The American news media in the last week or so has reported the peace process in the middle east between Israel and Palestine is on the verge of collapse. Unfortunately, those reports have taken on a tone of failure by the United States and Secretary Kerry once again to settle an age old problem not created by the United States.
If indeed the talks fail the blame belongs to both Israel and Palestine, make no mistake about that. Their problems go back over 2000 years and was created by religions beliefs that is still playing havoc through out the middle east. Jerusalem has been a holy place for Jews, Christians, Arabs and Moslems since before biblical times but Israel wants Jerusalem all to itself.
Religion teaches that Jesus preached in the Jerusalem temple and that one day, god his father will return there for his earthly abode. The Moslem faith teaches that the prophet Mohammed's ascented to heaven from the sacred dome of the rock that sits on top of the temple mount. The sanctity of Jerusalem is well known by scholars.
Israel, its jewish people and the people of the Arab world have the same father, Abraham. Abraham's son Ishmael was born to him and Hagar, a slave of Abraham's wife Sarah. Isaac was the son of Abraham to him and his wife Sarah. Trying to define what territory is Israel and what is Palestine is one of the great problems why peace has been evasive and religion is at the core of the problem.
Written records have been discovered concerning the bible lands and the middle east where thousands of years ago kings of those lands said they went to war against other nations and kings on the order of their god. If that sounds familiar it is because leaders of some nations in that region are still killing people in the name of their god.
The lack of a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine lie at their own door step and not the United States inability to broker a true peace. The people of America understand how religion in that part of the world is used to divide and not unite. It is a leson the people of the United States should not let itself get trapped in. Our fore fathers showed their wisdom concerning the separation of church and state and those who try to divide us along religious lines should be rejected loud and clear.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Another First For "PolitiDose."
"PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary is once again in the fore front of correctly pointing out how the democratic party has performed better than the republican party in governing and moving the country forward. The latest report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) concerning the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a good example. Lets look at what has happened concerning Health Care issues.
In 2004 the Bush administration and the republican controlled congress(they controlled both the House and the Senate) passed a prescription drug benefit that Bush said would cost no more than $400 billion over the next decade. Republicans in congress signed on while the democrats pointed out the program would actually cost a lot more based on several congressional reports. That prescription drug benefit, now in its last year of the decade has cost over $900 billion according to the CBO and will cost over $1 trillion when the decade ends. That is three times the number Bush quoted. The republicans knew of the problem and did nothing to correct. That prescription drug benefit was also financed with deficit spending which the taxpayers are still paying for with interest.
In 2010 the democrats controlled both houses of congress and passed the Presidents proposal called the ACA. The President said it was fully paid for, would reduce the federal deficit and lower insurance cost over the next decade. The CBO in its report just the other day concerning the ACA said the cost would be approximately $104 billion lower over the decade than originally thought. Also that private insurance premium for the benchmark :silver level plan" would be 15% less that projected in 2009. The CBO also laid out many other items in the ACA that is saving health care cost. It will also reduce the federal deficit.
This information concerning Health Care is just another example of what has been pointed out over and over in "PolitiDose." Democratic administrations do a better job at governing than republican administrations regardless if its health care, the economy, job creation, balancing the budget, cutting federal spending, lowering unemployment and the list goes on and on.
For those who seek the facts and are looking for a way to navigate the sound bites and misinformation given out by the news media, especially cable television, tune them out. Naa, I'm just kidding, I know you won't do that. But there is a credible alternative. PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
In 2004 the Bush administration and the republican controlled congress(they controlled both the House and the Senate) passed a prescription drug benefit that Bush said would cost no more than $400 billion over the next decade. Republicans in congress signed on while the democrats pointed out the program would actually cost a lot more based on several congressional reports. That prescription drug benefit, now in its last year of the decade has cost over $900 billion according to the CBO and will cost over $1 trillion when the decade ends. That is three times the number Bush quoted. The republicans knew of the problem and did nothing to correct. That prescription drug benefit was also financed with deficit spending which the taxpayers are still paying for with interest.
In 2010 the democrats controlled both houses of congress and passed the Presidents proposal called the ACA. The President said it was fully paid for, would reduce the federal deficit and lower insurance cost over the next decade. The CBO in its report just the other day concerning the ACA said the cost would be approximately $104 billion lower over the decade than originally thought. Also that private insurance premium for the benchmark :silver level plan" would be 15% less that projected in 2009. The CBO also laid out many other items in the ACA that is saving health care cost. It will also reduce the federal deficit.
This information concerning Health Care is just another example of what has been pointed out over and over in "PolitiDose." Democratic administrations do a better job at governing than republican administrations regardless if its health care, the economy, job creation, balancing the budget, cutting federal spending, lowering unemployment and the list goes on and on.
For those who seek the facts and are looking for a way to navigate the sound bites and misinformation given out by the news media, especially cable television, tune them out. Naa, I'm just kidding, I know you won't do that. But there is a credible alternative. PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
President Obama"s Performance In Office
During the 2008 Presidential campaign this writer supported Senator Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination. Senator Chris Dodd was my second choice. I did so because I believed they had the best qualifacations and the most experience to deal with being President. I did not think Mr. Obama had the experience nor the time in political life to take that giant step.
It is history now and Obama won the democratic nomination and then beat Senator John McCain to become the 44th. President of the United States. In our system of government we have only one President at a time and regardless who that person is the people have always rallied around him, especially in difficult times. I was willing to give President Obama a chance after his election and as of this writing I am glad I did so. There is no doubt in my mind, despite his lack of experience he was a better choice than Senator McCain and much better than Mitt Romney.
I expressed my feelings toward Obama during the 2008 campaign in commentary here in PolitiDose and my preference for Joe Biden. I was of the opinion that even Hilliary Clinton would be a better choice than Obama. I wrote a commentary prior to the 2012 election expressing my disappointment with some things Obama did or had not done and said I thought he should not seek reelection if he could not stand up to the republicans and move his agenda.
I think the people made the right choice in both elections over the republican choice. The President is no Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy or Clinton but he has handled an inherited situation well considering the republican's constant will to obstruct and opposition on every thing the President proposes. The relentless negative pronouncements of the conservative news media against the President has been shameful.
President Obama may be lacking but he has demonstrated that America and its people come first in policy matters and that he would not govern by an ideology that thrives on fear and misinformation. The country and its people are better off today than they were prior to his election.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
It is history now and Obama won the democratic nomination and then beat Senator John McCain to become the 44th. President of the United States. In our system of government we have only one President at a time and regardless who that person is the people have always rallied around him, especially in difficult times. I was willing to give President Obama a chance after his election and as of this writing I am glad I did so. There is no doubt in my mind, despite his lack of experience he was a better choice than Senator McCain and much better than Mitt Romney.
I expressed my feelings toward Obama during the 2008 campaign in commentary here in PolitiDose and my preference for Joe Biden. I was of the opinion that even Hilliary Clinton would be a better choice than Obama. I wrote a commentary prior to the 2012 election expressing my disappointment with some things Obama did or had not done and said I thought he should not seek reelection if he could not stand up to the republicans and move his agenda.
I think the people made the right choice in both elections over the republican choice. The President is no Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy or Clinton but he has handled an inherited situation well considering the republican's constant will to obstruct and opposition on every thing the President proposes. The relentless negative pronouncements of the conservative news media against the President has been shameful.
President Obama may be lacking but he has demonstrated that America and its people come first in policy matters and that he would not govern by an ideology that thrives on fear and misinformation. The country and its people are better off today than they were prior to his election.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
The U.S. House Passes A Budget To No Where.
Last week the republican controlled House passed the Ryan budget that was the subject of this writers commentary a few weeks ago. Louisiana tea party rep., Steve Scalise's republican study committee's budget proposal was also introduced and defeated. The conservative ideology of the republican party in the House is so far apart, debate is out of the question.
The Ryan budget will go no where as long as Obama is President and for good reason. The country and its people lost again with the budget vote. It wasted time like the 50 plus times the House has voted to repeal the ACA which also will never happen on Obama's watch. The conservatives have been brazen in their zeal to make the U.S. House none productive and there fore bring down one house of congress.
The U.S. Senate although controlled by the democratic party do not have the 60 votes necessary to pass legislature on their own. They need several cross over votes from republicans and have been able on some important issues to obtain those cross over votes with compromise. The senate passed the President's jobs bill to rebuild and repair the nations infrastructure, a immigration bill, an extension on unemployment insurance and others that the republican controlled house has never even considered for debate. Their own ideology is so far apart and childish they are allowing their 2016 Presidential hopefuls to sound bite the issues.
John Boehner's actions and inactions as speaker of the house has allowed his party to bring disgrace upon that institution. His ideology will not allow him to stand up and be an American first who has a responsibility to the people and the country to move forward. Its all about wanting to see a democratic administration fail.
Just maybe the voters in November will step back and give thought to electing enough democrats to return control of the house to them, keep the democrats majority in the senate and trust the President to do the right thing for all concerned This writer thinks he deserves the chAnce to have his policies debated in congress. The republican party has had their chance under Obama and has failed. They also had their chance under President Bush and failed. The Ryan budget does not balance the federal budget for the next 10 years. The deficit under the Obama administration has been reduced over 60% and the nation is on its way to a balanced budget that could happen before the President leaves office.
Ideology as practiced today by the leaders of the republic party is still unAmerican in nature and part of their elite thinking to make every one subject to their warped minds. The greatest generation if it existed during their time would have rejected this ideology. And now we, in this generation should reject it also in favor of American common sense solutions.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
The Ryan budget will go no where as long as Obama is President and for good reason. The country and its people lost again with the budget vote. It wasted time like the 50 plus times the House has voted to repeal the ACA which also will never happen on Obama's watch. The conservatives have been brazen in their zeal to make the U.S. House none productive and there fore bring down one house of congress.
The U.S. Senate although controlled by the democratic party do not have the 60 votes necessary to pass legislature on their own. They need several cross over votes from republicans and have been able on some important issues to obtain those cross over votes with compromise. The senate passed the President's jobs bill to rebuild and repair the nations infrastructure, a immigration bill, an extension on unemployment insurance and others that the republican controlled house has never even considered for debate. Their own ideology is so far apart and childish they are allowing their 2016 Presidential hopefuls to sound bite the issues.
John Boehner's actions and inactions as speaker of the house has allowed his party to bring disgrace upon that institution. His ideology will not allow him to stand up and be an American first who has a responsibility to the people and the country to move forward. Its all about wanting to see a democratic administration fail.
Just maybe the voters in November will step back and give thought to electing enough democrats to return control of the house to them, keep the democrats majority in the senate and trust the President to do the right thing for all concerned This writer thinks he deserves the chAnce to have his policies debated in congress. The republican party has had their chance under Obama and has failed. They also had their chance under President Bush and failed. The Ryan budget does not balance the federal budget for the next 10 years. The deficit under the Obama administration has been reduced over 60% and the nation is on its way to a balanced budget that could happen before the President leaves office.
Ideology as practiced today by the leaders of the republic party is still unAmerican in nature and part of their elite thinking to make every one subject to their warped minds. The greatest generation if it existed during their time would have rejected this ideology. And now we, in this generation should reject it also in favor of American common sense solutions.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Family Values In Our Political System
Once again the people of America are exposed to a U.S. Representative from Louisiana who campaigned on family values and was caught on camera in a situation deemed not to represent those values. The act that was caught on camera does not in itself convey the real problem or issue. The real story here is that conservatives have used family values in their campaigns in order to appeal to a certain base like they do with other issues such as religion, abortion and sexual orientation.
Those issues are used in a way to make their opponets seem morally corrupt. There are so many politicians who have had to eat crow on the family values issue. One should think a lesson would have been learned by now. Conservatives really started to use the family value story after Reagan was elected President. They found themselves unable to compete as a party and therefore came up with a phony way to divide and conquer. Television evangelist use the same tactics and reel in millions of dollars in contributions from their T.V. base.
It never seems to fail when a politician preaches family values or character, he himself ends up being the person with out character of family values. The response from some elected officials in Louisiana concerning this latest fall from grace was that the errant representative should resign. Some compared his actions to a U.S. Senator and said the republican party let that sin ride and did not seek his resignation.
This repeated story is a prime example of our political systems failure to attract serious public servants who are not afraid of campaigning on the issues facing the country and its people. You either have family values or you lack them. Those who do need not talk about it. Those who don't and say they do are as phony as the Fox News Network who say they are fair and balanced.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Those issues are used in a way to make their opponets seem morally corrupt. There are so many politicians who have had to eat crow on the family values issue. One should think a lesson would have been learned by now. Conservatives really started to use the family value story after Reagan was elected President. They found themselves unable to compete as a party and therefore came up with a phony way to divide and conquer. Television evangelist use the same tactics and reel in millions of dollars in contributions from their T.V. base.
It never seems to fail when a politician preaches family values or character, he himself ends up being the person with out character of family values. The response from some elected officials in Louisiana concerning this latest fall from grace was that the errant representative should resign. Some compared his actions to a U.S. Senator and said the republican party let that sin ride and did not seek his resignation.
This repeated story is a prime example of our political systems failure to attract serious public servants who are not afraid of campaigning on the issues facing the country and its people. You either have family values or you lack them. Those who do need not talk about it. Those who don't and say they do are as phony as the Fox News Network who say they are fair and balanced.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The Political Cartel: Corporate America, Political Action Committees And Elected Officials.
Has anyone noticed how the above cartel has become so brazen in their corruption of the political system? All three interweave and undermine the democratic process that is so necessary for civility and order in society, and especially in govrnment.
Corporate America and PAC's flaunt their wealth to corrupt the system and elected officials flaunt their willingness in giving special favors to them. They even defend them when they are wrong. A good example is how Louisiana's elected officials opposed the moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP disaster that killed 11 rig workers and made all kinds of failed predictions if the moratorium stayed in place. And now elected officials in Louisiana will introduce legislation to kill the suit filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies that have raped Louisiana's environment over the past 50 years.
The wealthy Wall Street Banks who helped bring down the economy because of their influence with elected officials that let regulations slide and to top it off they are still operating as usual. In a story published in the Times Picayune dated 4/9/14 reports that federal regulators voted to require banks to raise their minimum ratio of capital to loans to 5% from the current 3% which is just a slap on the wrist.It applies to eight banks deemed so big and interconnected that each could threaten the global financial system. In this writers judgement that describes a monopoly and should be broken up period.
The 8 banks it applies too are Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Bank of N.Y. Mellon and State Street Bank. We already know what those banks did to the American economy because the country and its people are still feeling the effects. Once again, becuse of the wealth connection to our political system a slap on the wrist is given to this monopoly. President's Harry Truman, Franklin Roosevelt and Teddy Roosevelt had the courage to break monopolies up during their time.
The cartel has been effective in fooling the people in believing that the oil industry needs $8 billion in tax breaks, that Corporate America can earn billions of dollars in net profit and still not pay any taxes, that regulations cost jobs, that the minimum wage is not necessary, that the tax loopholes that congress created for the wealthy is ok. The list goes on and on. I wrote a commentary titled, Too Big To Fail dated 4/17/10 here in PolitiDose and that commentary is still applicable today.
The cartel has undermined what good government is all about. When one hears an elected official say government should be run like a business that is the code word for eliminating the natural relationship of governments responsibility to the people. It also tells Corporate America welcome to the political world of special interest. To the cartel, government and the people are pawns to be used for their own satisfaction. They lack character, courage and understanding of what being an American is all about. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Corporate America and PAC's flaunt their wealth to corrupt the system and elected officials flaunt their willingness in giving special favors to them. They even defend them when they are wrong. A good example is how Louisiana's elected officials opposed the moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP disaster that killed 11 rig workers and made all kinds of failed predictions if the moratorium stayed in place. And now elected officials in Louisiana will introduce legislation to kill the suit filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies that have raped Louisiana's environment over the past 50 years.
The wealthy Wall Street Banks who helped bring down the economy because of their influence with elected officials that let regulations slide and to top it off they are still operating as usual. In a story published in the Times Picayune dated 4/9/14 reports that federal regulators voted to require banks to raise their minimum ratio of capital to loans to 5% from the current 3% which is just a slap on the wrist.It applies to eight banks deemed so big and interconnected that each could threaten the global financial system. In this writers judgement that describes a monopoly and should be broken up period.
The 8 banks it applies too are Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Bank of N.Y. Mellon and State Street Bank. We already know what those banks did to the American economy because the country and its people are still feeling the effects. Once again, becuse of the wealth connection to our political system a slap on the wrist is given to this monopoly. President's Harry Truman, Franklin Roosevelt and Teddy Roosevelt had the courage to break monopolies up during their time.
The cartel has been effective in fooling the people in believing that the oil industry needs $8 billion in tax breaks, that Corporate America can earn billions of dollars in net profit and still not pay any taxes, that regulations cost jobs, that the minimum wage is not necessary, that the tax loopholes that congress created for the wealthy is ok. The list goes on and on. I wrote a commentary titled, Too Big To Fail dated 4/17/10 here in PolitiDose and that commentary is still applicable today.
The cartel has undermined what good government is all about. When one hears an elected official say government should be run like a business that is the code word for eliminating the natural relationship of governments responsibility to the people. It also tells Corporate America welcome to the political world of special interest. To the cartel, government and the people are pawns to be used for their own satisfaction. They lack character, courage and understanding of what being an American is all about. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Job Creation Continues Under The Obama Administration.
The economy created 192,000 jobs in March according to the latest Department of Labor report. That brought job creation in positive territory for over four straight years and still counting. The economy continues to require assistance to continue short and long term growth. It also needs republicans to get over their petty and childish committment to destroy the Obama administration. The failure of their party during the previous administration was the catalist for their desire and conservative ideology to obstruct.
President Obama started his 6th year in office in January with the unemployment rate lower than it was when he took office. The unemployment rate when Bush 43 started his 6th year in office was up from when he took office and was up 3.6% when he left office. President Obama inherited far more problems when he took office than President Bush did when he took office. When one considers the republican's promise to obstruct, any fair minded person would have to admit President Obama has done a good job.
This writer's commentary concerning precedent titled, An Economic Turnaround: Job Creation and Fiscal Stability, There Is A Precedent, dated 12./14/09 has come to pass and once again it is a democratic administration that is moving the economy, creating jobs, reducing the federal deficit, reducing federal spending and lowering the unemployment rate.
History has confirmed it is democratic administrations that do a better job for the country and its people in almost every area of progress compared to republican administrations. The republicans would love to take control of both houses of congress in November to make sure that the Obama administration ends in failure as the Bush administration did. Their ideology has no redemptive value and as a result would like to see the future be like the past.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
President Obama started his 6th year in office in January with the unemployment rate lower than it was when he took office. The unemployment rate when Bush 43 started his 6th year in office was up from when he took office and was up 3.6% when he left office. President Obama inherited far more problems when he took office than President Bush did when he took office. When one considers the republican's promise to obstruct, any fair minded person would have to admit President Obama has done a good job.
This writer's commentary concerning precedent titled, An Economic Turnaround: Job Creation and Fiscal Stability, There Is A Precedent, dated 12./14/09 has come to pass and once again it is a democratic administration that is moving the economy, creating jobs, reducing the federal deficit, reducing federal spending and lowering the unemployment rate.
History has confirmed it is democratic administrations that do a better job for the country and its people in almost every area of progress compared to republican administrations. The republicans would love to take control of both houses of congress in November to make sure that the Obama administration ends in failure as the Bush administration did. Their ideology has no redemptive value and as a result would like to see the future be like the past.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Monday, April 7, 2014
The Latest Supreme Court Decision: Another Blow To The Election Process
First it was the Supreme Court's decision in Citizins United that treated corporations as people and allowed them unliminted amounts to spend on campaigns out side political parties. The ads you see in Louisiana by the Koch brothers(who are outsiders) against Senator Mary Landrieu is a good example.
Now we have last weeks decision concerning McCuteheon which also releases a flood of money into political campaigns. Columnist David Brooks said it is a win for political parties. Newt Gingrich said it will allow the middle class to compete with wealthy PAC's. Gingrich, a perennial candidate loves it because politicians go after the money. Brooks, a news media person loves it because the news media sell ads to all the wealthy who spend millions so politicians can be beholden to them. Make no mistake these two decisions will continue to destroy our democratic form of government.
There is only one thing left to do in order to stop the buying of elected officials by the wealthy and to put the special interest people out of business. The answer is what I have written about in several commentaries here in PolitiDose. Politicians have to stand up and refuse to take any money from anyone and be innovative in changing how campaigns are financed and run. All it takes is character, courage and balls. David Brooks said you can't take money out of politics, a neat way of saying he supports the status quo. Campaigns should be shorter. The news media is already promoting the 2016 Presidential race and leading the charge is the Fox News Network, the network of lies and misinformation.
The same greedy people who are spending all the money are the same ones who demand the tax breaks, loop holes and special treatment so they can add to their wealth and greed. They are the sames ones who oppose raising the minimum wage and want to operate outside of regulations. A wise Louisiana Assessor once said, Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Abslolutely. That is just what is happening in our political system today between the special interest and our elected officials.
By the way, there is another way to eliminate money in campaigns and the Supreme Court would have no say in the matter just as they do not have any say if a politician rejects campaign contributions. If enough people are interested I will write a commentary on the subject matter in the future.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Now we have last weeks decision concerning McCuteheon which also releases a flood of money into political campaigns. Columnist David Brooks said it is a win for political parties. Newt Gingrich said it will allow the middle class to compete with wealthy PAC's. Gingrich, a perennial candidate loves it because politicians go after the money. Brooks, a news media person loves it because the news media sell ads to all the wealthy who spend millions so politicians can be beholden to them. Make no mistake these two decisions will continue to destroy our democratic form of government.
There is only one thing left to do in order to stop the buying of elected officials by the wealthy and to put the special interest people out of business. The answer is what I have written about in several commentaries here in PolitiDose. Politicians have to stand up and refuse to take any money from anyone and be innovative in changing how campaigns are financed and run. All it takes is character, courage and balls. David Brooks said you can't take money out of politics, a neat way of saying he supports the status quo. Campaigns should be shorter. The news media is already promoting the 2016 Presidential race and leading the charge is the Fox News Network, the network of lies and misinformation.
The same greedy people who are spending all the money are the same ones who demand the tax breaks, loop holes and special treatment so they can add to their wealth and greed. They are the sames ones who oppose raising the minimum wage and want to operate outside of regulations. A wise Louisiana Assessor once said, Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Abslolutely. That is just what is happening in our political system today between the special interest and our elected officials.
By the way, there is another way to eliminate money in campaigns and the Supreme Court would have no say in the matter just as they do not have any say if a politician rejects campaign contributions. If enough people are interested I will write a commentary on the subject matter in the future.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
:Paul Ryan And The Latest Republican Budget
The U.S. House budget committee chairman Paul Ryan's latest budget is another fairy tale like the one he and Romney ran on during the 2012 Presidential campaign. The American people rejected that budget because they understood arithmetic.
Ryan's budget calls for spending cuts totaling $5 trillion over the next 10 years including steep cuts to medicaid, food stamps, a total repeal of the ACA and ending medicare as it exists today in favor of a private insured federal subsidy. It also calls for deficit spending for the next 10 years and a balanced budget in 2024. It should be noted that no republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and Ryan wants to extend that another 10 years.
Louisiana's Bill Cassidy in the U.S. House who is challenging democratic senator Mary Landrieu in a report by Bruce Alpert in the Times Picayune of 4/4/14 reported he is on the fence for Ryans budget and that he will evaluate the budget proposal. Cassidy has supported Ryan's previous budget proposal that was similiar. Seems like the coming election in November is now on Cassidy's mind.
The same article reports that Steve Scalise and his conservative republican study committee will offer a more aggressive deficit reduction budget soon. Scalise's study committee proposal includes raising the age to qualify for medicare and full social security benefits. This is a fore runner to eliminate medicare and social security in the future. Ryan indicated his budget is depending on the republicans taking over the Senate in November and controlling both houses of congress.
Never mind that the republicans controlled both houses of congress for the first 6 years of George W. Bush's terms in office and failed to cut spending when they had the chance to do so. In fact the Bush administration turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and all 8 years he served. In fact federal spending went up 61% during his two terms in office. (see my commentary titled, Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09.
The Obama administration has reduced the federal deficit over 60% since Bush's last fiscal year which ended up with a record one year deficit of over $1.4 trillion. And in the last 50 years it has been the administrations of Clinton and Obama that saw the smallest increase in federal spending. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 don't even come close. The republican party is still living in Wally, Wally world and just recycle their past failures with an ideology of contempt for their own supporters.
It is hell when you have no record of moving the country and its people forward. Is it any wonder why they can not debate the issues or articulate what they stand for?
This commentary written by John Lucia
Ryan's budget calls for spending cuts totaling $5 trillion over the next 10 years including steep cuts to medicaid, food stamps, a total repeal of the ACA and ending medicare as it exists today in favor of a private insured federal subsidy. It also calls for deficit spending for the next 10 years and a balanced budget in 2024. It should be noted that no republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and Ryan wants to extend that another 10 years.
Louisiana's Bill Cassidy in the U.S. House who is challenging democratic senator Mary Landrieu in a report by Bruce Alpert in the Times Picayune of 4/4/14 reported he is on the fence for Ryans budget and that he will evaluate the budget proposal. Cassidy has supported Ryan's previous budget proposal that was similiar. Seems like the coming election in November is now on Cassidy's mind.
The same article reports that Steve Scalise and his conservative republican study committee will offer a more aggressive deficit reduction budget soon. Scalise's study committee proposal includes raising the age to qualify for medicare and full social security benefits. This is a fore runner to eliminate medicare and social security in the future. Ryan indicated his budget is depending on the republicans taking over the Senate in November and controlling both houses of congress.
Never mind that the republicans controlled both houses of congress for the first 6 years of George W. Bush's terms in office and failed to cut spending when they had the chance to do so. In fact the Bush administration turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and all 8 years he served. In fact federal spending went up 61% during his two terms in office. (see my commentary titled, Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09.
The Obama administration has reduced the federal deficit over 60% since Bush's last fiscal year which ended up with a record one year deficit of over $1.4 trillion. And in the last 50 years it has been the administrations of Clinton and Obama that saw the smallest increase in federal spending. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 don't even come close. The republican party is still living in Wally, Wally world and just recycle their past failures with an ideology of contempt for their own supporters.
It is hell when you have no record of moving the country and its people forward. Is it any wonder why they can not debate the issues or articulate what they stand for?
This commentary written by John Lucia
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
The Affordable Care Act Has Reached Its Enrollment Goal.
President Obama and the news media announced that 7.1 million people have enrolled in the
ACA and there will be more to come because of the President's extension for those who have applications in the pipe line.
The positive approach to the ACA by President Obama over came the negative noise machine by republicans in congress, the conservative news media and the unAmerican Fox News Network. Those negative voices showed they do not have the character to debate the real issues concerning health care, something this writer has written about many times over here in PolitiDose. They took the low road and used scare tactics, spoke about death panels that don't exist and flat out said over and over that Obamacare was dead. They also attenpted to plant the seed that the initial computer problems concerning sign up meant the ACA would not work.
President Obama showed his courage when early on he used his executive powers to make changes such as delaying the sign up time for business, both small and large. By doing so he took the politics out of the issue and left the republicans steaming. The best course to pursue between now and the next enrollment period in this writers opinion would be to let matters play out and see how health services are administered to those newly insured people and when the need arises and what type of problems pops up, if any at all. They can then be addressed.
The worst thing that could happen is for republicans and democrats to rush to judgement and try to make changes to the ACA before the November elections for political purposes. President Obama can put a stop to that with his veto pen if it occurs. The President has demonstrated his willingness to change what is not working but has to keep both republicans and democrats under control so that the public's need is served over political rhetoric.
The President should continue to use his executive powers if necessary concerning the subject matter. There is a reason 7.1 million people have enrolled in the ACA and in due time the positive effects will out weigh the negative voices and the country and its people will be better off.
This commentary written by John Lucia
ACA and there will be more to come because of the President's extension for those who have applications in the pipe line.
The positive approach to the ACA by President Obama over came the negative noise machine by republicans in congress, the conservative news media and the unAmerican Fox News Network. Those negative voices showed they do not have the character to debate the real issues concerning health care, something this writer has written about many times over here in PolitiDose. They took the low road and used scare tactics, spoke about death panels that don't exist and flat out said over and over that Obamacare was dead. They also attenpted to plant the seed that the initial computer problems concerning sign up meant the ACA would not work.
President Obama showed his courage when early on he used his executive powers to make changes such as delaying the sign up time for business, both small and large. By doing so he took the politics out of the issue and left the republicans steaming. The best course to pursue between now and the next enrollment period in this writers opinion would be to let matters play out and see how health services are administered to those newly insured people and when the need arises and what type of problems pops up, if any at all. They can then be addressed.
The worst thing that could happen is for republicans and democrats to rush to judgement and try to make changes to the ACA before the November elections for political purposes. President Obama can put a stop to that with his veto pen if it occurs. The President has demonstrated his willingness to change what is not working but has to keep both republicans and democrats under control so that the public's need is served over political rhetoric.
The President should continue to use his executive powers if necessary concerning the subject matter. There is a reason 7.1 million people have enrolled in the ACA and in due time the positive effects will out weigh the negative voices and the country and its people will be better off.
This commentary written by John Lucia
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