Donald Trump Won The Latest Republican Presidential Debate And He Was Not Even There

This past Thursday's republican debate turned out to be as this writer thought.  Ted Cruz was the target and so was all the other candidates to a lesser extent and Fox's moderating crew did their best to have the candidates go after each other.

It was comical to see Rubio and others try to shore up their conservative credentials in response to Cruz's claim to be the most conservative.  Does anyone wonder why the republicans have no record of accomplishments to talk about.  You have to be an American first with an American attitude to understand the issues the country and its people face.  Bragging about being a conservative proves nothing.  As a famous actor once said, "a man needs to know his limitations."

Of course, Donald Trump is a republican but he is no conservative by any stretch.  He won the debate by not being there and therefore did not participate in his opponents silly conservatism.  This is one time he let his opponents beat each other up and Fox's moderators were not ready for a prime time debate.

Iowa's caucus vote will take place Monday Feb. 1 and the republican candidates will soon find out where they stand with the vote.  Will the polls hold true for the Donald or will conservatism over take Trumpism.  Iowa loses no matter who they choose because there are no serious republican candidates.

Did any none notice how the republicans are once again injecting President Reagan into the debates.  They need some one to identify with since they are afraid to mention former President George W. Bush.  It will not work and it shows how lacking they are in articulating policy to deal with the issues at hand.  The circus will continue and the people will find out soon enough if the Donald continues to be a no show in the big tent.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Donald Trump and The Fox News Network

The higher ups at the Fox news had Bill O'Reilly pleading with Donald Trump to reconsider his decision not to appear in Thursday nights republican debate.  The little 0 even brought up Trump attending church in Iowa.  It was a sad sight seeing 0 plead with Trump because the network is more concerned with losing viewers and not the debate itself.

None of the Fox moderators are qualified for the position because they are highly partisan, conservative and are not issues orientated.  And of course, being a network that hates the President and his successful policies lack credibility.  Trump knew they and his opponents would be in an ambush mode and the problem Trump has is he can dish it out but can not take it.

If Trumps decision to skip the debate breaks the strangle hold Fox has over the republican party that would be good news for America.  Trump has already participated in some good news.  He has been able to convince the republican base that his republican opponents who represent the republican establishment have no record of accomplishments.  The readers of "PolitiDose" found that out long ago.

Donald Trumps republican opponents are spending a lot of money on the campaign trail while the Donald receives all kinds of free publicity from the major networks, including Fox news.  The republican party is the circus and the news media is their advertising vehicle.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Wants More Democratic Debates

Maddow on her Tuesday night show thinks the DNC should have scheduled more democratic debates than planned and offered that the republicans have more debates.  (As if that matters)  This writer thinks the number of democratic debates that are scheduled are sufficient because moderators ask the same questions over and over again and nothing new is offered.  Its bad enough that the republican debates are a circus and sham led by Fox news.

The reason Maddow and MSNBC want more debates is their inability to fill up air time that offer a quality product.  With debates they can all sit around after the debates and report what the candidates said during the debates and then put in their own silly take with silly statements.

MSNBC has become another Fox news with most of their prime time shows catering to Trump and republican guests.  They do not like that the democrats had their last debate on a weekend where their crews were off and could not offer comment on the debate.  And now with Trump out of the republican debate Thursday night they are devoting more time to Trump.

Trump would not make a good President but he is smarter than MSNBC, Fox and his republican opponents.  By not appearing in the debates his opponents and the moderators can not dump on him successfully and the news media will give extra coverage to Trumps decision to not debate.  A win-win situation for the Donald.

In the mean time Clinton and Sanders are campaigning before the people telling their story and seeking votes.  That is a better deal for the voters and the political system.  Fox news has made a mockery of the republican debates they moderated and the RNC is right there with them.  The democrats should stick to their debate schedule as planned and pay no attention to Maddow and MSNBC.

Both NBC and MSNBC have taken a turn for the worse with Chuck Todd taking over Meet The Press and his comments on the Presidential race.  Meet The Press was more informative 40 years ago and Chuck's comments at the last democratic debate was void of substance.  This writer can not remember when the news media in general was as bad as it is now.  What a waste in the advancements made in broadcast technology.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

ISIS Confirms The Decapitator Jihadi John Is Dead

Jihadi John, the ISIS leader involved in a series of hostage beheadings was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Syria several months ago that has now been acknowledged by ISIS.  The Obama administration continues to make it the number one priority in bringing those people to justice and like the President said in his state of the union address recently, America has a long reach, a long memory and sooner or later the leaders of ISIS and others will pay the price.

Fox news and conservative journalists have been silent because they can not bring themselves to admit any success by the President and his administration.  In fact all of their pronouncements about the President are negative in nature.  The President has character.  They do not and in fact lack courage.  They are also burning with fever because they have nothing positive to report on any success the Bush administration had in fighting terrorists.  And most of all they were Bush's big supporters of the fairy tale weapons of mass destruction of Saddam that never existed at any time during Bush's eight years in office.

The President's priority in fighting terrorists and bringing them to justice continues to be the right one and America is still the safest country in the world.  President's Roosevelt and Kennedy both said, "we have nothing to fear but fear itself" in speeches to the American people during their administrations.  President Obama is leading the way in carrying out the wisdom of those words.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana: The State We Are In

The news media in Louisiana, radio, TV and printed told the fairy tale that the state and its people were conservative under the administration of Bobby Jindal.  The facts tell a different story to those who paid attention as to what was taking place.  The news media and the pundits were so wrong and had their head in the sand.

The latest information on the state's budget that ends June 30 is out of balance to the tune of $750 million.  That number will have to be accounted for before June 30 and is the same budget Jindal and the republican controlled legislature said was balanced after the last legislative session.  To top it off the reports also point out that next years budget that begins July 1 is already in deficit by $1.9 billion.  That is a total deficit of $2.65 billion that has been turned over to a new governor's administration that has been in office a total of only 12 days as of this date.

All of Jindal's budgets ended up the same way.  They were declared balanced and then declared in deficit only a few months later.  People who read "PolitiDose" were given the true story long ago but the news media and the pundits continued to brag about Jindal's budget cutting and swallowed the fairy tale, until things got so bad they had to finally respond.  They are the people who are supposed to be looking out for the citizens best interest.  Yeah, right.

Jindal and conservatives who say you can balance the budget by cutting spending have proved their warped ideology completely wrong.  Louisiana has a revenue problem brought about by special interest tax breaks to the tune of $8 billion a year plus other breaks given to business.  There are other problems in the way the state estimates revenue and the use of unsound principals of projecting revenue and expenses.

If any one thinks the $2.65 billion projected deficit can be handled by cutting spending (Jindal tried that for 8 years and failed) without raising revenues and put the state's future budgets on a sound fiscal base they need to move in with Jindal.  The foundation for the states's fiscal carnage was laid by Jindal and the republican controlled legislature under a radical and false conservative idea of budget cuts and trickle down economics that favor the business community.

Of course all of the fiscal carnage now falls to governor Edwards who has to make some tough decisions.  This writer will be surprised if the republicans will cooperate and work with him and only time will tell.  Don't look for the news media and the pundits who gave Jindal a free ride be willing to give Edwards a fair shake.  The evidence is there for all to see.  Jindal, the state and the voters of Louisiana were not conservative during the Jindal administration concerning the state's fiscal health.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Republican Switch Is On.

More and more reports have surfaced that the republican party is accepting the possibility of Donald Trump becoming the party's nominee for President and as such will not only support him but tone down their rhetoric against him as well.  The exception seems to be a few conservative journalists and radio and TV hosts.  The republican leaders in the U.S. Congress, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell who are drafting the republican platform for their convention said they would support Trump.

This confirms what "PolitiDose" has said from the very beginning, that Trump and the republican party are one and the same.  The only difference is Trump is using personal attacks against his republican opponents where by in the past republicans attacked only democrats.  Trump started it all by saying his republican opponents talk a good game but what have they accomplished.  Conservative journalist Michael Gerson in a Times Picayune article dated 1/20/16 said, Trump and Cruz must lose for the GOP to survive.  He then went on to describe what the party would look like if either Trump or Cruz would win.  But guess what?  The party itself actually fits the description he alluded too and has for many years.

The republican establishment will have to live with the Trump agenda even if he fails to win the party's nomination.  That is what the GOP will be left to survive on.  What the party really needs is a leader who will stand up and spell out how the party has been so wrong on the issues and that conservatism has not served the country or its people well even when so called conservative republicans held the Presidency.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Flint, Michigan's Contaminated Water Supply: A Neglect of Duty and Responsibility

This tragic story is another example how the governor of Michigan and other local and state officials failed to take care of a problem that took place within their own borders.  The water supply, tainted by lead has put a hardship on over 100,000 people according to the latest reports.  Republican governor Rick Snyder said it is a disaster and took responsibility for the lack of early action.  The news media reported that state officials attacked the findings of a pediatrician who first reported the problem.

President Obama ordered emergency federal aid and FEMA is in Flint distributing water and other supplies.  And again that big bad federal government had to step in and fill the void left by the state.  Governor Snyder estimated it would cost Michigan approximately $800,000 million to take care of the problem.  And this writer would bet the state will ask the federal government to finance the cost.  Why, because republican governors have promised not to raise taxes and they know they would have to raise taxes to cover the cost.

It is another prime example how states have mishandled environmental problems with in their own borders and how little thought is given to the health concerns of their citizens.  We in Louisiana should be all to familiar with the failure of governors knowing the mess Jindal left the state in when he left office only a week or so ago.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Sunday's Democratic Presidential Debate

The latest democratic debate in South Carolina was moderated by NBC News and the questions to the candidates were more in tune to the issues than the recent republican debate.  The moderators did a good job keeping the candidates on the subject matter over all, but like all moderators leave out to many important issues.

The candidates challenged each other in a constructive way with out making a mockery of the political system they have to work in.  People who seek the Presidency should have respect for the office and what the office represents.  The America that both party's would like to see is very different.  The republicans by their own pronouncements would roll back all the progress made under the Obama administration concerning the economy, job creation, reducing the deficit, taxes, foreign policy, the ACA and a host of other successes.  They would do that based on ideology and we know that too because they said so.

On the other had the basic theme of the democratic candidates is that they would work to improve and build on all of the successes of the President and try to even make things better with their own ideas.  There is no ideology there.  It is a simple American agenda to advance the country and its people and not tear down what is working.

Conservatism has not served America or its people well under the republican brand for many years and the republican Presidential candidates are still trying to sell it.  It takes serious people with political understanding to run government and not politicians who argue over who is the most conservative.

Debates do not tell the whole story nor is the so called best debator the best candidate.  That is why it is so important for the voter to know the issues and listen to what each candidate says.  This writer has pointed out here in "PolitiDose" many times over that democratic administrations out perform republican administrations in every area concerning the economy, job creation, balancing the budget, reducing deficit spending, lower unemployment, smaller increases in federal spending, the largest increase in middle class income, keeping America safe and a host of other important issues.

One day a republican will come along and finally shake the shackle of conservatism as practiced by today's republican party and join the civilize world.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Now Its A Republican Who Faces The Birther Issue.

Eight years ago the republican party tried to make Barack Obama's citizenship a campaign issue.  They failed and Donald Trump later took on the issue and even said he had hired private investigators to go to Hawaii and investigate Obama's birth and that he would report back to the people his findings.  Of course, he never did because they found nothing or did not even go.  Trump also alleged that the President's birth certificate was not a true copy.

Now it is Trump again bringing up the "birther" issue against his republican opponent Ted Cruz.  The party never dreamed that starting the "birther" issue against Obama would morph into the same issue concerning one of their own party members and would be started by one of their own candidates.  And like a ditto head republican Trump said he is bringing the subject matter up because the democrats will do so if Cruz is the party's nominee.  Trump, like his party can't stand on his own two feet and had to bring the democratic party into the picture.

What Trump is doing by introducing the "birther" issue into the republican campaign is to create some noise and conversation and there by refrain from telling the people exactly what he stands for and what policies he will use to deal with existing problems.  He knows the news media will spend a lot of time on him and his silly pronouncements.

The sixth republican debate last week touched on the matter and that is putting it mildly.  The debate was once again a debacle and the only thing the people learned is that the candidates hate the President and Hillary.  Old news is no news, but that is the face of republican conservative ideology.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Republican's Response To The President's State Of The Union Address

Nikki Haley, the republican governor of South Carolina gave the republican response to the President's speech and was the typical fairy tale lacking reality that she and the party are married too.  Some in her party have talked about the governor being a candidate for the party's Vice President position and that hype must have gone to her head.  Her remarks tell the real story.

The governor said, "President Obama appears either unwilling or unable to deal with the terrorists threat."  That is the Donald Trump and republican fear factor the President spoke about.  Nikki can not handle the truth that the President has kept America safe.  Perhaps she would like to go back to the Bush era.  Like her party she is unable to acknowledge any success the President has achieved.

The governor also said, the nations problems also include (1)  an economy that has not boosted family income;  (2) a national debt that is too high:  and (3) and the Affordable Care Act.  Lets answer one at a time.  (1)  over 13 million new jobs have been created on the President's watch so far.  Over 8 million people lost their jobs on Bush's watch so all those millions of new jobs created boosted those family's incomes when they were put back to work.  (2)  If Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 would have balanced the federal budget like President Clinton did the federal government would not have a debt problem.  (3)  The ACA has insured over 15 million Americans while the governor's party has not offered any alternate plan.

Haley went on to say, (1)  Under a GOP President republicans would lower taxes; (2)  curb spending; and debt;  and (3) strengthen the military.    The governor can't even get the facts right on this.  President Obama did (1) lower taxes after he took office and then let the Bush tax cuts expired for those making over $500,00.00 a year:  (2)  The republican party does not have any record of curbing spending or debt since President Eisenhower:  and (3)  The Obama administration has already strengthen the military.   Haley wants the GOP to go back to trickle down economics that has already proved to be a failure with the largest tax cuts going to corporate America and the most wealthy.  It should be noted here that the smallest increases in federal spending and the national debt took place under the administration of President Clinton and President Obama while the largest increase in both happened on the watch of President Reagan and President Bush.

The governor was right when she said the GOP must do a better job of appealing to Hispanics and minority voters and tone down the angriest voices.  But the governor and her party do not walk the talk.  Theycriticize Trump because of his attacks but Trump learned from the party.  Nothing Donald Trump has said could be as extreme as the republican party refusing to work with the President after the mess they left the country in.  Donald Trump is no worse or better than the republican party and its leaders.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The State Of The Union Address

President Obama's last state of the union address Tuesday night touched all of the bases with the right tone.  It was not the usual type address, but one that was in order because of the mood of the country.  The President rightly spoke of his accomplishments and that he does not plan to rest in his final year.

The speech rejected fear and the extreme attitude being used by some Presidential candidates and others who use those tactics and make matters worse.  The President also laid out how important raising the minimum wage, equal pay and other key issues need to be addressed.  That medicare and social security is necessary more today than in the past and should be strengthen and not weakened.  And he reminded the viewers that the people in congress enjoy good health care coverage and retirement benefits at the same time the middle class are trying to move forward.

Republican speaker of the U.S. House Paul Ryan who sat next to Vice President Biden hardly cracked a smile and even smirked at times.  He and his republican members looked so out of place while the President was speaking.  Ryan looked the part of one of the republicans who long ago said they wanted to see the President fail.  It is no wonder Trump continues to lead their party's Presidential candidates.

The President stood tall at the state of the union and the people who cast their votes for him twice made the right decision.  He has shown his character and political understanding by rejecting the lame duck status.  That is a good precedent for future Presidents to follow.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The New Orleans Saints Management Decides To Retain Sean Payton As Head Coach: A Bad Decision For The Team and The Fans

After the official announcement that Payton would be staying with the Saints a Times Picayune editorial and two articles written by Jeff Duncan and Larry Holder praised the decision and said to the effect it was the best thing that could have happened.  All three articles were "apple polishing" in its content which has become SOP for New Orleans sports writers despite the fact there has been no progress made during the last four seasons.

All of the speculation the past few weeks of 4 or 5 teams looking with favor to talk about a head coaching job with Payton was a fairy tale.  Those other teams remember "bounty gate" and could see the affect it has had on the team.  Payton and the Saints are still in denial but the record tells the true story.  In this writers judgement, retaining Payton was a bad decision and will play out that way.

The hype has already started by sports writers:  defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has done a good job:  that much used word keeps popping up again, "the foundation is there."  One report in the TP of 1/10/16 reports on Drew Brees' 10 individual records that still stand.  (He has more individual records than he has winning seasons)  Is that supposed to improve the Saints record next year?  The off season and preseason should be comical to watch and listen too but it won't change a thing.

Saint's management is well aware of the problems caused by "bounty gate" but too many people in the organization still turn their head rather than face the facts.  It's hell when you can not admit your own failure.  Greed consumes the NFL so don't rock the boat.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana State Senator John Alario Has Lost All Credibility Concerning The State Budget

Alario, senate leader in the Louisiana legislature should step down in favor of a democrat.  The present state budget that runs through June 30th was declared balanced by Alario, Jindal and the republican controlled legislature and now we find out is already out of balance by $750 million.  Now in a Times Picayune article by Julia O'Donoghue dated 1/8/16 Alario is recommending action be taken  by the new governor that Alario failed to recommend during Jindal's administration that created the budget problems in the first place.

Alario was a democrat who turned republican because he wanted the top senate job and that was the only way he would become leader of the senate.  In doing so he became Jindal's rubber stamp for his failed policies and the state's fiscal disaster.  Alario has ignored the state's real budget problems of revenue short fall and the billions given away to business concerning tax exemptions, tax give aways and tax favors.  "PolitiDose" was the first to break the real budget problem story several years ago concerning revenue short falls and tax give aways and now Alario claims to see the light.

Bobby Jindal, Alario and the republican controlled legislature have been getting in the pockets of Louisiana's middle class in 100 different ways under the guise of not raising taxes and cutting the budget.  Yes, a comparison can be made between the fiscal and economic mess George W. Bush left to Barack Obama and what Jindal and company is leaving to John Bel Edwards, the state and its people.  Alario should step aside, he had his chance and failed.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

A Democratic Administration Continues To Create Jobs With Good Numbers For December

The U.S. Labor Department announced that 292,000 jobs were created in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 5%.  It was the 70th straight month of positive job creation.  And the republican party in congress continues to play no role.  Instead, they voted to kill the ACA and defund Planned Parenthood.  It was the 62nd time the republican controlled House voted on the matter.  President Obama vetoed the legislation and the republicans do not have the votes to over ride.

More jobs have been created under President Obama in 7 years than were created by Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 12 years they ran the country.  It is no surprise to this writer and who's commentary made note it would happen when Obama was first elected.  Democratic administrations have set a precedent when it comes to job creation.  Republican administrations don't even come close.  Over 13 million new jobs have been created on Obama's watch so far while less than 4 million were created on the watch of Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 12 years they served.

Republicans talk a good game but Democrats deliver results.  And who are the republican party's Presidential candidates trying to identify with?  Well, Reagan and G.W. Bush.  They have no original thought on how to keep the economy running or on foreign policy.  President Obama has been successful despite the negative attacks and blame game played by the republicans and the conservative news media.

Hang in there Mr. President.  Only one more year to go.  Use it wisely and go out swinging.

Note:  See my previous commentary titled, Job Creation for Presidential Terms:  1929-2008, dated 11/5/2010


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The New Orleans Saints 20 --- The Atlanta Falcons 17

The Saints won their final game of the regular season Sunday by beating the Falcons on the road.  The Falcons finished their season with an 8-8 record while the Saints finished 7-9.  It was the second straight losing season for the Saints and the third in the last four years going back to bounty gate season of 2012.

Although going out with a win in the final game is positive, it serves as no indication how the team will respond next year or beyond.  This writer still feels the Saints are in trouble because there has been no real progress in the last 4 seasons where their combined record is 32-32.  Throw in the playoff loss to Seattle in 2013 and it is 32-33.

This year Brees continues to set individual records but real leadership is not there, the won-loss record speaks for itself.  Payton's leadership since bounty gate has collapsed and his handling of the Rob Ryan issue was unprofessional.  I believe Payton knows very well he screwed up with bounty gate and wants out.  There is no way he can recover with the Saints and the last 4 years are a good example why.  My feeling is Payton should go, one way or another.  Brees value to the future of the Saints should be questionable.  Sure, he may still be able to set or break future individual records, but will that help the team win all of a sudden where the Saints can compete again for the championship.

The New Orleans sports writers will spin and hype a lot of stories this off season about the Saint's future but will offer no original thought.  One sports writer has already said the Saints could do without Payton but not Brees.  Maybe Brees has convinced him he will really still be playing when he is 45.  The consequence of bounty gate is still very much present four years later.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Guessing Games Begin Concerning The New Administration Of Governor Elect John Bel Edwards

We are 7 days away from the inauguration of Governor elect Edwards and a Times Picayune article dated 1/3/16 by staff writer Kevin Litten is a grab bag by various pundits about what the Edwards administration policies might be.  Will it be conservative, liberal, steer away from national policies, will social issues be dominate, etc, etc.  Litten talks about how the democratic party lost control of the state legislature like as if the republicans can point to any real accomplishments after they took control.

Litten and the pundits are still stuck on ideology to solve problems which has failed the test in the last 8 years.  What Edwards needs to do is pursue policies that answer and solve the real short and long term problems of the state, especially fiscal matters.  Some decisions will be  hard choices and offend some and maybe even all, but they will have to be made.  The policy does not need a name tag.

According to a Times Picayune article dated 11/30/15 Louisiana ranks 48th in terms of quality of life.  Only Virginia and Mississippi are worse.  Louisiana has the 11th lowest rate of population growth, the 18th highest unemployment, the third highest poverty rate and the 4th lowest rate of life expectancy at birth.  A policy based on ideology will not and has not solved any of those problems.

The people of Louisiana will find out that the republican party in the legislature and the Times Picayune editors will continue to push a conservative ideology that has proven to be a failure. The Times Picayune in a article of 2/13/12 titled, IT FIGURES, showed  that the state budget for fiscal 2007/2008 was $34.3 billion and the proposed Jindal budget for fiscal 2012/2013 was $25.5 billion and makes the remark, ADJUSTING TO REALITY.  The editors of the Times Picayune thought those cuts would reflect reality but every one now knows how those cuts have hurt the state and its people.

Governor elect Edwards will have to move the state in a different direction with hard choices that work and policies that have no name except "success."  Conservative, liberal, bla, bla, bla, just disregard that political nonsense governor Edwards and do what is right for the state and its people.  PolitiDose will be paying attention and reporting.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

America Enjoys Another Safe Holiday Season.

The American people turned out in force over the Christmas and New Years holidays and enjoyed another holiday season free from any terror attacks directed by a foreign country.  New York's officials said over a million people jammed Time Square on New Year's eve to ring in the new year.

Shopping malls all across America were full with shoppers and football stadiums were full to capacity to see the football bowl teams in action.  The American people turned off the scare tactics of the Fox News Network and the republican Presidential candidates who constantly reported the American people were living in fear of terror attacks.

Elmer Davis, one of Americas most respected journalist who also served his government during WWII said, THIS NATION WILL REMAIN THE LAND OF THE FREE ONLY SO LONG AS IT IS THE HOME OF THE BRAVE.  The Fox News Network and today's republican party and its candidates have no idea what the word BRAVE means.

The American people stood tall and shook off the scare tactics.  They are well aware of the terror problems but are not going to give in and surrender their freedom to terrorists and those who use scare tactics as a political tool.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio