Thankful To Have Known President John F. Kennedy

I was 29 years of age when President Kennedy was killed in November of 1963.  Old enough to remember his administration and President's Roosevelt Truman and Eisenhower before him.  Being a follower of politics since my teen years I feel I know the Presidents who have served since Kennedy's death also and how they all performed. 

President Kennedy came from a wealthy family but did not cater to the wealthy.  He was raised and taught that public service was an honorable profession and if used properly, would move the country and its people forward and that was the hallmark of his public life.  As Commander in Chief, he had military experience having served in the Pacific during WWII.  He used that experience along with his military's advisors advice to help him make military decisions during the "cold war."

Although he was in office only 2 years and 11 months the people of America answered his call to "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" and lit the fire of hope, patriotism and a feeling of can do.  The majority of America, young, middle age and the elderly supported his administration and he made us all feel young and productive.

The President also had the support of the free world and those oppressed.  The "peace corps" he established bridged the gap between America and many parts of the world where America had no hands on contact.  The President also made it clear he thought people around the world should decide its own destiny.  Because of his faith in our couintry and its people he called America never to negotiate out of fear but never fear to negoiate.  Many of todays politicians wrongly associate negotiate with weakness.

Kennedy knew first hand what war was all about and would never start an unnecessary war.  People who were close to Kennedy said he always thought about the casualties of children in war and the fact that they never have a say so in the matter.  He was a student of history and well versed in what took place before he became President and was mindful of the future.  He publically stated that our problems on Earth are man made and therefore can be solved by man and that is what his policies addressed. 

He supported the "arts" and knew the history of the "arts" and the role played in developing our country.  Civility was a part of the President's persona and not personal attacks which is SOP for many politicians today.  He believed in a free press and below is a speech he gave on the subject matter.  President Kennedy's decision to explore outer space for peaceful purposes and put a man on the moon underscored his knowledge of what space exploration would do for future generations.  It also put America on the moon first. 

His wisdom and knowlege of history was displayed when he went to W. Berlin in June of 1963.  It was estimated that more than a million people gathered to hear his speech which was perhaps the most famous single moment of the "cold war"according to some.  Kennedy's speech made the case that communism was not the wave of the futurethe Russians were promoting.  He also pointed out that the Berlin wall was a vivid demonstration of the failure of the communist system.  Kennedy closed out his speech by saying, "all free men, where ever they may live are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man I take pride in the words,"ich bin ein Berliner." (I too am a Berliner)  The people of Berlin loved his speech and loved the President.

I often wish my three children and two grand children were of age where they could have known JFK.  I think they would feel as I do that our country today is lacking leaders with wisdom, courage and the commitment to public service   In fact, today's leaders seem to lack the understanding what our political system is all about. 

It is this writers opinion that our political system has changed for the worst since that tragic day in Dallas.  Our country, our people and the people of the world lost its hero that day and 50 years later we have lost sight of what hero's are all about.  The noise machine of being negative has taken center stage and our political system is paralized.  I believe true hero's are still out there to lead this great nation and its people.  We have just lost the wisdom and the ability to distinguish who they really are.


From a speech President Kennedy made in February 1962 on the twentieth anniversary of The Voice of America.

You are obliged to tell our story in a truthful way, to tell it, as Oliver Cromwell said about his portrait, "Paint us with all our blemishes and warts, all those things that might not be immediately attractive.

We compete with those who are our adversaries who tell only the good stories.  But the things that go bad in America, you must tell that also.  And we hope that the bad and the good is sifted together by people of judgement and discretion and taste and discrimination, that they will realize what we are trying to do here.

We seek a free flow of information.... We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values.  For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Too Big To Fail: J.P. Morgan Chase, Part II

On April 17, 2010 I wrote a commentary for "Politidose" about the Wall Street Banks that were described as "too big to fail" and which received federal assistance that was part of a $700 billion bailout plan called TARP.  I pointed out that any bank that was "too big to fail" was a monopoly and should be broken up by the federal government for the good of the country, the people and the economy.

J.P. Morgan Chase, one of the banks who received federal bailout money has been in the news recently and the federal government announced they have been fined billions of dollars for their illegal actions in the mortgage industry and other banking operations and that they are still under a criminal investigation for their actions.  J.P. Morgan was one of the banks described as "too big to fail."

Now would be a good time for the federal government to break up this monopoly called J.P. Morgan but there is still no clamor in Washington to do so.  U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is the only elected official who has been consistent in her calls to have the justice department file criminal charges against the Wall Street Banks involved in the collapse and she has also been consistent in wanting them to be broken up. 

President's Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman would have broken them up long ago and would have had the support of congress and the justice department to do so.  But we now live in the age of wealth that is used to paralyze our elected officials and the enforcement of federal regulations.  The corruptive practices of Wall Street is well known and how they use their influence to manipulate the markets and the federal regulatory system.  Those federal agencies that have the power to regulate the U.S.banking system and the Wall Street banks need to step up to the plate and carry out their responsibilities.  The people, country and the national economy has been cheated by business monopolies for too long.  It is a classic case of influence by wealth and those involved need to pay the price big time.

Hopefully President Obama, congress and the justice department will move to break up those Wall Street Banks that make up the monopoly and send any one in those orginazations to jail if indeed criminal activity was involved.  There is no better time than now. 


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Noise Machine and The Affordable Care Act

The Republican noise machine and their leading surrogate, the Fox News Network continue to try and undermine the Affordable Care Act and the Obama administration in general concerning the start up and the problems that have been encountered along the way.  The noise has been ignored by the uninsured who have already signed up and are satisfied with the results.  Having a chance to obtain health insurance is what is important to their cause and if more of the uninsured would follow that lead and tune out the negative voices the noise machine would die a painful death. 

The President and democrats in congress should make it clear the Affordable Care Act will be implemented despite the republican noise and that the President will veto any bill that comes to his desk even if some democratics join in passing a bill that would effectively kill the Act.  The President and democratic party are on the right side of this issue and should not let next years congressional elections scare them. 

Those insurance companies who semt out cancellation notices to their policy holders and failed to inform them they had an option with the ACA are not good corporate citizens nor honest ones.  The policy holders who received cancellation letters need to step up and find out just what options they do have with the ACA.  It would be worth while to investigate and find out on their own so they can get a handle on the facts.  Insurance companies are monopolies and they will not do any thing on their own to help the cause of the uninsured.

The noise machine and Fox News have no credibility on the subject matter because of the hatred they have for the President.  Understanding the past is still the key to the future.  Republican cooperation with President Obama has been non existing in the past five years, so for them, the future is like the past.  President Obama and the democrats in congress will be on their own so it will be up to them to stay the course and take the fight to the republican party and their noise machine.


This commentary written by John Lucia

MSNBC's Hardball Chat With Chris Matthews and Joe Scarborough On November 11

Chris and Joe's chat on "Hardball" appeared to be an attempt to show that in the past Democrats and Republicans worked together in Congress to get things done for the country and its people and that Republicans today have nothing to offer in the way of cooperation or policy.  Of course anyone who follows our political system knows the problem today with Republicans did not start with the Tea Party, it actually started when Newt Gingrich became their leader in congress during the 90's.  In fact President Reagan had a hand in that prior to Newt when he proclaimed "government is the problem".

Both  Chris and Joe were promoting their new books during their chat and forgot history.  Democrats in congress have always cooperated more with Republican administrations than Republicans in congress cooperated with Democratic administrations. 

Joe served in congress from 1995 to 2001and supported the so called Gingrich revolution and signed onto the Republicans "contract on America" which America did not ask for.  Joe also voted against the Small Business Job Protection Act and supported the impeachment of President Clinton over a sexual affair even though several Republicans in congress were having their own sexual affairs.  The Republicans in congress when Joe was there acted against President Clinton just like todays's Republicans are acting against President Obama. 

Chris worked in Washington also as an aide to Tip who was Speaker of the House for the Democratic party and often recalls how Reagan and Tip worked together.  Joe spoke about how the Republicans worked with Clinton to balance the federal budget, but failed to tell the true story.  The Democratic controlled both houses of congress in 1993 and passed President Clinton's deficit reduction and economic plan and not one single Republican in the U.S. House and Senate voted yes, they all voted no and predicted record unemployment, massive job losses, a failed economy and an explosion in the federal deficit.  Of course they were all wrong and the people knew. 

When Clinton's first balance budget and surplus came in at the end of fiscal year 1998 Clinton threw a party for the Democrats in congress.  The Republicans in congress were not invited and their nose was out of joint because of that but the President reminded them they voted against his plan and did not deserve to be there.  Republicans do have a history of trying to take credit for the good things that happen during Democratic administrations but it will not wash.

Chris and Joe seem not to have learned much about the Washington they worked in or the media they now serve in.  They yearn for a return to the times between Ike and Reagan's year but have forgotten what has taken place between Reagan and Obama.  This writer agrees with Chris and Joe that the Tea Party sucks and are a disgrace to our democratic system.  But where have they been for the last four and a half years when the Republican leaders in congress promised not to do anything that would help President Obama move the country and its people forward, even after the second great Republican depression of 2008.
Seems like Chris and Joe forgot all about that.

This commentary written by John Lucia

Louisiana Purchased: Times Picayune Story By Manuel Torres and Lee Zurik

The only real news in this story is that the names of people and businesses are identified along with the amount of campaign contributions.  The story line is old and known to any one who follows politics on a state or federal level.  The known story line is that elected officials do indeed give special interest groups special favors because of the money received to run their campaigns.

Businesses and other groups along with the elected officials all give the same answer when the subject matter comes up.  Their answer is there is no "quid pro quo" which Webster's dictionary describes "as one thing in return for another."  In other words there is no connection between the campaign contributions given and the special treatment the donors receive.  Of course everyone knows that is a fairy tale to the highest degree.

The corrupted money practice will only stop when voters condem both the elected officials and those special interest groups who care nothing about the harm they do to democracy, the political system and the people.  Wealth and the ability to use it has been substituted in order to reward the few at the expense of the many. 

Make no mistake, the influence that is sought thru campaign contributions and the favors granted by elected officials to those special intrest groups are not to advance the economy, jobs, the state or the working class, it is sought to transfer wealth from the average person to the wealthy that has been taking place now for many years.

In the November 13 article in the Times Picayune the following statement at the top of the article read.  "the state isn't inforcing its limits on campaign contributions from PAC'S."  If that sounds familiar its because the state is guilty of a lack of enforcement concerning the environmental damage caused by the operations of oil and gas drilling, production and pipeline operations in Louisiana and it has been going on for over 40 years. 

There is a very simple way that elected officials can end the corrupted practice that goes along with campaign contributions.  They have the power to refuse any and all campaign contributions and there is no court in the land that can force them to do so.  That would not cost the state one cent and would remove the money influence.  Will Mr. Torres and Zurik's story change things for the better?  I have my doubts.  Elected officials have the authority of law to change the system, what is lacking is leadership, character, courage and the balls to do so. 


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Federal Budget Deficit And Federal Spending: Another Huge First For"PolitiDose."

The Federal Government's  fiscal year that ended 9/30/13 was President Obama's fourth fiscal year and the deficit came in at $680 billion, down from the $1.08 trillion deficit of fiscal year ending 9/30/12.  Federal spending came in at $3.45 trillion, down 2.4% from fiscal  year ending 9/30/12 that was $3.53 trillion.  Federal revenue was up 13.3% to $2.77 trillion. 

Any one who follows "PolitiDose" should not be surprised at the above numbers as it has been pointed out many times over that democratic administrations always do better than republican administrations in all area's of the budget and the economic well being of America.  The news media in general are still ignorant concerning those matters and have no clue.  They love to repeat the lies of republican talking points.

President Obama's four fiscal years has seen the smallest growth in federal spending in over 52 years.  The following numbers tell the story. 

Federal spending for fiscal year ending 9/30/09 Bush's last fiscal year was $3.517 trillion.

Federal spending for fiscal year ending 9/30/10, Obama's first fiscal year was $3.45 trillion, down 1.7% from previous year.

Federal spending for fiscal year ending 9/30/11 Obama's second fiscal year was $3.60 trillion, up 4.2% from previous year.

Federal spending for fiscal year ending 9/30/12 Obama's third fiscal year was $3.53 trillion, down 1.8% from previous year.

Federal spending for fiscal year ending 9/30/13 Obama's fourth fiscal year was $3.45 trillion, down 2.4% from previous year.

And once again as this writer has pointed out in the past it is a democratic administration that has controlled federal spending, reduced the federal deficit, created jobs, reduced unemployment and put the economy back on track.  And it has happened despite the republicans promise to obstruct and do nothing to help the President and despite having to deal with the worst economic and fiscal depression since the great depression of 1929.  And there should be no doubt in any ones mind that unemployment would be under 6% had the republican controlled house passed Obama's job's program to rebuild the nations infrastructure they have been sitting on for the past two years.  That legislation was passed by the senate and was fully funded with out increasing the federal deficit.  Our economic house would also be a lot stronger had the U.S. House acted.

When Vice President Chaney said in public, deficits don't matter while the Bush administration was turning President's Clinton's balanced budgets and surplusess into deficit spending and debt the republican party who controlled both houses of congress during most of Bush's time in office looked the other way and the news media was silent.

Yes, my fellow Americans democratic administrations with a liberal philosophy are better at moving the country and its people forward economically and in fiscal matters than republican administrations with a conservative ideology.  The factual numbers published by the CBO, the Labor Department, the Treasury and other governmental agency's tell the real story.  And information concerning the budget deficit, federal spending, the national debt, unemployment and other economic and fiscal matters can be found here in "PolitiDose" in past commentaries. 

Special Note:  No republican administration has reduced year to year federal spending in the past 50 years even when their party controlled both houses of congress or when congress was split.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Affordable Care Act Brings The Republican's Anti-American Ideology To The Fore-front

"PolitiDose" seems to be the only news outlet that understands why the republican party spends all its time and energy on negative comments and anti-American propaganda against President Obama and the democratic party.  The various hosts on cable news tells their viewing audience every night that they don't understand why the republican party acts as they do.

Well, beginning in 2007 and over the years since, "PolitiDose" explained in manny commentries that the republican party has no record of accomplishments or record of moving the country and its people forward so they attack and try to control the narrative which the news media gladly follow.  That is why they have no policy to campaign on.  The most recent example is the November elections when Romney's only policy was tax cuts and his campaign was about attacking the President.

Republican strategist believe as long as they attack democrats no one will ask them what they themselves stand for and the media obliges.  Their current attacks against the Affordable Care Act is a good example.  They say their idea's are better for the uninsured but had 8 years under Bush 43 to come up with a health plan and failed to do so.  And they have had four and a half years under President Obama to come up with a plan and they are still batting zero for twelve.

The essence of the republican ploy is to obstruct any democratic administration into failure because democratic administrations always do better for the country and its people than republican administrations.  That is why they tried and failed to bring down President Clinton over an affair.  They could not attack Clinton on the economy, job creation, balanced budgets, low unemployment and etc.,so they tried to destroy his administration with impeachment.

They have been trying to destroy the Obama administration because once again it is a democratic administration that is reducing the federal deficit, creating jobs, improving the economy, reducing federal spending and reversing the damage to the country and its people that the Bush administration bequeathed to President Obama and the nation. 

The republicans shut down the government three times in their effort to cripple President's Clinton and Obama.  The last time it was done to destroy the economic recovery taken place after the second great republican depression of 2008.  The party has become a traitor party because they can not compete with the democratic party in policy or ideas.  They have zero policy ideas and are a disgrace not only to the office of the President and all Americans, they are a disgrace to our democratic system of government and a disgrace to the people they were chosen to represent.  And to top it off they use lies as prt of their planned rhetoric. 

The people should never forget it is estimated the republican shutdown of government cost the country $24 billion. 


This commentary written by John Lucia


Note:  For past commentaries dealing with the subject matter see  A Fiscal Responsible Government dated 4/30/07,   President Obama And Fiscal Stability dated 11/8/09 and An Economic Turnaround, Job Creation, and Fiscal Stability:  There Is A Precedent.  dated 12/14/09.