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 2021.

Ee called his sycophants to action to storm the U.S. 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, Trumps 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 alleged 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.

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 new legislative session will begin soon in Oregon, but, as always, politics lurks behind the scenes.

Specifically, the next governor’s race here.

Incumbent Democrat Governor Tina Kotek will play a major rule in the session as her party controls both the House and the Senate.  But, sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes up front, Republicans can be expected to play thrust and parry with Kotek.

That’s because one of their main members, Senator Christine Drazan, is running for governor again and, no doubt, will try to make Kotek’s political life more difficult in the next few weeks in Salem.

That’s why I use the word “lurks” in this blog headline.

I like that word.  Politics lurks behind every decision.  Here is what the word means:  “To remain hidden so as to wait in ambush for someone or something.”  That kind of surprise can happen in any legislative session – and, as for words, I also use “surprise” intentionally.  No one knows for sure how political issues will come up until they do.

It used to be the case in Oregon that the Legislature met every two years, not every year.

Then, the late Senator Peter Courtney proposed annual sessions and voters bought into it.

For what it’s worth – not much, I know – I, as a long-time lobbyist here, opposed the idea.  I thought then and I think now that it would be enough for legislators to meet every other year, if – yes, if – they spent the time out of session preparing genuinely for the next foray at the Capitol in Salem.

Well, I lost.

Back to the governor’s race.  Kotek will run the May primary election, but there could be a bit of tussle to see who opposes here.  Drazan will be favored to win, but a former Republican candidate, Chris Dudley, threw his hat into the ring a week or so ago and, though he has been out of politics for a few years, he came close to Democrat John Kitzhaber a few years ago, so he could mount a fairly effective campaign.

Still and all, Kotek, despite a few missteps in her first years as governor, no doubt will be favored to win again because, if nothing else there has not been a Republican governor in more than 40 years in Oregon.

Now, as for the issues in the coming legislative session:

Balancing the budget:  This doesn’t have to be done officially until the end of the two-year budget period, but if legislators don’t start now the cuts will be a lot deeper later.  This year, they’ll have to offset substantial losses of federal money under Donald Trump.  Cuts in low-income health care will be especially difficult to absorb.

Opposing federal immigration enforcement:  Legislative leaders have their eyes on Minnesota, so they will consider actions to avoid becoming like Minnesota, with so much ice of two kinds – ICE and ice.

Funding transportation:  Voters may decide in May on the gas tax increase, but legislators will have to find a way in the short session to get more money for the state’s major agency, the Department of Transportation, or a slate of layoffs will go into effect.  Which would jeopardize road maintenance and re-building.

This is one of the main issues where the Kotek-Drazan contest likely will come up.  Put simply, Kotek can be expected to want more money through tax increases, believing that road and bridges are important to all Oregonians. Drazan and Dudley don’t want the new taxes, believing there is enough money for transportation without them.

Democrats can do what they want at the Capitol without Republican support.  But, in transportation funding measure last year, they learned about the problems of going-it-alone.

Opponents of the measure got enough signatures to prompt a public vote.  The remaining issue is when the election will occur.  The Ds, now want to move up the election to May instead of November; Republicans are expected to oppose the move, if only to schedule the public vote at the same election with Kotek because some of the votes against gas tax increase could cross-over to vote against Kotek. 

What follows are summaries, in their words, of what Democrats and Republicans want out of the legislative session.

Democrat Priorities

• Immigration defense:  Pushing back against federal mass deportation efforts and moving to restrict U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Oregon.
• Community protection:  Prioritizing the preservation of access to healthcare and food assistance.
• Housing and homelessness:  Continuing efforts to increase housing supply and address homelessness.
• Transportation and Infrastructure:  Seeking solutions for transportation funding and infrastructure upgrades, despite deep divisions on how to fund them.
• Fiscal stability:  Managing a potential $15 billion drop in federal support over the next six years, with a focus on closing tax loopholes.

Republican Priorities

• Affordability and cost of living:  Tackling inflation, high consumer costs, and overall economic strain on families.
• Budget management:  Addressing the nearly $900 million shortfall caused by projected federal spending cuts.
• Immigration enforcement:  Pushing for stricter enforcement policies.
• Housing:  Focusing on increasing housing supply to combat costs.
• Economic growth and de-regulation:  Supporting measures to ease business permitting, accelerate job growth, and reduce red tape.
• Transportation funding:  Seeking solutions for road work financing amid revenue declines from EVs and gas efficiency. 

If you look at these words, in some ways they sound good, though they are very general.  Real solutions are tougher.

So, with me, watch with interest because what’s done or not done at the Capitol – including lurking — could affect your pocketbook, as well as your general well-being here in Oregon.

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 ask the question, “what does eternity mean” and I do so from my status as a Christian.

So, that means, for me and other Christians, there is life after death.  Not just life, but life with God who created us.  Eternity.  Forever.  Never ending.

Still, when I have tried, as a human being, to grasp eternity, I have found it is not possible.

I usually think in terms with an end – a decade, a year, a month, a day, an hour, a minute, or a second.  I am not able to contemplate something that never ends.  Never.

One day last year, after I played a round of golf at my home club near where I live in Salem, Oregon, I sat in my golf cart and, for an hour or so, tried to wrap my mind around eternity.  I could not do so.  My mind became unraveled.

At the risk of going too low, here is what Mr. Google said about eternity:

“In Christianity, eternity means a life without end, a state beyond earthly time, characterized by either eternal presence with God (heavenly, full of life, peace, and restoration) or eternal separation (hell), with the ultimate hope being the unification of heaven and earth in a restored creation, a ‘heaven-on-Earth’ reality after Jesus’ return, rather than just a disembodied existence.  It’s both an infinite duration and a quality of life, rooted in knowing God.”

That’s a lot words. 

But they do make a key point.  Heaven where Christians will spend eternity “is full of life, peace, and restoration.”  By contrast those who do not accept Christ’s work on their behalf – call it “denying grace” — will spend “an eternity separated from God,” which could be called hell.

So then, I go on to ask myself what heaven will be like.

Again, Mr. Google:

“According to the Bible, heaven is described as a place of ultimate peace, joy, and God’s presence, with no more death, pain, sorrow, or crying, featuring breathtaking beauty like streets of pure gold, pearl gates, and precious stones, illuminated by God’s glory rather than the sun, and where believers live eternally with Christ in perfect holiness, experiencing abundant life, meaningful work, and reunion with loved ones.”

Beyond that, rather than provide my own notions, I went to the Bible to find several verses that describe bits and pieces of heaven:

• John 14:1-3:  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
• Matthew 6:19-20:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
• John 11:25-26:  “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?’”
• Luke 23:42-43, which comes from what a criminal said while on a cross adjacent to Jesus:  “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

So, heaven is “paradise.”

But another word for it is “mystery.”  Here, on earth, we cannot know fully what heaven will be like.  But, as Christians, we can rely on the fact that we’re going there for eternity – and that’s a mystery.

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 friend once told me, “Set your expectations low enough so you always have a chance to meet them.”

Good advice?  Perhaps.  Perhaps not.

If you get past the negative perceptions of that quote – low expectations — it makes just a bit of sense for those (me included) who often set expectations too high so it becomes impossible to meet them.

Consider golf, my favorite sport.

Is your expectation “to go low” or “to have fun with friends outdoors” or both?

I read the following quote a day or so ago in “Links,” the name of an effort to incent groups at golf clubs around the country to study the Bible and learn from the “good book” as they play golf – and I am part of that effort.

The quote from the writer, Meridith Kirk (who is the wife of the slain Charlie Kirk; she is a writer for Links).

“Something has shifted in me:  I’ve stopped setting heavy expectations for myself.  When I do get the chance to play golf, I tell myself, swing easy, forget about distance, and just keep it in the fairway.

“It’s simple.  Gone are the days of demanding tight dispersion or perfect scores or feeling like I have to perform for others.  I just want to play ‘happy golf’– to be outdoors, enjoy good company, and embrace the moment with no pressure.”

That quote from “Links” relates to what my wife often tells me as I head out the door for more golf:  “Have fun no matter how you play.”

Good advice.  And I have been trying to follow it, at least for a couple years now.

Kirk, the writer, goes to relate contentment in golf to contentment in life, according to this quote from the Bible, Philippians 4:11-13:

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances… I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Her point is that contentment is possible, if as Christians, we allow God to rule our lives, not expectations.

From Kirk:

“With the last three years devoted to full-time ministry and the blessing of a rapidly growing family, we welcomed four grandchildren in just two and a half years, including a set of twins — the time to play 18 holes has become scarce.

“But something has shifted in me:  I’ve stopped setting heavy expectations for myself.  When I do get the chance to play, I tell myself, swing easy, forget about distance, and just keep it in the fairway.

“The Indian poet Sri Chinmoy said it well:  ‘Peace begins when expectation ends.’  In this season of my life, I’m finding peace with letting go of expectations, including unnecessary expectations of myself.

“I’m learning that contentment isn’t about performance on the golf course or in life.  It’s about surrendering to the season God has placed me in and trusting Him with what I can and cannot do right now.  And in that surrender, He gives strength, peace, and even the unexpected gift of a really good round of golf.”

Excellent advice from Kirk!

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.”

As Christians, however, we know that doing “good workss” 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 work” 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 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, and numerous 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:  “Diverting from his script, Trump couldn’t resist saying:  ‘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 getting credit for that work.

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, we should make sure credit goes that way.

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 drew this headline from a column written last week by one of my favorite political commentators, David Brooks, who writes for the New York Times, as well as other publications.

Here is a summary of his “Trump crackup” column:

“Last week Minneapolis’s police chief, Brian O’Hara, said the thing he fears most is the ‘moment where it all explodes.’  I share his worry.  If you follow the trajectory of events, it’s pretty clear that we’re headed toward some kind of crackup.”

Before going further, here is a summary of Brooks’ credentials.

A Canadian-born American book author and political and cultural commentator, Brooks describes himself as a “moderate Republican,” while others have characterized him as centrist, moderate conservative, or conservative, based on his record as contributor to the PBS NewsHour, and as an opinion columnist for The New York Times.

In his most recent offering, Brooks says that “we are in the middle of four unravelings:”

• The unraveling of the post-war international order.
• The unraveling of domestic tranquility, wherever Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents bring down their jackboots.
• The further unraveling of the democratic order, with attacks on Fed independence and — excuse the pun — “trumped-up” prosecutions of political opponents. 
• Finally, the unraveling of Trump’s mind.

“Of these four, the unraveling of Trump’s mind is the primary one, leading to all the others.  Narcissists sometimes get worse with age, as their remaining inhibitions fall away.  The effect is bound to be profound when the narcissist happens to be president of the United States.”

And, Brooks goes on to describe Trump succinctly in these two paragraphs:

“…over the past year, Trump has been quicker and quicker to resort to violence.  In 2025, the U.S. carried out or contributed to 622 overseas bombing missions, killing people in places ranging from Venezuela to Iran, Nigeria and Somalia — not to mention Minneapolis.

“The arc of tyranny bends toward degradation.  Tyrants generally get drunk on their own power, which progressively reduces restraint, increases entitlement and self-focus and amps up risk taking and overconfidence while escalating social isolation, corruption and defensive paranoia.”

Also writing in the New York Times, one of the best political reporters going today, Peter Baker, wrote this to chronicle another Trump pattern – lying and more lying.

“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.”

So, now many lies hasTrump told.  You need a calculator to find out.  The Washington Post Fact Checker column puts the number at about 30,000.

Back to Brooks.  He doesn’t think America is headed toward anything like a Rome-style collapse.  “Our institutions are too strong,” he contends, “and our people, deep down, still have the same democratic values.

I hope he is rigjht.

So, the predicted conclusion from Brooks is that Trump will slide toward even more “deterioration and debauchery,” while the country will survive, barely.

Beyond that, my wish is that we didn’t have to face three more years of 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.

The writer of letter to the editor of the New York Times writer got it just right the other day when he said this:  “I am deeply troubled by how Christian nationalism exploits convictions to wage a culture.”

I agree.

He went on:

“As a Christian believer who has worshiped in Baptist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches, I share many theological convictions with my charismatic brothers and sisters.  But I am deeply troubled by how Christian nationalism exploits those convictions to wage a culture war.

“Christian nationalism distorts the Gospel.  Christ calls us to embody the justice, mercy and love that transcend tribal identities, not to conflate church and state so that opponents are cast as demonic and constitutional limits are treated as expendable.”

The Christian nationalism “movement” rests on thin theology.  It promotes a false narrative about “Americans being under siege while neglecting this core doctrine:  All are sinful and need grace, all are made in God’s image, and no earthly nation is the kingdom of God.

“I fear the consequences when the church trades the humility of the Gospel for the false security of political power.”

This is the best line in the letter, one worth repeating:  “Christ calls us to embody the justice, mercy and love that transcend tribal identities.”

I share the fear over how nationalism perverts Christianity.

I want to keep the church – the real church – separate from politics.  Yes, use your real, personal Christian faith to influence your real, personal political perspectives, but don’t let the church become just another political movement.

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.

On occasion, I have written about Donald Trump, expressing my disgust for the way he has “served” as president – and I put the word “served” in quotes because there is no question but that Trust has served only himself, not America.

But, rather than writing more myself this morning, I choose to quote several columnists courageous enough in their convictions to oppose Trump.  So, consider:

From Thomas Friedman in the New York Times:  I have never trafficked in the conspiracy theories about Donald Trump and Russia.  I never thought that he was a Russian asset or that Vladimir Putin had some financial leverage on him or sex tapes to blackmail him with.  I have always believed it was much worse:  That Trump, in his heart and soul, simply does not share the values of every other American president since World War II when it comes to what America’s role in the world should be and must be.

I have always believed that Trump has an utterly warped value set that is not grounded in any of our founding documents, but simply favors any leader who is strong, no matter what he does with that strength; any leader who is rich and can thus enrich Trump, no matter what the leader does with that money or how he got it; and any leader who will flatter him, no matter how obviously phony that flattery is.

From Thomas Edsall in the New York Times:  Peering into the Trump mind-set — the logic underpinning his priorities, his morality, his decision making — is like opening a garbage pail left out for days during a summer heat wave.

The dominant theme is governing by narcissism:  Make Trump Great Again.

President Trump can be persuaded with money, the purchase of his crypto coins, contributions and sometimes with plain old obsequious flattery.

The two shining lights that guide his notion of morality are his self-interest and the enhancement of his self-image, both of which crowd out consideration of the national interest and the public welfare.

Peter Wehner in the Washington Post:  The contrast could hardly have been greater.

During a memorial service for Charlie Kirk, held in a stadium filled with nearly 100,000 people, Erika Kirk, the wife of the slain right-wing activist, expressed both her profound love for her husband and the profound grief brought on by his death. It was the speech of a woman deeply influenced by her Christian faith.  And it included remarkable words, which she struggled to say but was still able to articulate.

“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” Kirk said. “That young man.  That young man. On the cross, our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ That man—that young man—I forgive him.  I forgive him because it was what Christ did.  And it’s what Charlie would do.  The answer to hate is not hate.  The answer we know from the Gospel is love and always love.  Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”

The audience rose to its feet to applaud in support of the grieving widow. But there was another speaker yet to come.

Trump, following Erika Kirk, said Charlie was “a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose.  He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them.”

But then the president, diverting from his script, couldn’t resist voicing his dissent.  “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie,” Trump said.  “I hate my opponent.  And I don’t want the best for them.”  He added, “I’m sorry, Erika.”

From David Kirkpatrick in the New Yorker:   Many payments now flowing to Trump, his wife, and his children and their spouses would be unimaginable without his presidencies:  A two-billion-dollar investment from a fund controlled by the Saudi crown prince; a luxury jet from the Emir of Qatar; profits from at least five different ventures peddling crypto; fees from an exclusive club stocked with Cabinet officials and named Executive Branch.

Fred Wertheimer, the dean of ethics-reform advocates, told me that, “when it comes to using his public office to amass personal profits, Trump is a unicorn — no one else even comes close.”  Yet, the public has largely shrugged.

In a recent article for the Times, Peter Baker, a White House correspondent, wrote that the Trumps “have done more to monetize the presidency than anyone who has ever occupied the White House.”  But Baker noted that the brazenness of the Trump family’s “moneymaking schemes” appears to have made such transactions seem almost normal.

From David Brooks in the NY Times:  We are in the middle of at least four unravelings: The unraveling of the postwar international order.  The unraveling of domestic tranquility wherever Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents bring down their jackboots.  The further unraveling of the democratic order, with attacks on Fed independence and — excuse the pun — trumped-up prosecutions of political opponents.  Finally, the unraveling of Trump’s mind.

But I do know that events are being propelled by one man’s damaged psyche.  History does not record many cases in which a power-mad leader careening toward tyranny suddenly regained his senses and became more moderate.  On the contrary, the normal course of the disease is toward ever-accelerating deterioration and debauchery.

And a conclusion from me:  Enough about Trump, at least for now.  Kudos to all the commentators for their strong, accurate and thought-provoking words.

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 new element was introduced into Oregon transportation funding yesterday, one that could help Governor Tina Kotek down the road in her bid for re-election.

House Speaker Julie Fahey and Senate President Rob Wagner said they will introduce a bill in the February legislative session to move the transportation funding measure (read, gas tax) onto the May 19 statewide primary election.

It is likely that Democrats in both the House and Senat will go along with the proposal – we’ll know in a few weeks.  So, it appears voters will get their say this spring.

The alternative was that Republicans who oppose the tax had submitted enough voter signatures to get the measure on the ballot next fall in Oregon’s general election.

That would have presented this problem:  The unpopular proposal to increase gas taxes (and other taxes) would have been on the ballot at the same time Kotek’s re-election.

Irritated voters could have opposed the tax increases AND Kotek.

So, without saying so directly, legislative leaders found their way around the problem:  They proposed to set the election sooner.

Does all this matter?  Of course, the answer is “yes.” 

Voters will get their chance to express their views and the general election next fall will produce a clean slate for Kotek – if there ever is a clean slate in politics in Oregon or elsewhere.  She’ll be running against Republicans on the basis of her record in office.

So far, several Republicans have said they will file.  The leader is State Senator Christine Drazan who ran last time and lost to Kotek, but could be on the ballot again next November, setting up the re-match.

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 draw this headline having just read a new, good book, The Augusta Principles, which dissects what the Master’s Golf Tournament does that makes it so special.

Which is why I say that, if we followed the Master’s principles in business and politics, not to mention in real life, we’d all be better off.

The author, John Sabino, cites 10 principles that he says dominate the Masters management.  Some of them sound pretty general, but when you read more about them or when you see them in action as I have once (back in 2015 when my daughter and I attended the Masters), they make great sense.

One example:  “Use technology wisely.”

Sure.  Why not?  In the extreme, you wouldn’t set out to use technology unwisely.

Sabin himself has an interesting background.  He blogs about golf and has written two previous books about the sport.  He also survived cancer several years ago, having a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia.

In this new book, Sabin describes each of the following principles in detail – and, in some of the cases below, I have added a comment of my own.

+  Exercise restraint

+  Focus on the details

+  Don’t be overly commercial

+  Use technology wisely

+  Adopt a mindset of continuous improvement

On this, I wholeheartedly agree.  In organizations where I have worked in my professional career, I went out of my way repeatedly to say this:  There is always room for improvement.  That is true if your organization is doing well.  And, of course, it is true in the inverse.

+  Treat people with respect

Imagine if this were true where you have worked.  It is true that, most of the time if you run a company, your most important product — the people who work for you.

+  Cultivate civility

And, also just imagine if civility were to be the goal in all of our affairs, especially in politics.  In the latter, the reverse now is most often true, especially with the person who sits in the Oval Office.  There, the standard is retaliation and stupidity in over-the-top words. 

As for the word “civility,” I often reflect on one of my favorite political quotes.  It came from the late General Colin Powell when he was encouraged to run for president.  He passed on the chance as he “bemoaned the loss of civility in politics.”  That was more than 20 years ago.  Imagine what he would say today.

+  Be generous

This is one of the Master’s principles that could just as well as apply to the Christian faith.  If we are Christians, the Bible advocates that we be generous in our relationships with the poor and downtrodden.

+  Respect tradition and honor the past

+  Use scarcity to create value

To illustrate this principle, Sabin reports that the Master’s store is open only one week a year and yet it does a land-office business.  Here is the way he puts it:

“Anyone who has attended the Masters and witnessed the lines into the merchandise areas would be hard-pressed to argue that they haven’t found the secret sauce of retailing, combining three special ingredients rarely found together.

“Denying buyers fifty-one weeks of the year creates scarcity and pent-up demand, and a carefully cultivated brand image makes being affiliated with the Masters desirable.

“Those two elements are necessary, but not sufficient to achieve the kind of success the Masters enjoys.  Quality is the final element.  If their merchandise were sub-par, they wouldn’t be the success story they are.”

As I would put it:  If you don’t have much, you treasure what you do have. So, if you get a chance, read the book and apply its lessons beyond the Masters and golf to business and to life.