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.

It was a sad day in American history.  January 6, yesterday.

One of the saddest.

A president of this country couldn’t stand to lose an election.  But he did.

Who?

Donald Trump.

When he knew he couldn’t succeed in the normal way – by winning at the ballot box – he dispatched a horde of allies to wreak havoc on the federal Capitol.

Not only would he not call them off, he egged them on.  So much so that various Capitol guards were injured.

Here is the way Atlantic Magazine editor Jeff Goldberg, wrote about the tragedy in the most recent issue:

“Trump has dismantled America’s foreign-aid infrastructure and gutted a program, built by an earlier Republican president, that saved the lives of Africans infected with HIV; he has encouraged the United States military to commit war crimes; he has instituted radical cuts to U.S. science and medical funding and abetted a crusade against vaccines; he has appointed conspiracists, alcoholics, and idiots to key positions in his administration; he has destroyed the independence of the Justice Department; he has waged pitiless war on prosecutors, FBI agents, and others who previously investigated him, his family, and his friends; he has cast near-fatal doubt on America’s willingness to fulfill its treaty obligations to its democratic allies; he has applauded Vladimir Putin for his barbarism and castigated Ukraine for its unwillingness to commit suicide; he has led racist attacks on various groups of immigrants; he has employed unusually cruel tactics in pursuit of undocumented immigrants, most of whom have committed only one crime—illegally seeking refuge in a country that they believed represented the dream of a better life.

“Those are some of the actions Trump has taken.

“Here are a few of the things he has said since returning to office:  He has referred to immigrants as “garbage”; he has called a female reporter “piggy” and other reporters “ugly,” “stupid,” “terrible,” and “nasty”; he has suggested that the murder of a Saudi journalist by his country’s government was justified; he has labeled a sitting governor “seriously retarded”; he has blamed the murder of Rob Reiner on the director’s anti-Trump politics; he has called the Democrats the party of “evil.”

Yet, Goldberg writes, “even when weighed against this stunning record of degeneracy, the pardoning by Trump of his cop-beating foot soldiers (those who fought on January 6) represents the lowest moment of this presidency so far, because it was an act not only of naked despotism but also of outlandish hypocrisy.

“By pardoning these criminals, he exposed a foundational lie of MAGA ideology:  That it stands with the police and as a guarantor of law and order.  The truth is the opposite.”

Now, we are stuck in America with three more years of Trump.

As Americans, it’s worth considering how much injustice and illegality we can stand under Trump. 

I hope we survive.

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.

There is a lot of time between now and the next race for governor in Oregon – next November — but if I was the Democrat incumbent here, Tina Kotek, I’d be worried about the election.

There is at least one major reason, at least at the moment.

She will have to run at the same time as a measure will be on the ballot to enable Oregonians to decide whether they support a gas tax increase – an increase Kotek pushed through the Oregon Legislature last year, with help from her Democrat allies.

To put a point on it, some voters who oppose a gas tax increase also could oppose Kotek.

Of course, there is another option, one pointed out by a friend of mine who served in the past in the Legislature, but is now out office in retirement.

He suggested that Kotek and her friends on the D side could use the short legislative session in February to try to cut a new deal on the gas tax and other transportation funding.  One approach would be to nullify the gas tax increase so there is no vote on it in November, which would tend to benefit Kotek in her re-election race.

But, for many Democrats, just trashing the measure might not help those who want transportation funding in order to remove the prospect of huge layoffs of state employees, as well curtail investments in road repair and re-building.

The Oregonian newspaper put the status this way under this headline: Oregonians won’t see gas tax hike in January as opponents secure enough signatures to send issue to ballot

More from the state government reporter Carlos Fuentes:

“The Republican-led group attempting to halt a scheduled increase to Oregon’s transportation taxes has officially submitted enough required signatures to allow voters the final say next November.

“The Secretary of State’s Office announced that it had so far verified 163,451 signatures of the 194,000 submitted by the campaign earlier this month, meaning the organizers far exceeded the roughly 78,000 signatures required.  

The news means Oregonians will no longer see a 6-cent increase to the state’s 40 cents per gallon gas tax or hikes to title and registration fees in January.  It also means the state’s 0.1 per cent payroll tax for transit will not temporarily double as it was set to do.

More from the Oregonian:

“The petitioners’ successful effort marks a major loss for Democrats, who spent much of the year trying to craft a package that would increase funding for the state transportation agency, local governments, and public transit districts.

“After a series of missteps, Democrats approved a plan in a special legislative session this fall that would have raised taxes to a much smaller extent than they initially proposed.”

Still, it was a tax (and fee) increase.

It then fell to Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr of Dundee and House Representative Ed Diehl of Scio to launch a drive to collect signatures to reach the ballot by “initiative petition.”

It is a bit of a surprise that Starr and Dundee, plus their allies, were able to succeed so quickly.  Normally, getting to the ballot requires loads of money to pay staff to collect signatures.  Volunteer effort rarely works.

This time it did.

Back to politics in the governor’s race.

There is no question but that taxes will be an issue for voters, even if the gas follows by the wayside. 

The likely Republican candidate, Senator Christine Drazan can be expected to pound Kotek as a tax-and-spend liberal Democrat out-of-tune with many Oregonians.

For her part, Kotek will make the case that she has set in motion a full-blown recovery funding for the entire state, which, given some factors statewide, may be a difficult case to make. 

Here is how Oregon Public Broadcasting put it:

Under Kotek’s leadership, “the state has reported high housing costs, dismal school rankings and rising unemployment.  Kotek is pitching herself as the right candidate to stand up to Trump, and contends Oregon is on the cusp of progress if they continue following her lead.”

So, who wins?

Well, it’s far too early to tell.  Months is an eternity in politics.  Plus, over my 40 years in and around politics in Oregon, I have learned that it is not smart to bet on political outcomes. 

Voters have a way of issuing surprising results.

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.

To answer the question in this blog headline, I say this, bluntly:

I hope his future is limited by his over-reactions to almost everything.

Even January 6, 2021!  Now five years later remember that date?

The New York Times does.

Here is what the Times wrote in an editorial about that fateful day:

“That day was indeed a turning point, but not the one it first seemed to be. It was a turning point toward a version of Trump who is even more lawless than the one who governed the country in his first term. It heralded a culture of political unaccountability, in which people who violently attacked Congress and beat police officers escaped without lasting consequence.

“The politicians and pundits who had egged on the attack with their lies escaped, as well. The aftermath of January 6 made the Republican Party even more feckless, beholden to one man and willing to pervert reality to serve his interests.

“Once Trump won election again in 2024, despite his role in encouraging the riot and his many distortions about it, it emboldened him to govern in defiance of the Constitution, without regard for the truth and with malice toward those who stand up to his abuses.”

Regardless of his violent effort to overturn an election he lost, Trump nios claims to be the best U.S. president in history.  Overstatement.

I say he is the worst, given his intention, as a narcissist, to turn everything into a fable about himself, no matter the reality.

I also read a column a few days ago by Michelle Goldberg, which appeared in the Washington Post under this headline:  Trump Is Getting Weaker, and the Resistance Is Getting Stronger

I like that tone.

Here is more from the Goldberg column:

“It has been a gruesome year for those who see Donald Trump’s kakistocracy clearly.  He returned to office newly emboldened, surrounded by obsequious tech barons, seemingly in command of not just the country but also the zeitgeist.

“Since then, it’s been a parade of nightmares — armed men in balaclavas on the streets, migrants sent to a torture prison in El Salvador, corruption on a scale undreamed of by even the gaudiest third-world dictators, and the shocking capitulation by many leaders in business, law, media, and academia.

“Trying to wrap one’s mind around the scale of civic destruction wrought in just 11 months stretches the limits of the imagination, like conceptualizing light-years or black holes.”

Yet, Goldberg says that, as 2025 limps toward its end, there are reasons to be hopeful.

She goes on:

“That’s because of millions of people throughout the country have refused to surrender to this administration’s bullying.  When Trump began his second term, conventional wisdom held that the resistance was moribund.  

“If that was ever true, it’s certainly not anymore.  This year has seen some of the largest street protests in American history.”  And much more.

The question is whether we, as Americans, will be able to survive three more years of Trump.

Goldberg sees several pivot points in Trump’s decline:

• One of the first was a Wisconsin Supreme Court race in April.  Elon Musk, then still running rampant at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, declared the contest critical and poured more than $20 million into the race.  Voters turned out in droves, and the Musk-backed conservative candidate lost by more than 10 points.
• In June, Trump’s military parade, meant as a display of dominance, was a flop, and simultaneous No Kings protests all over the country were huge and energetic.
• A few months later, Charlie Kirk was assassinated, a tragedy that the administration sought to exploit to silence its opponents.
• Trump has thoroughly corrupted the Justice Department, but its selective prosecutions of his foes have been thwarted by judges and, more strikingly, by grand juries. Two grand juries refused to indict Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, whom the administration has accused of mortgage fraud, with no credible evidence.

So, Goldberg posits that “Trump ends the year weak and unpopular, his coalition dispirited and riven by infighting.”

Now, on this Monday, we one result Trump was seeking in Latin America – the overthrow of the despot leader in Venezuela, Nicholas Maduro.  Incredibly – and perhaps illegally – the U.S. military invaded the country and captured Maduro and his wife.  They will be arraigned in New York court today and, later, will stands trail.

Meanwhile, Trump is coming in for criticism around the world for his actions to overthrow another country’s leader.  No doubt, he, Trump, doesn’t care.

To use an old phrase, only time will tell if Trump continues to wilt. 

For my part, I hope he does so we can get back to a more genuine America where all voices can come together to create a solid melting pot.

So, can we stand three more years of Trump as we enter a new year?  Who knows?

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 know why I thought of this yesterday, but the word “beatitudes” came to mind.

It is not a word used in everyday language these days.

Actually, I do know why I thought of it.

My wife and I try to read a portion of Scripture every day, for it provides lessons for lives such as the ones we lead.  Lessons often arise from the New Testament, but also can exist in the Old Testament, if you persist to find them in books that require more historical knowledge than we have.

So it was that the word “beatitudes” came up earlier this week as read Matthew chapter 5.

The dictionary defines the word this way:

“Any of the declarations made in the Sermon on the Mount.”

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  
  
• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
  
  
• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
  
  
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
  
  
• Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
  
  
• Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
  
  
• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
  
  
• Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

• Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

For a moment, just ponder these principles for life.  On one hand, in an earthly way, they do not make sense for the way most people life.

But, in another way, if we are “children of God,” they make more sense as principles, even if we do not live up to them every day.

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.

By Dave Fiskum

In the United States, it often is not possible to play golf with a dog.

Specifically, on the two courses where I play most of my golf – Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club in Salem, Oregon, my basic home, and The Palms in La Quinta, California where I play in the winter – dogs are not allowed.

In Scotland, however, there are many dogs on golf course.

In my five trips to the homeland of golf, I have many cases of dogs on golf course.  Plus, their owners are careful, to put a point on it, picking up what may be left behind. 

Often, the dogs are tethered to walking carts, which, in Scotland, are called “trolleys.”

Truth be told, at my home course in Salem, Oregon, I sometimes took my dogs out to the course, but only near dark when no one else was around.

Don’t tell anyone — I sometimes violated the rule.

In one my on-line golf magazines, Beth Nichols wrote about this subject.

“Have you ever played golf with a dog?” she asked.  “I’ve had the pleasure on two occasions in the U.K. with two extraordinarily well-behaved four-legged friends.  One was particularly adept at delivering head covers.

“Our youngest Golden Retriever, Divot, was named after a dog I met at the NCAA Championship at Rich Harvest Farms.

“I must confess that our dogs wouldn’t do well on a golf course because they’d be desperate to greet every player on the tee sheet.

“Still, it would be a dream day to round out a foursome with my best friends!  If only we could always combine our favorite passions with our favorite people and pets.”

Good points, Beth.

I suspect I’ll never be allowed to play with my dog on the course, though, if it matters, his name is Callaway.  I named my golf clubs after him!

I’ll just have to settle for dogs on courses in my imagination.

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.

By Dave Fiskum

As we transition from 2025 to 2026, there are a host of stories in national news outlets reporting what happened in 2025. 

At the same time, various analysts suggest what could happen in 2026.

I add that, as I write this, it is 2026.  To be candid, I did not stay up to watch 2026 happen – I never can stay up that late – so I rose this morning to a new year.

Now, I choose, first, in the “look back/look forward” process, to focus on Donald Trump, the worst president in U.S. history who is trying to make the United States into his own image.  An autocracy.

Also, his administration (note that I did not capitalize the word “administration” because what Trump does is not administration) has made a host of incredible mistakes.

It is almost impossible to top the one described below.

Atlantic Magazine cited this case.  Editor Jeffrey Goldberg was included by Trump officials on a supposedly private on-line meeting describing supposedly private U.S. military plans for the war in Yemen.  The call laid out specific plans for the war which, if nothing else, put members of the military in even more danger as word of the specific plans leaked – or, not leaked, but reported by Goldberg.

How could this have happened, especially because Goldberg was on a list, perhaps at the top, of journalists despised by Trump? 

As I reflect back on this case, I cannot believe it happened, plus that no Trump sycophants were punished for their bad work.

Enough of Trump.

I’ll turn to more positive stuff.

For the rest of this “looking back/looking forward” blog, I rely on the New York Times to list a few of the 25 positive things it said happened in 2025.

• The Catholic Church elected Robert Prevost to become the first American pope.  The Chicago native took the name Leo XIV.
• Despite Trump-imposed tariffs, the U.S. economy kept growing throughout 2025, thanks largely to a boom in AI innovation.  The S&P 500 soared to new heights, up more than 15 per cent for the year.
• Overdose deaths continued their steady decline, with the most recent provisional data from April showing a roughly 25 per cent drop compared to the previous year.
• The U.S. maintained its role as the center of global medical innovation. The Food and Drug Administration approved a twice-a-year HIV shot, the closest thing to an AIDS vaccine.  Scientists have also achieved multiple breakthroughs in genetic therapies, including the first-ever treatment for Huntington’s disease.  [This despite Trump’s distaste for medical breakthroughs promulgated by his Health and Human Services secretary, Robert Kennedy, who has made light of anything health-related.]
• The commercial space industry pulled off impressive engineering feats.  Firefly Aerospace became the first company successfully to land a probe on the Moon.  Blue Origin launched its first NASA mission and managed to land the rocket’s booster.  Meanwhile, SpaceX launched more than 100 Starlink missions this year, often using the same booster dozens of times.
• No hurricanes made landfall in the United States for the first time in a decade.
• In a sign that U.S. energy markets are becoming increasingly diverse and competitive, March was the first month the country recorded making more than half its electricity from non-carbon-based sources.
• Targeted conservation efforts managed to notch some wins for wildlife.  Green sea turtles are no longer endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.  A study out of India, home to 75 per cent of the world’s wild tigers, found that the country’s population of the big cat doubled in the last decade. And after the removal of four dams in Oregon and California’s Klamath River, salmon returned after having disappeared for more than a century.  [A point I cite as a person who lives most of the year in Oregon.]
• Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado came out of hiding to collect the Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting freedom under the nose of dictator Nicolás Maduro.  [Of course, I add that Trump thought he deserved the award, so competed for it fortunately without success.]
• The last surviving Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, regained their freedom after more than two years in captivity as part of a peace deal to stop hostilities in Gaza, though that deal still has not produced lasting results.
• Eight million people escaped extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $3 a day.
• Sports fans witnessed extraordinary accomplishments:  Shohei Ohtani delivered the greatest single-game performance in baseball history.  Rory McIlroy won the Masters Tournament, completing his career Grand Slam.  U.S. track star Melissa Jefferson-Wooden smashed a world championship record at the 100-meter world finals.

So, while there can be a tendency these days to focus on bad stuff – goodness knows there is a lot of that stuff — the Times deserves credit for pointing us in a positive direction.

Let’s hope for more good news in 2026.

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.