The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for October 2024.

The U.S. Labor Department announced the economy created 12,000 jobs in October and that the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1%.  It was the 45th straight month of positive job growth even though lower than the monthly average.  The Department also reported claims for unemployment continue to be low.  The Federal Reserve announced they reduced interest rates by 1/4%.

The U.S. economy continues in a positive direction, despite the negative voices who have been active since President Biden took office in January of 2021.  And when President Biden's administration leaves office in January 2025, the country's economy will be in much better shape than when he took office.

For those who follow facts and history, the record tells us that process has taken place over the past 72 years.  And that is not just a coincidence.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

When It Comes To Louisiana Offshore Drilling, Donald Trump, Louisiana's GOP, The Oil And Gas Industry And The Times Picayune Writers Are Incapable Of Walking The Talk.

 Mark Ballard's opinion column in the Times Picayune of 11/7 titled, "Trump likely to boost Louisiana drilling" was dominated by how Trump's election would bring about great things for Louisiana offshore drilling.  But the article failed to point out how under Trump's first term in office, offshore drilling went south and so did employment in the industry for Louisiana's workers.  If Mark did his homework, he would have known that but failed to mention how Trump failed to "drill baby drill" when President.

The offshore rig count went down greatly on Trump's watch and never came close to the number of rigs working offshore on President Obama's watch in either of his terms.  And President Obama had to deal with the BP oil explosion that took the lives of 11 workers and polluted Louisiana's coastline.  Obama also declared a moratorium of drilling until answers could be found and Louisiana's GOP said it would kill offshore drilling.  Of course it did not and as usual it was just the usual GOP lies.  The U.S. became the world's leading producer of oil on Obama's watch and continues to be on President Biden's watch today.

The Louisiana offshore drilling rig count in Obama's second term averaged 38 rigs working per year.  The rig count during Trump's first four years averaged 17 rigs working per year, less than half of what took place under Obama.  The rig count in Obama's first term averaged 35 rigs working per year.  The Times Picayune published a graft on 1/27/21 that showed the number of employees working in the industry from 1992-Dec. 2020.  It showed top employment took place in May of 1998 when 59,500 were employed.  The low point came in 2020 when only 29,200 were employed.  Over that 28 year period, the high took place on President Clinton's watch, and the lowest on President Trump's watch.  And the most consistent high took place on both Clinton and Obama's watch, both democrats.

The facts tell us, offshore Louisiana drilling does the best when democrats control the White House and that the democrats can walk the talk.  The GOP and their supporters are unable to do the same.

This  commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Rig count numbers were taken from the official records of The Louisiana Department of Natural  Resources, Office of Conservation.  

The Fairy Tale Opinion of Writer Cal Thomas Continues.

 Two recent articles by Cal Thomas published in the New Orleans Advocate of 11/1 and 11/4 continue the mis-information Thomas is noted for over the years.  The first article titled, "Voters face time for choosing (again)" tries to make President Reagan a champion on fiscal policy but cannot back it up with facts.  Thomas uses the national debt as an example and it blows up in his face because he fails to articulate Reagan's actual failed fiscal record during his 8 years as President.

Thomas reminds his readers that in 1964 Reagan made a speech in support of GOP Presidential nominee Barry Goldwater that he, Thomas recently re-read and how little has changed six decades later and still unresolved.  Thomas goes on to quote, we have not balanced the budget 28 out of the last 34 years.  It is unclear from the article if Reagan made that statement or Thomas himself.  Also unclear is the time frame.  Is it 34 years that past before 1964 of Reagan's speech or 34 years that passed before 2024.  

If it was the years prior to 1964. the budget was balanced 8 times by President's Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Hoover.  If it was before 2024, 4 budgets were balanced by President Clinton. Thomas also mentions the national debt in 2024 is 35 trillion that makes the 1964 debt look like chump change.  This line of thought captured the essence of Reagan's philosophy and would define conservatism for decades to come says Thomas.  In fact, Reagan himself, destroyed the concept of conservatism along with his own party the 8 years he was President.

President Reagan never balanced one budget in his 8 years; the national debt at the end of Carter's last fiscal year was less than a trillion dollars, it stood at $997 billion.  8 fiscal years later when Reagan left office the national debt stood at $2.8 trillion, an increase of 187%, the largest percentage increase in the last 70 years; spending was up 75%, the largest increase since the Nixon-Ford admin.; Reagan was the first admin. to have a annual $1 trillion budget. Reagan was the one who started the  national debt on its upward spiral and was never conservative when it came to fiscal matters and the record confirms that.  

Thomas second article titled, "House speaker Johnson is Clark Kent" was as out of touch with reality as you can get.  In a telephone interview with Johnson, he tells Thomas when a GOP congressional committee meets with the Pentagon, they ask what is the top threat to America, and the Pentagon says the national debt.  Johnson says we have got to get back to  fiscal sanity, that's one of the foundation principals of our party.  The Pentagon has never said the national debt is America's top threat. Thomas never asked Johnson and both were silent on the facts.  Since 1980 the largest increases in the national  debt took place on the republican watch.  No republican President has balanced the federal budget since Eisenhower in 1960.  The Trump admin. added more to the national debt than any other President in a 4 year term, $8.2 trillion.  

The GOP is incapable of walking the talk of fiscal  sanity.  They know it, and Cal Thomas knows it but neither one will be truthful to the American people.  Fiscal sanity has not been the foundation of the GOP since President Eisenhower.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

The Greatest Sports Story That Has Never Been Told.

 Sports writers, especially the local ones, and those in broadcasting always have a lot to say and stories to tell.  But to this writer, most of the sport's talk amounts to hype and cliches with very little real information.  There is one sport's story (and actually an old one) that has never been told as far as this writer can tell and who thinks the story is relevant today and would be interesting to know the answer.

So, here goes!!!  Former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne was the head coach for 25 years from 1973-1997, accomplished a won-loss record of 255-49-3. won three national championships in '94,'95 and '97 and a winning percentage of .830.  This year 2024 marks the 27th year of his retirement.  During that 27 year period, Nebraska never even came close to achieving a consistent winning record.  Coach Bo Pelini who coached during that era had the best won-loss record.

The greatest story never told is why has Nebraska failed to achieve a consistent winning record in that 27 year period?  The answer has never been revealed.  Why has it taken so long to find a capable head coach to bring Nebraska back to some semblance of its glorious past?  The Alabama football team shared the same fate for 25 years between Bear Bryant's retirement in 1982 and the hiring of Nick Sabin in 2007.  

Sports writers have the time and connections to investigate this story and this writer feels sure sports fans would like to know the answer.  PolitiDose does not have the resources to investigate but will make its opinion know soon in another commentary based on observation that have a connection to what is taking place in sports today.  Twenty seven years and counting and there is no indication things will change at Nebraska.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The GOP: The Ugly American Party That Became Trump's CULT and Turned Their Backs on Corruption In Government and The Democratic Process.

 Donald Trump's CULT GOP party did the unthinkable when they allowed their party to nominate and support for President a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and a former President who tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election.  Their willingness to support such a person damaged an honest system of public service and honest government.  The CULT reached the bottom of the barrel and now have no standard of conduct for those who have political ambitions in the future.  The CULT's new NORM tells the story of what once was an American party and is now un-American in every sense of the word.

As members of congress, the CULT is anti everything that has made America the Beautiful, who accepts help from foreign powers to interfere in our elections and other propaganda to help the CULT's cause.  They support and use personal attacks, lies, misinformation and an extreme rhetoric that is violent and toxic.  Trump is their convicted criminal godfather and relish being at the bottom of the barrel with him.  

Donald Trump and his CULT GOP are obsessed with power never before granted by the constitution to make the American people bow down to them.  They control the U.S. House but have no accomplishments because America has a sane democratic controlled U.S. Senate that has blocked their corrupted plans.  They want pay back because the democrats are in control and stopped their un-American actions at bay.

On November 5, the American people can make sure the country remains America the Beautiful by defeating Trump and his CULT party at the ballot box.  A defeat would not only end Trump politically, it would set the stage for a chance to reverse the corruption of the now GOP CULT.  A Trump defeat would also mean Donald Trump will have to face his legal problems in court for his many felony indictments and stand trial and possible sentence.  There is no better way for justice to be served.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

A Predicted Times Picayune Editorial.

Two PolitiDose commentaries dated 1/3/24 and 2/25/24 predicted that in time, republicans would try to take credit for the downward trend of murder and crime in the New Orleans area.  The commentary included the good news of murders in New Orleans being down 27% in 2023 compared to 2022 and other information.  

Now comes a Times Picayune editorial dated 10/20 titled, "Credit for drop in crime should be spread around."  The editorial then takes the step and gives credit FIRST to Gov. Jeff Landry's State Police's Troop Nola he appointed to work with the Mayor's office.  Never mind the fact that rime had started it's downward trend a year before Landry became Governor and before he authorized the State Police Troop Nola to work with New Orleans.  

The editorial never mentioned how the N.O. Police Department was working with the federal government's ATF department that took hundreds of firearms from those convicted felons who had never turned over their weapons. Any time you take hundreds of firearms off the streets, there will be less crime.  The editorial never mentioned how the Department was working with the FBI to round up the criminal elements in New Orleans.  All of that took place long before Landry ever became Governor.  

The editorial was correct in saying the credit should be spread around and is broad based, but why start off with Troop Nola?  They were a very late addition, like over a year after crime started it's downward trend in all of 2023.  Why not mention the ATF and the FBI performance with the N.O. Police Department if you are going to name names?  The daily contents of the Times Picayune tells this writer the editorial staff and the owner are supporters of the GOP.  This writer does not have a problem with that but the GOP and many of it's supporters have a history of trying to take credit when good things take place on the democratic watch.  Surely, people in Louisiana remember how some of Louisiana's representatives in the U.S. Congress tried to take credit for the President's infrastructure legislation even though they voted against it.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

President Joe Biden's Third Fiscal Year Comes To An End.

 The Congressional Budget Office announced that the President's third fiscal year budget came to an end on 9/30/24 and came in with a $1.8 trillion federal deficit.  Trump's third fiscal year budget came in with a $3.1 trillion federal deficit on 9/30/20 as a comparison.  That $3.1 trillion budget deficit is still a record.

Trump's total fiscal year deficits in his four fiscal years was $7.5 trillion, a record for any four fiscal years.  Total deficit spending in Biden's three fiscal years was $4.7 trillion, with one fiscal year yet to go.  So, deficit spending continues to be reduced on the democratic watch as of this date.  President Obama's last fiscal year deficit was $666 billion and that is what he left the Trump administration.  President Trump's last fiscal year deficit was $2.7 trillion and that is what he left the Biden administration.  

And if one goes back and checks the CBO's official records you will find that every democratic administration that followed a GOP administration, completed his last fiscal year with a smaller deficit than the GOP administration before left.  And the record goes all the way back to the Eisenhower administration.  When it comes to reducing deficit spending, democrats can walk the talk.  The GOP cannot.  

Sadly, the media has never told that story, but PolitiDose commentary has told the story for the past 9 years.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

How Will The Louisiana Majority Vote Shake Out In The 2024 Presidential Election???

 We know that the majority vote in Louisiana for the 2016 and 2020 Presidential elections went to Donald Trump.  Now, in less than a month on November 6 the round three vote for President will take place once again.  Will the majority vote in Louisiana break in favor for Trump the third time, or will it be three strikes and you are out?  Let's examine what we do know about Trump and what we learned in the past 8 years, despite all of Trump's lies, misinformation and blame.

We know as "fact" the following:  Trump is a convicted criminal, found guilty on 34 felony counts in a New York state court before a jury of Trump's peers.  His attorney's at trial had an opportunity to present Trump's case and persuade the jury, but the jury thought otherwise, followed the evidence and voted to convict.  The trial judge in the case has set Trump's sentence for a day in November after the election.  We know that Trump, before a New York judge in a New York court found him liable for sexual abuse of a woman and fined him $5 million.  That same woman later sued Trump for defamation and in a court of law was found guilty of defamation and fined over $70 million.  

We know that in 2017 Trump settled a law suit filed by students of Trump University for fraud and Trump settled out of court for $25 million.  We know that Trump had to settle another fraud law suit brought about by New York attorney general over a Trump non-profit charity where Trump used some of those proceeds for his own use.  Trump was fined $2 million and his non-profit charity had to be dissolved.  As part of the agreement, Trump had to agree on all the charges against him.  We know that Trump, in another fraud law suit against Trump's company, a New York Judge found Trump's company guilty of fraud and fined Trump over $400 million in damages.  That judgement was appealed by Trump and is now before a New York court of appeals waiting on a decision.

We know that on January 6, 2021 Trump attempted to overturn the lawful, legal and democratic Presidential election by sending his rioters to the nation's capitol in a violent attack to stop the vote count and told the Vice President, Mike Pence not to accept the electoral vote count in an effort to restrict the peaceful transfer of power to the newly elected President Joe Biden.  That was a traitorous act by a sitting President.  We know that Donald Trump was the very first ever convicted criminal to be nominated for President by a major political party in the United States.  And we know that in 2016 Donald Trump asked Russia to tap into an American's email, Hillary Clinton to try and find dirt on her.  That was the act of a traitor and signaled to Russia they could tap into any American email.  We know that Trump is a serial liar, deals in misinformation and blames others for his own self corruption.  That his rhetoric is extreme, violent and toxic.

Knowing all of this about Trump, will the Louisiana majority vote go to Donald Trump on election day once again?  Or will it be three strikes and Trump is out?  A vote for Trump is a vote accepting a politician's corruption, and as a result, a vote accepting government corruption.  This writer is unaware of the position of Louisiana's media in the election at this writing.  It will be interesting to see if any of the media outlets, newspaper, radio or television come out with a position of support and who it might be.  The vote will tell a story if Louisiana really supports honest politicians and honest government.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Donald Trump: The Ugly American.

 The Ugly American is truly Donald Trump in every way and definition of the word because he represents evil and is anti-everything that has made America, the Beautiful.  It is hard to wrap you head around a person who is so childish, so insecure, so mentally confused, so afraid and unable to articulate any civil thought of substance.  So flawed he has to use rhetoric that is extreme, violent and toxic about other people.  A person who thinks only of himself, talks negative about our veterans and their service to the country.  Opposes the rule of law and everything legal and lawful and blames everyone else for his own corruption.  The Ugly list can go on and on.

The Ugliness does not stop there.  He is a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and a former President, who when President committed a traitorous act by attempting to overturn a legal and lawful democratic Presidential election and was bent on trying to stop the lawful peaceful transfer of power to the new President elect.  And he tried to use his Vice President to stop the Electoral vote count.

Yet, this Ugly American is the top new's story of an out of control media who reports his every action, lies and misinformation like it was facts over and over and over again.  It all began with the 2016 Presidential election and continues today.  The good truthful stories take a back seat to Trump's dominance of the media which they gladly allow to take place.   

The media loves to report Trump's personal attacks on people.  They knew the personal attacks on Hillary Clinton were lies but just kept reporting them.  I have a suggestion for the media.  Next time they quote Trump, start out the report this way.  Convicted criminal Trump alleges etc. etc. etc.  After all, telling it like it is, is truth and fact, Trump is a convicted criminal, that is a fact, convicted on 34 felony  counts by a jury of his peers.  And the judge will sentence Trump next month for his convictions.  

The media who loves to repeat Trump's lies and misinformation every day, should also report every day that Trump is a convicted criminal, facts matter, but this writer does not remember the media reporting on Trump's criminal record.  The out of control media has accepted the new NORM of what Trump believes political candidates should now run on.  The danger has never been greater to America the Beautiful.

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio   

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for September 2024.

 The Labor Department reported the economy added 254,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate came in at 4.1%, down from 4.2% in August.  It was the 44th straight month for positive job growth and the unemployment rate continues to stay in a historical low range since the 1960's.  The Department also reported wages were up 0.4% in September from August and that year to year wages were up 4%.  

And once again, the negative voices of doom and gloom who were predicting 140,000 jobs were wrong as usual.  In fact they tried their best to undercut the good job numbers with lies and misinformation.  That has become their standard procedure as they have nothing left.  Making matters worse for the negative voices, there was more good news reported about the economy.

Walmart, Amazon, Target and other retailers announced they were hiring hundreds of thousand full and part time workers for the holiday season.  The U.S. Port's strike was settled and workers are back on the job.  Employer's business ads for hiring increased to above 8 million as the labor market continues to be steady.  The Feds announced interest rate cuts and more to come.  

The economy in President Biden's first full 44 months in office has been stable and consistent.  Job creation has never been better in any President's 4 year term.  Unemployment at steady low levels, stable consumer spending despite inflation which is down to 2.2% in the latest report.  The GDP in Biden's first 3 years averaged 3.1% annually.  Wages continue to rise.  It is a very positive economy despite the devastation left by the Trump administration.  At this same time during the Trump years in September 2020 unemployment was 7.9% and the economy still had not added back all the 21.5 million jobs it lost.  The economic recession and COVID was treated like, "so what."

Despite the resources of the media in general, PolitiDose commentary was the only news source that correctly projected what would take place with the economy on Biden's watch.  It did so in a December 2020 and January 2021 commentary and gave the reasons why.  PolitiDose's monthly commentary on the economy has followed ever since.  It is sad to report that the media in general, gave more time to the negative voices on the economy than the actual facts. 

So stay tuned to  PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary to stay abreast of the facts.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Evidence, Truth and Facts Bring Another Right Wing Media to Justice.

Newsmax media, the little brother of Fox News met the same fate this week when they agreed to settle the law suit filed against them by Smartmatic, a voting technology company.  The suit claimed that Newsmax defamed them by broadcasting false information their equipment helped steal the 2020 election from Donald Trump.  

The suit asked for a $400 million judgement against Newsmax which was scheduled to go to trial next week.  A settlement was reached and announced yesterday with the amount of damage agreed to being private and will not be made for public consumption.  Going to trial would have exposed Newsmax's false statements to the general public which would be something Newsmax would not want to do.  The settled amount will probably be leaked at some point in time and is surely to be in the millions of dollars.

The suit by Dominion against Fox News cost the media giant $787 million.  Fox settled just a week before going to court so both suits have a lot in common.  They also have a lot in common in broadcasting falsehoods.  They are both a right wing conservative media who supports Trump, the GOP CULT and have a hatred for democrats.  And like the GOP and Trump, are anti-everything.

Dominion and Smartmatic had the necessary resources to take on Fox News and Newsmax, and in this writer's opinion had the evidence, truths and the facts to prevail had a trial taken place.   Fox and Newsmax obviously knew that.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Louisiana's Little Boy Leaders In The U.S. House of Representatives.

 The republican party controls the U.S. House of Representatives in congress with a majority vote and its top leaders are Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House and Steve Scalise, Majority Leader of the House from Louisiana.  Yet, both have failed Louisiana and the country just recently threatening a government shutdown instead of taking care of the government's business by introducing a clean bill that could pass muster and avoid a government shutdown, they bowed down to convicted criminal Trump's demand to include in the bill language about migrant voting that was not necessary and as a result the bill failed.  

It not only failed to obtain the majority GOP party vote, it failed to obtain the democratic vote.  Johnson and Scalise knew the bill would fail but were too coward to face trump, the convicted criminal and sex abuser.  After the bill went down to defeat, Johnson introduced a cleaner bill minus the unnecessary migrant voting issue and the bill passed.  But Johnson and Scalise still could not obtain enough votes from the GOP to pass the bill.  They were saved by the SANE vote of the democratic party to avoid an unnecessary government shutdown.  Once again, it is a SANE democratic party that leads America in responsible governing.

The GOP under Trump has become such a CULT, Johnson and Scalise cannot even lead their own party with a majority vote.  They have accepted their CULT status, lack of leadership and courage and are at the mercy of Trump.  The willingness to submit a bill that they knew would not pass, wasted precious time in a government atmosphere of shutdown just to please an unfit Presidential nominee.  It is a clue as to how pitiful Johnson, Scalise and Trump are as individuals and elected officials. 

Louisiana's delegation in congress are a disgrace to the state and America's political institutions.  It is the very first time a major political party has supported and endorsed for President, a nominee who is a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster, and a former President who committed a traitorous act sending a violent mob to the nation's capitol in order to overturn a legitimate Presidential election.

The American voters must reject Trump and his CULT in the November elections and keep America the Beautiful, Beautiful.

This commentary written by JoeLorio 

The Democratic Party Represents The Sanity Needed To Govern In Washington, Especially At This Time and Place.

 With less than two months before the Presidential election, President Joe Biden and the democratic party remains the only sane voices in Washington and on the campaign trail.  Their voices are the only ones that are representing America and it's people.  Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is running a positive campaign with a positive and brighter approach to the future.  Trump and J.D. Vance are running a campaign of fear, doom and gloom and as always, their rhetoric is violent and toxic.  It lit the fuse when Trump urged his mob to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.  Trump lit the fuse even before that in the 2016 campaign when he told his audience he could shoot someone in the streets and his supporters would not care.

The GOP CULT controls the U. S. House and are once again threatening to shut down the government this month if the democrats do not meet their demands which have no good reasons.  It is a rerun of previous threats that they use to back off on paying for legislation the congress already passed and committed too.  They are a CULT organization for Trump and do not represent America or it's people.

The doom and gloom Trump and his GOP CULT are anti everything in America and what America the Beautiful stands for and fought for.  They have no policy, just an extreme self agenda that uses personal attacks, rhetoric that is toxic, violent and anti-American.  They attack our military, our veterans who served their country, law enforcement, the rule of law and American's institutions.  Then blame others for their own corruption.

The media has played a role in the rise of Trump and his CULT, especially the conservative media.  Both have enabled Trump and continue to do so.  They gave more coverage to President Biden's age than Trump's convicted criminal status.  The media failed to note that the GOP was the very first major political party in America to nominate a convicted criminal as their Presidential nominee.  The media has played it as the NORM in politics, but the actions of the party was a disgrace on our political system. Chaos is the framework of Trump and his CULT party and the media has become part of it with few exceptions.

America made the right decision when they elected Joe Biden President.  The President and his party have been the sane voices ever since, navigating the chaos of Trump and his CULT who have tried everything to damage the administration.  The President and his party's sanity on the economy, foreign policy, domestic issues and the budget has kept the country moving forward.  Consumer spending is still steady, inflation is retreating, unemployment at historic low levels, record job creation, lower deficit spending, lower drug prices, etc., etc.

As of this writing, the President and his party has retained the sanity of governing for the country and it's people. while Trump and his CULT continue to wallow in their own vomit of extreme rhetoric.  The media has never risen to the occasion to inform the people just how well the country has done on President Biden's watch.  Instead, they made the decision to flood the news cycle with the doom and gloom negative voices of Trump and  his CULT and their desire to tear down all that is good in America.  The shame has never been greater.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

   

The Wisdom Of President John F. Kennedy.

 The speeches of President Kennedy were well known because they were articulate on the subject matter and the issues themselves.  and the American people responded in a positive way.  It was a time when the GOP cast their conservatism as being superior to the democratic party's liberalism.  Long before JFK became President, he said the following in his book, "Profiles in Courage."

 

If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health-, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, If that is what they mean by a "Liberal" than I am proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

Kennedy's quote tells the story of a philosophy that has worked well for the people and the country over the years.  Fast forward to Trump and the GOP CULT conservatism and one can see nothing but opposition, no policy, just an extreme ideology that rejects democracy and all the good America the Beautiful stands for.  The conservative ideology is chaos and at the time of this writing they are threating a government shutdown once again for no good reason.  The GOP's conservatism even supports Trump as their Presidential nominee, knowing he is a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster, and a former President who committed a traitorous act by trying to overturn a duly democratic legal Presidential election.  

President Kennedy had it right about Liberalism and the American people can be proud of the accomplishments.  The remarkable thing about Liberalism, it was there when our forefathers designed and adopted the U.S. Constitution, the most liberal document of them all.

And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for August 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department announced that the economy created 142,000 jobs in August and that the unemployment rate came in at 4.2%, down from 4.3% the previous month.  It was the 43rd. straight month of positive job growth despite the continued doom and gloom of the negative voices who put the usual spin on the job numbers.  The unemployment rate over the same time period during the Trump administration was 8.4% in August 2020 and job creation was still in a negative position.

The job market is slowing to some degree because that is what the Feds wanted to take place when they raised interest rates high and fast over the last two years.  It is also what the negative voices clamored for and now want to blame it on the economy. The President's inflation reduction act did more to cool inflation than the Feds mind set of having to damage the economy with high interest rates.  

The guessing game continues by the negative voices and those who oppose the President's agenda and    their opinions and predictions are all over the lot as to what the Feds will do next.  The economic recession that began in February of 2020 on Trump's watch ended the 10 years of economic expansion that began on President Obama's watch.  The U.S. economic expansion began again on Biden's watch and the negative voices of doom and gloom hate it.

  The job market may be slowing a bit, but it is not due to President Biden's agenda.  The Feds misguided policy of slowing the economy down and slower hiring with high interest rates to pull back on consumer and business spending is a policy for disaster and is an outdated policy to deal with inflation. Up to this point in time, on President Biden's watch, job creation has been at record levels of any President's 4 year term.  And that includes the 811,000 jobs revision the Labor Department recently announced and also includes the August job numbers.  The unemployment rate remains at a historical low level, consumer spending has been steady, the second quarter GDP was 3% on an annual basis,  Yet, during all that time, the negative voices were talking recession and doom and gloom for the economy.  

The Feds had reasons to lower the interest rates long ago, and the time was right to do so.  The economy needs that assurance now since the end of the year is approaching and Trump has told House speaker Johnson to shut the government down if the GOP's demands are not met by the democrats in congress.  It is just another demand by the negative voices to damage the economy and government in an election year.  The ball is now in the Feds court and they have to act and lower interest rates.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Southern Cal Defeats LSU 27 - 20 In Las Vegas.

 The LSU Tigers lost their third straight opening game under Coach Brian Kelly to Southern Cal in Las Vegas on Sunday.  And like the previous two games, had an opportunity to win the game and failed to do so.  The loss was met with the usual chatter and after the game, coach Kelly pounded the table and let loose with anger how his Tigers should have never lost the game.

So now, four days past Sunday's defeat it is time to take a more sane approach of what was actually known before the game and what we know now, after the game.  One game does not make a season but it does tell a story and should be a reminder.  So, lets explore what was known before the game.  (1)  Last season LSU failed to improve on it's won-loss record over the previous year.  Both years ended with a won-loss record of 9-3 during the regular season.  (2)  last season LSU had a quarterback who won the Heisman trophy, set a quarterback school record for rushing yardage and passing on offense but that still did not translate into a better winning record.  (3)  LSU's rushing last season by it's running backs was not a good enough read as to their future potential.  (4)  The defense did not perform well last year, were penalized too many times, especially in critical situations.  They also did not defend well on third down plays.  It was a down year from the previous year.

What we now know after Sunday's game is that (1) LSU's defense was a hit and a miss, very similar to last years defense, gave up too many big plays and did not tackle well.  Really looked bad on USC's last touchdown with 8 seconds left on the clock.  The secondary let too many receivers run wild.  (2)  LSU's offense was inconsistent, running game looked good and not so good, especially on 3rd down.  It is said that LSU has quality running backs, but that remains to be seen.  Quarterback performed well overall but coordination with offensive line on occasions were lacking and penalized too often.  And the fans were told the offensive line would be the primer this year.  

The critical situations that existed and known before the season started was a new offensive coordinator a new defensive coordinator with no prior experience with LSU or how they might perform and a running game minus Daniels.  And the answer to those questions will not be known until the end of the season.  And to top it off, LSU will have to win 10 of their next 11 games to have a better won-loss record than the last two years.  Coach Kelly's ability to see that takes place is questionable after Sunday's game

This writer believes that under Coach Kelly's tenure, LSU should still be rated a "wait and see" team.  With the changes and circumstances that are taken place, it is hard to see what progress LSU will make.  Kelly and his staff have to step up to the plate and do a much better job.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

The American People Will Elect Kamala Harris President In The November 2024 Presidential Election.

 Vice President Kamala Harris, now the democratic party's Presidential nominee began her campaign on a high note, it is clear to the voters that it is she and not Trump who represent America and its cherished values no matter the issue or the subject.  The media's constant image of President Biden being the old and confusing candidate is no longer on the media's agenda.

All the media has left now is the old and convicted criminal candidate Donald Trump to continue their love affair.  But Kamala Harris has thrown a curve in the media's plans to crown Trump President one more time with their excessive news coverage, over looking his corruption of everything he touches and his toxic and violent rhetoric.  The media is actually comfortable with Trump despite his criminal activity and his threats of retribution.

Hamala Harris put the fun back in campaigning and talking to the people of America.  Its about building on the past success to move forward to a better future.  It is still sunshine every day in America despite 8 years f Trump's personal attacks, corruption and dark outlook for America's future.  Harris is the young candidate with a smile, a bounce in her step who reminds the voters America is not going back to the dark world of Donald Trump.

The media has done its best to try and convince the voters to overlook the facts that Trump is a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and a former President who tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election.  They have failed to question his rap sheet face to face and failed to express the opinion that Trump should withdraw from the campaign because of his criminal record.  In the past, the media has done so concerning other candidates or elected officials who have committed some serious actions.  But with Trump, their media star, they have let it slide.

Kamala Harris represents the future of the democratic party along with other younger democrats and her nomination comes at the proper time because America is in need to change the subject away from the dark voices of Trump and his party.  The American people  have responded to Harris's campaign, her smile, her outlook for America and its people and her determination not to go back and a refreshing look on campaigning being fun to be able to visit and talk to people she will be working for if elected.

 This writer is of the opinion that the majority of American voters will not return to office Donald Trump, a convicted criminal.  The majority vote will not allow Donald Trump to betray the moral fabric that has kept America the Beautiful alive since 1775.  The choice in the November election is clear and in favor of Kamala Harris.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana's Representatives in Congress Who Support, and or Vote for Donald Trump are a Pitiful, Sorry and Sad Lot.

 They not only are members of the first major political party in America to nominate a convicted criminal to be the party's Presidential nominee, in doing so, they approved the concept of a corrupted President and a corrupted government.  The media in Louisiana has spoken about corruption in Louisiana politics many times in the past but never to the level of this magnitude.  

Donald Trump is a convicted criminal on 34 felony counts, a sexual abuser, a fraudster, and as a former President, while sitting in the Oval Office attempted to overturn the 2020 Presidential election with his violent mob who stormed the nation's capitol.  He is also a serial liar whose rhetoric is toxic and violent.

Trump and his GOP cannot walk the talk concerning Moral values, on law and order, on democratic values or governing, on our veteran's sacrifice, on the constitution, on defending our country and standing with America's allies, on respecting our people.  Nor can he walk the talk of honor, duty and country.  Yet, this is the person the party nominated for President and intends to support and vote for in the November elections.  Their shame has no bounds.

Those Louisiana representatives in congress who support and or vote for Donald Trump, display their lack of respect for the office they hold and a lack of respect to governing the nation.  It also represents a future where UNFIT political candidates are the new NORM in our political history.  How sad the GOP allowed this to take place.  And how sad the media never followed the real story of this pitiful chapter in American politics. 

With only two short months left until election day, the media finally needs to speak up to the real issue of Donald Trump and his party's nomination of such an UNFIT candidate and what it means for future nominations for the nation's highest office. 

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

Former President Bill Clinton's Remark Were Another First For PolitiDose Commentary.

 Former President Bill Clinton speaking at the Democratic National Convention this week reminded all just how effective the economy was in creating jobs during democratic administrations.  Since 1989, the economy has created over 51 million jobs and a little over 50 million of those jobs were created on the democratic watch while only a little over 1 million jobs were created on the GOP watch.  

And if that sounds familiar it is because you read it here first in PolitiDose commentary dated 11/5/2010 and 3/19/21.  The first dealing with the time period of 1929-2008 and the second dealing with the period 1981-2020.  After Clinton's speech, the media had to check his numbers out and found them to be correct.  The media, who likes to describe their responsibility as informing the people about facts should be given an F for their failure to do so, especially on economic matters.

 For years, the media has enabled the GOP's lies proclaiming democratic administrations are job killers.  They never take the time to point out the fact that it is GOP administrations that have the poor record on creating jobs.  And the worse are some in Louisiana's media who have been silent when Louisiana representative Steve Scalise has said over and over and over again, that democratic administration's policies are job killers.  Louisiana's media gladly reports Scalise's lies without bothering to lay out the facts.

For the last 10 years, PolitiDose commentary has been there with the facts and also one of the most telling facts about job creation, and that is, President Clinton's administration created more jobs in 8 years than Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump did in the 24 years they served.  PolitiDose commentary of 3/19/21 gives all the details.  (And Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump gave tax breaks to corp. America and the wealthy)

With a Presidential election in November, this writer does not see anything in the media's attitude of correcting the lies with facts.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of Political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Consumer Spending In July 2024 Continues To Confuse The Economy's Pundits.

 The Commerce Department reported retail sales in July increased 1% over June's retail sales.  It was the largest increase in over a year and despite the negative voice's prediction of a poor showing.  Consumers continue to have faith in the economy and spend their money.  In another report the Fiserv Small Business Index of retail sales rose one point in July over June's retail sales and 3.55% over June 2023 retail sales.  That index represents over 2 million small business companies so that community enjoys the benefit of consumers spending also.

The positive July report came out two weeks after a stock market sell off when the July's job numbers came out.  The pundits did not like the positive job numbers and the market had an unnecessary panic attack fed by the negative voices.  And as usual, the market bounced back and recovered in a short period of time.

There has been no consistent data over a period of months for the negative voices to be talking about recession, a consumer spending pull back, massive job losses or runaway unemployment.  Inflation has been going down, so far this year at 2.9%.  The 30 year home mortgage rate is coming down.  For the three and half years under the Biden administration, the economy has performed well and continues to be strong.  Consumer confidence is up in the latest poll.  The negative voices will never be satisfied with an economy that is working.  

The greatest threat to the economy is a prolong continuation of high interest rates.  The Feds have to act now and reduce those rates.  The economy that has worked so well should not be exposed any longer with outside pressure from the Feds.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

The U.S. Economy Performed Well During The Current Period Of Inflation Than It Did During The Inflation Period Of The Early 1980's.

 The negative voices of doom and gloom during the current period of inflation 2021-2024 failed to realize their dream for an economic recession.  Unemployment levels have stayed at low historical levels, job creation is at a three and half year record, smaller deficits than the previous 4 years, consumer spending has stayed steady and healthy to keep the economy rolling. 6 million more Americans are working now than there was prior to COVID and our homeland has been safe.

The inflationary period of 1979-1982 experienced higher inflation rates and higher 30 year home mortgage interest rates far greater than the current situation.  Inflation for 1979 was 13.3%, 1980 was 12.5%, 1981 was 8.9% and 1982 was 3.8%.  So, the average annual inflation rate for that period was 9.6%.  The 30 year home mortgage rate for 1979 was 12.9%, 1980 was 14.9%, 1981 was 18.6% and 1982 was 16.8% for an average annual rate of 15,6%.  The unemployment rate stood at over 10% for 10 straight months from September 1982 till June 1983.  That is still the longest consecutive string of unemployment and the highest in the last 80 years.  Deficit spending was increasing, fewer jobs were being created and consumer spending was not moving the economy forward.  Terrorist blew up the Marine compound in Beirut killing 241 Marines and wounded many others.  

The current inflationary period 2021-2024 tells the story how the present U.S. economy did a better job of controlling inflation rates and the 30 year home mortgage interest rates as follows.  Inflation in 2021 was 7%,  2022 was 6.5%, 2023 was 3.4% and so far 2024 it is 2.9% for an annual average rate of 4.95%.  30 year home mortgage rates for 2021 was 2.9%, 2022 was 5.3%, 2023 was 6.8%, 2024 so far the highest was 7.7% for an annual average of 5.6%. (The latest Fannie Mae 30 year mortgage rate was at 6.7% this week)  But if one paid attention to the negative voices of doom and gloom, you would think the sky has already caved in.  That is how bad the division has taken place and to top it off, Trump and his supporters are running a campaign based on doom and gloom.

The democratic party has earned the right to run and campaign with a positive message of hope and a economic foundation to improve on in the next administration.  In the meantime, the media will continue to enable the negative voices.  The American people can change that in November by supporting the democratic nominee and electing a majority democratic House and Senate.  After all, the democratic party has a much better record of governing and a much better record on every economic issue and has the numbers to back it up.  And President Biden has kept America safe.

So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  The average annual 30 year home mortgage rate for the period 1971-2022 was 7.7%.

Past PolitiDose Commentary Was A Prelude To President Biden's Recommended Changes To The Supreme Court.

At the time it was written on 8/24/19, PolitiDose commentary was not about Joe Biden and the Supreme Court.  It was about the Supreme Courts make up at a time Roe v. Wade became law in 1973.  The article described the Court in those days as the THEN Supreme Court and the Supreme Court in 2019 as the NOW Supreme Court.  In the days of the THEN Court, the Court had a majority Republican control 7-2 and those conservative judges were TRUE conservatives.  The Republican majority NOW Court claims to be conservative but they are extreme in their rulings.

The make up of the NOW Supreme Court has taken the Court to a new level of extreme since the 2019 commentary.  In three major decisions concerning The Voting Rights Act, Roe v. Wade and Presidential immunity, the NOW court has thrown out precedent and the "stand by the decision" venue that has guided the Courts.  Those three decisions overturned what had been law for decades.  The NOW court has also violated any claim to have an ethic code as a guide like congress and others have ethic codes to follow.  The NOW Courts actions confirm that PolitiDose commentary was accurate.

So now, President Biden has asked Congress to pass reform legislation for the Court, including an ethic code to live by.   It is long over due since the NOW court is out of control.  To refresh one's memory, the make up of the THEN Court when Roe v Wade was decided in 1973 was as follows:  The Court voted 7-2.  Voting yes were:  Judge Harry Blackburn, appointed by Nixon;  William Douglas appointed by Franklin Roosevelt; Warren Burger, appointed by Nixon;  William Brenan, appointed by Dwight Eisenhower;  Potter Stewart, appointed by Dwight Eisenhower;  Thorgood Marshall, appointed by Lyndon Johnson; Lewis Powell, appointed by Nixon.  It was the Republican majority that ruled.

Voting No, was:  Judge Byron White, Appointed by John Kennedy, William Rehnquest, appointed by R. Nixon.  

And PolitiDose commentary was there in 2019, first to address the subject matter long before President Biden did recently.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

Note:  The title of the 2019 commentary was:  The Republicans, Conservatives, The Anti-Abortion Groups and the Johnny Come Lately President Donald Trump.

 

Will The Months of August and September Bring a New Light, Or Represent a Change on Trump's Status as The GOP's Presidential Nominee?

 August and September will be pivotable for the political life of convicted criminal, Donald Trump.  October and November are far from the criminal's mind at this point because two of his cases, one state and one federal will resume before the judges hearing both cases.  And make no mistake, Trump is worried.

Federal District Judge Tanya Chutkan refused Trump's attorney's motion to dismiss the case based on the recent Supreme Court ruling of immunity for Trump's election interference charge.  Instead the judge set a date of August 16 to decide where the case goes from here.  Trump's hush money state case in New York before Judge Juan Merchan is set to rule September 6 whether or not the Supreme Court's immunity decision applies and the Judge also set Trump's sentencing date for September 18.  Several attorney generals filed suit with the Supreme Court to try and stop Trump's sentencing on September 18 because of the Court's immunity ruling and the Court rejected their filing.  

What ever results follow those two cases, could affect Trump's political future and could even end his nomination as a candidate.  The clock is ticking and time is moving to a conclusion.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio    

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for July 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 114,000 jobs in July and the unemployment rate came in at 4.3%, it was 4.1% in June.  It was the 42nd straight month of positive job growth.  The pundits were wrong again on the job numbers as usual.  The Feds kept interest rates at the current level and continue to act in a negative way despite a good overall economy.

A comparison of Trump's record over the same time period finds that in July 2020 the unemployment rate was 10.2% and the economy still had not recovered all the jobs the economy lost due to the economic recession and COVID.  And when Trump left office 6 months later the economy lost 2.7 million jobs over his term in office.  It was only the second time an administration left office losing jobs since the great depression of 1929 under republican president Herbert Hoover when 6,000,000 million jobs were lost.

The Feds are still in denial about the economy and its strength and have allowed interest rates to stay high despite the cost to the consumer and the economy.  The rates should have been lowered long ago to meet the moment.  The so called economic experts who urged the Feds to raise rates high and fast over two years ago to fight inflation have no clue or economic sense.  If a recession takes place, they will be the ones who lit the fuse.

July's job numbers are down but still in positive territory and one month is no indication of things to come.  The unemployment rate is still in a historical low position and the Commerce Department recently reported employer's ads have openings for 8.2 million jobs.  The Feds have good reason to reduce interest rates NOW and not wait until September.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

What Is The Proper Way To Investigate The Attempted Assassination of A President Or Presidental Nominee?

 If one goes by the recent attempt in Butler, Pa., against Donald Trump, it is to blame the Secret Service agents, especially the women agents who they say are too small and are only there because of DEI, local enforcement people and the fact that they allowed the shooter to get too close to the stage where Trump would be speaking.  Law enforcement people said the shooter was within 157 yards from the stage, that is a football field and a half.  It should be noted that women Secret Service agents have been on the force for over 50 years and have been on many Presidential details including the one when President Reagan was shot by an assassin.  Let us examine what took place in past assassination attempts.

President Kennedy was killed by an assassin in 1963 from the 6th floor window of a building where the motorcade passed right in front of.  There were numerous windows in that building and none were secured and in fact Dallas police officers walked the street right under that building with the windows in full view.  The shooter was approximately a half block away.  Texas Governor John Connerly was in the President's car and was badly wounded.  President Kennedy refused to have the bubble top put on the car that tragic day because he believed an assassin could strike the President if he so wanted because the President is exposed in so many different ways.

Alabama Governor George Wallace was struck by an assassin in 1972 while campaigning for President and was paralyzed from the waist down and spent the rest of his life in a wheel chair.  The shooter was within 5-6 feet from Wallace.  In Wallace's protective detail were FBI and Secret Service agents. 

President Reagan was struck by an assassin in 1982, 10 years later.  The President was seriously wounded, required surgery and came close to losing his life according to the doctors.  The President's assistant suffered severe head wounds and one Secret Service agent was killed.  The shooter was within 20 feet of the President when he opened fire.  President Reagan never blamed his Secret Service agents of failure.  

In Butler, Pa., this month Donald Trump was struck by an assassin and suffered a minor wound to his right ear.  The shooter was said to be 157 yards from the stage Trump was speaking from.  One other person was killed.  Secret Service agents, both men and women rushed to protect Trump after the shots were fired pushing him to the ground and protecting him.

If one wants to deal in the hypothetical, one can say that the Secret Service did a better job at protecting Trump than they did protecting President Kennedy who was killed, Gov. Wallace who was badly wounded and President Reagan who was also badly wounded.  The shooter also was kept farther away from Trump and Trump's wounds were minor.

Blaming the governmental security people for failure instead of blaming the shooter is running wild on social media and in the regular media.  They blame the women Secret Service agents on Trump's detail as being too small to protect the President and that they are only there because of DEI.  As of this writing the Secret Service and the FBI have not identified the motive or the why of the shooter and the FBI says they at this time can not confirm that Trump was struck by a bullet or the shrapnel from bullet fragments.    

Congress is now investigating the shooting and in due time a report will be issued.  Can government officials really give 100% protection for a President?  This writer has his doubts and thinks President Kennedy's thoughts have been right.  Presidential exposure is a political problem that more thought has to be given too.  The other huge problem is the toxic and violet rhetoric of Trump and his republican CULT that can easily light the fuse of someone looking for the right push.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First for PolitiDose As President Biden Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election.

 Two Years ago in a PolitiDose commentary published July 15, 2022 this writer predicted that President Joe Biden would not seek re-election and that 2024 would be time enough to announce his decision.  The commentary explained why the President would make that decision and was published at a time the media, the GOP, Trump and the negative voices were calling the President to step down because of his age and etc.  It was a pile on by those who wanted to see the President fail.

President Biden's letter explaining he would not seek re-election matched a number of points PolitiDose commentary made two years earlier.   Other reasons fit right in with the President's accomplishments that the commentary spoke about.  This writer believes the President made the right decision for the country, the people and his own future.  The accomplishments are already noted in the official records and he will complete his term in office taking good care of the country and its business interest.

The media and the negative pundits will continue to find fault and now call him a lame duck administration, something mentioned in PolitiDose previous commentary but it won't wash.  The President will continue to perform for the people and the country.  In the meantime, the democratic party will start their national convention next month and nominate the party's Presidential nominee for the November election.  The nominee will represent a younger generation of democrats with a bright future for the country who will win in November and continue the progress necessary to keep the country moving forward.   The democratic party will also be united despite the noise of the negative voices.  

The voting public can be certain that the democrats will not nominate a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster, liar or a traitorous former President who tried to overturn a legitimate democratic Presidential election.

And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

To check out PolitiDose commentary of two years ago log onto politidose.blogspot.com and scroll to the date.  

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT: ARMAGEDDON; The Break Up Of The Republican Party.

 July 18, 2024 will be remembered as a day of infamy for the Republican Party.  On that ugly day in Milwaukee, Wis., at their national convention, the GOP officially nominated for President, a convicted criminal and former President who attempted to overturn the 2020 President election.  It was the very first time a major political party in America decided to support such a candidate with a criminal record. They also nominated a person who is a sexual abuser, serial liar, and whose companies have been convicted of fraud multiple times.  The nomination was so outside the NORM of political behavior the Republican party is no longer a political party.  They are now a CULT organization led by their CULT leader Donald Trump whose rhetoric is toxic and violent.  

This new CULT organization has accepted Trump's rap sheet of corruption and have plans to tell every American how to live their lives.  One republican Lt. Governor said a week or so ago that, "some people need killing."  Who knows who he had in mind?  His comment may have already led to violence.  Supporting a CULT leader like Trump indicates you accept criminal and corrupted elected officials and therefore accept corrupted government.  

Past Presidents, Vice Presidents, some members of congress, some running for the nomination of President and other offices have in the past resigned their positions because of unacceptable behavior or withdrew.  President Nixon resigned the presidency because his own party told him he would be impeached if he did not.  Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned because he was indicted for bribery.  Senator Gary Hart withdrew his candidacy for President.  And there were others and none of those people's failures are even close to Trump's unacceptable behavior.  Yet here we are with Trump's CULT willing to stoop so low even after they know all the facts.  

The GOP once had leaders with morals and understood and accepted the NORMS of public service.  The new republican CULT organization has trampled the moral NORMS of political leadership.  And if successful will come after democracy and America the Beautiful.  The people have to go to the polls on  election day and see that it does not take place.  The facts tell us, Donald Trump, by his own actions should never be allowed to hold any public office ever again.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Consumer Spending In June Holds Steady and Continues to confuse the Experts.

 The U.S. Commerce Department reported that retail sales for June were the same as May even though May's numbers were revised up 0.3% from the first reports.  The negative voices predicted June's retail sales would be 0.3% less than May's number and have disregarded that the economy has been holding steady for the past 42 straight months despite inflation.

Since retail sales represents 70% of the economy, job creation at record levels, unemployment rate is at historical low level and reached a record stretch not seen since the 1960's, there has been no justification of recession talk that started two years ago in the second quarter of 2022.  The primer that could set off an economic recession are the Feds high interest rates for so long.  It is past time to start lowering them and ignore the notion that the way to fight inflation is to weaken the economy, losing jobs, raising the unemployment rate and put people out of work.  That is a false economic and monetary policy. 

The U.S. economy has come a long way after following the economic and fiscal disaster of the Trump administration.  The Biden administration inherited record deficits, record spending, 2.7 million jobs lost, the largest number increase in the national debt of any President's 4 fiscal years $8.2 trillion, the largest single year deficit ever, COVID and the results that followed.  The Biden administration also had to cope with Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power to the new administration.  

President Biden was up to the task, turned thing around for the country and its people with plans and policy that worked to address the issues at hand.  The results for the past 42 months has been remarkable despite the negative voices of doom and gloom.  The greatest threat to the economy between now and the end of Biden's term will fall to what decisions the Feds will make.  It should not be taken for granted.

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio

The Democratic Party Warned About The Dangers of Donald Trump's Toxic and Violent Rhetoric and The Resulting Consequences.

 And what took place in Butler, Pa., on Saturday at Trump's campaign rally was hardly a surprise to those who pay attention.  The violence that took place, killing two people and wounding Trump and others has come around full circle.  Trump's toxic rhetoric feeds those on the edge, regardless friend or foe and Trump's violent rhetoric began in Iowa during a campaign rally in 2016 when he told his audience he could go out and shoot someone on 5th. avenue and would not lose any votes.  In other words, he supported political violence.

Then when President Trump launched his mob's violent attack on the nation's capitol, the mob tried to hunt down Nancy Pelosi, carried signs that read hang Mike Pense, destroyed property, injured people, Trump proved his thirst for violence when he failed to call off his mob even after his advisers advised him to do so.  He also cemented his tolerance for violence after hundreds of his mobs were tried in court and found guilty, Trump called them patriots.  He later said, if re-elected, he would pardon those mob rioters.  His thirst for violence became even greater.

The New York Judge in Trump's court trial concerning the Stormy Daniels matter had to gag him for his toxic rhetoric against the Judge's daughter, clerks of court, jury members and others who later received threatening emails and phone calls.  Trump did the same thing to poll and election workers who also received threatening emails and phone calls.  Those are just some of Trump's political toxic and violent rhetoric and the GOP has been with him all the way.  

Trump's ongoing toxic rhetoric lit the fuse for what took place in Butler, Pa., on Saturday.  Some in the GOP said after the shooting we have to turn down the temperature.  They are the same ones who turned up the temperature in supporting Trump's mob attack on the capitol instead of condemning the violence and Trump's attempt to overturn the election.  The shooting will not change the extreme attitude of Trump and his party because they have chosen to be a cult and not a party.

President Biden, the democratic party and the January 6 committee were on the right side of American democracy and the law when they warned of the dangers of Donald Trump's toxic and violent rhetoric and consequence that would follow.  And former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the first to warn the nation during the 2016 Presidential campaign.  

The public should use their vote in November to keep Trump far away from the White House.  His tolerance for toxic and violent rhetoric is a disease.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Forget About Presidential Immunity: Donald Trump Is Still A Convicted Criminal, Sexual Abuser, Fraudster and Serial Liar.

He is also a former President who while in office tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election and obstruct the legal transfer of power to the newly elected President Joe Biden.  Presidential immunity is not given to nor is needed by any President who obeys the rule of law and the constitution.  It is also not needed for a President who upholds his oath of office.  Donald Trump and his GOP know this and that is why they are trying to overturn Trump's New York conviction and the state of Georgia from prosecuting Trump by Georgia's Attorney General.

What Trump fears the most now is being sentenced to prison before the election over the 34 felony counts he was found guilty on by a 12 man-woman jury of his peers that was approved by Trump's lawyers and the prosecutor's lawyers.  As usual Trump accused the jury of being corrupt and biased.  America the Beautiful has never been exposed to such an unfit person for public office and a ditto head republican party that is unfit to govern in congress.

The country has been exposed to Trump's corruption and toxic behavior and chaos for the past 8 years and the media still feels it has to enable the criminal.  It is way past time for the media to tune out Trump's toxic rhetoric, lies and misinformation.  We have heard it all over the past 8 years and there is nothing left to add.  Let him address the nation over his own social network so those who want to continue to get toxic can do so on their own.   

Enough is enough, the convicted criminal should be treated like one.  America the Beautiful must overcome.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for June 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy added 206,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate came in at 4.1%.  It was 4% in May.  It was the 41st straight month of positive job growth and the 4.1% unemployment was still within historical low territory.  In the same time period during the Trump administration the unemployment rate for June 2020 was 11%.  The job numbers exceeded that predicted by ADT and the negative voices who were predicting somewhere around150,000 jobs.

After the report was released, the usual banter took place in social media.  The  Pros and Cons were all over the lot; some still talking about a recession; a soft landing for the economy; no recession in 2024 and the beat goes on and on.  The question when the Feds will lower interest rates changes every day.

Three and half years after the President took office the economy is still doing well, creating jobs, keeping the unemployment rates at historical low levels, keeping America working and spending despite inflation.  The recession predicted for the 2nd quarter of 2022 never took place then or as of this writing.  Top economist, the negative voices, many CEO's with financial institutions urged the Feds to raise interest rates high and fast when inflation first took hold.  The idea was to cool the economy, raise unemployment with major layoffs, a failed ideology that hurts the consumers more than anyone else.  Now those same voices are talking about a shrinking job market, higher unemployment and are urging the Feds to cut interest rates.  

It should be noted that the unemployment rate when Biden took office in January of 2021 was 6.3%.  Only one republican administration in the last 80 years left office with an unemployment rate lower than when he took office and that was Ronald Reagan.  But every democratic administration during that same time period left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he took office with the exception of President Carter where the unemployment rate stayed the same.  GOP administrations have a terrible record on job creation and lowering the unemployment rate and Trump continued the tradition as 2.7 million jobs were lost on his watch.

President Biden, unless things change between now and the end of his term can continue the democratic precedent of positive job growth and lower unemployment for Americans.

Note:  Unemployment information herein taken from the historical records of the U.S. Labor Department

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio   

The Philadelphia Inquirer Newspaper and PolitiDose Commentary Have a Lot In Common.

 The Editorial Board of the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper recently wrote commentary after the Biden-Trump debate and called on Trump to withdraw his candidacy for the Presidency.  Their reasons why were numerous and concerned many topics as to why Trump should withdraw.  The Board also expressed the opinion that Trump should never have been invited to the debates in the first place and the reasons why.

And strange as it may seem to some, PolitiDose past commentaries came to the same conclusion and expressed almost the same identical reasons why and why Trump was so unfit to hold any political office, much less the Presidency.  And to top it off, the Board and PolitiDose commentary unknowingly, at the same time used the same word in pointing out that "on Biden's worse day, he was a better man than Trump, a better President and Presidential candidate for re-election."  When this writer read the Board's commentary on 7/3, it was actually published on 6/29, I was happy to see a newspaper and it's editorial Board take such a stand when the media in general has sought to enable Trump.

The Board's reasons for their position should be easy to understand by all with an open mind.  It comes at a time when the negative voices of Trump and his supporters continue to show little respect for what America the Beautiful is all about.  This writer looks forward to more positive commentaries from the Board on the subject.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Past PolitiDose commentary on the subject can be read by logging onto:  politidose.blogspot.com 

  

The Supreme Court's Decision On Presidential Immunity Can Be Negated By An Informed Electorate.

 Monday's Supreme Court ruling giving never before authority for a President to be king fits in with Trump's previous actions and his continued lust for power.  It is a power no previous President has sought and if in fact was the law during the Nixon administration, Nixon would have never resigned as the court at that time ruled against Nixon.

The American people have an opportunity in November to negate the court's decision and keep America the Beautiful, Beautiful by voting against Trump, the criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and serial liar and end his lust for power and kingship.  That will keep the Presidency in the hands of the democratic party who would be in a position to appoint any new Supreme Court members and help balance the court.  And if the democrats end up controlling both houses of congress, could pass legislation that would return the limited immunity of the Presidency provided in the constitution and what our forefathers intended.

Voting against Trump is the best way to ensure he will never be a king, that American democracy will continue with the rule of law and our institutions will remain free from personal attacks.  Keeping Trump out of power will also assure the present indictments against him will go to trial and not allow him to use the Supreme Courts new immunity decision to become king and stop those indictments.  American democracy is on the ballot, make no mistake about it.

And so my fellow Americans, in November vote against Donald Trump and keep America the Beautiful, Beautiful.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

The Presidential Debate That Never Was: It Was Another First For PolitiDose Commentary On The Subject.

 Thursday night's Presidential debate was the subject of three PolitiDose commentary dated, May18, June 1, and June 14 and why Presidential debates are useless and unnecessary, especially this debate between Criminal Trump and President Biden because Trump will lie about everything, both have a record, already on RECORD and it is impossible to debate a serial liar.  And sure enough, PolitiDose commentaries were right on target.

After the debate, pundits in the media displayed their ignorance with their comments about the President's performance, but as usual said nothing about Trump's lies all thru the debate.  The media attacked Biden for not responding boldly to Trump's lies about January 6 even though the President has been doing so in a forceful manner since he took office three and half years ago and in a public way to Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 Presidential election.  Does any one think the President, in a debate with only one minute allowed to reply needs to affirm his position he has taken since day one?

CNN took itself off the hook when they refused to counter any of Trump's lies.  The media in general has taken the same position since Trump's actions on January 6.  In fact, it is safe to say that a large segment of the main street media has joined the conservative media in becoming Trump's patsy, surrogate and enabler.  They failed the simple test of accepting that Trump, a serial liar, convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and a former President who tried to overturn a Presidential election is unfit for any political office and unfit to be invited to any political debate.  

The bottom line tells us that on President Biden's worse day, he is still the best man and most qualified nominee to be re-elected.  And he has the real RECORD  of performance that can be backed up by FACTS.  A ninety minute false debating show is not a defining moment like the media would like the pubic to believe.  Long ago this writer expressed the opinion that the President would not run for reelection, not because of age, but because it is time to turn to a new generation of capable democratic leaders that are available now.  The President has accomplished much for the country and its people since the disaster of the Trump years and will end his term in office as a winner who cared for democracy, the country and its people.  

The media who created Trump and the negative voices have been on the wrong side of America the Beautiful and the positive accomplishments that have taken place on President Biden's watch.  All should remember the wise words of the Sumerians, who over 6000 years ago said they were taught, "The Key to a better future is learning from and understanding the failures of the past."

And 6000 years later, that is the key in the November Presidential election.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Did Donald Trump Visit New Orleans To Raise Money For His Campaign Or His Legal Bills?

 A New Orleans Advocate article in Tuesday's edition tells us that Trump was in New Orleans on Monday and raised $5 million at the uptown New Orleans home of Boysie Bollinger, a major republican fundraiser in Louisiana.  Louisiana's U.S. Senator John Kennedy, Governor Jeff Landry and Louisiana's representative Steve Scalise were there in support of Trump and the fundraiser.  It has been reported that Trump has used fundraising to pay his legal bills in connection with his indictments and trials.

The event was a sad day for the state and city having a convicted criminal come calling for money and some elected officials and willing contributors support such a person for the Presidency.  The article noted there were some pro Trump and anti Trump protesters near the site expressing their thoughts, but no problems resulted.  Tyler Bridges, the author of the article displayed how the media continues to enable criminal Trump when he made a comment completely unrelated to the event when he said and I quote, "Biden also suffered a legal blow when a jury in Delaware convicted his son Hunter Biden two weeks ago of lying about his drug use on a federal background check form."  That was a legal blow to Hunter and not the President as Bridges suggest.  Hunter Biden is a grown man, does not hold public office and is responsible for his own actions.

The last sentence of the article ends with these words.  " An 8 year old boy nearby holding a sign.  It read, Love, not hate."  That sign tells the story of Trump's corruptive life.  There is no love to anything Trump touches because he, himself is toxic.  This writer believes Louisiana and America the Beautiful, should reject a Presidential nominee whose resume includes a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and former President who attempted to overturn the 2020 Presidential election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power and who still faces multiple indictments and trials.  The people should also reject the notion, that kind of behavior is the NORM for political office. 

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

  

Donald Trump Supports Louisiana's Ten Commandments.

 Last Saturday in Washington speaking before Evangelical Christians, Trump endorsed and invoked Louisiana's new legislation requiring the 10 commandments be displayed in every public school class room.  A day earlier on his Social media network he posted the following:  "I love the 10 commandments in public schools, private schools, and many other places, for that matter.  Read it, how can we as a nation go wrong???

Donald Trump, the former President, convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster and adulterer evidently never read the 10 commandments himself.  How could HE go wrong???  He has lived a life of violating the spirit of the commandments and the actual laws.  Does anyone really believe Donald Trump loves the 10 commandments as he proclaims too.  Trump is no moral leader of the people or the nation nor anyone else who uses the commandments for political purpose.  Trump and his so called religious crowd would like to see the U.S. become another Middle East where religious thought control people's lives which has been toxic to peace and democracy in that area for over 2000 years.

The 2024 election for President has only one real candidate that understands what America the Beautiful is all about and how and why our forefathers gave us a constitution that require the separation of church and state.  That generation of leaders, void of computer or A1 technology, understood what would make the country the great country it is and how the people themselves can determine their own fate and direction without religion looking over their shoulders.  

For Trump and his supporters, division is their goal and religion is one of their methods to achieve division.  Many years ago President Clinton said the only way the GOP can win elections is by dividing the country, it is their only card to play.  The voters made the right choice in the 2020 election when they elected Joe Biden President.  The 2024 election turns out to be a very, very important one because President Biden's opponent has a criminal record and a record of corruption.  He is totally unfit for office, has an un-American and anti-Democratic ideology that tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election and prevent the lawful and peaceful transfer of power to the new administration.  Trump has also been a serial liar since day one and it continues today.  

President Biden is the SANE President and candidate whose policies moved the country in the right direction after the economic recession and COVID pandemic during the Trump years.  The facts tell the story of his Administrations success with the economy and putting America back to work.  It is this writer's judgement that President Biden is worthy of being reelected President of the United States.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Big First For PolitiDose Commentary.

 Monday night on MSNBC's show The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, part of his offering statemen was about Democratic administrations governing much better than Republican administrations do and how President Joe Biden has been the SANE voice for America among the toxic rhetoric and the good job Biden has done with the economy.  He also spoke of the new political add by Biden set to start running which reminds the voters that Trump is a convicted criminal, an abuser of women and a fraudster.  

And if all that sounded familiar to the viewing public it's because you read it here first in PolitiDose commentary.  Commentary that reminded the people that Biden and the Democrats were the only SANE people in Washington doing their job while Trump and the GOP were being their usual toxic self dividing the country.  It was also PolitiDose commentary that reminded it's readers that Trump was not only a convicted criminal but called attention to his abuse of women, his fraud history and defamation.  

In fact, PolitiDose commentary has for the past 10 years spelled out why Democratic administration are best at governing America the Beautiful.  And they are best at governing every phase of the American economy.  MSNBC and other media networks are slow to realize the facts, tardy in reporting the good news and spend too much time on the negative voices who have no accomplishments.  With 5 months left to the November elections, the media should tune out the negative voices and pay attention to the positives of the past 45 months and the balance of this year which economist are now saying will be a strong second half.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Media Has Descended Into The Bottom of The Barrel With Donald Trump.

 It was the media who created Trump during the 2016 Presidential election when he became a Republican Presidential candidate.  Ever since then, the media has aided and enabled him with excessive media coverage to spread his lies, misinformation, personal attacks and blaming others for his own self made corruption.  And now, after being convicted of 34 felony counts in a New York criminal trial, a judge's finding of sexual abuse and fine for $5 million for such abuse, then another multi-million dollar fine for defaming the same women by a jury trial, a judge trial that found Trump company guilty of Fraud which Trump was fined over $300 million for allowing the Fraud to take place, the same media is still aiding and enabling the same Donald Trump the criminal.

Still to come are multiple federal indictments, a Georgia state indictments that are waiting to go to trial.  If all that is difficult to wrap your head around, it is astounding to think the same media invited criminal Trump to take part in a Presidential debate with President Joe Biden who will be the only sane person at the debate.  The invitation is a disgrace to the Presidential event where a serial liar and convicted criminal will be allowed to participate in such an event.  The invitation indicates the media does not care about honesty, democracy, morals, the rule of law, the country or what the office of the President stands for.  

Our country experienced other candidates and office holders who had to withdraw from running or the office they held because of previous misconduct.  The media played a role in that as being unacceptable. But the media today treats criminal Trump like he is a big star.   They really don't care about Trump's corruption and the fact he is unfit to hold any political office again, much less the Presidency.  

The media knew what Trump was like in 2016 when at a campaign rally he asked Russia's Putin to tap into Hillary Clinton's email because he was looking for dirt to use during the campaign.  At another campaign rally Trump also told his supporters he could go out and shoot someone and his supporters would not care. The media gave little coverage to those two statement but PolitiDose commentary gave timely commentary calling Trump's statement about Clinton a traitorous act.  

Not only should Trump's criminal conviction disqualify him from any Presidential debate, his traitorous acts while President in trying to overturn the 2020 election with lies, a mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, ordering his Vice President not to count the electoral votes, denial of the peaceful transfer of power were a grave danger to democracy.  Those acts also make him unfit for public office.

This writer will not be viewing the Presidential debates.  It will be a one sided debate of lies the public has been exposed to for too many years by Donald Trump, the convicted criminal.  Both debaters have a record so it is known which one is the most qualified to run the country the next four years.  The media, by the way it has covered Trump tells us they believe Trump's corruption and criminal conviction is the NORM in American politics.  This writer rejects their sorry and dangerous excuse for politics in America.  

After the debate, as usual, the media will meet with its hosts and break down what the debate was all about.  It will be a rerun of all Trump's lies that we have heard which seems like an eternity.  The only sane debater will be the President Joe Biden.  Trump has managed to run over the media like he did his own party.  The sad part is that, like the GOP, the media allowed it to take place. 

The democratic party continues to stand strong, steady and sane and govern despite the havoc the GOP and the media has cast upon America the Beautiful.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for May, 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 272,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate came in at 4%, it was 3.9% in April.  It was the 40th straight month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate stayed in the 3% range for 27 straight months, longest stretch since the 1950's.  The negative voices continue to play the economy and job creation down while waiting for the Fed's next move this week.  

The Department also reported wages for May were up 4.1% from a year ago and well above inflation.  Four years ago in May of 2020 under the Trump administration, the unemployment rate was 13.2% and in February 2020, The National Bureau of Economic Research, the arbiter of U.S. recessions reported the country entered an economic recession that month, a full month before the COVID pandemic began.  That Trump recession ended the 10 straight years of economic expansion that began in 2009, a year after the Bush 43 great recession.  Under the Trump administration the country lost 2.7 million jobs.

And so, my fellow Americans, after the negative voices of doom and gloom who have predicted a recession since the second quarter of 2022 and have been wrong, America and it's people are better off today, than they were under Trump four years ago.  

It should be no surprise to anyone who understands the facts and to those who read PolitiDose commentary because it was all reported before it all took place.  The greatest threat to the economy are the negative voices with their BS and misinformation about everything concerning the economy and the media who give more coverage to those negative voices and report little about all the positive aspects of the economy and the consumers willingness to spend.

And it was PolitiDose commentary that predicted before and early after Biden was elected that the GOP and the negative voices would begin their negative tactics soon after Biden took office.  It was another first of many PolitiDose commentaries.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio 

The Republican Party and Armageddon. Part II

The countdown has begun to the party's National Convention in early July to select its official Presidential nominee.  And it will begin with Donald Trump being the projected nominee.  But along the way their projected nominee has been found criminally guilty by a New York jury of Trump's peers on 34 felony counts.  Never before has a major political party nominated a convicted criminal to such a high position.  So, what will the party do when the convention begins the nomination process?

This writer believes that the party will disregard all political norms and nominate Trump anyway.  Why, because the party has allowed Trump to corrupt them to his level.  We know this because like Trump, follow his directions and blame everyone and everything for Trump's corruption.  As a result, they, the party are corrupt and feel comfortable supporting a serial liar and convicted criminal.

The next step for Trump, his party and supporters will be to push for a pardon using the self serving excuse, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO HEAL THE COUNTRY.  What the people need most to HEAL THE COUNTRY IS FOR TRUMP TO PAY THE PRICE LIKE ANY OTHER ORDINARY CITIZEN BECAUSE NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.  

Quin Hillyer, commentary editor for the Washington Examiner, a conservative news outlet said in a May 12 editorial published in the New Orleans Advocate titled, "Rule breaking protesters deserve neither respect nor mercy" referring to the protesters, and I quote, "If you break laws, you are by definition a criminal and criminals deserve imprisonment."  That would also apply to Trump's Fraud judgement and fine in New York, his sexual abuse and defamation judgements and fines and of course his criminal conviction in the Stormy Daniels matter because laws were broken in all judgements.  

In this writer's opinion, the GOP we once knew does not exist.  It has been totally corrupted by Trump and accepted by the party.  If the party does nominate Trump at the convention in July, Armageddon of the GOP will be complete.  As of this writing, the sickness of the party, both moral and mental, no one has stepped forward to say enough is enough and move the party in a new direction.

The future of the GOP is now in the hands of the Republican National Committee at the Republican convention in July when all members can stand up and express themselves.  The voting public will find out if the party has any independent voices willing to stand up not only for their party but for Democracy.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Criminal Donald Trump Found Guilty On All 34 Counts.

 The scales of American justice caught up with former President Donald Trump on May 30 in New York when a jury of Trump's peers found him guilty on all 34 felony counts related to the Stormy Daniel's hush money case.  It was the very first time a former President and Presidential nominee has ever been convicted of a criminal charge.  It was the fourth time in the last year Trump was found in violation of the law.  Fraud, sexual abuse, defamation and now 34 counts of felony charges.  And on the horizon, multiple indictments on the federal level and a state trial in Georgia yet to be set.  Not a very attractive rap sheet.

The conservative media, Trump himself and the GOP in congress did their best to try and influence the outcome of the trial in Trump's favor but fell flat.  They attacked everyone and the judicial system, even the judge and his family but it was Trump's peers, the 12 jury members who sat in silence in the court room, heard the real evidence in testimony and voted to convict on all counts.  And all of a sudden, the rule of law told the story that no one, not even a former President is above the law.

The state of New York's judicial system worked and their men in blue handled the situation like the professionals they are.  Such a contrast to the loud mouth liars and their disrespect for the democratic system of justice.  Trump and his party will continue to play the blame game but it will soon dry up.  The bottom line is Trump is the most unqualified Presidential candidate the country has ever had and a serial liar.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The CNN and ABC Networks Should Now Cancel The June Presidential Debate.

 Does CNN and ABC really believe Donald Trump with his criminal record should be invited to take part in a Presidential debate?  In the past some members of congress have been forced to resign because of alleged behavior (some sexual) but none that arose to the level of Trump's rap sheet of convictions and large monetary fines for Fraud, sexual abuse, defamation and now 34 counts of criminal felony charges.  Former Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned his office because of a bribery indictment.

But now we have a Donald Trump, a republican party, a conservative media and some in the general media trying to convince the American people to accept the unacceptable, a corrupted convicted Presidential candidate.  Make no mistake, those who support or would vote for a convicted Trump supports corrupted politicians and therefore supports corrupted government.

Presidential debates and the Presidency itself should be held to higher standards. And when you add the fact that a sitting President, Donald Trump attempted to overturn a legitimate Presidential election and deny the lawful peaceful transfer of power to  the newly elected President Joe Biden, which was a traitorous act by Trump, it is unthinkable to allow a Donald Trump to appear in any debate or hold any public office.

CNN and ABC should  call off the debate and stand up to its responsibility of defending America's moral values as a nation and the historical norms of what the Presidency stands for.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

President Biden Was Presidential On Memorial Day Weekend.

 President Biden continues to do the work of the country as its President and Commander in Chief on Saturday when he addressed the West Point Academy graduating class in New York and then on Memorial Day when he spoke at the Arlington National Cemetary in Washington.  The President was at his best at a time of lies, misinformation, hateful speech and division cast on our nation by Donald Trump, his republican party and the negative voices of chaos.  

The President told the Cadets their class is being called upon to tackle threats across the globe and preserve the country's ideals at home like none before.  He reminded the Cadets that they were swearing fidelity not to a person or political party, but to the constitution.  It was noted that the President stood for more than an hour returning a salute from and shaking the hands of each graduate.

On Memorial Day at the Arlington National Cemetary, the President pledged that the country would continue the work of the nation's fallen to a more perfect union for which they lived and for which they died.  That each generation must ensure the sacrifice of the country's service members is not in vain.  Freedom has never been guaranteed, every generation has to earn it, fight for it, defend it in the battle between autocracy and democracy, between the greed of a few and the rights of many.  And the President added, on this day we came together again to reflect, to remember and to above all recommit to the future they fought for, a future grounded in freedom, democracy, opportunity, and equality.  Not just for some, but for all.

It was the same President Biden that has stood above the chaos of the negative voices and endless attacks against the constitution and American democracy itself.  A sane voice that has governed with policy, plans and actions rather than political misinformation and lies.  Sadly, the media prefers the chaos of the negative voices than the sanity the President brings to the office and the people. 

On Memorial Day weekend, the President stood on firm ground for the country, for democracy, our men and women in uniform, the people and for good government.  A President who remembers where we came from as a nation and a people, where we have been and where we need to go is Joe Biden.  He stands head and heels above his rivals

This commentary written by Joe Lorio