Polling, Public Perceptions and Ron Faucheaux's Recent New Orleans Advocate Editorial Column.

 Everyone knows that polling, especially for political purposes are done to influence voter's perceptions on the issues the pollster wants to talk about and not the knowledge those polled actually have on the subject matter.  And it was evident by Faucheaux's column of April 25 concerning a poll by Politico/Morning Consult.

Faucheaux writes in his second to last paragraph,"based on public perception Democrats have lost the key issues to the GOP over the past year, especially the economy, national security and immigration."  Of course those who pay to have the polls taken and the pollsters themselves prefer to ask about perception instead of the actual knowledge and facts about the subject issue.  We see it take place everyday on the internet, in opinion columns and cable shows where misinformation is given out that is meant to have the reader or listener perceive a certain statement as being true.  And it is done simply because they know a large percentage of the public do not bother to seek the facts.

That is how Trump was elected in the first place.  The voters thought through perception he was a strong leader and we know how his administration ended with an insurrection by his urging to storm the Capitol and over turn a legitimate democratic election.  The media and pollsters have encouraged perception to prevail over facts.  And today Trump is still  trying to sell the fraud election as facts and his followers through perception, still believe him.  Facts have a way of  making the ignorant, look ignorant.  

For years, the media and pollsters have ran with the GOP claim and talking points that democratic administrations were job killers.  Yet history and the facts tells us that over the past 100 years, job creation under democratic administrations have been robust.  While job creation under GOP administrations have been anemic at best.  A good example is the Clinton administration  created more jobs in the 8 years he served than Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump created in the 24 years they served. The facts prove that but the media publishes the GOP talking points and never counter with the facts.  The same thing goes for the GOP talking point and  claim that democratic administrations are the big spenders.  Fact is in the last 42 years the largest increases in federal spending have taken place on the watch of Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump and the smallest increases have taken place on Clinton's and Obama's watch. And as of today, the media still runs with that GOP claim and talking point.

Those who push perception and those who vote by perception explain why the large issues facing the country are so difficult to correct and turn around.  It also explains why every GOP administration in the past 100 years has given the country an economic recession.  And in the last 42 years all took place on the GOP watch of Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump.  There was no recession that began on Clinton or Obama's watch.  And to think that Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump cut taxes for you know who that was going to create jobs, jobs, jobs and great economic times.  Yeah, right.

If those who were polled switched their perception over the past year in favor of the GOP does that mean they think the economy under Trump and the GOP the previous 4 years was better than the Biden economy of 2021, last year?  Those who understand the facts would never be swayed by perception.  Nor would they be swayed by perception if they knew the economic facts verified by precedent over the past 70 years and especially the last 42 years.

So the negative comments will continue to flood the media to influence voter perception before the November elections.  It has worked in the past on the un-informed and that is why major issues such as immigration reform legislation has been kicked down the road.  Maybe one day a pollster will come along and do a survey to test those polled on their knowledge of facts concerning the issues.  It may not  change their perception but the answers would provide the public with their lack of knowledge on the issues and people will more fully understand how someone  like Donald Trump  could become President of the United States.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

LSU Sports: A New Era Begins.

A quadruple history is unfolding for LSU sports with the hiring of four new head coaches in women Basketball, Men's basketball, football and baseball.  All four head coaches have a few things in common.  They have winning records, head coaching experience and none have coached an SEC team as a head coach.  So what will the future look like since all four face the same problem?

Women Basketball:  Coach Kim Mulkey is a proven winning head coach winning multiple national championships.  She has already concluded her first full season as LSU's head coach with a winning record and a trip to the NCAA playoffs.  So progress was made in her very first year.  It will take two more years to recruit the type of players she believes fits her program to see the real results.  This writer believes Mulkey's greatest challenge is that she now coaches in the SEC and how she handles that challenge.  The AP named Mulkey Coach of the Year

LSU Baseball:  Coach Joy Johnson is in the middle of his first season and there are no surprises at this juncture.  The team he inherited was inconsistent the last several years with pitching and hitting problems and those problems need to be solved.  LSU has not had a starting pitcher in years who could be counted on to win that one game when needed.  At the present time LSU has an overall winning record and are 7-5 in the SEC in Johnson's first year.  When the season ends we will know more about where the Tigers stand.

LSU Football:  Coach Brian Kelly has his work cut out for him as his first season will be starting soon.  His past winning record will be challenged as half of his schedule games will be against SEC opponents, a challenge he has yet to face.  Kelly takes over a Tiger team that went 12-12 over the past two seasons after winning the National Championship in 2019.  LSU football has too many problems to list that Kelly will have to solve.  This writer believes it is a stretch to believe that this years record will be much better than last years.

LSU Basketball:  Coach Mitt McMahon will be taking over a program that has been inconsistent and lived in the shadows of an NCAA investigation that led to the firing of Will Wade.  The team made the NCAA playoffs this year and were eliminated in the first game.  The team has not made a final four appearance since 2006.  McMahon will have the toughest job of all the four new coaches because LSU's team has been depleted.  He will have a lot to do and a lot on his plate before the first game comes around.  

This writer believes LSU sports have made little progress for the past several years.  The school's past recruiting simply did not satisfy the needs of the teams or the coaching staff.  And in a short 12 month period, LSU will have started four new head coaches to their sports teams.  All four have a past record that is already known.  Now the important question is what will be their future record at LSU?  This writers position for the past several years has been a "wait and see" thing.  Don't get excited until its time to get excited.  I will  be happy if they succeed and turn things around when LSU is able to compete every year at the highest level.  

In the meantime pay no attention to all the hype and cliches along the way because in the final analysis, it is the performance that counts.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Two New Orleans Advocate Editorials That Needed To Be Said.

And it came from the Advocate's Editorial's Board and one of its own opinion writers.  Will Sutton in an Advocate story of 4/5/22 called the state legislature's override of Governor Edwards veto of the new congressional map a "slap that matters."  In reading the article it was a "slap that matters" over "fair representation.  A far different read of an earlier quote in the Advocate of 3/31 where staff writer Tyler Briges said the override was a "political defeat" for the Governor.  Mr. Sutton's commentary is more in line with Politidose"s commentary on the subject matter dated 4/2/22. 

The second editorial was from the Editorial's "Our Views" column dated 4/8/22, part of which reads and I quote.  HIGH GAS PRICES THAT ARE CHIEFLY THE RESULT OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE, THE PANDEMIC AND RELATED SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.  That is a contradiction to so many on going commentaries in the Advocate and on the internet by the GOP, the noise machine out there and those who want to see the President fail.  They also went so far as blaming it on the President's cancellation of the XL pipe line which was not scheduled for completion until some time in 2023.

The editorial also said the following about the President:  AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY IS UNITED IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE BRAVE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE, IT SHOULDN'T BE A CHALLENGE TO EXPLAIN THAT HIGH GAS PRICES ARE A SMALL INCONVIENCE, NECESSARY TO PUT THE SQUEEZE ON A BLOODTHIRSTY AUTOCRAT.   Where has the editorial board been?  The President has done just that.  In fact, why has the Advocate not done a story about making that known to the public long ago?

All in all, it was two good commentaries that in reality and not the political world of mis-information and falsehoods.  The real problem still lies  in opinion columns that spread mis-information and falsehoods and outright lies.  That is not opinions, it is done to influence the uninformed.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana, The State We Are In: Hurricanes, Flooding and Power Failures. Part I

The people of Louisiana are reminded once again in a New Orleans Advocate article dated 4/3/22 by staff writer Mike Smith that flood insurance rates are about to increase again and at least 18% per year according to the National Flood Insurance Program.  And if you think that sounds familiar, it's because that is old news and nothing new except the size of the rate increase. 

Flooding has been with Louisiana, especially south Louisiana for too many years to count.  It takes place during storms and even heavy rains.  We have known that since the first rain drop fell and the authorities warn the people before it takes place.  But our leaders allow us to continue to build  slab homes on the ground which are easy targets for flooding.  So flood claims have multiplied over the past years and many claims are on the same property more than once.

If our authorities would have mandated that all new construction after hurricane Betsy had to be raised, Louisiana would not have the flooding problem we have today or the insurance problem with high increases.  It would have removed the control out of the hands of the insurance companies resulting in less claims, less rebuilding and repair cost and all the other good things for not flooding.  Any additional cost to raise off the ground would be worth the effort financially for obvious reasons.

Our leaders since Betsy had their chance to respond and failed to act also.  The flooding in Metro New Orleans has been severe as everyone knows. The same applies to South Louisiana which account for the bulk of the 10% of policy holders in the National Flood Insurance Program according to the Advocate article.  Building off the ground is the most prudent thing to do and the most financial rewarding.  Places in Louisiana close to the Gulf  of Mexico do have mandates where property has to be raised so it is nothing new.

Now, after too many years of flooding we still have those in authority who can make a difference but have failed to act and come up with a solution so simple as raised housing even though it works.  So insurance cost will continue to rise to unacceptable levels, claims will continue to rise, repair cost and loss of use will continue unabated and the media and attorneys will continue to accuse the insurance industry of not properly compensating the owners for their loss.  The noise that we are used to hearing will go on and on and the status quo will continue.

Almost 6000 years ago the Sumerians said they were taught that "understanding the mistakes of the past was the key to a better future."  Well, Louisiana has had many years in the past of flooding and has learned nothing from that failed past.  We are now in the future and there are still no plans to deal with it.  It's not to late to learn, but we must move quickly.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  If raised homes were built over the past 50 years instead of slab homes, how much money would have been saved on insurance cost and etc., etc., and etc.???  It's a question worth considering.    

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and Unemployment Rate for March 2022.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy added 431,000 jobs in March and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.6%, down from February's 3.8%.  It was the 14th straight month of positive job growth under the Biden administration and so far the unemployment rate has declined 2.7% on his watch.  It was down only 1.2% in Trump's first 36 months in office (prior to COVID) and was 1.6% higher when he left office than when he took office.  

The Department also reported that the economy added 95,000 more jobs than was reported for January and February.  Wages for March were up 5.6% from the same period last year and that consumers are still spending in spite of inflation.  So the economy is still working well and growing at a healthy pace.  Too bad the negative pundits with their negative voices continue to flood the news with their negative reports in order to help the GOP take back congress in the November election.

The U.S. economy, job creation and lower unemployment is taking place just like "Politidose" commentary predicted long ago and before the President actually took office.  It was predetermined by the precedent of past democratic administrations for the past 70 plus years.  So, for those who value the facts and the real issues, stay tuned to "Politidose" for your daily dose of political commentary.  

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Note:  Ronald Reagan is the only GOP President in the last 70 years that left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he took office.  During that same period there was no Democratic President who left office with a higher unemployment rate than when he took office.  And if you think that is only a coincidence, you need to get a better life.   

Louisiana's GOP Controlled State Legislature Overrides Gov. Edwards' Veto Of The Latest Congressional Maps.

 In a news conference after the veto vote Gov. Edwards said, this was not our finest day and speaks so poorly of us collectively.  In a New Orleans Advocate of 3/31/22 staff writers Tyler Bridges, Sam Karlin and Blake Paterson wrote that the veto override was a "stinging defeat" for the Governor.  That statement reflects the usual BS and hype the media feeds the voting public.  

The Governor actually did his job and duty.  It was a "stinging defeat" for racial justice in congressional districts and quickly prompted a federal suit by a coalition of civil rights groups who claim the newly drawn districts dilute the voting power of black residences.  So now the decision on the matter will be made by a court of law which will be a legal decision and not a political decision.

The media has taken it upon themselves to try and define people for the purpose of influence and has contributed greatly to division.  It's not a defeat when a Governor stands for something and acts.  That is called leadership and courage. And Louisiana and its people have done well on Governor Edwards' watch because of his political decisions.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio