April 4, 2025: Liberation Day for Plaquemine Parish, Louisiana.

 It was liberation day when a jury in Pointe a-la- Hache found Chevron liable for the erosion of coastal wetlands in Plaquemine Parish and ordered Chevron to pay $745 million in damages plus interest to restore those wetlands.  The Parish filed the suit in 2013 and took 12 years to go to trial.  The suit was one of 40 other law suits against the industry that are awaiting trial or settlement.

As usual, supporters of the industry and the industry itself repeated the negative positions of the past how the decision would harm Louisiana and the industry's future, etc., etc., and etc.  The same old worn out BS after President Obama held BP accountable for the Gulf of Mexico oil rig explosion that killed 11 rig workers and caused billions of dollars in damage to Louisiana's environment.  Chevron will appeal the jury verdict and stretch the matter out as long as they can.

The trial and verdict, and the 40 other suits pending should remind people that it was all unnecessary if the state would have lived up to its responsibilities and held the industry liable and accountable for the damages they caused to the environment.  Instead, they turned their backs and looked the other way all those years.

The media informs us the trial took 4 weeks but the media failed to keep the people up to date on the testimony and other things going on during the trial.  How could the media fail to keep the people informed on such an important issue???

The people of Louisiana should be mindful and thoughtful that in Louisiana we still have a jury system that works and still believes in checks and balances.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana's Voters Reject Governor Jeff Landry's Constitutional Amendments.

 On Saturday night March 29 at the voting booth, Louisiana rejected four amendment changes sought and approved by Gov. Landry and the GOP controlled state legislature.  The vote reminded people of the nationwide protest of the past 6 weeks against President Trump and Elon Musk purposed changes, firings, unlawful actions and threats to social security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Trump, Landry and the GOP love to change the constitution so there are no guardrails for their extreme agenda.  Landry, (little Trump Jr.) and the state legislature threw in various issues to the amendments such as teachers pay in amendment 2.  Democratic Governor John B. Edwards administration funded teacher's pay raises without trying to change the constitution.  Landry and the state legislature failed to address the issue in the regular session, so that leaves the question?  What are they going to do about it now?

The overall vote to defeat the amendments were in the 60% range, well within the range when Louisiana voted for Trump and Landry.  But the amendment vote is a Johnny come lately vote and is too little and too late for Louisiana because both men have caused enough damage already and their policies, or should I say ideology, favors business over the interest of the people.

Louisiana voters knew what Trump and Landry stood for when they voted for them.  They also knew of Trump's past failures and that he was a convicted criminal.  They also knew Landry and the GOP controlled legislature would put business interest above the public interest and needs.  And do not act surprised if the Landry years look like the past Jindal years.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

  

Another Big First for PolitiDose Commentary and It's Readers.

 As of this writing, President Trump, the convicted criminal has been in office 66 days as the federal government continues to operate in a chaotic atmosphere.  The unfit and unqualified billionaires and millionaires appointed by Trump are doing their best to destroy American democracy and the foundation it has stood on for over two hundred years.  They are carrying out Trump's orders even to the extent of harming our national security as we recently learned from the text of our military operations against the Houthi rebels in Yemen where an American journalist was texted the information about the coming attack.  

What has taken place since Trump took office was all predicted in a PolitiDose commentary dated 12/29/24 titled, "President Donald Trump's Billionaire Cabinet and other Billionaire Appointments" and was predicted before he ever took office.  Trump's past record was enough to tell as an authoritarian, he would attempt to destroy the federal government as we know it, including the Judicial Branch with his personal attacks and lies.  In other words, if you can destroy the very fabric that America stands for, it's checks and balances, all that is left is autocratic rule.  Autocratic rule is void of compassion a virtue Trump has never possessed.

Because the GOP ditto heads control both houses of congress, only the courts and the voters can stop Trump and his party from accomplishing their goals.  The stakes are high, too high for America to be passive.  The criminal and his party's ambitions have to be denied now and be a top priority.  The people should not accept Trump and his party's threats to destroy America the Beautiful.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

Now Come The "Sour Grapes" From Trump's Supporters.

 Today is the 58th day President Trump, the convicted criminal has been in office and already chaos is running wild on every issue he touches.  And it did not take long for some in the business community. CEO'S, the financial industry, MAGA and others that supported Trump are now claiming they had no idea Trump would pursue the policies he is driving.  Of course, it is "Sour Grapes" especially coming from the business community and their CEO'S who support and love the Trump and the GOP's tax cuts that favored them.  

The facts tell us that those who supported, voted for and put Trump in office twice knew of his corruption and plans the past 9 years, his hate for government, the rule of law, the constitution, his unfitness for office and his personal attacks against everyone.  They also knew he was impeached twice for good reason and a convicted criminal.  They also knew he was a serial liar that could not be trusted.  And for sure, they were aware of Trump and his party's attacks on a good working economy during the Biden administration.  Yet, they voted for him again in the 2024 elections. 

Those who supported and voted for Trump knew exactly what they were doing and were aware of Trump's true intentions along with his party.  They surrendered what America the Beautiful always stood for in favor of a new NORM governed by a dictator-king.  The conservative media followed Trump in lock-step because they too are liars.  The regular media played its part by enabling Trump's corruption and accepting his new NORM for American politics.

The "Sour Grapes" people who voted for Trump knew the score, played the game and now want the American people to believe they had no idea Trump would be doing just what he is doing.  Understanding the mistakes of the past is still the key to a better future. Those who voted for Trump voted for a future that will be like the failed past.  There are only two options in the short term to correct course.  Give the democrats control of congress in the next congressional elections or impeach Trump and this time vote to convict.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for February 2025.

 The U.S. Labor Department announced the economy created 151,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate came in at 4.1% in Trump's first full month in office.  The unemployment rate was 4% in January.  It was the 49th straight month of positive job growth than began with  the Biden administration.  As a comparison with Biden's first full month in office in February of 2021, 379,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate was 6.2%

Job creation remains in a positive position because of the good economy Biden left and despite the chaos being spread every day by Trump's tariffs and changing position on everything.  One thing is for sure, the direction of the economy is now in the hands of Trump and his GOP and their past record of failure has taught them nothing.  

As of this writing and taking everything into consideration what Trump has proposed, this writer has not changed his mind that the country will enter an economic recession, which exact time is unknown but will surely take place.  And for Trump and his GOP, there second time around will be like their failed past.

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio

The Great Myths of The GOP Tax Cuts.

 In the past 45 years when President Reagan took office in 1981, three GOP Presidents cut taxes for the wealthy and American Corporations, Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump.  It was called an economic policy that would create jobs, balance the budget, increase federal revenue and be a boom to business increase in plant and equipment that would grow the economy, production and everything economical.  And all through those 45 years the media enabled that economic assumption even though it never took place on their watch.  Lets examine and expose the MYTHS:  

Job Creation:  President Clinton created more net jobs in only 8 years (22.7 million) than Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump (14.7 million) did in the 20 years they served.  And Clinton raised taxes on those same folks who benefited from the Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump's tax cuts. Clinton raised the Corporate rate from 34% to 36% and the top rate from 28% to 36%.  And during that same 45 year period, Clinton, Obama and Biden created a total of 50 million net jobs in the 20 years they served compared to the 17.2 million net jobs created by Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump in the 24 years they served.  Clinton, Obama and Biden in other words had an economic policy that created jobs, while the GOP had an economic ideology and not a policy that favored the wealthy and corporations.  Those three GOP President said the tax cuts would allow business to invest those savings in their business which would create an explosion in job creation.  Trump said he would create 25 million jobs when elected in 2016.  Yeah, right, his administration lost 2.7 million jobs.

The Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump administration gave the country and its people an economic recession despite the tax cuts.  No economic recession took place on the watch of Clinton, Obama or Biden.  Tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporations are no economic policy, it is a flawed ideology.  Trump cut the Corporate by 14% from 35% down to 21%.  Why would business gamble on increasing business when they could put the 14% savings in a bank or invest in stocks for a handsome return that would not create one job.

The worst bank failures during that 45 year period took place on Reagan's watch when the Savings and Loan Industry collapsed and on  Bush 43 watch in 2008 when the Wall Street Banks collapsed in Bush's great recession.  Both cost the federal government trillions of dollars.  Those corporations and the CEO's that managed them received the benefits of the tax cuts to no avail.  The Reagan and Bush administration also deregulated those industries.  There were no bank failures on any Democrat's watch during that same period.

None of the 4 GOP Presidents in those 45 years balanced one federal budget or left office with a smaller deficit than when they took office. (fiscal years).  Clinton reduced federal deficits every year his first 4 years and then balanced the budget every year his last 4 years in office.  His administration also paid down $400 billion on the national debt.  The GOP paid down nothing.  Obama left office with a smaller deficit than when he took office and if the CBO's prediction of a $1.8 trillion deficit for Biden's last fiscal year which ends 9/30/25 he will also have a smaller deficit than when he took office.  Those GOP tax cuts were supposed to raise more federal revenue that would reduce federal deficits and balance the budgets but never did.  

Ronald Reagan was the only GOP President of the 4 that left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he took office.  All three democratic Presidents left office with a lower unemployment rate than when they took office.  The largest single year federal budget deficits took place on Trump's watch and hit $3.1 trillion in fiscal year 2020 and $2.7 trillion in fiscal year ending 9/30/21.  The largest increases in federal spending took place on Reagan's watch 75% and Bush 43 watch 61%.  The smallest took place on Clinton's watch 28% and Obama's watch 25%.

Real Plant and Equipment Investment by business average annual increase was up 3.3% under Reagan and 9.4% under Clinton.  Those GOP tax cuts were supposed to be a boom for business investments, instead it was a boom with Clinton's tax increases because he had an economic policy.  The highest sustained unemployment rate took place on Reagan's watch when the rate stayed at over 10% for 10 straight months from September 1982 to June 1983.  No Democratic administration even came close to those numbers for unemployment.

The GOP tax cuts for those who need them the least has proven over the years to be a MYTH in delivering the economic benefits they claim for the country and its people.  And now with Trump and his party still pushing those tax cuts once again with the enabling media's help, the public is once again being misled into another recession and a regression in the nation's economic and fiscal health.  The facts and the truth are out there.  The GOP tax cuts are based on ideology and not economic policy and therefore have failed.  Democrats govern by economic policy that addresses the issues and that is why their administrations have governed more efficiently and effective.  

During the last 45 years of governing, the GOP's future was a continuation of their failed past.  And now, with Trump's second term in progress, the future resembles the failed past.

This commentary written by  Joe Lorio     

    

 

How Did President Biden's Term In Office Compare With President Trump's First Term In Office Concerning The Economy.

 Let us check the facts and see.  If the media met its obligation to serve and inform the public, this commentary would not be necessary.  In fact, as of this writing the media continues to enable Trump's and the GOP lies on the economy.  Now that the Biden administration has come to an end, the following information is available on the economy.  

JOB CREATION:  The economy created over 16 million jobs during the Biden administration.  That number will be adjusted down somewhat like the Labor Department always does but will not change the facts materially.  During Trump's first term, the economy lost 2.7 million jobs.  During Trump's first 36 months in office (prior to the economic recession and (COVID)  job creation averaged 183,000 jobs per month.  During President Obama's last 36 months in office job creation averaged 225,000 per month.  And during President Biden's first 36 months in office (including (COVID) job creation averaged 388,000 jobs per month.  For the past 100 years, job creation under Democratic administrations can be described as robust.  Under the GOP it can be described as anemic.  Trump said he would create 25 million new jobs. 

UNEMPLOYMENT:  The unemployment rate was down 2.3% during Biden's term.  The rate was 6.3% the month he took office and 4% the month he left office.  The unemployment rate on Trump's watch increased 1.6%.  It was 4.7% the month he took office and 6.3% the month he left office.  Reagan is the only GOP President in the last 70 years that left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he took office.  Democratic administrations don't have that problem.  The unemployment rate on Biden's watch stayed in the 3% range for 27 straight months, the longest string since the 1960's.

THE NATONS GDP:   The Gross Domestic Product increased at an annual rate of 3.4% on President Biden's watch and increased 1% on President Trump's watch.

FEDERAL SPENDING:   Federal Spending in Biden's first three fiscal years (his last fiscal year will end 9/30/25) was up 14.7% compared to Trump's 4 fiscal years spending.  Federal spending in Trump's 4 fiscal years was up 43% compared to President Obama's last 4 fiscal years.  Federal spending hit a record of $6.8 trillion in Trump's last fiscal year.

DEFICIT SPENDING:   Total deficit spending in Biden's first three fiscal years was $4.7 trillion.  The CBO in December estimated the federal deficit at the end of Biden's last fiscal year which ends 9/30/25 would be $1.8 trillion.  Total deficit spending in Trump's four fiscal years was a record $7.5 trillion.  President Obama left the Trump administration a deficit of $666 billion when he took office, but Trump left Biden a federal deficit of $2.7 trillion when he left office.  Trump's third fiscal year federal deficit was $3.1 trillion, a record still standing.

CONSUMER SPENDING:  Consumer spending stayed strong during President Biden's term despite inflation because of wage increases that kept consumer spending moving ahead.  Consumer spending during Trump's term was a hit and a miss and produced a negative quarter of GDP in 2020.  Consumer spending represents 70% of the economy and consumers powered the economy forward on Biden's watch.

ECONOMIC RECESSION:   There was no economic recession on President Biden's watch.  The GOP and the negative voices were predicting one for the second quarter of 2023 and every quarter thereafter but it never took place.  There was an economic recession on Trump's watch that preceded COVID says the National Bureau of Economic Research, the official arbiter for the past 50 plus years.  NBER said it took place in February 2020 and ended the 10th straight year of economic expansion that began during the Obama Presidency.  

LAW AND ORDER:  The FBI reported crime was down the last three years on President Biden's watch and that the murder rate in 2024 would likely end with the lowest rate in the past two decades.  Crime was up the last 3 years on Trump's watch.  The worst mass murder gun violence deaths took place on Trump's watch in Las Vegas in 2017 when 58 people were killed.  President Biden accepted the results of the 2020 Presidential election.  Trump did not and sent his riot mob to the nation's capitol in an effort to over turn the 2020 election.  Trump also failed the test of a peaceful transfer of power to the newly elected President, Joe Biden.  Trump also claimed fraud in the elections, filed numerous law suits claiming fraud which every judge rejected.  

PRO BUSINESS AGENDA FOR THE ECONOMY:  The Small Business Association (SBA) reported there was a small business boom during President Biden's term.  A record 21+ million of new small business applications were filed with the government.  That the annual average record growth of filed and established business growth was 90% higher than under Trump, even pre pandemic.   Wages were up 19.6%.

President Biden's numbers on the economy are actually better in spite of the inflation that took place and also especially when one considers what Trump left to the Biden administration.  An economic recession, COVID, a federal deficit of $2.7 trillion, higher unemployment, etc., etc.  Tax cuts that robbed the federal government of needed revenue financed by deficit spending.  The beat goes on and on.  It is not a mystery that President Obama left a good and expanding economy to Trump when he took office and now President Biden left a good and sound economy to Trump for a second term.  Trump blew up President Obama's good numbers and now Trump will blow up Biden's good numbers.  There is no mystery!  Democrats are better at governing and it goes back the last 100 years.  Oh, and remember those Trump tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations that was supposed to Make America Great Again and prevent the economic collapse and recession from taking place.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  Numbers herein taken from The CBO, U.S. Labor Dept., Treasury Dept., Office of Managment and Budget and the Commerce Department.

 

 

Louisiana's GOP U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy's Vote Should Have Surprised No One.

 How can one not understand that the GOP'ers in congress are Trump's cowards, and that includes Senator Bill Cassidy?  Evidently, from an editorial column in question and answer form recently published in the Times Picayune by Stephanie Grace and Quin Hillyer they seemed not to know.  The subject was about the confirmation vote of RFK Jr. as Secretary of the federal government's Health and Human Services Department.   

Cassidy, a chairman of one of the Senate committees voted to confirm RFK Jr. as Secretary.  Cassidy, a doctor should have known better, but like the majority of the GOP, took the cowards way out and voted to confirm.  Taking the coward's way out and kissing Trump's ring was not unusual for Cassidy as the congressional record reports that Cassidy voted with Trump's agenda 89% of the time during Trump's first term.  

Cassidy was part of the GOP ditto heads when he voted for the GOP's fraud Health Care Plan when they controlled both houses of congress.  John McCain joined all the democrats to defeat that plan and save the Affordable Care Act which Cassidy and the GOP wanted to kill.  Does that sound like a good doctor, especially since the CBO said that the GOP health plan if passed would have thrown millions of people off the insured rolls.  Cassidy knew better at that time also, but was still a coward and voted as Trump's ditto head.

Cassidy's record of approving Trump's nominees and supporting his agenda was known long ago and was not going to change in Trump's second term.   He and the GOP in congress are just sitting on their hands watching Trump's attempt to destroy the federal government's functions.  In fact the GOP's leadership in congress remarked recently that the courts should take a back seat and not take up any suits filed against Trump for some of his recent illegal actions.  

It is clear to this writer that Trump, the convicted criminal and the cowardly GOP in congress, have no respect for the law, no self respect, no respect for their congressional duties to serve the public good, and allowed Trump to corrupt the GOP in congress.  It is another sad chapter in Louisiana politics.  Really, did Cassidy's yes vote on RFK Jr. surprise anyone???

The damage will show up along the way in time and it will be severe.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The City of New Orleans and a Safe Super Bowl Week.

 On February 9, the City of New Orleans hosted its 11th Super Bowl and like the previous 10 Super Bowls, the event went off smoothly and safe.  To top it off, Super Bowl week was a success and safe also.  Law enforcement did what it does best and what it has been doing for decades for large scale events, keeping the City and its people safe.  The negative voices tried their best to make it impossible because they would rather be negative about the City instead of talking about all the positive things that takes place in the City.  

New Orleans is still the destination of business, conventions, tourists and other venues that take place safely and promote the City.  The City is still growing with new business, hotels and along with Baton Rouge leads the state in job creation almost every year.  The media pays more attention to the negative voices than they do to the positive developments that occur every day.  

New Orleans can continue to grow and stay safe by making it a priority on a regular long term basis.  It should be a every day endeavor, that is how good plans are carried out.  Negative talk and so called tough talk will not get the job done.  Commitment is what is needed to solve problems.  Osama Bin-Laden was not brought to justice by tough talk.  He was brought to justice by a President who made his capture a top priority and worked at it until it took place.

So now, Mardi Gras is in full swing.  Another major event with hundreds of thousands of people in the streets and on the move.  Law enforcement will have its hands full once again and the people can help by being vigilant in their surroundings and their movements.  It is a yearly challenge and should always be a top priority to prepare for.  

Law enforcement has proved it can do the job, the real part is to have a steady policy that gives enforcement what is needed to do the job and keep in mind it is priority number one to keep property and life safe.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for January 2025.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy created 143,000 jobs in January and that the unemployment rate came in at 4%, down from 4.1% in December.  It was the 48th straight month of positive job growth.  It was the final numbers of Biden's term in office.  The unemployment rate when Biden took office was 6.3%, so unemployment was down 2.3% during Biden's term in office.  It was up 1.6% during Trump's term in office.  It was 4.7% when he took office and 6.3% the month he left office.  Unemployment being up on Trump's watch was no surprise since only one GOP administration in the last 96 years has left office with a lower unemployment rate than when he took office, and that was the Reagan administration.  In other words, the GOP have a very poor record at creating jobs.

January's numbers were also better than the numbers for January 2021, the month Trump left office.  Only 49,000 jobs were created that month and the unemployment rate came in at 6.3%.  That was also the month Trump sent his riot mob to the nation's capitol to try and overturn the Presidential election of 2020 and obstruct the peaceful transfer of power.  In January 2025, President Biden made sure the peaceful transfer of power would take place for the newly elected President.

A soon to come Politidose commentary will recap the results of President Biden's term in office and compare that to the first term of President Trump.  The numbers should surprise no who keeps up with the facts and it was all predicted in Politidose commentary in December 2020 and January 2021, before Biden actually took office and the reasons why.  Just recently, the Feds, members of the business community and economist reported that Trump has inherited a strong economy, labor market and low unemployment that should keep the economy strong.

So, the Biden administration has come to an end on a positive note despite the negative voices of doom and gloom over the last 4 years.  The lying talk of recession, mass layoffs and higher unemployment never took place and to top it off, there were never any numbers over a period of time that pointed to those events taking place.  It was a complete betrayal of the people and the administration.  But during the whole period and for the past 10 years, Politidose told the real story in commentary.  So, stay tune to Politidose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio  

Crime Plummeted In New Orleans In 2024.

 So says the NOPD's statistics released earlier in the new year.  The number of murders fell to one of the lowest levels since the 1970's and overall categories saw a decline as well.  It was the second straight decline that began in 2023. The reduction in the crime rates tracked what took place on the national level as crime was down on President Biden's watch his last three years in office.

The Louisiana GOP are miffed because the reductions took place long before Jeff Landry took office, his appointment of a crime commission and the station of the State Police in the French Quarter.  The GOP are noted for trying to take credit for the good things that take place on the democratic watch. 

Two years of good news is not enough, it needs to become a priority policy that can be repeated to improve over time and stay on a level that is not a threat to the City and its people.  The negative voices who would like to see the City fail will always be there with their doom and gloom predictions.  Good results will never satisfy them because that is all they have left and nothing new to offer.

The Super Bowl and Mardi Gras which is around the corner, will test our law enforcement officers once again, are expected to do a good job of protecting.  The past record has been a good one overall.  Now that the lies and misinformation given out by some elected officials about the terror attack on New Year's day has been refuted by the facts, our law enforcement officers can move beyond that and do what they do best.  Protect the City, property and life.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

The City of New Orleans, The Super Bowl, Mardi Gras and The Jazz Fest.

 The terror attack in the New Orleans French Quarter on New Year's day 2025 was a tragic event that raised questions about future safety of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras which will take place within the next 36 days.  Sadly the attack also put the negative voices of politics on record with their lies and misinformation about the attack, who the attacker was, where he came from and etc.

The City of New Orleans and law enforcement know something about keeping the city safe and has a record of doing so.  The city has hosted 10 Super Bowls, over 100 years of Mardi Gras and decades of the Jazz Fest and for most of those events over the years have been safe.  All three of those events have thousands of people sitting or standing shoulder to shoulder, a good target for an attack, but all in all, carried out safely.  The positive news should be talked about because the capabilities are there and witnessed by the public.

A terror attack can be carried out at any time and place and over the years has done so.  But so has mass shooting deaths in many American cities.  And those attacks have taken place despite the so called "tough talk" by some political leaders.  What is needed is a top priority by State and Federal governments, along with intelligence that can define and disrupt such attacks before they occur.  That is what brought Bin Laden to justice, not "tough talk."

We should learn from what took place on New Years day and at the same time understand that the City does have the capabilities to continue to keep the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras and the Jazz Fest safe with the proper steps of safety.  The positives do tell a story that balances the lies and misinformation political people like to spin when tragic events take place.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, The Times Picayune and Their Alternate Reality To Facts.

 A Times Picayune article of January 12 titled, "A New Era" by staff writer Tyller Bridges represents a continuation of the Trump-GOP plan of an alternate reality to mask the failures of their own party.  Bridges long article highlights a picture of Landry next to a statement Landry made concerning the country which dovetails with Louisiana in other parts of the article.  The statement reads as follows and I quote:

A VEIN OF POPULIST CONSERVATISM HAS BEEN RUNNING THROUGH THE COUNTRY FOR THE PAST DECADE NOW.  THAT REALLY SUITS THE POLITICS OF LOUISIANA AS WELL.  IT'S WORKING FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE AND THE POLICIES WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PUT INTO PLACE.   LOUISIANA IS TURNING THE PAGE ON A NEW CHAPTER THAT'S GOING TO DAWN, A NEW ERA.

That decade that Landry speaks of for the country takes in the last two years of President Obama's administration, four years of the Trump administration and four years of the Biden administration. That is the decade of 10 years Landry talks about.  And those 10 years which covers three Presidential elections, the republican Presidential candidate never received 50% of the popular vote.  So that decade was not a vein of populist conservatism by any means.  The 2024 Presidential election was not even a vein of populist conservatism because Trump, once again never achieved receiving 50% of the popular vote.  

The last decade on the state level covered the last two years of the Jindal administration and eight years of the John B. Edwards administration.  Jindal left office in disgrace, never really balanced one state budget and left a $2 billion deficit for Edwards to deal with.  Edwards balanced the budget for eight years and left the Landry administration a surplus.  Jindal was no fiscal conservative and Edwards was a fiscal responsible Governor.  The idea that the last decade was a populist conservatism time on the state and federal level is a fairy tale and alternate reality pushed by Trump and the GOP.

As of this writing, Governor Landry has not even completed his first fiscal year yet that ends June 30, 2025 and Trump has yet to take office so no one yet knows if there will be "A New Era" and if there is one, what will it be???  The GOP use terms like populist conservatism, woke, personal attacks and plain old lies and misinformation to create their alternate reality.  It is their way to normalize their support for a convicted criminal like Donald Trump and the corruption of their own party.  

A New Era in Louisiana began with the Edwards administration:  Balanced budgets, a record of low unemployment, stable government and sanity in governing with no scandals.  Today's GOP are no conservative party, they gave that up long ago.  There will come a time when the people can make a judgement on Landry and Trump's time in office and compare that time to their rhetoric.

PolitiDose has already answered the question in recent commentary/

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

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

 The month of December 2024 was President Biden's last full month in office that shaped a good economy which has a significant effect on the future of the U.S. economy going into the new year.  The end of December also discredited the negative voices who first called for the start of an economic recession to begin in the 2nd quarter of 2022 and every quarter thereafter.  But there will be no economic recession on the watch of President Biden.

The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 256,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate came in at 4.1%, it was 4.2% in November.  Unemployment has been in the 3-4% range for the past 35 consecutive months, the best showing since the 1960's.  The unemployment rate when Trump left office was 6.3%, so unemployment was down 2.2% on President Biden's watch.  It was up 1.6% on Trump's watch (first term) when the economy lost 2.7 million jobs.  The Department also reported the economy has created 16.1 million jobs on Biden's watch for an annual average of 335,416 jobs.  A record of any Presidential term.  The unemployment rate when President Obama left office was 4.7%

And additionally, the Department also reported, "the economy and hiring were able to grow at a solid pace even with interest rates much higher than they were before the pandemic.  Overall, the solid jobs figures suggest the economy is entering a period of steady growth."

With President Biden having only 8 more days in office, the negative voices of doom and gloom will die in their own BS.  So, as of this writing, the only bar to a continuation of a good economy is Donald Trump and his party's failed economic record of the past.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  The negative voices are Trump, the GOP, Maga and those who want to see President Biden fail.

Felony, Felon and Criminal.

 Webster's dictionary defines a Felon as, "A person guilty of a major crime."  "Criminal."  It defines a Felony as, "A major crime."  It defines a Criminal as, "being a crime involving or related to crime."  "guilty of a crime." "a person guilty of a major crime or convicted of a crime."  "having the nature of crime."  So, President-elect Donald Trump is a convicted criminal as a result of being found guilty on 34 felony counts by a jury of his peers.  When one is found guilty of a felony, one is found guilty of a crime.

Yet, the media has failed to call Trump for what he is, a convicted criminal.  They do not even refer to him as a convicted felon.  But they are happy to report Trump's nasty personal attacks against everyone using foul language and even calling V.P. Harris garbage and attacking the court system with lies and misinformation.  The facts are clear, Trump is a convicted criminal, but the media dislikes the facts in favor of Trump's lies.  

It is much past time for the media to shut down Trump's personal attacks, lies and misinformation, and talk about Trump, the President-elect as the convicted criminal that he is.  The chaos that the media helped create should end immediately.  The country has already waited 9 long years.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Fate, Destiny and Wisdom: The Key To Understanding a Better Life and Progress.

 Webster's dictionary describes fate and destiny as interchangeable, but the very first civilization on Earth, that of the Sumerians that began circa 3800 b.c. said they were taught that destiny, which they called NAM was preordained and un-alterable.  That fate was a preordained course of events that could be altered. They called fate NAM-TAR, TAR meaning to cut, break, disturb or change.

The Sumerians believed man's destiny was only to die, could not be changed or altered.  That man could choose and then alter his fate.  Example:  Man is not fated to be a plumber, electrician, salesman, etc, etc. and can change his fate when he wishes to do so.  The Sumerians applied that to their own philosophy in life.  It went along side their teaching that "the key to a better future is to understand the mistakes of the failed past."  Other wise, the future will be like the failed past.

We in America use the words fate and destiny like Webster describes in the dictionary, but the Sumerians knew better.  Our political leaders do not understand the word fate, and that by an act of fate can change the course of the world for the better.  Their failure to do so has fated man to repeat the same failed mistakes of the past.  Man's destiny will surely take place no matter what we do, so man has to have the wisdom to use his fate in the proper manner.

Donald Trump entered political life 9 years ago and choose a political fate for himself and the country never seen before.  He fated himself, the country, its people and the system to an alternate reality of lies, misinformation, propaganda, personal attacks and corruption.  The media responded with their own fated decision of enabling Trump's alternate reality and allowing Trump to dominate the news cycle.  The media had the opportunity to choose another fate of handling Trump, but instead played into his hand.

Trump's first term in office was fated to fail and it did so.  He will now take office once again on January 20 with a promise of more of the same fate and there is no reason to believe that the media will change its fate as to how to cover Trump in a second term.  Trump and the media's fate will be one and the same again, therefore the future will be like the failed past.  Man's fate will once again be compromised by man himself.    

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio

Donald Trump, The GOP, Terror and Domestic Safety.

 As President and now President elect, Trump still talks tough which represents the GOP's failure to address terror and domestic violence.  Trump's so called tough talk on social media soon after the terrorist attack in New Orleans on New Years morning calling the attacker an immigrant was a big lie and therefor did not address the issue.  

The attacker was born in the U.S., raised in the U.S. schooled in the U.S. worked in the U.S. and served in the U.S. military.  Trump's rage and big lie trying to link the terrorist with immigration, once again demonstrates how Trump is mentally unfit to serve in the White House as President of the U.S.  America needs to be reminded what took place on the GOP's watch concerning terror attacks and domestic violence.

During Trump's first term in office two separate terror attacks took place in New York a month apart early on that killed multiple people.  There was also a terror attack in Florida that took the lives of two military Americans on base led by a Saudi operative.  All toll there were several more terror attacks that took place.  The worst mass shooting and killing took place in Las Vegas in 2017 killing 58 people.  Another mass shooting and killing took place in Southerland Springs, Tex in 2017 killing 26 people; another one in in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people in 2018 and another one in El Paso, Tex. in 2019 that killed 23 people for a total of 124 people killed in mass shootings, all on Trump's watch.  

Then there was Trump's January 6 mob attack on the national capitol that took the lives of several people, destroyed property that ended in prison time for over 100 of the rioters who Trump says he will pardon.  Domestic crime was up on Trump's watch his last three years in office and culminated with a record murder rate in 2020.  And over the past number of years, 7 or 8 of the top ten states with the highest gun violence death rates were governed by the GOP.  

The worst foreign terror attack against Americans on foreign soil took place in Beirut in 1983 on President Reagan's watch while he was trying to talk tough.  Terrorist blew up the U.S. Marine compound that killed 241 Marines and wounded many others.  Reagan never brought any of the planners of that attack to justice.  Reagan's decision to send the Marines to Beirut were opposed by his Department of Defense.  

The worst foreign terror attack against Americans on America soil took place on the watch of President George W. Bush on 9/11 when over 3,000 Americans were killed.  Bush came into the office also talking tough against terrorists but it did not work.  Bush had 7 years and three months to bring Bin Laden to justice for planning the attack but failed to do so.  President Obama did bring Bin Laden to justice because he made it his top priority.  After Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq over WMD that did not exist, it was terrorists who came to Iraq and were responsible for killing and wounding American troops.  Iraqi's army was already destroyed early in the war.

Terror attacks can take place during any administration mainly because America is an open country with freedom.  The best guard against terrorism is a good intelligence policy and plans with a top priority commitment.  So called tough talk does not scare nor is it a policy to stop a terrorist from attacking when the terrorist is willing to kill his own self in the attack.  The big problem for the GOP and the country relates to their ideology of governing.  When you govern by ideology, there are no plans or policy, therefore no real effort on the issues.  Democratic administrations govern with policy and plans to address the issue at hand and therefor do a better job at governing and protecting America and its people.

On January 20, Trump's second term will begin and a mentally unfit for office President will be running the country once again.  Will the future be like the failed past?

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  All numbers related to terror attacks and domestic violence taken from FBI records, Historical terror records by the Federal Government, from Statista and The Gun Violence Archives.