This 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 one of four departments I run with a free hand to manage as I – and only I – see fit.
The others are the Department of Pet Peeves, the Department of Inquiring Minds Want to Know, and the Department of “Just Saying.”
Thus, here are some good quotes.
From Wall Street Journal editorial writers: “The ouster (of Keven McCarthy from the House Speaker position) captures the degraded state of the Republican Party in this era of rage. Members in safe seats can fuel their own fund-raising and careers by claiming to ‘fight’ against all and sundry without doing the hard work to accomplish what they claim to be fighting for.
“Representative Matt Gaetz is the prototype of this modern performance artist, as he raises money for a potential run for Florida Governor.”
Comment: Gaetz appears to enjoy the spotlight, no matter the issue. In that way, he is a lot like Donald Trump. As narcissists, the issue always is themselves and themselves alone.
From Gerard Baker, former editor of the Wall Street Journal: “The larger point is that this kind of emotionally satisfying posturing characterizes much of Republican politics today. It is mirrored in the process unfolding in the presidential primary.
“Republicans could unite behind a leader who is committed to doing things they believe in — and things that can actually be achieved in a nation that is as sharply divided as Congress is. Or they could pick someone who makes the right noises, makes them feel good about themselves, and sees allies as opponents and opponents as traitors.
“In the process, just as they delivered a heavily Democrat-favored bill last weekend, they risk delivering us another four years of Joe Biden, this time aided and abetted by Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.”
Comment: Baker is a columnist with whom I usually disagree, but this time Baker is spot on as he says Republicans are more interesting is posturing for their own benefit than in doing business in this country.
In the Washington Post, comments by John Kelly, military veteran and former chief of staff to Donald Trump: “’What can I add that has not already been said?’ Kelly said, calling Trump a ‘person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.’”
Comment: When Kelly talks about this issue – Trump’s hate of the military he once led as, supposedly, commander in chief, you must listen. If only because Kelly, himself, lost a son to combat in Iraq.
Trump’s disdain for the military, all the more incredible because he did not “serve” his country (if it ever could be said that Trump “served” anything except his own ends), was epitomized by his disdain for the late John McCain.
McCain served in a U.S. war in Vietnam, was captured and held in prison for seven years. He was a true American hero. Of course, Trump ridiculed him.
From Jennifer Rubin in the Washington Post: “The former president’s defenders appear to believe Trump should derive special treatment by virtue of his decision to run for office, a blatant attempt to cast any prosecution as political persecution. Their argument gives the back of the hand to the principle that there is one standard for all in our judicial system. Worse, these Trump enablers cavalierly ignore the very real danger he poses to judges, prosecutors, court personnel and witnesses. It amounts to legal nihilism that places Trump’s desire to return to office above the interests of the rule of law and the safety of others.”
Comment: Rubin is right to criticize Trump, but also those who follow him mindlessly. This time, the issue is the gag order that the court imposed on Trump, which is richly deserves, but only will tell how he avoids to advance his own personal ambitions, no matter how it affects our country.
Those who follow Trump deserve as much ridicule as he does.
Perspective from the 19th Hole 
In this “era of rage,” the WSJ has coined an apt term for the state of the state in the U.S.