Federal Judges Strike Down President Trump's Executive Orders Again

A federal judge in Washington state blocked President Trump's executive order that cut off U.S. subsides for poor women obtaining birth control planning from Planned Parenthood and other clinics that offer abortion or other services and information to patience.  Trump's action was a continuation of his party and administration to damage Planned Parenthood and to chip away at a woman's right to choose and every thing associated with abortion and other services.

In another case federal judge Sharon Bleason, U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, struck down Trump's executive order that lifted an Obama era ban on oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Circle.  The judge ruled that Trump's order was unlawful and that the ban would remain in effect and full force unless and until revoked by congress and that the President's executive order exceeded the President's authority.  After the judge's decision, Trump announced he was reversing his previous announced plan to expand offshore oil and gas drilling indefinitely.

The federal courts have been a thorn in Trump's plans and executive orders that have been held unlawful and in many cases the judges have ruled that the Trump administration has offered no legal argument to support his cases.  It backs up what people who follow politics know.  That is the trumpet man is an autocrat who believes he can do whatever he wants to do with out being held accountable.

But the rhetoric and personal attacks continue by the trumpet man and are actually louder because he is also in the campaign mode now.  And all the while he and the republican party have nothing to show legislative wise to address the problems facing the country.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

In 1974, Republican Leadership In The U.S. Congress Lived Up To Their Responsibilities

Four and a half decades ago republicans found themselves in the position of having to confront Richard Nixon, a republican President whose administration was reeling from the fallout of Watergate and the President's attorney who testified there was a cancer in the White House and other revelations that tied the President to an obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of congress, an impeachable offense.  The republican leadership knew the President would be impeached and told him so if he did not resign the Presidency.  The President did resign rather than face the impeachment process.

Those republican leaders of so long ago served the country well at a time of great turmoil, understood the seriousness of the matter and their responsibility as elected officials to the rule of law and the constitution.  Partisan politics was not an option or factor in their decision.  What mattered was the fact that the President of the United States is not above the law and congress has the responsibility of oversight to protect America's institutions.

Fast forward to the present and the republican leadership in congress.  President Trump has tried on a regular basis to discredit the special prosecutors investigation into his 2016 campaign actions with the Russians.  And now that the Mueller report has been released which documents Trump's campaign meeting with Russia and their attempt to interfere with the election in favor of Trump.  The report also outlined at least 10 possible times of obstruction by Trump and the republican leaders in congress are preaching total exoneration for Trump.

When one compares the present republican non action to the leadership of the party over 40 years ago, it should make all republicans sick.  The present day republican leadership and party have no character and have failed to face up to and act on President Trump's traitorous acts land obstructions.  The party has turned their backs on what the White House represents and the basic values of America and its institutions.  The case can be make that the leadership of the republican party made a decision to support Trump's corruptive actions and the party fell in line.

And yes, Trump's malignancy continues to spread every day and journalist Carl Bernstein was correct long ago when he said Trump gate is worse and more serious than Watergate.

Miracles Still Happen: This Time With A Conservative Trump Ditto Head Journalist

Marc Thiessen, opinion writer with the Washington Post in a Times Picayune column dated 4/14 agreed with the democratic position concerning immigration and broke with Trump's rhetoric about our country being FULL.  Thiessen wrote:  SORRY, OUR COUNTRY IS NOT FULL.  NOT BY A LONG SHOT.  THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.  WE NEED MORE IMMIGRANTS, LOTS OF THEM.  IN FACT NO ONE NEEDS IMMIGRANTS MORE THAN TRUMP.  But Thiessen could not bring himself to the point of reminding the President that he and his party had no plan on immigration the past two years and still do not.  Thiessen's column went on to say the following:  (1)  An overall reduction in immigration would be disastrous for the country.  (2)  We need immigrants to stop population decline.  (3)  We need immigrants to work and pay taxes that fund social security and medicare for our aging population.  (4)  And we need immigrants to provide human capital for continued economic growth and prosperity.

And if all that sounds familiar its because it represents the democratic position on immigration as articulated by democratic candidates and those serving in congress for the past few decades.  Thiessen failed to point out that the democratic controlled U.S. Senate in 2013 passed immigration reform legislation 68 - 32 with 14 republicans joining all 54 democrats.  It was a good bill with money for border control.  The republican controlled U.S. House let the bill die without even a hearing and or debate thanks to their speaker of the House, John Boehner.

Lets tell it like it is.  Illegal immigration is at its highest level since 2007 because Trump and his party have no immigration plan or policy and are really not interested in immigration reform because immigrants usually vote democratic.  The republican party has already acknowledged that just as former republican speaker of the U.S. House, John Boehner acknowledged that the republican party had no interest in health care and therefore never had a realistic plan or policy on the issue.  The talk about illegal immigration being out of control is all taking place on Trump and his party's watch despite his phony rhetoric.  What a shame and shame on the trumpet man and his party.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Attorney General Barr Released The Special Counsel's Report: But Hold On Folks, It Ain't Over Till Its Over

A redacted version was released today of Robert Mueller's report and almost a month after the report was completed the American people still have not seen or red the full report and its back up materials.  The Attorney General held a news conference about the report and sounded like he represented the President instead of the government and the people.

Despite the Attorney General and Trump's statement that the President was exonerated and that the Game Was Over, nothing could be farther from the truth.  The report says without a doubt the President was not exonerated on the obstruction of justice issue.  That is all the U.S. House needs to know to continue their own investigation of the obstruction issue and now have a little more information to work on thanks to the Mueller report.  Coupled with the House's information gathered from their witnesses, the investigation is still very much alive.

The report also detailed: (1)  How the President's children and son in law met with the Russians in order to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton for the expressed purpose to help Trump's campaign.  (2)  How the President wrote Trump Jr's email and lied about what the meeting was all about.  What is so important about that is the fact that no past Presidential candidate, republican or democratic has ever sought the helpof a foreign government to seek dirt on an opponent.  That action describes just how low crooked Trump can stoop.

One way or anothr, Mueller's full report without the redactions will be released and the U.S.House will end up writing the final report on the trumpet man's malignancy.  Until then, It ain't over till its over.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Part II: IMMIGRATION: The Albatross Around Trump and The Republican Party's Neck

Lately, we have seen some national news folks finally informing their readers how Trump and his party's lack of an immigration plan and policy are fueling what has been taken place with illegal immigration and border security that Trump is trying to shift blame to the democrats.  But the readers of PolitiDose have known full well that failure of Trump and his party to address the process the past two years.  It has all been explained in PolitiDose commentary long ago.

The latest with Trump's mentally unbalanced rhetoric is to release illegal immigrants to the so called sanctuary cities so democrats would be blamed.  It is Trumps way to try and damage democrats during the next congressional election cycle.  The trumpet man is still chapped because the courts have upheld the legality of those cities.  Trump also added to that a suggestion that families be separated once again at the border.  An issue he has already flipped flopped on and where a court has ordered the President to reunite the separated families.  Then CNN reports that Trump said he would pardon the top border official if he were to get arrested for breaking federal law by denying asylum seekers entry into the U.S.  That would be an impeachable offense.  Trump's immigration rhetoric shifts from one position to another because of his mental condition.

The state of the nations immigration problem has taken a turn for the worst on Trump and the republicans watch and they are left with only their so called tough rhetoric and two years of lost empty promises.  And this is the President who told the world during the 2016 Presidential campaign that HE was the only candidate who could solve the immigration problem.  The President even lacks the mental capacity to hire people for his cabinet that know what they are doing.  A ton of his appointments have come and gone and he is now replacing many in the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, the very departments that play a major role in immigration.  What a tragic situation for a President's so called priority.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Conservative Opinion Writer's Nose Out Of Joint Because A Democratic Governor Brings Back a Balanced Budget to Louisiana

Times Picayune columnist Tim Morris is unhappy that Louisiana's democratic governor John B. Edwards spoke before the republican controlled state legislators on opening day and said, THE BUDGET CRISIS THAT FOR YEARS HELD LOUISIANA HOSTAGE IS OVER.  WHAT WAS ONCE A $2 BILLION BUDGET DEFICIT IS NOW A SURPLUS THAT WILL LAY A FOUNDATION FOR US TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE STATE FORWARD.  Morris tried to make the governor's statement a partisan issue, but any one who follows Louisiana politics understands the facts of the subject matter.

The so called conservative opinion writer also used a self serving statement that President George W. Bush used when he took office.  Morris proclaimed, "one person's surplus is another's over taxation."  President Bush used the same theme, then cut taxes and ran up eight straight years of federal budget deficits which wiped out President Clinton's 4 years of budget surpluses.  Republican governor Bobby Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature did the same thing.  They inherited a $800 million surplus when democratic governor Blanco left office and never balanced one state budget during Jindal's 8 years in office.  (see previous commentary on the matter published in PolitiDose)

Morris is angry because a democratic governor was the one responsible for having the leadership ability to recognize Louisiana's fiscal problems and then act on them despite the criticism from so called republican conservatives.  In fact, those Louisiana republicans who serve in the state legislature and those republicans who serve in congress have no fiscal record of being conservative.  No republican President has balanced the federal budget since President Eisenhower in 1960.  That is over 50 years ago.  All conservatives have concerning fiscal matters is their rhetoric, but no facts.  The state of Louisiana, its fiscal house and the people are better off today than they were under the previous administration.


And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Trumpet Man's Rhetoric on Health Care Flip-Flops Once Again

President Trump knows how to trash his own lies concerning health care.  He has ordered his Justice Department to go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court and seek an order to abolish the ACA.  And at the same time he tells the people his administration is working on a health care plan to be introduced this year.  Then the sky falls down when republican senator Mitch McConnell says the party has no appetite to fool around with health care with congressional elections coming up next year.

So the President flops again and now says the GOP's health care plan will not be introduced until after the 2020 Presidential and congressional elections.  Mean while the democratic controlled U.S. House is working on a plan that would make the ACA better with changes that are necessary and make the plan more affordable and less costly.  And the House will vote on those changes and plan in the near future.  That is the best solution to the health care issue instead of starting all over.

Republican Attorneys General from Ohio and Montana will join other states and groups that will ask the Supreme Court to dismiss Trump's demand that the ACA be abolished.  The American voters should remember and refresh their memories just how bad the republicans attitude toward health care is nothing but a scam and scheme supported by their own lies.  They should also remember what former republican speaker of the House John Boehner said, THAT THE GOP HAS NEVER SUPPORTED HEALTH CARE.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. House Passes The Violence Against Women Act

The democratic controlled U.S. House passed and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by a vote of 263 - 158 with 157 republicans voting against the bill including Louisiana's little boy representative Steve Scalise.  The democrats added an additional gun safety provision that was not included in the original bill that was passed in 1994.  The bill now goes to the republican controlled U.S. Senate for their action and the public will soon find out where the republicans in the Senate stand on the issue.

It should be noted that the NRA urged the republicans in congress to vote against the bill because of the additional gun safety provision.  And it was also reported that the NRA contributed $699,000.00 to the republican party during the 2018 congressional cycle while contributing only $19,000.00 to the democratic party.  The NRA also warned republicans that a vote for the bill would be reflected in their NRA ratings.  This is nothing new but once again a reminder how the NRA has influence over the republican party and their vote.

The original VAWA law of 1994 provided that people convicted of domestic violence against spouses or family members would lose their gun rights.  The new bill would add people convicted of abusing their dating partners, closing the so called boyfriend loop hole and also prohibit people convicted of misdemeanors stalking offenses from buying or owning a firearm.

Louisiana's Scalise and other republicans in the House are so out of step on issues concerning women, they allow the NRA to control their votes.  The gun lobby will now turn their attention to the republicans in the U.S. Senate to defeat the House passed bill and Louisiana will find out how Louisiana's two republican senators, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy will vote on the matter, if they vote at all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy Created 196,000 Jobs in March

The U.S. Labor Department reported the U.S. economy created 196,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.8%.  It was the 102nd straight month of positive job growth.  The report also announced that February's job numbers were revised from 20,000 jobs to 33,000.  In the first three months of 2019 533,000 jobs have been created compared to the 613,000 jobs that were created in the first three months of 2018.  So job growth at this point has fallen from last year despite the Trump-GOP tax cuts.

The March jobs report gave some economist hope after February's low job numbers and are pleased with the stock markets reaction but this writer does not believe the stock markets reaction is relative to the matter.  American jobs are not moving back to America from over seas as predicted by those who support trickle down economics nor has capital investment in new plant and equipment surged as predicted.

The U.S. economy at certain times needs to be stimulated to keep growing and the democratic controlled U.S. House will probably be the ones to set the agenda with the infrastructure bill they are working on and that they will present and vote on.  It is one of the best job producing avenues the country has that has a positive affect on all phases of the economy.  Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said during the 2016 campaign infrastructure legislation would be her number one priority if elected.  Trump missed a great opportunity when he sent a flawed infrastructure plan to the republican controlled congress as reported previously in PolitiDose.  The republicans just laughed at it because it was not a workable plan at all and they never gave it a thought much less a hearing it was so flawed.  But the GOP themselves never had the will to fashion their own plan.

The democratic controlled congress will not sit still and already passed several bills that will go to the republican controlled Senate for their actions.  At some point Trump and the GOP will have to back legislation proposed by the democratic party if they want to see the economy continue to grow.  Hourly wages for March dropped back from February's gain according to the Labor Department report which is another reminder that trickle down economics will not be a driving force in achieving middle class income gains.

One area of income gains for workers in the last few years are due to the under reported steps various states and business have taken on their own to raise the minimum wage.  They did not wait for congress to act.  And it was President Obama's administration who pushed to raise the minimum wage which congress never acted on.  Those business and states that did listen and did act deserve credit.  Target just announced it was raising their minimum wage to $13/hour.  That is the third year in a row they raised their wages and are on schedule to meet their goal of $15/hour by the end of next year.

The key to a sound economy, job creation and increase in wages always depends on sound policy and plans.  And so far all Trump and the GOP have to show is trickle down economics tax cuts and rhetoric.  The economy was doing well when Trump took office and so was job creation.  Now in his third year in office the people will see how well he can manage the rest of his term.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The President's Latest Rant To Shut Down The Border Offers More Proof Of Failed Leadership

If the border really requires shutting down because illegal immigration is out of control, then it took place on Trump and the republican's watch.  And during that time all the people were exposed too was the trumpet man's rhetoric.  There has been no attempt by Trump or the GOP congress to introduce any immigration reform legislation since the President took office in 2017.  The situation is a major failure to govern on an issue that Trump himself said was at the top of his priority agenda.

Trump's inaction has compounded the immigration issue and his divisive comments and actions of separating parents and children at the border has been a disaster for immigration reform.  Trump's talk about shutting down the border exposed his lack of knowledge and judgement of the harm it would do to the U.S. economy as a few in his administration had the courage to point out.  The President's reckless behavior caused former acting director of ICE to speak out and say, CLOSING THE BORDER WOULD DO NOTHING TO CURB THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CROSSING THE BORDER.

Immigration is the issue Trump is trying to use while campaigning for reelection.  It is his autocratic way of trying to divert the public's attention from his failure to govern and the problems that are still building up around him and his corrupt administration.  If Trump and his party were serious about immigration they would take the immigration bill that the democratic controlled Senate passed in 2013,(that the republican controlled U.S. House allowed to die without even and hearing) adjust and make the necessary improvements and changes and work with the democratic party to come together on a good bill that is workable for the country.

President George W. Bush wanted immigration reform during his administration but his party would not have anything to do with it and as a result nothing was done.  It is now time, really past time, for Trump and the GOP to stop playing games with immigration reform and do their jobs.  They have had more than enough years to solve the problem.  A continuation of lies will not get the job done.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  Before going to press with this commentary it was announced that Trump flipped flopped on shutting down the border and now says he will give Mexico one year to act before he shuts down the border.  Immigration to Trump is like a pin ball that goes from one extreme to another.