Sunday, July 31, 2016
A Traitor Among Us: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Russia.
Donald Trump watched a good and successful democratic convention this week then took the step toward being a traitor to his country and its people with his anti American comments concerning President Obama and the hacking into people's private emails. He also lashed out at those who spoke at the democratic convention and said he would hit them back hard. He can not take the fact that those who know him best such as the former mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg has endorsed Clinton and exposed Trump's dirty business dealings.
Trump praised Russia's Putin and said he is a better leader than President Obama. That is an anti American and un patriotic statement against the leader of the free world. Putin does not even know the meaning of the word, free. It is a classic example of Trumps lack of character and his support for the way Putin rules his country, so it is obvious Trump approves of Putin's tractics. That is a hint as to how Trump himself operates.
Trump also invited Russia to spy on American's private emails. When he asked Russia to hack into Clinton's private email server, that was espionage in any ones book and the author was Donald Trump. The same person who said he would order our military to engage in torture. So now Putin and Russia has a U.S. Presidential nominee who has invited them to spy on America. That makes Donald Trump a traitor to his country and its people and his motive is political and personal gain to do business with Russia.
Donald Trump continues to reject the America our people have known, loved and fought for in our 200 plus years of history and the republican party's leaders still refuse to reject his anti American actions. And to think this is the man the news media has a love affair with. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Saturday, July 30, 2016
The Democratic National Convention Was America
The delegates, the speakers and all who attended the Democratic convention were representative of what America is all about. It was an orderly convention with minor distractions, very short speeches with a few exceptions and mostly all moved along well and timely. There were lots of tears, smiles and celebrating and the pre-convention talk by the news media of major protest never took place.
The speakers were from all facets of American life; the clergy, law enforcement officials, elected officials and former elected officials, teachers, first responders, family members of Dallas police officers who were recently killed, family members of civilians who were killed, the military, former director of the CIA, republican women and independents who support Hillary, black, white, hispanics asians and muslim, disadvantage people who told their stories and many, many others.
President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were there to lend their support to Clinton as was former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg and California governor Jerry Brown. People that were helped by Clinton over the years told their stories and Bill Clinton revealed how Hillary worked with and helped the disadvantaged and others who faced hard times. Thursday nights closing was Hillary Clinton's night and she delivered. Her closing was about unity, bringing people together, inclusion and a vision of moving the country and its people forward. It was a positive closing message and a positive convention.
It was a great week for Hillary and the democratic party in Philadelphia and it was an American week. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The speakers were from all facets of American life; the clergy, law enforcement officials, elected officials and former elected officials, teachers, first responders, family members of Dallas police officers who were recently killed, family members of civilians who were killed, the military, former director of the CIA, republican women and independents who support Hillary, black, white, hispanics asians and muslim, disadvantage people who told their stories and many, many others.
President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were there to lend their support to Clinton as was former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg and California governor Jerry Brown. People that were helped by Clinton over the years told their stories and Bill Clinton revealed how Hillary worked with and helped the disadvantaged and others who faced hard times. Thursday nights closing was Hillary Clinton's night and she delivered. Her closing was about unity, bringing people together, inclusion and a vision of moving the country and its people forward. It was a positive closing message and a positive convention.
It was a great week for Hillary and the democratic party in Philadelphia and it was an American week. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Friday, July 29, 2016
Sex Catches Up With The Fox News Network
Roger Ailes, Fox News Chairman has resigned in the wake of a sexual harassment law suit by former employee Gretchen Carlson. It is not the first law suit of its kind against a Fox news employee. A few years ago a sexual harassment law suit was filed against Bill O'Reilly which was settled out of court by Fox News.
Ailes is credited with the success of the network and its conservative slanted rant against democrats. His network preaches hateful things and billed itself as fair and balanced which any fair minded person would call a crock. Fox tries to sell sex and outright lies on its network. Its female hosts wear short skirts and the camera angle is set to show off a lot of legs but legs do not pretend to be attached to smart people and it shows, especially on Fox's show "outnumbered."
Ailes lack of character in his business dealings caught up to him because he feels he is elite and above it all. The democrats that his network tries to discredit stand on high moral ground compared to Ailes and what he tries to sell. It will be interesting to see if any thing change at the network with Ailes a gone pecan.
Don't hold your breath because the right wing element is deeply planted in the network. But at least one of Fox's phonies has been exposed and it reached to the top man.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Ailes is credited with the success of the network and its conservative slanted rant against democrats. His network preaches hateful things and billed itself as fair and balanced which any fair minded person would call a crock. Fox tries to sell sex and outright lies on its network. Its female hosts wear short skirts and the camera angle is set to show off a lot of legs but legs do not pretend to be attached to smart people and it shows, especially on Fox's show "outnumbered."
Ailes lack of character in his business dealings caught up to him because he feels he is elite and above it all. The democrats that his network tries to discredit stand on high moral ground compared to Ailes and what he tries to sell. It will be interesting to see if any thing change at the network with Ailes a gone pecan.
Don't hold your breath because the right wing element is deeply planted in the network. But at least one of Fox's phonies has been exposed and it reached to the top man.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Hillary Clinton Picks Her Vice Presidential Running Mate
Tim Kaine, the present U.S. Senator from Virginia and former Mayor and governor was introduced to the nation on Saturday in Miami, Florida before a supporting large crowd as Clinton's running mate. It was a very active crowd in the swing of things with a lot of applause and chanting USA, USA. Clinton introduced Kaine as he sat on the stage near her. Both the crowd and Kaine showed their emotions during the introduction.
When it was Kaine's turn to speak he and Clinton swapped position and both were on the stage together the whole time. Both of their speeches were about a positive and progressive America, very different than the America Trump and his V.P. selection Mike Pence described at Pence's introduction. Kaine gave a short "bio" of himself and spoke about 30 minutes.
There was an enthusiastic bond between Clinton, Kaine and the crowd who enjoyed each other. Kaine quoted one of President Harry Truman's famous statements that "America was not built on fear" and the crowd loved it. What a change from Trump's attempt to play the "fear card" on America this election year as republicans have done for so many years in the past. Both John McCain and Mitt Romney tried it against Obama in 2008 and 2012.
Now its off to Philadelphia Monday for the Democratic National Convention and should be one with a positive theme and the people will have a chance to hear Clinton's vision for the future with sound positions on the issues. The American people will have an opportunity to judge for themselves what party has the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates who are the "serious public servants."
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Note: See my commentary dated 12/9/15 Titled, America Was Not Built On Fear etc,etc. This was written seven months before Tim Kaine quoted President Truman's statement.
When it was Kaine's turn to speak he and Clinton swapped position and both were on the stage together the whole time. Both of their speeches were about a positive and progressive America, very different than the America Trump and his V.P. selection Mike Pence described at Pence's introduction. Kaine gave a short "bio" of himself and spoke about 30 minutes.
There was an enthusiastic bond between Clinton, Kaine and the crowd who enjoyed each other. Kaine quoted one of President Harry Truman's famous statements that "America was not built on fear" and the crowd loved it. What a change from Trump's attempt to play the "fear card" on America this election year as republicans have done for so many years in the past. Both John McCain and Mitt Romney tried it against Obama in 2008 and 2012.
Now its off to Philadelphia Monday for the Democratic National Convention and should be one with a positive theme and the people will have a chance to hear Clinton's vision for the future with sound positions on the issues. The American people will have an opportunity to judge for themselves what party has the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates who are the "serious public servants."
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Note: See my commentary dated 12/9/15 Titled, America Was Not Built On Fear etc,etc. This was written seven months before Tim Kaine quoted President Truman's statement.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Donald Trump Fails To Live Up To His Alleged Standards
Donald Trump claims to be (1) Worth $10 billion (2) A great business man (3) A decisive manager and (4) Not a politician or part of the establishment. He has good looking children who seem to be well educated and has been married three times so should act like a grown man, one would think.
So why does Trump lack civility in almost every statement he makes? He chooses by his own free will to follow the personal attack position of his party's elected officials even though he says he is not a politician or part of the establishment. A contradiction that really identifies a character flaw and a lack of personal integrity. It is a part of his negative thinking and actions that will not allow him to be positive. Positive things that take place in the U.S. hurts his ego because it is out of his control and can not take credit for it.
Why does a self proclaimed rich business man choose to be extreme, negative and on many occasions out right lie? Free will, ones ability to choose is the greatest freedom man has. Yet, Trump with all his wealth finds it easier and chooses to offend people. Trump's negative attitude has also affected his campaign staff with threats against Ohio governor John Kasich because he did not attend the republican convention.
Trump has not lived up to his own alleged standards and has displayed a free will choice behavior that does not live up to the standards of a Presidential nominee or the office of President of the United States. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
So why does Trump lack civility in almost every statement he makes? He chooses by his own free will to follow the personal attack position of his party's elected officials even though he says he is not a politician or part of the establishment. A contradiction that really identifies a character flaw and a lack of personal integrity. It is a part of his negative thinking and actions that will not allow him to be positive. Positive things that take place in the U.S. hurts his ego because it is out of his control and can not take credit for it.
Why does a self proclaimed rich business man choose to be extreme, negative and on many occasions out right lie? Free will, ones ability to choose is the greatest freedom man has. Yet, Trump with all his wealth finds it easier and chooses to offend people. Trump's negative attitude has also affected his campaign staff with threats against Ohio governor John Kasich because he did not attend the republican convention.
Trump has not lived up to his own alleged standards and has displayed a free will choice behavior that does not live up to the standards of a Presidential nominee or the office of President of the United States. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Part III: The Rosetta Stone To The War In Iraq.
Parts I and II were published in "PolitiDose" in December of 2007 and laid out what President Bush really knew about Iraq's WMD. The war began in March 2003 over 13 years ago and the President in a televised speech in May 2003 aboard a Navy ship declared MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Bush's reasons for starting the war was Iraq's WMD (which did not exist at any time during his administration) and that Saddam and his military was a threat to the national security of the United States. (They were not and the Gulf War of 1991 proved that.)
Part III will examine what question the news media failed to ask in the 13 years after the star of the war. The answer will allow the average American to realize and understand what is taking place in Iraq and the middle east today and why. The news media also allowed the Bush administration to intimidate them and failed to ask the proper questions in the run up to the war. The question that was never asked of Bush or as an open question by the news media was: Why did not President Bush end the war during his time in office. After all he had 5 years and 9 months to do so. Iraq had no WMD and Saddam's military was defeated, the very reasons given by Bush for going to war in the first place. So why was he not able to end the war and bring our troops home.
The answer is the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist destabilized Iraq and the middle east to such an extent it allowed terrorists and other groups to enter Iraq and the war left no government in place in Iraq. It became a killing field that took the lives of over 4400 Americans and wounded another 30,000 plus. And those casualties did not come at the hand of Iraq's military who were supposed to be the threat. It was the terror groups and factions of other Iraqi groups who inflicted most of those casualties.
President Bush's neocon friends said Iraq would be a cakewalk and failed to have a plan in place to run Iraq after the invasion. They said we would be welcome as liberators and we were not. The war was so badly handled that the man who started the war could not end it and leave. Terrorists started to operate freely in Iraq and other areas of the middle east that led to the unrest in Lybia, Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the seed was planted for ISIS, the same group that are the most active today with their terror attacks.
Thirteen years later the U.S. and the middle east are still dealing with the fallout from that war and we still have some who are clamoring for sending huge numbers of our ground forces back to Iraq and the middle east to fight a ground war. Condi Rice who was Bush's national security adviser at the time said, IRAQ MIGHT BE THE KEY TO RESHAPING THE ENTIRE REGION. Yeah right, it reshaped the entire region alright but not in the best interest of the U.S. or the region itself and our men and women in uniform paid a heavy price for that mistake. The Bush administration thought they could play God in the region.
The American people can not let that happen again. Our future can not repeat the same mistakes of the past. A President is needed who understands war, its limitations and its fallout. President Kennedy understood that during the Cuban Missile crisis and solved that problem, a problem 1000 times more severe than Iraq. The President solved that problem without going to war and Cuba has been no threat to the U.S. ever since.
Our nation also needs a President with political understanding who knows the difference between fact and fiction and one who is capable of making rational decisions. President Obama has done a good job in reversing many of Bush's actions in the middle east and the next President should continue that policy and not start a new war. The crazies wanted the U.S. to go to war with Iran but President Obama had the wisdom to find a better way to deal with that nation. Two years ago some of the crazies were saying Iran was 6 months from producing their first nuclear bomb. They were wrong and were willing to risk American lives in a war to satisfy their ego.
The answer as to why Bush could not end the war, bring our troops home and the reason why we have the situation that exist today in Iraq and the middle east is very simple to understand. We just have too many crazies out there who refuse to accept the truth and the facts. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Part III will examine what question the news media failed to ask in the 13 years after the star of the war. The answer will allow the average American to realize and understand what is taking place in Iraq and the middle east today and why. The news media also allowed the Bush administration to intimidate them and failed to ask the proper questions in the run up to the war. The question that was never asked of Bush or as an open question by the news media was: Why did not President Bush end the war during his time in office. After all he had 5 years and 9 months to do so. Iraq had no WMD and Saddam's military was defeated, the very reasons given by Bush for going to war in the first place. So why was he not able to end the war and bring our troops home.
The answer is the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist destabilized Iraq and the middle east to such an extent it allowed terrorists and other groups to enter Iraq and the war left no government in place in Iraq. It became a killing field that took the lives of over 4400 Americans and wounded another 30,000 plus. And those casualties did not come at the hand of Iraq's military who were supposed to be the threat. It was the terror groups and factions of other Iraqi groups who inflicted most of those casualties.
President Bush's neocon friends said Iraq would be a cakewalk and failed to have a plan in place to run Iraq after the invasion. They said we would be welcome as liberators and we were not. The war was so badly handled that the man who started the war could not end it and leave. Terrorists started to operate freely in Iraq and other areas of the middle east that led to the unrest in Lybia, Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the seed was planted for ISIS, the same group that are the most active today with their terror attacks.
Thirteen years later the U.S. and the middle east are still dealing with the fallout from that war and we still have some who are clamoring for sending huge numbers of our ground forces back to Iraq and the middle east to fight a ground war. Condi Rice who was Bush's national security adviser at the time said, IRAQ MIGHT BE THE KEY TO RESHAPING THE ENTIRE REGION. Yeah right, it reshaped the entire region alright but not in the best interest of the U.S. or the region itself and our men and women in uniform paid a heavy price for that mistake. The Bush administration thought they could play God in the region.
The American people can not let that happen again. Our future can not repeat the same mistakes of the past. A President is needed who understands war, its limitations and its fallout. President Kennedy understood that during the Cuban Missile crisis and solved that problem, a problem 1000 times more severe than Iraq. The President solved that problem without going to war and Cuba has been no threat to the U.S. ever since.
Our nation also needs a President with political understanding who knows the difference between fact and fiction and one who is capable of making rational decisions. President Obama has done a good job in reversing many of Bush's actions in the middle east and the next President should continue that policy and not start a new war. The crazies wanted the U.S. to go to war with Iran but President Obama had the wisdom to find a better way to deal with that nation. Two years ago some of the crazies were saying Iran was 6 months from producing their first nuclear bomb. They were wrong and were willing to risk American lives in a war to satisfy their ego.
The answer as to why Bush could not end the war, bring our troops home and the reason why we have the situation that exist today in Iraq and the middle east is very simple to understand. We just have too many crazies out there who refuse to accept the truth and the facts. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Monday, July 18, 2016
Another First For "PolitiDose"
This writer in a number of past commentaries pointed out that republicans have very few accomplishments because they govern by a conservative ideology that does not put America first. To them republican conservatism is elite and no one else can govern or make the right decisions. They even try to carry it to the point of feeling they should be able to run government even when they lose elections. A great example is the present republican party who wants President Obama to step aside and let them do their thing.
Now comes Mike Pence, the republican governor of Indiana that Trump just announced had been selected to be his V.P. running mate. After the introduction Pence took the stage and described himself to the audience as a Christian, a conservative and a republican in that order according to a Times Picayune article of 7/17/16. Being an American was not even in his top three preference. Donald Trump is no conservative in ideology, his ideology is his ego and his feelings of being elite. So once again the country has a party whose Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates would run the country (if elected) with out an American agenda.
Is it any wonder why republican conservatives spend so much time trying to tear American down with their negative comments and ideology. The names of the party's leaders change from time to time but their failure to learn that it is America that counts speaks loud and clear in their deeds.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Now comes Mike Pence, the republican governor of Indiana that Trump just announced had been selected to be his V.P. running mate. After the introduction Pence took the stage and described himself to the audience as a Christian, a conservative and a republican in that order according to a Times Picayune article of 7/17/16. Being an American was not even in his top three preference. Donald Trump is no conservative in ideology, his ideology is his ego and his feelings of being elite. So once again the country has a party whose Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates would run the country (if elected) with out an American agenda.
Is it any wonder why republican conservatives spend so much time trying to tear American down with their negative comments and ideology. The names of the party's leaders change from time to time but their failure to learn that it is America that counts speaks loud and clear in their deeds.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Friday, July 15, 2016
The Obama Administration Continues To Follow Through On Its Priorities To Bring Terrorists Leaders To Justice.
A Pentagon press secretary announced that the mastermind of the 2014 terror attack on a Pakistani school that killed 150 people including 130 children was killed by a U.S. drone strike near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. The mastermind terrorist Umar Khalifa was killed along with four other terrorists who were members of an Islamic State affiliate.
President Obama has stayed on focus with his priority to bring terrorists to justice and often reminds them that the U.S. has a long reach and will hunt them down. And the President has not tried to show off and talk tough. He continues to take action that bring results. The news media gave scant coverage to this latest positive event against terror and the republicans and Trump are silent once again. Their tough talk and lack of accomplishments are wearing thin.
The President understands America's role in fighting terrorists and to do what is necessary to end the threat. Our intelligence agency worked closely with Pakistan and Afghanistan's government intelligence to find and bring Umar to justice. He and his terror group were responsible for other attacks along the border and to undermine the Afghanistan government. Yes, America really has a long reach that the terrorists are feeling and America's leader is President Obama.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, July 14, 2016
The Positive News Continues For The Economy, Job Creation and Unemployment While The News Media, The Republicans and Trump Are Stuck In Their Negative Little World Of Spin.
The U.S. Labor Department announced that the economy created 287,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate stood at 4.9%. It was the 76th straight month of positive job growth. The June job numbers erased the hype that went along with May's job numbers that came in some what lower than expected. The June numbers now confirm the economy is still growing and in a broad range.
As usual the news media paid little attention because it was positive news. Ditto the republicans and Trump because they are still preaching doom and gloom and are incapable of talking anything positive that happens on the President's watch. Trump says he will create all kinds of jobs. Yeah, right, tell me another Trump fairy tale. He actually has a history of laying off people.
The U.S. economy continues to be the envy of the civilized world and is the engine that gives others hope. Even our opponents respect the U.S's ability to bring stability to a world not always on terms with each other. They know America is great and Trump is wrong. The silence of the news media, the republicans and Trump concerning the progress made under the Obama administration since the great republican recession speaks loud and clear. They are the losers of the 21st century and lack the character and courage to stand up and be counted.
President Obama continues to stand tall over them and the American people are better off today than they were under the previous republican administration.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
As usual the news media paid little attention because it was positive news. Ditto the republicans and Trump because they are still preaching doom and gloom and are incapable of talking anything positive that happens on the President's watch. Trump says he will create all kinds of jobs. Yeah, right, tell me another Trump fairy tale. He actually has a history of laying off people.
The U.S. economy continues to be the envy of the civilized world and is the engine that gives others hope. Even our opponents respect the U.S's ability to bring stability to a world not always on terms with each other. They know America is great and Trump is wrong. The silence of the news media, the republicans and Trump concerning the progress made under the Obama administration since the great republican recession speaks loud and clear. They are the losers of the 21st century and lack the character and courage to stand up and be counted.
President Obama continues to stand tall over them and the American people are better off today than they were under the previous republican administration.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Investigations Have A Way That Identify How Sorry Republicans In Congress Really Are
The republicans in congress controlled two hearings concerning Benghazi and the emails of Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. Their intelligence committee also investigated Benghazi and issued a separate report and the FBI investigated Hillary's email issue and also issued their report. That is a total of 4 investigations and the republicans still can not accept their own findings or that of their intelligence committee or the FBI.
So now the republicans want to open up an investigation of perjury charges against Clinton and speaker of the House Paul Ryan sent a letter to President Obama urging him not to give Clinton foreign policy intelligence briefings like the democratic and republican nominees are normally given that dates back many years. It is the same ditto head of the republicans in the House that led to the impeachment of President Clinton that the U.S. Senate rightfully rejected. The chief justice of the U.S. Supreme court presided over that debate and decision that cleared the President.
There is no scandal of classified information being hacked on Clinton's watch as Secretary of State. And the republicans still don't understand it is the President who makes foreign policy decisions and not the Secretary of State or other cabinet departments. Before Hillary Clinton's service, the prior two Secretaries of State were caught up in the lies of Iraq"s WMD that did not exist and a war that proved to be unnecessary.
It is also good to remember when talking about a private server or a so called government secured server, both the Department of Defense and Social Security announced some months ago that their secured system was hacked and the names of thousands of employees of the Defense Department were stolen. Also the names of thousands of people on Social Security was stolen along with their social security numbers. The FBI said that Clinton's email server could have been hacked but there is no evidence that it was. If any one thinks the FBI or our intelligence community don't know about those things, think again.
Republicans have always been extreme in attacking the Clintons in particular and democrats in general. They started their extreme agenda against President Obama when he was first elected when Mitch McConnell said his party would not work with the President because they wanted him to be a one term President. They kept up the extreme agenda with the birther issue, calling the President a muslim, saying he hated America, he was a racist and so many other extreme comments. And now it is Donald Trump who has taken up the extreme rhetoric.
And yes, the republicans are still chapped because the country has remained safe on Clinton's watch as Secretary of State and Obama's watch as President and Commander in Chief. The party's scare tactics have backfired.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
So now the republicans want to open up an investigation of perjury charges against Clinton and speaker of the House Paul Ryan sent a letter to President Obama urging him not to give Clinton foreign policy intelligence briefings like the democratic and republican nominees are normally given that dates back many years. It is the same ditto head of the republicans in the House that led to the impeachment of President Clinton that the U.S. Senate rightfully rejected. The chief justice of the U.S. Supreme court presided over that debate and decision that cleared the President.
There is no scandal of classified information being hacked on Clinton's watch as Secretary of State. And the republicans still don't understand it is the President who makes foreign policy decisions and not the Secretary of State or other cabinet departments. Before Hillary Clinton's service, the prior two Secretaries of State were caught up in the lies of Iraq"s WMD that did not exist and a war that proved to be unnecessary.
It is also good to remember when talking about a private server or a so called government secured server, both the Department of Defense and Social Security announced some months ago that their secured system was hacked and the names of thousands of employees of the Defense Department were stolen. Also the names of thousands of people on Social Security was stolen along with their social security numbers. The FBI said that Clinton's email server could have been hacked but there is no evidence that it was. If any one thinks the FBI or our intelligence community don't know about those things, think again.
Republicans have always been extreme in attacking the Clintons in particular and democrats in general. They started their extreme agenda against President Obama when he was first elected when Mitch McConnell said his party would not work with the President because they wanted him to be a one term President. They kept up the extreme agenda with the birther issue, calling the President a muslim, saying he hated America, he was a racist and so many other extreme comments. And now it is Donald Trump who has taken up the extreme rhetoric.
And yes, the republicans are still chapped because the country has remained safe on Clinton's watch as Secretary of State and Obama's watch as President and Commander in Chief. The party's scare tactics have backfired.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Tragedy In Dallas
Five Dallas Police officers were killed, seven other officers were wounded and so was two civilians by sniper fire Thursday evening in downtown Dallas, Texas. It happened while a protest march was taken place in conjunction with the death of two men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. The downtown area where the carnage took place is an area this writer is familiar with having traveled there for 25 years doing sales work. It is also near Dealy Plaza where President Kennedy was killed, also an area I am familiar with.
Police chief David Brown said the alleged sniper, Micah Johnson was killed in a parking lot when talks between the Dallas police and Johnson broke down. But contrary to the talking points of the NRA and their ditto heads he was not killed by a good man with a gun, he was killed by a good man with a robot that had an attached explosive devise. Dallas police to their credit would not risk their people's lives in a shoot out with sniper fire when at the time did not know if there were more than one sniper.
The tragedy is an example how sick the NRA and their ditto heads are on the "macho" statement about a good man with a gun. The good men with guns that day in Dallas could not prevent their fellow officers deaths and injuries. All gun deaths can not be prevented because there are a lot of people out there who are sick and show no outward motives. But when 40% of all guns that are sold are done through private sales that are unregulated and not registered a lot of those guns turn up in the wrong hands.
Dallas has been known for years as having a lot of extreme groups. They were out in force on that day when President Kennedy visited the city. They took out ads and had posters made up calling the President a traitor and that he was Wanted for Treason. That type of talk can set an unstable person off to do bad things. Having said that, as I wrote some time ago it was not Lee Harvey Oswald who killed the President.
There are a lot of people who say they support the police, but the great majority of police chiefs and police support the assault weapons ban and also common sense gun laws in keeping semi-automatic and automatic weapons off the streets and out of the hand of civilians. Lip service does not make the job easier or safer for the police force. And the statements by the NRA and their ditto heads are not helpful to the Dallas police officers who lost their lives or wounded nor their family who now bear the burden and the pain.
It now becomes more clear. Congress and many local governments have done nothing after the mass killings at schools and etc., and now its police officers, those who volunteer to serve and protect. Will what happened in Dallas Thursday night be enough for action to be taken or will the future be like the failed past.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Police chief David Brown said the alleged sniper, Micah Johnson was killed in a parking lot when talks between the Dallas police and Johnson broke down. But contrary to the talking points of the NRA and their ditto heads he was not killed by a good man with a gun, he was killed by a good man with a robot that had an attached explosive devise. Dallas police to their credit would not risk their people's lives in a shoot out with sniper fire when at the time did not know if there were more than one sniper.
The tragedy is an example how sick the NRA and their ditto heads are on the "macho" statement about a good man with a gun. The good men with guns that day in Dallas could not prevent their fellow officers deaths and injuries. All gun deaths can not be prevented because there are a lot of people out there who are sick and show no outward motives. But when 40% of all guns that are sold are done through private sales that are unregulated and not registered a lot of those guns turn up in the wrong hands.
Dallas has been known for years as having a lot of extreme groups. They were out in force on that day when President Kennedy visited the city. They took out ads and had posters made up calling the President a traitor and that he was Wanted for Treason. That type of talk can set an unstable person off to do bad things. Having said that, as I wrote some time ago it was not Lee Harvey Oswald who killed the President.
There are a lot of people who say they support the police, but the great majority of police chiefs and police support the assault weapons ban and also common sense gun laws in keeping semi-automatic and automatic weapons off the streets and out of the hand of civilians. Lip service does not make the job easier or safer for the police force. And the statements by the NRA and their ditto heads are not helpful to the Dallas police officers who lost their lives or wounded nor their family who now bear the burden and the pain.
It now becomes more clear. Congress and many local governments have done nothing after the mass killings at schools and etc., and now its police officers, those who volunteer to serve and protect. Will what happened in Dallas Thursday night be enough for action to be taken or will the future be like the failed past.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Is It Really Important That Senator Bernie Sanders Has Not Endorse Hillary Clinton Yet?
MSNBC's Steve Kornacki seems to be hung up on the issue. This past Wednesday on the Rachel Maddow show which he hosted, devoted a segment of the program on the subject matter. He wondered why the endorsement has not come yet like there is some kind of mandate out there as to a time schedule. He then asked will the endorsement have a lesser affect coming later rather than earlier. Then he noted the endorsement may come next week when Sanders campaigns with Hillary.
Kornacki is one of the young Journalists at MSNBC and has good potential but has the same problem as the more experienced host at MSNBC. They have too much air time to fill and instead of talking about those issues that really matter and make a difference they inject non issues like Sanders endorsement. The reality is that if Sanders endorsed Clinton next week or the week after it will have the same affect as an earlier endorsement.
The reason being the voters won't get excited until after the convention. That is when the voters get into the swing of things. That is also when Sanders supporters will have to put up or shut up because Hillary has already made some concessions to Sanders both in the Democratic platform and by meshing some of Sanders ideas on policy with her own.
Filling up air time with quality issues that help the public understand is an opportunity lost by the cable networks. There are so many positive issues taking place in our great nation that is being neglected in favor of the extreme voices who seem to be everywhere on the cable networks. President Kennedy once said, civility is not a sign of weakness and those words of wisdom have been proven time and time again and have accomplished much.
Yes my fellow Americans, understanding the past is still the key to a better future.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Kornacki is one of the young Journalists at MSNBC and has good potential but has the same problem as the more experienced host at MSNBC. They have too much air time to fill and instead of talking about those issues that really matter and make a difference they inject non issues like Sanders endorsement. The reality is that if Sanders endorsed Clinton next week or the week after it will have the same affect as an earlier endorsement.
The reason being the voters won't get excited until after the convention. That is when the voters get into the swing of things. That is also when Sanders supporters will have to put up or shut up because Hillary has already made some concessions to Sanders both in the Democratic platform and by meshing some of Sanders ideas on policy with her own.
Filling up air time with quality issues that help the public understand is an opportunity lost by the cable networks. There are so many positive issues taking place in our great nation that is being neglected in favor of the extreme voices who seem to be everywhere on the cable networks. President Kennedy once said, civility is not a sign of weakness and those words of wisdom have been proven time and time again and have accomplished much.
Yes my fellow Americans, understanding the past is still the key to a better future.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, July 7, 2016
The FBI's Report On Hillary Clinton's Email Issue Matters Not To The Republicans and the Clinton Haters
Director of the FBI James Comey issued his agency's investigation report concerning Clinton's use of a private email server and found "no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case" and that the FBI will not recommend criminal charges against her to the Justice Department. Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney General was on record some time ago in saying she would accept the FBI's report. The report also stated that there were clear shortcomings in security protocols for the emails, that there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information but that Clinton nor her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information.
The reaction from the republican party, conservatives and Trump were the usual disbelief just like it was two years ago when the House Intelligence Committee found no wrong doing by President Obama or then Secretary of State Clinton concerning Benghazi. The final House Committee version report came out just last week on Benghazi and came to the same conclusion as the Intelligence Committee. But like the Benghazi issue the email issue will not go away for them because it is an election year and their intent is to cripple Clinton. They will never be satisfied because it is political for them and they will still be talking about Benghazi and the email issue even after the November elections. The republican controlled House said their committee will call FBI director Comey and Attorney General Lynch to testify before their committee.
Prior to the FBI report the meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch sent the crazies off on the deep end, even some in the news media. The fact of the matter is Bill Clinton is a people person that was reported on many times by the news media while he was President. He and Lynch are friends so they met, so what? Bill Clinton and his wife do not hold any government job and as such have no leverage with the FBI nor the Justice Department and neither Comey or Lynch is going to allow outside influence to shape their findings on a lawful investigation.
Bill Clinton knows there are people in government who can not keep secrets so it is safe to say he would not do anything to harm his wife's chance of becoming President by injecting himself into the investigation. The halls of Washington D.C. have ears and sooner or later some one is bound to talk and Bill Clinton knows that. The Clintons would have more to lose than to gain by trying to interfere.
FBI director Comey said it best when he said unequivocally, "we are expressing our view to Justice that no charges are appropriate in this case." And that really says it all.
This Commentary written by Joe Lorio
The reaction from the republican party, conservatives and Trump were the usual disbelief just like it was two years ago when the House Intelligence Committee found no wrong doing by President Obama or then Secretary of State Clinton concerning Benghazi. The final House Committee version report came out just last week on Benghazi and came to the same conclusion as the Intelligence Committee. But like the Benghazi issue the email issue will not go away for them because it is an election year and their intent is to cripple Clinton. They will never be satisfied because it is political for them and they will still be talking about Benghazi and the email issue even after the November elections. The republican controlled House said their committee will call FBI director Comey and Attorney General Lynch to testify before their committee.
Prior to the FBI report the meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch sent the crazies off on the deep end, even some in the news media. The fact of the matter is Bill Clinton is a people person that was reported on many times by the news media while he was President. He and Lynch are friends so they met, so what? Bill Clinton and his wife do not hold any government job and as such have no leverage with the FBI nor the Justice Department and neither Comey or Lynch is going to allow outside influence to shape their findings on a lawful investigation.
Bill Clinton knows there are people in government who can not keep secrets so it is safe to say he would not do anything to harm his wife's chance of becoming President by injecting himself into the investigation. The halls of Washington D.C. have ears and sooner or later some one is bound to talk and Bill Clinton knows that. The Clintons would have more to lose than to gain by trying to interfere.
FBI director Comey said it best when he said unequivocally, "we are expressing our view to Justice that no charges are appropriate in this case." And that really says it all.
This Commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, July 3, 2016
The Cable News Networks: Reporting The Negatives While Ignoring The Positives
Terror attacks abroad have become huge stories for the Cable News Networks consuming many hours of prime time while positive stories in the United States are under reported or buried. In the last several months we have seen it on the networks concerning France, Belgium, Turkey and other countries far from our shores. The tone of many reports by the networks and some of its guests one would think the United States was attacked. Regardless what terror group is responsible for the attack it always comes back to ISIS being the ringleader and the question, "is the President doing what is necessary to keep America safe with the silly hint of why did he not keep those other countries safe."
Not once has the networks acknowledge that the President has indeed kept our homeland safe from foreign planned terror attacks for the past seven years and six months. Nor do they spend time talking about the gains the Iraqi and U.S. led coalition have made in taking back most of the territory ISIS occupied in Iraq. Nor do they say much about the many senior ISIS leaders who have been brought to justice by U.S. air strikes, the latest being two senior ISIS leaders who were killed in Mosul on June 25, one being the deputy minister of War and the other a military commander.
How much time have the networks spent on the economic progress made since the great republican recession or the millions of jobs created since the worst job loses of the previous administration. May's unemployment rate was 4.7%, down from 7.8% when the President took office in 2009. The President has reduced deficit spending and deficit spending has gone down four straight years. Only one other President accomplished that in the past 50 years and it was President Clinton.
The President has redirected our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and both countries now enjoy much progress and unity. Our men and women in uniform are not exposed unnecessary in the middle east to the IED's and suicide bombers like they were in Iraq in previous years that killed or wounded so many Americans. And it was the U.S. led coalition air strikes and leadership that assisted Iraqi forces that retook Fallujah from ISIS just in the last week.
In Ronald Reagan's 8 fiscal years the national debt increased 186% and in George W. Bush's 8 fiscal years the national debt increased 105%. When President Obama's 8 fiscal years are up the national debt will have increased much less than it did under Reagan or Bush. But the news media, Trump and the republicans are always talking about the present national debt but never point out what happened on Reagan and Bush's watch or the fact that the national debt would not be a problem today if Reagan and Bush had balanced the federal budget as Clinton did. President Obama also did George W. Bush's job and brought Bin Laden to justice.
The above positive accomplishments of President Obama and many more have not been given due coverage by the Cable News Networks. It is only reported as a footnote while the negative news of the day is front and center for hours at a time. Is it any wonder why the average viewer is so ill informed. The networks love affair with Trump and their attempt to undermine Hillary Clinton's campaign is a disgrace to the news media who claim to be the watchdog for the benefit of the people.
The networks are not fit for prime time and contribute to the disdain people have for government. America will continue to be a great country because of its people. Cable news will continue to be the ugly and negative America because its belief in being elite.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Not once has the networks acknowledge that the President has indeed kept our homeland safe from foreign planned terror attacks for the past seven years and six months. Nor do they spend time talking about the gains the Iraqi and U.S. led coalition have made in taking back most of the territory ISIS occupied in Iraq. Nor do they say much about the many senior ISIS leaders who have been brought to justice by U.S. air strikes, the latest being two senior ISIS leaders who were killed in Mosul on June 25, one being the deputy minister of War and the other a military commander.
How much time have the networks spent on the economic progress made since the great republican recession or the millions of jobs created since the worst job loses of the previous administration. May's unemployment rate was 4.7%, down from 7.8% when the President took office in 2009. The President has reduced deficit spending and deficit spending has gone down four straight years. Only one other President accomplished that in the past 50 years and it was President Clinton.
The President has redirected our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and both countries now enjoy much progress and unity. Our men and women in uniform are not exposed unnecessary in the middle east to the IED's and suicide bombers like they were in Iraq in previous years that killed or wounded so many Americans. And it was the U.S. led coalition air strikes and leadership that assisted Iraqi forces that retook Fallujah from ISIS just in the last week.
In Ronald Reagan's 8 fiscal years the national debt increased 186% and in George W. Bush's 8 fiscal years the national debt increased 105%. When President Obama's 8 fiscal years are up the national debt will have increased much less than it did under Reagan or Bush. But the news media, Trump and the republicans are always talking about the present national debt but never point out what happened on Reagan and Bush's watch or the fact that the national debt would not be a problem today if Reagan and Bush had balanced the federal budget as Clinton did. President Obama also did George W. Bush's job and brought Bin Laden to justice.
The above positive accomplishments of President Obama and many more have not been given due coverage by the Cable News Networks. It is only reported as a footnote while the negative news of the day is front and center for hours at a time. Is it any wonder why the average viewer is so ill informed. The networks love affair with Trump and their attempt to undermine Hillary Clinton's campaign is a disgrace to the news media who claim to be the watchdog for the benefit of the people.
The networks are not fit for prime time and contribute to the disdain people have for government. America will continue to be a great country because of its people. Cable news will continue to be the ugly and negative America because its belief in being elite.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Friday, July 1, 2016
The Louisiana Legislature Passes A Budget
The republican controlled legislature passed a budget for Louisiana's fiscal year that begins July 1. It took three legislative sessions to handle the new budget and the one ending June 30. The regular session was squeezed between the two special sessions. The latest word out of Baton Rouge is we will find out if the budget that ended on June 30 is really balanced but not until around September when the state pays all its bills.
Will the present fiscal year budget that begins July 1 be balanced? We should have a good idea in about six months. But there are some things we know now. (1) The republican controlled senate worked with governor Edwards on many of the issues the governor wanted while the republican controlled house did not and in fact rejected the governor's call to reduce or change tax breaks for business. (2) TOPS will be funded at only 70%. (3) Taxes were raised and the K-12 school budget, prisons and sheriff's housing and juvenile detention and rehabilitation were all cut millions of dollars. (4) Corporate tax collections will be less than the tax breaks corporations receive from the state. (5) The republican controlled house used another budget gimmick when they insisted that TOPS be fully funded for the fall semester at 100% but then only at 40% for the spring semester. Which means they are really not serious about the TOPS program.
The bottom line question on the budget and the states fiscal affairs and how serious the legislators were in the three sessions are: (1) Will the fiscal year that ended June 30 and the current fiscal year that begins July 1 be balanced. (2) Did the legislators really find and or raise revenue that is recurring that can be counted on to fund present and future needs of the state and its people. (3) Budget cuts alone have never balanced a state budget so has the legislature found that out yet?
From all indications, governor Edwards is on top of what is needed to balance the budget and is well aware gimmicks should no longer be tolerated. This writer believes the governor will continue to push the legislature in the right direction to eliminate the unnecessary tax breaks given to business. The latest unemployment rate for Louisiana in May was 6.2%, much higher than the national average so where are the jobs the tax breaks are supposed to create that business always talks about?
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Will the present fiscal year budget that begins July 1 be balanced? We should have a good idea in about six months. But there are some things we know now. (1) The republican controlled senate worked with governor Edwards on many of the issues the governor wanted while the republican controlled house did not and in fact rejected the governor's call to reduce or change tax breaks for business. (2) TOPS will be funded at only 70%. (3) Taxes were raised and the K-12 school budget, prisons and sheriff's housing and juvenile detention and rehabilitation were all cut millions of dollars. (4) Corporate tax collections will be less than the tax breaks corporations receive from the state. (5) The republican controlled house used another budget gimmick when they insisted that TOPS be fully funded for the fall semester at 100% but then only at 40% for the spring semester. Which means they are really not serious about the TOPS program.
The bottom line question on the budget and the states fiscal affairs and how serious the legislators were in the three sessions are: (1) Will the fiscal year that ended June 30 and the current fiscal year that begins July 1 be balanced. (2) Did the legislators really find and or raise revenue that is recurring that can be counted on to fund present and future needs of the state and its people. (3) Budget cuts alone have never balanced a state budget so has the legislature found that out yet?
From all indications, governor Edwards is on top of what is needed to balance the budget and is well aware gimmicks should no longer be tolerated. This writer believes the governor will continue to push the legislature in the right direction to eliminate the unnecessary tax breaks given to business. The latest unemployment rate for Louisiana in May was 6.2%, much higher than the national average so where are the jobs the tax breaks are supposed to create that business always talks about?
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
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