Louisiana's Representative Steve Scalise: An Embarrassment To His State and The Country.

Scalise's opinion column in the New Orleans Advocate of 7/1/21 titled, "U.S. can do better on energy than Biden's agenda of restrictions" is full of the usual GOP lies, mis-information, dis-information and out right BS.  But its par for the course for the #2 republican who has no record of accomplishments.  The little boy Trump ditto head begins his column with the falsehood of saying Biden banned new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters.  The President did no such thing.  What he did was pause those leases while the results of a study could be completed before future action is taken.  

Scalise then skips to wind energy and suggest we can do more.  Well, there is good news for the little boy ditto head.  Wind energy is included in Biden's total legislation to deal with infrastructure.  And in fact the feasibility of wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico off of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas is already in the works and published in the federal register for response from Offshore Wind Companies.  The President's goal is  to have wind generated electricity for more than 10 million homes by the year 2030.  Scalise, Trump and the GOP had the last 4 years to do something about wind energy but did nothing.

Scalise talks about oil industry related jobs in Louisiana that are in danger of being lost under Biden's agenda. Really???  What the little boy forget to mention on purpose is that oil  industry related jobs in Louisiana fell to  its lowest level in the last 30 years on Trump, Scalise and the GOP's watch.  And that took place while Trump  and his party said  they cut red tape and reduced regulations that would make them more productive.  Yeah, right.  Well it  did not create jobs.  The New Orleans Advocate published a chart in its 1/27/21 edition that showed total job employment in Louisiana related to the Oil and  Gas industry over a 30 year period from 1990-2020.  The chart shows that the greatest employment took place during  the Clinton and Obama administrations and  the lowest employment took place during the Trump administration.  It hit its peak in 1998 under Clinton with 59,500 Jobs and its lowest under Trump with 29,200 jobs in 2020.

The little boy tries to tie the increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline to Biden's policies which  have not even passed yet.  But the prices actually started their increase last year on Trump's watch because the oil producing countries cut their production to escalate the prices.  The oil industry is  noted for manipulation by their cutting and  lowering production when it is  to their advantage.  

The  bottom  line is the oil industry in Louisiana and the nation has done better on the democratic watch and that includes creating jobs and a more stable price for oil and gasoline.  President Biden has it right with his balanced proposals on  energy.  Trump, Scalise  and the GOP wasted four years with tax cuts that benefited those who needed them the least and failed to address the  problems and issues the country faces today.  And their failure is a result of their extreme ideology and a anti-American attitude.  President Biden's administration has policy and plans to move the country and its people forward in a new direction and his proposals are based on needs and not ideology.  

And that really says it all.

This  commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

 

The GOP's Liberal Stand On Relaxing Gun Control Legislation Has Harmed Law Enforcement Much More Than The Protestor's "Chants of Defund The Police."

The GOP and their conservative news media have exposed their plan to win back congress in the 2022 congressional elections.  Every day its their false narrative that the democratic party supports the defend the police cry and that the party is weak on crime and the reasons the country is experiencing an increase in crime so  far in 2021.  So lets explore the past record concerning increases in violence.  

Last year in 2020 the U.S. experienced its worst gun violence death rate in the last several decades as gun violence deaths increased 20% over 2019, per the Gun Violence Archives.  Gun sales in  2020 were at its highest level ever which means more guns than ever were on the streets of America.  And all of that took place on Trump and the GOP's watch while they were talking tough.  In 2019 according the the Center for Disease Control  and Prevention 24/7 Wall Street the 10 worst states for gun violence deaths per capita 100,000 people were  as follows in order listed:  (1) Alaska (Republican)   (2) Mississippi (Republican)   (3)Wyoming (Republican)   (4) New Mexico (Democrat)   (5) Alabama (Republican)   (6) Louisiana (Democratic)   (7) Mississippi (Republican)   (8) South Carolina (Republican)   (9) Arkansas (Republican   (10) Montana (Democratic).  Seven of those top 10 states were republican controlled and 3 were democratic controlled.  

Gun violence deaths in Iowa in 2020 was up 23% over 2019, and  new relaxed gun laws passed by Iowa's republican controlled legislature went into effect just this year.  Iowa is a GOP governed state.  Florida has a 32% increase in gun  violence deaths since enacting "stand your ground legislation" in 2005.  The republican controlled state legislature in Louisiana recently passed a relaxed gun measure concerning carrying concealed fire arms.  Governor John B. Edwards rightly vetoed that bill.

According to  a report by the Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics from 1993-2010 gun violence deaths decreased 39%.  Non fatal gun crimes decreased 69%.  It is worthy to note that the assault weapons ban was in place by the Clinton administration most of that time and that gun violence deaths and crimes decreased every year on President Clinton's watch during those years.  

The Center for  Disease Control  and Prevention 24/7 wall street also reported that the statistics verify that the states with the most relaxed gun laws tend to have the worst record for gun violence and that the states with the most stringent gun laws tend to have the lowest gun violence.  And every one  knows it is Republican governed states and republican controlled legislatures that have the most relaxed gun laws.  

Police department around the country are having a tough time keeping up with all the guns on the streets of America.  They opposed weakened and relaxed gun laws that put their lives in jeopardy.  The liberal attitude of the GOP on weakening and relaxing sensible gun control measures has been worse for law enforcement than any slogan of "defund the police."

The facts tell us the GOP  has no credibility when it  comes to controlling violent crime.  Democrats have  better ideas and a clearer picture as to what needs to be done to reduce the violence.  The predictions for 2021 tells us gun  sales in the U.S. will break last years record.  That does not bide well for America with  all  the relaxed gun laws that are on the books.  History tells us we are a violent country and it takes place on both the Republican and Democratic watch.

This  writer believes that President Biden's policies will reverse the violent trend with policies that work.  They have  not worked the last few years and the time is now for new thinking and actions.  The GOP's policies of relaxed gun control laws have failed.  The status quo has to be discarded for real action and for all of those who are in doubt because of the mis-information being fed on purpose, the democratic party will not defund  the police.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  There has been no break down of gun violence by states for the year 2020 yet.  When it comes out, Politidose will publish same.

    

 

 

Abortion Has Opinion Writer Garey Forster Flaunting His Religion

Forester's opinion column dated 7/1 titled, "Don't count on the Catholic Bishops to lay down the law to Joe Biden" is laughable.  The words do  not do justice to the title and becomes a catch all for Forester's conservative problems.  He starts off by accusing President Biden and Governor John Bell Edwards of flaunting their religion because they showed each other their rosaries in front of the camera.  Then Forester flaunts his own religion by informing his readers that he is a practicing catholic, an altar boy and attended catholic schools for 13 years.

He then goes on to  talk about the catholic Bishops "teaching document" that would lay out the conditions under which catholic politicians who support abortion rights, including President Biden, may be denied communion.  He thinks the Bishops are just trying to scare the President and Nancy Pelosi.  But then says the Bishops will cave.  I had a good laugh when he added Nancy Pelosi to his article out of the blue.  Nancy is a  better woman than Forester is a man when it comes to politics.

Forester, the GOP and  so called conservatives are two faced and phony on the issue of abortion as stipulated in past Politidose commentary and the reasons why.  President Joe Biden and his wife choose life and brought children into this world.  They did not choose abortion.  Supporting a woman's right to choose recognizes that is the law of the land and that a woman has that right.  What drives Forester and his phonies nuts is that it was a conservative appointed Supreme Court by republican Presidents who decided Roe vs. Wade by a 7-2 vote and the conservatives on the court held the majority vote.  It has been republican Presidents that stacked the Supreme Court but Forester and his  so called conservatives won't talk  about that or the conservative judges who handed down the decision that made abortion legal.

No one  has ever heard President Biden, Nancy Pelosi or Hillary Clinton advise any woman to have an abortion, and as every one knows, Pelosi and Clinton both choose life and brought children into this world.  All three have more character, integrity and courage than Forester, the GOP in congress and most so called conservative opinion writers on the subject.  And that really says it all.

This  commentary written by Joe  Lorio

 

The New Orleans Advocate, Playing Catch Up With Past Commentary In Politidose.

 Politidose has reported for the last several years and more recently in a commentary dated May 29 how the state of Louisiana has lost billions in state tax revenue through the states tax give away programs to the business community.  The tax give aways are supposed to create jobs and etc, etc, etc, and benefit the state with financial returns.  The tax give away amount to $7 billion per year.

Now comes The Advocate staff writer Mark Ballard in a commentary dated 6/27 concerning the gambling industry in Louisiana.  Ballard discloses in his article that gambling revenues for the state has been at a standstill since 2007 and when inflation is taken into consideration that total revenue is actually down 27%.  Ballard also talks about the industry not making its promised job creation on and off and how even more tax concessions have been granted to the industry over time.

It has been know for some time that the state is losing too much tax revenue with the $7 billions in tax give aways.  And in this case, knowledge of the facts have not fazed our governors or state legislature to act and end the social welfare for the business community.  Business needs employees to operate regardless what taxes they pay.  Tax give aways will not result in hiring more employees.  Our elected officials allow themselves to participate in these schemes to enhance their political life.  To them its a game they play at the expense of the public good and the welfare of the state.

And that really says it all.  So stay tuned to Politidose, your daily dose of political commentary for the real story.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

The United States Supreme Court Upholds The Affordable Care Act Once Again.

The Supreme Court ruled against 18 state Attorney Generals who brought suit against the Affordable Care Act and tried to kill it.  The 7-2 court decision was another blow to Trump, the GOP and conservatives who have tried to kill the health care law since it passed congress over a decade ago.  Four so called conservative judges joined the three so called liberal judges in the majority vote.  Two of the judges who voted with the majority were appointed by President Trump.

The court ruled that those Attorney Generals who brought suit against the ACA had no legal  standing to do so and suffered no harm as they claimed for their state in the suit.  In other words it was a frivolous law suit brought before the court.  For  those who pay attention it has been the republicans and conservatives who have railed against so called frivolous law suits but are the ones always trying to file them.  The law suits against the 2020 Presidential election is a good recent example by claiming election fraud but offering no evidence or proof.

The other take from the Supreme Courts decision is this:  Trump and the GOP outsmarted themselves when they stacked the Court with their so called conservative judges while denying President Obama an opportunity to appoint one of his own choices.  Trump and the GOP thought they could corrupt the court to rule in their favor.  But as Politidose commented over two  years ago, there had to be enough so called conservative judges on the court that would not allow Trump and the GOP to write the history of their time on the court as being a time of corruption.

History reminds us it was a Trump stacked Supreme Court majority who denied Trump's many frivolous challenges to the results of the 2020 Presidential election.  And it was also a republican majority appointed so called conservative Supreme Court that voted 7-2 that decided Roe Vs. Wade and legalized abortion in America and not a so called liberal court that the GOP would like the people to believe.

By and large, the Supreme Court does render decisions with a even hand.  The problem lies with the political system that tries to divide the country on the issues.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 

LSU's 2021 Baseball Season Comes To An End.

 The Tiger's baseball team went two and out in the NCAA's Super Regional in Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday losing to the Vols in a lopsided 15-6 defeat.  It was a bitter defeat for LSU and a very poor showing by the team, especially the relief pitchers who could not throw strikes and ended up hitting 4 batters.  It was the second straight game the Tigers fell behind after their starting pitchers were replaced too soon and Tennessee took advantage of it.

The game ended Paul Mainieri's career as LSU's head coach who announced his retirement weeks ago.  it's not how Mainieri wanted to end his coaching days but it is what it is.  This writer believes Mainieri was a good coach but he lost some judgement that began a few years before his health issues took place.  The way he used his pitchers in the Super Regional was more than just questionable.  He out smarted himself in Saturday and Sunday's games when he replaced his starting pitchers too early, something he has been doing for a number of years.

So now LSU is looking for a new baseball coach to lead the Tiger team.  Has Mainieri left the LSU team in a good position?  The answer may lie in the fact that LSU had a poor year in the SEC.  They ended the regular season at 13-17 against SEC opponents and then were one and out against Georgia in the SEC tournament and then two  and out against Tennessee in the Super Regional.  So  their overall SEC record for the year was 13-20.

This writer believes LSU will be in a rebuilding position because they lack the talent in key positions, especially in pitching, both starting and relief.  Inconsistent hitting is also a problem that needs to be addressed.  So now the search begins.  Best of Luck to coach Paul Mainieri, his wife and family.  May the future hold nothing but good fortune for all the family.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Job Numbers and Unemployment for May 2021

 The U.S. Labor Department announced the economy added 559,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate came in at 5.8%.  The Department also announced that job creation for April was adjusted upwards to 278,000 jobs created vs. the 266,000 jobs originally reported for April.  The 5.8% unemployment rate for May was the lowest since March of 2020.  It was 6.3% when Trump  left office.  The GOP and the so called conservative news media were not happy with the numbers and tried to put a negative spin on them which follows their pattern of lies and anti-American rhetoric.

So in President Biden's first full 4 months in office (February - May) 2,075,000 jobs have been created for a monthly average of 518,750 jobs created each month.  In Trump's last 4 full  months in office (Sept.- Dec.) 1,404,000 jobs were created for a monthly average of 351,000 jobs created each month.  And in Trump's first 4 full months (Feb - May 2017) 682,000 jobs were created for a monthly average of 170,500 jobs created each month.  During Trump's term as President the unemployment rate increased 1.6%.  It was 4.7% when Trump took office and 6.3% when he left office.  Note: Only 49,000 jobs were created in January 2021 on Trump's watch as reported by the U.S. Labor Department.

The job numbers tell us that the Biden administration has done a much better job at creating jobs than the Trump  administration both before and after the economic recession and pandemic and Biden is doing it while the problem is still in progress.  The job numbers also rebut the negative voices who have over estimated the recovery and are saying the numbers are a disappointment.  It is the typical propaganda of the GOP and the so called conservative news media to undermine the administration.

The  next step to continue the economic recovery is to pass the President's infrastructure plan and pay for it as the President proposed.  The economy always needs priming over time, especially after a serious economic recession and pandemic such as the one that began in 2020.  The business community does not  take care of its every day employees during a  recession.  They just lay them  off without help and in many cases cancel or do  not  offer health care.  They expect  government to take care  of their own workers and as a result several COVID relief bills were passed by congress to do so.  

History is repeating itself as the democratic administration of President Biden is moving the economy forward and cautiously with policy and plans that address the issues and the problems.  It is all preordained by the precedent of past democratic administrations in the  last 60 years and especially in the last 40 years after the massive tax cuts by Reagan, Bush 41 and Trump that benefited those who needed them the least.

And "Politidose" has been there for the past 9 years in commentary laying out the facts how democratic administrations have a much better record at governing in every phase, including keeping America safe.  The GOP, President Trump and the so called conservatives have nothing left to offer the American people but a corrupted anti-American extreme ideology and  agenda.  So stay tuned to Politidose, your daily dose of political commentary for the facts and the real story.

Note 1:  Ronald Reagan is the  only republican administration in the last 68 years that left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he  took office.  What a terrible record on unemployment and job creation for past GOP administrations in all those years.  And if any one  believes that is just a coincidence, the country is in real trouble.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

Louisiana: The Welfare and Socialist State For The Business Community.

We know for a number of years that the state legislature has given to the business community tax breaks that total approximately $7 billion a year that robs the state of much needed revenue.  We know that number is accurate because it was confirmed by the legislature and by an excellent article in the Times Picayune several years ago by Edward Ashworth, Director of the Louisiana Budget Project who articulated the problem.

Now we read in the news two articles published in the New Orleans Advocate dated 5/27/21 how the Hollywood movie industry's tax breaks are up for renewal by the state legislature and just how much those tax breaks has cost the state in lost revenue.  One article by capitol bureau editor Mark Ballard, reports for every tax payers dollar the state gives away in tax credits, state and local governments received 35 cents in 2020.  But chief economist for the state legislature, Greg Albrecht points out, because only the states tax revenues are in play, the state return is only 22 cents on the dollar.  And that in 2020 the state gave away $132.8 million in tax revenue and received only $29.4 million in taxes.

In an editorial view commentary in the same May 27 edition it was reported that the program of tax credits for the film industry has cost the state and tax payers over $2 billion since its beginning.  It is obvious there is no respectable oversight of the program that would allow such a paltry return to the state and the tax payers for such a huge investment and receive less than a 25% return.  Does anyone think a business would give away that amount of money?

The same state legislature that approved Louisiana's tax give away also told us that Louisiana needs $14 billion for infrastructure and repairs.  The state is almost last in every category that deals with the quality of life and many other issues concerning state spending but the state legislature has a culture of dealing with only special interest groups such as the business community at the expense of the public good.

The $7  billion doled out in tax breaks every year by the state to business are used by business to reward their CEO's, executives and their shareholders.  That is how corporate America works and why over the last 40 years their incomes grew by over 900% while their average workers wages grew just 12% per a previous report.  The answer is simple, everyone should pay their fair share of taxes to support the governments ability to serve the people.  We just don't have the elected officials who have the character or courage to implement such a common sense answer.

All governments should operate on the principle that if a business can not make it on its own its not a viable business and should change its business attitude and stand on its own.  Its easy to understand.  The $7 billion given annually by the state to business represents about 25% of  the states past yearly budgets.  Does any one think any business would give up 25% of its revenue and say we can do well financially and get along without it?  And does any one really believe the state can give up that much revenue and still take care of the needs of the state and the needs of its people?

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  The very first civilization on earth, that of the Sumerians, which began almost 6000 years ago left written records that have been found.  They stated that they were taught that understanding the mistakes of the past was the  key to  a better future.  And that a failure to do so would result in a future that looked like the failed past.  Six thousand years  later, the state  legislature has learned nothing.

 

The LSU Baseball Program Continues Its Decline.

And it has been ongoing for several years.  The team completed its regular season and posted a losing record of 13-17 during its SEC play.  LSU did qualify for the SEC tournament and quickly eliminated in the very first game losing to Georgia 4-1.  Prior to the SEC tournament, sports writers tried to put a spin on the fact that LSU has won more SEC tournaments than any other SEC team, like that would some how make a difference for this  LSU team.  It was not and was predictable.

The fact is  LSU is not signing the quality players they have in the  past and the LSU coaching staff has done a poor job of coaching.  Other SEC teams have been more consistent in recruiting good talent, especially pitching and coaching.  LSU coach Paul Mainieri has done a poor job with his pitching staff, both starters and relivers.  It appears to this writer that Mainieri is living off his one and only National Championship.

LSU has not had the quality players with a consistent good batting average, RBI production and  timely hitting since they lost Mikie Mahtook, Micah Gibbs, Blake Dean, Ryan Schimpf, D.J. Lemahieu and Mason Katz.  Those players were consistent in  their production at LSU during their whole career, not just every now and then like most LSU hitters since.  Mainieri's "kids" as  he  calls them have not measured up to the challenge.  And neither has the coaching staff.  Mainieri's "kids" are really not kids.  They are young  men who have been playing the game of baseball all of their young lives.

 So now LSU waits to see if they receive a bid to play in the NCAA tournament.  If they do receive a bid this writer believes their fate has already been decided.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

Conservative Opinion Writer Cal Thomas and The Abortion Issue.

Thomas in a opinion column published in the New Orleans Advocate of May 22 titled, "Abortion case could make things better" spouts the so called conservative view heard many times over which never address the real "abortion" story.  Thomas's coward approach apes the GOP's desire to continue to use the issue to divide America.  Thomas ends his article by denying his own statement.  In other words the article had no real thought, division is all that matters.

His opinion states that pro-lifers (without defining them) are encouraged because three of Trump's appointees to the Supreme  Court are Catholics and one, Amy Barrett made public statements about her opposition to abortion.  All three judges are so called conservatives who Trump thought would help him overturn the 2020 Presidential election after filing multiple fake fraud suits claiming voter fraud.  The majority conservative court acted properly in rejecting every law challenge Trump filed.  Trump and his supporters, the GOP and so called conservative opinion writers backed Trump's stacking of the Court.

What is missing from Thomas's column and the GOP's constant attacks against the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision is the fact that it was a republican conservative appointed majority Supreme Court that handed down the decision that legalized abortion and not a so called liberal Court.  They dare not remind the people they just keep promoting it as a conservative-liberal issue to divide the country.

Thomas writes that abortion has contributed to the caustic environment in which we now live and that riots are becoming increasingly "normal" behavior.  He fails to point out that Trump's rioters on January 6 that assaulted the nation's capitol at Trump's urging was not "normal" behavior.  The GOP are the only ones who would  like Americans to think those rioters were "normal" as Thomas puts it.  The bottom line tells us it has been the so called conservatives reaction to Roe vs. Wade that has contributed to the caustic environment and includes so called conservative opinion writers.

Like all comments concerning abortion, what is missing from the abortion debate is a major part of the story.  And that is the father of the aborted.  Is he not at fault for not waring protection?  Is he not at fault for not expressing his concerns for the aborted and woman he impregnated?  Is he not at fault for not knowing what his partner would  do if she became pregnant?  Men can not become pregnant but they can impregnate a woman.  Why are they not part of the abortion debate.  The answer is simple, the issue is used as a political tool by the GOP and so  called conservatives to divide the country and obtain votes.

There are only two ways to change the Supreme Courts decision in Roe vs. Wade.  A constitutional amendment or federal legislation by congress.  But no republican administration has ever even tried to use either one method or even promote such an outcome.  They rather propaganda the issue with failed law suits and their rhetoric.  The GOP knows both methods would fail and that would  end the issue for them to use to continue to divide.  

This writer noted long ago, (before Trump's 3 appointments to the court) that there had to be at least one so called conservative Supreme Court Justice that would not allow a corrupted Trump to write the history of their time on thee court and they acted accordingly when they refused Trump's suits to try and overturn the 2020 Presidential election.  This writer also  believes even now with the court more conservative with Trump's 3 appointments, they won't allow the GOP and its many law suits to corrupt their time on the courts when they hear the Mississippi case in early fall.  In fact, during  that hearing the court will probably remind everyone that congress has the power to legislate the matter.

Thomas would like to see Trump's stacked Supreme Court rule in Mississippi's favor when they take up the case.  He thinks that will end the issue but then ends his opinion column in denial by saying it may not reverse our national decline.  His hero, Donald Trump did not  make  America great again.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio