Sunday, February 26, 2017

CPAC, President Trump and His Top Appointees Meet

The Conservative Political Action Conference held its annual convention this week in National Harbor, Md.  President Trump, his Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and his Chief Strategist Steve Bannon all addressed the convention.  It was a great opportunity for the President and his appointees to articulate a policy position on matters  important to the country and especially to the attendees at the convention who make up some of Trumps and the party's staunch supporters.

But Trump, Priebus and Bannon held out true to form with their "ditto head" comments.  Their supporters and the country would not hear anything positive about the future.  Instead, all three lashed out at the news media and blamed them for "fake news."  The media was also called the enemy and Trump once again tried to cast blame on Hillary Clinton with his own brand of "fake news."  Bannon spoke about Trump shaping a new political order in America which sounded anti-American to this writer.

Besides bashing the media, Trump sang his same worn out song, he was going to make America great again.  No one would mess with us with our military buildup, etc, etc, etc.  And sadly, repeated his lies concerning how many people were covered by the ACA and the latest round up of undocumented immigrants which was carried by the Times Picayune.

The President and his top two appointees failed big time to articulate a positive agenda for the future of the country and its people.  The ring master is still leading the republican circus and the big tent continues to collapse while the people look for leadership.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio


Louisiana's U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy's Town Hall Meeting In Jefferson Parish Did Not Go Very Well.


Senator Cassidy held a meeting with his supporters Wednesday at the Jefferson Parish East Bank Regional Library and the conversation did not go very well.  Cassidy was late to arrive for the meeting and everything went down hill from there.  The meeting followed a nation wide trend taking place between republican members of congress and their supporters.

The Senator was met with boos from his audience.  They did not attend the meeting for information, they wanted an answer to their questions because the Trump administration and congress have been sending out dis-information on replacing the ACA, immigration and a host of other issues.

Its starting to hit the fan for the President and his party and now some of their supporters are making their dis-satisfaction know.  Political "fake news" by the administration has started to open some people's mind.  Unfortunately, conservative opinion writers are still backing the "fake news" that republicans have added to their ideology.  Times Picayune opinion writer Tim Morris covered Cassidy's meeting with a column dated 2/24/17 and the title of his column was, WOW, THEY BOOED THE NAME OF JESUS."  That really was not the subject of the meeting but leave it to conservatives to use religion to try and change the subject.

The bottom line for the people of Louisiana is former U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu's service is missed on just about every issue facing Louisiana.  The republicans have controlled both houses of congress for over two years and Cassidy has failed to fill the void.  The people at that Wednesday meeting came face to face with the person most of them probably voted for and in all probability left with out having their questions answered.

And if the Obamacare was the real issue the people wanted to hear answers on the republican party and Trump failed them long ago.  The time for clarification was before the election.  But there is hope because the Affordable Care Act (the real name) is working despite the republican's "fake news" machine.  Just ask the 20 million people who are covered and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.

On another related note another one of Louisiana's reps in congress, Steve Scalise held a town hall meeting by phone on Friday.  He was aware of the problem other republicans like Cassidy faced and chickened out.  Scalise is also another example of poor representation in congress for the people of Louisiana and the State and has no accomplishments.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Saturday, February 25, 2017

It Has Become Evident That Democrats Do A Better Job At Governing.

Precedent, performance and the record of history since WWII tells us that is so.  And since 1980 to the present, it is especially true.  Opinions count and matter but facts decide and define history.  During that time period, true conservatism of the republican party has been taken over by the right wing, extremist, the tea party and the Trumpsters although Trump is not a conservative.  The democratic party has had its ups and downs but has remained a steady party of policy for the country and its people.

And now the new republican administration in Washington is a reminder just how bad the party acts at governing.  The President's party is a party without leadership, both in the White House and in the congress.  Trump's extreme actions are reversing the progress made under the Obama administration and is void of policy.  The party's position on the ACA and immigration reform are defined by ideology and therefore can not be addressed in the proper policy manner.  Past republican Presidents and congress that was controlled by republicans failed on the issues of health care and immigration and at this writing are farther from a solution than ever before.

President Clinton's administration had to lift the country out of the 12 years of economic mess by the Reagan-Bush administration and it was President Obama who had to lift the country out of the eight year mess of President George W. Bush.  Both Presidents did it with policy and a respect for America and its institutions.  All President Trump has to do is establish policy that would keep the progress going and offer policies that would improve the country's position where necessary.

But President Trump went negative and divisive and his administration is floundering with no real progress.  It is a far cry away from President Obama's steady hand when the country needed it the most.  Past Presidents have a record.  President Trump's record is a short one at this time and is unproductive.  Will it change for the better for the country and its people?  Only Trump and history can answer the question.  In the mean time not much confidence is even coming out of the administration.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Monday, February 20, 2017

The Conservative Spin Machine Still Out Of Touch With President Trump's Big Problem

After a 17 month Presidential campaign and a month of being President the conservative media are still looking to others to save the President and his administration.  They simply can not bring themselves to tell the President to grow up, take responsibility and right his own ship.  The public is being told that Trump's advisers and cabinet will have to do the job for the President.

Conservative opinion writer for the Times Picayune, Tim Morris in a commentary of 2/17/17 said the following:  "PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS TO TURN TO PEOPLE WHO CAN RIGHT THE SHIP AND RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN HIS OFFICE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION IMMEDIATELY, SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.  VICE PRESIDENT PENCE SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO START."  Really?  If the President can not restore confidence in his own office, no one else can.  V.P. Pence can not do it because he supports the President's every position.  Remember Michael Flynn, the President's appointed National Security Adviser who was chosen for his foreign policy experience that would help the President and is now a gone pecan.

Fox news, the conservative network still promotes Trump's alternate news with the President's lies and misinformation.  They have also tried to push some of the things members of Trump's cabinet said that were in disagreement with what the President said like as if cabinet members were going to make the final decisions.

The bottom line for the conservative media indicates they are still stuck on ideology and unable to just report the facts that President Trump is unfit to be President and that no cabinet member or appointee will turn the administration around.  President Truman was right when he said, "A PRESIDENT NEEDS POLITICAL UNDERSTANDING TO RUN GOVERNMENT, BUT HE MAY BE ELECTED WITHOUT IT."

And now America and the Presidency itself is paying the price of having done so.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio


Saturday, February 18, 2017

Despite Republican Criticism and Misinformation, Health Care Cost Rose Only Modestly In 2016.

In a report carried by the Huffington Post of 2/15/17  the Independent Office Of The Actuary At The Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services reported that the cost of health care (paid by business, individuals and government) for the year 2016 rose 4.8%, 1% lower than the previous year to $3.4 trillion.  And that health care cost will rise 5.8% a year from 2016 thru 2025.

The report also said:  (1)   These reports are also consistent with earlier findings and projections from the federal actuaries, but are subject to a great deal of uncertainty because President Donald Trump and the republican controlled congress plan to make major changes to the health care system that make accurately predicting the future next to impossible.  (2)  Despite the uptick in spending growth that began three years ago, national health care expenditures are on track to rise at a considerably slower rate than in previous decades.  (3)  Health care spending grew at an average of 4.4% a year from 2008 to 2014, lower than the 5.6% percent projected for the next 10 years, but much lower than the nearly 8% annual rate during the two decades before 2007.  (this writers note:  Obamacare was no where around during those two decades.)  (4) What ever the causes, national health care spending is actually lower than the federal actuaries projected in 2010, before the Affordable Care Act became law.  Between 2014 and 2019 the U.S. is projected to spend $2.6 trillion less on health care than the actuaries previously predicted, despite the added costs associated with the Affordable Care Act's coverage expansion.

This report is in line with the projections given by the Centers in 2016 that was the subject of this writers commentary at the time.  The latest report also contradicts the lies and misinformation given out by President Trump and the republicans in congress that the Affordable Care Act is bankrupting the U.S. with massive increases in health care cost.  In fact as the report shows health care cost increased almost 8% annually for the two decades prior to 2008 and the ACA was not even a thought.

Twenty million Americans have been insured by the ACA and the percentage of the uninsured is at a historic low.  The republican party has a track record about misinforming the people that they have a better plan when they do not.  In fact they are now talking about not replacing the ACA any more, they changed it to repairing the ACA because they can not come up with a plan.

Those 20 million newly insured will help bring health care cost down in the future because they will be able to practice preventive medicine and stay healthier.  The reports bottom line is that health care costs are rising at a moderate rate and is projected to do so for the next ten years.

But America beware, the Republican party is known for its huge increase in federal spending and its record of record deficit spending.  And President Trump has also made it known his intentions of an increase in federal spending.  So be prepared for more lies and misinformation coming out of the administration.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Friday, February 17, 2017

FAKE NEWS: It Comes In All Sizes, Shapes and Forms

And one form comes from President Trumps elimination of rules governing the oil and gas industry.  Trump's FAKE NEWS is this will unleash the industry to drill more, produce more and sell more, but it won't happen on his watch.  The increase in drilling and production happened on President Obama's watch and vaulted the United States as the top oil producer in the world.  And it happened while regulations were in effect.

But guess what?  The U.S. oil industry has been laying off people for the last two years because of an over supply on the market, economic forces and the production and use of other energy sources. In fact when the over supply came about the price of a barrel of oil had been selling in the $90 range for several years and dropped to the mid $40 range the last few years.   Recently the price of a barrel of oil has been going up and the OPEC producers have agreed to cut their production.

The industry had been making tons of money on those record high prices.  So much so that BP was able to pay billions of dollars to those harmed in their gulf of Mexico blow out.  That was a time of FAKE NEWS when many of Louisiana's representatives in congress opposed the President's moratorium and gave out FAKE NEWS as to how the industry would be damaged.  The Bush-Cheney administration was the author of FAKE NEWS concerning the run up to war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.

And now the present author again of FAKE NEWS  is President Trump and several members of his administration every time they get caught in their own lies and misinformation.  The news media now realizes how Trump and his people have used FAKE NEWS by the news media is a blind recognition of his own practice.  And he showed his worst side on Thursday's rambling press conference when he tried to pass the buck of FAKE NEWS and said he inherited a mess from the Obama administration.  He then went on a rant of blame everyone but himself for the trouble caused by his lack of political understanding and reckless behavior.  His press conference was a troubling episode for our country and confirmed what Hillary Clinton said all along, that Trump did not have the temperament to be President.  And to think our young children have to be exposed to a President that has stooped so low.

The regression on Trump's watch continues and there is no end in sight.  The American people deserve better.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio


Wednesday, February 15, 2017

President Donald Trump: Still Passing the Buck

Business man Trump during the Presidential campaign turned out to be a small person who had to attack almost everyone he spoke about.  Then when he became President elect nothing changed.  Then come inauguration day on January 20 and President Trump is still the small person who finds reasons to pass the buck instead of stopping it at his Presidential desk.

The latest excuse and buck passing concerns the resignation of his National Security Adviser Michael Flynn who had to resign over his phone calls with a Russian representative before Trump took office.  Trump blamed his resignation on the news media and tried to even involve Hillary Clinton in the subject matter.  Trump also acted dishonest in not acknowledging he was warned two weeks before the story broke about the conversation.  Vice President Pence had to get into the act and said Flynn misled him about the Russian contact after he tried to defend Flynn's actions earlier.

Buck passing and blame has been Trumps calling card in the 27 days he has been President and many of his advisers have had to change the story line because of the lies that continue out of this White House.  What is unfolding now with the Flynn thing is another piece of evidence that Russia has Trump over a barrel and is willing to compromise the nations national security with back channel contact with Russia during a period of time President Obama was putting sanctions on Russia for their involvement in the U.S. Presidential elections.

This story of Trumps approved Russian contacts should not end with Flynn's resignation.  It should be investigated properly so the full story can be learned and told.  No one is above the law, especially a President who lacks good judgement and qualification for the job.  Bringing up Hillary Clinton concerning Flynn's resignation shows how ignorant and irresponsible President Trump acts.  And do not be or act surprised if more of Trump's inner circle resigns.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Friday, February 10, 2017

The United States Presidency: A Place Of America's Ideals

There can be no Presidency without a President but they are not one and the same.  The President is human and mortal but the Presidency is a place of high ideals for the common good, the people and the country and even the world.  Its a place that changes hands during elections but where the occupier swears to the same oath our forebearers  did over 200 years ago.

But the Presidency and what it stands for is in danger because of the person who now sits in the office, President Trump.  The statesmanship, wisdom, knowledge and character necessary to carry out the traditions of the Presidency have given way to egotism, slander, personal attacks, lie after lie and a disrespect for the law and people.  The President now puts himself first above all else and enjoys demonizing people who disagree with him.  His first duty is not the country or its people but his own self interest.

The President's latest remarks against the judges who stayed his executive order banning some immigrants speak of a vindictive President who tries to damage those who dare disagree with him.  The Presidency itself is being damaged on Trump's watch across the board and his conflict of interest continues unabated, even though he knows what the constitution requires from a President to separate himself from his business interest, he has refused to do so.  And this week he is in a running battle with a company who dropped his daughters clothing line.  A President using his office to try and influence a business over their decision that affects a Trump family business.  The Presidency is a place that is above all that.

President Trump has been in office 21 days as of this writing and his policies so far have been regressive and a far cry from President Obama's policies that moved the country forward.  The Presidency itself is at risk and our young generation must be wondering what is this self serving President all about.  It is also very noticeable that the President's supporters who flooded facebook with praise no longer are commenting on that social media.

Donald Trump, the candidate showed no respect for the Presidency during the campaign and now Donald Trump, the President shows no respect for the Presidency, the office that he now holds.  Will the President ever learn that respect has to be earned?  Will his corrupt business practice continue to be the driving force behind his administrations every move?  Is the President capable of bringing respect to the Presidency?  The record is building every day and time will be the judge.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio


Friday, February 3, 2017

President Obama's Last Month In Office Ended On A High Economic Note As Job Creation Continues

The Labor Department announced today that the U.S. Economy created 227,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate was 4.8%.  It was 7.8% in January 2009 when President George W. Bush left office.  President Obama's job creation record ranks next to President Clinton's all time record and exceeds the job creation record of every past Republican President.

So how did the Trump administration react to the good January numbers?  Well, just like you would expect, the administration tried to take credit.  For an early Presidency and administration, dishonesty still rules in their attempt to fool the American people.  It followed them early in the week when the administration's Muslim ban was not a ban, but then again it was a ban.  The President himself could not even get it right and level with the people.

History will now be the judge of President Obama's administration and Trump should be happy he did not have to follow the administration of President Bush 43.  Trump's first two weeks of trying to undo the progress made under Obama leaves a large question mark about his ability to govern.  And today, the President issued another executive order to undo the Dodd-Frank legislation that established regulations for the wall street banks to prevent another banking collapse like the one of 2008.  As a reminder, the three worst Banking failures took place on the watch of President's Hoover, Reagan and Bush 43.  All Republicans.

Time will catch up to the people one day despite the dishonesty of the President and his administration.  Until then, the best hope for the country is for the democrats in congress to stand up and be counted to oppose the extreme policy ideology, dishonesty and out right lies of this administration.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio


Thursday, February 2, 2017

The Atlanta Falcons and The New Orleans Saints

Both teams are rivals in the same division of the National Conference.  Atlanta will be playing for the world championship this Sunday in the Super Bowl while the Saints will only be spectators with another missed playoff season.  Prior to hiring a new head coach two years ago, Atlanta was a on again, off again football team for a number of years and the Saints did well against them at the time.  Management at Atlanta made the right decision when they hired their new coach.

On the other hand, the Saints have been a floundering football team the last five seasons and have only one winning season in that time span.  All four losing seasons ended in a record of 7-9 and no improvement.  So what did Saint's management do after this years third straight losing season?  Well, they fired five assistant coaches and head coach Sean Payton will be around another year.  What a contrast to the actions taken by Atlanta.  Make no mistake, the Saints organization is in denial of what is taking place.

Three defensive co-ordinators in the last five seasons is hardly a compliment for the Saints ability to choose the right people.  And Payton's return as head coach means "bounty gate" will continue to be the albatross around the Saint's neck.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio