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