Thursday, September 22, 2011

Jeff Landry: Louisiana's Biggest Stooge Has Met His Match

U.S. Rep., Jeff Landry, one of Louisiana's three stooges in congress is once again showing his ignorance, lack of character and why he is unfit to serve Louisiana and its people. His nose was bent out of joint because of a recent visit to BOEMRE's regional office. He made an unscheduled visit and had to wait 30 minutes. He compared the agency's staffers to the Gestapo. BOEMRE's director Michael Bromwich in response to Landry's Gestapo remark wrote Landry the following according to a TP article dated 9/21/11.

Your comparison of the minor inconvenience you experienced to the tactics and methods of the Nazi secret police is simply unacceptable from anyone, but especially from a public official. In light of your defamatory remarks, our Gulf of Mexico Regional Office has asked me to advise you that its personnel will not be available to meet with you on Sept. 30.

Hooray for Mr. Bromwich and his staff people for their reaction to Mr. Landry's unAmerican behavior. Time and again Landry and the conservative republicans are incapable of discussing issues without personal attacks. The Times Picayune also wrote the following. Landry wrote to bromwich on Tuesday, if any apology is necessary it would be from you to me and more importantly to the hard working people of south Louisiana, many of whom are now unemployed as a result of decisions from your agencey.

Landry's last sentence: Many of whom are now unemployed as a result of decisions from your agency is proof of how the oil and gas industry and their lobby hold sway over him with their campaign contributions. His little boy comment that it was BOEMRE to blame for any unemployed workers follow the talking points of the industry. The idea is to blame government and not BP and the industry and their own failed safety enforcement.

Landry thinks of himself as elite. People with that attitude have other serious problems that they try to hide. His actions concerning this incident and the BP spill shows he cares nothing about the 11 rig workers who were killed, the workers of Louisiana or even the state. He and his party are truly a pitiful lot. Landry is anti everything that mAde this country great.

More government officials should continue to send Landry and other republicans to the little boy corner where they belong. Landry has earned the title, biggest stooge of them all.

The Do Nothing Republicans In Congress

If that sounds familiar it is because President Truman said that more than 50 years ago in discribing the republican party that served in congress on his watch. Not much has changed for the republican party for in the year 2011 they still rate as the "do nothing congress."

One would think the party were capable of stepping out of the past but their anti American ideology has proven too hard to shake loose from. They refuse to learn from the past because they still have the same problem of the inability to debate the issues and because of their inadequate feelings. The partys debates is a good example. It is a rerun of the many past republican debates and void of the real issues the country faces.

Truman knew how to deal with the republican party's "do nothing agenda"and President Obama is still learning. The past tells us the democratic party and a democratic President are still the best hope of moving the country and its people away from the past and still the best for solving the serious problems we face as a nation. The future will be bright as long as we keep democrats in our "democracy."

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Social Security: A True Success Story

Contrary to what conservative republicans are preaching, social security has not contributed one penny to the federal deficit problem. It is and always has been funded by social security taxes paid by individuals and empolyers and has always been solvent. Social security has always taken in more revenue than its paid out except during the Bush recession which has resulted in less taxes paid into the system because of the record job losses.

The federal government has had to rob over $4 trillion from the social security trust fund to pay for deficit spending and the majority of that deficit spending was by the Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 administrations who never balanced one federal budget in the 20 years they served and ran the country. It was a time of record deficit spending for those 20 years. Clinton balanced the federal budget, paid down debt and his administration ended 8 years with a net $62 billion surplus over all. Obama's first fiscal year budget ended in deficit spending and his second fiscal year budget that ends 9/30/11 will end in deficit spending also.

If not for social security more seniors and elders would be hurt by recessions and economic down turns. More would be in poverty, less in the middle class and much less income to take care of the basis necessities of life. It would result in more uninsured, ruin the stability of the economic life of those receiving social security benefits. We know what the unemployed people are going through, just think if you add the millions of people to that number if they did not have the safety net of social security. Most importantly, social security allows seniors to live in dignity and continue to participate in the quest for life. The latest census report as carried by the Times Picayune dated 9/14 showed social security kept about 20.3 million seniors and working age adults receiving disability payments out of poverty. That is a powerful statement of facts and illustrates how important a role social security plays in people's lives.

The republican party is bent on destroying social security. That is the purpose of their record deficit spending and creation of debt for the country. They want to starve the government of revenue so there will be no money to continue the program. The republican party's actions at the very moment prove that. Their allegiance is with corporate America, their lobby and the wealthy and is played out in their policies of special treatment to those folks. Their privatized plan for social security would be a boon for Wall Street, you know, those folks who participated in the financial scandal of the Wall Street Banks.

Social security can be made stronger by very minor adjustments, that has been pointed out many times over by various studies. The democratic party has always stood in the way of the republicans attempt to defund the program and should continue to do so. Any thing less would be a betrayal of the American people.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Understanding The Past Is Still The Key To The Future: Continued

There is a reason why the past administrations of Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 failed to achieve the economic and fiscal success of the Clinton administration. The former administrations never developed or adopted a broad economic plan as Clinton did. The former believed that their trickle down ideology was a policy that would address the economy, create jobs, balance the federal budget and have low unemployment. However none of those three administrations accomplished that. But the Clinton administration did.

President Clinton understood why the 12 years of Reagan-Bush 41 trickle down economics left his administration nothing but record deficits and a record increase in the national debt. Remember it "was the economy stupid" when Clinton defeated Bush 41. Clinton had the wisdom and savvy to learn from those past mistakes. He campaigned on an economic policy and after he was elected he introduced his economic and deficit reduction plan to the democratic controlled congress in 1993. Clinton's plan was passed by both houses of congress without any vote of any republican in either house of congress. They all predicted doom and gloom. It should be noted that the unemployment rate never exceeded what it was when Clinton took office during his full eight years as President. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 never achieved that.

George W. Bush, Bush 43 when taking office took over a sound economy, record job creation, balanced budgets, surpluses, the lowest unemployment in over 40 years, the lowest average yearly price for a barrel of oil in over 30 years and a sound fiscal house. Bush 43 blew it all because he ignored the past success and lessons that Clinton learned and was bent on going back to the past of trickle down economics. The same old ideology of Reagan. Bush never developed a true economic or fiscal policy as Clinton did and the results of his eight years returned the past front and center. Only the great depression was worse.

Barrack Obama became President and inherited the carnage left by Bush 43. The situation was much worse than when the previous four Presidents took office. He also faced a republican party who vowed to make him a one term President from day one. President Obama failed to learn from the past also and failed to meet the dire situation of the country with a well thought out broad economic and deficit reduction plan. The stimulus worked to reverse the record job losses, saved and created jobs but did not put enough people back to work or reduce the unemployment rate to where it should be. Obama's actions were not based on ideology, but he lacked a true plan and still does not have one as of this writing. President Obama also showed a lack of leadership in thinking the republicans would work with him even after they said they would not. As a result the President lost a lot of valuable time pussy footing around with them and their unAmerican ideology.

It appears to this writer that our country and the average American is at a terrible disadvantage. In my judgement, Obama is a better choice than any of the announced republican presidential candidates because of their extreme right wing agenda that would return the country and its people back to the Bush 43 era. I also believe the democratic party has two or three people that would do a better job than Obama and show more leadership. I do not think any democrat would challange the President because that would probabley result in the election of the republican nominee.

I can not remember a worse time for the average American. The country is 14 months away from the next election and the republican's have completely ignored their plight by opposing every thing that Obama has proposed to get the country moving again and putting America back to work. Bill Clinton was a lot of things to a lot of people but his policies put the people and the country first. No one can successfully imitate another person in being President. One has to be himself but leadership, character, courage, wisdom with a knowledge of the past is the key to a successful future.

President Obama needs to make a decision as to his capabilities of dealing with the future. He is not going to change the republican hatred but does have enough authority as President to step out of the past. If the President is incapable of making that commitment he should not run for reelection and make it know in enough time for another democrat to run. I do not approach this subject casually. The country and its people deserve better than what is taking place now. But nothing is moving. The ball is really in the President's court and he has to show leadership, courage and wisdom for a better future.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

The State Of The Union

It is broken, thanks to our elected officials in congress, especially the republican party who practice an anti American ideology, Corporate America and their lobby whose wealth allows them to influence congressional decision making that favor their own greedy self.

Never before has Corporate America, their lobby and elected officials been so blatenly outspoken against the middle class. The BP oil spill brought out the worse in the oil industry and many elected officials who did their bidding by blaming the President for the moratorium and wanting to put the industry back to work in the Gulf before all the facts were known on the explosion and spill that killed 11 rig workers.

The State of the Union has a republican party that rubber stamped President George W. Bush's failed policies that brought the nation record federal deficits for 8 years, a doubling of the national debt, record job losses, an economy that collapsed and turned out to be the worse since the great depression and a failed financial system built on greed and a lack of oversight. And that same republican party is now doing what ever it can to see Obama and the State of the Union fail.

The birth of the republican tea party pushed their party to the extreme right and has made the conservative's ideology more anti American than ever. Their behavior at the last republican Presidential debate that they sponsored showed their true lack of character, class, and their hatred for government. They also displayed an ignorance of what America and its democratic society is all about.

Corporate America and their lobby has bought America with its wealth. Their monopoly and business practices, especially their foreign operations have reduced the working middle class. They demand special tax breaks and receive them from members of congress who gladly do their bidding. As former republican Louisiana Governor Roemer said, Corporate America needs to decide whether they want to be a American company or a foreign company.

The democratic party also shares the blame for their being in bed with Corporate America and their lobby and going along with special treatment for them. But the fact of the matter they have worked with past republican Presidents and voted the President's agenda. They have never brought impeachment charges against a republican President just because they did not like him or want to see him fail. That distinction belongs to the republican party for their treatment of President Clinton.


This writer has written several commentaries how understanding the past is the key to the future. That is still the case today, but unfortunately wealth and greed has high jacked the future and the status quo of the past is well and alive. The future can be bright again if we as a nation are willing and committed to reverse the past, learn those lessons and bring the middle class back where it belongs in a democratic society.

Monday, September 12, 2011

The Oil Industry, Their Lobby and Louisiana's Elected Officials are Proven Wrong Once Again

Does any one remember the dire predictions concerning the moratorium on Gulf drilling after the BP oil explosion and spill? The prediction was doom and gloom, 20,000 to 30,000 rig workers laid off and economic ruin for them. President Obama convinced BP to set aside $100 million to take care of their predicted plight. And who were those making those dire predictions? You are right, the ones listed in the title above.

But now comes David Hammer, staff writer in a Times Picayune article dated 9/7 pointing out that only 755 workers were affected who qualified for $11.4 million. A far cry from the 20,000 to 30,000 workers and the $100 million that was set aside. The article also points out the balance of the money will now be used for other area's that were harmed.

The oil industry, their lobby and those Louisiana elected officials who toe the oil industry line because of the industry's wealth and campaign contributions are always predicting doom and gloom. It goes back many years. They are now predicting doom and gloom because President Obama wants to end the special tax breaks afforded the oil industry for over 40 years. They are using the same lies, loss of jobs, loss of production, more dependent on foreign oil and etc.

When Edwin Edwards was elected governor in the 1970's outgoing governor John McKiethen left the state with a $30 million state deficit. Edwards proposed to eliminate the state natural gas tax rebates to Louisiana manufacturing that was costing the state millions of dollars in loss revenue. He also proposed raising the tax on natural gas. The oil industry, their lobby and certain elected officials opposed, given the same old worn out reasons given today, loss of jobs, loss of production, more dependent on foreigh oil and etc. Well the measures passed and sure enough the predicted doom and gloom never happened. Governor Edwards knew the oil industry as well as they knew themselves.

The oil industry, their lobby and those elected officials who do their bidding are proven liars. The voters who continue to believe their fairy tale predictions have no use for the facts. The doom and gloom talking points are the longest running fairy tale this writer can ever remember. That really says it all.

Note: It should be noted the Times Picayune also opposed the moratorium and gladly published the doom and gloom predictions. It should also be noted that at the time the T.P. opposed the moratorium BP was taking out full page ads in their paper almost on a daily basis.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

E.J. Dionne and Cynthia Tucker: Journalists With Facts

There are many journalists today who unfortunately loose sight of their role of informing the people of what takes place in the news today. Fortunately, there are two journalists who know the facts of the subject matter they report on and as a result enrich the American people. Those two journalists are E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post and Cynthia Tucker, Editorial page editor of the Atlantic Constitution. They take time to separate hype and talking points from facts and tell an accurate story of the subject matter at hand.

Both are good at pointing out the real story behind the news and are up to date on the issues. When one reads or listens to their reports it is like night and day compared to other journalists. All of a sudden their reports propel you to reality and allow one to recall how this or that issue is totally different than other reports.

Mr. Dionne had a recent commentary concerning why the nation should move on since the 9/11 attack and Ms. Tucker had a recent editorial concerning "A perspective on taxes." Both appeared in the Times Picayune of September 8 and are timely, easy to understand and makes the case concerning two issues that have an affect on our current events.

The American people would be better informed if we had more journalists like Mr. Dionne and Ms. Tucker. Keep up the good work.

The Presidential Debates: A Flawed and Manipulated System

The latest Republican Presidential debate on 9/7 at the Reagan Center in California illustrates how the debates have become a media show at the expense of the people. Those candidates who do not reach a certain poll number are excluded from the debates. They are deemed not to have enough support to be part of the debate.

The eight Republicans that appeared had the right poll numbers and were deemed qualified to be there. However, the moderators of the debate gave two or three of the candidates most of the air time and questions and ignored the rest. In other words the news media moderators decided which candidates the American people would hear. Not very democratic and once again illustrates how the news media uses its power to push certain candidates and their views. When candidates are found qualified to debate they should all be given equal time.

Former Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer was not invited because his poll numbers did not measure up. He is out spoken about how campaign contributions from PAC's and lobbyist have poisoned our elected officials with their wealth and how elected officials are beholden to them instead of the people. The moderators, whose networks make money from political ads did not bother to talk about the subject matter at the debates. In fact the two or three candidates at the debate who got most of the questions are the candidates that are raising the most money to take out those ads.

The combination of wealth, the news media and elected officials who are beholden to the wealthy are toxic for America and its people. And that really says it all.

Monday, September 5, 2011

A New Low For Eric Cantor, Steve Scalise and Jeff Landry

Once again it took a disaster to bring out the worst in tea party republicans Cantor, Scalise and Landry. Cantor started it all after hurricane Irene hit the eastern coast when he said any federal aid to help the area should be matched by cuts to the federal budget. Louisiana's reps, Steve Scalise and Jeff Landry agreed like the ditto heads they are. Those are the same two who took up the fight in favor of the oil industry after the BP blowout and oil spill that killed 11 workers.

This is just another group of three stooges the conservatives cultivate from time to time. They are far right radicals and practice such an anti American ideology it is hard to think they were actually elected to congress. Both Cantor and Scalise were part of George W. Bush's record deficit spending spree and creation of record debt, a failed economy and record job losses.

The three stooges are void of having any wisdom, courage or character. The scary part is that they have no understanding of what democracy and humankind are all about. They think of themselves as elite but really show their ass. They are a loud mouth, plenty to say but no substance. That is really the trade mark of those three stooges.

None of the three stooges can debate the real issues because they have no positive record of accomplishments. That is why they and their party are always engaged in personal attacks. All three exhibit the trait of being insecure and ditto head followers. The strange thing is that they even look the part.

President Obama's Upcoming Address On The Economy and Job Creation

The most important thing President Obama can do in his Thursday's address to the nation and before a joint session of congress is to show leadership and courage on the subject matter. Leadership that shows he is in charge and that he wants and expects congress to implement his plans for jobs and the economy. Leadership that reminds the people that past republican policies has not worked and that they won't be revisited no matter what propaganda the republicans continue to spout.

Leadership that will remind the republicans he was elected in a national vote to lead the country and not members of congress. Leadership that calls out the republican party for what they are, obstructionist who want to see Obama and his policies and the country fail.

Courage to propose revenue increases and expenses that will create jobs that will truly put the country back to work. Courage to eliminate the tax breaks and loop holes afforded corporate America and the wealthy. Courage to cut cost by bringing all Ameican troops home who are serving abroad where they are no longer needed, such as S. Korea, Europe, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Courage to stand up to the special interest lobby who are always looking for a hand out at the expense of the middle class. Courage to stand up for the middle class, those who make our democratic form of governing a true democracy, for without a middle class there is no democracy.

Leadership and courage to inform the Ameican people with facts that it is past republican administrations who are responsible for the great majority of the governments deficit spending and debt that has become a problem in our country and had the last three republican Presidents balanced the federal budget like President Clinton did the country would not be having a deficit and national debt debate or a job crisis. And above all leadership and courage to do those things the President has the power to do if the republicans in congress do not support his agenda to move the country forward.

Leadership and courage to direct the Small Business Administration to immediately stop giving work to fortune 500 companies and direct that work to those who are truly small business owners who would immediately have to hire workers. That was the intent of the Small Business Administration in the first place.

This is the time for the President to act with leadership and courage. The President needs to let the nation know that he will no longer be silent about the republican party's failures on the economy, job creation and the sad shape republican policies left the country to deal with, especially since they want to see him fail.

Leadership and courage will make the difference.

Friday, September 2, 2011

The AT&T T-Mobile Merger: U.S. Justice Department Opposed

The Department of Justice sued in U.S. District Court to block the proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobil by AT&T. According to news reports the Justice Department filed its lawsuit because they believed the combination of AT&T and T-Mobile would result in tens of millions of consumers facing higher prices, fewer choices and lower quality products. In other words the consumer would be facing another created monopoly.

It is a known fact that corporate America's appetite for mergers and buy outs is to eliminate competition and there by have a monopoly. One can only hope the Justice Department is successful in its quest. They should also move strongly to break up the monopoly of the Wall Street Banks. Monopolies should no longer be allowed to flaunt their "too big to fail" ideology. I wrote a previous commentary on the "too big to fail" ideology and pointed out that any time you had a company that was "too big to fail" it indicated a monopoly.

Because corporate America and the Wall Street Banks have not lived up to their responsibility as responsible entities, the Justice Department should be active in seeking those monopolies out where they exist and sue to break them up. America and its people can not afford wealth and greed to be the defining force in its economic life. The negative impact of what the country and middle class are going through now should not be forgotten.


Bobby Jindal's Campaign Add: A Propaganda Fairy Tale

Bobby Jindal's T.V. add about job creation in Louisiana is a typical conservative republican fairy tale. The add shows a map of Louisiana with little signs popping up all over the state with the number of jobs created or will be created. One is especially laughable. It shows the Nucor Steel mill producing over 6000 jobs. And that is pretty good since the mill has not even been built yet.

The real story about job creation under Jindal is a sad tale. The unemployment rate in Louisiana when Jindal took office in January 2007 was 3.9%. The latest unemployment rate as of the end of July 2011 was 7.9% according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission. And to think the state has approximately $8 billion tied up in special tax breaks for businesses who are supposed to use those tax breaks to create jobs.

The fact of the matter it is the national economy that create state jobs. The shutting down of Avondale shipyard proved that in a previous commentary I wrote. There has been a steady increase in unemployment since Jindal took office and his own policies have contributed to the unemployment numbers.

The national economy has experienced periodic down turns over the last 50 plus years. To help the state during such periods, past governors have handled the budget and the states economy far better than Jindal. Past governors took a balanced approach to put the states fiscal house in order and create jobs. Jindal's approach to state government is a ideology that is far different as to what a democratic government and society is all about. The people of Louisiana should recognize that Jindal's T.V. add tells a different story as to what is really going on. The governor could learn a lot from New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

Jindal and many other state governors could never make the grade if they had no federal revenue to help them out. They would then have to raise revenue by some form of tax and look at themselves in the mirror. Of course, if they had character and courage to begin with, they would take care of their own state of affairs.