No To Dan Fagan and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy: The Democratic Party Will Not Change Its Name

In a New Orleans Advocate commentary of July 19 titled, "Cassidy is right, the democrats need a name change" republican ditto head Fagan makes reference to a letter sent by Senator Cassidy to Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez evidently trying to brand the democratic party as racist.   This writer has not seen Cassidy's letter but quotes by Fagan from the letter tries to establish the following.

That the democratic party is racist and not the republicans because the democratic segregated south had slaves; many democratic members of congress from the south in congress voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964;  It was President Eisenhower who sent federal troops to the south for the integration of public schools and that democratic governors fought integration of the public schools and public services.

To set the record straight, it was not the democratic party who owned slaves but individuals of various political beliefs.  It was individual segregationist southern governors who stood in the school doorway to block integration and not the democratic party.  It was also individual segregationist southern representatives in congress who voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and not the democratic party whose majority members voted for the act which passed.  And it was passed by democratic President Lyndon Johnson and the democratic controlled congress.  President Kennedy, a democrat also sent federal marshals to the south to integrate public schools.

Trump and his ditto head republicans like Fagan and Cassidy will try to use race to divide the country only months before the Presidential election because they have failed to earn the African American vote the democratic way.  It is telling because the republican party has a problem of earning the vote of any minority group and it shows after the election results come in.  And it shows up in the make up of congress.

The  U.S. House has 434 members including 235 democrats and 199 republicans.  There are 50 African American democrats and 2 African American republicans in the U.S. House total count.  There are 100 members in the U.S. Senate including 51 republicans, 47 democrats and 2 independents including in the Senate count. There are two African American democratic senators and one republic African American senator in the count.  The  numbers tell us that African Americans believe the democratic party is where they should be and where they prefer to be.  It is a position where they also have a broader say so in policy that they lack in the republican party. 

So it may be a election year but trying to put a racism tag on the democratic party because of a segregated time in the south's past will not wash.  It does confirm what PolitiDose has commented on in the past years.  Republicans have no record of accomplishments to run on or articulate to the people so it is their extreme ideology that plays out.  Personal attacks, division and the non stop rhetoric of fake news.  The blatant racist history of the democratic party as Fagan states is so fake it leaves little to wonder why his party is still trying its best to make it even harder for African Americans to vote in the twenty first century.


This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Innovation: Lost In America. Part III And Its Another First For PolitiDose

Innovation and Presidential elections are both about the future which has been commented on here in PolitiDose many times over the last several years.  But innovation in America is a lost art and for too many years.  It seems like PolitiDose is the only avenue talking about the situation since Part I was published on July 7, 2008.  But now comes a commentary by Froma Harrop dated July 18, 2020 (12 years later) published in the New Orleans Advocate titled, "U.S. Innovation won't wait to return to old day."

In her commentary Froma uses the auto industry (same industry listed by PolitiDose in its Part I commentary) to make the point where innovation has been lacking.  She also makes the point that America, under President Trump does not  have the leadership that looks toward the future of innovation and instead wishes environmentalists (and foreigners) would disappear.  She also understands that electric and not fossil fueled automobiles are the future of auto making and that is where our innovation should be.

In general, innovation driven by the auto industry in itself has been lost in America for too many years.  Most of the changes have been driven by Presidential mandates such as better gas mileage and new environmental standards and by foreign competition.  The industry, like other industries have been spoiled by three major tax cuts, tax breaks, greed by corporate CEO's and executives and by their stock holders.  Why innovate when tax cuts protect your bottom line and your share holders are satisfied?

America needs a President who understands innovation and long term plans for the future represents the  change that is needed for continued growth.  That tax cuts are not innovation or the engine that drives the economy and that a successful business is one who knows why they always have to think of ways to innovate on their own. 

The average American worker has played a major role in increasing American productivity, but has reaped very little financial reward for their labor.  But those at the top received more than their fair share.  It has been documented that in the last 43 years the largest increase in the average workers pay took place on President Clinton's watch and he raised taxes on corporations and the wealthy.

Social welfare tax cuts for those who need it the least does not attract innovation.  In November the American people have an opportunity to look to the future in the Presidential election.  And once again, understanding the failed past, is still the  key to a better future.  This writer hopes more commentary is made concerning innovation and the future of America.

Note:  PolitiDose commentary of July 23, 2008 is relevant today as it was back then and is still timely.  It tells the story how American business has failed its own employees and the country itself.


This  commentary written by Joe Lorio

Ditto Head Journalist Byron York Wrong Again In His Latest Attempt To Defend Donald Trump

In an editorial of July 18 published in the New Orleans Advocate titled, "Roger Stone Pardon Is False Issue For Liberals", York the so called conservative and defender of the President tries to play down the President's action by comparing it to the actions of former President's during their term in office.  York list of the past President's include George W. Bush, George Herbert Walker Bush and President Clinton who issued pardons or commutations and devoted most of his article to the Clinton administration and U.S. Senator Mitt Romney's remark that Trump's commutation of Roger Stone was "unprecedented, historic corruption."

Like Trump himself, York tries to justify Trump's actions with excuses but it won't wash because Roger Stone worked with Russia to try and find dirt on Trump's democratic opponent Hillary Clinton to help Trump win the 2016 election and destroy our democratic process.  It was a traitorous act and Trump had knowledge of it and was willing for his campaign to participate.  There were no pardons or commutations by President Bush 41, Bush 43 or Bill Clinton given to persons who worked with a foreign government to subvert America's democratic process.

And it was not only so called liberals(the word used in York's commentary) who spoke out in opposing Trump's actions.  Many other republicans and people not in politics who spoke out also.  Trump's actions follow the corrupt history of his short time in office and tell the real story of a mentally unfit President.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Election 2020: What You Will Not Hear From The News Media, PolitiDose Will Articulate In Its Commentary Part V

As reported in Part IV of the series, Presidential elections are about the future and so far the future of the last three and half years under the administration of President Trump, history tells us that future was not the future promised by the trumpet man.  The promise of health care and the repeal of the ACA never took place but the future of the Affordable Care Act has held up well since it was established despite all the attempts by Trump and his party's actions to cripple and kill it.  And today, health care is one of the top issues on the minds of the people.

So with the Presidential election in November, the ACA and its future is in question if Trump is reelected.  He has a petition before the Supreme Court at this very moment asking the court to kill the ACA.  Yet, he and his party still has no health care plan after three and half years under Trump and the past 16 years of republicans in congress.  The percentage of Americans who are without health insurance has increased in the meantime and Trump has acted to make it more difficult for people who want to sign up for the ACA.  Trump and his party has failed on the issue of health care even when they controlled the Presidency and both houses of congress, and that goes back to the Bush 43 Presidency. 

But democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden has a plan for the future of the ACA.  Improve the Act to make it better and change what is not working and add a public option to reduce cost and other actions that would make the Act progressive and answer the needs of the people.  Biden does not believe debating a new health care plan would be the most productive way to go.  Joe  Biden is committed along with the democratic party to keep the ACA and service the health care needs of the American people.  In fact the democratic controlled U.S.House recently passed legislation that would make improvements to the ACA.  The bottom line for the future of health care tells us the democratic party has a plan to continue the future of health care while Trump and his party have only their rhetoric.  And yes, understanding the past is still knowledge for a better future, otherwise, the future will be like the failed past.

Note:  Medicare and the Affordable Care Act are democratic passed health care plans that were opposed by the republicans in congress.  Those two  plans have served the country and its people well for many years and are still viable to continue in the future if left in the hands of the democratic party.  They have an established record on health care in the past, the present and the future.  The republican record is zero, nada.


This  commentary was written by Joe Lorio

The Impeached President and His Tax Returns

Transparency, those who are corrupt are afraid it can reveal their own corruption.  That is why Donald Trump lied as a Presidential candidate,  a Presidential Nominee and a President about making his tax returns public and then reneged on doing so.  It is also the first time any Presidential nominee or President refused to do so.  And after three and half years in office the reasons are compelling why he refuses to do so.

And now with the election only 115 days away, Trump still refuses to be honest with the voters for a second time and snubs their right to know about his financial dealings.  But thanks to the Mueller report, the convictions in a court of law of those close to Trump that resulted because of it, the verification by American intelligence of Trump's relationship with Russia and now Trump's commutation of the sentence of his friend Roger Stone who was convicted by a fair trial and had knowledge of Trump's many dealings, one can assume Trump's tax returns contain damaging information about his financial dealings and that is why he had his attorneys take the matter to the U.S. Supreme  Court.  Well, the Court ruled against the President and now we will see in due time, what Trump's taxes are all about.

The habitual liar called Hilary Clinton crooked during the 2016 Presidential campaign but Clinton over the course of her political life has released for the public almost 40 years of her tax returns and was always transparent.  She even testified before the republican controlled congress concerning her emails and Benghazi on a voluntary basis and did not seek immunity.  She had nothing to hide and the record speaks clear.  But Trump has every thing to hide by ordering his staff not to testify before congress investigations of his dealings.  The President of the United States is a coward and has no courage or integrity.  It is also telling who the crooked one was and still is.

Its doubtful that Trump's taxes will be released before the November elections but the American people have witnessed Trump's corruption and should realize the damage he has inflicted on America.  On November 3, Donald Trump can be removed from office in the best possible tradition by being rejected by the voters he lied to and those that have enough of his un-American actions.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Trump Threatens The Nation's School System

The mentally unfit for office President is at it again with threats.  This time against the nation's schools if they do not re-open for the beginning of the fall school year.  The threat being the with holding of federal aid to any school that fails to re-open.  New York Governor Mario Cuomo noted that the states are the governing body that decides when the school system opens and not Washington.

And Trump's attempt in an election year to politicize the coronavirus situation is one more reason for the voters to make a change in November.  America has a President who lacks leadership putting  people's lives at risk with a pandemic surge taking place because.  He has no national plan or policy to deal with the issue.  His flaunting of safety measures recommended by the CDC and other experts has put the public's health at risk.

This is the first time in this writers memory when a President has failed to lead America at home and abroad and one who shows a willingness to work with Russia's Putin and other governments who oppress their people.  And now Trump's threat against America's school children and their safety render this President mentally unfit for office.  The stench that comes out of this White House has taken a great toll on every moral fiber of America and what the nation stands for.  And those who enable the President will have to share in the responsibility because of their behavior.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Unemployment and Job Numbers For June 2020.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported 4.8 million jobs returned to the economy in June and that the unemployment rate came in at still a depression level of 11.1%.  The report also noted with the rising new cases of the coronavirus and more business closings  a repeat of the June numbers would not likely continue in July.  The June numbers also did not cover what took place the latter part of June when more businesses were ordered to close.

To have a better prospective on the job situation and where things stand the following information is presented:  According to the Department, the economy lost 701,000 jobs in March and 20.8 million jobs in April for a total of 21,501,000 jobs lost.  In May, 2.5 million jobs returned and in June 4.8 million jobs returned to the economy for a total of 7,300,000 jobs returned as of June 30.  That leaves a total of 14,201,000 jobs that still need to return to the economy that were lost.

So President Trump, like every republican President before him in the last 70 plus years that followed a democratic administration will not create as many jobs as the previous democratic administration.  And in the case of President Trump, it would have happened even if there were no coronavirus.  And if anyone thinks that is just a coincident, you are not a reader of PolitiDose nor up to date on the facts.

The job creating deficiencies of the republican party can be found in their ideology and tax cuts that benefit those who need the cuts the least and both are void of economic policy, thought and plans.  The GOP is also highly deficient in governing.  And the Presidency of Donald Trump has made the situation more noticeable in the amount of time spent talking about the stock market that is controlled by the wealthiest 10%.  Do you get the idea who the GOP really works for?

The voters of America can change all of that come November.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Cowardly Republicans In Congress Now Say The People Should Wear Masks.

The President and his ditto head GOP cowards in congress urged the business community to open up prematurely during the coronavirus pushing against the more cautious position of the CDC.  They also displayed a dislike for wearing masks as recommended by the CDC as a means of slowing down the spread of the virus.  But the reopening of the economy has led to a serious uptick in new cases of the virus in over 20 states leaving some states pausing their activity and even reclosing some of those businesses.

So with the November elections only 3 months away, the republican cowards are now urging the American people to wear a mask.  If they would have done so sooner like many Governors and Mayors did early on, just maybe more lives could have been saved and there just might be fewer cases also.  For the record, the U.S. has recorded over 126,000 deaths and over 2,000,000 cases.  Those numbers exceed the numbers of many European countries who have larger populations than the U.S.  And that story tells of the failed leadership of President Trump and his  party at a time of great need.  And as unbelievable as it seems, Trump and his party continued to brush off the safety concerns of North Carolina when the states Governor said that social distancing and protective gear would have to take place at the Republican National Convention.  Trump and the republican answer was to move the convention.

At every turn this President displays his mental unfitness for the office and he and his party display their inability to lead and govern.  The American voters can change all that in the November elections.


This  commentary written by Joe Lorio



 

The U.S. Supreme Court Over Turns Louisiana's Abortion Law.

Voting 5-4, the U.S. Supreme Court smacked down Louisiana's back door abortion law that would require doctors who perform abortions to have the right to admit patients to a nearby hospital.  The Louisiana law followed closely a similar Texas abortion law that was struck down by the high court in a 2016 decision.  Chief Justice John Roberts said precedent in the outcome of the Texas case required the same outcome in the Louisiana case.

Louisiana's republicans who supported the law were quick to criticize the vote.  Louisiana's Attorney General, Jeff Landry who defended the law to the Supreme Court and other republicans have used the law as back door approach to abortion by stating that the law is designed to ensure the health of women getting abortions.  But the court in both the Louisiana and Texas case pointed out there was no evidence to support the position and in fact the law placed an undue burden on women seeking an abortion in violation of the 1992 Supreme Court's landmark decision in Planned Parenthood vs. Casey.

Bryn Stole, staff writer for the New Orleans Advocate wrote a long commentary concerning the courts decision in a article dated June 30 and wrote about the votes of the so called conservatives and liberal judges on the decision and noted conservative Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts broke with his conservative majority on the court and voted to strike down the Louisiana law.  But Stole failed to mention that it was a majority appointed republican conservative Supreme Court that decided Roe vs Wade in a 7-2 vote that legalized abortion.  And 6 or those 7 votes were cast by republican appointed justices.  So it should  be no surprise that John Roberts voted to strike down Louisiana's law.  Trump, the republican party and Mitch McConnell out smarted themselves into believing they could dominate a Supreme Court nominee's thinking.  They made themselves to believe they could make the Court a political body.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

America The Beautiful At A Time Of Great Need

For the past three years, five months and 27 days, America the Beautiful has witnessed not only a profound failure of Presidential leadership in every area of governing, but a complete breakdown and corruption of the rule of law and the country's institutions that are at the heart of democracy, civil order and the moral fabric of America and the situation is becoming worse and at the same time as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the United States.

The pandemic, now in its fourth month and a national and international problem, America the Beautiful does not have a President willing to lead the national effort to coordinate a response and bring the states together to act in a manner consistent with the recommendations of health officials who are the professionals on the matter.  In fact America the Beautiful has a President who has flaunted the health experts advise and even urged his supporters to go and hang out together in large groups with out protection.  His campaign rally in Tulsa and Phoenix with attendees sitting close together were opposed by the CDC but Trump simply disregarded their advise and cared nothing about the people's safety at the rally.  And as every one knows, Trump refuses to wear a mask in public which is also contrary to the CDC's advise.

So now after urging states to open up commerce and basically telling people to go out and mingle, over 20 states have a surge in new virus cases.  And two states, Texas and Florida had to pause their reopening plans.  The lack of Presidential leadership and willingness to flaunt health guidelines from the experts represents one continual betrayal of America the Beautiful and its people.  The President's comments about slowing down the testing is so extreme and un-Presidential, leaves no doubt about this President's disfunction and mental unfitness to serve.  Never before in this writers lifetime has America the Beautiful and its moral values been so scarred by a President so out of control.  And with the Presidential election only five months off, it should be a reminder that in the 2016 Presidential election, 54% of the voters who voted, voted for some one other than Trump.  That 54% knew what a Trump Presidency would look like and were not willing to see America the Beautiful be betrayed.

The November elections are in this writers opinion the most important election in our life time.  America the Beautiful requires new leadership from a President who wants to serve and lead the nation and its people out of the chaos and corruption of an autocrat and administration whose sole purpose has been to tear down America the Beautiful and what it stands for.  A new day that begins with a new President and leadership must take place to ensure that America continues to stand as America the Beautiful.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio