Thursday, April 23, 2026

Living and Growing Up In Old Algiers.

 Today. they call it Algiers Point, but in my generation (born in the 1930's) and the generations before, we simply called it Old Algiers or just plain Algiers.  Algiers Point actually refers to that point of land on the Mississippi River where the river makes its turn to go down river and out into the Gulf of Mexico.  Living and growing up in Old Algiers was special.  As young kids, we did not know it at the time because we had not experienced life yet and our minds were innocent and young.  All we wanted to do was play and have a good time, and that we did.  But there comes a time in ones life when we reflect on the past and realize how special it was to live and grow up in Old Algiers. 

Old Algiers is a small town on the west bank of Orleans Parish and when I lived and grew up there it had everything.  Business, Doctors, Dentists, Schools, Churches, a library, playgrounds, swimming pool, open areas where ball could be played and much more.  Louisiana Power and Light on Delaronde Street, Bell Telephone Company on Opelousas avenue, The Southern Pacific Railroad on Atlantic were major employers of many people.  Every place was a short walk from a person's home and we walked every where we went.  Very few families owned automobiles.  If you lived in Old Algiers, your feet were made for walking.  If a method was available back then to count your steps, it would be off the charts.  Our parents and other adults walked the streets to shop and etc.

I was 7 years of age when WWII began and 11 when it ended.  I do remember when it started but more when it ended.  I remember the newspaper boys going through the streets selling the papers about the Atomic Bomb being dropped on Japan.  No one knew what an Atomic Bomb was at the time.  The hardships during the war touched every family.  Food and consumer goods were rationed, every able body man wore the uniform, women worked the factories, city, state and the federal government had programs that put people to work so families would have income to purchase and satisfy their needs.  Long lines would be at the Algiers Court House on Morgan Street picking up their food allowances.  My brother and I spent time in that line with our little red wagon picking up our rations and hauling them home.  Although we could see what was taking place we did not realize or understand the impact it had on our parents and others.  We were kids growing up, our parents tried their best to let us be kids and never once did we feel neglected.  During the war, just about every store had a large Uncle Sam sign in front of the business with Uncle Sam pointing saying, Uncle Sam wants you.  Radio stations broadcast the same add and I will always remember one of the sayings on the radio at the time that went like this.  your in the Army now, your not behind a plow, you'll will never get rich, you son-of-a-bitch, your in the Army now.

My brother, sister and I went to and graduated from Holy Name of Mary Catholic School which was a short 2 block walk from our house.  The good Nuns were the teachers and the school had very, very few lay teachers.  It was a time when the school was called "Sister School" and for good reason.  The Nuns were great teachers, taught us how to learn and never believed in the saying that some people say today, "you have to go to school, but no one can make you learn.  They would have no part of that because they were dedicated to teaching and knew a mind should never be wasted.  School was from 8 am to 3 pm, with a 15 minute break every day at 10:15 am.  Uniforms were not required at the time.  We celebrated the end of the school year with the silly saying, "No more rice, no more gravy, no more teachers to drive us crazy."  And the Nuns would give us that stern look when we would say, "Hail Mary full of grace, three little chickens had a race.  Holy Mary mother of God, chase the horses out the yard."  Summer vacation was a time of going barefoot, not wearing a shirt, getting sunburned, we never knew what sun tan lotion was.  The blacktop burned our bare feet, but so what, we were free.  The Nuns demanded discipline and it was enforced by punishment and some of us learned the hard way.  I do not remember having a great deal of homework assigned to take home.  But every week we would have pop quizzes and test during class and then test on a regular basis up until our mid terms.  I realized later in life all the good things the Sisters taught us about life and the positive effect it had on our character.  It was something I will never forget.

There were no shopping malls in my growing up life in Old Algiers, but us west bankers did have a Canal Street that had several major department stores and other shopping venues that we visited often, especially around the holidays and Christmas season when they displayed a lot of lights and Mr. Bingle.  It was a very busy shopping area in downtown New Orleans.  We would walk to the ferry boat that would leave us off at the foot of Canal street and would walk to the stores.  It made for a long day but it was a fun day for us kids.  

Old Algiers was a special town to live and grow up in, everything was within a short walking distance.  When I reflect on those times it tells an amazing story where kids were able to occupy their times and entertain themselves in so many different ways, many of them that were silly.  It did not matter because we were just having fun and not a care in the world.  Very little time was spent in the house, we roamed the streets, it was our playground from sun up to sun down where we met our buddies along the way.  If we were not playing ball or games we were just hanging out.  We played tag, cops and robbers, played card games with sport's cards or movie star cards and other popular people.  Went swimming and played in the park on Opelousas Street swinging and using the sea-saw.  We also sat upon the monument there.  We would pick the green balls that grew on China Ball trees, smashed them in play sand and it would color the sand different colors.  We would then put the colored sand in jars and sell them for a nickel a jar.  The streets had gutters instead of roll over curbs and would overflow in a heavy rain.  We would put on our bathing suits and go swimming in the gutters, talk about cold water!!!  We did silly things for Halloween like marking up people's windows with soap and those who had a fence in front of their house we would take the gates off their hinges and just lay the gates down.  It was not funny when some neighbor told on us and our parents made us wash the windows and rehang the gates.  We played games on a large sandbar by the Mississippi River and would end up taking a dip in the river even though my parents forbid it.  There is a saying today when going to the beach "going to get some sand between the toes."  When you took a dip in the Mississippi you got sloppy mud between your toes.  My brother and I operated a sno-ball stand a couple of summers and would shave the ice by hand.  One scoop was 2 cents, 2 scoops was 3 cents and 3 scoops was 5 cents.  Our best day was when we made $14.00.  My mother would buy the syrup and mix it for us.  We built our own stand and used a 25 pound block of ice every day.   Most of us had yo-yo's and would spin tops.  We had contest among ourselves with the yo-yo to see who could do the best tricks.  I still have a yo-yo in my possession and a skate key.

One item sold at the movie theater was cups of ice cream that had a picture of a movie star on the cover lid.  All eaten leftovers were thrown on the floor and the janitor would come the next morning and clean up the place.  We would go in that morning and he would let us pick up all the cup lids and we would keep the pictures and trade them or sell them.  On any given day our pockets would be loaded with marbles or japonicas.  Playing marbles were a great past time and we played every where we found dirt to draw a marble ring and start the game.  I won a lot, but also lost a lot, but it did not matter.  Picking japonicas from trees was another great activity and the trees were plentiful.  Good tasting fruit but sometimes we had to invade other people's property to pick them and got into trouble.  Holy Name of Mary's church custodian lived on the corner of Eliza and Olivier streets and had a large japonica tree that over hung his fence.  I guess it could be called a trophy tree it was so loaded always.  But the custodian was an old grouch and would run us off when we tried to pick his tree.  We kept trying and one day standing on each other's shoulder we picked a lot of japonicas and all of a sudden he appeared with a water hose and hosed us down.  Needless to say, we never went back, there were too many friendly trees still ready to be picked.

Kite flying was another great past time for us kids.  My Grandpa and Dad made our kites and taught us how to fly them.  We also bought some kites.  When my Dad made a kite and was ready to put the paper on it most would use glue.  But my Dad would mix flour and water to a paste and use that instead of glue.  When it dried it was just as good as glue.  He also taught us how to send a message to the kites.  He would take a hard piece of paper or thin cardboard, cut a hole in it, put the string through it and the wind would take the message all the way up to  the kite.  When we pulled the kite in the message was still against the kite.  We also spent a lot of  time making model airplanes that were easy to make.  We would  buy a kit that had everything needed to make the planes, put a propeller on it attached to a rubber band and would wind it before we launched the plane.  It would not fly far or high but it flew, that is all that counted.  Most of the models were of the planes used during WWII.  On one occasion when we visited my aunt Pearl my brother and I took our model planes to fly in the back yard because it was a large yard.  For some reason my plane would not fly after numerous tries so I picked up a tool she had in the yard and smashed the plane in a 100 pieces.

Old Algiers was a family town, where all knew each other.  Family sat on their front porches at night and visited with each other while us kids were still playing in the streets.  Because everyone walked, you ran into someone you knew every place you went.  It was not uncommon for my mother and other mothers to visit during the day and have coffee.  The fact that it was a family friendly town gave us kids a problem.  When we mis-behaved and a neighbor saw that, they quickly told our parents and of course punishment followed.   It was also a time when men and the ladies wore hats when they went out, especially to church and the movie theatres.  

We also faced the other side of growing up and said things that brough about arguments and sometimes fights.  I will always remember one time when we were playing cops and robbers, a game where the robbers would put a paper bag over their heads and cut the eyes and mouth out the bag so they could see and talk.  Everyone took turns being a cop and robber.  The robbers would find a place to hide in the block we were playing in and the cops had to find them to arrest them.  After playing for a while one day we took a break and was just passing time when things started to become out of hand and a fight started.  I picked up one of the paper bags, pulled it over my buddie's head and punched him in the face.  I knew I should not have done that and was sorry afterward.  The action did not last long and no one was hurt and before you know it we were all back playing together like nothing took place.  When you are growing up with an innocent mind holding a grudge is never really thought about.  

On a personal basis I did some things I am not proud of but did take place.  Two of the events are as follows.  Almost every Drug Store in Old Algiers had a pin ball machine and all the kids played them.  Kids were allowed to play them and they paid off if you accumulated enough points by the ball hitting the features that registered.  It only paid off if you hit the jack pot which paid $7.  When we played we always had 5 or 6 of our friends around the machine and one day we decided we would cheat.  I took my Dad's hand drill that was shaped like a T and cut a hole in the side of the machine.  I brought a cut piece of clothes hanger with me, slipped it in the hole I drilled and kept hitting one of the features that registers points until the machine hit the jackpot.  We collected the $7 and no one in the store knew what we were doing because we had the machine blocked off with all our friends.  We used the money to buy funny books, marbles and eat at the soda fountain.

The Italian Hall on Esplanade Avenue in the French Quarter was a place for the Italian community to hold various events that our family attended.  One night there was a banquet to honor some occasion taken place in Italy which I do not remember what the occasion was.  The event was a dinner and dance.  I remember well that the Hall had large round tables that seated 10-12 people.  My family, one of my uncle and aunt, my uncle's brother and his wife and all the children were seated at one table. Two or three other tables were occupied by other aunts and uncles and their children.  Sometime after dinner was over, the adults would leave the table to dance and my cousin Sal and I would take sips of whiskey when they left the table.  We kept that up until we were both intoxicated.  After that we began doing silly things and all I remember is my Father coming to get me outside the building, sitting me in a chair at the table and ordered not to move.  The next thing I remember is my uncle who drove us to the Hall drove us home.  We lived in a raised shot gun single with steps that led into the house.  I could not walk up the steps so my uncle and Dad had to carry me.  Did not feel well when I got up the next morning and after breakfast my Mom told me I had to paint the kitchen cabinet.  The paint back then really had a bad odor and as I was painting that odor made my sickness worse.  I finished the job but it was one bad day.  I could tell by the look in my Mom's eyes that was my punishment for my actions. 

My sister, brother and I all had chores to do around and in the house and there was a time when my Dad worked the night shift and would sleep during the day.  Our house was heated by a cast iron coal stove in the kitchen and two space heaters in other parts of the house.  When my Dad worked the night shift my Mom told me I would have to light the coal stove in the morning to start heating the house.  Why me?  I was the youngest, but I dared not ask the question.  Not only did I have to get up to a cold house, I had to go outside in the cold to the shed where we stored the wood and the coal.  I started the fire with paper on the grill, wood pieces on top that I had cut previously with a hatched and then put a block of coal on top.  Lit the paper that started the fire and once the coal started to burn the heat was on.  We used the top of the stove to toast bread, keep coffee, tea and other food warmed.  Every winter we burned one ton of coal that was delivered to the house curbside.  My brother and I would haul the coal in our red wagon to the shed in the back yard.

There were also times when my Mom made me dust and wax the furniture.  I hated that job, never understood the reason since I had a sister in the house.  Growing up you don't understand a lot of things.  Every month we would have to take medicine, milk of magnesia, 2 tablespoons before we went to bed.  When asked why, we were told to clean out our systems.  I had no problem, I went to the bathroom regularly every day.   After you took that medicine you did not dare go out to play in the streets before you used the bathroom.  To make things worse, the taste was horrible.  

One of the best days of the year was Holy Name of Mary's school picnic that was held in City Park.  It was a family affair where the parents would cook and set out our picnic site, lay down some blanket and camp there for the day.  City Park also had a few covered areas with picnic tables but we always chose to set our picnic up outside.  The Park had two large swimming pools, amusement rides, pony rides, bumper cars, fishing in the lagoon, paddle boat rides, areas to play ball and was a wide open Park where you could just run around.  The first thing I always did was go swimming.  We had the good fortune of being able to eat anytime we wanted to take a break, then go play again and come back again to eat.  Parents could also bring friends and a few times my Mother brought her Aunt.  it was a day of fun for all including the Nuns and the grown ups who participated in the activities.  It was always night time when we arrived back home.  On the merry go around if you caught the gold ring you were given a free ride.  I was able to catch the ring several times every year.

Living and growing up in Old Algiers was unique and whenever I reflect on those times I can't help thinking about that uniqueness.  I lived in the 400 block of Belleville Steet and the 800 block of Alix Street right around the corner.  In a three block area from my house there were 3 drug stores, 4 grocery stores, 2 bar rooms, 2 bakeries, 1 homestead and1 bank, 2 doctors and two dentists, three barbers, 1 school, 2 churches and 1 movie theatre and two shoemakers.  And that played out almost all through Old Algiers and those business venues were there for many, many years.

I also marvel that we roamed the streets day and night with our friends and were safe.  We would walk the neighborhood block by block just hanging out.  Sometimes we would pull a yo-yo out of our pocket and play, or stop and shoot marbles, just anything else that came to mind.  We had no problem entertaining or amusing ourselves.  Yes, we did some things that were wrong, most of those things were silly but we never hurt or injured anyone.   Every time I reflect on those times, questions pop in my head.  Why do we lose our innocent mind as we age?  If we could maintain it, would it make a difference and make the world a better place to live?  My thoughts also take me to the lyrics of a song about a magical place.    

                                                    In short there's simply not,

                                                    A more congenial spot,

                                                    For happy ever- aftering

                                                    Than here in Camelot.

We were too young to understand, but living and growing up in Old Algiers was truly our Camelot.

This story written by Joe Lorio






    

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate For March 2026.

 The Labor Department announced the economy added 178,000 Jobs in Marh and the unemployment rate came in at 4.3%.  The Department also announced that February's jobs loss was 133,000 instead of the 92,000 originally reported.  For the first quarter of 2026 a total of 175,000 net jobs were created for a monthly average of 23,773 jobs per month.  A pitiful number but par for the Trump administration and the GOP.  

By comparison, President Biden's administration for the same month in March of 2022,  398,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate was 3.6%.  Over 900,000 jobs were created in the first quarter of 2022.  In Biden's first 63 months in office, over 5,000,000 jobs were created while in Trump's first 63 months in office the economy lost 2.3 million jobs.  

The numbers continue to confirm the weakness of Trump and his party on the economy and has repeated itself over the past 86 years.  It is a pitiful record for Trump and the GOP.  And the media and public don't have a clue concerning the facts.  They still rely on the BS and misinformation that comes out of the Trump administration and past GOP administrations.  

Will the uninformed ever change???  Don't count on it.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Sunday, March 29, 2026

The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate Editorial Board Has A Problem.

 The March 20 issue's editorial page said the issue of the week was the National Debt and invited two conservative opinion writers George Will and Cal Thomas, two long time Republican opinion writers who spout the GOP's talking points.  This writer's question would be why would the editorial board do that when they have a staff to investigate such matters and can obtain the facts from the federal government's  official records. Those who follow politics know the GOP blame the democratic party for over spending and therefore the national debt but the official facts tell the real truth and a different story.  So why go to someone else opinion and not do the investigation themselves. 

The following information concerning the national debt is as follows and taken from the official records of the Congressional Budget Office, The White House Office of Management and Budget, The Treasury Department and the Commerce Department.  At the end of President Carter's last fiscal year, the national debt stood at $997 billion, less that one trillion dollars.  Eight fiscal years later, at the end of President Reagan's last fiscal year, the national dept stood at a whooping $2.8 trillion.  And that my friends started the explosion in the national debt.  From 1981 to 2024, a total of 44 years that cover the administrations of Ronald Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43, Obama, Trump and  Biden, the following increases in the national debt took place on each watch.  

In President Reagan's 8 fiscal years the national  debt increased 187%

In President George Herbert W. Bush's four fiscal years the national debt increased 54%

In President Bill Clinton's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 31%

In President George W. Bush's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 105%

In President Barrack Obama's eight fiscal years the national debt increased 70%

In President Donald Trump's four fiscal years the national debt increased 41%

In President Joe Biden's four fiscal years the national debt increased 33%

Other information that has an effect on the national debt follows:   President Eisenhower was the last GOP President to balance the federal budget in 1960, that is over 66 years ago.  Two democratic Presidents balanced 5 federal budgets during that same period of time.  President Lyndon Johnson balanced one budget and President Clinton balanced 4 federal budgets.  

Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump all completed their last fiscal year with a deficit larger than they inherited.  Clinton left office with a budget surplus and Obama left office with a smaller deficit than he inherited.  The largest single year federal deficit took place during Bush 43 last fiscal year when it came in at $1.4 trillion, the largest at that time.  Trump's first term topped that twice when in came in at $3.1 trillion in his third fiscal year and then in his fourth fiscal year it came in at $2.7 trillion, both records that stand today.  The Clinton administration paid down over $300 billion of the national debt.  GOP administrations paid down zero.  

Every GOP in the administration in the past 100 years has given the country an economic recession, democratic administrations do not have that problem.  And the recessions that took place during Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump's watch took place at a time corporate America and the wealthy enjoyed the tax cuts by those Presidents.  Those tax cuts were supposed to create jobs, balance the budget and create a great economy.  They were financed by deficit spending which adds to the national debt.  Clinton raised taxes on those same folks, balance the federal budget, created surpluses and created more jobs in just 8 years than Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump did in the 20 years they served.  

It took the U.S. over 200 years to reach a spending budget of $1 trillion in fiscal 1987.  It then took 15 years to reach a spending budget of $2 trillion in fiscal year 2002, Bush's first fiscal year.  It then took 7 years to reach a spending budget of $3 trillion under President George W. Bush.  It then took 9 years for President Trump to reach a spending budget of $4 trillion in his very first fiscal year.  It then only took Trump two years to reach both a $5 and $6 trillion spending budget in his third and final fiscal year.

The official records tell us that it is the Republican party who are the drivers of deficit spending and the national debt and that the Reagan administration started it all.  The American people will never be told the facts by the conservative media, their opinion writers and even many in the main street media.  They just report the GOP lies and misinformation and go with the flow and have lost the mantle of their responsibility to inform the people of the truth.  For the past 10 plus years, Politidose commentary has filled the void and told the real story.  And if one follows the facts, the years after WWII up to the Carter administration, the same could be true of the GOP's pitiful record.  

The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate is a GOP leaning media whose editorial page is dominated by so called conservative commentary.  They fail to publish the facts and like the business world, the so called business news like CNBC and Fox Business News and GOP supporters will support the GOP and its lies no matter what.  And it has become worse with President Donald Trump, a convicted criminal on 34 felony counts.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio


Monday, March 23, 2026

The Genesis Of This Writer's Interest In Politics.

On January 23, 1947 I became a teenager.  I remember well some of the years before WWII began and also after the war ended.  My Grandpaw and Grandmaw lived with us until they passed away in the 1940's.  I recall those early years when my Dad and Grandpaw worked the political scene.  They worked handing out literature, making signs, attending rallies, working the polls and doing other political tasks for the candidates they supported and those who already held public office.  They followed politics on radio and like many were supporters of Huey and his brother Earl K. Long.  They were democrats and supported the democratic party.

 My Grandpaw would write letters to public officials and others concerning political issues, supporting their positions or opposing their views with his own opinions on the subject matter.  He always had something to say and he and my Dad never missed a vote.  They lived and worked politics all year long.  My Grandpaw was a barber and his shop was at the corner of Belleville and Alix Streets.  We lived in a half double in the 400 block of Belleville so he had a short walk to and from work every day.

Living with us, my Grandpaw always took  the time to do things for my brother and I.  He taught us to make our own kites and fly them.  They had tails in those days for stability.  He made us scooters out of old box wood, attached skates at the base so it could roll.  He also repaired our skates when they broke down and did so much for us.  He had a lot of stories to tell that kept our minds active.  He told us he could walk in the rain and never get wet.  When we asked how he could do that he said he would walk between the drops.  He also used to ask us, remember when I was little and you were big?  And we would say yes.  Grandpaw passed away before I was a teenager but I will forever remember our times together.  I still have one of his monkey wrenches and a hand saw that are over 100 years old.

My Dad continued the same political participation after my Grandpaw passed away and did so for many years thereafter.  I remember when he took me to a political rally in Algiers for Hale Boggs who was just starting out on his political career.  I was still in school at the time.  That was a first for me and my Dad never told me why he wanted to take me.  Although my Dad was never an elected person he had a political appointed job most of his adult life either through an elected official, candidates he supported or friends he knew in politics that he worked with.  And as of this day I can report that my Grandpaw or Dad never once tried to influence me concerning political decisions nor did they ever try to tell me who to vote for or what party to support. 

After graduating from high school, I joined the Marine Corps and spent the next 4 years on active duty.  I cast my very first vote in the Presidential election of 1956 when I was 22 years old.  My interest in politics grew when President Kennedy was elected.  Being a young President, I, as a young person could relate to him and his political agenda.  I began following his administration, his speeches and liked his challenge to the American people.  I also began writing political hosts on the radio, television and in letters to the editors in the newspaper.  It included political guest who commented on political shows and national magazines and especially political opinion writers.  

I still have a file full of those letters, many of which are hand written because there was no internet and I had no typewriter.  I took them to the library to make copies for my file.  Later when the internet came about they were type written.  One of the things I learned was very few took the time to even acknowledge they received the letters.  David Gergen, a former Reagan adviser and long time political journalist answered one of my letters.  Pat Buchanan, a former Reagan adviser and also long time TV political commentator answered one of my letters.  Cyathia Tucker, Editorial page editor of the Atlantic Constitution answered my letters and even used one of my suggestions in one of her own commentaries.  James Douglas, the author of JFK and the Unspeakable answered one of my letters and was very kind in his comments.

For the past 10 plus years I have written commentary for "PolitiDose" a political commentary blog that can be logged on and read at www.politidose.blogspot.com.  PolitiDose was started by my grandson who was still in high school as a place where the general public can log onto, make comment and not have to be subject to the whims of the media.  He graduated from high school in 2010, went on to college and I began writing for PolitiDose ever since as the only contributor.  

My grandson began his interest in politics early in life and was one of the editors of his high school news paper.  I became well aware of his interest in politics at an early age and like my Grandpaw and Dad, never tried to influence his political thinking.  We did discuss politics from time to time and enjoyed those moments.  When my grandson started PolitiDose, he asked me if I would like to make comment every now and then as a guest writer.  I gladly accepted the challenge and that led to my full time commentary which I will always be grateful for.

The question is, what was the real Genesis to my interest in politics?  Was it the exposure at an early age of my Grandpaw and Dad's involvement that was stored in my mind for so many years and then released as I aged?  Was it the youth of President Kennedy and his popularity?  Was it a responsibility I was not aware of that guided me?  Maybe it was a combination of factors.  I am reminded of a book I read many years ago about Jewish Cantors.  The study indicated that all their Cantors had one thing in common, and that was a certain gene.  Could that be a factor in my family's four generations of interest in politics.  It is food for thought. 

This  commentary written by Joe Lorio    

Monday, March 16, 2026

The Deaths and Destruction of the Iran War Are On The Hands of President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 Prior to the unprovoked attack on Iran ordered by Trump and Netanyahu over nuclear weapons that never existed, Iran was not launching its drones against U.S. troops in Iraq or Kuwait, nor was it shutting down the strait of Hormuz.  The attack on Iran was planned, premedicated and therefore avoidable, so the deaths and destruction that took place was an avoidable event.  

Trump and his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth are still giving conflicting reasons why going to war with Iran and demonstrated their unfitness as leaders.  The Clowns that Trump has appointed has no clue as to what war is all about and what they have created.  Trump himself blamed President Biden for the war, the usual excuse that cowards use.  Trump and his Clowns are lost and now want our allies to help keep the strait of Hormuz open to shipping, something that was never part of Trump's planning.  

Hegseth made the statement that the U.S. had no rules of engagement in the war with Iran.  That statement demonstrated his unfitness for the office he holds.  Historically, the U.S. has always had rules of engagement when going to war, it is what separates America the Beautiful from other counties cruelty.  Was the Iran school said to be hit by our Tomahawk missile that killed over 100 school children a result of the no rules of engagement statement.  Trump said it was Iran that blew up the school but our intelligence community said otherwise.

Never has the U.S. had a President and Commander in Chief so unqualified and unprepared for the job at hand.  And never before has a President appointed so many cabinet members and others to important positions who are also unqualified and unprepared for their jobs.  They are just YES peoples who follow Trump's policies and rhetoric.  The tragic outcome of Trump and his clowns have come front and center in the last 14 months and the unprovoked attack on Iran starts the clock to the coming nuclear war that will reach U.S. soil.  The exact time is uncertain, but with people like Trump and Netanyahu, the event will surely take place.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

Sunday, March 15, 2026

We Can Now Compare Trump's First Year in Office Economy for The Year 2025 to President Biden's First Year in Office in 2021.

 The final numbers are now in on Trump's first year in office for 2025 and as predicted by previous PolitiDose commentary, would not be as good as President Biden's numbers for his first year in office in 2021.  Keep in mind that Biden had to deal with COVID in 2021 while Trump did not in 2025.  Biden also had to cope with Trump's last fiscal year deficit of $2.7 trillion in Trump's first term in office.  That exceeded Trump's record of $3.1 trillion federal budget deficit in his third fiscal year.  The numbers are as follows.

                                                              Job Creation

Trump      181,000 jobs created                                             Biden     Over 4 million jobs created

                                                             Unemployment Rate

Trump    Up 0.4%  (4.4% from 4%)                                       Biden     Down   2.4%   (6.9%  to 3.9%)

                                                                      GDP

Trump    2.2%                                                                          Biden   5.9%

                                                              Inflation 

Trump 3%                                                                                 Biden       7%

                                                              Manufacturing Jobs

Trump    Loss of 100,000 jobs                                                   Biden     Gain of 375,000 jobs

                                                               Real Average Hourly Increase After Inflation

Trump     Up 1.2%                                                                      Biden up 6.1%

                                                               Dow Jones Industrial Average

Trump    Up  10%                                                                        Biden   Up  14%

The numbers and the facts tell the real story and when one adds the fact that Biden inherited a broken economy with record spending and debt plus COVID, the numbers are even stronger.  At the same time Trump inherited a good working economy putting America at work, lower deficits and a record string of unemployment being the lowest since the 1960's.  As PolitiDose past commentary stated, the future under the Trump administration and the GOP, the year 2025 and the future looks like the failed past of previous GOP administrations.  And it was all preordained in precedent of the past 60 years of GOP governance.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  Numbers above taken from the official  records of the CBO, Treasury Department, Commerce Department and Department of Labor.                        


Tuesday, March 10, 2026

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for February 2026.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy lost 92,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate came in at 4.4%, it was 4.3% in January and 4% when President Biden left office.  The department also reported that January jobs report was down grated to 126,000 jobs.  The economy has lost jobs in 5 of the last 9 months and in the 62 months Trump has been President the economy has lost 2.5 million jobs.

In President Biden's second month in office in his second year in February 2022, the economy created 678,000 jobs according to the Labor Department report and the unemployment rate came in at 3.8%, it was 6.3% when he took office.  

After 14 and half months in office in his second term the predictions in PolitiDose commentary in December 2024 are coming true.  Trump and the GOP's job creation record is terrible and follows precedent of their past.  It is predictable, the media and the so called economic pundits know it, but they are silent.  This is the same President who killed jobs concerning EV's, wind farms and everything that has to do with the change away from fossil fuels.  New EV battery plants in the U.S. have been shut down and employees laid off.  And the GOP ends up being Trump's little cowards.

PolitiDose commentary has told the story of the GOP's terrible economic record for the past 11 years and at this moment in America's history, the future is like the failed past.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Thursday, March 5, 2026

When Two Nuclear Power Countries Attack A Non-Nuclear Power Country, It Becomes A Day Of Infamy.

On March 20, 2003, President George W. Bush ordered the Attack and occupation of Iraq over WMD that never existed at any time Bush was President.  It was all a lie and misinformation claim even though Nuclear inspection teams were on the ground in Iraq for 7 years before Bush ordered the attack and just a few days before when Bush told them to leave Iraq.  Those inspectors said over and over again, Iraq had no WMD.  Now 23 years later, the convicted criminal President Donald Trump ordered the unprovoked attack on Iran over Nuclear Weapons that never existed at any time during Trump's first or second term in office.  Israel's prime minister Netanyahu's military joined the attack and lied about Iran having a Nuclear Weapon going back to the Obama Presidency when he lied in an address to congress and said Iran would have a Nuclear Weapon in a matter of months.  It never happened.

And of course, just months ago last year Trump ordered the bombing of Iran and after it was over said Iran Nuclear capacity was completely destroyed.  Coupled with the latest CIA report that reported Iran would be no serious threat to America's national security in the next decade, the lie prevailed.  So, like Bush before him, Trump took he country to war in Iran over a lie and misinformation.  In doing so, Trump and Netanyahu became the same liars.  It is easy to see what is taking place, Trump is Netanyahu stooge on Iran and the stooge of Russia's Putin on Ukraine.  Never before has an American President allowed Netanyahu and Putin to direct the foreign policy of the United States.

The world is a more dangerous place because of Netanyahu and Trump's mental instability.  The country's that have nuclear weapons attitude of we can have our Nuclear Weapons but no one else can is unsustainable and unstable and will end up in disaster.  Every day brings the U.S. closer to a nuclear war on U.S. soil and events like the attack on Iran moves the clock closer and closer.  Trump's failure to learn from the mistakes of the past indicates that the future will look like the failed past.  

The U.S. has to hold Trump accountable and change its attitude toward its relationship with Israel as long as Netanyahu retains power.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio


 

Monday, March 2, 2026

The Republicans in Congress Since Trump's First Term In Office.

 The GOP'er who have served in congress since Trump's first term has earned the reputation of being "The Lying Party."  The change has been complete, irreversible and out of control.  It has touched every thing the party does, is now a habit, a policy and plan.  Their lies are now their trademark, no matter the issue.  Character is lost, courage is a thing of the past.  They are trapped in the Trump's thirst for lying all the time, even to the point of accepting his violent rhetoric.

The GOP'er during President Nixon's term in office had character and courage.  Their leadership simply told Nixon, no more lies, resign or be impeached.  Nixon resigned.  It was a time when the GOP and Dems. had different opinions but leadership who cared about democracy, the constitution and the rule of law.  It was leadership that stood up to be counted on, especially on the great issues of the day.  

Today, "The Lying Party" has gone too far and will not recover until everyone of them are replaced in  congress.   The people and their vote has the responsibility to see such a change take place.  Enough is  Enough.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Hillary Clinton's Open Statement In The Jeffery Epstein Matter Should Be Required Reding For Everyone.

Former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 's opening statement in the GOP controlled Epstein congressional hearings was a blockbuster.  The statement crushed the notion of a fair hearing, it demolished the GOP's fraudulent statement as to why they deposed her.  It left the GOP at such a loss they resorted to asking her questions about UFOS.  Imagine that.  They were so lost.

Hillary also schooled the GOP committee that such a hearing about a criminal matter that has victims, the very first people called to testify are the investigators who investigated the matters already and had answers, what they found and who they talked to.  The FBI who developed leads and the DOJ people who had the facts.  But the GOP controlled committee failed to have any of them testify.   They simply tried to divert the hearings and instead subpoenaed the Clintons.  

So Hillary Clinton has now testified before numerous GOP controlled committees since Trump's first term in office and every time the GOP ends up with their tail between their legs.  And after nine years of Trump and GOP lies, Clinton is still a better woman than Trump and the GOP are men.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by JoeLorio