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