A redacted version was released today of Robert Mueller's report and almost a month after the report was completed the American people still have not seen or red the full report and its back up materials. The Attorney General held a news conference about the report and sounded like he represented the President instead of the government and the people.
Despite the Attorney General and Trump's statement that the President was exonerated and that the Game Was Over, nothing could be farther from the truth. The report says without a doubt the President was not exonerated on the obstruction of justice issue. That is all the U.S. House needs to know to continue their own investigation of the obstruction issue and now have a little more information to work on thanks to the Mueller report. Coupled with the House's information gathered from their witnesses, the investigation is still very much alive.
The report also detailed: (1) How the President's children and son in law met with the Russians in order to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton for the expressed purpose to help Trump's campaign. (2) How the President wrote Trump Jr's email and lied about what the meeting was all about. What is so important about that is the fact that no past Presidential candidate, republican or democratic has ever sought the helpof a foreign government to seek dirt on an opponent. That action describes just how low crooked Trump can stoop.
One way or anothr, Mueller's full report without the redactions will be released and the U.S.House will end up writing the final report on the trumpet man's malignancy. Until then, It ain't over till its over.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Part II: IMMIGRATION: The Albatross Around Trump and The Republican Party's Neck
Lately, we have seen some national news folks finally informing their readers how Trump and his party's lack of an immigration plan and policy are fueling what has been taken place with illegal immigration and border security that Trump is trying to shift blame to the democrats. But the readers of PolitiDose have known full well that failure of Trump and his party to address the process the past two years. It has all been explained in PolitiDose commentary long ago.
The latest with Trump's mentally unbalanced rhetoric is to release illegal immigrants to the so called sanctuary cities so democrats would be blamed. It is Trumps way to try and damage democrats during the next congressional election cycle. The trumpet man is still chapped because the courts have upheld the legality of those cities. Trump also added to that a suggestion that families be separated once again at the border. An issue he has already flipped flopped on and where a court has ordered the President to reunite the separated families. Then CNN reports that Trump said he would pardon the top border official if he were to get arrested for breaking federal law by denying asylum seekers entry into the U.S. That would be an impeachable offense. Trump's immigration rhetoric shifts from one position to another because of his mental condition.
The state of the nations immigration problem has taken a turn for the worst on Trump and the republicans watch and they are left with only their so called tough rhetoric and two years of lost empty promises. And this is the President who told the world during the 2016 Presidential campaign that HE was the only candidate who could solve the immigration problem. The President even lacks the mental capacity to hire people for his cabinet that know what they are doing. A ton of his appointments have come and gone and he is now replacing many in the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, the very departments that play a major role in immigration. What a tragic situation for a President's so called priority.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The latest with Trump's mentally unbalanced rhetoric is to release illegal immigrants to the so called sanctuary cities so democrats would be blamed. It is Trumps way to try and damage democrats during the next congressional election cycle. The trumpet man is still chapped because the courts have upheld the legality of those cities. Trump also added to that a suggestion that families be separated once again at the border. An issue he has already flipped flopped on and where a court has ordered the President to reunite the separated families. Then CNN reports that Trump said he would pardon the top border official if he were to get arrested for breaking federal law by denying asylum seekers entry into the U.S. That would be an impeachable offense. Trump's immigration rhetoric shifts from one position to another because of his mental condition.
The state of the nations immigration problem has taken a turn for the worst on Trump and the republicans watch and they are left with only their so called tough rhetoric and two years of lost empty promises. And this is the President who told the world during the 2016 Presidential campaign that HE was the only candidate who could solve the immigration problem. The President even lacks the mental capacity to hire people for his cabinet that know what they are doing. A ton of his appointments have come and gone and he is now replacing many in the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, the very departments that play a major role in immigration. What a tragic situation for a President's so called priority.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Conservative Opinion Writer's Nose Out Of Joint Because A Democratic Governor Brings Back a Balanced Budget to Louisiana
Times Picayune columnist Tim Morris is unhappy that Louisiana's democratic governor John B. Edwards spoke before the republican controlled state legislators on opening day and said, THE BUDGET CRISIS THAT FOR YEARS HELD LOUISIANA HOSTAGE IS OVER. WHAT WAS ONCE A $2 BILLION BUDGET DEFICIT IS NOW A SURPLUS THAT WILL LAY A FOUNDATION FOR US TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE STATE FORWARD. Morris tried to make the governor's statement a partisan issue, but any one who follows Louisiana politics understands the facts of the subject matter.
The so called conservative opinion writer also used a self serving statement that President George W. Bush used when he took office. Morris proclaimed, "one person's surplus is another's over taxation." President Bush used the same theme, then cut taxes and ran up eight straight years of federal budget deficits which wiped out President Clinton's 4 years of budget surpluses. Republican governor Bobby Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature did the same thing. They inherited a $800 million surplus when democratic governor Blanco left office and never balanced one state budget during Jindal's 8 years in office. (see previous commentary on the matter published in PolitiDose)
Morris is angry because a democratic governor was the one responsible for having the leadership ability to recognize Louisiana's fiscal problems and then act on them despite the criticism from so called republican conservatives. In fact, those Louisiana republicans who serve in the state legislature and those republicans who serve in congress have no fiscal record of being conservative. No republican President has balanced the federal budget since President Eisenhower in 1960. That is over 50 years ago. All conservatives have concerning fiscal matters is their rhetoric, but no facts. The state of Louisiana, its fiscal house and the people are better off today than they were under the previous administration.
And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The so called conservative opinion writer also used a self serving statement that President George W. Bush used when he took office. Morris proclaimed, "one person's surplus is another's over taxation." President Bush used the same theme, then cut taxes and ran up eight straight years of federal budget deficits which wiped out President Clinton's 4 years of budget surpluses. Republican governor Bobby Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature did the same thing. They inherited a $800 million surplus when democratic governor Blanco left office and never balanced one state budget during Jindal's 8 years in office. (see previous commentary on the matter published in PolitiDose)
Morris is angry because a democratic governor was the one responsible for having the leadership ability to recognize Louisiana's fiscal problems and then act on them despite the criticism from so called republican conservatives. In fact, those Louisiana republicans who serve in the state legislature and those republicans who serve in congress have no fiscal record of being conservative. No republican President has balanced the federal budget since President Eisenhower in 1960. That is over 50 years ago. All conservatives have concerning fiscal matters is their rhetoric, but no facts. The state of Louisiana, its fiscal house and the people are better off today than they were under the previous administration.
And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
The Trumpet Man's Rhetoric on Health Care Flip-Flops Once Again
President Trump knows how to trash his own lies concerning health care. He has ordered his Justice Department to go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court and seek an order to abolish the ACA. And at the same time he tells the people his administration is working on a health care plan to be introduced this year. Then the sky falls down when republican senator Mitch McConnell says the party has no appetite to fool around with health care with congressional elections coming up next year.
So the President flops again and now says the GOP's health care plan will not be introduced until after the 2020 Presidential and congressional elections. Mean while the democratic controlled U.S. House is working on a plan that would make the ACA better with changes that are necessary and make the plan more affordable and less costly. And the House will vote on those changes and plan in the near future. That is the best solution to the health care issue instead of starting all over.
Republican Attorneys General from Ohio and Montana will join other states and groups that will ask the Supreme Court to dismiss Trump's demand that the ACA be abolished. The American voters should remember and refresh their memories just how bad the republicans attitude toward health care is nothing but a scam and scheme supported by their own lies. They should also remember what former republican speaker of the House John Boehner said, THAT THE GOP HAS NEVER SUPPORTED HEALTH CARE. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
So the President flops again and now says the GOP's health care plan will not be introduced until after the 2020 Presidential and congressional elections. Mean while the democratic controlled U.S. House is working on a plan that would make the ACA better with changes that are necessary and make the plan more affordable and less costly. And the House will vote on those changes and plan in the near future. That is the best solution to the health care issue instead of starting all over.
Republican Attorneys General from Ohio and Montana will join other states and groups that will ask the Supreme Court to dismiss Trump's demand that the ACA be abolished. The American voters should remember and refresh their memories just how bad the republicans attitude toward health care is nothing but a scam and scheme supported by their own lies. They should also remember what former republican speaker of the House John Boehner said, THAT THE GOP HAS NEVER SUPPORTED HEALTH CARE. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Monday, April 8, 2019
The U.S. House Passes The Violence Against Women Act
The democratic controlled U.S. House passed and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by a vote of 263 - 158 with 157 republicans voting against the bill including Louisiana's little boy representative Steve Scalise. The democrats added an additional gun safety provision that was not included in the original bill that was passed in 1994. The bill now goes to the republican controlled U.S. Senate for their action and the public will soon find out where the republicans in the Senate stand on the issue.
It should be noted that the NRA urged the republicans in congress to vote against the bill because of the additional gun safety provision. And it was also reported that the NRA contributed $699,000.00 to the republican party during the 2018 congressional cycle while contributing only $19,000.00 to the democratic party. The NRA also warned republicans that a vote for the bill would be reflected in their NRA ratings. This is nothing new but once again a reminder how the NRA has influence over the republican party and their vote.
The original VAWA law of 1994 provided that people convicted of domestic violence against spouses or family members would lose their gun rights. The new bill would add people convicted of abusing their dating partners, closing the so called boyfriend loop hole and also prohibit people convicted of misdemeanors stalking offenses from buying or owning a firearm.
Louisiana's Scalise and other republicans in the House are so out of step on issues concerning women, they allow the NRA to control their votes. The gun lobby will now turn their attention to the republicans in the U.S. Senate to defeat the House passed bill and Louisiana will find out how Louisiana's two republican senators, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy will vote on the matter, if they vote at all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
It should be noted that the NRA urged the republicans in congress to vote against the bill because of the additional gun safety provision. And it was also reported that the NRA contributed $699,000.00 to the republican party during the 2018 congressional cycle while contributing only $19,000.00 to the democratic party. The NRA also warned republicans that a vote for the bill would be reflected in their NRA ratings. This is nothing new but once again a reminder how the NRA has influence over the republican party and their vote.
The original VAWA law of 1994 provided that people convicted of domestic violence against spouses or family members would lose their gun rights. The new bill would add people convicted of abusing their dating partners, closing the so called boyfriend loop hole and also prohibit people convicted of misdemeanors stalking offenses from buying or owning a firearm.
Louisiana's Scalise and other republicans in the House are so out of step on issues concerning women, they allow the NRA to control their votes. The gun lobby will now turn their attention to the republicans in the U.S. Senate to defeat the House passed bill and Louisiana will find out how Louisiana's two republican senators, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy will vote on the matter, if they vote at all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, April 7, 2019
The U.S. Economy Created 196,000 Jobs in March
The U.S. Labor Department reported the U.S. economy created 196,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.8%. It was the 102nd straight month of positive job growth. The report also announced that February's job numbers were revised from 20,000 jobs to 33,000. In the first three months of 2019 533,000 jobs have been created compared to the 613,000 jobs that were created in the first three months of 2018. So job growth at this point has fallen from last year despite the Trump-GOP tax cuts.
The March jobs report gave some economist hope after February's low job numbers and are pleased with the stock markets reaction but this writer does not believe the stock markets reaction is relative to the matter. American jobs are not moving back to America from over seas as predicted by those who support trickle down economics nor has capital investment in new plant and equipment surged as predicted.
The U.S. economy at certain times needs to be stimulated to keep growing and the democratic controlled U.S. House will probably be the ones to set the agenda with the infrastructure bill they are working on and that they will present and vote on. It is one of the best job producing avenues the country has that has a positive affect on all phases of the economy. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said during the 2016 campaign infrastructure legislation would be her number one priority if elected. Trump missed a great opportunity when he sent a flawed infrastructure plan to the republican controlled congress as reported previously in PolitiDose. The republicans just laughed at it because it was not a workable plan at all and they never gave it a thought much less a hearing it was so flawed. But the GOP themselves never had the will to fashion their own plan.
The democratic controlled congress will not sit still and already passed several bills that will go to the republican controlled Senate for their actions. At some point Trump and the GOP will have to back legislation proposed by the democratic party if they want to see the economy continue to grow. Hourly wages for March dropped back from February's gain according to the Labor Department report which is another reminder that trickle down economics will not be a driving force in achieving middle class income gains.
One area of income gains for workers in the last few years are due to the under reported steps various states and business have taken on their own to raise the minimum wage. They did not wait for congress to act. And it was President Obama's administration who pushed to raise the minimum wage which congress never acted on. Those business and states that did listen and did act deserve credit. Target just announced it was raising their minimum wage to $13/hour. That is the third year in a row they raised their wages and are on schedule to meet their goal of $15/hour by the end of next year.
The key to a sound economy, job creation and increase in wages always depends on sound policy and plans. And so far all Trump and the GOP have to show is trickle down economics tax cuts and rhetoric. The economy was doing well when Trump took office and so was job creation. Now in his third year in office the people will see how well he can manage the rest of his term.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The March jobs report gave some economist hope after February's low job numbers and are pleased with the stock markets reaction but this writer does not believe the stock markets reaction is relative to the matter. American jobs are not moving back to America from over seas as predicted by those who support trickle down economics nor has capital investment in new plant and equipment surged as predicted.
The U.S. economy at certain times needs to be stimulated to keep growing and the democratic controlled U.S. House will probably be the ones to set the agenda with the infrastructure bill they are working on and that they will present and vote on. It is one of the best job producing avenues the country has that has a positive affect on all phases of the economy. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said during the 2016 campaign infrastructure legislation would be her number one priority if elected. Trump missed a great opportunity when he sent a flawed infrastructure plan to the republican controlled congress as reported previously in PolitiDose. The republicans just laughed at it because it was not a workable plan at all and they never gave it a thought much less a hearing it was so flawed. But the GOP themselves never had the will to fashion their own plan.
The democratic controlled congress will not sit still and already passed several bills that will go to the republican controlled Senate for their actions. At some point Trump and the GOP will have to back legislation proposed by the democratic party if they want to see the economy continue to grow. Hourly wages for March dropped back from February's gain according to the Labor Department report which is another reminder that trickle down economics will not be a driving force in achieving middle class income gains.
One area of income gains for workers in the last few years are due to the under reported steps various states and business have taken on their own to raise the minimum wage. They did not wait for congress to act. And it was President Obama's administration who pushed to raise the minimum wage which congress never acted on. Those business and states that did listen and did act deserve credit. Target just announced it was raising their minimum wage to $13/hour. That is the third year in a row they raised their wages and are on schedule to meet their goal of $15/hour by the end of next year.
The key to a sound economy, job creation and increase in wages always depends on sound policy and plans. And so far all Trump and the GOP have to show is trickle down economics tax cuts and rhetoric. The economy was doing well when Trump took office and so was job creation. Now in his third year in office the people will see how well he can manage the rest of his term.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, April 4, 2019
The President's Latest Rant To Shut Down The Border Offers More Proof Of Failed Leadership
If the border really requires shutting down because illegal immigration is out of control, then it took place on Trump and the republican's watch. And during that time all the people were exposed too was the trumpet man's rhetoric. There has been no attempt by Trump or the GOP congress to introduce any immigration reform legislation since the President took office in 2017. The situation is a major failure to govern on an issue that Trump himself said was at the top of his priority agenda.
Trump's inaction has compounded the immigration issue and his divisive comments and actions of separating parents and children at the border has been a disaster for immigration reform. Trump's talk about shutting down the border exposed his lack of knowledge and judgement of the harm it would do to the U.S. economy as a few in his administration had the courage to point out. The President's reckless behavior caused former acting director of ICE to speak out and say, CLOSING THE BORDER WOULD DO NOTHING TO CURB THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CROSSING THE BORDER.
Immigration is the issue Trump is trying to use while campaigning for reelection. It is his autocratic way of trying to divert the public's attention from his failure to govern and the problems that are still building up around him and his corrupt administration. If Trump and his party were serious about immigration they would take the immigration bill that the democratic controlled Senate passed in 2013,(that the republican controlled U.S. House allowed to die without even and hearing) adjust and make the necessary improvements and changes and work with the democratic party to come together on a good bill that is workable for the country.
President George W. Bush wanted immigration reform during his administration but his party would not have anything to do with it and as a result nothing was done. It is now time, really past time, for Trump and the GOP to stop playing games with immigration reform and do their jobs. They have had more than enough years to solve the problem. A continuation of lies will not get the job done.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Note: Before going to press with this commentary it was announced that Trump flipped flopped on shutting down the border and now says he will give Mexico one year to act before he shuts down the border. Immigration to Trump is like a pin ball that goes from one extreme to another.
Trump's inaction has compounded the immigration issue and his divisive comments and actions of separating parents and children at the border has been a disaster for immigration reform. Trump's talk about shutting down the border exposed his lack of knowledge and judgement of the harm it would do to the U.S. economy as a few in his administration had the courage to point out. The President's reckless behavior caused former acting director of ICE to speak out and say, CLOSING THE BORDER WOULD DO NOTHING TO CURB THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CROSSING THE BORDER.
Immigration is the issue Trump is trying to use while campaigning for reelection. It is his autocratic way of trying to divert the public's attention from his failure to govern and the problems that are still building up around him and his corrupt administration. If Trump and his party were serious about immigration they would take the immigration bill that the democratic controlled Senate passed in 2013,(that the republican controlled U.S. House allowed to die without even and hearing) adjust and make the necessary improvements and changes and work with the democratic party to come together on a good bill that is workable for the country.
President George W. Bush wanted immigration reform during his administration but his party would not have anything to do with it and as a result nothing was done. It is now time, really past time, for Trump and the GOP to stop playing games with immigration reform and do their jobs. They have had more than enough years to solve the problem. A continuation of lies will not get the job done.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Note: Before going to press with this commentary it was announced that Trump flipped flopped on shutting down the border and now says he will give Mexico one year to act before he shuts down the border. Immigration to Trump is like a pin ball that goes from one extreme to another.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
The Trumpet Man Is Not So Presidential
Those who followed the 2016 Presidential campaign should remember every time a police officer in America was shot and killed by gun violence, Trump would blame it on President Obama as being weak and then would tell the people that all that would stop when he became President. Well, now comes a report from The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund that reports the following:
More law enforcement officers were shot and killed in 2018, 52, than in 2017 when 46 were killed by gun violence. The gun statistics reverses what had been a steady trend in recent decades, when police officers were more likely to die from car crashes than gunfire. In 2018, 50 officers died from traffic related incidents, according to the report. But the President is silent on the issue because his own record of embracing violent acts and his support for extremist.
And lately there are other breaking stories that relate to the President's failure to govern and be Presidential. The President keeps losing most of his cases taken to the federal courts seeking relief and most of the rulings came from republican appointed judges who many gave the same reasons for ruling against the administration. The judges ruled that Trump's lawyers never defined a reason behind their filings and offered no real evidence to support their case. It appears to this writer that Trump is arrogant enough to think he can just go to a court and try to flex his authority as President. But judges, no matter who appoints them have more character and integrity than Trump and will not allow Trump to define who they are.
We are also being informed that in Trumps latest summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump gave to Kim a letter before they met that demanded North Korea give up all their missiles, their nuclear capabilities including nuclear fuel and send it to the United States and completely dismantle their military infrastructure. Of course N. Korea would not do so. That means Trump did not walk away like he said so. It was N. Korea that walked away from a bad deal because President Trump thought he could force Kim to negotiate with a threat. The two summits with N.Korea failed because of President Trump's ignorance and belief that he holds all the cards without preparation. The summits have been a disaster.
Trump's decision to go to the Supreme Court to dismantle the ACA completely demonstrates once again the President's unAmerian and unPresidential action on a subject matter he and his party have no creditability on. It is another of so many examples of Trump's autocratic ego and disdain for legislation in a democracy. It is also his way of trying over and over again to obtain favor from a conservative court. The trumpet man tries his best to spread his malignancy.
America has lived through 24 months of a not so Presidential President who cares only for himself and conducts the business of the U.S. with lies. The democrats in congress need to continue to stand tall against this autocrat and traitor of American values.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
More law enforcement officers were shot and killed in 2018, 52, than in 2017 when 46 were killed by gun violence. The gun statistics reverses what had been a steady trend in recent decades, when police officers were more likely to die from car crashes than gunfire. In 2018, 50 officers died from traffic related incidents, according to the report. But the President is silent on the issue because his own record of embracing violent acts and his support for extremist.
And lately there are other breaking stories that relate to the President's failure to govern and be Presidential. The President keeps losing most of his cases taken to the federal courts seeking relief and most of the rulings came from republican appointed judges who many gave the same reasons for ruling against the administration. The judges ruled that Trump's lawyers never defined a reason behind their filings and offered no real evidence to support their case. It appears to this writer that Trump is arrogant enough to think he can just go to a court and try to flex his authority as President. But judges, no matter who appoints them have more character and integrity than Trump and will not allow Trump to define who they are.
We are also being informed that in Trumps latest summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Trump gave to Kim a letter before they met that demanded North Korea give up all their missiles, their nuclear capabilities including nuclear fuel and send it to the United States and completely dismantle their military infrastructure. Of course N. Korea would not do so. That means Trump did not walk away like he said so. It was N. Korea that walked away from a bad deal because President Trump thought he could force Kim to negotiate with a threat. The two summits with N.Korea failed because of President Trump's ignorance and belief that he holds all the cards without preparation. The summits have been a disaster.
Trump's decision to go to the Supreme Court to dismantle the ACA completely demonstrates once again the President's unAmerian and unPresidential action on a subject matter he and his party have no creditability on. It is another of so many examples of Trump's autocratic ego and disdain for legislation in a democracy. It is also his way of trying over and over again to obtain favor from a conservative court. The trumpet man tries his best to spread his malignancy.
America has lived through 24 months of a not so Presidential President who cares only for himself and conducts the business of the U.S. with lies. The democrats in congress need to continue to stand tall against this autocrat and traitor of American values.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Special Counsel Robert Mueller Delivers His Report To U.S. Attorney General William Barr
Robert Mueller handed over his report to the Attorney General last Friday and it was reported that Mr. Barr gave members of congress a summary of Mueller's report on Sunday. Almost immediately President Trump and the republicans in congress were taking a victory lap but all should remember as of this very moment congress and the public has not seen and does not know what is in the report or its details. The Attorney General's summary is just that, a summary and is not the special counsel's report.
The summary by the Attorney General without releasing the full report is reason to be skeptical and should cause everyone to pause and think about how this is unfolding When there exist a legal and lawful investigation the facts should come out at one time in one report and not piece meal as Mr. Barr has suggested. President Trump's constant attempt to discredit the investigation by calling it fake news, a fraud, a witch hunt and other derogatory comments about the previous Attorney General, the Justice Department, the Director of the FBI and Robert Mueller are reason to make the report public immediately. It is also a reason for the U.S. House to keep up its own investigation concerning the subject matter and Mr. Trump.
There is also the thought that should concern everyone. A few months ago when Trump once again attacked and tried to intimidate a federal judge appointed by President Obama who ruled against one of Mr. Trump's executive order, the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts shot back and defended the judicial system by telling Trump there are no Obama judges, No Bush Judges and No Reagan judges. There are judges who make legal decisions based on the law and not politics. Judge Roberts did the right thing by not allowing the President to pollute the justice system. It begs the question, why did the Justice Department not fire back at Trump and defend Mueller's investigation against his ongoing attacks to undermine Mr. Mueller and his investigation? They were silent and allowed the President to have the bully pulpit.
Congress and the people need to see the complete report to understand the details, especially about the meeting the President and Trump Jr. acknowledged that took place with Russia to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton. No other Presidential candidate, republican or democrat has ever stooped so low and was willing to do business with a foreign country to seek dirt on a Presidential opponent. That was a serious threat to our political system and those involved should have to pay the price.
This writer thinks there is a legitimate reason to question how the Attorney General is handling the Mueller report, the summary and his refusal to be up front and release the whole report. Barr's past statements about the investigation was reason to recuse himself from the investigation but he was a Trump appointee and the President knew his views. Trump took an oath to protect and defend our constitutional process but he was at the head of a campaign to obstruct the process.
If and when the special counsel's report is released in total and the details can be read clearly, the U.S. House may have enough information to cancel Trump's premature victory lap. As Yogi Berra said, it ain't over until its over.
Food for thought: If the special counsel's investigation was fake news, a fraud and a witch hunt as Trump says, does that mean the same thing can be said of the Attorney General's summary?
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The summary by the Attorney General without releasing the full report is reason to be skeptical and should cause everyone to pause and think about how this is unfolding When there exist a legal and lawful investigation the facts should come out at one time in one report and not piece meal as Mr. Barr has suggested. President Trump's constant attempt to discredit the investigation by calling it fake news, a fraud, a witch hunt and other derogatory comments about the previous Attorney General, the Justice Department, the Director of the FBI and Robert Mueller are reason to make the report public immediately. It is also a reason for the U.S. House to keep up its own investigation concerning the subject matter and Mr. Trump.
There is also the thought that should concern everyone. A few months ago when Trump once again attacked and tried to intimidate a federal judge appointed by President Obama who ruled against one of Mr. Trump's executive order, the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts shot back and defended the judicial system by telling Trump there are no Obama judges, No Bush Judges and No Reagan judges. There are judges who make legal decisions based on the law and not politics. Judge Roberts did the right thing by not allowing the President to pollute the justice system. It begs the question, why did the Justice Department not fire back at Trump and defend Mueller's investigation against his ongoing attacks to undermine Mr. Mueller and his investigation? They were silent and allowed the President to have the bully pulpit.
Congress and the people need to see the complete report to understand the details, especially about the meeting the President and Trump Jr. acknowledged that took place with Russia to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton. No other Presidential candidate, republican or democrat has ever stooped so low and was willing to do business with a foreign country to seek dirt on a Presidential opponent. That was a serious threat to our political system and those involved should have to pay the price.
This writer thinks there is a legitimate reason to question how the Attorney General is handling the Mueller report, the summary and his refusal to be up front and release the whole report. Barr's past statements about the investigation was reason to recuse himself from the investigation but he was a Trump appointee and the President knew his views. Trump took an oath to protect and defend our constitutional process but he was at the head of a campaign to obstruct the process.
If and when the special counsel's report is released in total and the details can be read clearly, the U.S. House may have enough information to cancel Trump's premature victory lap. As Yogi Berra said, it ain't over until its over.
Food for thought: If the special counsel's investigation was fake news, a fraud and a witch hunt as Trump says, does that mean the same thing can be said of the Attorney General's summary?
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
The Latest Report On The Federal Budget Deficit: Only The Ignorant Should Be Surprised
The Treasury Department announced last week that the federal budget deficit hit an all time high in February coming in at $234 billion and that for the first five months of this fiscal year that began October 1, 2018 the federal budget deficit was $544.2 billion, up a whopping 39% from the same period last year. The National Debt passed the $22 trillion mark for the first time ever, up $2 trillion higher than when Trump took office.
Other findings were: (1) Corporations have so far this fiscal year paid $59.2 billion in taxes, compared to $87.4 billion at this point in 2017. (2) Total spending in February was $401 billion while the government only took in just $167 billion. (3) Tax receipts usually rise when the economy grows, but the 2017 tax cut law has held tax revenues down as federal spending increased.
This sad report on the country's fiscal health is a repeat of what took place after the Reagan and Bush 43 tax cuts that favored the wealthy and corporate America the most. And now for the third time under Trump, the fiscal disaster concerning budget deficits and debt repeats itself once again. Anyone who lived through the Reagan and Bush years and claimed not to understand what took place allowed themselves to be ignorant of the facts.
And once again PolitiDose has been on target with the facts about the republican party's tax cut scheme and its appetite for out of control federal spending, budget deficits and debt. The general media has closed its eyes to the facts concerning so called republican conservatism on the subject matter and allowed republications to set the agenda The readers of PolitiDose are way ahead of their sound bites and understand the republican party and Trump's extreme ideology. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Other findings were: (1) Corporations have so far this fiscal year paid $59.2 billion in taxes, compared to $87.4 billion at this point in 2017. (2) Total spending in February was $401 billion while the government only took in just $167 billion. (3) Tax receipts usually rise when the economy grows, but the 2017 tax cut law has held tax revenues down as federal spending increased.
This sad report on the country's fiscal health is a repeat of what took place after the Reagan and Bush 43 tax cuts that favored the wealthy and corporate America the most. And now for the third time under Trump, the fiscal disaster concerning budget deficits and debt repeats itself once again. Anyone who lived through the Reagan and Bush years and claimed not to understand what took place allowed themselves to be ignorant of the facts.
And once again PolitiDose has been on target with the facts about the republican party's tax cut scheme and its appetite for out of control federal spending, budget deficits and debt. The general media has closed its eyes to the facts concerning so called republican conservatism on the subject matter and allowed republications to set the agenda The readers of PolitiDose are way ahead of their sound bites and understand the republican party and Trump's extreme ideology. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
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