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.

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.