Good News For Louisiana On Health Care

The Louisiana Health Insurance Survey conducted by LSU every two years since 2003 found that in 2017, 11.4% of adults who were younger than 65 lacked health insurance.  That was down 11.3% from 2015  when 22.7%  lacked health insurance.  The  drop occurred because of Governor Edwards's decision to enact the Medicaid expansion available under the Affordable Care Act.  The Governor approved the expansion in his first week in office in 2016.

The expansion has added 474,000 to the insured rolls since 2016.  The report also stated that less than 3% of Louisiana's children are uninsured.  All according to the LSU report as published in the Times Picayune of 8/24/18.  The Jindal administration and the republican controlled state legislature could have taken this action several years sooner when they ran state government but refused because they were ditto heads following the lead of the republicans in the U.S. Congress who opposed the ACA.  To them, Louisiana and its people were not a priority.

Louisiana and its people are in a better position now health wise thanks to the wisdom of Gov. Edwards who understood the need.  Governing is not always easy or popular and the same can be said about decision making.  But facts always tell a story.  They can be addressed by decisions that solve the problem or addressed with ideology that prolong the problem or make it worse.

Governor Edwards has moved the conversation and decision making in a new direction from the failed past and progress has been made in several areas and especially in the state's budget process.  The people's support is necessary to keep moving forward for a better Louisiana and for all its people.  The Governor has held up his end so far like good democrats usually do.  That makes a difference.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Trump Continues His Traitorous Acts and Rhetoric To Deceive The American People and The Country

The conviction of Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager in a legal and lawful constituted jury trial and the 8 count guilty plea of Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney brought about an explosion of betrayal rhetoric and actions from President Trump in an interview with Fox News, Trump's ditto head network and in a series of tweets.

In a effort to divert attention from those two legal and lawful actions, Trump lashed out at Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Mueller's investigation and the constitutional process of the nation's criminal justice system because the system worked and because Cohen implicated Trump in a crime and coverup.  His rhetoric left no doubt he intends to fire Sessions and appoint a ditto head Attorney General that will shut down Mueller's investigation.  Trump's rhetoric and actions have betrayed the values of our democracy and the checks and balances that go with our form of government and the responsibility of the President as the chief law enforcement of the country.  He even went so far as to suggest that co-operation with the special counsel should not be allowed.

And as one would guess, besides being a traitor, coward Trump is willing to destroy our American values because his corruption is being exposed and it is becoming even clearer how he and his campaign colluded with Russia to defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election.  No other Presidential candidate has ever stooped that low.  It should also be disturbing to all that Trump's ditto head republicans in congress are now willing to support Trump's removal of Jeff Sessions.  In other words they support Trump's wish to shut the Mueller investigation down because the real facts are beginning to expose the real traitor and coward in the White House.

The republican cowards in congress would like to see Trump fire Sessions after the November congressional elections.  To them, everything is political, what is best for the country never enters their mind.  They practice a conservative ideology that is un-American and dangerous to democracy.  Their love to divide the country fits right in with Trump's betrayal.  PolitiDose was the first to comment that Trump and the republican party were one and the same and did so during the campaign, long before any one else made the connection.  The party's support for Trump's policies, actions and rhetoric confirm PolitiDose's opinion concerning Trump and his party.

The betrayal has to end and the November elections will still be the major key to reverse Trump and the republican party by electing a democratic controlled congress.  Mueller can not reverse all the political and moral damage Trump has thrusts on our nation and its institutions but its outcome, along with a democratic controlled congress can rebuild what has been lost and move our country and its people forward to achieve the American dream for America the Beautiful and for all of our people.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The End Of The Trump Presidency Is Now In Sight.

Like "Watergate" people close to President Trump are now willing to speak out about their involvement with the President and his campaign to obstruct justice and violate the law.  And now Michael Cohen, the former attorney for the President just pleaded guilty to 8 counts and told the judge of Trump's involvement in paying hush money to keep two women silent before the 2016 Presidential election.  Cohen's lawyer, Lanny Davis said Cohen has no qualms about speaking to special counsel Mueller and has other information to disclose concerning Trump.

How soon will the end of the Trump Presidency take place?  That depends on the republican cowards in congress who are silent.  they are trying to figure out if it would be better for them to actually address the issue before or after the November elections.  They will do what is necessary to save their own jobs.  They are truly cowards who put themselves and their party first.  The other problem facing them concerning the investigation is waiting for the next shoe to drop that may force their hand to act before they want too.  There are 16 republican U.S. Senators now serving in congress who voted to impeach President Clinton who are now quiet as a mouse on Trump even though the allegations against Trump are far more serious than they were against Clinton.

Cohen's guilty plea was explosive and confirm Trump's lies to the people and his willingness to do anything to help rig the election.  Donald Trump was the crooked candidate in the Presidential race of 2016 and then became the crooked President with all his lies, personal attacks and cover ups.  The investigation is picking up steam and Mueller quietly continues to do his job.  And it will be the President's close friends who decide to co-operate with the Mueller investigation and their testimony that will bring an end to the Trump Presidency.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Revocation Of National Security Clearance By President Trump

The trumpet man's recent act of revoking the national security clearance of former CIA director John Brenan should send the message to the people of the United States this latest decision confirms the autocratic mission of Donald Trump and his failure to accept the principals of democratic governing.  His threat to revoke the national security clearance of others just because, like Brenan they speak out against Trump's policies and personal attacks, clearly demonstrates Trump's authoritarian attempt to rule.

It reveals why Trump is so in bed with Putin and why he allowed his campaign to collude with Russia for their help during the 2016 Presidential election.  Autocratic behavior during the campaign when he asked Russia to hack into an American's email was a dramatic example.  And PolitiDose was the first to condemn that traitorous act soon after Trump made that request of Russia.

And after the jury received their charges in the Paul Manafort trial, Trump was at it again obstructing the law by calling the trial "fake" and saying Manafort was being used.  Autocrats do not like jury trials that produce facts and cuts through the fake news being spread by Trump for the sake of trying to discredit the investigation.   In the mean time, special prosecutor Mueller goes about his responsibility quietly will dignity and will not allow himself to stoop to the bottom of the pit where Trump dwells.

John Brenan, having served his country well said he would not be silenced by Trump's actions and would continue to speak out.  Other members of the intelligence community who have spoken out said they would continue to do so also.  The sickness in the White House will not put a damper on the American spirit or America the beautiful and those who have served their country well and with honor.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First For PolitiDose: Wealth Is Still Being Transferred From The Middle Class To The Wealthy

This is a continuing story about wage disparity reported in PolitiDose over seven years ago how wealth is being transferred from the middle class to the wealthy and continues unabated today.  Now comes a report from the Economic Policy Institute as reported by the Huffington Post that the average chief executive in the 350 largest American companies made 17.6% more last year than in 2016.  It represents a large increase for those already making millions of dollars a year.

Other findings by the Institute were as follows:  (1)  The average CEO pay at a large company in 2017 was $18.9 million.   (2)  That was 312 times the average workers pay in 2017 which increased only a dismal 0.3%.   (3)  CEO's are getting more because of their power to set pay, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE OR HAVE SPECIAL TALENTS OR MORE EDUCATION.  (4)   Trump's tax cuts were responsible for a $437 billion buy back of company stocks.

The proof is there for everyone to see who are willing to learn.  The Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump tax cuts, did not expand or increase middle class income and in fact the income gap between those at the top and the middle class continues to widen and the transfer of wealth continues to take place.  Productivity has increased over 70% in the last 30 years but the average worker, those responsible for the increase have not shared in the benefits of that increase in production.  But the CEO's and their executives have seen big time increases in salary and bonus.

Democratic U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren said she will introduce legislation so that the average worker would have a better seat at the economic table of Corporate America and their CEO's and reap the benefits they are do.  Hopefully, the democrats will take over control of congress in the November elections so the average worker will be represented fairly in income matters and change the massive ratio that now favors the top CEO's and executives over the middle class.  The republican con game with the help of corporate America and the wealthy has to come to an end.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Coward In The White House and A Republican Party In Congress That Lacks Courage.

That combination has led America on a 18 month spree of scandal after scandal, little accomplishments, a malignant President unfit mentally for office and a congress controlled by the republican party willing to enable any thing President Trump does or says.  And just this week the President displayed his cowardly side once again by calling a female who he hired to work in the White House a "low life and a dog."  She was fired by President Trump's chief of staff recently and is now making public some of the things she witnessed at the White House.

Trump's cowardly tweets about Ms. Omarosa  fits his pattern of being disrespectful to women and his pattern of a lack of respect for anyone who tells the truth.  Leaders of the republican party in congress are silent concerning the President's un-Presidential behavior and as such are ditto heads who fail to live up to their responsibility of protecting the constitution and the Presidency itself from such behavior.  Ms. Omarosa said she will not be intimidated and will continue to speak out.  The mentally unstable President also lashed out against Ohio's republican governor John Kasich accusing him of trying to derail a republican candidate running for a house seat in a special election in Ohio whom Trump supported.

Trump is a sick man and is a threat to the interest of the United States at home and abroad with his personal attacks and lack of respect for his office, the country and the people.  And it is getting worse every day.  Democracy has been high jacked and the republican party is allowing it to take place on their watch.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Tim Morris: Conservative Opinion Writer For The Times Picayune: Out Of Step With Reality.

In a Times Picayune opinion column dated 8/12 titled, "Democrats Used To Be For The Middle Class, Not Anymore,," comes from the same writer who early on had to tell his readers that he was a conservative right off the bat.  It is the conservative way of trying to wrap themselves in the mantle of the elite.  With this commentary for PolitiDose in response to Mr. Morris opinion column comes from an American.

Morris commentary about democrats and the middle class is typical of what Trump and other republicans are trying to do to plant a fake seed because they see the democratic party has a chance to take control of the U.S. House in the November elections.  They also dare not talk about the republican party in congress because they have no accomplishments to talk about.  Morris is one of the many ditto heads who continue to inject Hillary Clinton into their commentary even though she has not held an elected office in almost 10 years.

Make no mistake, the middle class is still with the democrats for good reason.  That is why Hillary won the popular vote in the 2016 Presidential election by a wide margin with 48% of the vote and why Morris thinks the democratic party has a chance to win the House in November.  Then in two paragraphs, Morris makes a fool of himself with his lack of knowledge on the issue.

Morris makes note in one paragraph where democrats controlled the White House 16 of the previous 24 years prior to the 2016 election and controlled both houses of congress for 4 years during that time.  Why go back just 24 years, why not 36 years and include the 12 years of Reagan-Bush 41.  That would make republicans in control of the White House for 20 of the previous 36 years.  And why mention that the democrats controlled congress for 4 years but be silent that the republican party controlled both houses of congress for 4 straight years under the George W. Bush administration.  Those questions will be answered below but first lets look at Morris second paragraph.

Morris says during those 16 years of democratic control, they failed to stop the decline in working class wages or provide much hope for economic security in the future.  Then he says President's Clinton and Obama pushed for free trade agreements that cost millions of blue collar workers their jobs.  This paragraph is full of holes and the middle class actually did better on the democratic watch in that 16 year period.

Its obvious why Morris did not include the 12 years of Reagan-Bush 41.  President Clinton's administration created more jobs in his 8 years in office than Reagan-Bush created in their 12 years in office and the middle class make up the majority of the job market.  In fact you could throw in Bush 43 jobs created and Clinton would exceed all three in the 20 years Reagan-Bush 41 and Bush 43 served.  And NAFTA was not even in effect during the Reagan-Bush 41 years.  President Clinton cut deficit spending every year his first 4 years in office and then balanced the budget his last four years in office.  Reagan-Bush 41 and Bush 43 never balanced one federal budget in the 20 years they served and in fact all three left office with a larger deficit than when they took office.

As for as the second paragraph, middle class income increased on average 1.6% annually under the Clinton administration, the fastest growth rate since the 1960's.  Middle class wages did not decline on President Clinton's watch.  President Obama inherited Bush's great economic recession and the loss of 700,000 jobs per month.  But still managed to create approximately 13,000,000 jobs, where as Bush created approximately 1.5 million jobs.  Job creation under Obama put the middle class back to work.   Middle class workers wages did increase when Obama left office.

Morris claims that free trade agreements during the Clinton and Obama years cost millions of blue collar workers their jobs is fake news.  Clinton and Obama created more new jobs in their 16 years than the previous five republican President even though NAFTA was not even in effect during some of those republicans terms in office.  Obama and Bush 43 did have to contend with NAFTA but Obama still beat Bush like a drum on job creation for the middle class.  When it comes to jobs and wage advances for the middle class, democratic administrations have the best record

Contrary to the Polls Morris mentioned in his article, voters attitudes swing from one election to another but it does not change the fact what party represents the middle class the best.  Its like the Clinton haters who still believe she instructed the military to stand down during the Benghazi terror attack that was proved false in the three congressional hearings chaired by the republican party.  And when you throw in the fake Russian ads in the social media people get caught up in the nonsense.

The bottom line is Morris and his ditto head conservatives will keep up the fake news drum beat but it does not change the facts of the democratic party's commitment to the middle class.  And it won't change their conversation of talking and writing more about democrats when the republicans are running the country all because they have nothing positive to report about republican accomplishments.

Note;  18 months in office and the Trump administration has created less jobs than the Obama administration did during its last 18 months in office.  So middle class workers did better under Obama than they have done under Trump so far.  (see previous commentary on the subject)


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

A U.S. Court Slaps Down Trump's EPA's Regressive Decision

The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the 9th District in a decision this week ordered the EPA to ban a widely used pesticide that's been linked to learning disabilities in children land that former EPA chief Scott Pruitt refused to take off the market.  The EPA under the Obama administration proposed a ban on the pesticide. (chlorpyrifos)

But the court noted that in March 2017, one of Pruitt's first acts was to reverse the plan to ban the chemical and that EPA offered little explanation for its actions.  The court also noted that the EPA offered no defense of its decision to reverse the ban of the chemical.  In a statement Thursday, Earthjustice attorney Marisa Ordonia applauded the decision for ending EPA's shameful actions that have exposed children and farm workers to this poison for decades.

The court also said the EPA's decision violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which law governs pesticides and requires the EPA to ban chemicals from being used on food if they are proven to cause harm.  The chemical is produced by Dow Chemical Company and used on more than 50 different crops on thousands of American farms.  It was banned in 2000 for in-home use.

Scott Pruitt is no longer EPA director and resigned in disgrace recently.  But Pruitt are the kind of people Trump appoints to high positions in his administration.  Un-qualified people who are just there to carry out Trumps orders to reverse all the good that has been accomplished in regulating and safe guarding the environment.  And thank the good Lord for the regulations put into effect before Trump came to office that allowed the court in this case to make a sound judgement and decision.  Trump's regressive actions for the past 18 months are un-American and of his own doing.  This issue and the actions by the court clearly confirms republicans use ideology instead of facts to make their decisions and arrive at conclusions even though scientific findings told a different story.

The best answer is still the impeachment of this malignant President who has no respect for any one or anything American.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First for PoitiDose

If the readers of PolitiDose tuned in to MSNBC's nightly show "The Last Word" with host Lawrence O'Donnell on Thursday August 9 and O'Donnell's opening remarks sounded familiar, its because you read it here first in PolitiDose in a commentary dated August 7, titled, "Watergate andTrumpgate:  The Republican Party Then and Now."

O'Donnell pointed out how the republicans in congress played a different role in the matter of Watergate, the special prosecutor and President Nixon and put the constitution first and their responsibility as elected officials to execute their responsibilities.  He than compared the republicans attitude in the congress today land their unwillingness to carry out their responsibility concerning the special prosecutor's Trump campaign and Russia investigation.

O'Donnell used the leaked audio of republican representative Nunes who spoke at a private fund raising event and told the audience the republicans had to protect Trump against the Mueller investigation and that if the democrats won control of the U.S. House in November they would impeach Trump and the republicans would loose control of the situation.

The two guests who appeared on the show basically also confirmed what was written in the PolitiDose commentary  It was a remarkable opening segment by O'Donnell and his two guests just how close the commentaries were between the two. ( PolitiDose and the O'Donnell show)  O'Donnell's show touched just about everything said in PolitiDose and went farther back than Watergate in his comparison to support  his remarks and did a great job in doing so.


PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary will continue to bring to its readers up to date remarks that really matter and make a difference.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Watergate and Trumpgate: The Republican Party Then and Now

The republicans who served in congress during Watergate stood up to the plate, put their character and integrity on the line, understood their responsibility and served the country and its people well when they informed President Nixon he would face impeachment for his actions concerning Watergate or he could resign his Presidency.

What a difference we see in the republican party today who serve in congress when America has a President up to his ears in scandal for the past 18 months concerning Trumps many problems with Russia, the special counsel's investigation, the daily lies of Trump and his relentless attacks against America's institutions and America's allies.

During the congressional hearings on Watergate, unlike today, the democrats controlled both houses of congress and ran and chaired the hearings with dignity.  And unlike today, during the Watergate hearings republicans asked questions that were timely, hit the heart of the matter and did not try to pass the buck or place blame on others for President Nixon's actions.

Fast forward to today's republican controlled congress who run and chair the hearings concerning Trump and he and his campaign's involvement with Russia, Trump's daily lies and autocratic rule and his many un-American actions.  So far the republicans action has been to blame others, especially the FBI and the intelligence community picking up on Trump's fake news.  They even went so far as to accuse the former FBI director Comey and threatened to impeach the assistant Attorney General.  Instead of seeking the truth they have enabled Trump and made excuses for him.  The hearings have turned into a circus.

The republican party today are ditto heads for Trump and give him excuses for his traitorous acts.  A few republicans have stood up against Trump but still refuse to recognize and see in Trump what the Watergate republicans saw in Nixon.  The ideology of the republican party is way out of mainstream America, anti government, divisive, spoke person for Corporate America and the wealthy and profess a conservatism that is un-American and autocratic.  Their failure at governing says it all.

This writer believes the best course of action for the country and its people would be to elect enough democrats in November so they can control both houses of congress and to impeach President Trump. The  malignancy that has infected the White House and this administration has been complete.  The November elections can reverse all that.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

As The Mueller Investigation Closes In, Trump Has To Admit His Lies In His Traitorous Dealings With Russia

Donald Trump, the President of the United States continues to wallow in his own lies.  This time concerning the traitorous meeting of his son Trump Jr., his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort with Russian officials in 2016 for the stated purpose to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russians at the meeting.

After the meeting leaked, Trump Jr. and the President both lied and said the meeting was about adoption.  The President now says the meeting was to receive dirt on Clinton.  Trump Jr. said he wrote a statement to his father about the meeting.  Later it leaked that President Trump himself wrote the statement which he denied.  Now Trump says he lied and indeed wrote the statement for his son.  All along Trump said there was no collusion and now says the meeting was legal and obtaining dirt on an opponent is normal.

Donald Trump lied and said he did not know about the meeting before it took place but a witness said he did.  The President's own back up lies also says he knew about the meeting before it took place.  Why all the lies if Trump really thinks the meeting was legal?  The fact of the matter it was collusion with a foreign government to help him win the Presidency.  No other Presidential candidate has ever thought of or colluded with a foreign government for political help to win an election.  The meeting was traitorous and even the President's good friend and adviser, Steve Bannon said so.

Eighteen months of lies from the President and the lying is more frequent as we learn more about Trump and his campaigns involvement with Russia and Trumps desire to work with them and discredit Mueller's investigation.  Crooked Trump thought the Russians had dirt on Hillary but they had none.  He even went so far during the campaign telling his supporters a few days before the Russian meeting that he would soon announce damaging information on Hillary.  But there was no damaging information for him to announce.

Donald Trump is a sick President who is mentally and morally incapable of leading America the Beautiful.  And make no mistake, it is of his own choosing.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Job Creation For July Was Down From The Previous Month's Job Numbers

The U.S. Labor Department reported the U.S. economy created 157.000 new jobs in July, down from the previous month and the unemployment rate came in at 3.9%  It was the 94th straight month of positive job growth for the economy.  Wages continued its slow growth rate and was lower than the rate of inflation.  Economist were looking for a job growth of 195,000 for July.

In Trump's first 18 months in office thru July 3,297,000 new jobs have been created for a monthly average of 183,166 per month.  In President Obama's last 18 months in office 3,569,000 new jobs were created for an average monthly total of 198,277  new jobs per month.  So the explosion of new jobs that was supposed to take pace because of Trump's tax cuts, never took place and job creation under President Obama has so far out paced job creation under the Trump administration.

On another related note Trump's treasury department announced they will have to borrow $769 billion for the second half of 2018 because of revenue shortfall and increased expenses.  It will be the highest borrowing number since the great republican recession of 2008.  Trump's so called booming economy and tax cuts predictions continue the GOP fairy tale ideology of voodoo economics.  And Trump and the GOP will make matters worse if they pass their plan to cut the tax rate on investments as Trump announced earlier in the week.  This is a President and a party who love corporate America and the wealthy.

NOTE:  The U.S. Labor Department also reported that job creation for May and June were amended to add an additional 54,000 jobs.  The 54,000 jobs added were not added to the above numbers for Trump as no additions were added to Obama's totals.  The additions when added to both would not change the outcome of Obama's lead in job creation during that period of time.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Trump and his party PUNT once again on the Federl Flood Insurance Program

Tuesday the U.S. Senate once again passed a short term extension to the federal flood insurance program.  The program will now be able to borrow money to operate until November 30.  A long term solution to the program has once again escaped Trump and his party and as a result it has become one extension after another.  Louisiana, a state that depends on the program because of its flood problems get no help from Louisiana's elected officials who serve in congress and can not agree on a long term plan or solution.

The trumpet man and the GOP can pass a tax cut that benefits the wealthy and corporate America and add $1.8 trillion to the national debt but lack the governing ability to move legislation that is worthy for the people in need of flood insurance.  Its a pattern of non governing by a party whose ideology is unAmerican and incapable of good judgement.  And to top it off, their leader in the White House lies about every thing and supports Russia and his own interest.

So like health care and immigration, the can continues to be kicked down the road on the flood insurance program.  And the can was smashed by Trump himself of making Mexico pay for a wall and once again has threatened to shut down the federal government if congress does not agree to pay for his wall and bail the  trumpet man out of another big lie.  Trump thinks he can shut the federal government down and blame the democratic party.  That is how his corrupted mind works and operates.  When November 30 rolls around, the federal flood insurance program will tell a story.  Will it be a long term story and solution or more of the same extensions and lack of governing.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Some Journlists Continue To Push The GOP's False Claims and Fail To Fuly Inform The People On The Issues

Associated Press journalist Kevin Freking in a Times Picayune article dated 7/29 titled, "Trump turns GOP orthodoxy on its head" is a commentary out of touch with the facts.  His opening statement that "Trump's trade policies on tariffs and the $12 billion in farm aid are turning long established republican orthodoxy on its head" should be taken with a grain of salt.

The GOP controls both houses of congress and could put a halt to President Trump's policies if they wanted to but they are Trump's ditto heads.  Therefore it is the GOP's own lack of policy that has come into play and not orthodoxy.  And as far as a give away to farmers, there is nothing new there.  This writer had to laugh when the article quoted Louisiana's senator John Kennedy as saying, "I didn't come up here to start new government programs."  But do not think for one moment Senator Kennedy will introduce any legislation to kill the farm aid bill.  He already voted for Trump's tax scheme that will add $1.8 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.  One could also say that tax scheme was aid for corporate America and the wealthy.

Another statement Freking made in the article reads, "republicans have altered the priority of tackling the national debt, an issue the GOP hammered President Obama on."  The GOP actually altered the deficit spending and national debt problem in 1960.  That was the last time a republican President balanced the federal budget.  And if President's Reagan and Bush 43 would have balanced the federal budget as President Clinton did the national debt would not be a problem today.  The national debt increased 178% in Reagan's 8 fiscal years and 105% in Bush 43 eight fiscal years.  No democratic administration even comes close to that staggering figure.  This writer wonders if Freking wrote commentary and pointed those numbers out when the GOP attacked President Obama over the national debt.  The record shows the GOP did not just recently alter their priority on the national debt, they did that long ago.  Its just that journalists just kept printing the GOP's rhetoric on the matter.

The bottom line is so called republican conservative orthodoxy has not existed for over 40 years  The problem lands with journalists who fail to point out the facts and just run with the GOP rhetoric.  And when they do,  they themselves become GOP ditto heads.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Tax Cut Scheme By The Trump Administration

The Trump-GOP tax scheme that was enacted in 2017 and favored Corporate America and the wealthy was not enough for the high rollers so we now learn that the Trump administration will propose a cut in the capital gains tax rate.  And the same top 1% will be on the receiving end of this tax scheme.  An analysis by the Wharton School reported the proposed cut would reduce federal revenue for the federal government more than $100 billion over the next decade.

Trump and supporters of the tax cut scheme say the move would boost the economy and allow for new investments, the same worn out failed excuses of the past.  Trump and the GOP continue to support tax reductions that transfer wealth from the middle class to the wealthy.  And the World Inequality Database shows that is what has been going on since 1980.

Trump and the GOP will likely move to pass their legislation before the November elections to shore up their base and win votes.  They know it will never pass after the elections if the democratic party win control of at least one house of congress.

The democrats understand and know a tax scheme when they see one.   They also know Trump and the GOP knew they would do this when they passed the 2017 tax scheme and like cowards would come out later concerning the capital gains tax.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Donald Trump Held His Hand On The Bible, Swore An Oath and Then Started His Administration Of Lies

The Presidential oat of office is a very short statement on inauguration day that the President swears to while placing his hand on the bible repeating the words of a Supreme Court Justice that performs the swearing in ceremony.  The complete oath is as follows:  I DO SOLEMNY SWEAR (or affirm) THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

The President is also Chief of State, Chief of Government, Commander in Chief and the person above all with the responsibility to preserve, protect and defend the constitution.  President Trump lied when he placed his hand on the bible and swore the Presidential oath.  Instead of preserving, protecting and defending the constitution he has done the opposite at every turn.  He has attacked our constitutional laws with his personal attacks against those carrying out their responsibility to enforce the laws, criticized our institutions so vital to constitutional government.  He has degraded the U.S. Justice Department, the FBI, the intelligence community and violated all norms of democratic governing.  His constant attacks against Robert Mueller's investigation and accusing him of a witch hunt solely to undermine a lawful investigation that becomes ever so close to the President's doorstep is done to discredit the nations constitutional process.

And just today Trump tweeted that Attorney General Jeff Sessions should end Mueller's investigation.  That is not defending or protecting the constitution Trump swore to uphold and his total assault on the constitution constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors in this writers judgement and Trump should be impeached.  The corruption persona of President Trump can no longer be tolerated nor his lack of respect for the United States, its people and the constitution.

Trump and his GOP ditto heads have to be defeated in the November election and the sad Trump chapter can not come to an end soon enough.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio