The Latest In The Sad, Sad Saga Of The Republican Party

The latest allegations against Donald Trump and his sexual assaults on more women who came forward to tell their stories and Trump's cry baby attitude that the election and the news media is rigged and therefore the voting process was rigged was met with cries from members of his own party that they could not support him.

BUT GUESS WHAT THEY SAID AFTER THAT?  They said they would still vote for him.  In other words they are indeed supporting Trump.  One republican congressman even said he did not want his children exposed to that but he would still vote Trump.  It follows what this writer said long ago in "PolitiDose", Donald Trump and the republican party are one and the same and the party will support Trump and are willing to sell their soul to the devil to return to power in the White House.

The republican party, Trump and the Fox News Network have harmed our democratic election process with their extreme actions and just the other night Fox took a turn for the worse when Megyn Kelly interviewed Newt Gingrich that turned out to be about sex with both making comments unfit for television.  But Fox does not care.  Gingrich has disgraced himself long ago by his own actions and extreme attitude but Fox keeps inviting him back.  They deserve each other.

Hillary Clinton and the democratic party are still the best chance for democracy to survive as our forefathers  fought so hard to establish.  On November 8, the voters should put an end to Trump and his party's destructive behavior.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Facebook and The Social Media

It is no secret that the cable networks have failed to deliver a serious conversation of the every day happenings in American life.  Makes no difference what subject matter is taking place the coverage is slanted, turned into sound bites or just plain inaccurate.  Filling up air time is all that matters and the good news and happenings are given the least attention.

Social media, especially Facebook is the king of worst in this writers opinion.  In fact when it comes to comments concerning the Presidential race it is down right nasty, void of facts most of the time and the posters that are posted with commentary don't tell the story of the subject matter it relates to.  Then you have a bunch of people who say they miss the values taught to them by their generation and then turn around and make nasty and offensive comments that the generation who taught them would never make.  It is a sad contradiction.

Facebook and the social media could be a good balance to cable news and the major networks but instead have joined the media's game of spin.  It is really unfortunate when people use their free will to make extreme comments about other people when they could use that same free will to say something positive.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Mitch McConnell: Eight Years Later and Still Obstructing Progress.

Republican Mitch McConnell, U.S. senate majority leader will end this year in the senate like he started eight years ago.  When President Obama was first elected President, McConnell vowed not to work with the President and when Obama announced several months ago his nominee to fill the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court McConnell said the senate would not take up the nomination.

So the republican controlled congress will end this year in failure just like the Bush administration ended its Presidency.  On the other hand President Obama will finish his term and leave office on a high note of accomplishments.  The country has a much improved economy, jobs, lower unemployment, reduced deficit spending, smaller increase in federal spending, a poverty rate that is going down instead of up, our home land has been safe and fewer of our men and women in uniform are dying in the middle east and around the globe.  Median wages are increasing and more people are entering the job market because of better economic conditions according to the Labor Department.  The consumer satisfactory index is at its highest since 2007.

Because of McConnell's lack of action and failure to execute his duty and hold hearings on President Obama's Supreme Court nominee, the Court is not functioning like it should and cases on its calendar have been pushed back according to the latest reports.  Like Trump, the republican party and its leaders in congress are unfit to govern and deserve each other.

Hopefully on November 8 the people will vote to have democrats take control of the senate along with keeping a democrat in the White House. Precedent indicates that would be the best outcome for the country and its people.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Third Presidential Debate

Hillary Clinton won the final Presidential debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas and swept all three debates with her opponent Donald Trump by a wide margin.  And once again Clinton was the steady voice for the people, answered the questions with knowledge, authority and demonstrated her political understanding of the issues facing the next President. Clinton spent a lot of time with the audience after the debate visiting and talking.  Trump spent only a short time doing so and then left.

Trump was his usual self, did not answer many of the questions and when he did his answers were incoherent and many times was off the subject in a rambling matter.  And like in the other two debates, he interrupted Clinton numerous  times while she was speaking or injected comments before she finished speaking.  The hate that Trump has for Clinton was in full display with his body language and facial expressions.

Trump was not prepared for the debate and therefore made a mockery of the debate and was a slap in the face to his supporters, the voters in general and the Presidential debate process.  It is ironic that the debate was held in Las Vegas, the gambling capitol of the United States because Trump himself was in the casino business.  So one can say on Wednesday night in Las Vegas Trump rolled the dice at the debate and crapped out big time.

Hillary Clinton through out the campaign and the debates refused to be intimated or bullied by Trump and demonstrated she is a better woman than Trump is a man.  Clinton is ready and qualified to be President.  Donald Trump is not and not any where close.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The $10 Billion Man With As Many Excuses For Placing Blame

Donald Trump told the American people he was worth $10 billion but unfortunately he also has as many excuses for blaming every one for his negative life style and what appears to be his declining Presidential campaign.  For a business man to unravel as Trump is doing of his own free will confirms he is not fit to be President.

Trump says every thing is rigged against him, the republican primaries, the debates, the general election, the women who have come out and accused him of sexual assault, the news media who has a running love affair with Trump, the republicans in congress, the microphone that was rigged during the first Presidential debate and the list goes on and on.  And now the latest blame is Bill Clinton , a man that is not even on the ballot.

In the mean time Hillary Clinton is still the steady voice for the country and offers no complaints even though Trump keeps up a steady stream of ugly personal attacks.  And the American people can look for even more of the blame game from Trump until election day and also the personal attacks.  The word "deplorable" really does describe the Donald.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana's U.S. Senate Candidates

Louisiana has 24 candidates seeking election to the U.S. Senate in the November election to fill the vacancy that will take place when republican U.S. Senator David Vitter will retire.  Most of those 24 candidates are republicans with two democrats that are running neck and neck so far.

The republicans are campaigning against President Obama like Donald Trump is doing and as Vitter did when he ran for governor against John Bel Edwards.  In other words, they are campaigning against the past instead of articulating their future plans to the voting public.  That campaign policy failed Vitter big time and Edwards was elected governor.  If the current polls hold true, Trump will also fail on November 8.  The two democrats are campaigning about the future and one of them should make the run off election.

This writer believes it would be wise for Louisiana to elect a democrat to fill the vacancy that will be left by Vitter's retirement.  Louisiana already has one republican U.S. Senator and now needs a democrat to balance the state, the people and the country's needs.  Another do nothing republican should not be an option.  The people of Louisiana are learning how Louisiana's republican attorney general Jeff Landry is trying to undermine the Edward's administration for personal reasons.  That is what republicans do and how they govern.

Louisiana also needs another democratic voice in Washington to work with governor Edwards who can articulate Louisiana's needs to the President and congress.  Under the democratic administration of President Obama our nation has emerged from the great recession of 2008.  And under the democratic administration of governor Edwards Louisiana is in the process of emerging from the big time failures of past republican governor Bobby Jindal.

The future of Louisiana will best be served if the next U.S. Senator from Louisiana is a democrat.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Republican Party: Leaderless, Sad, Unable To Function and It Was All Predictable.

The republican party, Donald Trump, conservatism and the conservative news media, including journalists are so screwed up and at each others throat, what is taking place today was predictable.  The party and Trump are fighting each other.  The conservative news media and journalists openly express their displeasure with the republican party's lack of accomplishments after years of telling America how republicans were better at governing than democrats.  They disagree with Trump but still support him.

Trump exploited his own party's weakness in the republican debates and his party fell like a ton of bricks and Trumps opponents were reduced to rubble.  But all 17 candidates signed a pledge to support the nominee no matter what.  Taking the pledge was a ignorant thing to do and the trap was set.  All lost credibility especially Trump and now less than a month to the election and Trump and the party say they will go their own way.

Conservative journalists have now turned on the republic party big time, but are still clinging to Trump.  The problem stems from the fact that they are all one and the same.  Their self proclaimed elitist has been exposed by their own doing and lack of accomplishments.  They have lost the family values issue because it was a fairy tale to begin with just like their claim to have a workable plan to replace the ACA.  The republicans in congress will end this year with the least amount of working days and accomplishments.  That is a sad story for a party who told the America people they would accomplish much after taking control of both houses of congress almost two years ago.

The republican part is dying a slow death of their own making and creating problems in our political system that is unnecessary simply because their leaders lack the character and courage to stand up and change their negative ways.  The best way for the voters to try and change that is to elect a democratic controlled congress and a democrat President.  The republicans will never change on their own and there is a strong possibility that this election year will break up the party as we know it.

The past seven years and nine months under the administration of President Obama has demonstrated that the democrats are still the grown ups in Washington to take care of the people's business and continue to move the country forward.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Time Is Right For America To Elect The First Woman President

It is actually past time and records have been found of the very first civilization on earth, that of the Sumerians almost six thousand years ago.  Those records tell the story of life and the major role played by women in all walks of Sumerian life.  The land of Sumer which is present day Iraq is not the United States but the same principles are there concerning the ability of women.

And now in the year 2016 America has its very first woman nominee for President of the United States and Hillary Clinton happens to be that nominee of the democratic party.  Her opponents are two men and another woman.  The Presidential campaign has been in progress for over a year and Clinton is the only candidate in the race who has been steady, consistent, knowledgeable on the issues, issues oriented, sure of herself and a voice for all the people.

Clinton has won both Presidential debates so far with a clear majority and has shown a temperament that is in line with good leadership.  This writer was eligible to vote for the first time in a Presidential election in 1956 and believes Clinton is one of the most prepared and capable candidate through all those years.  A Clinton Presidency would open the door for more women in the business world, politics and life in general which in turn would enrich the quality of life on all sectors.

Clinton's lifetime of public service will bring people together for a better tomorrow for the country and its people and the voters in this generation can make history on November 8, not because she is a woman but because she has demonstrated that she is the best qualified candidate to occupy the White House.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Jobs and Increase In Wages Continue In September

The U.S. Labor Department announced that 156,000 new jobs were created in September and the unemployment rate was 5%, up from the 4.9% in August.  It was the 79th straight month of positive job growth.  More and more people are flocking to the job market says Sung Won Sohn, an economist at California's State University Smith School of Business.

Other good news:  (1)  400,000 people began looking for jobs that had been unemployed because the word has been spread there are jobs to be had. (reason why unemployment ticked up one tenth of one percent)  (2) Average hourly pay for September was up 2.6% than it was a year ago.  (3)  Consumer satisfaction index increased in September over August and now stands at its highest level since 2007.  (4)  The National Retail Federation is forecasting holiday sales this year will be up 3.6%, higher than it was last holiday season.

The republican party and its Presidential nominee are still preaching economic doom and gloom in this election year and are still living in their own fairy tale world brought about by their own party's past failures.  They stopped living in the real America long ago.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Part V: The 2016 Presidential Election: Is It Really Just A Coincidence?

Those who follow politics know that the Republican Party's attitude is to convey the message they are best at running government and dealing with all the issues and they also believe conservatism makes them elite.  The party also goes to the extreme in their attempt to demonize the democratic record of success.  Their Presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken up the same ditto rhetoric.

BUT IS IT REALLY JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT:

The last republican administration to balance the federal budget was President Eisenhower in 1960, over 50 years ago.  But in that same time span two democratic Presidents, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton balanced 5 federal budgets.  The republicans and democrats controlled the White House 28 years each during that span including Barack Obama.  Source:  Congressional Budget Office Historical yearly record on the federal budget.

In the last 50 years the largest percentage increase in the national debt took place on the watch of the republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Nixon-Ford.  At the end of President Reagan's eight fiscal years the national debt increased a whopping 186%.  At the end of President George W. Bush's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 105%.  At the end of President's Nixon-Ford's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 98%.  Where as the smallest percentage increase in the national debt took place on the democratic watch of Kennedy-Johnson, Clinton and Carter.  At the end of President's Kennedy-Johnson's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 18%.  At the end of President Bill Clinton's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 31%.  At the end of President Carter's four fiscal years the national debt increased 43%.  President Obama has not completed his term in office but at the end of his last fiscal year the percentage increase in the national debt will not exceed Reagan, Bush or Nixon-Ford.  Source:  U.S. Treasury Historical Yearly Record On The National Debt

In the last 36 years the largest increase in total federal spending took place on the republican watch of President's Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.  In Reagan's first four fiscal years total spending increased 50% over the previous four fiscal years.  In Reagan's second and last four fiscal years it increased 25% over his first four fiscal years.  In Bush's first four fiscal years total federal spending increased 28% over Bill Clinton's last four fiscal years.  In Bush's last and final four fiscal years total federal spending increased 33% over his first four fiscal years.  The smallest increase in total federal spending took place under the democratic administrations of President's Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.  In Clinton's first and second terms (eight fiscal years) total federal spending increased 14% in each of his four fiscal years.  In President Obama's first four fiscal years total federal spending increased 18% over George W. Bush's last four fiscal years.   Source:  Congressional Budget Office Historical Yearly Record On the Federal Budget.

No Republican President in the last 50 years has left office with a smaller federal budget deficit than it was when he took office.  But three democratic Presidents did.  Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama will also when he leaves office even though he inherited the largest single year federal deficit of $1.4 trillion courtesy of President George W. Bush.  Source:  Congressional Budget Office Historical Yearly Record On the Federal Budget.

No republican administration in the last 50 years has created as many jobs as the democratic administration it followed.  Not even President Reagan.  In Reagan's first four years 5.3 million jobs were created.  In President Carter's first and only four years 10.3 million jobs were created.

The highest sustained unemployment rate in the last 50 years took place on the republican watch of President Reagan.  It stood at over 10% for ten straight months from September 1982 to June 1983 and averaged 10.4% for those ten months.Source:  U.S. Labor Department Historical Yearly Unemployment  tables.

The two greatest economic failures took place on the republican watch of President's Herbert Hoover during the great depression and George W. Bush in the economic meltdown of 2008.

The three greatest bank failures took place on the republican watch of President's Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.  Herbert Hoover, the bank failures during the great depression.  Under Ronald Reagan the Savings and Loan failure in the early 80"s that cost the government over one billion dollars and the Wall Street Bank Failures under George W. Bush.

The worst terror attack against Americans abroad took place on the republican watch of President Ronald Reagan when terrorists blew up the Marine compound in Lebanon that killed 241 U.S. Marines.  The planners of that attack were never brought to justice by the Reagan administration.

The worst foreign terror attack on America's homeland took place on the republican watch of President George W. Bush on 9/11/01 when terrorists struck the world trade center in New York and the Pentagon killing over 3,000 people.  The Bush administration failed to bring the planner of those attacks to justice and he had seven years and three months to do so but President Obama did.

There was no statistical change in the U.S. Poverty rate during President Reagan's term in office.  It was down 3.5% on President Clinton's watch and up over 2% on President George W. Bush's watch.  It was down 1.3% in 2015 compared to 2014 and is projected to be down again at the end of Obama's term in office.  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau

More jobs were created under the administration of democratic President Bill Clinton in 8 years than were created under the republican administration of President's Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 20 years they served.  There were 22.7 million jobs created on Clinton's watch.  On Reagan's watch 16.1 million jobs were created;  On Bush 41 watch 2.5 million jobs were created;  On Bush 43 watch 1.1 jobs were created. A total of 19.7 million jobs for their 20 years, 3 million less jobs than Clinton.  And when Obama leaves office more jobs will be created under his administration in 8 years than were created under Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 12 years they served.  So far over 15 million jobs have been created under President Obama. And to think that both Reagan and Bush cut taxes for corporations and the top 1% while Clinton raised taxes on those making over $200,000.00 but trickle down economics did not create the economy or job creation that those republican Presidents said it would.  And now Trump is trying to sell the American people the same fairy tale.

North Korea tested its first atomic bomb and became a nuclear power and Iran pursued a nuclear program on the republican watch of President George W. Bush while he was talking tough but the President had no policies to deal with the two threats because the country was involved with Iraq.  President Obama's administration and its allies struck an agreement with Iran that shut down their nuclear weapons program.

It was the Obama administration that brought Bin Laden to justice because the President made doing so his top priority to the intelligence community.  Tough talk played no role but plans and tough action did.


On the republican watch of President Ronald Reagan the United States moved from being the worlds largest international creditor to the worlds largest debtor nation.

The facts would tell any reasonable person that democratic administrations perform much better than republican administrations in all matters of importance in governing and the country and its people are better off because of it.  "Coincidence" of such a broad range and over such a long period of time just don't happen.  Democrats believe that plans and policy position s are necessary to come up with the right answers to solve problems and deal with the issues.

Republicans lack plans and policies to deal with problems and issues because they govern by ideology.  Their decisions are not based on facts to solve problems.  They do just the opposite and bend the facts to suit their ideology and there fore never solve a problem or an issue.  That is why they engage in personal attacks and lack any dialogue of accomplishments.

The bottom line is democratic administrations have accomplished those issues that republicans only talk and brag about and democrats have accomplished those issues on a regular basis over a period of many years.  This writer believes the election of Hillary Clinton on November 8 to be the next President of the United States is the right choice for the country and its people.  The historical facts indicate a Clinton administration will continue the progress made under the Obama administration and even expand more positive opportunities for the country and its people.  A Clinton administration would also keep the country and our people safe.

Note 1:  Source of information on job creation comes from Wikipedia and other online information concerning job creation.  All reported information on Job creation are not the same but are very close and do not change the numbers shown in this commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio