Jeff Duncan: His Remarks on Tony Dungy Were Unprofessional And Childish.

In a Times Picayune story dated 7/25/14 sports journalist Jeff Duncan said former Colts head coach Tony Dungy's remarks about St. Louis Rams rookie draft player Michael Sam were cowardly.  Duncan reported Dungy said, "I wouldn't have taken him.  I wouldn't want to deal with all of it.  It's not going to be totally smooth."

Dungy was a winning Super Bowl head coach and coached in the NFL for a number of years prior to becoming a sports commentator covering NFL football.  As a former head coach, Dungy knew the news media would use Sam as a distraction and create a lot of hype that the team would have to deal with.  Duncan has never walked in the football shoes of Tony Dungy so when it comes to Duncan's comment, one has only to consider the source.

Instead, Duncan trys to justify his cowardly remark by saying the media attention is now a part of the whole NFL.  Then goes on to say, "the media circuses are unavoidable.   They're as much a part of today's NFL as ankle tape and smelling salts."  Of course the media circuses are very much avoidable and Duncan knows that because he is one of many in the news media who perpetuate that circus.

Dungy made an hosest comment based on his experience as a head coach.  Duncan, on the other hand had an opportunity to make an honest comment as a sports journalist during Bountygate and failed the test by not reporting the true story.  The true story was the Saints head coach Sean Payton allowed bountygate to happen and was suspended for one full season.  That irresponsible act by Payton left the team without its regular head coach and put his own team in jeopardy.  That was not only an irresponsible act concerning the team, but also concerning the assistant coaches and more importantly, the fans.  And Duncan was silent and never told the true story.

In this writers judgement, reasonable people can determine for them selves what words were cowardly.  Those that were spoken by Tony Dungy, or those that were not by Jeff Duncan.


This commentary written by John Lucia

The Oil Industry's Search For More Greed

The recent tragedy in Ukraine with the downing of a commercial airliner, the fighting with the separatist rebels with the support of Russia has brought out the worst from the Oil Industry and their republican supporters.  They are calling for the President to support lifting the export ban on oil that has been in place for many years.  They are trying to sell the fabricated idea that America needs to sell and export their abundance of energy to Europe to break that country's dependence on Russian crude.

In other words, a Europe that is dependent on American oil instead of Russian energy will deprive Russia of needed revenue and some how weaken that country's military and economic expansion appetite.  They say it will create thousands of jobs in America and keep the American economy growing.  But that is not the real story behind their ruse and should be exposed and that is what "PolitiDose" will do in this commentary.

The American oil industry is now the worlds leading producer of oil and natural gas and production is at an all time high.  If that oil and gas has to stay in America there will be an over supply of that energy at some point in time and that means lower prices for American consumers as over supply forces prices down.  That is not something the industry wants.  So they want the export ban lifted so they can keep the price of energy high and give them more control.  It has never been the intent of the industry to make America independent of foreign energy.  I wrote a commentary about that a few years ago.  America's energy over supply is getting closer at hand so do not be suprised if the industry does not cut production in not to long a period of time if the ban is not lifted.

The industry has been successful at keeping the price of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gasoline at the highest sustained price in our history and it started under the Bush 43 administration.  They talk a good game of expanding natural gas to be used in automobiles and truck fleets but have you heard of any oil company whose fleet of autos or trucks are run on natural gas.  I have not.  How many natural gas stations have the industry built to encourage such use?  What are they waiting for?  Their CEO's think the price of natural gas is too low and that it should be much higher. 

The export ban was established for good reasons.  Congress should not lift the ban because it would not be in the best interest of the United States.  The industry like other industries are world players but they should be America companies first for the good of America and its people.  The special treatment they ask for should be rejected and the about face of making America independent of foreign oil has to be answered loud and clear.  This is the industry whose wealth accumulation is never enough.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Times Picayune Sports Writer Larry Holder And The New Orleans Saints

Larry Holder's TP article of 7/23/14 titled, "High Expectations" is a fairy tale continuation of last years Saints season which saw the Saints finish the regular season weak instead of strong as predicted.  We were told finishing strong was Payton's and Bree's strong suit but it did not happen.

Holder now tells his readers the Saints 2014 roster is better than the Dome Patrol era, the 2009 Super Bowl team and the 2011 team and that this years roster is the best ever and that the expectation of Super Bowl glory is warranted.  That is a long shot prediction based on the Saints roster and smacks of apple polishing. 

He goes off the deep end when he says, if the 2011 season taught Saints fans anything, its that the best team doesn't always win the Super Bowl.  He relates that to the Saints loss to Frisco in the playoffs that season with their five turnovers and jumps to the conclusion if they had won that game they would have won the Super Bowl.  The fans do not buy that and neither do I.

The better team actually did win that game on that particular day causing five Saints turnovers.  A team can not be the best team based on the roster or on their record.  They have to be the best team on the day it counts and it counted that day in 2011 against Frisco.  The 49'ers won on that day and the Saints lost.

Sports journalists for the Times Picayune, Radio and TV have been so wrong on their predictions about the Saints it is almost laughable.  Does any one remember the year Payton sat out and they said the Saints would be fine because they were Pros and knew their jobs.  Yeah, right.  One TP writer even thought Payton should have been the NFL's coach of the year last year. 

Don't be surprised if last years finish by the Saints, loosing 4 of their last 7 games is a prelude to how the Saints preform this season.


This commentary written by John Lucia

U.S. Representative Steve Scalise: 48 Years Old And Still In Denial

Scalise, in a Times Picayune write up of 7/20/14 by staff writer Bruce Alpert showed his ignorance and denial concerning private sector jobs vs. federal sector jobs in the republicans weekly radio address.  He also tried to compare his child hood to that of President Lincoln. 

As usual he thinks of himself as elite and repeats the the tired old ditto head statement that democrats do not understand what makes America great.  Scalise and his party has tried to plant that seed for over 30 years, a time when many democrats served their country in uniform while many republicans stayed home.  It was democratic President's Roosevelt and Truman who served during WWII that produced the greatest generation.  Democrats do not obstruct the business of the people.

And once again his only solution to job creation is expanding domestic energy production.  For his information that is happening right now under the Obama administration no thanks to Scalis's party or himself.  It did not take place on the watch of Bush 43.   He also says republicans who have consistently tried to block the President's proposals on immigration, environmental regulations, funding for infrastructure and trying to repeal the ACA ARE NOW READY TO WORK WITH HIM.

Does Scalise, his tea party and republican allies in the U.S. House really mean "they are now ready to work with Obama" after five and a half years of obstruction?  President Kennedy once said sincerity is always subject to proof, so time will test Scalise's words. Or does he and his party see a rising economy, steady job creation, a steady lowering of unemployment, a 60% reduction in deficit spending since Obama took office, the smallest increase in federal spending in 50 years and all taking place while Scalise and his party have been on the sidelines and playing no part in the recovery.  Do they want to jump on the bandwagon before the November elections?

 In the article Scalise trys to paint the democrats as the party that borrows money we don't have.  He is in complete denial on the subject.  If Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 had balanced the federal budget as Clinton did, borrowing money would not be a problem today.  I would invite Scalise or any one else to check out those facts themselves.  Of course, Scalise knows the answer, he just can not bring his tea party sonservative self to admit it.

When it comes to job creation in the private sector, republican administrations don't even register on the job creation scale compared to democratic administrations.  More new jobs were created on President Clinton's watch in 8 years than were created by Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 in the 20 years they ran the country and over 92% came from the private sector on Clinton's watch.  And more new jobs have been created on Obama's watch in the five and half years he has served so far compared to what was created in the 8 years Bush ran the country.  In fact when President G.W. Bush left office he had the worst job creation record since the great depression of 1929.  Scalise is well aware of that, for he served during Bush's term in office.

Will Scalise, the new WHIP of the republican controlled U.S. House continue to obstruct and oppose everything that comes out of the administration?   Or will Scalise, the WHIP stand up for America, shed his unAmeican conservative ideology and honestly work with the President to move the country and its people forward?   He is the only one who can answer that question.  He voted some time ago to shut down the federal government and now with his new position has an opportunity and an obligation to be civil, recognize he is not elite and stand tall for America.  It is not to late but time is running out for he and his party to start being productive.


This commentary written by John Lucia


Note:  See my previous commentary dated 11/5/2010 Titled, Job Creation For Presidential Terms:  1929-2008. 

Another Louisiana Tax Give Away To A Multi Billion Dollar Chemical Company

Forget that Louisiana has vacant land, the Mississippi River, cheap labor, cheap energy (natural gas) an abundance of natural resources, a good transportation system of rail, water and truck, reasonable property taxes and a hosts of other positive  needs for business to survive.  But it is the unnecessary corporate welfare system of tax breaks and other special interest goodies that bring new business to Louisiana.

In a Times Picayune story of 7/18/14 by staff writer Katherine Bayre a chinese chemical company will build a Methanol facility on the Mississippi river in St. James Parish.  The facility will be completed in 2018 and employ 400 people.  Louisiana offered the following to the company to lure them.  (1) $9.5 million for infrastructure cost.  (2)  $1.75 million grant to cover some of the cost of leasing access to the riverfront and developing a terminal dock.  (3)  Tax breaks through Louisiana's industrial tax exemption and the quality jobs program.

The article states that the company, Shandong Yuhuang reported $4 billion in sales in 2013 and has 5600 employees.  Most of the methanol processed at the plant will be shipped back to China.  Approximately 20-30% will be sold to north American companies.  In orher words, Louisiana's taxpayers willbe subsidizing a $4 Billion company who will be shipping 70% of its product outside the U.S. back to China.

China, a country that has been dumping cheap goods, some of them toxic ones (such as sheetrock) to America and has cost many American jobs.  This writer does not have any problem with trade when companies pay their own way.  The thing that is lacking in this story is:  With all the financial aid being given to Shandong, will Louisiana insist that they use the best anti-pollution system on the market and available to make sure the plant is safe for the Louisiana environment?  The article is silent on this important matter.  After all we know China is the largest polluter in the world.

Some things never change in Louisiana and our elected officials are at the core of the status quo for doling out corporate welfare that is not needed to move Louisiana forward. Do tax payers really think Louisiana gets back the $8 billion of tax breaks doled out each year?  One would never think so with all the budget cuts Jindal says have to be made every year.


This commentary written by John Lucia




This commentary written by John Lucia.

Oil Group Head Calls For Deregulation.

That was the caption of a Times Picayune story by staff writer Jennifer Larino dated 7/18/14.  Jack Gerard, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute  called on President Obama to abandon its "irrational" approach to energy policy.  As a mouth piece for the Oil industry he goes on to contradict his own statements

Gerard says that the U.S. became the worlds largest producer of natural gas in 2013 according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.  And that the U.S. this year became the worlds largest oil producer passing Sudi Arabia and Russia.  Then he said the nations energy policy had nothing to do with that.  Then he says policy really matters.

The President's policy has been clear.  Its made up of the present fossil fuels and renewable fuels.  Gerard wants a future only of the status quo and gives out more false information when he said the Obama administration refuses to open up more federal lands for exploration.  The Sierra Club pointed out that in the most recent federal offshore lease sale oil companies bid on only 326 of the 7511 tracts the government offered.  An article in the Times Picayune of 7/16/14 also informed its readers that in March the federal government offered acerage in the eastern Gulf and there were no bids by the oil industry.

Gerard said the country has moved from a position of perceived energy scarcity to abundance.  What he failed to note was that abundance happened on the watch of President Obama.  One should understand why it is the mouth pieces like Mr. Gerard and some politicians who are speaking up instead of the oil industry themselves.  The industry uses those surrogates becuse the industry knows the following facts.

(1)  The price of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gasoline is manipulated;  (2) Production of oil and gas can be shut in or produced according to their own selfish demands;  (3)  there are millions of acres of land the industry owns or leases where they have not drilled one hole, and that includes offshore.  (4)  the industry has had its best years under democratic administrations;  (5)  the industry is well aware of how their operations have destroyed the environment so they allow their surrogates to step out front and center;  (6)  They do not want to be regulated and Mr. Gerard trys to articulate that;  (7)  There has never been a lack of drilling and producing sites like the bill of goods the industry tried  to sell to the American people over the years.

I wrote a commentary dated 7/22/11 titled, "Drilling Offshore Louisiana In The Gulf Of Mexico:  Facts And Nothing But The Facts.  It tells the story of how the oil industry has misled the public concerning offshore drilling and how it has been democratic administrations that the oil industry has done so well under. 

Yes, my fellow Americans, despite the unnecessary billions of dollars in tax breaks the industry receives from Uncle Sam (American taxpayers) they and their representatives can not be truthful to the country or its people.  That is very sad for a industry enjoying all the benefits that America gives.  The greed at the top along with their failure to restore Louisiana's environment represents the worst in Corporate America.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Another Business Merger With Major Job Cuts

Microsoft has announced it will cut 18,000 jobs, 14% of its work force.  The majority will come from Nokia mobile business whom they acquired a few months ago.  It is another example how buy outs by Corporate giants of other companies enhanse their CEO's and executives at the expense of their employees.  This writer has commented about this situation many times over here in "PolitiDose."

In a story by the New York Times writer Nick Wingfield he reported Microsoft's presence in the hardware business (phone) which is outside its traditional expertise has been an unpopular one with investors and many people inside Microsoft.

So now we have Microsoft, one of the most richest company in the world buying out the mobile business of Nokia to eliminate a competator so they can add that service to their product.  And in the process lay off 18,000 workers.  And guess what?  Microsoft's tax write offs will be gigantic, thanks to a tax code that favors special interest. 

It is anothr prime example of wealth being transferred from the average American or the middle class to the wealthy. 


This commentary written by John Lucia

Columnist Michael Barone Spins Another Ditto Head Editorial

An editorial by Mr. Barone in the New Orleans Advocate of 7/17/14 titled, "Obama pays price for inaction on immigration law" is another ditto head conservative attempt to blame the President for what is taken place with the influx of children from Central America.

Barone trys to justify the U.S. House's failure to take up and pass immigration reform that was passed by the U.S. Senate in June of 2013 by saying the Obama administration failed to pass immigration reform in 2009 and 2010 because the administration's mind was on Obamacare, the stimulus and cap and trade legislation.  Barone failed to mention that the leaders of the republican party in congress vowed to not work with Obama in order to make him a one term President.  He also forgot that the Senate needs 60 votes to break a fillibuster and the republicans have used that procedure to block Obama's agenda a record number of times. 

The conservative columnist did not mention the failure of the George W. Bush administration to pass immigration reform.  Bush's administration was so split on the matter that John McCain flipped flopped all over the place which was pointed out by his republican opponents in the 2007 republican debates for his party's nomination.  McCain's flip flop was also subject to a commentary by this writer dated 11/5/2007 titled, "McCain's Immigration Flip-Flop. 

Barone also blames Obama for the flood of immigration from Central America on the President's comments on the "dreamact" in 2012.  That was over two years ago and of course Barone pays no attention to the fact that those children are being sent here to escape the drug violence, rape and other hardships being placed on those children in their own country.

It has also been pointed out that there is no border crisis since those children are entering through only one entry point along the Rio Grande and are turning themselves in to the border patrol who are doing their jobs.  The crisis is "playing ;politics" during an election year.  The problem can be worked out and handled properly if politics as usual would take a day of rest. 

The U.S. House leadership should take up immigration that was passed by the U.S. Senate instead of their decision to let it die this year.  Immigration reform can not be solved with out a starting point.  Passing the legislation in the U.S. House represents that starting point.  The U.S. House needs to get their act together. 


This commentary written by John Lucia

OUTNUMBERED, The Fox News Network Show

Outnumbered is a cable show that lacks fundamentals necessary to be creditable.  It usually consist of four ladies and one male panelist who make up the panel.  The Show is overwhelmingly dedicated to negative reporting, placing blame and usually about the President.

The mainstay is a right wing conservative dialog and projects messages on the bottom of the TV screen concerning the subject matter and uses the word scandal to describe a hosts of issues.  Scandal is used as a plant word to influence their viewers even though no scandal is involved. 

Theother mainstay is four attractive lady panelist that show a lot of legs that the camera man makes sure the camera angle is just right so that the home viewers get an eye full.  It reminds this writer of a show that has nothing of value to offer the public so it becomes a beauty contest.  Journalism is in short supply but the name of the show "Outnumbered" accurately describes the show because falsehoods and a lack of the truth "Outnumber" the facts.

The panel must be paid well by Fox News to subject themselves and their viewers to this kind of tabloid television.  The sad part is they seem to really enjoy it.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by John Lucia

Common Core And Common Sense

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu in a Times Picayune editorial of 7/16/14 concerning "Common Core" illustrated his knowledge of the subject matter and projected how a "serious public servant" could deal with a serious issue without personal attacks or placing blame.

The Mayor articulated how "Common Core" was not a government take over and in fact pointed out that it was developed and independently adopted by the states and not from President Obama.  The Mayor also pointed out the development of "Common Core" was started in 2007 through a state led initiative from the National Governors Association.  Over several years, the governors, education experts , teachers and administrators built consensus and created these standards.  In fact the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association not only support "Common Core" standards, they helped write them with the governors.

In one brief editorial Mitch Landrieu debunked all the misinformation out there by many of Louisiana's so called leaders and he did so in a civil tone, the true mark of a leader.  A "serious public servant" is like a breath of fresh air with all the noise going on and the placing of blame by some.  Mayor Landrieu let it be known he supports adopting "Common Core" and thinks it is vital to continue the improvements and success that is taking place in New Orleans public schools today.

Louisiana and the nation needs more "serious public servants" like Mitch Landrieu.


This commentary written by John Lucia