President Obama Has Some Timely Words For The GOP

This week the President said that Donald Trump is unfit to serve as President and that he was woefully unprepared to do this job.  The President also asked the GOP, "why are you still endorsing him if you are repeatedly having to say, in very strong terms that what he has said is unacceptable?"  He also told the GOP, because of that their criticisms of Trump "rings hollow."

During the week there were two republicans that did say they could not support Trump and would vote for Hillary Clinton.  The leaders of the republican party in congress and the majority of the republicans in congress still say they will support their nominee.  Nothing has really changed concerning the republican party in general, their leaders and most conservative journalists.  They are trying to play both ends but the truth is the republican party and Trump are one and the same.  That has been the conclusion of this writer from the very beginning.  New York Times journalist Paul Krugman reported the same conclusion in a Times Picayune editorial of 7/31/16.  He pointed out that the only difference is that the substance is less disguised than usual under Trump.

Also, this week the latest poll showed President Obama's job approval rating is at 54%.  That is much higher than the 20-30% range of President George W. Bush during the same time period of his administration.  And when President Obama leaves office in January his administration will have out performed the Bush administration in every positive category.

So why is Trump pushing the same failed policies of the Bush administration?  Lower tax rates for Corporate America and the wealthy and a go it alone policy in world affairs.  Ideology is still not a plan even if the republican leaders name is Donald Trump.  Our country has been there and done that and we dare not go there again.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

One Of America's Wealthiest Says It Best About Donald Trump

Warren Buffett spoke at a Hillary Clinton rally on Monday in Omaha, Nebraska, hometown to Buffett's business empire and was clear in his endorsement of Clinton.  In fact he said on election day in November he would personally drive 10 people to the polls that needed a ride to cast their votes.  Also that he would make transportation available all day to take the people to the voting places in Omaha's congressional districts and that he himself would be on the bus all day.  What an endorsement of Hillary Clinton.

Buffett also challenged Donald Trump to make his tax returns public and said Trump was afraid to do so.  Then he challenged Trump by saying, HE WOULD MEET TRUMP ANY TIME AND ANY PLACE IN PUBLIC AND BOTH COULD BRING THEIR TAX RETURNS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ON ANY LINE ITEM ON THEIR TAX RETURNS.  Buffett has character and courage and one can bet Trump will not take Buffett up on his offer.

Then Buffett said it all in a statement when he said the following:  NO MEMBER OF THE BUFFETT FAMILY HAS GONE TO IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN AND NO MEMBER OF THE TRUMP FAMILY HAS GONE TO IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN.  WE'VE BOTH DONE EXTREMELY WELL DURING THIS PERIOD AND OUR FAMILIES HAVEN'T SACRIFICED ANY THING.  Ouch, that really hit Trump where it hurt.

Despite his wealth Buffett said long ago corporate America and the wealthy should pay more in taxes and that paying taxes is no excuse for a business not to be profitable.  Buffett is also a critic of companies who claim to lose money but still pay their CEO's and executives huge bonuses while laying off employees and eliminating health insurance for the average worker.

Buffett's support for Clinton and his rejection of Trump come at a critical time in the campaign.  The conventions are over and it is now one on one and less than 100 days to the November election.  More people are starting to make up their minds and can see a clearer picture of the two candidates.  This writer feels Buffett's comments and support will have a positive affect on Hillary Clinton's chances to win in November.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

An Independent Voice At The Democratic National Convention

A very important endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President and a strong rebuke of Donald Trump's candidacy took place at the Democratic convention by speaker Michael Bloomberg.  The former Mayor of New York City, an independent for some time and one time republican and democrat laid out his reasons why .  He urged independents and others to support Clinton in the genera election and noted the importance of doing so.

The reasons for Bloomberg's position are powerful:  He is a business man and a very wealthy one and is out of politics; He knows Trump and his nasty business dealings well: He is an independent and owes allegiance to no political party; He believes business and political leaders need to work together to solve problems and promote economic well being; His speech and thoughts were from his own free independent mind;  He is well aware how Clinton worked with New York officials after the tragic results of 9/11 when she was a U.S. Senator and help from the federal government was greatly needed.

As a former elected official and active business man Bloomberg is well qualified for his strong support for Clinton as the next President and his rebuke of Donald Trump.  It could turn out to be one of the most important endorsements of the 2016 Presidential campaign.

The people who know Donald Trump the best continue to reject him.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

A Traitor Among Us: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Russia.

Donald Trump watched a good and successful democratic convention this week then took the step toward being a traitor to his country and its people with his anti American comments concerning President Obama and the hacking into people's private emails.  He also lashed out at those who spoke at the democratic convention and said he would hit them back hard.  He can not take the fact that those who know him best such as the former mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg has endorsed Clinton and exposed Trump's dirty business dealings.

Trump praised Russia's Putin and said he is a better leader than President Obama.  That is an anti American and un patriotic statement against the leader of the free world.  Putin does not even know the meaning of the word, free.  It is a classic example of Trumps lack of character and his support for the way Putin rules his country, so it is obvious Trump approves of Putin's tractics.  That is a hint as to how Trump himself operates.

Trump also invited Russia to spy on American's private emails.  When he asked Russia to hack into Clinton's private email server, that was espionage in any ones book and the author was Donald Trump.  The same person who said he would order our military to engage in torture.  So now Putin and Russia has a U.S. Presidential nominee who has invited them to spy on America.  That makes Donald Trump a traitor to his country and its people and his motive is political and personal gain to do business with Russia.

Donald Trump continues to reject the America our people have known, loved and fought for in our 200 plus years of history and the republican party's leaders still refuse to reject his anti American actions.  And to think this is the man the news media has a love affair with.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Democratic National Convention Was America

The delegates, the speakers and all who attended the Democratic convention were representative of what America is all about.  It was an orderly convention with minor distractions, very short speeches with a few exceptions and mostly all moved along well and timely.  There were lots of tears, smiles and celebrating and the pre-convention talk by the news media of major protest never took place.

The speakers were from all facets of American life; the clergy, law enforcement officials, elected officials and former elected officials, teachers, first responders, family members of Dallas police officers who were recently killed, family members of civilians who were killed, the military, former director of the CIA, republican women and independents who support Hillary, black, white, hispanics asians and muslim, disadvantage people who told their stories and many, many others.

President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were there to lend their support to Clinton as was former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg and California governor Jerry Brown.  People that were helped by Clinton over the years told their stories and Bill Clinton revealed how Hillary worked with and helped the disadvantaged and others who faced hard times.  Thursday nights closing was Hillary Clinton's night and she delivered.  Her closing was about unity, bringing people together, inclusion and a vision of moving the country and its people forward.  It was a positive closing message and a positive convention.

It was a great week for Hillary and the democratic party in Philadelphia and it was an American week.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Sex Catches Up With The Fox News Network

Roger Ailes, Fox News Chairman has resigned in the wake of a sexual harassment law suit by former employee Gretchen Carlson.  It is not the first law suit of its kind against a Fox news employee.  A few years ago a sexual harassment law suit was filed against Bill O'Reilly which was settled out of court by Fox News.

Ailes is credited with the success of the network and its conservative slanted rant against democrats.  His network preaches hateful things and billed itself as fair and balanced which any fair minded person would call a crock.  Fox tries to sell sex and outright lies on its network.  Its female hosts wear short skirts and the camera angle is set to show off a lot of legs but legs do not pretend to be attached to smart people and it shows, especially on Fox's show "outnumbered."

Ailes lack of character in his business dealings caught up to him because he feels he is elite and above it all.  The democrats that his network tries to discredit stand on high moral ground compared to Ailes and what he tries to sell.  It will be interesting to see if any thing change at the network with Ailes a gone pecan.

Don't hold your breath because the right wing element is deeply planted in the network.  But at least one of Fox's phonies has been exposed and it reached to the top man.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Hillary Clinton Picks Her Vice Presidential Running Mate

Tim Kaine, the present U.S. Senator from Virginia and former Mayor and governor was introduced to the nation on Saturday in Miami, Florida before a supporting large crowd as Clinton's running mate.  It was a very active crowd in the swing of things with a lot of applause and chanting USA, USA.  Clinton introduced Kaine as he sat on the stage near her.  Both the crowd and Kaine showed their emotions during the introduction.

When it was Kaine's turn to speak he and Clinton swapped position and both were on the stage together the whole time.  Both of their speeches were about a positive and progressive America, very different than the America Trump and his V.P. selection Mike Pence described at Pence's introduction.  Kaine gave a short "bio" of himself and spoke about 30 minutes.

There was an enthusiastic bond between Clinton, Kaine and the crowd who enjoyed each other.  Kaine quoted one of President Harry Truman's famous statements that "America was not built on fear" and the crowd loved it.  What a change from Trump's attempt to play the "fear card" on America this election year as republicans have done for so many years in the past.  Both John McCain and Mitt Romney tried it against Obama in 2008 and 2012.

Now its off to Philadelphia Monday for the Democratic National Convention and should be one with a positive theme and the people will have a chance to hear Clinton's vision for the future with sound positions on the issues.  The American people will have an opportunity to judge for themselves what party has the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates who are the "serious public servants."


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  See my commentary dated 12/9/15 Titled, America Was Not Built On Fear etc,etc.  This was written seven months before Tim Kaine quoted President Truman's statement.

Donald Trump Fails To Live Up To His Alleged Standards

Donald Trump claims to be (1) Worth $10 billion (2) A great business man (3) A decisive manager and (4) Not a politician or part of the establishment.  He has good looking children who seem to be well educated and has been married three times so should act like a grown man, one would think.

So why does Trump lack civility in almost every statement he makes?  He chooses by his own free will to follow the personal attack position of his party's elected officials even though he says he is not a politician or part of the establishment.  A contradiction that really identifies a character flaw and a lack of personal integrity.  It is a part of his negative thinking and actions that will not allow him to be positive.  Positive things that take place in the U.S. hurts his ego because it  is out of his control and can not take credit for it.

Why does a self proclaimed rich business man choose to be extreme, negative and on many occasions out right lie?  Free will, ones ability to choose is the greatest freedom  man has.  Yet, Trump with all his wealth finds it easier and chooses to offend people.  Trump's negative attitude has also affected his campaign staff with threats against Ohio governor John Kasich because he did not attend the republican convention.

Trump has not lived up to his own alleged standards and has displayed a free will choice behavior that does not live up to the standards of a Presidential nominee or the office of President of the United States.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Part III: The Rosetta Stone To The War In Iraq.

Parts I and II were published in "PolitiDose" in December of 2007 and laid out what President Bush really knew about Iraq's WMD.  The war began in March 2003 over 13 years ago and the President in a televised speech in May 2003 aboard a Navy ship declared MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.  Bush's reasons for starting the war was Iraq's WMD (which did not exist at any time during his administration) and that Saddam and his military was a threat to the national security of the United States.  (They were not and the Gulf War of 1991 proved that.)

Part III will examine what question the news media failed to ask in the 13 years after the star of the war.  The answer will allow the average American to realize and understand what is taking place in Iraq and the middle east today and why.  The news media also allowed the Bush administration to intimidate them and failed to ask the proper questions in the run up to the war.  The question that was never asked of Bush or as an open question by the news media was:  Why did not President Bush end the war during his time in office.  After all he had 5 years and 9 months to do so.  Iraq had no WMD and Saddam's military was defeated, the very reasons given by Bush for going to war in the first place.  So why was he not able to end the war and bring our troops home.

The answer is the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist destabilized Iraq and the middle east to such an extent it allowed terrorists and other groups to enter Iraq and the war left no government in place in Iraq.  It became a killing field that took the lives of over 4400 Americans and wounded another 30,000 plus.  And those casualties did not come at the hand of Iraq's military who were supposed to be the threat.  It was the terror groups and factions of other Iraqi groups who inflicted most of those casualties.

President Bush's neocon friends  said Iraq would be a cakewalk and failed to have a plan in place to run Iraq after the invasion.  They said we would be welcome as liberators and we were not.  The war was so badly handled that the man who started the war could not end it and leave.  Terrorists started to operate freely in Iraq and other areas of the middle east that led to the unrest in Lybia, Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the seed was planted for ISIS, the same group that are the most active today with their terror attacks.

Thirteen years later the U.S. and the middle east are still dealing with the fallout from that war and we still have some who are clamoring for sending huge numbers of our ground forces back to Iraq and the middle east to fight a ground war.  Condi Rice who was Bush's national security adviser at the time said, IRAQ MIGHT BE THE KEY TO RESHAPING THE ENTIRE REGION.  Yeah right, it reshaped the entire region alright but not in the best interest of the U.S. or the region itself and our men and women in uniform paid a heavy price for that mistake.  The Bush administration thought they could play God in the region.

The American people can not let that happen again.  Our future can not repeat the same mistakes of the past.  A President is needed who understands war, its limitations and its fallout.  President Kennedy understood that during the Cuban Missile crisis and solved that problem, a problem 1000 times more severe than Iraq.  The President solved that problem without going to war and Cuba has been no threat to the U.S. ever since.

Our nation also needs a President with political understanding who knows the difference between fact and fiction and one who is capable of making rational decisions.  President Obama has done a good job in reversing many of Bush's actions in the middle east and the next President should continue that policy and not start a new war.  The crazies wanted the U.S. to go to war with Iran but President Obama had the wisdom to find a better way to deal with that nation.  Two years ago some of the crazies were saying Iran was 6 months from producing their first nuclear bomb.  They were wrong and were willing to risk American lives in a war to satisfy their ego.

The answer as to why Bush could not end the war, bring our troops home and the reason why we have the situation that exist today in Iraq and the middle east is very simple to understand.  We just have too many crazies out there who refuse to accept the truth and the facts.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First For "PolitiDose"

This writer in a number of past commentaries pointed out that republicans have very few accomplishments because they govern by a conservative ideology that does not put America first.  To them republican conservatism is elite and no one else can govern or make the right decisions.  They even try to carry it to the point of feeling they should be able to run government even when they lose elections.  A great example is the present republican party who wants President Obama to step aside and let them do their thing.

Now comes Mike Pence, the republican governor of Indiana that Trump just announced had been selected to be his V.P. running mate.  After the introduction Pence took the stage and described himself to the audience as a Christian, a conservative and a republican in that order according to a Times Picayune article of 7/17/16.  Being an American was not even in his top three preference.  Donald Trump is no conservative in ideology, his ideology is his ego and his feelings of being elite.  So once again the country has a party whose Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates would run the country (if elected) with out an American agenda.

Is it any wonder why republican conservatives spend so much time trying to tear American down with their negative comments and ideology.  The names of the party's leaders change from time to time but their failure to learn that it is America that counts speaks loud and clear in their deeds.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio