The wisdom to learn from the mistakes of the past for a better future for Louisiana and its people or a repeat of past mistakes. A triple history will take place in January and play out for the next four years. A new year will begin in 2016, Bobby Jindal will be leaving office and democrat John Bel Edwards will become Louisiana's next governor. Six thousand years ago the worlds very first civilization, that of the Sumerians said they were taught that the key to a better future was to understanding the mistakes of the past.
Will Louisiana under the new leadership of governor Edwards follow that wisdom that was written down so long ago? This writer believes Edwards will and has started off well with his first appointments. The appointment of a republican to lead the Administration shows Edwards will keep his word and will not govern by dividing people. Having served in the state legislature, Edwards should be well aware of the past mistakes made in the last 8 years and Louisiana's future should not look like the past.
The new governor will be looking at some tough decisions. Bringing order and change to the state's fiscal house will be huge. Unemployment in the state is too high and not enough jobs are being created. Past budget cuts to education and other needed services for the people will have to be addressed in a positive way. Those issues can only be affected by sound policy that speak to the heart of the matter and not by ideology. We have been there and done that with a conservative ideology and it did not work.
Those first policy decisions will be important because it will set the agenda for the next four years and beyond. Most government problems are long term and require long term solutions. Louisiana is at the bottom of the list or near the bottom of all 50 states in poverty, health care and many other issues that can not change over night. But the right policy can put the state on a future path to positive change for the people and the quality of life.
Governor elect Edwards will be sworn into office at a critical time and the republican controlled legislature has to step up to the plate and work with his policy agenda to move the state and its people forward. They gave that courtesy to Jindal and should have the character and courage to extend that courtesy to and work with governor Edwards.
And yes, understanding the past is still the key to a better future.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
The Fifth Republican Presidential Debate: CNN And The Republican Candidates Try To Keep The Illusion Alive.
Wolf Blitzer, the lead moderator in Tuesday's debate framed his questions concerning Terrorism as if the American people were living in fear of a terrorist attack and of course the candidates responded with their own fear as if ISIS has already attacked the United States. The total debate was all about foreign policy, ISIS and immigration.
Illusion was all over the debate stage and it all rang hollow. President Obama has kept America safe despite the republican illusion and ISIS has been weakened in Iraq and Syria and continue to lose territory there. In fact the candidates said they would do the same thing the President has been doing to fight ISIS, that is lead a coalition. They rightly made a fool of themselves on ISIS and foreign policy. The illusion can't change the fact that President Obama has kept America and its people safe. And that still chaps them.
The debaters were so confused on foreign policy and terrorists they had to fall back on old reliable President Reagan. They then made things worse by trying to compare communism and terrorists. However, illusion about Reagan's handling of terrorists has also been exposed and laid bare. The planners of the terror attack on the Marine compound in Lebanon that killed 241 Marines were never brought to justice by the Reagan administration. It was the same President Reagan who sold military arms to Iran, (a terrorists nation at the time) in the Iran-Contra affair.
The republican candidates are still running against President Obama although he will not be on the ballot and Hillary Clinton who may be. Their names were mentioned many times during the debate. That is good for voters who follow the facts because both the President and Hillary have accomplished more for the country than all the candidates on the debate stage combined.
Governor Chris Christie showed the people he is not ready to be President when he said he would shoot down a Russian plane that violated a no fly zone if one was in effect. Presidents have procedures that they go through when such an event happens and do not shoot from the hip. Christie's position is a dangerous one.
The one thing that was not an illusion in the debate was the fact that the candidates, with the exception of Rand Paul are more than willing to make the same mistakes again in the middle east as their republican predecessors and that cost America the unnecessary loss of human life. President Obama's foreign policies are working despite the republican and CNN's illusions and this writer does not plan to live in fear, republican style.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Is It Gun Control Or Is It Crime Control
Home grown mass murder attacks in America have become common. Foreign directed terrorists attacks in America have not. Both however are crimes defined by our criminal justice system and both involve weapons. Gun control is mentioned after every attack by those who both support and oppose that so called answer. Each group expresses the reasons they support or oppose such gun control.
The answer is Crime Control and what works best at stopping mass murder regardless if domestic or foreign directed. The Brady Bill that was supported and passed during the Clinton administration banned assault weapons. Police chiefs all over America supported the bill and after being in effect for many years testified that it worked. They should know, right? The George W. Bush administration let the Brady Bill expire and assault weapons have been back on the streets and continue to kill innocent people. There was no good reason for Bush to let the bill expire because it controlled crime. The NRA of course pushed to let a successful law expire. For that action, the future became like the past.
In the recent mass murders in San Bernardino the FBI reported they discovered a massive catch of guns, rifles, ammo and other explosive devises that the two shooters stockpiled and purchased legally. Does any one really believe civilians should be able to legally purchase such a great quantity of weapons and ammo. Those laws should be shut down and closed in favor of crime control. Any one purchasing large quantities of such weapons are sure not doing so for self protection.
Crime control is having laws that effectively address the problem of the proliferation of weapons that go beyond self protection and legitimate hunting. Automatic weapons and semi automatic weapons with large clips of ammo should be covered by laws with teeth where city, state and federal law enforcement agents have knowledge about the purchaser in order to prevent a future crime.
Crime control to protect innocent Americans from domestic or foreign attack is not only necessary but one and the same. The American people have always accepted the hardships and responsibility that go along with keeping the people and the country safe. The frequency of innocent Americans being killed has to come to an end and effective crime control has to take place. Gun control does not describe the problem or the answer, crime control does. It also takes care of the gun control issue.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The answer is Crime Control and what works best at stopping mass murder regardless if domestic or foreign directed. The Brady Bill that was supported and passed during the Clinton administration banned assault weapons. Police chiefs all over America supported the bill and after being in effect for many years testified that it worked. They should know, right? The George W. Bush administration let the Brady Bill expire and assault weapons have been back on the streets and continue to kill innocent people. There was no good reason for Bush to let the bill expire because it controlled crime. The NRA of course pushed to let a successful law expire. For that action, the future became like the past.
In the recent mass murders in San Bernardino the FBI reported they discovered a massive catch of guns, rifles, ammo and other explosive devises that the two shooters stockpiled and purchased legally. Does any one really believe civilians should be able to legally purchase such a great quantity of weapons and ammo. Those laws should be shut down and closed in favor of crime control. Any one purchasing large quantities of such weapons are sure not doing so for self protection.
Crime control is having laws that effectively address the problem of the proliferation of weapons that go beyond self protection and legitimate hunting. Automatic weapons and semi automatic weapons with large clips of ammo should be covered by laws with teeth where city, state and federal law enforcement agents have knowledge about the purchaser in order to prevent a future crime.
Crime control to protect innocent Americans from domestic or foreign attack is not only necessary but one and the same. The American people have always accepted the hardships and responsibility that go along with keeping the people and the country safe. The frequency of innocent Americans being killed has to come to an end and effective crime control has to take place. Gun control does not describe the problem or the answer, crime control does. It also takes care of the gun control issue.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
America was Not Built On Fear, America Was Built On Courage, On Imagination And An Unbeatable Determination To Do The Job At Hand.
Those words were spoken by President Harry Truman and was one of the many sayings by him that defined what his Presidency was all about. President Truman's wisdom and courage stands in stark contrast to the leaders of today's republican party, especially those seeking the republican Presidential nomination. They use fear as a political tactic to frighten the American people to gain votes and damage President Obama.
Fear, republican style, is part of their conservative ideology that is ugly and unAmerican which this writer commented on in "PolitiDose" early on. Trump who is no conservative, is the worst out of the bunch because he follows the republican line on scare tactics and would say anything to gain attention. His rhetoric on terrorists is just that, talk, and cheap talk at that.
Both John McCain and Mitt Romney tried to play the fear card in 2008 and 2012 when they ran against Obama and both failed. Trump and his republican opponents have displayed their lack of understanding the basic value of American character and courage.
Real leaders in America have always possessed those qualities. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Fear, republican style, is part of their conservative ideology that is ugly and unAmerican which this writer commented on in "PolitiDose" early on. Trump who is no conservative, is the worst out of the bunch because he follows the republican line on scare tactics and would say anything to gain attention. His rhetoric on terrorists is just that, talk, and cheap talk at that.
Both John McCain and Mitt Romney tried to play the fear card in 2008 and 2012 when they ran against Obama and both failed. Trump and his republican opponents have displayed their lack of understanding the basic value of American character and courage.
Real leaders in America have always possessed those qualities. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
The Preseason Coach's Poll Concerning LSU Turned Out To Be Correct.
The poll placed LSU out side the the top 10 teams predicted and that is exactly where LSU ended up at the end of the regular season. One New Orleans sports writer thought the coach's poll was wrong and that LSU would end up in the play offs.
This writer suggested in a "PolitiDose" commentary three reasons why the poll picked LSU to finish out side the top 10 and all three reasons contributed to LSU's dismal season and the way they finished, losing three of their last four games. Les Miles will still be LSU's head coach for the near future and this writer believes there will be no change in Miles philosophy of using a 20th century offense to compete in a 21st century offensive change that is ever growing.
Miles has yet to embrace the change after 11 years as head coach and is not likely to do so. The long term contract given to Miles and others is not in the best interest of LSU and college football. The game is changing so quickly and there are so many good young coaches out there more in tune with change to negate the need of long term contracts that are no incentive for a coach to change especially with the millions of dollars involved in buy outs.
The LSU people involved in Miles long term contract have failed their obligation to the school and the team.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
This writer suggested in a "PolitiDose" commentary three reasons why the poll picked LSU to finish out side the top 10 and all three reasons contributed to LSU's dismal season and the way they finished, losing three of their last four games. Les Miles will still be LSU's head coach for the near future and this writer believes there will be no change in Miles philosophy of using a 20th century offense to compete in a 21st century offensive change that is ever growing.
Miles has yet to embrace the change after 11 years as head coach and is not likely to do so. The long term contract given to Miles and others is not in the best interest of LSU and college football. The game is changing so quickly and there are so many good young coaches out there more in tune with change to negate the need of long term contracts that are no incentive for a coach to change especially with the millions of dollars involved in buy outs.
The LSU people involved in Miles long term contract have failed their obligation to the school and the team.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, December 6, 2015
The U.S. Economy Continues To Create Jobs
The U.S. Labor Department announced that 211,000 new jobs were created in November and the unemployment rate held steady at 5%. It was the 69th straight month of positive job creation despite the opposition by the republicans in congress to the President's plans to put America back to work. The unemployment rate when President George W. Bush left office was 7.8%
The latest unemployment rate for Louisiana released by the Louisiana Workforce Commission was for October and came in at 6.2%, up from 6% the previous month. When Jindal took office the Louisiana unemployment rate was 3.8% Louisiana has not enjoyed the lower unemployment rate that has taken place nationally, but take heart Louisiana, that will change for the better with democratic governor elect John Bel Edwards on the job.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
The latest unemployment rate for Louisiana released by the Louisiana Workforce Commission was for October and came in at 6.2%, up from 6% the previous month. When Jindal took office the Louisiana unemployment rate was 3.8% Louisiana has not enjoyed the lower unemployment rate that has taken place nationally, but take heart Louisiana, that will change for the better with democratic governor elect John Bel Edwards on the job.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Britain To Join Air Campaign Against ISIS/ISIL In Syria
The British Parliament gave Prime Minister Cameron the authority he sought to begin air attacks against ISIS/ISIL in Syria. The decision will allow Britain to join America, France and Russia to expand the air war in Syria and Iraq. America is seeking Germany support to join the coalition.
Prior to the terror attack on Paris, America carried out over 90% of the air war against ISIS/ISIL in Syria and 2/3rd. of the air war in Iraq. Now with a larger coalition and better coordination, more frequent attacks can be made on a timely basis. Middle eastern ground troops supporting the coalition air strikes with guidance of American special operation forces will speed up the fight against the terrorists to bring about their demise and their ability to threaten the world.
Those American voices who are still clamoring for 40,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria in a daily combat role need to get a life and support the President. As for the republican Presidential candidates are concerned, they have no serious thoughts on the middle east, only the same failed policies of the past.
It took a terror attack on Paris to bring France and Britain into the coalition in a positive way. That experience should unite the coalition in a special way that will offer a united front against terrorists threats that have become so common in the 21st. century.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Prior to the terror attack on Paris, America carried out over 90% of the air war against ISIS/ISIL in Syria and 2/3rd. of the air war in Iraq. Now with a larger coalition and better coordination, more frequent attacks can be made on a timely basis. Middle eastern ground troops supporting the coalition air strikes with guidance of American special operation forces will speed up the fight against the terrorists to bring about their demise and their ability to threaten the world.
Those American voices who are still clamoring for 40,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria in a daily combat role need to get a life and support the President. As for the republican Presidential candidates are concerned, they have no serious thoughts on the middle east, only the same failed policies of the past.
It took a terror attack on Paris to bring France and Britain into the coalition in a positive way. That experience should unite the coalition in a special way that will offer a united front against terrorists threats that have become so common in the 21st. century.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
The New Orleans Saints: The Effects Of Bounty Gate Has Been Cumulative and May Even Be Irreversible
The Saints third straight loss Sunday at Houston against a team New Orleans sports writers described as a weak part of the schedule was a reminder just how far the Saint's football team has sank along with the coaching staff. This is the fourth season since Payton sat out because of bounty gate and there has been no progress.
Everyone should remember what the players and coaches said: We are professionals; we know our job; we know how to win; all we have to do is do our job. Yeah, right, it never happened and the coaches and players are still giving out the same excuses. The bottom line is the players and coaches are not earning their big salaries. And all are still in denial for the reasons why, bounty gate. New Orleans sports writers never saw it coming because they are too busy writing about hype and cliches and refused to be objective in their reporting.
Saint management, the coaching staff and the players have had enough time to make the right adjustments since bounty gate but failed big time. The outlandish salaries those people make for not producing and having a good product on the field is a disgrace to the game. But hey, fans still flock to the games and coaches and players are still given idol status. The game is larger than life and the dollar rules.
Payton and Loomis will move on to some other franchise and the process will repeat itself. No one will remember bounty gate and its effects except the readers of "PolitiDose." And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Everyone should remember what the players and coaches said: We are professionals; we know our job; we know how to win; all we have to do is do our job. Yeah, right, it never happened and the coaches and players are still giving out the same excuses. The bottom line is the players and coaches are not earning their big salaries. And all are still in denial for the reasons why, bounty gate. New Orleans sports writers never saw it coming because they are too busy writing about hype and cliches and refused to be objective in their reporting.
Saint management, the coaching staff and the players have had enough time to make the right adjustments since bounty gate but failed big time. The outlandish salaries those people make for not producing and having a good product on the field is a disgrace to the game. But hey, fans still flock to the games and coaches and players are still given idol status. The game is larger than life and the dollar rules.
Payton and Loomis will move on to some other franchise and the process will repeat itself. No one will remember bounty gate and its effects except the readers of "PolitiDose." And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Louisiana: Is The State Both Republican and Conservative Like The News Media and The Pundits Have Been Preaching?
What is the basic tenet behind that rhetoric and can the rationale be supported. Does the state have to be controlled by a republican governor and republican legislature; does the majority of the state's voters have to be registered republicans; Is it just a political thing; does the political history have any thing to do with it.
When is a state a conservative state. Is it based on the political party running the state; Is there a difference between an elected conservative politician and the average conservative voter; Are elected office holders and voters really conservative just because they claim to be; Is cutting the state budget a conservative act if it hurts the state and the people; Are tax loopholes and special tax breaks for those who need them the least conservative.
Has the election of democrat John Bel Edwards turned the state democratic overnight. The news media has already picked up the election results and put Louisiana back as a democratic state in the deep south. This writer does not buy any of the news media hype of a republican state or conservative state. Voter turn out has been less than 50% for many years now so who knows the mind of the majority of voters who stay home on election day.
Conservatism has been dead since the Newt Gingrich era started in the early 80's. It has since been all right wing conservatism with extreme positions on every issue. Does any one really believe Bobby Jindal is a real conservative? If the people of Louisiana are real conservative why would they have voted for Jindal twice?
The state of Louisiana is what ever it is at the time. Ditto its people. Politically it will be democratic for the next four years. We do not know what the mind set of the voters will be four years from now. The first words out of a republican's mouth are usually, I'M A CONSERVATIVE. The first words flashed on the screen at the Fox News Network is, FAIR AND BALANCED. This writer believes you are what you are by your deeds and not by what you proclaim to be.
The same thing can be said about Louisiana and its people.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
When is a state a conservative state. Is it based on the political party running the state; Is there a difference between an elected conservative politician and the average conservative voter; Are elected office holders and voters really conservative just because they claim to be; Is cutting the state budget a conservative act if it hurts the state and the people; Are tax loopholes and special tax breaks for those who need them the least conservative.
Has the election of democrat John Bel Edwards turned the state democratic overnight. The news media has already picked up the election results and put Louisiana back as a democratic state in the deep south. This writer does not buy any of the news media hype of a republican state or conservative state. Voter turn out has been less than 50% for many years now so who knows the mind of the majority of voters who stay home on election day.
Conservatism has been dead since the Newt Gingrich era started in the early 80's. It has since been all right wing conservatism with extreme positions on every issue. Does any one really believe Bobby Jindal is a real conservative? If the people of Louisiana are real conservative why would they have voted for Jindal twice?
The state of Louisiana is what ever it is at the time. Ditto its people. Politically it will be democratic for the next four years. We do not know what the mind set of the voters will be four years from now. The first words out of a republican's mouth are usually, I'M A CONSERVATIVE. The first words flashed on the screen at the Fox News Network is, FAIR AND BALANCED. This writer believes you are what you are by your deeds and not by what you proclaim to be.
The same thing can be said about Louisiana and its people.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Democratic Louisiana Governor Elect John Bel Edwards Defeats Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter In Run Off Election
Louisiana state representative from Amite, John Bel Edwards became governor elect Saturday night with a smashing victory over David Vitter. The decisive win by Edwards will put Louisiana, a deep south state in the democratic column on January 11, 2016. The election of democrat Edwards proved the news media and the pundits all wrong in their predictions that Louisiana would remain a republican state like the rest of the south.
"PolitiDose" was one of the first, IF NOT THE FIRST news outlet to endorse Edwards and listed reasons why a democrat could win the state. The news media and the pundits kept up a steady drum beat that Louisiana was a REPUBLICAN STATE AND A CONSERVATIVE STATE. They were wrong on both counts and I will have a commentary on that matter coming soon, so stay tuned.
Julia O'Donoghue wrote an election article in the Times Picayune dated 11/22 concerning the election results. She must be a conservative because she said Edwards came out of no where to take down a republican in a red state. Really????? She must have forgotten Edwards received 40% of the vote in the first primary and over 646,000 votes Saturday in the run off. That does not sound like Edwards came out of no where. Julia also said in the article that Edwards surprisingly attracted a number of endorsements including the Louisiana Sheriff's Association and the Louisiana State Troopers Association. This writer was not surprised at all.
Mr. Edwards ran a positive campaign about the future of Louisiana and its people. The republicans ran a campaign against each other and President Obama and a negative one at that which is par for conservatives and their party. Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature is leaving governor elect Edwards a fiscal disaster to deal with much like George W. Bush left President Obama to deal with. Don't look for the news media in Louisiana or the republican party to give Edwards the ample time needed to deal with the mess left to him. One can tell by the narrative in Julia's article she is not happy with Louisiana becoming a blue state in January.
Governor elect Edwards will have a lot of tough work to do once he takes office and even before as he has already acknowledged. But this writer feels Edwards will do what democrats do, that is take care of the people's business to move the state and its people forward. The days of negativity and division will be gone when Edwards steps into the state capitol and the past should be a reminder our politics should never go there again.
Good luck and best wishes to governor elect Edwards as he attempts to create policy that will benefit the state and all its people.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
"PolitiDose" was one of the first, IF NOT THE FIRST news outlet to endorse Edwards and listed reasons why a democrat could win the state. The news media and the pundits kept up a steady drum beat that Louisiana was a REPUBLICAN STATE AND A CONSERVATIVE STATE. They were wrong on both counts and I will have a commentary on that matter coming soon, so stay tuned.
Julia O'Donoghue wrote an election article in the Times Picayune dated 11/22 concerning the election results. She must be a conservative because she said Edwards came out of no where to take down a republican in a red state. Really????? She must have forgotten Edwards received 40% of the vote in the first primary and over 646,000 votes Saturday in the run off. That does not sound like Edwards came out of no where. Julia also said in the article that Edwards surprisingly attracted a number of endorsements including the Louisiana Sheriff's Association and the Louisiana State Troopers Association. This writer was not surprised at all.
Mr. Edwards ran a positive campaign about the future of Louisiana and its people. The republicans ran a campaign against each other and President Obama and a negative one at that which is par for conservatives and their party. Jindal and the republican controlled state legislature is leaving governor elect Edwards a fiscal disaster to deal with much like George W. Bush left President Obama to deal with. Don't look for the news media in Louisiana or the republican party to give Edwards the ample time needed to deal with the mess left to him. One can tell by the narrative in Julia's article she is not happy with Louisiana becoming a blue state in January.
Governor elect Edwards will have a lot of tough work to do once he takes office and even before as he has already acknowledged. But this writer feels Edwards will do what democrats do, that is take care of the people's business to move the state and its people forward. The days of negativity and division will be gone when Edwards steps into the state capitol and the past should be a reminder our politics should never go there again.
Good luck and best wishes to governor elect Edwards as he attempts to create policy that will benefit the state and all its people.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
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