Kentucky 35 - LSU 34

Kentucky, before a roaring scene of blue in a packed stadium defeated LSU in overtime.  It was a game that went down to the wire when Kentucky's kicker converted a field goal to tie the game and go into overtime.  It was not an enjoyable game for this writer who has followed the Tigers since the late 1950's and not just because Kentucky won the game.

Questionable decisions by the head coaches on both sides, penalties, the official's calls, third and fourth down play calling and decision making and a host of other bad judgements seemed to rule the game.  Early in the third quarter with LSU 4 points behind and 4th and short deep in their own territory, the Tigers lined up to go for it twice and then finally settled on punting the third time.  The only call at that time in the game was to punt, and not play games.

This writer in two PolitiDose commentaries before the start of the season expressed the opinion that LSU will start the season off as a "wait and see" team and the reasons why.  LSU's defensive ability was also questioned and the reasons why.  Now, with half the season already gone this writer feels the predictions still stand.  LSU's 6 remaining games will be against SEC teams, a tough hill to climb.

The results can be predicted that with a 9 game SEC schedule, the teams will just beat up on each other, and less SEC teams will qualify for the CFP.  The genie is out the box and the sport's world have no answer to deal with it.  To make matters worse,  the sport's media have no clue.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for September 2026.

 The U.S. Labor Department announced the economy added just 29,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate came in at 4.2%, up from last month's 4.1%.  The Department also adjusted down August job numbers from 162,000 jobs to 133,000 jobs.  Also, July lost 10,000 jobs instead of gaining 21,000 jobs as reported.

During the same period under President Biden in September 2022 the economy created 269,000 jobs and the unemployment rate was 3.5%.  The comparison continues to show how after 21 months in office during his second term, Trump's job creation continues to be weak and unemployment is higher than it was when Biden was in office.  

Trump's first fiscal year ended 9/30/26 and the final official numbers should be released in the next 60 days.  When it is released, PolitiDose commentary will compare it to Biden's first fiscal year and see what the official numbers show.  So, stay tuned to PolitiDose for your daily dose of political commentary and discover the true facts because the media is AWOL when it comes to reporting on the economy.

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio  

Trump and Top Tech Firms Sign Accord Concerning Artificial Intelligence.

 Trump announced that he and a large group of leaders of AI companies signed an agreement that would self-police the safety of AI.  The meeting comes at a time when the public, other organizations and even some tech companies and some members of congress recognize the dangers of an unregulated AI environment.  States and some elected officials have already called for a moratorium on some of the huge infrastructure called "data centers" until a clearer understanding of AI can be made.

The Trump/Tech accord of self-policing is worthless and a fraud and we know that because we know that Trump, the GOP and the business community hate government regulations.  We also know that business have in the past, violated some of the most friendly regulations and have done so over and over again.  Self-policing will result in no meaningful regulations to stop the technology from going rouge.  The people of Louisiana should have learned years ago how big oil raped the state's environment and never paid  the price because of political favoring and the lack of regulations being enforced.  

Only a criminal President like Trump would purpose such an unworkable self-policing policy.  The congress has to step to the plate and regulate the artificial intelligence community and their work.  It should also contain strict enforcement. 

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

  
 

Ole Miss Defeats LSU 32 - 24.

 THE GAME, the LSU-Ole Miss rivalry, the teams and the competition all took place Saturday night in Oxford, Miss. at Vaught-Hemmingway stadium despite the sport's media attempt to make Kiffin's return to Ole Miss the real story.  THE GAME's rivalry was on display before a packed stadium and as usual, the fans on both sides were loud and clear.

The first half ended with Ole Miss leading by 17 points 24-7.  LSU tied the score 24-24 in the second half and then late in the fourth quarter Ole Miss scored the winning points.  So, the rivalry continues in 2026 and Kiffin's return to Ole Miss is history.   But in Sunday and Monday's New Orleans Advocate, some in the media could not let it go, so, the made for media noise will continue for some time.

In the mean time, the LSU-Ole Miss game is still THE GAME, and the rival, despite the media.  It is a game about the teams, the players, the competition and the spirit of sports.  Anything and everything can take place in a rival game and usually does and in this particular game, the coach with the least experience at head coaching won the game.  

LSU and Ole Miss, along with their fans and supporters can be proud of THE GAME.  They also recognized the Kiffin thing for what it was, a media distraction.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

THE GAME, LSU vs. Ole Miss: No Longer The Great Rivalry It Once Was.

There was a time in college football when THE GAME, LSU vs. Ole Miss. was one of great rivalry.  It took place during the coaching era of Paul Dietzel and Charlie McClendon of LSU and Johnny Vaught of Ole Miss.  It was a time when THE GAME was about the teams and the players.  All three coaches were well known and were winners.  Paul Dietzel and LSU won the national championship in 1958.  Johnny  Vaught won 3 national championships at Ole Miss. in 1959, 1960 and 1962.  McClendon never won a national championship as a head coach but was Dietzel's defensive coordinator on the 1958 championship team and had a won-loss record of 137/59/7 in 17 years with the Tigers.  The media's thing was about THE GAME and the players and not about the coaches who represented their profession with dignity.

The build up to the game started the week before with chants from both sides saying "Go to hell Ole Miss and Go to hell LSU.  The chants continued well into game time.  Both sides liked to brag, many tricks were played and never ending.  It was a magical time as the game was always played close around Halloween and actually on Halloween.  The goblins were well represented.  

The rivalry produced many memorable moments of that era.  Who can forget Billy Cannon's magical 89 yard punt return for a touchdown that provided the winning score for LSU 7-3.  Conditions were horrible on  the field from the rain, so bad that both teams at times punted on  3rd down in case the punter fumbled the snap they would have another down to try and punt again.  Both teams entered the game with 6-0 records.  Cannon's punt return is still considered one of the greatest plays in college sports and in Louisiana, the run is replayed on TV every Halloween because THE GAME actually took place Halloween night on October 31,1959. 

There was Bert Jones, LSU's quarterback against Ole Miss. on November 4, 1972 with LSU trailing 9-16 with only one second left on the clock who shot a touchdown pass to Brad Davis in the end zone and then executed a two point conversion to win the game 17-16. That one second magic is still debated because most thought the clock had expired on the previous play when there was only 4 seconds left on  the clock.  Several years later a billboard went up on the state line that read.  "You are now entering Louisiana, set your clocks back 4 seconds."

Fast forward to this very moment, which is September 17, the week of THE GAME, LSU vs. Ole Miss, the rivalry of THE GAME and the players are absent from the sport's media, instead it is focused on Lane Kiffin, LSU's head coach and what may take place when he returns to Ole Miss this Saturday.  Their reporting is all about what may take place at game time and how the school will react along with the fans.  It is a rehash of their remarks after LSU signed Kiffin late last year.  THE GAME, the rivalry, the players, the history, has been passed over.  They even feel the need to report that Kiffin represents chaos wherever he goes.  

This writer was a young man during the above mentioned era and witnessed THE GAME and the great rivalry.  It was really a magical time seeing two rival teams whose players happened to be neighbors be so competitive.  Many words passed back and forth between the teams, but the players and coaches respected each other and were a credit to THE GAME.  The coaches of that era were gentlemen who cared.

The great memories of that era to those of us who are still living are still in place.  The great plays, the competition, THE GAME and the rivalry will never be forgotten.  It was truly a magical era.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

 

The National Debt, Deficit Spending and Total Federal Spending: The Real Facts and Numbers Part II.

 Ever since the Reagan era, he and his party claimed that democratic administrations were the big spenders in Washington.  The media caved to that rhetoric of lies and misinformation and ran with the false story.  The media is still today trying to push that false narrative with the Trump administration.  

The below numbers tell the story of federal spending during the 44 year period of those 7 Presidents who served.  It indicates what party were the big spenders with the greatest percentage increase in federal spending.   

In Reagan's 8 fiscal years, federal spending increased  75%

In Bush 43  8 fiscal years, federal spending increased  61%

In Trump's 4 fiscal years, federal spending increased  43%

In Bush 41 4 fiscal years, federal spending increased  28%

In Obama's 8 fiscal years, federal spending increased 25%

In Clinton's 8 fiscal  years, federal spending increased 24%

In Biden's 4 fiscal years, federal spending increased  19%

In addition to the above numbers, the Obama administration reduced year over year federal spending 3 times in fiscal years 2020,2012 and 2913.  President Biden's administration did the same thing twice in fiscal years 2022 and 2023.  The last GOP administration that reduced year over year federal spending was Eisenhower in 1955.

The numbers tell the real story and are taken from the official federal government historical records as published by the Office of Management and Budget which list the government's revenue, expense and deficits.  The government uses the term outlays instead of the word expense.  It describes the same thing but the word expense is used when politicians and the media sources use the word.  

All the numbers tell us that the republican party are not conservative when it comes to fiscal matters and dealing with the issues of deficit spending, increases in the national debt and federal spending.  The numbers also tell us, no matter the fiscal responsibility concern, the democratic party does a better job of governing America.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for August 2026.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 162,000 jobs in August and the unemployment rate remained the same at 4.1%.  In Trump's first 8 months of 2026 the economy created an average of 80,000 jobs per month and noted that it was well below the 166,000 jobs per month the economy created under Biden in 2023 and 2024.  The Department also reported wages were up 3.1% over the previous August, but the weakest since May of 2021.  

We can now compare how the economy did during Biden's 8th month in office in his second year as President.  In August 2022 the economy created 315,000 jobs and the unemployment rate came in at 3.7%.  The average number of jobs created per month during the year 2022 was 497,000 jobs per month.  Trump's job numbers add up as follows for his 5 years and 8 months as President as of this writing, the economy has lost approximately 1.8 million jobs.  Only GOP President Herbert Hoover has a worse job creation record than Trump in the last 98 years.

Precedent continues to tell us that in the past 96 years, GOP administrations are terrible at creating jobs and Trump and his administration continue the precedent.  So, stay tuned to PolitiDose commentary for your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The National Debt, Deficit Spending and Total Federal Spending: The Real Facts and Numbers Part 1.

 Since the National Debt seems to be the subject of the media and some pundits, the real story should be told so people can understand the facts.  The real story has been told in PolitiDose commentary for the past 12 years so it is time once again to explain the facts.  The national debt was not a problem at the end of President Carter's last fiscal year when it ended on 9/30/81 when it came in at $997 billion, that is less than one trillion dollars. 

The explosion in the debt came during the administration of Ronald Reagan and at this writing the national debt stands at $40 trillion.  Listed below are the administrations that followed President Carter and what took place with the debt on their watch during their fiscal years.  The federal government's official records are kept on a fiscal year that begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.  The listings are in the order the President served.

At the end of Reagan's 8 fiscal years, the debt was $2.857 trillion, an increase of $1.895 trillion for a whooping increase of 186% in the national debt.  It took the nation over 200 years to reach a national debt of less than a trillion dollars and only took the Reagan administration 8 years to add $1.895 trillion to the debt.

At the end of George H.W. Bush's 4 fiscal years the national debt was $4.411 trillion, an increase of $1.554 trillion or an increase of 54% in the national debt.  

At the end of Bill Clinton's 8 fiscal years, the debt was $5.607 trillion, an increase of $1.395 trillion or an increase of 31% in the national debt.

At the end of George W. Bush's 8 fiscal years, the national debt was $11.909 trillion, an increase of $6.402 trillion or a 105% increase in the national debt.

At the end of Barrack Obama's 8 fiscal years the national debt was $20.2 trillion, an increase of $8.2 trillion for a 69% increase in the national debt.

At the  end of the Donald Trump 4 fiscal years the national debt was $28.4 trillion, an increase of $8.2 trillion for a 41% increase in the national debt.  (Trump's first term)

At the end of Joe Biden's 4 fiscal years the national debt was $37.8 trillion, an increase of $9.4 trillion for a 33% increase in the national debt.

Note:  Trump's first fiscal year of his second term ends this month on 9/30 and the national debt has already increased $2.2 trillion.   President Clinton reduced federal spending every year his first four fiscal years and then balanced the federal budget the last 4 fiscal years and his budget surpluses exceeded his deficits by $62 billion.  Clinton also paid down $400 billion on the national debt.  None of the other Presidents accomplished that.

The record clearly indicates that both parties are responsible for the increases in the debt but that the democratic party does the better job of controlling the debt.  The Clinton, Obama and Biden administration all completed their last fiscal year with a smaller federal deficit than the one left to them by the previous administrations.  All four republican administrations completed their last fiscal year with a larger federal deficit than the one left to them by the previous administrations.  President George W. Bush was the first President to have a single year federal deficit that topped $1 trillion.  His last fiscal year's budget deficit came in at $1.4 trillion.  President Trump was the first President to have a single year fiscal deficit of a $2 and $3 trillion federal deficit when his third fiscal year deficit came in at $3.1 trillion and his last fiscal year deficit came in at $2.7 trillion.  No democratic administration had a single year deficit that hit the one trillion dollar mark.  All 7 administrations had to deal with a number of negative issues.  

The record also indicates that President Clinton when leaving office, left the Bush administration 4 straight years of budget surpluses and the Bush administration turned those surpluses into deficit spending in his very first fiscal year and every one of his 8 fiscal years.  Those deficits are what President Obama had to deal with.  All four republican administrations gave the U.S. an economic recession that began on their watch.  No economic recession began on the watch of the three democratic administrations.  Reagan, Bush and Trump cut taxes for you know who that was supposed to help balance the budget but never did in all of the 24 years they served.   Clinton raised taxes on those same folks and the nation's fiscal house was in better shape on his watch.  

President Reagan started the fairy tale that the democratic party are the big spenders and the media ate it up and has run with the fairy tale ever since.  Conservative opinion writers are still trying to sell that same fairy tale but it won't wash with the facts.  The below list tells the readers the amount of deficit spending on each President's watch.

Reagan 8 fiscal years of deficit spending       $1.4 trillion.

Bush 41 4 fiscal years of deficit spending      $1.03 trillion

Clinton 4 fiscal years of deficit spending      $496.5 billion.

Bush 43  8 fiscal years of deficit spending     $3.5 trillion.

Obama 8 fiscal years of deficit spending    $6.5 trillion.

Trump 4 fiscal years of deficit spending         $7.5 trillion.

Biden 4 fiscal years of deficit spending           $6.4 trillion

Note:  President Obama's last fiscal year budget deficit was $666 billion and that is what Trump inherited.  On the other hand, Trump's last year fiscal deficit was $2.7 trillion and that is what Biden inherited .

The following lists the percentage increase in the national debt on each President's term in office.

Ronald Reagan, the national debt increased186%

George W. Bush, the national debt increased 105%

Barrack Obama, the national debt increased 69%

George H.W. Bush, the national debt increased 54%

Donald Trump, the national debt increased 41%

Joe Biden, the national debt increased 33%

Bill Clinton, the national debt increased 31%

No matter what way one looks at the numbers and the facts, democratic administrations did a better job on governing the economy and the country's fiscal house.  The record also indicates that democratic administrations passed on to republican administrations that followed a better hand fiscally than the republican administrations passed onto the democrats.  Part II will be about total federal spending and that will also illustrate how democratic administrations did a better job at controlling federal spending.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  All numbers used above taken from the historical records of the CBO, the White House Office of Management and Budget and the Treasury Department.

The SpaceX Project in Louisiana, Governor Jeff Landry, Government Officials and Their NDAs of Corruption.

 The Government approved NDAs related to the SpaceX project in Louisiana referred to in a Times Picayune article dated 8/28 is just additional proof of the corruption of the republican party and the business sector.  They do not want the people of Louisiana (the taxpayers) to know what the state is giving away to Leon Musk's project in Vermillion parish.  It is a secret they would like to hide even though it includes the public's tax dollars.

It is nothing new and follows President Trump's love of NDAs to keep the public in the dark.  It is also confirmation why the GOP tax cuts under Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump favored the wealthy and corporations, they are never satisfied.  Does anyone really believe Elon Musk and his huge business holdings cannot afford to build his SpaceX project without tax breaks and still make a healthy profit?  It is the usual con game that the GOP and the business community use.

Jeff Landry and the State sold out the people of Vermillion parish for jobs his policies could never create under the normal process of selling what the state has to offer.  And one thing can be certain if SpaceX is successful, that in time, the environmental damage to Vermillion parish will be great.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The LSU Kickoff Is A "Wait and See" Football Season In Tiger Stadium.

Their opponent will be the same as last season's opponent, the Tigers from Clemson.  LSU won that game and ended their 5th straight opening game loss.  LSU will start the season under new head coach Lane Kiffin and all eyes will be on him.  There will be one exception, this writer, whose eye will be on defensive coordinator Blake Baker and the defense.

This season will be Baker's third year as defensive coordinator and this writer believes school is still out concerning his capabilities based on LSU's defense performance the last two seasons.  It was an on and off defense that indicated progress, then regression and one reason LSU ended the regular season with a 7-5 won-loss record.  We know all about quality players, but quality and performance are two different things.

It is just another reason why this writer rates LSU's new season as a "wait and see season."

This commentary  written by  Joe Lorio 

 

Under President Trump and the GOP controlled congress, The U.S. Economy Still Continues to Regress.

 The failure of the U.S. economy continues to play out in Trump's 19th month in office since his re-election.  It is not anything new for Trump and his party as their past record on the economy represents failure.  And once again, the media and those who support and voted for Trump and his party continue to lie and misrepresent the economic facts.

The Labor Department reported the economy lost 23,000 jobs in July and job creation is at a standstill, a regression from the Biden administration's job creation record.  Soon after that information was released we learned that inflation for July came in at 3.4% higher than the same period of last year.  In President Biden's last full month in office in December 2024 inflation was 2.9%, very close to the range of 2% the Federal Reserve Bank uses as their guideline on inflation.  So, inflation is up in Trump's first 19 months in office.  

Then on August 8, 2026, the Federal Reserve Bank's data center reported wages and salaries are roughly 43% of GDP in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest since the great depression over 90 years ago.  Then just this week, the CBO projected that the federal budget deficit that ends 9/30/26 (Trump's first fiscal year budget) will end with a deficit of $2.1 trillion.  That would be Trump's 3rd fiscal year deficit of $2 or more trillion dollar deficits.  The first two came in  his first term in office when the deficit hit $3.1 trillion in his 3rd fiscal year and then $2.7 trillion in his last fiscal year.  Trump is the only President in history to have accomplished that.  He also holds the record of having accumulated total deficit spending of $7.5 trillion in his first four fiscal years in office.

Past PolitiDose commentary has predicted correctly what would take place on the Republican watch because of precedent, the history of their failed record on the economy and fiscal matters.  The con game by Trump, his party and those who choose to believe the con, enabled the lies, misinformation and the personal attacks.  They also did not care that Trump is a convicted criminal, sexual abuser and a convicted fraudster.  

The November election will allow the voters to change the direction of the country for the good of the people, because that is what government is all about.  In the mean time, stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio

Finally, It Is Admitted, College Players Are Now Pro Players.

 In a Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate article dated 8/13/26 staff writer Jon Blau and LSU's head coach Lane Kiffin let it be known that college players are now Pros because they are paid to play.  That statement was a little late since NIL started it all a few years ago.  The real story of college players going Pro has never yet been told because money has a way of confusing the issues.

College sports, especially football, has begun to follow the failure of Pro football namely, expanding divisions, conferences, playoffs and other venues that make the sport less competitive.  College has already expanded the playoff system and is talking about another expansion already.  Money will control college sports more than ever now and disaster will follow.  

College teams play the same amount of games and have the opportunity to win a division or a conference and the winner should go to the playoff.  Those runner ups had the same chance to win but did not, so they do not deserve to be in any playoffs with a second chance.  The playoffs should be restricted to the teams who have won something. 

Anything less is a prescription for  disaster.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

  

What Will The 2026 Football Season Bring For The LSU Tigers???

 It starts September 5 in Tiger stadium against the Clemson Tigers with LSU's new head coach Lane Kiffin.  He will be LSU's third head coach in the last seven seasons.  So, what will the new season bring?  We know that Kiffin is a winning head coach, but so was Brian Kelly.  We know that LSU has made the CFP only one time in the last 11 years.  We know that the past 6 seasons were a wait and see thing, that LSU fans waited and did not like what they saw.

So how will the Baton Rouge sport's writers project what will take place this year with another new head coach?  We know they are already looking at LSU's third game of the season when the Tigers travel to Oxford, Miss., to play Kiffin's former team, Ole Miss.  Whatever takes place in that game, will be no indication how successful LSU's future under Kiffin will be.  As usual in sports, the hype of the game will take center stage over the game itself. 

This writer in past PolitiDose commentary predicted before the last 4 seasons started under Kelly that those seasons would be a wait and see affair and those four seasons turned out to be just what took  place.  Now we have the start of a new season with a new head coach on the sidelines.  That could change things, but will it?  It is only a question now but time will tell the real story.  This writer is not excited yet, so I am looking at another wait and see football season for the Tigers.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for July 2026.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy lost 23,000 jobs in July and that the unemployment rate came in at 4.1%.  it was the second month this year that the economy lost jobs.  In the first 7 months of the year a total of 547,000 jobs has been created for a monthly average of 78,142, a pitiful number and in line with Trump's economic problem of job creation.  The department also announced that unemployment would have been higher but people dropped out of the job market and the Department does not count them as being unemployed. 

Comparing Trump's 7 months in his second year compared to Biden during the same period of time you will find that in July 2022, 528,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate was 3.5%.  In Biden's first 7 months total job creation was over 3 million.  

At this  point in time, Trump has served as President a total of 5 years and 7 months and job creation during that time stands at a negative 2 million plus jobs.   Not only a pitiful job creation record, but the only President to lose jobs since Herbert Hoover during the great depression.  The Department also announced that wages increased 3.2% in July over July of last year, the lowest increase since 2021 during COVID.

\The above picture will never be told by the news media, Trump, his party or the so called business news hours of  several networks who are telling everyone the economy is booming.   So, stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

The Economic Numbers for the Month of June and the Second Quarter GDP for 2026.

 Inflation for the month of June came in at 3.5% higher than the previous month of June 2025.  It was 2.9% in President Biden's last full month in office in December2024.  The inflation numbers continue to go up in the first 18 months on Trump's watch in his second term and no relief in sight.  Although the inflation cycle began on Biden's watch, it also came down considerably before he left office.

At the same time, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reported, the lowest level of teens in America not in the work force hit the lowest level ever in June 2026 at 105 million.  That number even surpassed the numbers of the great recession and the COVID era.  That is just another piece of evidence why Trump and his policies are a big failure at job creation.  

The third piece of economic information that tells the story of a weak economy was released by the Commerce Department that the second quarter GDP grew at an annual rate of only 1.5%, far below what was predicted by the so called economic experts.  Instead, they are bragging about the stock market that does not create jobs for the economy and very well may lose value in due time.  

The business shows on Fox News, CNBC and other networks were, with their hosts, predicting a booming economy for the second quarter and the balance of the year even though there was no evidence so far of that booming economy.  It is part of the BS, mis-information and outright lies they project to influence the public and push Trump and the GOP's agenda.

What is taking place with the Trump economy was all predicted in past PolitiDose commentary and before Trump even took office.  It could be predicted because of precedent of Trump and past GOP administration failures on the economy.  (See PolitiDose commentary dated 3/19/2021 Titled, "Presidential Leadership:  The economy and fiscal matters, the last 40 years.")

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Under President Trump and The Republican Party in Congress, American Democracy is No Longer Stable.

 Through thick and thin, wars, protest, natural disasters, political turmoil and other disturbing events, democracy in America stayed stable.  The pillars of democracy, the constitution, the bill of rights, law and order, the checks and balances, the separation of church and state were taken seriously by former Presidents and the congress over the past 200 plus years of American history. 

Then along came Donald Trump who served one term as President and was elected to a second term in office in 2024.  In between those elections, he became a convicted criminal, found liable in a court of law for sexual abuse, found guilty of fraud and attempted to overturn the 2020 Presidential election he lost with a riot mob.  Trump started his second term by adopting a policy using lies, mis-information and personal attacks to divide the people and the nation, then assaulted our American institutions, the constitution, the courts, law and order and everything and anything democratic that was good for America.  And in a number of court cases, Trump's orders were found to be illegal and or unlawful.  Trump's agenda can be understood as an attempt to destroy democracy as we know it and replace it with his own brand of one man rule where he answers to no one.  

The republican party who control both houses of congress surrendered their responsibility to Trump and allowed him to do whatever he wishes to do.  They too are responsible for enabling Trump's thirst to destroy American democracy.  Trump and his party are laughing at those who supported the lies, mis-information and Trump's con game slogan of MAGA.  

An unstable American democracy feeds chaos, division, hate, intolerance and a reckless disregard for our constitution and the rule of law.  And that is what is taking place in America today under the Trump administration and the GOP in congress.  Those who still support Trump and the GOP are on the wrong side of history.  They played the political con game with Trump and lost.  As a result, the November elections are more important now than ever before.  In order to start the restoration of a stable American democracy, voters should elect a democratic controlled congress to lead the party in the future.  The democratic party has it's faults but always governed a stable American democracy and has a record to back it up.

A democratic congress in the future will not allow Trump to continue on the path he has chosen to destroy and destabilize America's democracy that has served the U.S. so well for the past 200 plus years.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Foolishness of Louisiana's U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy.

 Fools must like to make fools of themselves, especially if they are republicans and serving in congress.  And that is what Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy did with their comments published in the Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate dated 7/28 by staff writer Mark Ballard concerning the war with Iran when they said the following.

(1)  It's time for the President to explain the purpose, strategy and off-ramp.  (2)  Have a national dialog where the President comes to the people, comes to congress (and) where congress helps make a tough decision.  (3)  Trump or one of his top advisors should in a speech or long press conference explain what is going on in Iran.  Why we went in and why we are still there.

By their own admission, Cassidy and Kennedy still do not know the purpose of the war, the strategy or the off-ramp but still support the war that has taken the lives of 18 Americans and wounded over 600.  Cassidy, Kennedy and their party control both houses of congress and has the authority to hold the President accountable for his actions and failed to do so.  Now, five months later, they now have questions.  

Could the fool's motive be the upcoming November elections?  They are aware that the GOP could lose at least one house of congress to the democratic party and although Cassidy will be gone after the elections he is still a republican and has voted with Trump's agenda 90% of the time.  They also know that the democrats in congress raised the same questions about the war long, long ago, while the fools and the GOP were silent.

The article mentions the war in Iran started in February 2026, but the media and the GOP have it all wrong.  The war really started in June of 2025 when Trump ordered the attack on Iran.  It was an un-provoked attack and Trump announced the attack obliterated Iran's nuclear capability.  However, a week later, our intelligence community announced otherwise, mission was not accomplished.  Trump's threats against Iran continued throughout 2025 and then in February 2026, Trump restarted the war that Cassidy, Kennedy and the people still don't know the purpose.  And once again Trump said he was going after the nuclear program he said was obliterated.  So the war is a continuation of what started in 2025.

Louisiana's two senators and the GOP controlled congress surrendered their responsibility to the convicted criminal President Trump long ago.  They choose to be his fools instead and America and it's people are paying the price, especially our men and women in uniform.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

Mitch Landrieu's "Guest Columnist" commentary Should Be Required Reading For Those Who Value Facts.

 Landrieu, a former Louisiana elected legislator, Lt. Governor and Mayor of New Orleans was a valuable public servant who believed that serving in government was a noble profession.    As a guest columnist in a New Orleans Advocate editorial page dated 7/24 articulated why the City of New Orleans does indeed matter in the state of Louisiana and why Governor Jeff Landry is  so wrong in his statement that the "city no longer matters."

The former Mayor uses facts and figures and other reasons to show and explain just how much the city contributes to the health of Louisiana and does so in a professional way with knowledge.  The economic impact is clear and in harmony with providing useful information instead of the personal attacks and intimidation tactics to divide people like Governor Landry and his party are using on a regular basis.  Landrieu's commentary addresses the issue at hand and above political rhetoric.  He believes government can serve the people in an honest and civil tone and ends his column by saying, "It's time to end the war on New Orleans.  We all do better when we partner together to move Louisiana forward."

Those are words Landry and his GOP are afraid of because they follow the Trump playbook.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Obama and President Biden's Policy on Iran Worked Better Than The War Trump Started With Iran.

 Iran never came close to developing a nuclear weapon on Obama and Biden's watch.  Nor did Iran ever enrich uranium to the percentage needed to build a nuclear weapon.  The strait of Hormuz was open to trade on their watch.  They never made war on Iran even though members of their administration went public and said Netanyahu wanted both Presidents to go to war with Iran.  President Obama with our allies signed an agreement with Iran that would not allow them to build a nuclear weapon.  That agreement had allowed inspectors on the ground in Iran to inspect their facilities to ensure compliance.  

During Trump's first term in office which took place between the Obama and Biden administrations, Trump tore up the agreement and paid only lip service to Iran as a policy of do nothing.  During Trump's second term he allowed Netanyahu to talk him into going to war with Iran which took place in June 2025 which actually started the current war in Iran.  That decision exposed Trump's weakness and his failure to lead because the attack was unprovoked and caused death to innocent people.  Not only did Trump start the war, he started the talk about assassination by saying that was one of his goals in the war with Iran.  Needless to say, two can play that dangerous game.

The war continues in 2026 with no end in sight and exposes just how unfit Donald Trump is as Commander in Chief.  Past American Presidents knew how to deal with any Iran threat without going to war.  They also knew that the greatest military threat to America was a nuclear power China and Russia.  And all the while Trump's policy is failing, the GOP Cult in congress is frozen forever to do his bidding and supporting his failures.   Their surrender to a convicted criminal is astounding.  America the Beautiful is being exposed and governed under the darkest cloud ever.  GOP members of congress prior to the Newt Gingrich era would have held Trump accountable for his toxic rhetoric, corruption and his un-American and anti-democratic attitude. 

Electing a democratic controlled congress in November will help to roll back the darkness that now hangs over America the Beautiful.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana's Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill: Trump's Little Ditto Heads.

 Landry and Murrill are following in the footsteps of convicted criminal President Donald Trump by using personal attacks against others and trying to intimidate people.  It follows a pattern that the GOP in general are most familiar with that is used to divide people in order to cast doubt to help win elections.  It is part of the GOP ideology who have no plans or real policy.

Landry and Murrill are trying their tactics on the city of New Orleans and it's new Mayor, Helena Moreno.  But the Mayor has no time for such foolishness and responds in a civil manner because she has a city to manage and take care of for it's citizens.  And in the short time she has been Mayor, has done so with civility.  The Mayor can articulate her position on the issues without the division that the GOP hopes will take place.  

Mayor Moreno represents a breath of fresh air for the city and state's political establishment and for governing with civility.  It is not old school, it is the way to accomplish things for the common good and uniting the people at the same time.  That is what "America the Beautiful" is all about.  Hang in there Mayor Moreno, you are on the right course of history.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio