Mark Ballard's Non Informative Commentary About A Possible Government Shutdown In Washington.

 In a New Orleans Advocate article of 9/10 under Louisiana Politics, Ballard talks about a possible government shutdown when Congress returns to work this week.  It is a familiar story of the GOP's threat to shut down government when the democratic party controls the White House and use government spending as their lies and misinformation to threaten the process.  It is a different story when the GOP controls the White house and they not only increase spending to record levels, they also increase deficit spending to record levels and never talk about shutting down the government when in control.

Ballard notes that the Treasury Department reports that federal spending now stands at $5.3 trillion for the present fiscal year that ends September 30, 2023.  But Ballard fails to note that under Trump and the GOP, federal spending for Trump's 3rd fiscal year came in at $6.5 trillion and in Trump's 4th and final fiscal year federal spending hit $6.8 trillion.  Both were records.  So Biden's fiscal year which ends at the end of this month will come in under $6 trillion which means his administration will once again reduce federal spending.  And for the record, Biden's first fiscal year, federal spending was $6.2 trillion, down 8% from Trump's $6.8 trillion federal spending.  When it comes to reducing federal spending, the democratic party can walk the talk, the GOP can not.

Shutting down the government has been a play thing for the GOP since the Newt Gingrich era.  However, play things go along with fairy tales.  No GOP administration has reduced year to year federal spending since President Eisenhower in 1955, but President Obama did in fiscal 2010, 2012 and fiscal 2013.  And President Joe Biden did in fiscal 2022 and may likely do so again in fiscal 2023.  In the past 43 years the largest reductions in federal spending took place on President's Clinton and Obama's watch and the largest increases by far took place on Reagan's, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump's watch.  

Mark Ballard's article was a rehash of previous GOP threats to shut the government down and was non-informative in nature.  Bill Cassidy and the GOP in congress who support the government shutdown were all silent the four years that Trump and his party were setting spending records.  They were all ditto heads without plans or policies.  Instead, they followed an extreme agenda of tax cuts for you know who when it was not necessary that reduced government revenues that were needed to finance needed services.  

The media will  continue it's negative reports on GOP threats to shutdown the government and fail to report the true facts, especially when it comes to increased spending.  The public will hear only one side of the story every time as they are hearing now.  This writer wonders if that is how they like it.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio 

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate For August 2023.

 The U.S. Economy added 187,000 jobs in August as reported by the Labor Department and the unemployment rate came in at 3.8%, it was 3.5% in July.  It was the 31st straight month of positive job growth and the 19th straight month of unemployment in the 3% range, the best showing since the Kennedy-Johnson administration over 60 years ago.  The Department also announced that wages grew 0.2% in August over July and that year to date wages are up 4.4%.  

The Federal Reserve announced that inflation is now at the 3% level, down from the 9% level previously recorded.  The negative voices within the Feds, the GOP and Corp. America are now saying that raising the interest rates are the cause of the lower job numbers and the higher we raise them will slower wage growth and lower inflation.  Those negative voices have a corrupt economic mentality.  They represent the same voices that supported the tax cuts of Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump that deprived the government of trillions of dollars of revenue and each administration gave the country an economic recession.

The Feds under Reagan raised interest rates to the double digit level and unemployment stood in the 10% range for 10 straight months, the highest sustained level of unemployment in over 60 years.  Bush 43 left office with one of the worst Job creation records since the great depression and the economy lost 2.7 million jobs on Trump's watch, the worst job creation record since the great depression.  The negative voices seem to want the country to revisit those times of hardship for the people.

The economy is still performing and creating jobs, employment ads are still running ahead of pre COVID times and inflation is still falling.  What the country needs to hear is the positive news that put America back to work and how it can continue to work for the people.  Failed policies of the past and negative voices with extreme rhetoric have never moved the country forward.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Florida State Defeats LSU 45 - 24 In Sunday Nite Football 2023.

 The Seminoles from Florida State teed it up Sunday Nite against the Tigers of LSU in Orlando, Florida, just a hop, skip and jump from the Magic Kingdon but there was no Magic available for the Tigers of LSU.  Florida State dominated LSU in the second half scoring 31 unanswered points which turned out to be an embarrassing moment.   

The embarrassment extends to the coaching staff and the players who were out coached and out played.  The Seminoles were a more physical team than LSU and during several plays pushed LSU players around like they were flies.  Coach Kelly acted like he thought the game was a preseason one when early in the game LSU had first and goal from the one yard line and then inside the 5 yard line and decided to go for it on 4th down instead of attempting a field goal.  The result was zero points.  Did Kelly forget it was LSU's first game of the season that counts?

The only thing we now know about LSU after the first game against a team they played last year is they lost again, this time big time and ugly and by 3 touchdowns;  LSU did not play well overall;  Their many good running backs (according to sports writers) were not a factor in the game; The offensive and defensive lines have too many questions still to answer;  The defensive backs were burned time and time again;  The quarterback was again the team's leading rusher (which is not good); The coaching staff did a poor job preparing the team; The team showed no progress from last year's game against the same team.

This writer's predictions for the 2023 season that were made in commentary after LSU completed its 2022 regular season came true after Sunday's game.  And so did its commentary a few weeks ago about this season.  Sunday's game leaves a lot of questions to be answered especially in light of LSU's schedule which can be described as lighter than last year's schedule.  The only team on LSU's schedule that had a winning record in SEC play last year is Alabama.  All other SEC opponents on the schedule had a break even or losing record last year in SEC play.  LSU had a 6-2 record in SEC play last year.  That tells this writer that LSU's 2023 schedule should not be thought of as overbearing.  

The question now is how will LSU respond after Sunday's embarrassment and disappointment.  Having the potential does not count, results do.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Bidenomics and Demonomics Are One and The Same Economic Policy.

When it comes to the economy and economics for the past 90 years of Presidential terms, one would think the media and so called business community would understand best why the economy under President Biden has done so well especially at creating jobs, lowering unemployment and being responsive.  The record for the past 90 years tells the story of what is taking place.  And it was all written in PolitiDose commentary in December 2020 and January 2021 before Biden took office.  And as of this writing the negative voices, the media and the business community still don't understand why the economy has been so strong for the past 30 months.  

The media is well known for going with the negative talking points of recession for the past year only to be out of step with the facts.  The ignorance is shameful because it is all misinformation and if they studied the economic information and policies of past democratic administrations in the past 90 years they would find a precedent for what is taking place in the economy today.  Just take one economic stat: No GOP administration who followed a democratic administration created as many jobs as the democratic administration it followed.  Not even Reagan.  The economy created 10.3 million jobs under President Carter in 4 years.  Under Regan's first 4 years 5.3 million jobs were created.  

There is no economic stat where a GOP administration can claim to have done a better job than the democratic administrations in that 90 year period.  The record is clear, the past can be used to determine the future and PolitiDose commentary was there to predict the economic failure of the Bush 43 and Trump administrations and how President's Obama and Biden would reverse the economic damage inflicted by those two GOP Presidents.

And those who are too ignorant to explore and report the facts, continue the ignorant behavior for almost 3 years, shame on you.  For a more detailed commentary on past administrations economic facts check PolitiDose Commentary dated March 19, 2021 titled, "Presidential Leadership" The Economy and Fiscal Matters the Last 40 Years.  The bottom line facts tell us that democratic administrations are better at governing fiscal and economic matters because they govern by policies to meet the  issues.  The GOP govern by an extreme ideology that is anti-American in nature and therefore never relates to the real issues.  Yes my fellow Americans, understanding the mistakes of the past is still the key to a better future.  Trump and his ditto head GOP are still living in the failed past.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The New Orleans Saints and The LSU Tigers Kick Off The 2023 Football Season: Food for Thought.

 Kickoff is just around the corner and sport's writers have already given their take on what might take place for the Saints and Tigers this football season.  So, it is now "PolitiDose" commentary to take a shot of what might be.

The New Orleans Saints:  The Saints will start the season just like they did last season with a second year head coach who lacks a winning record as a head coach and that is still the Saint's number one issue.  Can he win?  For now the record says no.  The number 2 issue is quarterback.  The Saints will start the season for the third straight year with a quarterback who does not have a record as a Saint's starting quarterback that has played one full season as a Saint's starting quarterback and that looms large.  In the New Orleans Advocate of 8/19, 26 local media members predicted the Saint's outcome this season and only one, Ed Daniels predicted the Saints would have a losing season at 8-9.  This writer thinks there will be no change in the Saint's defense.  Some games they will play great and some games they will just be there.  This writer also feels that the Saints are in the same position as last year dealing with the same 2 major issues and only time has the answer.

The LSU Tigers:  High  expectation in Baton Rouge this year and the key to LSU's success or failure falls to the running backs.  We are being told the Tigers are loaded at that position but if the Tigers can not produce a running back that can carry the ball 15-20 times a game and be effective, quarterback Daniels running will be neutralized.  Daniel's running will not be as effective this year as last year because LSU's opponents now know his ability and a one dimensional running game is not good enough in the SEC.  In just a few weeks we will know just how good the LSU running backs are and better yet, if they are, we will find out if coach Kelly knows how to use them.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Nancy Pelosi Stands Tall For America, The People, The Constitution And The Rule Of Law.

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi recognized what took place at the Nation's Capitol on January 6, 2021, knew something went wrong and had the character and courage to say so and support a House bi-partisan committee to investigate all the facts and ramifications of went took place.  The GOP objected and their House leader rejected the 4 GOP House members Pelosi appointed to the committee.  

Nancy Pelosi stood tall for America, the committee did its work, held public hearings, gave the public its final report and sent the report and its findings to the Department of Justice to act on.  The DOJ acted on the report, did its own investigations and former President Donald Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury for what took place on January 6.  Nancy Pelosi, the January 6 committee and the democratic party stepped up to the plate to bring the facts of what took place on that toxic day to the American people and by doing so, carried out their responsibility as elected officers of the government to defend the constitution and the democratic process of our democratic elections. 

Even now with Trump's indictment the GOP in Congress are still enabling him and blaming government an others for Trump's own corrupted behavior.  No telling where America would be today as a democratic nation had the GOP controlled the U.S. House on January 6 attacks and thereafter.  As of this commentary the media has been no help.  The media still devotes a large part of its time to Trump, his lies and personal attacks on everyone and everything like the truth does not really matter.  

Nancy Pelosi understood that President Trump tried to undermine democracy on January 6 and that his plan to deny the peaceful transfer of power to President elect Biden was an un-American act for a sitting President and what harm that could do to the democratic process of our elections and the future peaceful transfer of power.  The former Speaker did what she should have done without hesitation.  And as an elected official of congress, performed her duty and responsibility well.

Very few elected officials have "political understanding" to hold high elected office.  The nation can be thankful that Nancy Pelosi leads the current list who has "political understanding to run government."  That is why she is a successful leader who has character and courage.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for July, 2023.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy added 187,000 in July and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.5%, down from 3.6% in June.  It was the 30th consecutive month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate has stayed in the 3% range now for the past 18 months.  Wages in July grew 0.4% over June and 4.4% year over year according to the Department.

The report was greeted by some as a positive sign that the Feds program is working at slowing down the economy, the result of slowing down job creation, but worry wages are not falling far enough to halt inflation.  The negative voices are still trying to sell their negative thoughts no matter what is reported.  The Feds themselves reported that a recession is not in sight.

This Labor Department report is positive all the way.  The jobs market is still robust, claims for unemployment are still at historical lows, job wanted ads are at 9.7 million and wages are still growing.  Some business centers are cutting back hours instead of laying off workers because of the tight jobs market.  That makes sense.  The 187,000 jobs created in July was a good number considering the circumstances.  During the first 36 months of the Trump administration (that was 3 months before COVID and the economic recession) job creation averaged 183,000 jobs per month.

Those negative voices who want to see wages fall more and willing to see the continuation of higher interest rates to cool the economy more with weaker job creation still have no economic answers and only painful rhetoric to deal with a good working economy.  Those who continue to doubt the 30 months of a growing economy and job creation and why it is taking place are ignorant of the democratic record on the economy for the past 100 years.  Keep in mind, the GOP does not govern with economic policy.  That is why every GOP administration in the last 100 years has given the country an economic recession.  That is not just a coincident.  It is the same reason they cannot accept a good economy when they see one.  

JP Morgan, one of the largest financial institutions now says there will be no recession.  They are the same ones who has been predicting a recession for the past year.  Not very smart for a company who should know something about the economy.  I wonder how many people's mind was affected by their predictions.  Thanks to PolitiDose commentary, the positive news has been delivered and will continue.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Louisiana's U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy: His Lack of Courage and Character Continues.

 Cassidy's announced endorsement of Attorney General Jeff Landry for governor of Louisiana offers proof how close he is still aligned with Trump and his corrupt policies.  Landry, a Trump ditto head continues to support the former traitorous President and his attempt to over turn the 2020 Presidential election.  Tyler Bridges, a staff writer with the New Orleans Advocate wrote of Cassidy's support in a column dated 8/1/23.

The column suggests that Cassidy's support for Landry is more about improving his political relationship with members of congress and the state's GOP.  It is the usual cop out by elected officials who have no courage or character.  Cassidy is obviously afraid of defending his own position on policies.  During President Trump's 4 years in office, Cassidy supported Trump's policies and extreme rhetoric the majority of times.  So now he supports Landry who backs Trump and his policies and extreme rhetoric.  

Former U.S. Representative GOP Liz Chaney served on the January 6th committee after Speaker of the House McCarthy pulled all GOP appointees to that committee after being appointed by then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.  Liz Chaney and former GOP representative Adam Kinzinger were the only two GOP members in the House willing to serve.  They understood the importance of the issue at hand and had the character and courage to serve even though both were subject to their party's hurtful rhetoric.   Liz Chaney and Adam Kinzinger put their country first, Bill Cassidy put politics first with his endorsement of Jeff Landry.

Liz Chaney and Adam Kinzinger recognized what is important when one takes the oath of office to serve and protect.  They also recognized what should be political theatre and what should not.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

MSNBC Continues To Saturate The Air With The Lies and Falsehoods of Donald Trump.

 Instead of reporting the positive news of President Biden's policies and the economy, MSNBC prefers to flood the air waves with Trump's ongoing lies and falsehoods which the people are well aware of.  They just can not get enough of the trumpet man and are now a negative news source of prime time reporting.

At a time when the legal system is dealing with Trump, the country is exposed to the daily headlines of Trump, the GOP and their anti-American agenda.  All the while the people are surrounded by a media that is bent on confusing the public instead of reporting the positives taking place in America every day.  The country no longer has a news media who can say they are in the business of informing the public on matters that really matter and make a difference.  

The media is still giving the disgraced and indicted former President all the air time he seeks for his next campaign.  Donald Trump, the GOP and today's brand of conservative ideology, along with their cultural wars at the state and federal levels, are the greatest threat to American democracy and the media continues to enable them by flooding the air waves with their unAmerican agenda.  

The bottom line is simple.  A traitorous former President who tried to overturn the last presidential election by force on January 6 and continues to lie about the election being stolen deserves no press coverage.  It is time to let the courts do their job and take care of Trump's traitorous acts.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for June 2023.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy added 209,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate came in at 3.6%, down from May's 3.7%.  It was the 29th straight month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate stayed in the 3% range for the 17th straight month.  The numbers tell the story of an economy that has been solid since President Biden's policies took root even though one would think  not so if they listen to the negative voices in the media and the GOP whose recession predictions and doom and gloom projections for the economy have been wrong for the past year.

Thanks to PolidiDose commentary and commentary from journalist Froma Harrop. the positive news concerning the economy is being told.  There was a time in America when the media informed the people on the facts and the positive actions taking place to move the country and its people forward.  Now the main street media has joined the likes of the Fox News Network and the GOP with their negative attacks on everything good about the U.S. economy.  Ms. Harrop in her excellent commentary titled, "Biden's economy is Boffo" takes the GOP and the media to task for their negative voices on the economy and like previous PolitiDose commentary spells out the accomplishments of the Biden economy and its positive benefits.

The greatest threat to the U.S. economy comes from those negative voices because they ae the same ones who urged the Feds to raise interest rates high and fast originally and believe the only way to fight so called inflation is to weaken the economy, raise unemployment and see wages fall.  In other words, they have no answer, they just oppose the President's agenda.

In the mean time the economy continues to move forward, create jobs, lower the unemployment, reduce inflation and the consumers are still spending and wages are still rising.  And all the while, the GOP is still the "do nothing party."  PolitiDose, in its commentary will continue to inform the public of those positive issues that are taking place in America so the people can judge against the negative voices of doom and gloom.  And this writer believes Ms. Harrop will continue to do the same.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio