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 question in this blog headlines lurks behind more to’ing and fro’ing at the State Capitol in Salem, Oregon as legislators debate when to ask voters for their views on transportation tax increases.

Republican legislators, most of whom oppose the tax, want it to be on the general election ballot next November.

Democrat legislators, most of whom favor the tax, want it to be on the primary election next May.

Why the difference?

Well, there appear to be at least three reasons:

• First, Republican leaders say they collected signatures to refer the tax increase to the ballot so Oregonians could vote on it next November.  Then, they say, turnout is higher than in any primary election, so “voters are served better.”
• Second, Democrat leaders say they want a vote sooner – meaning in May — so they know how much funding will be available for the Oregon Department of Transportation.  So, they contend, voters are served no matter when the tax increase is at the polls, so they opt for May.
• Third, but truth be told, the main reason for May instead of November revolves around election politics.  Republicans want the measure on the ballot at the same time as Oregon Governor Tina Kotek bids for re-election, apparently believing that “no” voters on transportation tax increases could cross over to vote “no” on Kotek.  Of course, on this point, Democrats want to avoid that scenario, so they push for the May vote.

Here are excerpts of how the Oregonian newspaper characterized the issue yesterday under this headline:  “Oregon transportation tax hike one step closer to landing on May ballot following key vote.”

“Democrats have said they want to move the election date in order to get clarity soon on the state’s available transportation funding.  Republicans have slammed the effort, calling it a political move that would violate the intention of the thousands of individuals who signed the referendum to place the tax hikes on the November ballot. “

Last Thursday, a special legislative committee, created solely to take up the proposal, voted 5-3 along party lines, with all Democrats in support, to advance the May election bill to a full Senate vote.

By law, Kotek must sign the bill by February 25 to get the measure on the May ballot, meaning Democrats have less than two weeks to get it through both chambers and onto her desk.

In all of this, what will happen next?

Well, the Oregonian newspaper says Republicans, outnumbered in both chambers, have few options to stop Democrats from moving the election date on the tax hikes.  The Rs could boycott floor sessions to deny Democrats a quorum to hold votes, but they have not indicated publicly whether they are willing to take that extreme measure.

Plus, Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr suggested that his caucus may seek legal action to keep the taxes on the November ballot, no matter what the Legislature does.

“I believe that ultimately this will be in front of the courts,” Starr said.  “We will see whether the legislative activity of this committee and this Legislature … ultimately will stand up under court scrutiny.”

So, in the end, more to’ing and fro’ing, either in the Legislature or in the courts before voters have their say one way or the other.

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 subject in the headline has been on my mind for several days now as I have focused on Bible verses calling Christians to do “good works.”

I have written about this before, but the topic is worth another look.

As Christians, we know that doing “good works” is not the way to earn our way to heaven.  Earning is not involved.

If you accept Christ as your savior, you will be in heaven one day and it is not due to your performance.  It is due to grace, which is defined as “free and unmerited favor.”

Still, there is a place for “good works” in the Christian life.

Consider these words from one of the most important Scriptures on the subject:

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second commandment is this:  You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

Loving God is based on faith – you cannot see God today, but you believe that he is your savior.  That’s called faith.

Loving your “neighbor” can be tough, especially if your neighbor is different than you based on ethnicity, color of skin, background, homeland, or numerous other factors.

But, to God, based on Scripture, none of those differences matter and, in any event, they don’t remove the command “to love your neighbor as yourself.”

As I write that, I cannot remove from my mind Donald Trump, who, as president, has made it one of his priorities to hate others.  Hate?  Yes. 

Here is what he said at the funeral service for Charlie Kirk:  “I hate my opponent.  And I don’t want the best for them.’”

Sounds like Trump, right?

As for being involved in good works as Christians, one question revolves around getting credit for that work.

Here, another scripture comes into play – Matthew 23:4.  It advises against doing good works to get credit.

“Everything they do is done for people to see:  They love their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long.  They love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogue.  They love to be greeted with respect in the marketplace…”  [By the way, the word phylacteries refers to “a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law.”]

The point is that credit for doing good works goes to God, not to those who do the work.  So, if we engage in good works, we should make sure credit goes the proper way – to God.

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 is a reprise of one of my past approaches to writing blogs – mixing several topics in what I call “Bits and Pieces?………

WASHINGTON POST ANNOUNCES SWEEPING LAYOFFS:  WILL IT EVER BE THE SAME?

For someone who loves quality newspapers – me – the news came as a jolt last week.

The Washington Post, under its owner, Jeff Bezos, of Amazon fame, said the Post was going to layoff one-third of its reporting staff.

So, I ask the question in the headline:  Will it ever be the same?”  The likely answer is “no.”

Here is how the New York Time described the status of one of it competitors under this headline:  Washington Post announces sweeping layoffs as it scales back news coverage.

“The Washington Post has announced it is laying off one-third of its work force, sharply scaling back the paper’s coverage of sports and foreign news.

“The cuts, announced on Wednesday, will impact employees across departments with roles in the newsroom’s sports, local and foreign sections hit particularly hard.”

So, for me, it may become a chore for me to continue reading the Post, which I started doing when I worked for Congress in Washington, D.C. many years ago.

The chances are that I will persevere, loving newspapers as I do, including one, the Post, which will be changing for the worse.

TRUMP PERVERTS NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST

Guess what?

For a president of many perversions, Donald Trump committed another one last week.

He turned the National Prayer Breakfast into a forum for his personal diatribes against any and all who disagree with him.  And, he spoke for 75 minutes.

Incredible!

If I would have been there, I would have left.  Quickly.

Leave it to Trump to turn anything into something all about him.

THE TRUTH IN MINNEAPOLIS IS WHAT TRUMP SAYS IT IS

This headline says it all:  Donald Trump wouldn’t know the truth if it hit him in face, so he lies over and over again.

Pretty soon, as Trump would say it, people believe it, if only because of the repetition.

For this headline, I am indebted to the New York Times which placed it over a story by veteran political reporter, Peter Baker, who is covering his sixth U.S. presidency.

His focus:  What Trump is doing with ICE personnel to arrest immigrants and deport them to penal camps.

Here is how Baker’s story started:

“The Trump team has advanced one-sided narratives to justify each of the killings in Minnesota, even when bystander video shows something else entirely.

“Twice since the start of the year, federal officers have gunned down protesters in Minneapolis, with cell-phone cameras rolling and twice Trump and his lieutenants have rushed forward with a message to the American people:  Don’t believe what you see with your own eyes.

“Without waiting for facts, the Trump team has advanced one-sided narratives to justify each of the killings and demonize the victims.”

The trick, Baker adds, is that the Trump versions of reality have collided with bystander videos watched by millions who did not see what they were told by Trump they were seeing.

“Trump has found that putting out a story line early and repeating it often can, with the help of an ideological media and online surround-sound machine, convince a sizable share of the public that does not credit contrary evidence.  Even after investigations, recounts and his own advisers and attorney general refuted Trump’s claim that he won the 2020 election, polls show that most Republicans still believe the election was stolen.”

To analyze Trump, we are indebted to reporters like Baker, as well as to the Washington Post Fact Checker column.

From Baker:

“Trump has a long record of dishonesty.  He was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents, he was found liable in civil court of defrauding lenders, his family-owned business was convicted of criminal tax fraud, he was indicted though not tried on charges of obstruction of justice and defrauding the United States, his charity was shut down after the authorities found a ‘shocking pattern of illegality’ and his self-named university paid out $25 million to settle complaints by students who called the school a sham.”

From Fact Checker:

“While in office, Trump has been a prolific source of prevarication on any number of topics, so much so that The Washington Post counted more than 30,000 false or misleading statements in his first term.  Most significantly, he repeatedly spread lies about supposed fraud in the 2020 elections that inspired a mob of supporters to storm the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to try to stop the transfer of power — and he continues to promote lies about those events even now on a White House web page that rewrites the history of that 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.

Even as I write this blog headline, I also express my appreciation to Links Magazine for publishing a new golf story under this headline:  “New Projects in the Scottish Highlands.”

The author, Martin Dempster, started this way:

“Scotland’s golf-rich north is being energized by exciting new projects and timely additions to time-honored classics, beginning with venerable Royal Dornoch

“It would be silly to suggest that the Highlands — the most northerly region on the Scottish mainland — is a newcomer to golf.  We’re talking about an area deservedly famous for Royal Dornoch, as well as highly regarded courses like Nairn, Brora, Boat of Garten, and Fortrose and Rosemarkie, to name but a few.”

Why do I like the Scottish Highlands?

Well, several reasons:

• First, my wife Nancy’s parents, before they met in the U.S., emigrated from Scotland, so it is a homeland of sorts for me.
• Second, with my wife I have been to Scotland five times and, each time, I played a variety of golf courses, some with famous names like the Old Course and some with less famous ones such as the above-named Boat of Garten, Nairn and Brora.  Fun and great golf every time!
• Third, Links Magazine’s mention of Royal Dornoch, calls to my mind the memory of being there several times, with a chance to play one of the greatest golf courses in the world.

More from the writer, Dempster:

“The Scottish Highlands is proving more popular than ever for visitors to the Home of Golf.  The opening of what was originally called Castle Stuart in 2009 — and its subsequent staging of four editions of the Scottish Open, including network coverage in the U.S. — helped raise the area’s profile, along with Nairn hosting the Walker Cup in 1999 and the Curtis Cup in 2012.

“Castle Stuart is now called Cabot Highlands, having been added to the ever-growing Cabot Collection, and recently debuted a second course, called Old Petty, designed by Tom Doak.”

So, with the new name, Cabot Highlands, I’ll have to update my list of courses where I have had the privilege of playing around the world.  Castle Stuart, a relatively new course, is great and nothing will change with the new name.

On to Dempster’s mention of Royal Dornoch.

“There’s also a lot happening at Royal Dornoch, where the original course provided five-time Open champion Tom Watson with the ‘most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course.’

“A new $18.5 million clubhouse will be fully operational for the start of the 2026 season.  So, too, the new par-three 9th hole on the club’s other course, the Struie:  The 175-yarder is the only hole on either course to face southeast toward the Dornoch Firth and already has been hailed as ‘a real cracker.’

“And it might not stop there.  Having secured 50 acres adjacent to the Struie, the club has appointed King Collins Dormer Golf Course Design to create a master-plan that will further enhance the reputation of the world-famous venue.

“’Usually, the opening of a new clubhouse, which has been mooted for 30 years or more, would mark the end of the journey for any golf club.  But for Royal Dornoch, it is about what the next step is going to be,’ says general manager Neil Hampton.  ‘The investment being made will pave the way for even greater economic and employment benefits for the wider community. ‘

“Golf has long been the key economic driver in this part of the country and additional, high quality, eco-friendly championship courses created by highly regarded designers can only enhance our reputation as a golfing destination and encourage visitors to extend their stay in the Highlands.

“The growing interest in the Highlands is wonderful to see and a great reward for all the work the many volunteers at each of the clubs, and on the Golf Highland board, have put in.  No other area in Scotland offers such a variety of golfing experiences and price points, coupled with amazing scenery and the warmest of welcomes.”

So, in view of this update on Royal Dornoch, don’t be surprised that, even in my advanced age, I  may find myself traveling to the North of Scotland to spy great golf again.

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.

Donald Trump stands for “white nationalism” and it doesn’t bother him to say it.  He loves white and, if you aren’t, he says he hates you.

So it was that, with that reality in mind, I viewed recently a statement from a Christian leader who said the Trump’s stance doesn’t follow God.

The leader was Monty Wright, a regional district superintendent for the Christian Missionary Alliance, a denomination that hosts our home church in Salem, Oregon.

Here is the totality of Wright’s statement, which he issued on Facebook.

“As a follower of Jesus, I need to say this plainly and prayerfully:

“The ongoing rhetoric and actions coming from our president and members of his cabinet, particularly when they traffic in demeaning language, radicalized fear, or policies that harm already-vulnerable communities, are not something to celebrate.

“They are not strength.  They are not courage.  They are not moral leadership.  This is leadership at its lowest.

“We are living in a season of chaotic darkness, and darkness is never measured only by what is said or done, but also by what is excused, normalized, or baptized with religious language.

“I am especially grieved by the number of Christians who continue to align themselves with this moment, often in the name of faith, patriotism, or ‘protecting Christian values.’

“What we are seeing is not the gospel.  It is not the way of Jesus. And it is not compatible with the kingdom of God.  White Christian nationalism is not Christianity.

“It does not bear the fruit of the Spirit.

“It does not love its neighbor.

“It does not tell the truth.

“And it does not reflect the crucified Christ.

“The Church does not exist to defend power.  We exist to bear witness to a different way… a way marked by humility, repentance, justice, truth, and sacrificial love. 

“There will always be political differences among faithful Christians.  That is not the issue.  The issue is whether we will clearly and courageously say no when racism, cruelty, and dehumanization are wrapped in the language of faith.

“Silence in moments like this is not neutrality it is formation.  My prayer is that the Church would recover its moral clarity, its prophetic voice, and its allegiance, not to any nation, party, or personality, but to Jesus Christ alone.

“Light still shines in the darkness.

“But only if we are willing to step into it.”

I couldn’t have said it better, so, at least for the moment, I won’t try. 

What I will say is that I agree with Wright when he writes, “I am especially grieved by the number of Christians who continue to align themselves with this moment, often in the name of faith, patriotism, or protecting Christian values.”

So am I. 

I cannot fathom why some persons who express Christian faith can support Trump.

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 solid political writer, Chris Whipple, managed to interview White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles 11 times in the last year.

The account he wrote was one of most surprising developments in Washington, D.C. over the last few months.

Why?

Well, Wiles was quoted time and again as she made on-the-record comments describing Donald Trump as, for example, has having an “alcoholic’s personality.” 

Yet, for that and other comments against Trump and his vice president, J.D. Vance, Wiles survived and she even got compliments from Trump.

This came to light this when Whipple wrote an essay for the New York Times that appeared under this headline:  “This Is the Real Reason Susie Wiles Talked to Me 11 Times.”  [Whipple is the author of “The Gatekeepers:  How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency.”  I read the book, a great one for those of us who are political junkies.]

Here is how Whipple started his essay in the Times:

“I don’t think it’s immodest of me to say that the interviews I did with Susie Wiles that appeared in articles in Vanity Fair — in which President Trump’s White House chief of staff described him as having an ‘alcoholic’s personality’ and called Vice President J.D. Vance ‘a conspiracy theorist for a decade’ — set off a political tempest.

“Trump’s top advisers leaped to Wiles’s defense, and she called the story a “disingenuously framed hit piece.” But after she initially denied having made certain remarks about Elon Musk (only to be told they were on tape), neither Wiles nor anyone else in the White House challenged the article’s accuracy.”

So, why did Wiles submit to the 11 interviews?

Whipple doesn’t know sure, but proffered a few reasons:

• It could have been that Wiles thought that Trump, who had been vilified by the media during his first term, deserved a fair hearing in his second term, so she submitted to interviews.

Comment:  That could make sense, I guess, but, in what could have been a big for a fair hearing, why did Wiles go far to describe Trump and his ilk as idiots?

• I could have been, Whipple says, that Wiles was unaware she would be quoted directly.

Comment:  That makes no sense because Wiles, a veteran operative, knows what it means to get agreement from a reporter to go off-the- record.  Otherwise, comments are on-the-record.

• Perhaps Wiles was trying to buff her legacy by distancing herself from some of the worst Trump actions.

Comment:  Perhaps is all I can say, but, if so, this was a strange way to boost herself.

• Perhaps she was taking a page from Machiavelli to undermine her rivals by, for example, putting her thumb on the scale of the 2028 G.O.P. presidential contest in favor of Marco Rubio and against Vance. 

Comment:  Again, possible, given how Wiles pilloried Vance, an easy task for someone in the know like Wiles.

For his part, Whittle says his theory is simple:  “People want to tell their stories.  Every good biographer knows that most people, if you treat them with fairness and respect, will open up to you.

“And no one is without ego.  Wiles may be famously self-effacing, but as the first female White House chief of staff, she’s acutely aware of her place in history.”

Whipple’s conclusion:

“Wiles and her team are so like-minded in their devotion to the president that they’ve in many ways lost touch with the outside world.  On what planet would a White House official say out loud, of prosecuting the president’s political enemies, that ‘when there’s an opportunity, he will go for it’?  Or that Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, is a “right-wing absolute zealot’?  Or that Vance’s 180-degree conversion to Trumpism was ‘sort of political’?

Despite her candor, Wiles’s job seems more secure than ever.  And, is she doing a good job?

For me, the question makes no sense because doing a good job for Trump only means more retaliation and obfuscation.

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.

Democrats and Republicans are supposed to be different, both at the polls when they seek to be elected or in office as they deal with public policy issues.

But, to me, it always seems best if those elected to office don’t mix campaigning the governing.

In Oregon, the 90-member Legislature is meeting in Salem for what is called its “short session” because it lasts for only about 30 days.  Still, in just those days, a lot of issues will be on the table, especially balancing the State of Oregon budget.

At the Capitol, a contrast emerged this week as legislative leaders reacted to a new economic forecast, which is done every quarter by economists in the Executive Branch in Salem, Oregon.  The forecasts are critical because they are used to estimate how much tax revenue will arrive in Salem for the next two-year State of Oregon budget, which, of course, legislators have no choice but to approve.

Here is how House Majority Leader Ben Bowman commented on the new forecast:

“While modestly good news at the state level, most Oregonians won’t be impacted by what we learned in the revenue forecast today.  Many will wake up tomorrow and still struggle to pay skyrocketing healthcare costs, rising rent, and growing grocery bills.

“Oregon has to make tough budget decisions because of Congress’ decision to strip away billions of dollars from Oregonians.  Unlike the federal government, we can’t run up trillions of dollars in debt.  We will tighten our belt like all families do in tough times – but we also have to

fight to protect healthcare, food support, and critical services for the kids and families who need them.”

Even though I worked for 25 years as a state lobbyist in Oregon, Bowman was not there when I was, but, as I have watched him serve over the last few years, I have been impressed with style and acumen.

Even with higher-than-expected state revenue, he called for “tightening our belts,” a phrase which calls for a conservative approach to budget-making in Salem.

Oregon Senator Republican Leader Bruce Starr issued his own statement.

“Oregon’s latest quarterly revenue forecast released today shows rising

general fund revenues and a growing ending fund balance, yet it also lays bare a stark failure of leadership.  While the national economy continues to grow, Oregon is sliding backward.  Personal income tax collections are declining, unemployment remains above the national average at 5.2 per cent, and population growth has flatlined.

“These outcomes are not accidental.  They are the direct result of years of misguided state policies that have driven employers, workers, and families out of Oregon.

“Instead of changing course, the Democrat-controlled Legislature is moving forward with a tax gimmick proposal immediately after the forecast’s release.  The proposal would raise costs on businesses and middle-income Oregonians and further destabilize Oregon’s

economy, despite clear warning signs and available resources.  At a time when Oregonians need relief and stability, Democrats are choosing higher taxes and slower growth.

“Raising costs on businesses and middle-income Oregonians right now is indefensible, and voters have already rejected this approach in overwhelming fashion.”

So, Starr, a veteran political operative, turned the opportunity for comment into criticism against Democrats, saying their approach amounted to “misguided state politics that have driven employers, workers, and families out of Oregon.”

That’s not necessarily surprising, however unfortunate, because Republicans have been in the minority for so long – and they chafe at that status.

Over my 40 years in politics in Oregon, and now in retirement, I often have been concerned when public officials failed to separate two issues – campaigning FOR public office and governing IN public office. 

This time in Salem, I applaud Bowman for his approach and wish for better from Starr.

Lower Costs, Job Creation, Less Red Tape and Harnessing AI

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.

For this blog, I am indebted to my former partner and long-time friend, Gary Conkling.

In his own blog, he wrote about issues that could be involved down the road in the 2028 presidential election.  My first reaction is that I hope the election comes soon because I am not sure any of us can survive three more years of the worst president in U.S. history, Donald Trump.

Enough of that.  So, without formal approval from my friend, Gary (he would have given it had I asked) here is his post.

*********

My former boss Les AuCoin asked me recently what issues I thought a Democrat presidential candidate should embrace to win in 2028.  I confess I punted.

Saving the day, Democrat campaign guru David Plouffe offered five solid suggestions in a recent op-ed in The New York Times.  He even consulted a chatbot.

“The hole Democrats are in is deep,” Plouffe warns.  “But so is MAGA, and it cannot dig out while Trump is astride the project.  It’s a gift in any competitive arena to have your opponents stuck in place.”

His five suggestions include plans to lower costs, create jobs America needs, harness artificial intelligence, reform the political system and hold leaders accountable.  In light of President Trump’s actions that threaten to unravel the transatlantic alliance, there also should be a plank for a sane foreign policy.

But first, a review of Plouffe’s domestic policy ideas, which span the obvious, practical and wishful thinking.

Lowering Costs
Plouffe doesn’t cite “affordability.”  Instead, he advises to look at “the long list of ideas that would save voters real money, then make choices, make it short, make it sing.”  Avoid an ideological wish list and ensure the agenda “sings” on Instagram and TikTok.  He urges prosecution of price gouging and ash-canning Trump’s retribution tariffs.

Creating Jobs
Job creation is always a political winner.  Plouffe recommends getting specific about what jobs America needs, then investing in training programs to produce people to fill those jobs, which Plouffe called a “national economic emergency.”  “Auto insurance rates are skyrocketing,” he said, “because there aren’t enough mechanics.”

Washington Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who owns an auto repair shop, would add we also need right-to-repair laws enabling consumers to fix their own devices, including cars.

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
In what is quickly becoming obvious, Plouffe says America needs a strategy defining “AI’s role in our lives, society and economy” as we running a race with China on a battle of technological superiority.  The challenge isn’t just outcompeting China, but making algorithms more transparent and deepfakes easier to identify and eliminate.  He also recommends tackling the energy crisis and rising electricity rates caused by a massive buildout of data centers.

Reform
The reform agenda Plouffe recommends includes term limits and banning Members of Congress from stock-trading and becoming lobbyists.  He says Democrats have achieved a reputation of defending government and now must demonstrate a willingness “to reform and modernize” the government.  “Donald Trump’s corruption makes such proposals more relevant and powerful.”

Leader Accountability
“The Democrat establishment too often folds when it should fight and is too in love with process,” Plouffe asserts.  “It wants to perfect the world but is not maniacally focused on improving the lives of those living in right now.”  People are demanding change, and he advises Democrats should give it to them now by cutting red tape and scrapping underachieving programs and outdated policies.

Foreign Policy
Plouffe’s Democrat comeback plan didn’t include a foreign policy plank, even though that will be critical in light of the turmoil Trump has created in his first year of his second term.  At the top of the list will be restoring faith and brotherhood with postwar U.S. allies, which Trump has alienated as much or more than Vladimir Putin.

Immigration
Plouffe’s list also omits addressing the domestic fallout of Trump’s immigration purge and the divisive mark it has left on American cities and law enforcement.  The next president would be wise to end draconic tactics and push Congress to enact long overdue immigration reform legislation.

Whatever becomes of U.S. adventurism in Latin America, the next President must re-establish neighborly policies with Mexico and Canada, which have become economic family members.  Instead of ambushing boats, a good place to start would be to crack down on illegal gun running into Mexico and Central America.

Fresh Faces
Diplomatically, Plouffe doesn’t dabble in whether the Democrat Party needs fresh faces in its leadership.  Perhaps he felt that is obvious and better left unsaid.  Despite his omission, finding someone with chutzpah, experience and an engaging persona is no small feat.  In politics, there is rarely a perfect choice.  That said, the process of looking should start immediately.

What AI Said About AI
An intriguing part of Plouffe’s op-ed was the response when he asked ChatGPT to devise a Democrat AI policy, which emerged in the form of a short video:

Visuals:  Empty factory floors.  A family sitting in the dark as power bills pile up.  A young man staring blankly at a computer screen.  A rocket launches, symbolizing billionaire wealth soaring. 

Narrator (serious, urgent tone):

“Politicians told us A.I. would make life better.  But what did it really bring?  Lost jobs.  Sky-high energy bills.  Mental health in crisis.  And the billionaires?  They got richer – while we got left behind.  Every time they side with Big Tech, they’re choosing profits over people. I t’s time to ask: Whose future are they building?  Because it sure isn’t ours.”

Tagline “Hold them accountable.  Say no to AI greed.”

Ironically, by the time the 2028 presidential election rolls around, candidates will be relying heavily on AI for issue research, voter outreach and campaign slogans.  As Plouffe notes, “Add political consultants to the endangered occupation list.”

GOP Post-Trump
Democrats won’t be alone searching for their next leader when Trump finishes his second term.  The chaos and destruction sowed by Trump will be even greater three years from now, which Republicans will have to own and fix.  Intra-party divisions are already appearing on Trump’s foreign forays, heavy-handed immigrant arrests and assault on the independence of the Federal Reserve.

The obvious next-man-up for the GOP is Vice President JD Vance.  However, his political reputation is being tarnished as he defends unpopular Trump policies.  The haunting absence of Republican congressional pushback to extreme Trump actions may make GOP political insiders go looking elsewhere for a candidate that can appeal to more than hardcore MAGA voters.

Male X Factor
Political trenches in America are pretty deep, so the race for the White House in 2028 may boil down to who can appeal to disaffected men, especially young men.  Undoubtedly, a significant part of the 2028 campaign will be waged on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.  The enigma is what will motivate men by then.

Research suggests young men want political leadership that “understands their struggles” and makes them “feel heard.”  They want leaders to address their sources of anxiety such as gainful jobs, cost of living and future opportunity.  Most of all, they want an empathetic, competent leader.

In that, they may not be that much different from all other Americans.

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.

One of my friends here in the California desert asked me a good question as we set down for dinner the other evening.

As a long-time resident of New York City, he said most of his perceptions about lobbying were negative.  So, knowing that I made my living as a lobbyist in Oregon, he wondered how I practiced my craft to avoid the negative perceptions.

Well, I was happy to answer.  I had no difficulty commenting and did not take any offense to his questions.  In fact, I enjoyed trying to provide answers.

First, what I said is that, as a lobbyist, I functioned much like an attorney.  I had a client.  I had a contract to represent that client.  My courtroom was the State Capitol.  So, in the end, to keep a contract, I had to perform – not perfectly all the time, but with a high sense of ethics.

So, that said, what follows is a summary of some of the points I used to answer my friend.

ABIDE BY A PERSONAL CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT:  Which is an appropriate combination of (a) who you are as a PERSON who lobbies, and (b) how you comply with regulatory requirements.

COMPLY WITH PUBLIC REGISTRATION:  One of which in Oregon is that you, if you are going to lobby, you have register in a public process, as well as file quarterly reports showing how much you spent as a lobbyist.  Your clients face the same requirements.  Plus, if you have several clients and land a new one, you have three days to complete the registration process, which is designed to make there sure are no surprises or distraction.

REPRESENT CLIENTS WHO DON’T TURN YOUR STOMACH:  For 25 years as a lobbyist, I had the good fortune for this to be true.  If I and colleagues in my firm could not keep a straight face representing clients, then we didn’t take those clients.  For instance, we never represented pro-tobacco companies.  We also had a policy in our firm that, if an associate was not comfortable working for one of our clients, then we gave that associate a pass on that client.

CONFIRM THAT DOLING OUT MONEY DOESN’T RESULT IN SUCCESS:  I never believed that I could or should try to buy a vote, so I didn’t try.  At the same time, I often helped clients decide where to place political contribution money, but I kept that process separate from lobbying.  Plus, I also complied with political contribution reporting requirements, which were separate from lobbying reporting requirements.  [Political contributions are allowed in Oregon because many of those who run for office are not rich enough to run on their own.]

PRACTICE THE ETHIC THAT “YOUR WORD IS YOUR BOND:”  This was a key tenet for me in my 25 years as a lobbyist.  If I said something to a legislator, I would stick with it.  Then, if something changed, I would report that change – and doing so often had the effect of increasing my credibility, a critical component of any lobbyist.  Without it, you won’t survive.

STRIVE TO REACH THE “SMART MIDDLE,” NOT THE EXTREMES:  I often advised clients that, if it looked like they could not find a way to win, then they consider a compromise.  Call it the smart middle if you don’t like the word compromise.  And the smart middle can avoid the extremes of just the “yes” or “no” answer to many public policy issues.

RECOGNIZE THAT LEGISLATORS AND OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS HAVE THEIR OWN VIEWS – RESPECT THEM:  It is important to remember that those a lobbyist lobbies – elected or appointed state government officials – have their own private lives beyond their public ones.  So, in your sales job – that’s what lobbying is, selling your clients’ perspectives on issues – strive to know the background of the public officials.  Where they come from and what they think matters.

RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR WORK AS A LOBBYIST WILL REFLECT ON YOUR CLIENTS:  As a lobbyist, you are a sales agent for your clients, so recognize that what you do and how you act as a lobbyist will reflect on your clients.  Always keep that top of mind.

Is this a set of magic answers?  No.

It connotes hard work I tried to express in 25 years as a lobbyists to stay on the right side — with credibility, honesty and goodwill.  I hope I stayed true to that goal.

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 you can believe this, Donald Trump called protestors in Eugene, Oregon insurrectionists.

Yes, insurrectionists!

Well, there’s the irony.  He ought to know what that term means.  He mimicked it in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Ee called his sycophants to action to storm the capitol on the theory, one Trump propounded, that he won the presidential election.

He didn’t.

But his sycophants – isn’t that a good word, which means a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage — committed an insurrection.

In the irony, Trump’s description of insurrectionists in Eugene appeared in the New York Times.  Here are excerpts from the story.

“…Trump took note of the chaotic Friday protest in downtown Eugene, threatening demonstrators in the Oregon city and those in other ‘Democrat cities’ with brutal consequences for attacking federal property.

“’Last night in Eugene, Oregon, these criminals broke into a Federal Building, and did great damage, also scaring and harassing the hardworking employees,’ Trump wrote on the social-media site Truth Social.  ‘Local Police did nothing in order to stop it.  We will not let that happen anymore!’

“Eugene police, in fact, responded to the scene Friday and declared a riot. Officers formed a phalanx between protesters and the Federal Building.

“In his Saturday post, Trump referred to people who are protesting the federal government’s immigration crackdown as ‘highly paid Lunatics, Agitators and Insurrectionists.’”

There you have it.

One insurrectionist calling out other “insurrectionists.”

By the way, what the does the word “insurrectionist” mean?

This:  “A person who is engaged in violent uprising against an authority or government.”

Trump is one.  Eugene protestors aren’t.