A Perspective On The Coming New Year

President Obama will be starting his seventh year in office January 2015 and the country and its people have much to be thankful for dispite all the distractions.  Our nation has come a long way from the worst recession in our history and the out look for the next two years is the most positive since that great recession.

The economy and job creation has reached a level that is self repeating; unemployment continues to go down; consumer confidence is rising; consumer spending is up and fueling economic expansion and job creation; consumer debt is down; the stock market at record levels; the war in Afghanistan has come to an end; gas prices are falling at the pump; America is still the world's best economy; the President has kept our nation out of unnecessary wars and kept our home land safe; median income is starting to increase; the federal deficit continues to go down; federal spending has been under control.  The positives outweigh the negatives for the coming years.

The President's approval ratings are going up and will continue to do so.  The manufactured scandal of Benghazi, the IRS and the ACA fizzled like 7up and lost its taste.  The President's policies worked dispite the noise machine and the country and its people are now in position to enjoy the benefits that will take place in the coming year.  The United States leads the international community to move forward on many fronts and America's leadership is still unchallenged in world affairs.

Barack Obama was one of the Presidential candidates who was elected President in 2008.
Who ever won that election would be dealt a horrific hand to manage.  It happened to be Obama, a democrat who was not this writers first choice for the democratic nomination.  However, he won that nomination and the general election to become President.  Having a limited amount of political experience he learned and grew on the job and has gained this writers respect for bringing the country to where it is today. His policies have worked and he has never personally attacked his opposition like they did him.

There is no doubt in my mind that America elected the best Presidential candidate in 2008 and 2012.  I look forward to seeing the nation reach full employment on his watch and a continuing economic expansion and advancement for the middle class.

Note:  I often refer to the recession as a depression because there has never been a worse recession prior to the 2008 one.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The New Orleans Saints 23 Tampa Bay 20; Season's Recap and Critique Part I of II

The Saints won their final game of the season in Tampa.  It was a victory over a team who only won two games this entire season and will not be a model for what the future holds for the Saints.  For the third straight year the Saints finished weak instead of strong loosing 5 of their last 8 games.  Last season they lost 4 of their last 7 games.  The Saints beat only two teams with a winning record this season, Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

The 7-9 loosing record was the Saints second loosing season in the past three years.  The worst part of those three seasons is that the Saints showed no improvement and this season showed a marked decline from last season.  Sports writers in New Orleans never saw it coming even though the evidence was there and pointed out on several occasions in "PolitiDose."  As this writer mentioned before, the writers lack the objectivity to properly evaluate the Saints because of their relationship with the team, their apple polishing stories and the hype they perpetuate.

All was not well with the Saints before the 2014 season started but sports writer Larry Holder said in a Times Picayune article of 7/23/14, "The expectation of Super Bowl Glory is warranted."  Holder and Jeff Duncan were so wrong on their predictions this year concerning the Saints, they finally saw the light later in the season and instead of apologizing to the fans and readers and saying I was wrong used the words WE WERE ALL WRONG.  Well WE were not all wrong but they were.

What hapened the last 3 seasons was there for all to see.  There were no positive signs of improvement.  They were not ready to play and win the games that counted the most.  Carolina showed how important that factor was by winning their final 4 games defeating the Saints and Atlanta on the road to win the division title.  The Saints had the same opportunity but lost to both Carolina and the Falcons at home in the Superdome.  Carolina finished strong and on the road.  The Saints finished weak and of all places, finished weak at home.

Holder continued his apple polishing stories the day after the Tampa game in the Times Picayune of 12/29/14 by bragging about Brees personal stats along with the same comments by other Saint players in order to deflect any negative talk about Brees.  Well, individual stats do not win championships, playing as a team does that.  Peyton Manning and Tom Brady once again did more for their teams than Brees did for his team.

"PolitiDose" in several commentaries after boundy gate was exposed, explored what was going on and even questioned the Saint's future under Payton and Brees and even predicted what the 2011 season would look like without Sean Payton on the sidelines.  That same season Saint players said everything would be fine because the players were professionals, they knew their jobs, they had the players and of course the sports writers ran with that hype.

This writer published a commentary in "PolitiDose" dated 7/24/14, months before the season started titled,"Times Picayune Sports Writer Larry Holder and The New Orleans Saints."  The last sentence of my commentary was as follows and I quote.   DON'T BE SURPRISED IF LAST YEARS FINISH BY THE SAINTS LOOSING 4 OF THEIR LAST 7 GAMES IS A PRELUDE TO HOW THE SAINTS PERFORM THIS SEASON.

And you read it here first in "PolitiDose"


Stay tuned for Part II and read why Bountygate was a prelude to what has taken place with the Saints.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Good News Continues On The U.S. Economy At Years End.

The Commerce Department reported that the U.S. economy grew at a 5% annual rate in the third quarter ending September 30.  The stock market hit an all time high closing above 18,000.  It has been pointed out many times in PolitiDose that the good economic news would happen  on the watch of President Obama because democratic administrations  always perform better for the country and its people.  It is a precedent that has held true for many, many years especially since Ronald Reagan took office because that is when the republican party started its "blame big government" for everything ideology.


The Commerce Department also reported:  Strong consumer spending and business investment:   That the quartly growth was the fastest growth since the summer of 2003. (Thats 13 years ago)  Income posted the best gains in five months;  November consumer spending grew at its fastest pace in 3 months.  We also know from other reports that U.S. economic out put is at an all time high and so are corporate profits.

The good economic news should be followed up by President Obama with policies and or executive action that will continue the economic expansion, job creation and increase in wages for the average workers.  The republican party continues to sit on the side lines and play no role in correcting the mistakes of the previous republican administration that presided over the second great republican depression.  In fact the ending of this year will mark their 6th straight year of opposing the President's policies that have worked for the country and its people.

We will know soon enough if the new congress, controlled by the republican party has the courage or character to stand up and join the human race.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

I would like to wish everyone and their family a very, very Merry Christmas.  May your day be full of fond memories this Christmas season, joy, friendship and a true understanding of what the spirit of Christmas is all about.  May your day be merry, warm, safe, peacefull and may you and your family have many, many more to come.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Yours truly, 

John Lucia

The News Media's Presidential Preference For The 2016 Election.

And its Jeb Bush vs. Hillary Clinton.  In the last two weeks they made that clear in their statements.  Both have the contacts and ability to raise one billion dollars each for the campaign.  That would be a record the news media points out.  It would also mean a record amount of money spent for campaign ads for the news media.

So the public can look for and expect to see the media give those two much exposure in the near future and cable TV will lead the way.  The exposure will drown out the other hopefuls in each party.  The voting public have become pawns to the news media and the special interest groups.

This writer would like to see a new generation of leaders emerge for the 2016 election.  Candidates who have vision and knowledge about government and how it functions best:  Candidates who are willing and able to dismiss the status quo and recognize that understanding the mistakes of the past is the key to a better future;  Candidates who understand that the middle class should participate more fully in the success their companies achieve;  Candidates that have the understanding of foreign policy like Roosevelt, Truman, Ike and Kennedy;  Candidates who are willing to reverse the influence of the special interest groups and put America and its people first.

President Kennedy captured the hearts and imagination of the American people like no other in my lifetime.  There has to be some one out there in this great country who can once again make us all feel young.  After all, we are still a country where dreams come true.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Conservative Journalist Cal Thomas And His Cowardly Opinion.

Thomas in a Times Picayune column of 12/21/14 says terrorists will surely attack America and wonders what Obama will do when the attack occurs.  He then goes on to wonder if Obama would issue the predictable denunciations and apologies for Islam.  Thomas is a coward for making that statement and shows his contempt for American values.  He also shows how much he hates the President.

Thomas wants to see America's homeland hit because Obama has been more protective of our country than Thomas's hero, President George W. Bush.  He is even willing to lie about Obama being an apologist for Islam.  It shows how extreme Thomas's views are and how unAmerican his ideology really plays out.

Its the same old conservative republican story.  When your party has no accomplishments, strike back at the guy in the other party.  Thomas knows that Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist created Al Queda in Iraq and ISIS.  His mentallity is such that he wants to see America attacked again, especially on Obama's watch.  American casualties means nothing to this guy.

Cal Thomas belongs to the same group of conservatives who tried to blame President Clinton for the tragic attack on 9/11.  Its unfortunate when men can not act like men and have no character or courage to boot.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Unemployment Rate Is Up Again In Louisiana

The unemployment rate in Louisiana for November ws 6.5%, the seventh straight monthly increase according to the U.S. Labor Department.  It was 5.6% in November of 2013.  The unemployment trend in Louisiana has been up while the trend nationally has been down.  The unemployment rate in November fell in 41 states, rose in 3 states and were flat in 6 states.  There was more bad news for Louisiana.

According to the Pew Research, 29 states increased spending for mental health while Louisiana decreased spending on mental health the last two budget cycles.  It also ranked Louisiana as one of the worse states for mental health services and access.

And the latest information from Jindal's office is that the budget deficit for this fiscal year ending June 30 will be $170 million plus.  That is the same budget Jindal and the state legislature announced as balanced at the start of the fiscal year.  State revenues are not meeting projections.  And if that sounds familiar its because it is a repeat story.  Budget cuts will be coming once again.

The $25 billion state budget contains $8 billion of tax breaks and exemptions for bussiness.  That is about 30% of the budget in loss revenue to the state and Jindal and the republican controlled legislature continues to sign off on those tax give aways.  Republicans on the state level are no better than those on the federal level.  But hey, Louisiana is a republican state with bragging rights.

It will take another democratic administration and legislature to turn this mess around.  In the mean time Jindal will continue to try and sell himself as a republican Presidential candidate.  What a sad chapter in Louisiana history.


This commentary written by John Lucia

President Obama's Latest Position On Cuba: Another Big First For PolitiDose.

The President's latest approach to Cuba in a speech to the nation on Wednesday was long overdue by an American President.  Cuba, an island nation located 90 miles from America was once a natural trading partner and vacation location in our own hemisphere.  It was controlled by a dictator back then like so many other countries near by.  Every one knows what took place when Castro came to power so there is no need to repeat the story here.  The President's actions did what this writer suggested in a commemtary dated 11/23/07 titled Cuba:  A Missed Opportunity for America.

Cuba outlasted 11 America Presidents and a embargo that was supposed to bring the Castro government down.  It did not, it only damaged the Cuban people.  Cuba itself has never been a threat to America since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.   It was only a threat then because of Russian nuclear missiles installed on that island.  President Kennedy took care of that threat, understood a free Cuba with out influence from the outside could be an ally and partner in our hemisphere and some of his top aids said had he lived and were reelected President would have moved to improve relations with Cuba and reduce Russian influence.

The republican's reaction to the President's speech was predictable, the usual negative rhetoric, especially from Louisiana's Jindal and Scalise.  Both little boys still represent the stupid party's wing.  Now the starting point of diplomacy with Cuba has begun after laying dead for over 50 years.  Congress should support the President's actions because America has everything to gain.  More freedom for the Cuban people means less influence by the Cuban government.  Bringing families together again will accomplish the same thing.

This commentary written by John Lucia.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu: Her Service Will Be Missed By Louisiana And The Nation.

Mary Landrieu's three terms in congress was a productive one both on the state and national level.  She was a Senator who understood the issues and did not use ideology as a political tool.  Serving under 3 Presidents, Clinton, Bush 43 and Obama she voted with and against some of their policies.  But she never voted to shut the government down.

If she voted 97% of the time with Obama's policies that speaks well of her because no thanks to the republicans, the economy is growing, job creation is robust, unemployment is down, federal spending is down, the deficit is down and being reduced on a steady basis, the country has been safe from terror attacks unlike under the previous administration, Bin Laden was brought to justice, inflation is under control, the GDP is growing, the country has a successful foreign policy and the ACA and medicaid expansion has insured millions of Americans.  And just recently 3 more republican governors said their state would participate in the medicaid expansion under the ACA.

A noted conservative think tank said Bill Cassidy voted 98% of the time with republican speaker of the house John Boehner.  Well any one who follows politics knows that the republican controlled U.S. House has no real accomplishments for the country or its people to speak of.  They did vote to shut down the government two years ago and Cassidy was right there with them. Yes, this writer will take Landrieu's 97% vote with Obama over Cassidy's 98% vote with John Boehner any day.

Louisiana will miss Senator Landrieu service because the republican party has no record on moving the state forward.  Jindal and the state republican party have been a disaster.  If I was a young man I would run for governor.  I could handle any thing the republicans would try to throw at me.  And that says it all.


Note:  Bill Cassidy served 3 terms as a U.S. Representative but during the campaign could not list any one accomplishment under his signature that became law.  So like a republican ditto head when you have nothing to show the people, attack your opponent.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Torture: America's Moral Mantle Of World Leadership Betrayed.

Our fore-fathers who established what is now the United States of America stood tall and authored a constitution that set the country on a course of moral and political responsibility.  And for over two centuries world leaders and people of the world have looked up to and admired the U.S. for its moral character.

The U.S. Senate report on CIA torture is a betrayal of America's high ideals and moral character and a major regression from the nations past leaders who understood that our strength and endurance as a people are rooted in a moral creed.  Past Presidents have been eloquent on the subject matter and understood that dispite our many failures the U.S. was moral in its judgements and its policy towards others at home and abroad.

The report brought denials from those involved and former V.P. Dick Cheney even said he would do it again.  Some republicans supported Cheney's position.  Senator John McCain, a former POW who was tortured by his captors supported the report and its findings and said torture should never be accepted.  Others said the report should not have been made public.

President Obama stood tall and banned torture after he took office.  This writer ;pointed out in a recent commentary about the CIA, President Truman's remarks in a letter to the Washington Post when he said over 50 years ago, "There is something about the way the CIA has been functioning that is casting a shadow over our HISTORIC POSITION and I feel we need to correct it."  President Truman knew what leadership was all about and that the President is the one person who has to set the example and lead.  He fired General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War when the general disobeyed the President's orders.  The buck stopped on President Truman's desk.

To those who believe the report should not have been made public lets turn to what President Kennedy said in a speech on the 20th anniversary of the Voice of America in February 1962.  We are obliged to tell our story in a truthful way, to tell it, as Olivefr Cromwell said about his portrait, Paint us with all our blemishes and warts, all those things about us that may not be so 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 Ameican 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.    President Kennedy was well aware of our nations values, morals and Historic positions.

President George W. Bush failed the test of a true leader in allowing the torture thing to happen and let it get out of hand.  He denied torture during the time it was taken place and worst of all was still in denial after it was exposed.  President Bush like so many in his administration wore their morality and religion on their sleeves for political reasons.  True leaders on the other hand have the widsom to know the difference and govern with policies that represent what our nation and people are all about.  There is no excuse for what happened on Bush's watch.  WWII was a much larger problem for America than the problems Bush was dealing with but President's Roosevelt and Truman prosecuted that war with policies that defined who we are, our values, our moral responsibility, our ideals and our historic positions.

President Obama took the right first step, congress took the second step with the release of the report and now it is up to the President to follow up and future Presidents to never forget.


Note:  See my previous commentary dagted 11/28/07 titled, Diplomacy:  Democrats Force Reality On Bush where I write about moral responsibility.


This commentary written by John Lucia

The CIA: Still Out Of Control and Sadly, Still No Oversight.

President Truman created the CIA so he could obtain the best intelligence in order for him to make the best possible decisions that affect America.  It was an intelligence gathering agency only who had no operational authority.  President Eisenhower changed that when he authorized CIA to equipt and train Anti-Castro Cubans for an invasion at the Bay of Pigs.  The CIA has not been the same since and that was the beginning of CIA lies, illegal activities, dirty tricks and you name it.

The latest now is the Senate intelligence report on Torture.  The torture is new but not the violation of laws by the CIA that has been going on for over 50 years.  The U.S. House and Senate have intelligence oversight committees who are supposed to ride herd on the CIA and make sure they know what the CIA is up to.  They have failed their responsibilities in that regard.  Senator Frank Church in the Church report of the 1970's and many others since then documented the illegal activities of the CIA and their out right lies.

So the question is whats new and how to put an end to an agency out of control for so many years.  A sane congress should have put an end to the CIA's  activity once and for all after it was determined that the CIA even withheld evidence from the Warren Commission in conjunction with the assassination of President Kennedy.

The answer is simple.  Congress and the President need to take away the operational capacity of the CIA and once again return the agency to its original mandate, that is intelligence gathering only.  The CIA's operational ability has allowed them to make their own foreign policy and not be accountable to anyone. According to the book, "JFK And The Unspeakable" the author on pages 332 and 333 wrote the following.

On December 22, 1963 one month to the day after JFK's assassination former President Truman published a very carefully worded article in the washington post warning the American people about the danger of the CIA taking over the government.  He wrote as following:  I think it has become necessary to take another look at the purpose and operations of our CIA.  For some time I have been disturbed by the way the CIA has been diverted from its original assignment.  It has become an operational and at times a policy making arm of the Government.  This has led to trouble and may have compounded our difficulties in several explosive areas.  We have grown up as a nation respected for our free institutions and for our ability to maintain a free and open society.  There is something about the way the CIA has been functioning that is casting a shodow over our historic position and I feel that we need to correct it.

Six months later in a letter to the managing editor of Look Magazine concerning an editorial copy that was published in Look the President wrote.  Thank you for the copy of Look with the article on the CIA.  It is I regret to say, not true to the facts in many respects.  The CIA was set up by me for the sole purpose of getting all the available information to the President.  It was not intended to operate as an international agency engaged in strange activities.  

Since President Truman set up the CIA, several Presidents has given the agency broad authority to engage in activities over the years that has resulted in much trouble for our country.  The latest torture report is a good example along with other lies and illegal activities.  President Kennedy found out about the CIA's dirty tricks during the Bay of Pigs training and vowed to break up the CIA.  He fired CIA director Allen Dulles after the Bay of Pigs and was in the process of curtailing their operations when he was assassinated.

Paul O'Neill, President George W. Bush's first appointed Treasury Secretary in his book,"The Price of Loyalty" at one of the President's cabinet meetings said, reading documents CIA director George Tenet passed out it laid out a plan of covert activity around the globe.  At its core was the enabling provision that there be virtually no civilian over sight.  The concept was tell us how you want to look Mr. President and we will handle the rest.  Author's note:  This is the same CIA director who sat along side of Secretary of State Colin Powell before the U.N. who outlined the so called proof of Iraq's WMD.  But as every one knows they did not exit at any time during the Bush administration.

Congress needs to gain self respect, character and courage by taking away from CIA all operational authority and leave the CIA only with the authority to gather intelligence for the President to use in his decision making.  Although :President Truman established the CIA over 50 years ago, he showed greater wisdom than leaders who came later.  He was aware that a out of control CIA would be a disaster for the country.

It is time for Congress to act once and for all on the matter.


This commentary written by John Lucia

Another Fairy Tale "Point of View" Editorial by Chris John In The Times Picayune

Chris John, President of the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association is well known as a mouth piece for the oil and gas industry.  His family has operated a oil field trucking company in Louisiana for many years and John can not be expected to render an independent judgement concerning the industry.  In his latest editorial he says its time for congress to lift the ban on American crude oil exports.  Congress passed that oil export ban in 1975 for good reason and it is still working.

John says in the editorial if the ban is lifted U.S. production would increase to 11.2 million barrels of oil per day from the current 8.2 million barrels of oil per day; would create 63,000 jobs; save American consumers $5.8 billion per year; would increase revenue for Louisiana; lower gasoline prices; grow the economy and a host of other goodies.  It is the same song the industry tries to sell over and over again.

How will an increase of 3 million barrels of oil per dayfor export make the U.S. less dependent on imports?  It won't.  As of the moment U.S. crude production is the highest it has been in a few decades.  That is one of the reasons the price of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gasoline has been falling.  That is also the reason the subject matter is coming up now.  It is timely for the industry because the republicans will control congress next month and the oil industry wants to call in its chips.

The falling price of a gallon of gasoline is saving consumers money now while the export ban is in effect.  Lifting the ban will not lower that price because that would make the price more available to manipulation.  As far as increasing Louisiana's revenues don't believe it.  Louisiana was promised that when the legislature gave the industry tax breaks and exemptions for drilling and production of natural gas from the Haynesville shale.  So what did the industry do?  Well, they diverted their natural gas drilling and production from other areas that did not have the tax breaks to the Haynesville shale area and Louisiana's severance tax revenue fell.  That story was run in the Times Picayune as a reason state revenues were not keeping up with state expenses and revenue projections.

How will lifting the export ban improve the U.S. energy security?  It won't, that is why the Strategic Petroleum Reserves was created in the 1970's.  The bottom line is that the industry has the ability to make the U.S. independent of foreign oil in a reasonable period of time if they wanted to.  They have the leases, the know how and the finance to do so but as this writer has pointed out the industry would have to stockpile the supply and when supply out strips demand, lower prices occur.  That is what is taking place now with the drop in prices.

John and the industry want to export that additional production to have more control over the international market than it has now and to keep prices inflated.  That is the reason for the Keystone XL Pipe Line that would carry dirty Canadian crude through the U.S. for gulf ports to refine and then export the refined product.  The U.S. territory would be used only as a transit point.  Nothing there either that would make the U.S. independent of foreign oil.

And all the while the domestic oil industry enjoys tax breaks and exemptions worth $8 billion.  It is the same story, those that have so much are never satisfied.  Chris John opposed the BP Moratorium and also opposed the Levee Boards suit against 97 oil and pipeline companies whose operations destroyed the state's environment.  That should tell one what little respect he has for the state or its people.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The New College BCS Playoff Format Is Faulty

Florida State is undefeated in their last 30 games, ended the 2014 regular season at 13-0, won their conference championship, are the only undefeated team in the top 10, yet the BCS has them ranked number three.  That sucks big time.  They should be rated number one.  The BCS committee trys to play God with a multitude of other factors to rank the teams and fall flat on their face.

Alabama, the number one ranked team by the BCS is always given favorable treatment.  It started and ended with Bear Bryant and started up again when Saban became head coach.  Alabama lost to Ole Miss this season, a team with three losses.  Alabama almost lost to LSU, a team that lost four games this season and also almost lost to Arkansas, a team that lost more games than LSU.  No way Alabama should be ahead of Florida State in the rankings.

This writer thinks the NFL playoff system stinks but they do the fundamental thing in using a teams won-loss record as the basis for the top seed.  College teams with the best won-lost record are chosen to play in their conference championship games.  So why the change for the BCS number one selection?  The BCS commission out smarted them selves by limiting the play off to four teams.  It should be a play off system of eight teams.

Who would have thought the BCS play off system would be broken before the first game was ever played?


This commentary written by John Lucia

The Carolina Panthers 41 The New Orleans Saints 10

The Panthers from Carolina showed up at the Superdome on Sunday, played the game and defeated the Saints.  The Saints also showed up but failed to play.  As a result the Saints regular season will end with no more than a break even record of 8-8.  With three games to play on schedule, two away and one at home their final number is in doubt.

This Saint team is the latest version of the Coulda, woulda, shoulda teams under coach Mora in his early years as coach of the Saints.  The players and coaches have run out of excuses and answers.  One thing is for certain, the players and coaching staff have problems themselves and between themselves.  It shows on the field, in their faces and in their performance.  The highest paid players and coaches are not earning their pay.

Sports writers for the Times Picayune continue their apple polishing stories about how Brees is still the same quarterback stat wise.  They mistake individual stats for a team effort like the Saints on paper were the best since the 2009 team.  Paper rosters do not make a team.  Payton Manning is in his 3rd. year with a new team and continues to do more for his team than Brees does for the Saints and Manning had to sit out a whole year due to surgery.

Not too many Saints opponets are "Feeling the Brees" the last 3 years.  During that time I questioned in several commentaries the ability of Payton and Brees to keep the Saints on top.  I felt that way after Bountygate was exposed and so far they have not delivered.  Meanwhile Mickey Loomis and Tom Benson are silent on what is taking place.  They too are drawing large pay checks.  Will there be an accounting after the disaster is over?  This writer will be watching.

With Atlanta's loss on Monday night no team in the South division will have a winning record at the end of the season but one will still make the play offs.  No team in that division deserves a shot at the play offs so this will be my last commentary on the Saints until the season is over.  I will then write a wrap up commentary on the team.  Stay tuned.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

James Varney: A Conservative Republican Journalist who Ignores The Facts.

Both Varney and his editorial published in the Times Picayune Reflection section of 12/7/14 titled, "Republicans need to show they can stop over-spending" are full of it.  Varney does not know the difference between a calender year and the federal government's fiscal year which begins October 1 and ends September 30.  The Congressional Budget Office and the U.S. Treasury publish the official numbers of the federal government on that fiscal year basis.  That means the President's budget which is submitted to congress adhears to that schedule which means the last fiscal year of a President ends and overlaps the first 9 months of the new President.

Varney attempts to make the phony case that the national debt has risen 70% on President Obama's watch by calculating the national debt when Obama took office.  Bush's last fiscal year budget was still in effect when Obama took office and ran to Bush's last fiscal year which ended 9 monts later on 9/30/09.In other words Varney passes what was Bush's debt to Obama.  The only way to measure the fiscal success or failure of a President's administration is on a fiscal basis as the Congressional Budget Office does that is available on the internet.  Ditto the U.S. Treasury for the national debt.  So lets compare the real numbers concerning the national debt from the records of the Treasury Department concerning Presidential Administrations.

At the end of President Carters last fiscal year 9/30/81 the national debt stood at $999 Billion.  (yes that is billions)  Ronald Reagan followed Carter and at the end of Reagans last fiscal year 9/29/89 the national debt stood at a whopping $2.8 trillion.  (yes you read that right trillions) which was an increase of 186% in the national debt.  A record that still stands.

George H.W. Bush followed Reagan and at the end of his last fiscal year 9/30/93 the national debt stood at $4.4 trillion.  An increase of 54% in the national debt.

Bill Clinton followed Bush 41 and at the end of his last fiscal year 9/30/01 the national debt stood at $5.8 trillion.  An increase of 31% in the national debt.

George W. Bush followed Clinton and at the end of his last fiscal year 9/30/09 the national debt stood at a whopping $11.9 trillion.  An increase of 105% in the national debt.

Barack Obama followed Bush 43 and at the end of his fifth fiscal year 9/30/14 the national debt stood at $17.8 trillion.  An increase of 49% in the national debt.

The official numbers show that the largest increase in the national debt occured during the fiscal years of Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 by far.  Obama's eight fiscal years are not up yet but it is safe to say when his last fiscal year ends the increase in the national debt will not be as great as it was under Reagan or Bush 43 and those two Presidents did not take office with the worst economic depression in 60 years and the record job losses that the Bush administration passed on.  That makes Obama's numbers look even better.  Democratic administrations also do a better job at controlling federal spending.

The real sad story of the national debt is that had Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 balanced the federal budget like Clinton did the national debt would not be a problem as we speak.  Varney's editorial was silent on the Republican's role in creating debt because that party leads the pack in doing so.  The massive increase in the national debt under Reagan 186% and under Bush 43 105% was and still is a dagger to the heart of the federal government's fiscal house.

A President's policies are what controlsbalanced budgets, federal spending, the national debt and fiscal matters.  Fortunately Democratic Presidents have done much more for the country and its people in that regard and yes in the last 34 years the smallest increases in federal spending took place on President's Clinton and Obama's watch.

Conservative Republican Presidents:  Not in your lifetime.  That really says it all.


Note 1:  See my commentary titled, "The National Debt:  Betrayal and Devastation" dated 12/6/09

Note 2:  ditto titled "Federal Spending:  Facts vs. Myth"  dated 10/31/09


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Republican Controlled U.S. House Passes Another Bill To No Where.

The U.S. House voted 219-197 and passed a bill this week declaring that the President's action on immigration was null and void and without legal effect.  They admitted they wanted to send a message to the President.  Obama actually sent the republicans a message with his actions, either the republicans act on immigration or he would.  The bill will go now where in the U.S. Senate, there are too many importment issues to be settled this year.

Once again, Boehner and Scalise pushed legislation that was meaningless like the 50 plus times the House voted to repeal the ACA.  Just think, those two republican legislators could have taken up the immigration bill passed by the U.S. Senate in June of 2013, debated, ammended, sent back to the Senate or passed the bill and immigration reform could have been accomplished before the end of the year and the President's executive action would have been mute.

The U.S. House's action is a prelude to what is to come in the new year when the republicans take control of both houses of congress.  It will be important for the democrats to stick together and give the President enough votes to uphold the President's veto power when and if it needs to be used.  There is one issue as American as apple pie that could pass both houses and signed into law before the end of the year but the republicans won't allow it.  That issue is raising the minimum wage as the President proposed over 2 years ago.

The republican party continues to live its unAmerican conservative ideology and places America and its people in jeopardy.  One of their latest reasons for voting the above bill on immigration was the congressional elections of last month was against Obama's policies.  Not really in any sense, the people voted for the President's policies when he ran against John McCain and Mitt Romney and defeated them and their policy ideas.

Republicans think they should have power when they lose elections.  When they win elections, they abuse power.  Not a very good policy for success and it shows.


This commentary written by John Lucia

November Job Creation Numbers Continue The Expansion

The U.S. Labor Department announced that the economy created a whopping 321,000 jobs in November and continues what started over 50 months ago to put America back to work.  It was the best job creation month since the Clinton administration.  (Another Democrat)  The Department also said job creation in September and October was 44,000 more jobs than originally reported.

Hourly wages increased 0.4%, the largest increase in hourly wages since June 2013.  Over the past 4 years the annual average wage gains have been 2% a year.  Unemployment for November held steady at 5.8%.  The good news of the increase in the average wage should be a prelude to a higher increase as the economy continues to grow and create jobs.  The closer the country approaches full employment the quicker wages will grow because of competation in the labor force.

The report also noted that with one month left to go, this year is shaping up as the best year for job creation in 15 years.  (That also takes you back to the Clinton Administration)  The republican party's decision to obstruct the President and his successful policies after their 8 years of failure during the previous administration is proof of their unAmerican conservative ideology.  It makes no difference whether its fiscal matters, economics, foreign policy or domestic policy, the key to a successful future is to understand the mistakes of the past.  The republicans failed to learn what the Sumerians said they were taught over 6000 years ago.  As a result, the future is like the past for the republican party.

It is this writers hope that the President uses his veto power when he has too if republicans try any thing to disrupt the progress that has been made on reducing the deficit, the continued growth in the economy, job creation and lower unemployment.  The President should also have a team ready to answer the republican's noise machine and their ditto heads.

Keep up the good work Mr. President.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Federal Budget Deficit

The final results of the federal government's fiscal year that ended 9/30/14 is not in yet but the Congressional Budget Office announced that the deficit will come in around $506 billion, approximately $170 billion below the previous fiscal years deficit.  Deficit spending continues to come down on a steady basis on the President's watch because of his fiscal policies and determination to have a healthy fiscal federal government.

The projected deficit of $506 billion is down over $900 billion from President George W. Bush's last fiscal year deficit of $1.4 trillion which still stands as the largest single year federal deficit in the history of the United States.  The fact is that over a reasonable time period the federal government has had its best fiscal years by a wide margin under democratic administrations in balancing the federal budget, controlling federal spending, reducing republican deficits, creating surpluses and adding the least to the national debt.

The republican party's trickle down economics of tax breaks for those who need it the least is still a fairy tale because it has no economic value for the peopoe who actually move the economy.  The Reagan tax cut started the stampeed of transferring wealth from the middle class to the wealthy and the Bush 43 tax cuts finished the job with the second great republican depression and record job losses.  Those two Presidents never had control over deficit spending and never balanced one budget in the 16 years they ran the country.

The readers of "PolitiDose" knew the federal deficit would come down on President Obama's watch because the record is clear what party performs best for the country and its people and they read it here first in "PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Health Care Cost Continues To Go Down On President Obama's WatchHealth Care Cost Continues To Go Down On President Obama's Watch.

Now comes a report from the Office Of The Actuary for the Federal Center For Medicare and Medicaid that helath care cost for 2013 rose only 3.6%, the smallest increase for the past 50 years.  It was the fifth straight year health care cost increased less that 5%.  The turn around in federal health care cost was deemed unprecedented.

There was other good news from various states that premiums under the Affordable Care Act for 2015 policyholders will increase at a modest rate in the single digets instead of the double diget increases by private insurance companies prior to the ACA.  The good news concerning health care cost will help continue the economic expansion since the second great republican depression of 2008 as more families inside and outside of the work force have a better opportunity to take care of their health and stay healthy.

In Louisiana, employees, teachers and state retirees who are insured through Louisiana's Office of Group Benefits riled against the high increases in co-payments, out of pocket costs along with higher deductions that were proposed by the Jindal administration for 2015.  The opposition was so great along with the threat of a law suit that Jindal walked back the proposed increases to a lower level and basically kept retirees at the same previous levels of coverage.  Those still employed will see their out of pocket cost, their deductibles and co-pays increased.

This writer has noticed what has been going on in Louisiana since the ACA started to sign people up.  Ochsner Hospital has been expanding all over the Metro New Orleans area and across the Lake.  Blue Cross/Blue Shields and other insurance companies are advertising on TV about their health insurance programs and their benefits including affordable rates and etc.  They are advertising like never before.  Does any one think this would be taking place if the ACA was not working?

Yes, there are federal programs that are working like they should and they usually work better under Democratic administrations.  And Medicare and Medicaid which are programs promoted and passed by Democratic administrations are working better for the people all the time.  Like so many positive things that have happened and continue to do so since the previous administration left town, it is happening on President Obama's watch.  But don't expect any republican in Louisiana to talk about the positive.  Their phony ideology will not allow them to do so.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The New Orleans Saints 35 The Pittsburg Steelers 32

The Saints won their second road game of the season in defeating the Steelers and their record stands at 5-7.  The win was important because the Atlanta Falcons won also with only four games left on the schedule.  Does this game signal a turnaround for the Saints?  Time will tell.

The Steelers defense shut out Saints receiver Jimmy Graham but their secondary played poorly allowing three touchdowns with two defensive breakdowns and one with the defenders back facing Brees and did not know where the ball was.  Result, easy touchdown.  Of course the important thing is the Saints won and ended their three game loosing streak.

Payton and Ryan continue their little exchanges on the sidelines at the expense of the team and after 12 games all is not well between the two.  The Saints started the season just like they ended last season on a loosing note.  Will they finish strong in their last four games like they preach.  They have not done that in the last three seasons, so let the guessing begin.  

The seven sports writers for the Times Picayune all picked the Steelers to win the game.  They are still shell shocked after their silly predictions early in the season.  Lets see who they pick for Sunday's game with the Carolina Panthers.  

This commentary written by John Lucia

President Obama's Final Two Years In Office: What Will The New Year Bring? A Continued Story

In January the new year will begin with a triple history that will unfold before the people.  President Obama will begin his final two years in office, the U.S. Congress will be controlled by the republican party and the middle east remains a very unstable and volatile region because of ISIS, the Israel-Palestine situation and the unpredictable behavior of various factions in the region.

I wrote a commentary after President Obama was re-elected and suggested that in the President's second term he should use his executive authority to get things done when the reublican party failed to act on matters affecting the country and its people.  The President has done that, the latest example being the immigration issue.  The President should continue to do that when necessary in his final two years.  He should also use his veto power when necessary to stop any right wing or extreme agenda of the republican party, especially when it comes to the special interest groups and more tax breaks for those who need them the least.  The President has enough democratic votes in the U.S. House to uphold any veto and the democrats should use that leverage.

The President should keep his word on no American ground troops in combat in the middle east.  He should also remain cautious in forming policy for that region where people who live there lack the will to defend their own people because of Islamism, tribalism and sectarianism.  ISIS is not the mighty military force the news media has made it to be and the United States air power is proving that along with some Kurds and Iraqi ground troops who have been willing to engage ISIS.

President Obama's attention to continue the economic expansion, job creation, reducing the federal deficit and reducing the inequality in middle class income should remain a priority.  The country and its people have come a long way since the second great republican depression and the President needs to keep the republican's hands in their own pockets.  The negative voices have nothing to offer the country or its people and they will continue their policy of obstruction to try and inhance their party's chances of taking the White House in 2016.

The one thing that the democratic party lacks is their failure to have a quick response to the republican's noise machine of lies and falsehoods they spout on a daily basis.  President Clinton had a response team that did so to the republican's attacks.  The republicans could not handle the push back so they impeached him to no avail.  Obama needs to develop a team to follow President Clinton's lead in quickly exposing the republican noise machine.

And yes, it is another democratic President that has reversed the disaster left by the previous republican administration.  This writer knew it would happen from the very beginning and you read it here first in "PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary.   Stay tuned.


This commentary written by John Lucia

The Price Of A Barrel Of Oil And A Gallon Of Gasoline Continues To Fall

OPEC met Thursday to decide what to do about the world wide fall in the price of crude oil.  They have the power to manipulate the price but this time around they decided to hold production levels as is and not cut production which would have reduced the supply.  Some of the smaller OPEC members were hoping for the cut in production to stop the fall of the price of a barrel of oil which hit a four year low of $73 a barrel on the Brent benchmark.

The price of U.S. crude dropped below $70 a barrel and drivers are seeing the result at the pump.  The major U.S. and OPEC producers have amassed billions of dollars in cash over the last 12 years which has seen the highest sustained price for a barrel of oil and a gallon of gasoline at the expense of the consumer.  And one can believe the price has been minipulated.

Now Citibank in a report says the global supply of crude exceeds the demand by 700.000 barrels a day due to a sluggish global economy.  Other oil groups say the over supply will continue into 2015.  Much of the excess supply comes from U.S. producers from oil shale production which is expected to add 1,000,000 barrels of oil per day this year and next.

What is taking place is a good example why the U.S. will always depend on foreign oil if alternative energy sources are not developed.  An over supply of oil means falling prices and the domestic oil companies are not going to stock pile oil and sit on it.  Don't be surprised if American oil companies start to cut back on production and scale back some of their operations soon.  This writer wrote a commentary some time ago in "PolitiDose" pointing out what goes on in the industry.

There are a number of reasons for the over supply of oil.  Auto's with better gas mileage, Europe's sluggish economy, ditto China, Japan, Russia and greed by the OPEC countries and the domestic oil industry in the U.S.  One should be able to see that there has never really been a natural shortage of oil or gasoline in the U.S. or world supply. The problem has always been one of manipulation by cutting production to creating a shortage.

OPEC with its decesion to keep production at its current level despite fallen prices is a direct challenge to the U.S. domestic oil industry.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's State Budget: "PolitiDose" Continues To Tell The Real Story

Readers of "PolitiDose" know that Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature has yet to balance one state budget since Jindal took office.  They say its balanced with cuts and other revenues but 5 or 6 months before the budget year ends Jindal announces the budget is out of balance by millions of dollars.

And true to form the same thing is happening to this years budget that ends June 30, 2015.  In a November 22 article in the Times Picyune the state is facing a mid year budget deficit of $180 million that Jindal plans to close using one time state revenue and cuts.  Five million of revenue will come from the TOPS scholarship program the article reported.  And on a more serious note the legislators were told that next years budget beginning July 1will face a wopping $1.4 billing short fall.

Jindal is no conservative when it comes to the state's fiscal matters and has put off year after year the hard choices necessary to put the states fiscal house in order.  His actions fiscally is a mirror image of the national republican party that has not balanced a federal budget since President Eisenhower in 1960.  When Jindal's term expires he will leave the next governor and the people a fiscal disaster to clean up.  Much like President George W. Bush left Obama and the country.

Jindal and his party's leaders are not really conservatives, although they have sold that bill of goods.  They are right wing radicals who preach an unAmerican ideology.  Because of precedent, this writer has been able to predict once again that this years budget would be out of balance long before the fiscal year ends in June 30, 2015.  And you read it here first in "PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentrary written by John Lucia.

The Baltimore Ravens 34 New Orleans Saints 27.The Baltinore Ravens 34 The New Orleans Saints 27

The Ravens defeated the Saints on Monday Night Football.  It was the Saints third straight loss at home in the Super Dome and they now stand at 4-7 for the first eleven games.  In order to have a winning season the Saints have to win all five remaining games.  This writer believes that would be a stretch.

The Saints showed no improvement Monday night even though the Ravens played a loose zone defense(most of the game) in the secondary and allowed the Saint's players separation most of the game.  The Ravens rushing defense was tough and physical and allowed little running room for the backs.  The only exception was the long run on the Saint's second play of the ball game by Joe Morgan.

Brees once again threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown giving the Ravens a lead they never lost.  This has become a familiar turnover for Brees.  The Saints defense continues to add to their problems and Payton's trips to Rob Ryan's place on the sidelines and words of anger are not helping one bit.  Payton needs to leave Ryan alone and do his job.  If he feels Ryan is not the person for the job he can handle that after the season is over.  I do not believe Ryan and the defensive players appreciate how Payton is acting and as a result is affecting their play to a certain extent.  Maybe Ryan needs to return Payton the favor since the offense and Payton's play calling is having problems of their own.

 There is no question in this writers mind that there are problems between Saints players and between the players and the coaches.  It shows on the field and in their faces.  Payton continues his silly approach to the officials and acts like a spoiled brat.  I guess he really thinks he is a offensive genius like the TP sports writer have proclaimed for so many years.  Jeff Duncan and Larry Holder's reports in the TP are now 360 degrees what they were early in the season.  I guess they are trying to make up for their silly predictions before the season even started.  Their apple polishing reports are in limbo for the moment.

It is more than likely that the South Division champion will have no better than an 8-8 record when the regular season ends.  This writer has commented on more than one occasion in "PolitiDose" that teams with a loosing or break even record do not deserve to be in the playoffs. Can anyone really argue with that?  It is way past time for the NFL to revamp the playoff system.

The Saints travel to Pittsburgh and play the Steelers on Sunday.  Another road game and another opportunity to win their first game on the road this season.  It will be interesting to see how the TP sports writers pick this one.  Three of the seven picked the Saints to win the game against the Ravens on Monday night.


This commentary written by John Lucia

President Obama Uses His Executive Authority On Immigration.

True to his word, the President acted to move the immigration issue when republicans failed to act on their own.  The President's actions drew immediate response from the leaders of the republican party in congress with their usual nasty comments.  Their nose stays in the "bent out of shape" position forever as long as a democrat is President, especially this democratic President.

The President's action exposed how phony the republican's position has been on immigration for many years.  They failed to pass immigration reform during the George W. Bush administration even while they controlled both houses of congress and they failed to even take up and debate the immigration reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate in June of 2013, that is over a year and a half ago.  The right wing of their party is in control and they dare not even have an immigration policy to talk to the people about.

As the President said to the republicans,  if you don't like my decision, pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.  The President has thrown down the gauntlet and now the republican leaders have to put up and pass immigration reform.  They will never shut up because that is their own way of not talking about their own failures to lead and produce policy.

President Obama has stood tall once again on a problem that has been around for a long time and his executive action has put the republicans in a box of their own choosing and the immigration issue is now in their court.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Benghazi: A Scandal Only To Those Who Promote Scandals.

The U.S. House Intelligence Committee  report on Benghazi is complete and has been issued.  The report rejects allegations that the Obama administration intentionally misled the public about the deadly attack on the U.S. mission.  The report repudiates what it said was a "swirl of Rumors and unsupported allegations over the assault on the mission in Libya.

The report also said there was never a "stand down order" blocking rescue efforts and that White House officials were not to blame for an inaccurate initial account of the events.  Also noted in the report it implicitly rebuffed allegations that were lodged by republican leader Darrell Issa and embraced by republican party leaders.

Does any one remember the Fox News Network calling Benghazi a scandal over and over?  Ditto John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Mitt Romney and a host of other republicans in congress and the conservative news media in general, especially editorial writers.  They all accused the President and Secretary of State Clinton of the charges above that the intelligence committee found false and floating in a swirl of rumers and un supported allegations.  Romney even used Benghazi to try and attack the President during the debates of the 2012 Presidential elections.

The right wing conservative republicans will say anything to try to destroy the President and his administration.They are an unAmerican bunch who enjoy lying to the public and attempted to create a scandal over an attack that took the lives of 4 Americans.  Can one stoop any lower than that?  The real sad story of Benghazi is that too many Americans believed the lies of a bunch of spineless conservatives and the Fox News Network.

Come next year when the republican party takes control of both houses of congress allegations against the President will become sustained concerning a number of contrived issues where republicans will use the same tactic of out right lies.  The leaders of today's republican party are not fit to lead and make a mockery of the political system.  The republican party's rhetoric would never have been accepted by the greatest generation and neither should today's generation.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Scalise's Bill Will Weaken EPA's Ability To Regulate Air Quality Standards

Steve Scalise, Louisiana's little boy rep in the U.S. House saw that house pass his bill that would expidite the permitting process for new projects according to an article in the Times Picayune of 11/21/14.  Democratic rep Henry Waxman said the bill could give new facilities "amnesty" from new air quality standards.  The President said he would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

The bill is all about gutting EPA regulations and allowing busineses to operate in their own selfish world without regulations.  Scalise uses job creation as the excuse for expediting the permitting process.  However,  Scalise and his party have no record of creating jobs to speak of and everyone knows the conservative attitude towaerd regulations.  As long as the democrats control the Senate the bill will not pass or advance to the President.

Scalise is the Whip of the majority House and is in a leadership position so one would think he would take up the immigration bill passed by the Senate or the minimum wage bill if he was serious about passing legislation that would move the country and its people forward.  Instead, he moves a bill that has no merit at this particular time.  The President continues to stand tall and be responsible while conservative republicans in congress continue to expose their lack of character and courage.  

Just think, if Scalise scheduled a vote on immigration and the minimum wage and it passed as this writer thinks it would, congress could have gone home on break and said they accomplished something positive.  What a shame.

This commentary written by John Lucia

Another Major Grant To Louisiana From The BP/Transocean's Deepwater Horizon Rig Sinking

Accoridng to a Times Picayune article dated 11/19/14 Louisiana will receive $13.2 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to rebuild barrier islands and to build sediment diversions for wetlands.  The money comes from a second dispersal from the Foundations Gulf Environmental Fund that holds the money from criminal settlements between the U.S. Department of Justice, BP and Transocean over their roles concerning the sinking of the rig.

And once again it is the big bad federal government that Jindal and his conservative ditto heads love to hate that has enforced federal regulations and have held BP/Transocean accountable for their negligent acts. And it has all happened under the Obama administration, the President who conservatives say is the enemy of the people of Louisiana and the state.  The real enemy of the people and Louisiana are Jindal and those elected officials who oppose the Levee Boards suit against the oil and gas industry for their destruction to Louisiana's environment by their operations.  The industry has been given a free ride for over 40 plus years.

The $13.2 million settlement is only a portion of the $1.2 billion that will be directed to the fund over a five year period for projects in Louisiana involving restoration of barrier islands and the construction of diversions.  The President's administration is working for Louisiana and the Gulf Coast and have answered the call to a disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.  jindal and the republican party in Louisiana continue to demonize the President and the federal government and shows how much character and courage the little boys lack.  Serious public officials?  You want find them in Louisiana's government.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The U.S. House and Senate Vote On The Keystone XL Pipeline Can Best Be Described As Phony-Baloney

Mary Landrieu and Bill Cassidy could best occupy their time with more constructive actions than forcing a vote on congress to approve the building of the pipeline.  Everyone knows, especially those in Louisiana that Mary Landrieu has been a supporter of the oil and gas industry long before Cassidy was elected to congress.  Every one also knows that Cassidy and republicans in general want to let the industry do what ever they want to do.

So why vote now, especially since the President said he would veto the bill if passed by congress.  The answer is the Louisiana Senate race for congress.  The bill failed and if passed would actually have no value on the election because the issue is phony. It is just another piece of evidence why congess has been so unworkable.  If republicans wanted to be productive before going home they should have passed the Minimum Wage bill and the comprehensive Immigration reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate in June of 2013.

The Nebraska Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the pipeline before the end of the year.  Its possible their decision may contain facts that no one else has even thought about.  This writer still supports Mary Landrieu's reelection and will vote for her in the run off election because of her overall record  and the fact she has done more for Louisiana and the country than Cassidy or any other republican in congress.  This writer also opposes the pipeline as explained in commentary here in "PolitiDose" dated 3/15/14, titled, "TransCanada's Pipeline:  Another Polarizing Issue."  Landrieu, Cassidy and other members of congress who have become the mouth piece for the oil and gas industry is also opposed by this writer.  Let the industry justify their projects and actions themselves.  In this case let the Canadian Oil Company who want to build the pipeline justify its construction.  They have already testified before congress and failed to make their case.

Landrieu and Cassidy's actions before congress on the matter did nothing to distinguish either one in this writers judgement and the President has been a steady voice from the very beginning concerning the pipeline.  Both would have been better off by supporting the President's position.


This commentary written by John Lucia

Cincinnati 27 New Orleans 10

The Bengals gave the Saints their second straight loss at home and out played the Saints
in the process.  Cincinnati played like a team that wanted to play and win and the Saints continue to play uninspired football with a losing record.  They have now been defeated in 10 of  their last 17 games including last years playoffs.  They and Atlanta are now both 4-6 for the season.

All seven sports writers for the Times Picayune picked the Saints to win in Sunday's paper.  They simply went with the line once again that had the Saints favored by seven points.  Their reporting on what is wrong with the Saints has been all over the lot.  One of the latest jingles is they have to finish the game.  A problem this writer wrote about both last year and this year.  Remember the call, "We have to finish strong?"

Part of the Saints problems are obvious.  When they play the teams that are well coached on defense, Brees and Payton are not prolific or a genius like sports writers want to brag about.  The players and coaches have problems and all is not well.  This is the third straight year the Saints offensive and defensive play is not consistent.  And to top it off, the players are not ready to play despite their huge salaries.

Any objective observer of the game must have noticed the difference in the two teams on the field the way each played the game.  Cincinnati's all around play and execution was not only better than the Saints, they also stopped the Saints bread and butter offensive plays with a strong defense.  They were better prepared.  Paton needs to get a life on the sidelines and take the chip off his shoulders.

Allowing bounty gate to happen and hiring Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator were huge mistakes by Payton.  School is still out on Rob Ryan but it is a fact that his defensive teams in the past before Payton hired him were not consistent.  Sports writers tried to rate Ryan's performance  based on last years results and now have second thoughts.  That is unfortunately and so are their apple polishing stories.

The NFL is a weak league overall with only 30-35% of the teams end the season with a winning record.  Records are not so hard to set against those teams that are losers and not well coached.  Sports writers should be objective and take that into consideration instead of being carried away in their reporting.

The after affects of bountygate shows how arrogance can come back and take its toll.  This writer still believes that is one factor of what is happening with the Saints.  Payton received a big raise after bounty gate.  So did Brees and Graham.  NFL owners have deep pockets of wealth and the Saints organization failed to hold Payton accountable for allowing bounty gate to happen.  And Brees and Graham still have not earned their salary.  In the NFL, one can still be paid big bucks and still not produce.  And sports writers who cover the Saints still lack objectivity.

The most satisfying part of the game was the young lady who belatedly was given the football.  She was also nice looking.


Note:  As of this writing the Saints have beaten only one team with a winning record, Green Bay.  The other three teams they beat, Carolina, Minnesota and Tampa Bay have a combined won-loss record of 9 wins, 21 losses and 1 tie.


This commentry written by John Lucia.

Two Wrongs Do Not Make Political Ads Right.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu and U.S. Representative Bill Cassidy are running political ads bragging how they opposed the moratorium in the Gulf after the BP disaster and spill.  There was good reasons why President Obama took the actions he did and put the moratorium in place.  BP, the rig owner, the supppliers and the oil industry said they had no answers even though 11 rig workers were killed.  BP and the industry did not have any equipment available to shut the flow of oil off timely or the equipment necessary to clean up any spilled oil before it reached shore. 

Yet, Landrieu and Cassidy wear their opposition to the moratorium as a badge of courage.  It is actually a badge of shame.  They were not the only elected officials from Louisiana to oppose the moratorium.  Steve Scalise and others also opposed.  Those same folks also predicted the moratorium would cause an exodus of rigs from the Gulf and the industry would lay off up to 20,000 rig workers.  Well it never happened.  In fact more rigs left the Gul of Mexico during the George W. Bush administration.  (see my commentary on the subject matter dated, 7/22/11 titled, "Drilling Offshore Louisiana in The Gulf of Mexico:  Facts and Nothing But The Facts."

 Louisiana's elected officials who become the mouth pieces for the oil industry have betrayed the people and the environment and show their lack of regard for safety regulations.  They also show their lack of compassion for the families of the 11 rig workers whose lives were taken by the blowout. 

This writer is unaware of any stories in the news media that has reported on this situation and challenged those who opposed the moratorium.  The news media never told the real story about the BP explosion but "PolitiDose" did in a commentary dated 5/8/10 titled, "The Untold Story Of BP's Oil Spill In The Gulf of Mexico."

Landrieu and Cassidy were wrong to oppose the moratorium before answers were even found and the President was right in his decision.  The ads show how elected officials will say anything to help in their election bid.  President Obama displayed his character and courage with the moratorium after a disaster, both in human life, the environment and the damage to property.  Landrieu and Cassidy lacked character and courage and instead tried to protect an industry who contributes to their political campaigns.  The same industry who has a terrible record when it comes to protecting the states environment.  And that really says it all. 


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Has Anyone Noticed That !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The fear mongering has subsided with the November 4 elections?  Ebola, Terror attacks on U.S. soil, ISIS, amnesty, the border and a host of other fear related issues promoted by the republican party and the conservative news media.  Fear is part of their ideology to mask their unAmerican form of governing.

Iraq, Saddam and their WMD that did not exist was used as a fear tactic to go to war there when it was not necessary.  (which the war proved)  But it was not Iraq, Saddam or WMD that took the lives of the majority of the 4400 plus U.S. troops who served their country's call.  Now it is republicans McCain and Graham who are using the ISIS fear to try and move President Obama to send combat troops to Iraq once again to fight a ground war against ISIS.

No parents in America wants to see their children raised in fear of the known or the unknown and they should not be exposed to the fear propaganda of the republican party and the conservative news media.  No matter what the subject matter, democratic leaders have the character and courage to stand up and be counted when it comes to protecting the country and its people when our way of life is threatened with out resorting to fear.

President Obama has measured up and answered the call to both the external and internal threat of fear that is used by those who want to see the President fail.  America and its people have been safe on his watch and we should take to heart what a great past democratic President said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Latest State Budget Woes Under Republican Governor Bobby Jindal

It was reported in a recent Times Picayune article that Governor Jindal has ordered a partial freeze on state agency spending that covers several areas.  The order covers the balance of the states fiscal year that ends June 30.  The state has been borrowing hundreds of millions dollars to pay state expenses because the states general fund revenues has been slow to arrive the article points out. 

And here is the other kicker reported by the TP.  "In addition a $1.2 billion budget gap is projected for next year, and lawmakers have yet to decide whether the state finished the last fiscal year with a surplus or a deficit."   What is happening with this years budget is just a repeat of previous state budgets of the Jindal administration as out lined in "PolitiDose" many times over the last few years.  Jindal and the legislature has never really balanced one state budget except by gimmicks.  Its the same con game over and over.

Can the people of this state really understand why the Jindal administration still can not tell the pleople if last years budget that ended June 30, 2013 ended in a deficit or surplus?  How long does it take?  President Obama has reduced the federal deficit and the unemployment numbers since he took office while Jindal continues to cut the state budget and still not able to balance it.  And the unemployment rate in Louisiana is still higher than it was when he took office.

Is there any wonder why Jindal and the republicans in Louisiana are always on the attack against the President?  This writer does not have to wonder, its because they have no positive record to run on or talk about.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by John Lucia.   

San Francisco 27 New Orleans 24

The Saints started off the second half of their season like they did the first half of the season with an overtime loss.  This time to the 49ers when the niners converted a Brees turnover into a winning field goal.  It was the third turnover for Brees who also threw two interceptions.

The loss dropped the Saints recored to 4-5.  New Orleans fell behind 14-0 early in the ball game and both Frisco and the Saints mirrowed one another at times being "hot and cold."  Frisco was able to make the big play when it counted to tie the Saints at 24-24 and then won in overtime.

The Saints defense does show improvement and plays well over a few series then falls down and give up big plays that hurt.  Defensive players are still missing tackles and are caught out of position.  Being consistent has still escaped Rob Ryan's defensive unit.  Payton seems to be involved with the defense on the side lines more than this writer remembers in the past.  Could there be some resentment there?

The loss ended the Saints winning streak at home and their last two wins against Green Bay and Carolina were not defining moments to make a judgement how the season will end.  This writer does not like the "hot dog" attitude of a few players and Jimmy Graham's Tarzan act after he catches a pass.  ( I often wonder what is in the gator aid)  Payton has adopted an intimidation approach on the sidelines with the officials.  Don Shula, Tom Landry, Vince Lombardi and other coaches who were more successful over a longer period of time than Payton were gracious on the sidelines.

After 9 games the Saint players and coach are still singing the same song.  WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE BALL.  WE HAVE TO FINISH THE GAME.  ITS TOUGH TO WIN IN THIS LEAGUE.  WE STILL CONTROL OUR OWN DESTINY and a host of other pronouncements.  This writer believes the Saints still have serious problems and one is an attitude problem.  The Saints swagger, if they ever had one is no more.  What seems to be visable is their arrogance.  That is not related to confidence. 

The Saints division is in shambles at the present time and no team seems to be capable of stepping up to the plate and make a positive move.  The NFL needs to reduce the number of teams, as expansion and the silly play off system is beginning to erode what once was a quality league.  But the wealth factor and the greed over shadows everything else.

At this point in the season nothing has changes my mind concerning the fugture of the Saints under Payton and Brees.  The effects of Bounty gate is still taking a toll on the team.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE MARINES

Happy 239th birthday to the U.S. Marine Corps and to all who ever wore the Eagle, Globe and Anchor where ever you may be and especially those serving in harms way and away from family.  The Marine Corps birthday is a special occasion that reminds us of the sacrifice of so many of our brother Marines and the spirit instilled in Marines the very first day we hit "Boot Camp."  That spirit lives on in the Marines motto, Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful and Once a Marine Always a Marine. 

Marines serving on active duty, or in the reserves and or in civilian life still share the same common virtue, commitment, honor, courage and duty.  That is a disipline that binds all Marines together for life.  So to my brother Marines on this 239th birthday it is my hope and prayer that the Supreme Commandant continues to watch over you and your family and keep you safe where ever you may be.

Happy Birthday Marines and Semper Fi

John Lucia

October's Job Numbers and Unemployment Continue To Be Positive While Republicans Continue To Go Negative

The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 214,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate fell to 5.8%.  For the last 10 months the economy created on average of over 200,000 jobs per month.  The department also said 31,000 more jobs were added for August and September than was previously reported.

The President's policies continue to work, and slowly but surely are returning the country to full employment.  The business community are even on board and predicting a great Christmas shopping season and continued expansion of the economy.  And where are the republican's in congress and the conservative media?  Well, they are still in denial, preaching fear and still have no record of accomplishments in congress or in the previous republican administration.

The republican non participation in the economy is nothing new, it happened during the Clinton administration also.  The democratic controlled congress passed Clinton's economic and budget plans in 1993 and every republican in congress voted against it.  Clinton's policies were so successful the republicans in the U.S. House impeached him.  They are now on the same path with Obama talking about impeachment.

In the first part of next year wages for middle class Americans will start to grow again.  They were down approximately $2500 on Bush 43 watch and are still down on Obama's watch so it is important that the President not let the republicans mess with the economy on their own terms.

The Obama administration is keeping with previous democratic traditions concerning job creation and the economy.  That is, every democratic administration that succeeded a republican administration created more jobs than the republican administration it replaced.  This writer outlined the reasons why in my three part
series with conclusion titled,  "The U.S. Economy:  Which Party Performs Best." dated 1/27/08.

Yes, another economic recovery is in progress on the democratic watch and yes, the republican party is still AWOL.

Also see my previous commentary titled, "Job Creation For Presidential Terms:  1929-2008" dated 11/5/2010


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The November Elections: Its Not About Who Won Or Loss, Its About History.

The republican party won enough seats in the U.S.Senate to become the majority party in that chamber.  It was not the first time it ever happened.  It was the third time since 1956 that they did so in replacing a democratic controlled Senate.

The election will be debated on cable TV for the next several weeks but the real story will not be told there.  Attack ads paid for by special interest groups use their wealth on ads not to articulate what the candidate they support stands for, the candidate's position on the issues or the candidates accomplishments.  Instead it is negative attack ads (usually false) on the opponent.  And unfortunately it works.  The special interest groups who pay for those ads have little respect for the voting public.

The republican's will be the majority in the Senate come January even though they can not claim any record of accomplishment for the country and its people.  They will now claim the people spoke but less than 50% of the eligible voters took part in the election nationwide.  In fact channel 8 in New Orleans reported it was the lowest turn out since 1942.   There is no mandate.  History has a way of sobering people up and in 2016 this process will take place again.  That is when the people will understand what had actually taken place in the previous two years.

The most important thing the President can do now is keep the republican party away from the economy, job creation and the budget because their party's record on those issues is terrible.  It will not be much longer till the country is at full employment thanks to a democratic administration.  The President also needs to veto the extreme agenda of the republicans when it comes up and surely it will come up. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:   The voting public according to all the polls (not just for the Nov. elections) gave a more favorable rating by far to President Obama than members of congress.  Yet the majority of the candidates for congress who were reelected were incumbents.  In other words the voters reelected those they said they were the most dissatisfied with. 

This writer was on the tread mill at the fitness center the day before the elections when the Fox News Network put on the TV screen a poll that showed Bill Cassidy leading at 50% of the vote.  This writer had seen no report on New Orleans TV or in the Times Picayune or the New Orleans Advocate that showed any poll with Cassidy at that number.  When the final vote was counted Cassidy received 41% of the vote.  Fox never named the poll, it was simply just another attempt to mislead the voters. 

As of this writing, President Obama has accomplished more for the country and its people than the previous administration, even when the republicans controlled both houses of congress.  The President has also kept the country, its people and our men and women in uniform safer.  He can be proud of his record des;pite the constant noisy attacks.


This commentary written by John Lucia. 

James Varney: His Ignorance Is Self Inflicted.

Varney, in a Times Picayune commentary of 11/3/14 titled, "Crusade Against Fracking Utterly Crazy" tries to justify a Republican Senate report that says, "Obama and His Left Wing Environmental Allies Have Declared War On America's Energy Sector."  He then goes on to show his ignorance concerning the subject matter.  (Reports by republicans on committee matters are known to be defective.  Remember Benghazi, The IRS and etc.)

First of all most fracking operations are done on the state level and not the federal level so fracking is regulated by the states who are involved.  Varney has forgotten that it is the property owners and citizens of St. Tammany Parish that oppose fracking in their Parish, not the President.  Varney also talks about production being down on federal land but forgets to mention that Oil and Gas production in the United States is at its highest level in many, many years and the United States is less dependent on foreign oil today than 10 years ago and it has happened on President Obama's watch.  Does that sound like a War against America's energy sector?

Varney goes on to fairy tale land to rail against government regulations for the energy industry.  Well lets do a little comparison.  The B.P. Offshore blowout affected many people, including 11 rig workers killed.  It also was an environmental disaster.  Federal regulations are holding B.P. liable and the federal courts are inforcing those regulations with fines and penalties.  Whereas for the past 40 plus years state regulations have been ignored by both the State of Louisiana and the Oil industry for their rape of the Louisiana environment with their onshore drilling operations.  The Levee Board had to sue and Jindal has done everything he can to block thesuit.

The bottom line is the Oil and Gas industry has had its best years under Democratic administrations and the price of a barrel of oil and gallon of gasoline has been at its most reasonable level for the people under Democratic administrations also.  Varney is a ditto head conservative republican for the same reason as his cohorts.  They have nothing positive to talk about concerning the Bush 43 administration so what are they to do?  Well, go on the attack against the President and any democrat in general, government regulations and those who care about the environment.  Its the broken record of a party with no positive accomplishments.  Varney should have more respect for his readers.  When you think you are elite there is no character or courage.

See my previous commentary:

Drilling Offshore Louisiana In The Gulf of Mexico:  Facts and Nothing But The Facts  dated 7/22/2011

The Republican Trademark:  High Oil and Gas Prices  dated 5/15/2008.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: Better Late Than Never.

Rachel Maddow on her show this past Friday pointed out how well the economy is performing with job creaion, lower unimployment, a prediction of continued economic expansion and the fact that the economy grew by 3.5% during the third quarter.  Yet she and other journalists have had many months to talk about the economic progress that has been made under the Obama administration and has failed to do so.

"PolitiDose" has not only been reporting the good economic news on a regular basis for several years to its readers but actually predicted it would happen long ago.  Those things are not hard to understand if you follow the facts of previous democratic administrations and disregard all the nonsense noise of conservative republicans in congress or conservative journalists.

All one has to do is log onto the CBO, OMB, the U.S. Dept. of Labor, the TreasuryDepartment and other federal agencies that keep the actual official tally concerning the economy, job creation, deficit spending, the national debt and a host of other information.

Journalists betray their responsibility to the people when they push stories that do not counter the lies of the noise machines in the news media, especially cable news.  They let so much important news go unreported for the sake of sound bites, hype and the ratings race, the news becomes one big blob of propaganda.

"PolitiDose" will continue to talk about facts and make predictions based on past performance on what ever the subject matters exists and hopefully people of good judgement will understand that understanding the past is the key to a better future.


See my commentary titled, An Economic Turnaround:  Job Creation, and Fiscal Stability, There Is A Precedent.    dated 12/14/09


This commentary written by John Lucia.

More Proof That Louisiana's Tax Exemptions and Tax Breaks For PetroChemical Plants in Louisiana Are Not Needed.

Marty Durban, President and CEO of America's Natural Gas Alliance, Washington, D.C came to New Orleans and spoke before the Louisiana Chemical Association the week of 10/14/14 and wrote a letter to the editors that was published in the Times Picayune.  Durban said the following in his letter.  Natural Gas's role as a building block for the petrochemical industry which makes states such as Louisiana with abundant and affordable natural gas an ideal environment for investment in the industrial sector.

Those words are proof that state tax exemptions and tax breaks are not necessary for industrial investment and development in Louisiana.  Louisiana has the affordable natural gas to fuel those plants and the necessary vacant land to build them and the ports to export their products.  How many other states can offer that?  Durban goes on in the letter to the editor and list several petrochemical plants that are in the works to be built in Louisiana because of the advantages listed above.  Durban never mentioned any thing about tax breaks being a factor in those plants being located here although I feel sure he knows they exist.

What those unnecessary tax breaks are doing is giving away Louisiana's natural gas advantage and resources and what the natural gas and petrochemical industry will not openly tell the people is that there will be more natural gas and by products exported out of those plants than will be used in Louisiana.  Why?  Because they can export natural gas at triple the price in Louisiana.  And one day Louisiana will be paying that same high price while the industry keeps enjoying their tax breaks.

The Free Enterprise System does not exist in America any more.  It is the Special Interest System that does and it is driven by special interest and our political leaders.


This commentary written By John Lucia

Bill Cassidy And His Party Has Given The Voters Good Reason To Reelect U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu

The reason is she supports America's President, Barack Obama.  It was the democratic controlled congress in the early part of Obama's administration that passed the President's stimulus package to move the economy out of Cassidy's party'great recession.  It was that same package that has given the country 55 straight months of positive job creation and has lowered the unemployment rate to 5.9%.  The latest economic reports on the economy, job creation, lower unemployment and a increace in middle class income are all positive for the future.

It was Landrieu and her party's vote that created the Affordable Care Act and brought health insurance to 14 million people who were uninsured.  That includes those insured under the medicaid part of the ACA.  Those who have been insured in Louisiana under the ACA will experience a smaller increase in their premiums next year than the insurance companies offered in the past.

It has been President Obama who has kept America safe from terror attacks and who brought Bin Laden to justice.  The President has also kept our men and women in uniform out of combat operations in Iraq despite the rhetoric from republicans John MCCain and Lindsey Graham who want to see American troops involved in combat operations again.

The President's policy on reducing the federal deficit is working and has reversed the massive deficit spending of the revious administration.  Total federal spending has increased at its smallest rate since the Clinton administration.  The Bush tax cuts that favored the wealthy have been scaled back and the economy and jobs continue to grow despite Cassidy and his prty's predictions it would be a job killer and increase unemployment.  (They must have had the Bush administration on their mind.)

The President's party passed immigration reform in the U.S. Senate and a package to rebuild the nations infrastructure long ago that Cassidy and his party in the U.S. House has refused to take up and even debate the issue because they lack courage.  Landrieu supports the President's position on equal pay for women and raising the minimum wage and improving the ACA if necessary.  Cassidy opposes all of that.  Landrieu has also sponsored and voted on the federal level legislation that benefited Louisiana over the course of her service in the U.S. Senate.

Landrieu supported America's President and votes for and supports his policies most of the time.  Cassidy and his party vowed to obstruct America's President and voted with the majority of his party in the U.S. House 98% of the time.  Mary's Louisiana support of the President's policies turned the country around for the betterment of the people.  Cassidy's vow and obstruction vote take us back to 2008 and the policies that failed.

Senator Landrieu has had the courage to take a stand on the issues and spell out her position.  Cassidy lacks the courage to take a stand on the issues and spell out his position.  There is no courage involved in blaming others and voting to obstruct.  In fact it does not even take brains to do that.  Bill Cssidy, the doctor, has a fever.  The correct prescription to treat his fever is to reelect Mary Landrieu. 

Senator Landrieu stands with America's President when it comes to moving the country and its people forward.  Cassidy stands with an ideology that is unAmerican in nature and the same failed policies of his own party the last time they ran the country.  This writer will take Landrieu's 97% of the time vote with the President's policies over the 98% of the Cassidy vote in the republican controlled U.S. House to obstruct. 

A vote for Mary Landrieu is a vote for America and its people to continue the advances made during the last five and half years. 


This commentary written by John Lucia