Opinion Writer Quin Hillyer Continues The GOP's Propaganda on Federal Spending and the Federal Budget.

 The GOP are well known how in writing and verbally, they like to take credit for the good things that take place on the Democratic watch.  Now comes an article in the Times Picayune of November 17 by Quin Hillyer who gives credit to the GOP for President Clinton's balanced budgets and reducing federal spending.  He cites in particular the former Louisiana U.S. House rep. Bob Livingston (who resigned in disgrace) and his so called role in balancing the budget.

President Clinton and his party controlled both bouses of congress in the first two years of his administration.  The House was controlled by the GOP in Clinton's last 6 years in office.  The Clinton administration allowed the GOP to submit their own budget to congress and it failed to pass.  Then the democrats presented Clinton's budget and it passed congress.  That democratic budget set the stage and produced the greatest economy, greatest job creation, reduced the deficit every year in Clinton's first term and a balanced budget every year in his second term with surpluses.  It also produced the lowest increase in federal spending in the past 70 years.  That budget also raised taxes on corporations and the wealthy that increased needed federal revenue; it propelled the new dot.com economy to new heights; and there were many more progressive parts of the budget that assisted the nation's economic growth.

Presidents Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy and all three administrations gave the country an economic recession.  All three completed their last fiscal year with a larger federal budget deficit than they inherited from those before them.  None of the three, balanced the federal budget in the 20 years they served and the last GOP President to balance the budget was Eisenhower in fiscal 1960.  (How many more years do the GOP need to balance a budget???  And it should be noted, Every GOP administration in the last 100 years has given the country and its people an economic recession.  Does anyone really think than is a coincidence???

When it comes to increases in federal spending, GOP administrations are the CHAMPS.  Federal spending during the following Presidential administrations are as follows:  During Reagan's 8 fiscal years, up 75%, during Bush 41 four fiscal years, up 28%, during Clinton's 8 fiscal years, up 28%, during Bush 43 eight fiscal years, up 61%, during Obama's eight fiscal years, up 25% and during Trump's 4 fiscal years, up 43%.  In the 12 year period before Reagan, the largest percentage increase in federal spending took place on the Nixon/Ford watch when spending increased 92% in their 8 fiscal years.

The national debt increased 187% on Reagan's watch in his 8 fiscal years,  in Bush 41 four fiscal years increased 54%, in Clinton's 8 fiscal years it increased 31%,  in Bush 43 eight fiscal years it increased 106%,  in Obama's eight fiscal years it increased 70% and in Trump's 4 fiscal years it increased 41%.  

When it comes to managing the federal government's fiscal house, the democratic administrations do a better job all around and have a history of doing so.  The GOP are the big spenders and have led with the largest increases for the past 70 plus years.  Fiscally, the Democratic party has proven to be more conservative than the GOP.  As a result, the Democratic party can walk the fiscal talk, the GOP cannot, all they have left are the lies and mis-information which defines their party.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

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

The Good News On President Biden's Economy Just Keeps Coming.

 With only two months left in office, the U.S. economy continues to produce for the country and it's people.  The U.S. Commerce Department reported November 16 that retail sales for October were up 0.4% from September and that consumer spending is driving the economy's steady growth.

The Department also reported Americans' take home pay on average has surpassed inflation for about 18 months.  That statement is an astounding testament to the strength of the economy.  The Department ends it's report with this statement:  "Trump inherits an economy in which spending is strong, growth is solid and unemployment is low."  Another astounding statement, but not to those who follow the facts and read PolitiDose commentary.

The sad news is that the media allowed the lies of Trump and the negative voices on the economy dominate the news and never gave the proper time to the positive position of the economy and the factual numbers in the last 46 months.  And those numbers took place despite inflation.  The public was exposed to the negative voices and the lies carried by the media.  They especially never tired of pushing the negative voices of recession.

PolitiDose commentary had it right how the economy would do well under the Biden administration and that prediction was made even before he took office.  The shame of America's media has never been greater.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Federal Judge Strikes Down Governor Jeff Landry's Ten Commandments.

 U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled Louisiana's recently passed Ten Commandments legislation was unconstitutional and cannot be enforced.  Louisiana cannot enforce the law known as House Bill 71 which was set to take place on January 1.  The legislation, if enforced would have had public K-12 schools and colleges post the Ten Commandments in every classroom.  The issue now moves to the U.S. Court of Appeals and will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court for a final decision.

Republican governor Jeff Landry said he could not wait to be sued when the legislature passed the measure and his wish was granted.  Donald Trump supported the legislation.  Governor Landry is a Trump ditto head and like he and his GOP CULT use religion to divide the country as they use it to discriminate against those whose lifestyle they oppose.  It is part of their extreme agenda.

Common sense tells us the ten commandments is used as a phony issue by the GOP.  If one violates the Commandments it will not be school children, it will be elected officials and common sense supports that.  Trump is a good example:  Adultry, fraud, which is the same as stealing.  And then there are others that the people of Louisiana are aware of.  There are many religions in the United States and the separation of church and state displayed the wisdom of our forefathers who realized that.  This writer has always believed that political and religious dogma are the greatest threat to progress and humankind.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Alabama 42 LSU 13

 Now that the dust has settled and sports writers, the media, fans and others had their say, as to what went wrong, there is nothing left to offer but observation.  Local and State sports reporters (media or otherwise) have a tendency to over rate the strength of teams they cover so the fans objectivity seem to be lost in the excitement of the new season.

Many reporters before the season even began, thought the Tigers had a good chance to make the play offs because of the expanded playoff system.  But winning is still the controlling factor.  Some tried to suggest how Kelly would do in his 3rd. season at LSU, by what took place in Kelly's 3rd. season at other schools he coached.  This writer believes that is a failed judgement, especially when your team now has to face 6 or 7 SEC teams each season.  

LSU's running game by the RUNNING BACKS have not done well under Kelly.  LSU's leading rusher the first two years was quarterback Daniels who also in Kelly's second season broke LSU's rushing and passing records.  But that success did not improve LSU's won-loss record of the previous year.  There was no good reason not to develop a running game with the RUNNING BACKS even with Daniels being there.  So, LSU began this season without Daniels and a proven running game.

Coach Kelly has had two offensive coordinators and two defensive coordinators and other new coaches in his first three years.  How could LSU be expected to be better this year with that situation?  Who knows the quality of those coaches, how can there be consistency with those changes in such a short period of time?  After 9 games no one knows the capabilities of those new coaches or what the future will look like.  In this writer's judgement, LSU at the start of the season should have been rated as a "wait and see team" and said so in a PolitiDose commentary dated September 5, 2024 and that is the way this LSU team is shaking out so far.

Now the Tigers are off to Florida for another SEC game and we will soon find out if any progress has been made from the Alabama game.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

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

The U.S. Labor Department announced the economy created 12,000 jobs in October and that the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1%.  It was the 45th straight month of positive job growth even though lower than the monthly average.  The Department also reported claims for unemployment continue to be low.  The Federal Reserve announced they reduced interest rates by 1/4%.

The U.S. economy continues in a positive direction, despite the negative voices who have been active since President Biden took office in January of 2021.  And when President Biden's administration leaves office in January 2025, the country's economy will be in much better shape than when he took office.

For those who follow facts and history, the record tells us that process has taken place over the past 72 years.  And that is not just a coincidence.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

When It Comes To Louisiana Offshore Drilling, Donald Trump, Louisiana's GOP, The Oil And Gas Industry And The Times Picayune Writers Are Incapable Of Walking The Talk.

 Mark Ballard's opinion column in the Times Picayune of 11/7 titled, "Trump likely to boost Louisiana drilling" was dominated by how Trump's election would bring about great things for Louisiana offshore drilling.  But the article failed to point out how under Trump's first term in office, offshore drilling went south and so did employment in the industry for Louisiana's workers.  If Mark did his homework, he would have known that but failed to mention how Trump failed to "drill baby drill" when President.

The offshore rig count went down greatly on Trump's watch and never came close to the number of rigs working offshore on President Obama's watch in either of his terms.  And President Obama had to deal with the BP oil explosion that took the lives of 11 workers and polluted Louisiana's coastline.  Obama also declared a moratorium of drilling until answers could be found and Louisiana's GOP said it would kill offshore drilling.  Of course it did not and as usual it was just the usual GOP lies.  The U.S. became the world's leading producer of oil on Obama's watch and continues to be on President Biden's watch today.

The Louisiana offshore drilling rig count in Obama's second term averaged 38 rigs working per year.  The rig count during Trump's first four years averaged 17 rigs working per year, less than half of what took place under Obama.  The rig count in Obama's first term averaged 35 rigs working per year.  The Times Picayune published a graft on 1/27/21 that showed the number of employees working in the industry from 1992-Dec. 2020.  It showed top employment took place in May of 1998 when 59,500 were employed.  The low point came in 2020 when only 29,200 were employed.  Over that 28 year period, the high took place on President Clinton's watch, and the lowest on President Trump's watch.  And the most consistent high took place on both Clinton and Obama's watch, both democrats.

The facts tell us, offshore Louisiana drilling does the best when democrats control the White House and that the democrats can walk the talk.  The GOP and their supporters are unable to do the same.

This  commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Rig count numbers were taken from the official records of The Louisiana Department of Natural  Resources, Office of Conservation.  

The Fairy Tale Opinion of Writer Cal Thomas Continues.

 Two recent articles by Cal Thomas published in the New Orleans Advocate of 11/1 and 11/4 continue the mis-information Thomas is noted for over the years.  The first article titled, "Voters face time for choosing (again)" tries to make President Reagan a champion on fiscal policy but cannot back it up with facts.  Thomas uses the national debt as an example and it blows up in his face because he fails to articulate Reagan's actual failed fiscal record during his 8 years as President.

Thomas reminds his readers that in 1964 Reagan made a speech in support of GOP Presidential nominee Barry Goldwater that he, Thomas recently re-read and how little has changed six decades later and still unresolved.  Thomas goes on to quote, we have not balanced the budget 28 out of the last 34 years.  It is unclear from the article if Reagan made that statement or Thomas himself.  Also unclear is the time frame.  Is it 34 years that past before 1964 of Reagan's speech or 34 years that passed before 2024.  

If it was the years prior to 1964. the budget was balanced 8 times by President's Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Hoover.  If it was before 2024, 4 budgets were balanced by President Clinton. Thomas also mentions the national debt in 2024 is 35 trillion that makes the 1964 debt look like chump change.  This line of thought captured the essence of Reagan's philosophy and would define conservatism for decades to come says Thomas.  In fact, Reagan himself, destroyed the concept of conservatism along with his own party the 8 years he was President.

President Reagan never balanced one budget in his 8 years; the national debt at the end of Carter's last fiscal year was less than a trillion dollars, it stood at $997 billion.  8 fiscal years later when Reagan left office the national debt stood at $2.8 trillion, an increase of 187%, the largest percentage increase in the last 70 years; spending was up 75%, the largest increase since the Nixon-Ford admin.; Reagan was the first admin. to have a annual $1 trillion budget. Reagan was the one who started the  national debt on its upward spiral and was never conservative when it came to fiscal matters and the record confirms that.  

Thomas second article titled, "House speaker Johnson is Clark Kent" was as out of touch with reality as you can get.  In a telephone interview with Johnson, he tells Thomas when a GOP congressional committee meets with the Pentagon, they ask what is the top threat to America, and the Pentagon says the national debt.  Johnson says we have got to get back to  fiscal sanity, that's one of the foundation principals of our party.  The Pentagon has never said the national debt is America's top threat. Thomas never asked Johnson and both were silent on the facts.  Since 1980 the largest increases in the national  debt took place on the republican watch.  No republican President has balanced the federal budget since Eisenhower in 1960.  The Trump admin. added more to the national debt than any other President in a 4 year term, $8.2 trillion.  

The GOP is incapable of walking the talk of fiscal  sanity.  They know it, and Cal Thomas knows it but neither one will be truthful to the American people.  Fiscal sanity has not been the foundation of the GOP since President Eisenhower.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio