net worth has surged to new heights.  The number of millionaires has grown at a record pace in recent years.  In fact, the U.S. is home to the highest number of Black millionaires on the planet.

12

The median U.S. household has a higher annual income than 96 per cent of the world’s population.  This includes many wealthy nations:  Average annual wages in the U.S. are 19 per cent higher than in Germany, 37 per cent higher than in France and 63 per cent higher than in Italy, adjusted for purchasing power.

13

The U.S. remains a magnet for talent.  Before the second Trump administration, more than a million people were granted legal residency every year.  Hundreds of thousands are still trying to come here, despite new restrictions.  Our foreign-born population is more than three times the size of any other country’s.

14

The U.S. is the world’s largest oil exporter and continues making strides toward energy independence.  The shale revolution helped insulate consumers from energy shocks.

15

The U.S. is experiencing a boom in solar and wind. It maintains the largest fleet of nuclear reactors in the world. Investors are eagerly looking to build out advanced nuclear technology, including fusion.

16

The U.S. is installing battery storage at a record pace. That infrastructure will help meet rising energy demands and make the electrical grid more efficient.  Meanwhile, automakers and energy suppliers are beginning to deploy sodium ion batteries, which promise to be more durable than the lithium batteries that dominate the market.  They’re also easier to manufacture.

17

The U.S. is leading the world on artificial intelligence, which has the potential to revolutionize the economy.  Self-driving cars promise to make streets safer and more efficient.  Large language models will make workers more productive and reduce the amount of time they spend performing menial tasks.

18

The U.S. has the strongest military in the world.  That investment protects American interests, safeguards the freedom of navigation and deters the outbreak of global wars.

19

The U.S. benefits from an extensive system of global alliances, which multiplies its already formidable strength and ability to project power.

20

The U.S. dominates the final frontier.  America’s private space industry — including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Blue Origin, founded by Post owner Jeff Bezos — is booming, supporting science and developing satellite-based internet services for people without access to broadband.

21

No other country is as generous as America. Our people contribute to charity about 2 per cent of GDP every year, roughly the size of Sweden’s entire economy.

22

The U.S. still rules the world culturally. The filmmaking industry dominates the worldwide box office and TV show markets.

23

Despite its polarized politics, the U.S. has become more tolerant and accepting.  Support for same-sex marriage doubled in 20 years, reflecting a capacity for introspection.

24

Protections for free speech are among the most robust in the world.  Despite recent strains, journalists continue to uncover government failures, and Americans freely debate ideas.

25

America’s record of democracy remains rock solid.  Never once in its 250 years has it failed to conduct scheduled federal elections, even during the Civil War and pandemics.  The government is messy and imperfect, always has been, but so long as its citizenry maintains faith in the principles set down by the Founding Fathers, it will always have the capacity for self-improvement.

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 blog headline contains a strange word, one not much used in everyday language.

It is a term in the lexicon of golf rules and refers to a specific kind of violation.

This:  “Purposely leaving a ball in place on the putting green instead of marking it, so the ball that is left could help another player whose turn is after yours.”

Call it “backstopping.”

That word was used by Ron Kapriskie as he wrote a recent column for Golf Digest.  Here are excerpts:

“Back in 2019, the LPGA Tour found itself in the spotlight for a curious ruling involving two tour players and a practice called ‘backstopping.’

“If you’ve never heard the term, tour pros commonly use it to describe purposely leaving a ball in place on the putting green instead of marking it.

“The thought is that it can potentially help another player who is hitting an approach shot onto the green. I f the player off the green hits a shot that is too hot, the ball on the green might stop it from getting into real trouble.”

Rule 15.3 covers this practice and, as you might guess, it’s a two-stroke penalty for a violation.

Getting back to the incident on the LPGA Tour, Kapriskie reports that Ariya Jutanugarn and Amy Olson were paired in the same group at the Honda LPGA Thailand and reached the final hole of the second round with Jutanugarn’s ball on the green and Olson’s just off.

Perhaps for reasons of wanting to play faster, Jutanugarn did not mark her ball and Olson’s ensuing chip struck it.  The incident got a lot of attention and scrutiny from LPGA officials because the two players fist-bumped on the green, suggesting there might have been some collusion.

The LPGA found in its investigation that the two players did not agree to leave the ball in place and they weren’t penalized.

More from Golf Digest:

“Setting aside your opinion on whether they did or did not collude to backstop, there was a bunch of talk on the pro tours about the practice in the following months, with major championship winner Jimmy Walker saying he left his ball on the green from time to time to help other players.

“What you need to know about Rule 15.3 is that in stroke play, regardless of whether you knew the rule or not, you can’t agree to leave your ball to help another player — or vice versa.  Ignorance is not going to get either of you out of a two-stroke penalty.

“Worse, if you both know it’s illegal and backstop anyway, you both would be DQd under Rule 1.3b(1) for deliberately ignoring a rule.”

However, in match play, there is no penalty if you do it for your opponent.  That’s because “the outcome of any benefit that may come from the agreement affects only their match,” a clarification (15.3a/2) to the rule states.

The smart move under Rule 15.3 is to mark and lift your ball if you think it might help another player who is about to chip.  Keep in mind that in stroke play, you also can elect to hit the putt before the player chips, because there is no penalty for playing out of order.

In all of this, remember:  Intent matters.

If it would not be possible to prove that a player INTENDED to “backstop,” there would be no way to enforce a penalty.

I know…more than you may want to know!