The Democratic Party Once Again Leads The GOP Controlled House To A Solid Legislative Accomplishment.

 The GOP controlled U.S. House passed on Saturday President Biden's foreign aid package which included Ukraine aid that Speaker of the House Johnson had been playing politics with for the past several months.  The vote was 311-112.  One hundred and one republicans voted for the bill while one hundred twelve voted against the bill.  Two hundred ten democrats voted for the bill and provided the majority vote for the bill to pass even though they are the minority vote in the U.S. House.

Johnson's failure to do months ago what he did Saturday was a reversal and waisted several months for political purposes that delayed Ukraine the help they needed even after President Biden made the case for the aid to pass timely and put politics aside.  Johnson and his GOP members are still a divided party who have failed to work together for the good of the country and its people.  Their lack of governing and waste of time  is SOP for chaos they created and as a result are a disgrace to their oath of office.

The democratic party are still the sane party in Washington who believe in governing to accomplish what is needed to address the issues the country faces.  The party has not been afraid to govern in a non-partisan way and have demonstrated that.  On the other hand, the GOP works to tear down government, especially in the image of Trump.

What House speaker Johnson should do now, is revisit immigration reform legislation that the democratic controlled Senate was working on and bring the matter before the House for debate and a vote.  Johnson killed the proposal when Trump told him to do so a few months ago.  The immigration burden is congress responsibility to settle.  Most think if the House took it up it would pass and then the Senate would then follow and approve the legislation.  Legislation by congress is the answer because immigration covers a number of issues and the congress controls the purse strings to finance what ever they decide on.  

The democratic controlled Senate passed the House approved Ukraine package on a non-partisan vote of 79-18.  The total  package was $95 billion and included aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian relief to the citizens of Gaza.  President Biden said he would sign the bill as soon as it hits his desk.  Once again it is a democratic administration that is leading a non-partisan matter to address important issues that affect the country, the people and America's leadership around the world.  President Biden's determination to address at hand and keep the focus where it belongs in an election year, represents governing at its highest level.  

The President's first priority is to do the people's work and govern.  And that is what President Biden is doing.

This  commentary written by Joe Lorio

What Will The GOP Do If Trump Is Convicted In His Upcoming Criminal Trial?

 President Trump's upcoming trial this coming week in New York in the Stormy Daniels matter will end one indictment of the former President that could carry a severe judgement if found guilty.  And if that would take place, how would the GOP react?  We know that so far they have supported Trump's actions and even adopted his tactics of blaming others for the situation Trump is in.  The GOP has taken up the torch and even blame the courts, the DOJ and of course, the democrats.

But this trial will be before a jury of Trump's peers.  If the jury fines Trump guilty, will the GOP finally deal with the truth and nominate some one else as their Presidential nominee and finally divorce themselves from Trump?  The party and Trump are one and the same at the present time and a guilty verdict would give the party an excuse to act and do something positive for the country at a time of great peril which they allowed their party to dwell on.

The GOP actually has a legitimate excuse to nominate someone other than Trump at their convention regardless what takes place at Trump's trial but sold their soul long ago to corruption.  Can the party that backed Trump's lies with their own lies reverse course?  If one has character, courage and the desire to serve their country, the answer is yes.

With the Republican National Convention only a few months away, time is running out on the GOP's ability to change the dangerous path they have helped create.  Past leaders who had the courage and character to act for the good of the country have changed the direction of the country for the better.  Who with the GOP will be willing to take the first step, do so and move the country away from the most unfit Presidential nominee in the history of the United States.  The GOP has failed to understand they do not need Trump if they put the country and the people first.  That is the oath they swore to when they took office to begin with.  

President Truman said long ago:  A President needs political understanding to run government, but he may be elected without it.  That describes Trump's election in 2016 and now he is still a person without political understanding and the world now knows why.   

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

   

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and His Phony Position On The National Anthem.

America the beautiful will stay beautiful because of the people's allegiance to one flag, the American flag, the red, white and blue.  And the national anthem whether sung or played by music is all about the American flag.  Some in politics, especially the GOP use the American flag to divide people along with the anti-everything crowd.  Politics was at the fore front when Governor Jeff Landry attacked LSU's women's basketball team when they failed to take the floor of the gym when the national anthem was played before the NCAA playoff game.  

LSU coach Kim Mulkey explained the reason why it took place which could be understood and was a reasonable answer.  There was no intent of disrespect or motive of protest.  Landry's attack on the team was followed up with a letter to Louisiana higher education leaders to mandate that student athletes be present at games as the national anthem is played or risk losing their athletic scholarships.  

Landry's attack came amid a bill before the GOP controlled state legislature that would give him the power to select and control university board chairs that set agendas, a bill Landry supports.  Landry, who  served as Louisiana Attorney General knew for years that the LSU football team were never on the field when the national anthem is played and was silent all those years.  Landry, Trump, the GOP and their right wingers are all phonies on the national anthem subject and the subject of Patriotism.

The United States has only one flag, the stars and stripes of America.  Patriotism reflects how one lives his or her life.  It is not patriotism when one supports another who tries to over turn a Presidential election, using a mob to do so, many of which carried a rebel flag.  The same thing goes for those White Supremacist who carry the rebel flag in violent protest.  The phonies have a record of enabling them.  

 Jeff Landry is a big Trump supporter along with the GOP.  His legislation agenda mimics Trump and the GOP agenda in wanting control over the lives of the people and are willing to use the national anthem and the American flag to achieve their own purpose.  Landry's out burst against the LSU women's basketball team is only the beginning.

Those who carry the rebel flag and those in support, do not represent what America stands for and are certainly no supporters of the national anthem or the American flag.  They also do not represent American patriotism.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

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

The U.S. Labor Department announced the U.S. economy added 303,000 jobs in March and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.8%, down from 3.9% in February.  It was the 38th straight month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate has now been in the 3% range for 26 straight months, the longest stretch since the 1950's.  The Department also reported the economy added 22,000 more jobs in January and February than originally reported.

After the good Department report, the usual negative voices were all over the lot with their negative comments and continued doom and gloom about the positive numbers.  They are still ignorant as to why the economy continues to do well, still ignorant and guessing what the Feds will do on interest rates while the so called business hosts on cable news have been ignorant and wrong on all their economic predictions.  

Unfortunately, the media in general continue to feed the people the negative dialog instead of the positive position of the U.S. economy and the people's confidence in spending.  The readers of PolitiDose knew from the very beginning the Biden administration would move the country and its people out of the Trump great recession and loss of jobs, bring back the economy and jobs because they read it here in PolitiDose commentary before and early after Biden took office.  

It was a repeat story of what President Obama accomplished after he inherited the great Bush 43 recession of 2008.  That also was predicted in PolitiDose commentary before and early after Obama took office.  

History and precedent confirms over the past 90 years that democratic administrations do a much better job at governing than the GOP and it is no coincident.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Trump and His Business World Are No Strangers To Fraud.

Recently when Donald Trump's business was found guilty of committing fraud against the City and State of New York, it was not the only fraud action brought against a Trump business.  In this New York case, Trump and his two sons were fined a total of almost half billion dollars, with Donald Trump being responsible with the majority of the fine imposed.  

In February 2018, Trump settled out of court a fraud law suit against Trump University brought forward by New York's Attorney General and several Trump University students before it was set to go to trial.  Trump settled the suit for $25 million, the Judge approved the settlement and Trump paid the fine while he was President.  New York's Attorney General who handled the case released a public statement after the settlement was approved and said.

New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman:  For years President Trump refused to compensate the victims of his sham university.  His reversal and the large scale settlement that resulted opened the door for student victims to finally obtain the restitution they deserve.  My office will continue to hold those who commit fraud accountable, no matter how rich or powerful they may be.  

In another investigation by New York's Attorney General against Trump's Charitable Foundation, the Court ordered Trump to pay more than $2 million in damage to eight different charities for illegality misusing charitable funds at the Trump Foundation for political purposes.  Not only has the Trump Foundation shut down for its misconduct but the president has been forced to pay $2 million for misusing charitable funds for his own political gain writes Attorney General Letitia James in a released dated December 10, 2019.  James also writes, additionally, as part of the settlement Trump was required to agree to 19 admissions, acknowledging his personal misuse of funds of the Trump foundation.  

And now, Trump is  scheduled to go on trial again in New York on April 15 concerning the matter of Stormy Daniels. Trump also faces two other federal trials and another state trial  in Georgia after numerous indictments.  Those trial dates have not been set yet.  It is almost impossible to  believe that in America, a political party would gladly nominate such a person who is so unfit for the Presidency or any other political office.  But here we are.  American democracy deserves better.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry Calls His Legislative Agenda "Pro Business."

 But the real answers are years away and won't be answered until he leaves office.  For the GOP, "Pro Business" usually indicates the business community will do well but not so the average person and they have a record to prove it.  Fiscally, the GOP has not been the party of fiscal stability, just ask the former administrations of Mike Foster and Bobby Jindal.  And they have never been the party of real job creation.  

The unemployment rate in January of 2016 when John B. Edwards took office was 6.0% and when he left office in January of 2024 it was 4.1%, a reduction of 1.9% in his 8 years in office.  It was 4.1% when Jindal took office and 6.0% when he left office, an increase in unemployment of 1.9% during his 8 years in office.  It was 5.8% when Kathleen Blanco took office and 4.1% when she left office, a reduction of 1.7% in the unemployment rate in her 4 years in office.  It was 6.7% when Mike Foster took office and 5.8% when he left office a reduction of 0.9% in the unemployment rate in his 8 years in office.  

The past 28 year record suggest that when Landry leaves office, the unemployment rate will not be as healthy as when Blanco and Edwards left office.  And this writer is of the opinion that fiscally, the Landry administration will be like the Jindal administration.  The reason being is that the GOP govern by ideology and not by policy or plans which is necessary to address the real issues. 

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio 

The Republican Party's Armageddon.

Forget about the Biblical Armageddon that was predicted over a thousand years ago that was to occur at a future date.  The Armageddon that will take place in the summer is sure to come at the Republican party's national convention when the party nominates former President Donald Trump to be their Presidential nominee in the 2024 election.  

When the gavel falls and Trump becomes the party's official nominee, the GOP will stoop to the lowest level possible in politics.  Never before has a party nominated a Presidential candidate whose company was convicted of Fraud, or a candidate convicted of  sexual abuse on a woman and  defaming the same woman, being indicted on numerous charges and set to go to trial soon in connection with alleged money payments to Stormy Daniels

And to top it off, the party will be nominating a former President who committed a traitorous act of trying to overturn the Presidential election of 2020 and obstruct the peaceful transfer of power to the new administration, urged his mob to attack the Capitol and intimidate the U.S. House from casting their vote in the electoral college.  This same person has attacked the constitution, America's institutions, the rule of law, the Department of Justice, the court system and individual judges along with American democracy and his lies and misinformation continue today as policy.  

Donald Trump has been toxic to American democracy and is unqualified to hold any public office ever again, especially the Presidency.  No party can justify nominating such a corrupted person to be their party's Presidential nominee, it is against everything America stands for in its 200 plus years of history.  And today, three years after leaving office, Trump is still engaged in the same lies and blames everyone else for his own corruption and even brags if re-elected, he makes a promise to be vindictive.  

When Armageddon comes at the end of the Republican National Convention, the party will have no one to blame but themselves and the embrace of Trump's toxic ideology.  Their lack of courage, character and political understanding along with an enabling media and voter base, tells the story how corrupt the party has become.  Trump and his party are a total disgrace to political governing.  

There is time for the party to change course and nominate someone other than Trump to avoid Armageddon for their party and the country.  If change does not come, the people should make it known they would support a new Independent party and let Armageddon phase out the current GOP and for good reasons.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

The Democratic Party Continues To Produce For The Country and Its people.

The GOP controlled U.S. House passed a $1.2 trillion spending package on Friday which was necessary to avoid a government shutdown caused by their own failure to govern.  The final vote for passage was 286-134.  Voting for the bill were 101 Republicans while 112 Republicans voted no.  The number of Democrats who voted for the bill were 185 while 22 Democrats voted no.

Republicans who voted against the bill said the bottom line is that this is a complete and utter surrender.  GOP opponents of the bill also took issue with the GOP's leadership and remarked it was clear that the Democrats own the Speaker's gavel. 

Once again it is a SANE democratic party who provided the majority vote to pass legislation that keeps the government running to take care of the people's business.  The GOP House has wasted almost 6 months on their threat to shutdown the government to arrive to where we are today.  And to make matters worse, the GOP left town after the vote for a two week vacation and failed to address funding for Ukraine and Israel.  

The Democratic controlled Senate took up the bill early Saturday morning and passed the House's bill on a vote of 74-24 and the President signed the bill into law later on in the day.  Forty nine democratic senators voted for the bill and twenty five republican senators voted for the bill.  It is another win for the country and the people and the end to another unnecessary threat by the Republicans in congress.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

 

New York's Court System Brings Donald Trump To Justice and Holds Him Accountable For His Crimes.

 New York's Judiciary would not allow former President Trump to intimidate its system of justice and held him accountable for his crimes.  In three New York trials Trump's company was found guilty of committing fraud against the state and Trump was found guilty of  sexual assault against E. Jean Carroll and in another trial found guilty of defaming her.  

Trump's fraud trial was without a jury at his own request and the presiding judge decided the case.  Both trials concerning E.Jean Carroll, the verdict was decided by a jury of Trump's peers.  Before, during and after Trump's trials, Trump did his best to try and intimidate the judges, prosecutors and the system with his personal attacks but the system held firm.  The fines that were given to Trump for his actions are now in the process of playing out and time will tell how much Trump is affected financially. 

Unlike the federal court system, New York took Trump's crimes seriously, understood how he tried to manipulate the system and destroy the legal process, acted timely so justice would be served.  And coming up next in New York will be Trump's trial with Stormy Daniels next month.  

In the mean time, Trump is waiting to go to trial on the federal level whose trials has been delayed because of Trump's delaying tactics that the federal courts have allowed to take place.  The federal courts have succumbed to Trump's intimidation and attacks and the Supreme Court has agreed to take up Trump's notion of "total immunity" for his actions which the Court of Appeals have already ruled against twice.  The Supreme Court's decision will push back Trump's trial date for several months.  It should be noted that Trump is the only President to ever claim a President has "total immunity."  New York upheld its laws and acted timely.  The federal courts have failed to act timely.

Those convictions of Trump make him a convicted criminal according to Websters Dictionary.  And because of that, Trump is totally not qualified to be a Presidential nominee or ever be President again.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio    

The GOP Controlled U.S. House, With Speaker of The House Louisiana's Mike Johnson Still Represents The Republican Do Nothing Party.

 Johnson and his anti-Democracy GOP'ers in the U.S. House are still taking the country to the brink, threatening a last minute government shutdown.  It has been going on for months and splinters the normal process to pass a budget that requires intelligent thought.  The budget process needs the minds and thoughts of SANE adults and not the CULT mind of the GOP.

The democratic controlled U.S. Senate passed a bill with GOP support that provides the funds for Ukraine and Israel that President Biden asked for.  The "do nothing" republican controlled U.S. House said the bill was dead after Trump rejected the bill and gave orders not to support it.  There is no question that there were enough GOP votes in the House that would join the democrats in the House to pass it. To make things worse Trump took the position of Putin and said he did not care if Russia prevailed in Ukraine.

On another note, the U.S. Senate controlled by the democratic party was ready to pass an immigration reform legislation bill with enough GOP support to send to the House for a vote.  But Trump ordered his CULT party to reject the bill and therefore there was no bill.  And once again in just a short month the "do nothing" party did nothing that they thought would help the Biden administration.  Comprehensive reform immigration legislation has to be done by congress because it is only congress who have the authority to provide the funds to implement the cost of the legislation.  Executive Actions will not solve the problem.

In the past 11 years only two administrations have offered immigration reform legislation.  Both the democratic administrations of President's Barrack Obama and Joe Biden.  President Obama in 2013 when the democratic controlled Senate passed the bill by a vote of 68-32.  Fourteen GOP Senators joined the vote and voted yes with the democrats.  However, the GOP controlled U.S. House refused to take the bill up and let it die without even a vote or debate.  And now in 2024 President Biden's administration and the democratic controlled senate had enough votes to pass immigration reform legislation until Trump stepped in and ordered his CULT party to reject the legislation and not take it up.  Trump and his party had a great chance to introduce immigration reform legislation when his party controlled both houses of congress the first two years in office and failed to do so.

Nothing has changed for the GOP since President Truman said long ago that the GOP was the "do nothing" party.  The only thing they did was add to their resume that they have become a CULT party following a CULT leader, one corrupted to the core and a convicted one.  They also now lean on the anti-Democratic edge and favor dictators over the democratic process.  And Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is right in the middle of it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

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

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy added 275,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate came in at 3.9%, it was 3.7% in January.  It was the 37th straight month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate has now been in the 3% range for the past 25 straight months, the longest string in that range since the 1950's.  Some of the pundits noted that the jobs report demonstrated the resilience of the job market but failed to understand that the resilience of the job market has been steady for the past 37 months and still counting.

The U.S. economy, job creation and the low unemployment numbers have been constant over time despite the 11 interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve which was to slow the economy, raise the unemployment rate and reduce wage demands.  It was an unnecessary intervention of the old school of economic thought to address inflation.  It did not work because the real cause of inflation was the business community's failure to TIMELY bring the nations "supply chain" up to date to handle the consumers spending demands.  The business community knew that the COVID legislation passed was to put money in the consumers pocket to spend on goods because consumer spending is 70% of the economy.  So, the business community knew the consumer would be spending.  They did not care because all the economic reports tells us the business community did well during COVID.

The sad part is that the Federal Reserve can still bring the economy down if they keep on the same misguided path.  It is time the Feds start reducing interest rates.  The business community has to step up also making sure the supply chain can continue to handle customers demand TIMELY without raising prices and creating a new line of inflation.  Their financial reports show they have the capabilities to do so.

The President's policies guided the nation out of COVID and the Trump economic recession that lost 2.7 million jobs.  The economy is  stable and so is lower unemployment.  Inflation is at 3% and falling over all.  The nations GDP has done well under the President's administration so far and better than it did under the Trump administration.  Now it is time for the Feds. and the business community to step up and do  their part for the nation and it's people.  There are no excuses.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

President Joe Biden's State of The Union Message To America.

For the past three years the media has filled the news cycle with Donald Trump's re-election toxic rhetoric and the negative voices personal attacks against President Biden.  The media joined the negative voices and also complained that the President was not available for public comment and even suggested that his people were keeping him away from news conferences.   

What the President was doing those three years was what he was elected to do, govern and take care of the country and the people's business.  It was not a time to start his reelection campaign or get caught up in the toxic rhetoric and havoc of Trump or his party's do nothing attitude nor the media's enabling stories that kept pushing Trump's lies and misinformation.  So, with eight months until the November elections, the President thought it was time to act and boy did he ever act.

Thursday in his address to the nation and the people the President made a powerful speech concerning what his administration has accomplished and what more he plans to do if re-elected.  He also laid out how America's democracy was under attack by the former administration, how he opposed those attacks and how he would continue to do so.  The speech was hard hitting and covered the issues facing the country and how to respond.

Eight months before the November elections, the President picked the right time and forum to kick off his re-election campaign.  Donald Trump, his cult party and the negative voices will continue to be toxic and the media will continue to enable them.  In other words, for them, the next eight months will be like the last three years.  The Biden campaign will be the SANE campaign and continue to talk about the issues that face America and the policies that will address the issues.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

Donald Trump, A Convicted Criminal Wins The Republican Presidential Nomination.

 Donald Trump's supporters on  so called "super Tuesday" traveled the lowest road possible and clinched the Republican Presidential nomination for Donald Trump over his opponent Nikkie Haley who suspended her campaign after the votes came in.  Now the GOP and their supporters have a Presidential nominee whose company has been convicted of fraud and Trump himself convicted of sexually attacking E.Jean Carroll who sued him successfully before a jury of his peers, not once but twice.  And Trump still faces multiple additional felony accounts and trials to be set at a later date.  New York's trial against Trump for alleged payments to Stormy Daniels is set to start March 25.

Trump's supporters have allowed themselves to believe that criminal Trump represents the best America can do to represent them as President of the United States, the greatest country in the world.  They, along with the media have also allowed themselves to push Trump's lies and misinformation about a stolen 2020 election and other toxic lies that divide the country.  Trump and his supporters believe the oath of office the President swears to, to uphold the constitution and the rule of law do not apply to their ideology, especially when President Trump tried to over turn the 2020 Presidential election and obstructed the peaceful transfer of power to the Biden administration.

American leadership and democracy has stood the test of time for over 249 years because we are a country and people who believe in the constitution and the rule of law and we do not elect criminals as President and Commander in Chief to destroy the process that has made the U.S. the greatest country in the world.  Donald Trump had four years to prove his worth as an American President who took the same oath of office our forebearers took over 200 years ago and failed the test to protect the democratic process and the rule of law.  To Trump, the oath was only words. 

It was reported in the  New Orleans Advocate of 3/7 that six of the seven Louisiana GOP delegations in the U.S. congress endorsed Trump for the nomination.  Louisiana's U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy had no comment but he had said long ago he would support the Republican nominee.  In other words, he does endorse Trump's nomination.  

The Republic Party, the Republicans in Congress and those who support Trump at the voting booth are willing to take the lowest road and return a criminal to the highest office in the land.  A sad situation since they know he would, if elected, continue his assault on democracy, the constitution, the rule of law, the courts, his oath of office and the morals of America and its people.  

The only real choice for America is to return President Biden to office in November 2024.  That will continue the stability of the federal government and the sanity in the White House that has prevailed for the past three years in spite of the negative voices and toxic rhetoric of lies, misinformation and division.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Clancy DuBos's Commentary and "PolitiDose" Commentary Are On The Same Page.

 Columnist Clancy DuBos's commentary in the New Orleans Advocate of 3/5 titled, "New concealed-carry laws won't make state any safer" and "PolitiDose commentary dated 3/1 titled, "The State of Louisiana: An Invitation for Gun Violence" were on the same page concerning Senate Bill 1 which allows 18 years olds to carry concealed firearms without permits.  Both commentaries recognize the elementary fact that more guns on the streets in Louisiana means more violence and deaths.

Mr. DuBos in his commentary and to his credit never mentioned the concealed-carry laws as "tough on crime" like the GOP love to throw around and which some in the media enable as fact.  The record of gun violence and deaths can be backed up with stats that states with the weakest gun laws are the ones with the most gun violence and deaths per capita.  

As an experienced journalist, Clancy DuBos understands the issues and the negative outcomes that will take place with the new concealed-carry law that goes into effect on July 4.  His words of wisdom should be taken seriously. 

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio

The State of Louisiana: An Invitation For Gun Violence.

 The passage of Governor Jeff Landry's crime package by the Louisiana Legislators was reported in two articles in the Advocate of 2/29 and 3/1.  The paper used the GOP's BS phrase, "tough-on-crime" to describe the package.  The phrase is familiar and the media embraces the BS even though the GOP has a terrible record on crime prevention.

Part of the package will allow 18 year old and older to carry concealed firearms without a permit.  In other words, more guns on the streets of Louisiana.  That is a prescription for more gun violence because we know from stats, states with the weakest gun laws have more gun violence deaths than those states with strict gun laws.  And those stats come from FBI reports, The gun violence archive's report and Statista reports who keep gun violence records.

We are also aware of the facts that the New Orleans Police Dept., worked with the federal government to remove guns from the streets of New Orleans were successful in removing hundreds of guns and that help contribute to  lower the murder rate the past 4 months and as of this date it is still working.  If the media would check the facts they would know the GOP's "tough-on-crime phrase they love to ape is just one big lie.

The two most recent years for gun violence deaths per capita 100,000, the ten states with the most deaths were:

In 2022, eight of the ten worse states were governed by Republicans.  #1 was Alaska (R),  #2 was Miss. (R),  #3 was Wyoming (R),  #4 was New Mexico  (D),  #5  was Alabama (R)  #6 was La. (D),  #7 was Missouri (R),  #8 was So. Carolina (R),  #9 was Arkansas (R),  #10  was Montana (R).

In 2023 eight of the ten worse states were governed by Republicans also:  #1 was Miss. (R),  #2 was Louisiana (D)  #3 was New Mexico (D),  #4 was Alabama (R), #5 was Wyoming (R),  #6  was Alaska (R),  #7  was Montana (R),  #8 was Arkansas (R),  #9 was Missouri (R),  #10 was Tennessee (R).  

Keep in mind the media loves to enable the GOP when they talk about crime in democratic California and New York.  Well, year in and year out, Florida and Texas, two GOP controlled states have more gun violence deaths per capita than California and New York.  Evidently the media is ignorant about the weak gun laws created in Florida and Texas and the more strict gun laws created in California and New York.  

If any one in Louisiana thinks the weak concealed carry gun laws without a permit that puts more guns on the street meets the tough-on-crime standard you can be sure they are GOP ditto heads.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Good News for The City of New Orleans and The New Orleans Police Department.

 In a New Orleans Advocate story of February 22, the City of New Orleans received some good and positive news from the Judge over seeing the Federal consent degree the city has been operating under for the past decade.  The Federal court said it was clear that cooperation improved dramatically and progress accelarated dramatically the past few months due to the hard work of people in the courtroom and other officials.  

According to the article, NOPD's new superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick was given credit for the department working closely and together with the Federal monitors for the improvements.  Because of the plan by Kirkpatrick and her deputy Chief Nicholas Gernon, compliance with the degree is a step closer.  This writer believes what we have here now is elementary, that means the right people are in the right positions to handle a problem that has been long running.

That piece of good news for the City and NOPD goes hand in hand with a earlier January report in the Advocate where the murder rate in New Orleans in 2023 fell 27% from 2022 and that the down trend began 3 months before the New Year.  That downward trend was the subject of a PolitiDose commentary in January.  And once again this writer reminds it's readers that the improvements and good news began months before Jeff Landry was elected governor, months before Landry appointed a New Orleans Crime Commission and months before Landry authorized the State Police to work with New Orleans.  

Why is it important to remember that?  Well, it's because the GOP has a history of trying to take credit when good things take place on the democratic watch.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Louisiana's U.S. Representative Garret Graves: Sour Grapes Comments About His Own Party.

A New Orleans Advocate report by Mark Ballard of 2/13 titled, "Lies Kept House GOP From Wins" tells the story of Graves comments in a speech before the Ripen Society, a GOP think tank when he says his own party misled the American people with lies and mis-information that took off in social media.  Those lies and mis-information by his own party also took place on Fox News, the GOP's leading source of lies and mis-information.

Graves indictment of his own party comes too late and his party is still engaged in such actions and still support Trump's lies and mis-information on a daily basis.  His party, 3 years after the 2020 election still can not say in public that Joe Biden won the Presidential election and the legal President of record.  This writer does not recall Graves challenge to his party's position of election fraud and in fact the same lies and mis-information Graves talks about were spread on social media against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election while Mr. Graves was silent.

Graves comment that the GOP controlled House's failure to enact successful legislation incrementally because they have the attitude of "all or nothing" is really one of their staple positions and nothing new.  Maybe if Graves would have stepped up to the plate earlier, he could have done something about it, especially if he would have said it on the House floor to his own members and for public consumption.  The party has been Trump's party for the past 8 years and no one in the GOP has the character to call him out for what he is.  

Nothing will change with the GOP being the party of lies and mis-information until the party dumps Trump and the Fox News as being their spokesperson.  The GOP allowed Trump to kill the democratic process and become the un-American party and it is being played out in the Courts.  And recently, the public was exposed to the dangers of Trump and the GOP, when Trump told his GOP stooges in congress to kill the latest immigration reform legislation that was surely going to pass.  And his ditto head stooges did just that.  

The GOP is a sick party and the sickness grows every day.  PolitiDose commentary back in 2016 pointed out that Trump and the GOP were one and the same.  The general news media never recognized that fact and the party's lies and mis-information was never challenged by them.  Mr. Graves violated his own expressed concern about the GOP not accepting incremental wins when he voted against President Biden's infrastructure legislation, a good piece of legislation for America and for the people of Louisiana who Graves represents.  The legislation did pass congress despite Mr. Graves no vote.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

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

The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy created 353,000 jobs in January and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.7%, same as it was in December.  It was the 36th straight month of positive job growth and the 24th consecutive month of unemployment in the 3% range.  The last time that took place was during the Kennedy-Johnson administration.  The Department also reported that wages were up 0.6% in January over December and that year to year were up 4.5%.  The Department also noted that November and December's job numbers were increased 129,000 from the previous reports.  The economic pundits were wrong again when they predicted January's job numbers to be around 170,000. 

When the Labor Department announced the numbers some of the negative voices of doom and gloom had to admit and eat their words and said this is a good economy and the numbers were amazing.  The negative voices never bothered to check out the economic facts all along since Biden took office.  They were only concerned with dealing out mis-information to influence the voting public.  

Why did so many express shock at the good January job numbers?  After all in January of 2022 513,000 jobs were added to the economy and in January 2023, 510,000 jobs were added to the economy according to the Labor Department reports.  President Biden's administration has accomplished in 3 years what past democratic administrations accomplished in creating a good economy, job creation and lower unemployment.  They set a precedent of good government that enabled the voters to expect progress and that is what President Biden has done since day one.

The business community's ad advertising for job openings are still holding steady and have actually increased lately in an earlier report.  In other words, the business community are still hiring and obviously pay no attention to the negative voices of doom and gloom.  The media seems to be changing its tune on the economy also.  They are responsible for enabling the negative voices for the past two years and lack understanding of the economic facts.  They should be ashamed of themselves and their failure to inform.

And for the past three years, PolitiDose commentary has been there reporting on the economic facts before they unfold and thereafter.  The same is true on economic facts the past 10 years and counting.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

                                        

The Media's Opinion Writers Finally Conclude The U.S. Economy Is Working.

 It took a report concerning consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan in November to grab the attention of opinion writers to report the U.S. economy is doing very well indeed and that consumers were upbeat about the economy.  The Michigan report indicated the largest cumulative consumer sentiment had risen 29% and consumer sentiment at its highest level since 2021 concerning the economy.

For the past 21 months (that is when the negative voices first predicted an economic recession would begin in the 2nd quarter of 2022) opinion writers ran with the negative voices of doom and gloom even though they knew there existed no data to back up such false claims to support a recession.  They simply choose to ignore the true facts on the economy that was working and had been working since President Biden took office.

President Biden was right recently when he took the media on for failing to tell the true story about the economy and how it has been working and producing good numbers all along.  The media failed big time in over looking the President's priority of raising American wages which his policies have accomplished through a growing economy and the President's steady push to raise those wages.  

PolitiDose commentary was there from the very beginning and told the true story why the economy would do well during Biden's administration.  And the story was followed up each month in commentary.  Opinion writers never bothered to study the past record of democratic administrations and therefore had no clue or desire to follow the facts.  They even failed to grasp the importance of consumer spending on the economy.  And for the President's first 3 years in office PolidiDose commentary has called the shot that took place and the consumer has had the last word with their spending.

For the past 3 years the Biden administration put forward an economic plan that has worked, kept America safe and guarded our democratic form of government.  That is an achievement that escaped the previous traitorous President.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio    

Quin Hillyer's Column About Former President Donald Trump Is Seven Years Too Late.

 Mr. Hillyer, a conservative writer for the conservative newspaper the Washington Examiner, in a New Orleans Advocate article dated 1/21/24 titled, "Only one way for GOP opponents to defeat Trump" lists over two dozen reasons why Trump's presidency was a failure.  He uses that failure to write that the only way Trump's GOP opponents can defeat him is to talk about those failures as a past President.

Of course, the GOP as a party and in congress along with the conservative media which Mr. Hillyer is a part of, never talked about Trump's failures while they were taking place or thereafter until now.  The article points out how the GOP under Trump are the record spenders especially in creating debt.  The GOP has always pushed the big lie that the democratic party are the big spenders and the conservative media enabled those lies forever.  This is the first time this writer has heard Mr. Hillyer finally correct the record.

It took Mr. Hillyer seven years to discover the failures of Trump and his presidency, but PolitiDose commentary told the real story from the very beginning about the Trump failure and how democratic administrations govern better for the country and its people.  It was the conservative media who created the fairy tale about Trump with their mis-information, lies, with the idea of dividing the country.  And in another election year it is still the conservative media overall who are still supporting the traitorous actions of the former President.   

The GOP and the conservative media enabled Trump to destroy the republican party by willingly accepting his intimidation and move toward anti-democracy with his attacks on the constitution, our nations institutions and law enforcement.  A complete reversal of what America stands for.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy Ends December 2023 and The Year With Good News.

 The U.S. Economy should remind all who remember the old Timex commercial, it just keeps on ticking.  In fact it has been ticking since President Biden took office 3 years ago.  Those who follow the official numbers know that, those who do not, just don't care.  And those who do not care and instead follow the negative voices will never admit being wrong.  

The U.S. Commerce department reported that in December retail sales increased 0.6% from November and were up 5.6% from December 2022.  The WSJ as usual predicted a smaller increase would take place.  Online shopping for December reported sales for December were $222 billion, up 5.6% from December 2022 and that online prices were down 5.3% from 2022.  Inflation continues to go down and is just 1.5% off from the Feds. target of 2%.  216,000 jobs were created in December and the unemployment rate was 3.7%  and was in the 3% range the whole year.  Over 2.9 million jobs were created in 2023.  The good numbers have been ongoing despite the negative voices of doom and gloom who try to manipulate the voters with mis-information and outright lies.  

The media in general and the conservative media in particular continue to enable the negative voices and at the same time project the negative voices as spokesmen for the negative voices.  The new year 2024 is also an election year so the President and his party will start campaigning and inform the people what has taken place the last 3 years and what will take place in the next democratic administration. The race to the White House is just beginning and the true story will be told.  

PolitiDose commentary in December 2020 and January 2021 told the story that would unfold in the past three years.  The consumers who are spending their money know the score and the democratic party will once again prevail in the 2024 elections.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

The New Orleans Saints End The Season On a Winning Note But Fail To Make The Playoffs Once Again.

The Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons to give head coach Dennis Allen his very first winning season as a head coach.  Beating Atlanta is nothing new for the Saints as they seem to have the Facons number over the years.  The win gave the Saints a winning season at 9-8 and was a big disappointment to those who fail to be objective in their evaluation of the team.  And the worse offenders are the local sports media and their reporters.  

In a New Orleans Advocate article of 8/19/23 twenty eight local sports media people predicted the fate of the Saints for the 2023 season and as usual most were off the money.  Most predicted a 10-7 or 11-6 won loss record.  Bobby Hebert who heads up a local sports radio show called "sports talk" said the Saints would go 11-6.  His show misses the mark often like the New Orleans Advocate sports writers.  It is a show business thing for the media and not really an honest evaluation.  

The bottom line did not change one bit for this year's team.  (1)  It was the third straight year that the Saints started the season with a quarterback that had not completed one full season as a Saints starting quarterback.  (2)  Saint's head coach Dennis Allen had never achieved a winning record as a head coach.  (3)  The Saints defense has not been a consistent defense for several years now.  They play great some times and some times they play poorly.  They can play great for 3 quarters and then fall apart at the most critical moment.  Picking a team to go 10-7 or 11-6 and not knowing, or having any idea how those above 3 issues will be improved, how can one pick those kind of numbers?

Being aware of those 3 problems, does not give this writer the confidence that the Saints are ready to turn things around any time soon. Sean Payton left because he could see what was unfolding, and he and the front office was responsible for allowing the quarterback situation to get out of hand before Brees retired and not having a capable replacement.  The situation is even worse now because the Saints are an aged team and no one yet knows if Carr is the answer at quarterback.  This is a franchise that has never fully recovered from "bounty gate" and the media has ignored the issue.  

With the right coaching staff and players there is hope for the future, mainly because the NFL has so many poor teams coached by many poor coaches.  It can hardly get any worse when a 9-8 team can win their division and or qualify for the playoffs.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Note:  For the record, the Saints beat only two teams with a winning record this football season. 

New Gun Legislation Is In Working Order.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland reported that new gun legislation passed by congress in June of 2022 is working and so far has blocked over 500 firearms from being bought.  That's 500 plus less guns on the streets of America.  The new gun legislation was part of President Biden's ongoing attempt to tighten the rules and loopholes when purchasing a firearm.  

The legislation that was passed in 2022 was passed by the democratic controlled congress with support from the GOP and was the most sweeping gun legislation in decades and requires extra checks for any gun purchase by people under 21 years of age.  Other safety provisions were also added.  President Biden noted after the announcement that the legislation was working and that he will continue to consider other methods to keep America and its people safe from gun violence.

And once again, it is a democratic President and a democratic controlled congress with GOP assistance who led the fight for common sense gun legislation.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Note: The Bill passed the House 234-193 and in the Senate 65-35.  All democrats voted for the legislation and totaled 274 votes for, while a total of 228 republicans voted no on the legislation. 14 republican members in the House voted with the democratic majority, while in the senate 15 republicans voted with the democratic majority.  All Louisiana republican house members voted against the bill, while Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy voted for the bill.  Senator John Kennedy voted against the bill.  Democratic representative in the House Troy Carter voted for the bill.  The vote tells the story of a GOP where their own majority is on the wrong side of a basis solution to reduce the violence of gun deaths. 

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for December 2023.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy added 216,000 jobs in December and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.7%, same as in November.  It was the 35th straight month of positive job growth (Feb. 2021 - Dec. 2023) and the unemployment rate has stayed in the 3% range for the past 25 months, the longest string since the 1960's.  Hourly wages were up 4.1% from a year earlier and the hourly wage has outpaced inflation over the past year.  October and November's job numbers were lowered by 71,000 total as adjustments are nothing new and are revised up or down through the year.

The year 2023 ends on a good economic note for the country and its people.  Thirty five steady months of economic progress, an economy that has proved the negative voices wrong over and over again, the American people still willing to spend because they have jobs with higher wages, a SANE President in the White House confident his policies will continue to work for the nation and its people and at the same time protect our democratic way of life.  On the other side is just the opposite, a GOP party that is not a real party, just a bunch of Trump ditto heads who share his corruptive and traitorous acts against the United States, its people, the constitution, our legal system and democracy itself.  They, along with a media that enables them are the greatest threat to democracy internally.

The United States now turns to a new year with high economic expectations to start it off.  The future looks bright with a democrat still in the White House.  The negative voices and the crazies are just that and have nothing else to offer.  And that really says it all.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

LSU Defeats Wisconsin In The ReliaQuest Bowl 35 - 31.

The LSU Tigers closed out its season on New Year's day and ended its season again on a winning note.  It was a season that duplicated last year with another 9-3 winning regular season record and a bowl win.  LSU fans and sports reporters will have much thoughts to express about the season over the next few months and this writer has some thoughts on the subject.

For the past 10 years the play off bowls have been of consequence because it is the road to the national championship.  All other bowl are of no consequence including the ReliaQuest bowl that LSU played in.  The proof of that is demonstrated by the fact that so many players opted not to play in their team's bowl game.  After all, why play in a game of no consequence and take a chance on being injured and affect their chances to play in the NFL?  What about those players responsibility to their team and university? (That will be the subject of another commentary)

The LSU defense dropped off dramatically from last year's team and no one knows what will take place next year.  There will be a new defensive coordinator but no one knows who or how the change will work out.  It was obvious Coach Kelly had no clue that LSU's defense would perform so bad and the team was not able to make the proper adjustments.  

The Offensive stats this year were better than last year's stats and the team had the Heisman Trophy winner, but completed the regular season at 9-3, the same record as last year's team.  LSU lost to Ole Miss and Alabama, two teams they defeated last year and failed to defend their SEC West title.  Daniels will not return next year so LSU will start the season with a quarterback that has not completed one full season as a starting quarterback.  That is a question mark that will be unknown until next season ends even though Nussmeier has performed well when he has played.  

In the 2022 season LSU completed its regular season with a winning record of 9-3.  That was the 4th best won-lost record in the SEC.  Georgia's won-loss record was 12-0, Tennessee was 10-2 and Alabama was 10-2.  In 2023 LSU's record was 9-3, the 5th best won-loss record in the SEC.  Georgia was 12-0, Alabama was 11-1, Missouri was 10-2 and Ole Miss was 10-2.  So Missouri and Ole Miss jumped ahead of LSU in the won-loss column this past season.  Will next season be the season LSU makes the jump, or will it be someone else that pushes LSU farther down?  How will the new comers, Texas and Oklahoma rank?  

The SEC expansion will cause a lot of headaches and so will the new playoff format of 12 teams.  No one knows where it will all end but this writer thinks neither one is a positive for college sports and especially college football.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

   

The New Orleans Murder Rate On A Downward Trend In 2023.

 That was the good news reported in The New Orleans Advocate of Jan. 1 and 3rd.  It reported a 27% decrease in the murder rate compared to 2022.  There were 193 murders in 2023 compared to 265 in 2022.  The article's chart that list the historical murder rates in New Orleans shows the highest total took place in 1994 when there were 424 murders.

And as usual no one really has a reason for the reduction in the numbers.  Certainly most people know that the Mayor was blamed for the increase in the rates early on but don't look  for those same people to give the Mayor some credit for the fallen rates.  The numbers have been so far on a steady decline for months and if the proper steps continue to be taken, the good reports should continue into 2024.

This writer believes one of the major factors in the decline results from the City and NOPD working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, plus the FBI that helped remove the dangerous elements off the streets and also hundreds of guns off the street, especially those felons who never turned their weapons in as required by law.  It is very elementary to understand if you remove the guns off the streets there will be less crime and less murders.

The City also has a new Police Chief who has the support of the Mayor and the City Council who have committed to support the Chief's and the City needs to get the job done and keep it going.  Recent reforms have already been in effect and the new Chief promises more to come to address the situation.  Hopefully, the people of the city will remember that the crime rates started to come down long before Governor elect Jeff Landry was elected and took office and before his appointed New Orleans Crime Commission ever took any action.  I say this because the Republicans have a history of trying to take credit for the good things that take place on the democratic watch.  PolitiDose will be watching.

Food for thought:  President Kennedy said in one of his many speeches that "our problems are man made, therefore they can be solved by man."  President Kennedy knew politics plays a role in everyday life but this writer believes Kennedy knew that man himself had the ability to solve problems and that problems were never solved by a political ideology which is why the GOP is a failed party.  All one has to do is to look at the party now.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation (CIRL): The Story That Never Ends.

 The democratic party by its own actions favor such legislation.  The republican party by its own inaction are opposed to it and the media has failed to report on it properly.  Yet, CIRL is the only answer to the problem because immigration has so many different issues it can only be addressed by CIRL.  More than one President over the years have issued executive orders on the issues but the problem is still there because of the many immigration issues not addressed.

In the year 2013 the democratic controlled U.S. Senate during the Obama administration passed CIRL with republican support.  It was a good overall bill that would have gone a long way to address the many problems of the subject.  The Senate vote was 68-32 and fourteen republicans joined the majority democratic vote.  The George W. Bush Institute sad the legislation was bullish on the U.S. economy.  The bill was sent to the republican controlled U.S. House for their action and they just let it die without even introducing the bill for debate or a vote.  

During the 2016 Presidential campaign every GOP candidate in their own debates said the number one issue if elected President would be immigration reform.  Well, Trump won the Presidency and the GOP controlled both houses of congress the first two years yet CIRL was never introduced or debated.  The GOP also controlled the Senate all 4 of Trump's years in office and they too did nothing on CIRL.  Trump built a partial wall and separated children from their mothers at the border and did nothing for immigration reform.  In fact a U.S. Judge ordered the U.S. to reunite those children with their mothers and that fell to the Biden administration to do since Trump was long gone.  And of course, Trump said Mexico would pay for his wall and Mexico told Trump what he could do with his wall.  

Today the U.S. still has an immigration problem that has yet to be answered because the full congress has not acted on the total immigration problem.  This writer is of the opinion that President Biden will address the issue in 2024 and make CIRL a legislative fact.  The GOP can no longer deny the problem and their lack of responsible actions.  They are doing their best to make immigration  a democratic issue and are trying to cover up their failed past of addressing the situation.  The time is ripe to come together and it will take place on the democratic watch.

The democratic party actually have a record of supporting CIRL with legislation and a actual vote, the GOP does not.  Instead the GOP try to use a government shutdown concerning only one part of immigration that they failed to do under Trump's administration.  The President will hold them accountable and CIRL will become a fact.  

Note:  John Boehner was Speaker of the U.S. House when the House refused to take up CIRL that the U.S. Senate passed in 2013.  A few years after he retired he said the GOP never did want to pass comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio