Another False Claim By The GOP, The Business Community And The Pundits Who Supported The Claims, Comes Crashing Down.

In a story published in the New Orleans Advocate of Oct 23 by the Associated Press concerning the $300 weekly federal supplement for the unemployed that GOP governors of 25 states eliminated and said was the cause of those to not seek work and therefore a shortage in the workforce and a drag on job creation.  Now the AP reports that a study of the matter by JP Morgan-Chase Institute found the following facts.

(1)  That after the $300 was eliminated by those 25 GOP run states there was no significant influx of job seekers.  (2)  The number of people who have a job or seeking one has been no more than it has in the states keeping the $300 benefit.  (3)  A state by state analysis by the AP found that workforces in the 25 states that maintained the $300 payment actually grew slightly more from May thru September than they did in the 25 states that cut off the payments early.  

So once again the GOP, the business community and the pundits rushed to misinform the American people that the $300 benefit was the reason people were not seeking work, why the business community could not find people to fill the job openings and as a result job creation was lacking. The lies and misinformation just rolls out of their mouths and the media is willing to run with their lies.

But the real answer on the economy, job creation and unemployment can be found in a monthly commentary published here in Politidose concerning the matter.  It is updated each month for all  to understand.  So forget about the GOP and the pundits misinformation and lies in their attempt to influence the public and tune in to Politidose for the true story and your daily dose of political commentary.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

LSU's Huge $16.9 Million Mistake

 LSU's interim head football coach Ed Orgeron, who will leave the team and LSU when the regular season ends is set to haul in over the next 4 years $16.9 million without stepping on a football field.  A great pay day for a coach who did not deserve the huge increase in salary just because LSU won the national championship in 2019.

A report in the New Orleans Advocate of 10/19/21 said LSU athletic director Scott Woodward worked out the details with Coach O after Woodward lined up the buy out money with LSU boosters.  Coach O and LSU's President agreed to the terms.  The article also stated that Woodward was an extraordinary judge of people.  The Orgeron affair tells a different story.

LSU not only misjudged Coach O's ability on the field they treated him with kid gloves on the alleged sexual harassment involving certain football players.  It took an out of town newspaper to break the story and LSU failed to require Coach O to testify under oath when a woman did so and said Coach O had contacted her when Coach O previously said he had not contacted any one involved.  In other words LSU failed to have Coach O testify under oath and as a result could not cross examine him on the issue.

Nick Saban wanted out at LSU for reasons never told.  It was not because he wanted to return to the NFL and was the subject of a commentary in Politidose at the time.  Saban wanted out because he is a no nonsense coach who saw how LSU operated and did not like what he saw.  The two coaches that followed Saban, Les Miles and Coach O both won national championships but never achieved a long lasting winning record and both were fired.

And now when LSU's present season comes to an end they will not make the BCS playoffs once again.  They have made the playoffs only once since the new format was put in effect 8 years ago.  Not a very good record for a team that usually ends up in the top five recruiting wise.

So now the hunt starts for a new head coach for LSU football and LSU's supporters will once again be asked to help out with their deep pockets.  And the new coach will be praised before he even coaches a game at LSU.  That is what has become of college football.  Nick Saban does not have that problem.  He has an enviable record that speaks for itself.  And Saban knew what he was doing when he decided to leave LSU.  And that really tells the story of what has been taking place at LSU since Saban departed. 

This commentary written by Joe Lorio    

Governor John Bel Edwards Returns Fiscal Sanity To Louisiana's Budget.

According to commentary in the New Orleans Advocate of 10/12/21 by Mark Ballard, Edwards' Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told the Press Club of Baton Rouge the state ended its fiscal year June 30 with a $1 billion surplus.  The surplus was helped by an influx of federal dollars because of COVID and a rebounding Louisiana economy that pushed Corporate and individual tax collections higher than anticipated.  The article also stated that Louisiana would have approximately $450 million to spend after spending stipulated in the constitution is satisfied.

So once again it is another democratic governor that balances another Louisiana budget.  Something that escaped republican governor Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature for 8 long years.  And Edwards took office with Louisiana's fiscal house in chaos and inherited a budget deficit of over $1billion.  But governor Edwards was up to the task, fought the republican controlled legislature with sound plans and policies that reversed the budget cuts that hurt Louisiana and its people.

The last previous Louisiana governor to balance the state budget was democratic governor Kathleen Blanco who left office and Jindal with a $700 million surplus which Jindal and his republican legislation blew just like President George W. Bush blew away the budget surplus President Clinton left him.  And Bush accomplished that in his very first fiscal year in office.

It is a pattern on the federal level and state level that democratic administration balance the budget or reduce deficit spending while republican administrations do just the opposite. And as everyone knows, governor Edwards has handled the COVID problem better than Trump or any republican congressman or Attorneys General.

Now we wait governor Edwards next budget plan and see his vision of what should be accomplished with the current surplus.  Precedent tells us it will be fiscally responsible.  What the republican controlled legislature does with it will define their allegiance.  

Thanks go to governor Edwards for his commitment to fiscal policies that are positive for the state and the people and thanks for his serious attitude.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Journalist/Columnist E.J. Dionne Stands At The Pinnacle Of His Profession.

Longtime Journalist and columnist for the Washington Post, E.J. Dionne shed much light why he is the best at what he does with his commentary published in the New Orleans Advocate dated 10/9/21 titled, "GOP radicalism pushes Biden to change senate?"  His column concerns the "filibuster" rules in the U.S. Senate which has recently been a topic in the news concerning the Biden agenda.

Dionne in his column explains the real problem with the "filibuster" and why it should be changed under certain conditions and done away with altogether.  And it makes more sense than any of the other comments so far because Dionne always knows the heart of issues better than other journalists and columnists and knows how to explain the subject where it can be understood by everyone.  

What separates Dionne from other journalists/columnist is his knowledge of the subject matter he writes about, his ability to understand the heart of the matter and the real issues and his ability to articulate that to the public he serves.  The world of journalists would  be better if more E.J. Dionnes were available.  And the public would be much more aware of the true nature of the issues they and the country face.  The noise machines out there are incapable of delivering the real facts.

So this writer encourages its readers out there to take the time and read Mr. Dionne's column in order to understand the real problem the "filibuster" has created and can continue to create if unchecked.  Hopefully Senators Manchin and  Sinema has read Mr. Dionne's column and come to their sense that change is needed. It is a basis change that is needed now more than ever with the GOP's do nothing attitude and obstruction.

This  commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Job Creation and Unemployment for September 2021.

The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy added 194,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate came in at 4.8%.  It was 5.2% in August.  It was the eight straight month of positive job growth.  And as usual the GOP noise machine and the so called economist were disappointed because they were predicting more jobs.  Economist can not get a grip on the fact that the economy will continue to swing up  and down until the pandemic leaves the surges behind and become more stable.  As for the GOP's noise machine, they just want to see the Biden administration fail.

The economy has added 4,416,000 jobs in Biden's first full 8 months in office for an average monthly gain of 552,000 jobs per month.  Trump in his first 36 months in office (before the recession and  pandemic started) added 6,600,000 jobs  for an average monthly gain of 183,000 jobs per month.  The unemployment rate when Trump  left office was 6.3%.  For those who seek the facts, the GOP's noise machine and the economist predictions should be taken with a grain of salt. 

So progress is being made on Biden and the democratic watch despite the  noise machine and their misinformation.  The  progress may not be smooth but it is taking place despite the distractions and when the administrations two bills now before congress pass, the long term out look for the economy, the country and its people will be positive.  And when it takes place, you will have read it here first in Politidose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This  commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

The National Debt: The Betrayal and Devastation Continues On The GOP's Watch Under President Donald Trump

 The subject matter concerning the national debt was covered and published in Politidose commentary dated 12/6/09, almost 12 years ago.  And now the results are in on the national debt concerning President Trump's four fiscal years which ended 9/30/21.  The final numbers were recorded by the U.S. Treasury Department who keep the official records of the national debt which are available online.

The report shows that at the end of President Trump's last fiscal year 9/30/21 the national debt stood at $28.428 trillion.  It stood at $20.244 trillion at the end of President Obama's last fiscal year ending 9/30/17.  So in only FOUR short fiscal years the national debt increased $8.184 trillion on Trump and the GOP's watch.  By contrast it increased $8.343 trillion during the EIGHT fiscal years on President Obama's watch.  The national debt stood at $11.909 trillion when George W. Bush's last fiscal year ended on 9/30/09 and it stood at $20.244 at the end of President Obama's last fiscal year.  So Trump  and the GOP managed to create almost the same amount of debt in just FOUR short fiscal years that it took President Obama to create in EIGHT fiscal years.  Good thing President Trump was not given a second term in office by the voters.

Not only did  Trump and the GOP continue the explosion of the national debt in such a short period of time as did President George H.W. Bush did, Trump joined every republican administration's failure in the past 60 years to leave office with a smaller federal deficit then when he took office.  But every democratic administration during that time period with the exception of President Carter, did leave office with a smaller federal deficit than when they took office.  So  the democratic party has a history of reducing deficit spending while GOP administrations do just the opposite.

In the last 40 years beginning with the Reagan administration thru the Trump administration, GOP administrations added $17.735 trillion to the national debt while democratic administrations added $9.738 trillion to the national debt.  The national debt stood at $999.8 billion, less than a trillion dollars at the end of President Carter's last fiscal year ending 9/30/ 81 and stood at $2.857 trillion at the end of Reagan's last fiscal year budget that ended 9/30/89 a whopping increase of 186% in the national debt.  That was the start of the devastation and betrayal of the federal governments fiscal house.  And Reagan was the President who said the government had a spending problem and he was going to cut federal spending.  Yeah, right!!!  

Trump also  left office following in the footsteps of every GOP administration in the last 100 years by having an economic recession that started on his watch.  A terrible economic record by any standard.  And to top  it off, three of the last 4 GOP Presidents cut taxes for you know who.  Does any one realize who suffers the most during an economic recession?

And to think that the news media in general report and repeat the GOP talking points of the democratic party being the big spenders and creators of debt.   The media continues to report the GOP lies, misinformation and false charges without even pointing out the facts say otherwise. They are the enablers of the GOP's propaganda.  And even at this writing as the GOP oppose raising the debt ceiling because of their phony charges of Biden's spending proposals, the media is silent on the fact that Trump and the GOP's spending hit record levels in fiscal 2020 when federal spending went past the 4, 5 and 6 trillion dollar spending mark.  So disregard the noise coming out the news media, especially the so called conservative news media in particular.  The GOP are the conservative party??????  Its the greatest fairy tale ever told.  And President Trump's administration continued the fairy tale.

So stay tuned to Politidose, your daily dose of political commentary for the facts that have been written in commentary for the past 12 years.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin's Ignorance Extends Beyond The Federal Budget.

 Senator Manchin was quoted as saying if democrats want a $3.5 trillion Biden "Build Back Better" proposal they should elect more "liberals."   Well the country did just that this past December electing "liberal" Joe Biden President by casting over 80 million votes for him and his agenda.  It was a record vote and also elected were two "liberals" from Georgia which gave the democratic party control of both houses of congress and the opportunity to pass democratic legislation.  

The problem for Manchin is he believes in brand names like liberal, centrist (which he  claims to be) and conservatives that the GOP claim to be and is ignorant of what those brand names really represent.  A good example is my recent commentary on Manchin ignorance of the federal budget.  The record shows that the democratic party has been conservative on the governments fiscal matters while the GOP has been the most liberal and irresponsible.  Democrats also have a record of paying for their legislative agenda while the GOP does not.

True liberals don't have to depend on using brand names because they are better in tune with the needs of the country and its people and design legislation to work in that regard.  Centrist, conservatives and others make decision based on ideology and that is why for them the future is like the failed past.

Manchin is a Senator who receives huge contributions from the energy industry, especially the coal industry and other special interest groups and that is who he is beholden to.  He opposes Biden's plan to raise the tax on corporations to the level proposed by Biden using the excuse it would make American corporations less competitive.  President Clinton and President Obama proved that to be "fake news" during their administrations.  President Clinton raised those folks taxes and Obama allowed the Bush 43 tax cuts for those making over $550,000.00 per year expire during his second term in office.  There was no economic recessions that began on Clintons or Obama's watch.  But an economic recession did begin and start on the watch of Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump.  And three of those Presidents cut taxes for you know who.

Every GOP administration in the past 100 years gave the country and its people an  economic recession that began on their  watch.  Liberal democratic administrations don't even come close to that GOP tragic economic record.  And that is a tribute to liberal democratic administrations who govern with plans and policies that address the  needs of the country and its people.

This writer would remind  the  ignorant Senator that the U.S. Constitution is a liberal document that grants the people certain rights that the GOP has opposed.  Manchin can not even get it right on brand names and his ignorance is causing a waste of legislative time.  The President's agenda is a good one for the  country and its people and it is past time for Senator Manchin to demonstrate he has the political understanding to move the country forward.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

The Biden Administration Delivers Disaster Relief For Louisiana.

The Democratic controlled congress passed a disaster relief bill last week to the tune of $28.6 billion, a portion which will go to Louisiana.  Louisiana's portion will go towards the damages caused by three hurricanes that hit in 2020,, the February 2021 freeze and the recent hurricane Ida.

Southwest Louisiana which sustained heavy damages in 2020 will finally see some financial help and relief that was way overdue and should have been addressed by the previous administration in Washington.  Governor Edwards will  now have to sort out just what portion of the relief funds will come to Louisiana and determine if more relief funds will be available if necessary.  We already know Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter thinks Louisiana's portion for his hard hit area will not be sufficient.  

This writer believes that if Governor Edwards can make the case that additional disaster aid is needed, President Biden will be receptive.  I say that because democratic administrations have a record of responding to the needs of states who have been affected by disasters.  And Louisiana also has a governor who has political understanding and knows how to govern.

So in  due time we will know how much Louisiana will receive and then make a judgement how much more will be needed if necessary.  We do know that Louisiana suffered more than just damage to properties that also requires aid.  So this aid package that congress just passed is only the beginning of a process.

 This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin Declared His Ignorance On the Federal Budget With His Latest Quoted Statement.

THOSE WHO SERVE IN CONGRESS SHOULD HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET FOR REASONS THAT ARE SO OBVIOUS THEY NEED NOT BE REPEATED HERE. YET, sENATOR MANCHIN DISPLAYED HIS IGNORANCE ON THE SUBJECT WHEN HE SAID THE PRESIDENT'S $3.5 TRILLION LEGISLATION WAS "FISCAL INSANITY." IF MANCHIN KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE FEDERAL BUDGET HE WOULD KNOW THAT THOSE WORDS ACTUALLY DESCRIBE THE GOP'S RECORD FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS AND DOES NOT APPLY TO BIDEN'S PROPOSAL OR THE DEMOCRATIC RECORD. LETS EXAMINE THE FISCAL FACTS FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS THAT COVER THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF REAGAN, BUSH 41, CLINTON, BUSH 43, OBAMA AND TRUMP. THE FISCAL FACTS ARE TAKEN FROM THE OFFICIAL BUDGET REPORTS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT WHO RECORD AND KEEP THE FISCAL FACTS AND ARE AVAILABLE ON LINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. THE BELOW NUMERS COVER EACH ADMINISTRATIONS FISCAL YEARS WHICH BEGIN ON OCTOBER 1 AND END ON SEPTEMBER 30. TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING, WHICH THE AGENCIES CALL "OUTLAYS" ON THEIR REPORTS FOR THOSE 6 PRESIDENTS WERE AS FOLLOWS: TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR REAGANS 8 FISCAL YEARS WAS UP 75%. 50% IN HIS FIRST TERM COMPARED TO CARTERS 4 YEARS AND 25% IN HIS SECOND TERM OVER HIS FIRST TERM. TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR GEORGE H.W. BUSH'S 4 FISCAL YEARS WAS UP 28% OVER REAGAN'S LAST TERM. TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR CLINTON'S 8 FISCAL YEARS WAS UP 28%. 14% IN HIS FIRST TERM OVER BUSH'S LAST TERM AND 14% IN HIS SECOND TERM OVER HIS FIRST TERM. (THE MOST EVENLY INCEASE OF ALL PRESIDENTS IN THE PAST 40 YEARS) TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR GEORGE W. BUSH'S 8 FISCAL YEARS WAS UP 61%. IT WAS UP 28% IN HIS FIRST TERM OVER PRESIDENT CLINTON'S LAST TERM AND 33% OVER HIS FIRST TERM. TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR BARRACK OBAMA'S 8 FISCAL YEARS WAS UP 25%. IT WAS UP 18% IN HIS FIRST TERM OVER BUSH'S LAST TERM AND 7% OVER HIS FIRST TERM. TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING FOR DONALD TRUMP HAS ONLY BEEN RECORDED FOR TRUMP'S FIRST THREE FISCAL YEARS AND FEDERAL SPENDING FOR THOSE THREE YEARS COMPARED TO OBAMA'S FIRST THREE FISCAL YEARS OF HIS SECOND TERM WAS UP 30%. SO WHEN THE FINAL NUMBERS COMES OUT FOR TRUMPS LAST FISCAL YEAR SPENDING THAT 30% INCREASE WILL BE INCREASED. SO TOTAL FEDERAL SPENDING UNDER CLINTON AND OBAMA INCREASED AT A MUCH SLOWER RATE THAN THE 4 OTHER GOP PRESIDENTS BY A WIDE MARGIN. DEFICIT SPENDING: EVERY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT IN THE LAST 60 YEARS HAS COMPLETED HIS LAST FISCAL YEAR IN OFFICE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PRESIDENT CARTER WITH A SMALLER FEDERAL DEFICIT THAN WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE, BUT EVERY GOP PRESIDENT DURING THAT SAME PERIOD LEFT OFFICE WITH A HIGHER FEDERAL DEFICIT AT THE END OF HIS LAST FISCAL YEAR THAN WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE. PRESIDENT CLINTON BALANCED THE BUDGET ALL 4 YEARS OF HIS SECOND TERM AND REDUCED DEFICIT SPENDING EVERY YEAR OF HIS FIRST TERM. NO GOP PRESIDENT HAS DONE THE SAME. NO GOP PRESIDENT HAS BALANCED THE FEDERAL BUDGET SINCE EISENHOWER IN 1960, BUT TWO DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS, LYNDON JOHNSON AND BILL CLINTON BALANCED THE FEDERAL BUDGET 5 TIMES IN THAT SAME TIME PERIOD. JOHNSON BALANCED THE BUDGET IN 1969. THE NATIONAL DEBT: THE NATIONAL DEBT INCREASED 186% IN REAGAN'S 8 FISCAL YEARS IT INCREASED 54% IN GEORGE H.W. BUSH'S 4 FISCAL YEARS IT INCREASED 31% IN CLINTON'S 8 FISCAL YEARS IT INCREASED 105% IN GEORGE W. BUSH'S 8 FISCAL YEARS IT INCREASED 70%IN OBAMA'S 8 FISCAL YEARS IT INCREASED 39% AS OF 3/18/21 ON TRUMP'S WATCH AND WILL INCREASE MORE AS THE FINAL NUMBER COMES IN. THE LARGEST SINGLE FISCAL YEAR DEFICITS TOOK PLACE ON PRESIDENT BUSH 43 WATCH IN HIS LAST FISCAL YEAR BUDGET OF 9/30/09 AT $1.4 TRILLION. TRUMP'S THIRD FISCAL YEAR WHICH ENDED 9/30/20 ENDED WITH A RECORD $3.1 TRILLION AND WHEN HIS LAST FISCAL YEAR BUDGET COMES IN FOR FISCAL 9/30/21 THE DEFICIT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $2 TRILLION WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE REPORTED. RONALD REAGAN WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT EVER TO HAVE A $1 TRILLION SPENDING BUDGET. GEORGE W. BUSH WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO HAVE A $2 AND $3 TRILLION SPENDING BUDGET AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO HAVE A $4, $5 AND $6 TRILLION SPENDING BUDGET. PRESIDENT CLINTON STAYED WITHIN THE $1 TRILLION OF SPENDING DURING HIS 8 FISCAL YEARS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA STAYED WITHIN THE $3 TRILLION RANGE HE INHERITED FROM BUSH. THE FISCAL NUMBERS TELL THE STORY OF A FISCALLY SANE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND FISCAL INSANITY DURING THOSE 4 GOP ADMINISTRATIONS. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE NATIONAL DEBT TODAY WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM IF REAGAN, BUSH 41 AND BUSH 43 HAD BALANCED THE FEDERAL BUDGET AS CLINTON DID. THE BUSH 43 ADMINISTRATION BLEW UP THE FISCAL SANITY OF THE CLINTON YEARS IN BUSH'S VERY FIRST FISCAL YEAR WHEN HE RETURNED THE COUNTRY TO DEFICIT SPENDING THAT LASTED THROUGH HIS 8 FISCAL YEARS. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ALSO PAID DOWN OVER $400 BILLION IN THE NATIONAL DEBT. THE GOP PAID DOWN NOTHING, ZERO. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THOSE 4 GOP PRESIDENTS PRESIDED OVER AN ECONOMIC RECESSION THAT BEGAN ON THEIR WATCH DESPITE THE TAX CUTS BY REAGAN, BUSH 43 AND TRUMP. NO ECONOMIC RECESSIONS BEGAN ON CLINTON OR OBAMA'S WATCH AND CLINTON RAISED TAXES ON THOSE SAME FOLKS WHO RECEIVED THE THREE GOP TAX CUTS AND OBAMA ALLOWED THE BUSH TAX CUTS TO EXPIRE FOR THOSE MAKING OVER $550,000.00 A YEAR. AND CLINTON CREATED MORE JOBS IN 8 YEARS THAN REAGAN, BUSH 41, BUSH 43 AND TRUMP CREATED IN THE 24 YEARS THEY SERVED. MANCHIN USES THE SAME MIS-LEADING STATEMENTS AND LIES OF THE GOP IN TRYING TO DESCRIBE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS THE BIG SPENDING PARTY BUT THE RECORD INDICATES OTHERWISE. SENATOR MANCHIN'S OPPOSITION WITH HIS STATED WORDS CONCERNING BIDEN'S $3.5 TRILLION LEGISLATION IS HOGWASH AND A EXCUSE FOR HIS REAL MOTIVES. hIS IGNORANCE OF BUDGET FACTS THE PAST 40 YEARS SAYS IT ALL ABOUT HIS QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE AS A U.S. SENATOR. BEING OBJECTIVE IS NOT A PART OF GOVERNING FOR THE SENATOR. DEMOCRATIC "FISCAL INSANITY?" FACTS TELL US IT DOES NOT EXIST. BUT THE FACTS DO TELL THE STORY OF A REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT HAS GOVERNED WITH "FISCAL INSANITY" FOR TOO MANY YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG THE THE LAST 4 YEARS UNDER TRUMP AND THE GOP. AND THAT REALLY SAYS IT ALL. THIS COMMENTARY WRITTEN BY JOE LORIO NOTE: BIDEN'S $3.5 TRILLION BUILD BACK BETTER LEGISLATION IS PAID FOR OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD WHICH MAKES GOOD BUDGET SENSE AND PROVIDES FOR LONG TERM GROWTH.