Past PolitiDose Commentary Was A Prelude To President Biden's Recommended Changes To The Supreme Court.

At the time it was written on 8/24/19, PolitiDose commentary was not about Joe Biden and the Supreme Court.  It was about the Supreme Courts make up at a time Roe v. Wade became law in 1973.  The article described the Court in those days as the THEN Supreme Court and the Supreme Court in 2019 as the NOW Supreme Court.  In the days of the THEN Court, the Court had a majority Republican control 7-2 and those conservative judges were TRUE conservatives.  The Republican majority NOW Court claims to be conservative but they are extreme in their rulings.

The make up of the NOW Supreme Court has taken the Court to a new level of extreme since the 2019 commentary.  In three major decisions concerning The Voting Rights Act, Roe v. Wade and Presidential immunity, the NOW court has thrown out precedent and the "stand by the decision" venue that has guided the Courts.  Those three decisions overturned what had been law for decades.  The NOW court has also violated any claim to have an ethic code as a guide like congress and others have ethic codes to follow.  The NOW Courts actions confirm that PolitiDose commentary was accurate.

So now, President Biden has asked Congress to pass reform legislation for the Court, including an ethic code to live by.   It is long over due since the NOW court is out of control.  To refresh one's memory, the make up of the THEN Court when Roe v Wade was decided in 1973 was as follows:  The Court voted 7-2.  Voting yes were:  Judge Harry Blackburn, appointed by Nixon;  William Douglas appointed by Franklin Roosevelt; Warren Burger, appointed by Nixon;  William Brenan, appointed by Dwight Eisenhower;  Potter Stewart, appointed by Dwight Eisenhower;  Thorgood Marshall, appointed by Lyndon Johnson; Lewis Powell, appointed by Nixon.  It was the Republican majority that ruled.

Voting No, was:  Judge Byron White, Appointed by John Kennedy, William Rehnquest, appointed by R. Nixon.  

And PolitiDose commentary was there in 2019, first to address the subject matter long before President Biden did recently.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

Note:  The title of the 2019 commentary was:  The Republicans, Conservatives, The Anti-Abortion Groups and the Johnny Come Lately President Donald Trump.

 

Will The Months of August and September Bring a New Light, Or Represent a Change on Trump's Status as The GOP's Presidential Nominee?

 August and September will be pivotable for the political life of convicted criminal, Donald Trump.  October and November are far from the criminal's mind at this point because two of his cases, one state and one federal will resume before the judges hearing both cases.  And make no mistake, Trump is worried.

Federal District Judge Tanya Chutkan refused Trump's attorney's motion to dismiss the case based on the recent Supreme Court ruling of immunity for Trump's election interference charge.  Instead the judge set a date of August 16 to decide where the case goes from here.  Trump's hush money state case in New York before Judge Juan Merchan is set to rule September 6 whether or not the Supreme Court's immunity decision applies and the Judge also set Trump's sentencing date for September 18.  Several attorney generals filed suit with the Supreme Court to try and stop Trump's sentencing on September 18 because of the Court's immunity ruling and the Court rejected their filing.  

What ever results follow those two cases, could affect Trump's political future and could even end his nomination as a candidate.  The clock is ticking and time is moving to a conclusion.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio    

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for July 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 114,000 jobs in July and the unemployment rate came in at 4.3%, it was 4.1% in June.  It was the 42nd straight month of positive job growth.  The pundits were wrong again on the job numbers as usual.  The Feds kept interest rates at the current level and continue to act in a negative way despite a good overall economy.

A comparison of Trump's record over the same time period finds that in July 2020 the unemployment rate was 10.2% and the economy still had not recovered all the jobs the economy lost due to the economic recession and COVID.  And when Trump left office 6 months later the economy lost 2.7 million jobs over his term in office.  It was only the second time an administration left office losing jobs since the great depression of 1929 under republican president Herbert Hoover when 6,000,000 million jobs were lost.

The Feds are still in denial about the economy and its strength and have allowed interest rates to stay high despite the cost to the consumer and the economy.  The rates should have been lowered long ago to meet the moment.  The so called economic experts who urged the Feds to raise rates high and fast over two years ago to fight inflation have no clue or economic sense.  If a recession takes place, they will be the ones who lit the fuse.

July's job numbers are down but still in positive territory and one month is no indication of things to come.  The unemployment rate is still in a historical low position and the Commerce Department recently reported employer's ads have openings for 8.2 million jobs.  The Feds have good reason to reduce interest rates NOW and not wait until September.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

What Is The Proper Way To Investigate The Attempted Assassination of A President Or Presidental Nominee?

 If one goes by the recent attempt in Butler, Pa., against Donald Trump, it is to blame the Secret Service agents, especially the women agents who they say are too small and are only there because of DEI, local enforcement people and the fact that they allowed the shooter to get too close to the stage where Trump would be speaking.  Law enforcement people said the shooter was within 157 yards from the stage, that is a football field and a half.  It should be noted that women Secret Service agents have been on the force for over 50 years and have been on many Presidential details including the one when President Reagan was shot by an assassin.  Let us examine what took place in past assassination attempts.

President Kennedy was killed by an assassin in 1963 from the 6th floor window of a building where the motorcade passed right in front of.  There were numerous windows in that building and none were secured and in fact Dallas police officers walked the street right under that building with the windows in full view.  The shooter was approximately a half block away.  Texas Governor John Connerly was in the President's car and was badly wounded.  President Kennedy refused to have the bubble top put on the car that tragic day because he believed an assassin could strike the President if he so wanted because the President is exposed in so many different ways.

Alabama Governor George Wallace was struck by an assassin in 1972 while campaigning for President and was paralyzed from the waist down and spent the rest of his life in a wheel chair.  The shooter was within 5-6 feet from Wallace.  In Wallace's protective detail were FBI and Secret Service agents. 

President Reagan was struck by an assassin in 1982, 10 years later.  The President was seriously wounded, required surgery and came close to losing his life according to the doctors.  The President's assistant suffered severe head wounds and one Secret Service agent was killed.  The shooter was within 20 feet of the President when he opened fire.  President Reagan never blamed his Secret Service agents of failure.  

In Butler, Pa., this month Donald Trump was struck by an assassin and suffered a minor wound to his right ear.  The shooter was said to be 157 yards from the stage Trump was speaking from.  One other person was killed.  Secret Service agents, both men and women rushed to protect Trump after the shots were fired pushing him to the ground and protecting him.

If one wants to deal in the hypothetical, one can say that the Secret Service did a better job at protecting Trump than they did protecting President Kennedy who was killed, Gov. Wallace who was badly wounded and President Reagan who was also badly wounded.  The shooter also was kept farther away from Trump and Trump's wounds were minor.

Blaming the governmental security people for failure instead of blaming the shooter is running wild on social media and in the regular media.  They blame the women Secret Service agents on Trump's detail as being too small to protect the President and that they are only there because of DEI.  As of this writing the Secret Service and the FBI have not identified the motive or the why of the shooter and the FBI says they at this time can not confirm that Trump was struck by a bullet or the shrapnel from bullet fragments.    

Congress is now investigating the shooting and in due time a report will be issued.  Can government officials really give 100% protection for a President?  This writer has his doubts and thinks President Kennedy's thoughts have been right.  Presidential exposure is a political problem that more thought has to be given too.  The other huge problem is the toxic and violet rhetoric of Trump and his republican CULT that can easily light the fuse of someone looking for the right push.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First for PolitiDose As President Biden Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election.

 Two Years ago in a PolitiDose commentary published July 15, 2022 this writer predicted that President Joe Biden would not seek re-election and that 2024 would be time enough to announce his decision.  The commentary explained why the President would make that decision and was published at a time the media, the GOP, Trump and the negative voices were calling the President to step down because of his age and etc.  It was a pile on by those who wanted to see the President fail.

President Biden's letter explaining he would not seek re-election matched a number of points PolitiDose commentary made two years earlier.   Other reasons fit right in with the President's accomplishments that the commentary spoke about.  This writer believes the President made the right decision for the country, the people and his own future.  The accomplishments are already noted in the official records and he will complete his term in office taking good care of the country and its business interest.

The media and the negative pundits will continue to find fault and now call him a lame duck administration, something mentioned in PolitiDose previous commentary but it won't wash.  The President will continue to perform for the people and the country.  In the meantime, the democratic party will start their national convention next month and nominate the party's Presidential nominee for the November election.  The nominee will represent a younger generation of democrats with a bright future for the country who will win in November and continue the progress necessary to keep the country moving forward.   The democratic party will also be united despite the noise of the negative voices.  

The voting public can be certain that the democrats will not nominate a convicted criminal, sexual abuser, fraudster, liar or a traitorous former President who tried to overturn a legitimate democratic Presidential election.

And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

To check out PolitiDose commentary of two years ago log onto politidose.blogspot.com and scroll to the date.  

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT: ARMAGEDDON; The Break Up Of The Republican Party.

 July 18, 2024 will be remembered as a day of infamy for the Republican Party.  On that ugly day in Milwaukee, Wis., at their national convention, the GOP officially nominated for President, a convicted criminal and former President who attempted to overturn the 2020 President election.  It was the very first time a major political party in America decided to support such a candidate with a criminal record. They also nominated a person who is a sexual abuser, serial liar, and whose companies have been convicted of fraud multiple times.  The nomination was so outside the NORM of political behavior the Republican party is no longer a political party.  They are now a CULT organization led by their CULT leader Donald Trump whose rhetoric is toxic and violent.  

This new CULT organization has accepted Trump's rap sheet of corruption and have plans to tell every American how to live their lives.  One republican Lt. Governor said a week or so ago that, "some people need killing."  Who knows who he had in mind?  His comment may have already led to violence.  Supporting a CULT leader like Trump indicates you accept criminal and corrupted elected officials and therefore accept corrupted government.  

Past Presidents, Vice Presidents, some members of congress, some running for the nomination of President and other offices have in the past resigned their positions because of unacceptable behavior or withdrew.  President Nixon resigned the presidency because his own party told him he would be impeached if he did not.  Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned because he was indicted for bribery.  Senator Gary Hart withdrew his candidacy for President.  And there were others and none of those people's failures are even close to Trump's unacceptable behavior.  Yet here we are with Trump's CULT willing to stoop so low even after they know all the facts.  

The GOP once had leaders with morals and understood and accepted the NORMS of public service.  The new republican CULT organization has trampled the moral NORMS of political leadership.  And if successful will come after democracy and America the Beautiful.  The people have to go to the polls on  election day and see that it does not take place.  The facts tell us, Donald Trump, by his own actions should never be allowed to hold any public office ever again.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Consumer Spending In June Holds Steady and Continues to confuse the Experts.

 The U.S. Commerce Department reported that retail sales for June were the same as May even though May's numbers were revised up 0.3% from the first reports.  The negative voices predicted June's retail sales would be 0.3% less than May's number and have disregarded that the economy has been holding steady for the past 42 straight months despite inflation.

Since retail sales represents 70% of the economy, job creation at record levels, unemployment rate is at historical low level and reached a record stretch not seen since the 1960's, there has been no justification of recession talk that started two years ago in the second quarter of 2022.  The primer that could set off an economic recession are the Feds high interest rates for so long.  It is past time to start lowering them and ignore the notion that the way to fight inflation is to weaken the economy, losing jobs, raising the unemployment rate and put people out of work.  That is a false economic and monetary policy. 

The U.S. economy has come a long way after following the economic and fiscal disaster of the Trump administration.  The Biden administration inherited record deficits, record spending, 2.7 million jobs lost, the largest number increase in the national debt of any President's 4 fiscal years $8.2 trillion, the largest single year deficit ever, COVID and the results that followed.  The Biden administration also had to cope with Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power to the new administration.  

President Biden was up to the task, turned thing around for the country and its people with plans and policy that worked to address the issues at hand.  The results for the past 42 months has been remarkable despite the negative voices of doom and gloom.  The greatest threat to the economy between now and the end of Biden's term will fall to what decisions the Feds will make.  It should not be taken for granted.

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio

The Democratic Party Warned About The Dangers of Donald Trump's Toxic and Violent Rhetoric and The Resulting Consequences.

 And what took place in Butler, Pa., on Saturday at Trump's campaign rally was hardly a surprise to those who pay attention.  The violence that took place, killing two people and wounding Trump and others has come around full circle.  Trump's toxic rhetoric feeds those on the edge, regardless friend or foe and Trump's violent rhetoric began in Iowa during a campaign rally in 2016 when he told his audience he could go out and shoot someone on 5th. avenue and would not lose any votes.  In other words, he supported political violence.

Then when President Trump launched his mob's violent attack on the nation's capitol, the mob tried to hunt down Nancy Pelosi, carried signs that read hang Mike Pense, destroyed property, injured people, Trump proved his thirst for violence when he failed to call off his mob even after his advisers advised him to do so.  He also cemented his tolerance for violence after hundreds of his mobs were tried in court and found guilty, Trump called them patriots.  He later said, if re-elected, he would pardon those mob rioters.  His thirst for violence became even greater.

The New York Judge in Trump's court trial concerning the Stormy Daniels matter had to gag him for his toxic rhetoric against the Judge's daughter, clerks of court, jury members and others who later received threatening emails and phone calls.  Trump did the same thing to poll and election workers who also received threatening emails and phone calls.  Those are just some of Trump's political toxic and violent rhetoric and the GOP has been with him all the way.  

Trump's ongoing toxic rhetoric lit the fuse for what took place in Butler, Pa., on Saturday.  Some in the GOP said after the shooting we have to turn down the temperature.  They are the same ones who turned up the temperature in supporting Trump's mob attack on the capitol instead of condemning the violence and Trump's attempt to overturn the election.  The shooting will not change the extreme attitude of Trump and his party because they have chosen to be a cult and not a party.

President Biden, the democratic party and the January 6 committee were on the right side of American democracy and the law when they warned of the dangers of Donald Trump's toxic and violent rhetoric and consequence that would follow.  And former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the first to warn the nation during the 2016 Presidential campaign.  

The public should use their vote in November to keep Trump far away from the White House.  His tolerance for toxic and violent rhetoric is a disease.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Forget About Presidential Immunity: Donald Trump Is Still A Convicted Criminal, Sexual Abuser, Fraudster and Serial Liar.

He is also a former President who while in office tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election and obstruct the legal transfer of power to the newly elected President Joe Biden.  Presidential immunity is not given to nor is needed by any President who obeys the rule of law and the constitution.  It is also not needed for a President who upholds his oath of office.  Donald Trump and his GOP know this and that is why they are trying to overturn Trump's New York conviction and the state of Georgia from prosecuting Trump by Georgia's Attorney General.

What Trump fears the most now is being sentenced to prison before the election over the 34 felony counts he was found guilty on by a 12 man-woman jury of his peers that was approved by Trump's lawyers and the prosecutor's lawyers.  As usual Trump accused the jury of being corrupt and biased.  America the Beautiful has never been exposed to such an unfit person for public office and a ditto head republican party that is unfit to govern in congress.

The country has been exposed to Trump's corruption and toxic behavior and chaos for the past 8 years and the media still feels it has to enable the criminal.  It is way past time for the media to tune out Trump's toxic rhetoric, lies and misinformation.  We have heard it all over the past 8 years and there is nothing left to add.  Let him address the nation over his own social network so those who want to continue to get toxic can do so on their own.   

Enough is enough, the convicted criminal should be treated like one.  America the Beautiful must overcome.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for June 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy added 206,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate came in at 4.1%.  It was 4% in May.  It was the 41st straight month of positive job growth and the 4.1% unemployment was still within historical low territory.  In the same time period during the Trump administration the unemployment rate for June 2020 was 11%.  The job numbers exceeded that predicted by ADT and the negative voices who were predicting somewhere around150,000 jobs.

After the report was released, the usual banter took place in social media.  The  Pros and Cons were all over the lot; some still talking about a recession; a soft landing for the economy; no recession in 2024 and the beat goes on and on.  The question when the Feds will lower interest rates changes every day.

Three and half years after the President took office the economy is still doing well, creating jobs, keeping the unemployment rates at historical low levels, keeping America working and spending despite inflation.  The recession predicted for the 2nd quarter of 2022 never took place then or as of this writing.  Top economist, the negative voices, many CEO's with financial institutions urged the Feds to raise interest rates high and fast when inflation first took hold.  The idea was to cool the economy, raise unemployment with major layoffs, a failed ideology that hurts the consumers more than anyone else.  Now those same voices are talking about a shrinking job market, higher unemployment and are urging the Feds to cut interest rates.  

It should be noted that the unemployment rate when Biden took office in January of 2021 was 6.3%.  Only one republican administration in the last 80 years left office with an unemployment rate lower than when he took office and that was Ronald Reagan.  But every democratic administration during that same time period left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he took office with the exception of President Carter where the unemployment rate stayed the same.  GOP administrations have a terrible record on job creation and lowering the unemployment rate and Trump continued the tradition as 2.7 million jobs were lost on his watch.

President Biden, unless things change between now and the end of his term can continue the democratic precedent of positive job growth and lower unemployment for Americans.

Note:  Unemployment information herein taken from the historical records of the U.S. Labor Department

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio