Louisiana's U.S. Representative John Fleming's Point of View Article To Simplify The Tax Code Shows His Real Character and Who He Really Cares About.

Fleming's article in the Times Picayune of 4/13 titled, "Give Americans A Break and Simplify The Tax Code" is not about simplification as one finds out when reading the article.  It is about the same old republican conservative ideology of "trickle down economics" of:  (1)  eliminating the estate tax that benefit the wealthy;  (2)  Allow the deduction of state and local sales taxes from federal taxable income;  (3)  Reduce the Corporate tax rate:  And (4)  The above will reinvigorate the economy.

Fleming's article can best be described as a ruse to go back to the same failed republican policies using falsehoods to cover up the attempt by using the word "simplify."  To simplify is easy if one has the courage.  You can not have a tax system that is more simple than a reasonable tax rate bracket with no exemptions for any one.  That would be easy to understand and the tax forms could be filled out by the average taxpayer with no help.

The estate tax has been studied for many years and the studies shows eliminating the tax would benefit the wealthy and that the current tax code actually protect the mom and pop farms and property with high enough exemptions.

Reducing the corporate income tax again as Fleming suggests represents the failed policies to move the economy, create jobs or balance the federal budget.  The corporate tax rate has been reduced from the 90% range to the present range of less than 40%.  Fleming knows that companies on average pay an effective income tax rate between 12-13%.  Mitt Romney verified that with the release of his tax filings that was made public.  Fleming also knows that there are many corporations who pay no income tax because of loop holes, tax breaks and tax credits.

When the people elected Barrack Obama, their vote ended the carnage inflicted on America and its citizens brought about by the failed policies of Fleming's party.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

It Appears Senator Bernie Sanders Is The One Who Is Becoming A Little Nervous

A funny thing happened after Bernie Sanders won the democratic primary in Wisconsin.  At a rally soon after the results he told his supporters that Hillary Clinton said he was not qualified to be President.  He also said Clinton was getting a little nervous and sometime later said Clinton was not qualified to be President and threw out several reasons why.  Sanders and his staff had to walk back two of those statements later.

First he acknowledged Clinton did not say he was not qualified to be President after the news media reported same.  Then later he acknowledged Clinton was qualified to be President.  Why the silly statements so soon after a big win in Wisconsin?  This writer believes it is because Sanders knows arithmetic.  Although he won Wisconsin he only picked up 3 more delegates than Clinton and he knows he can not catch her like that.  So look for more silly statements from Sander's campaign concerning Clinton.  Time is running out and Sanders will use the same kind of personal attacks used by republicans.

The feeling is starting to come to mind that if Clinton wins the democratic nomination Sanders will run as an independent third party candidate which he is.  He is running in the democratic primaries because he wants the benefits the party has to offer.  It is democrats and their party who have stopped the republican party from privatizing social security and medicare not independents.  Of course we will all know what goes down in only a few months after the primaries are over and the convention picks their nominee.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Precedent Is A Factor In Determining Who Would Make The Best Presidential Nominee For The Democratic Party

Precedent is a roadmap and record that can be used to accurately predict the out come of some action, initiative, issue or policy.  This writer used precedent in a commentary here in "PolitiDose after Obama was elected President to predict that because Obama was a democrat, the economy, job creation and lower unemployment would happen in a recovery on his watch.

That commentary was made because precedent had shown that democratic administrations perform better and that precedent goes back for over 50 years.  Precedent can also be used to predict failure.  Example:  Republicans talk a good game about balancing the federal budget but has failed to do so since President Eisenhower accomplished the feat in 1960.  The republican precedent of trickle down economic tax cuts can count on failure to balance the budget and their present Presidential candidates are still trying to sell it.  The last republican President George W. Bush got caught in past republican precedent and failed to balance one budget in his 8 years in office even though President Clinton left office with balanced budgets and surpluses.

Precedent now tells this writer that Hillary Clinton would make the best democratic nominee for President.  She has a record to run on and a party to back her up who knows how to get the job done.  Senator Sanders is a independent and the precedent for independents and or third party candidates for President have not turned out well.  That is probably why Sanders is running in the democratic primaries and trying to win the democratic nomination.  But winning the nomination would still not make Sanders a democrat and his voting record in congress for over 25 years does not match the progressive record of the democratic party.

Precedent is clearly on the side of Hillary Clinton being the best choice to be the democratic party's Presidential nominee for the 2016 election.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Commentary In PolitiDose And By Washington Post Journalist E.J. Dionne Are On The Same Page

"PolitiDose" supporters have been reading past commentaries where this writer has pointed out time and again how the news media has failed to report the good things that take place in the United States.  Instead, they focus on the extreme, the negative and divisive statements of the republican party and especially those associated with Donald Trump.  One would think the United States is a third world country after being exposed to their broadcasts.

The remarkable turn around of the economy, job creation, a sustained reduction in deficit spending, lowering the unemployment rate, the Affordable Care Act, keeping America safe at home and abroad and a host of other accomplishments that has moved the country and its people forward has all been over looked and under reported in favor of the negative voices out there who care only about obstruction and falsehoods.

"Make America Great Again" sounds good only to the uninformed.  America's success with its allies against ISIS gives way to fear reporting and just recently the news media gave little time and attention to three of ISIS's top leaders being brought to justice in the last 5 weeks when they were killed by American air strikes.  The news media was too busy reporting on Trump and the republican's Presidential circus including two of the candidate's wives.

Now comes Washington Post Journalist E.J. Dionne in a Times Picayune story of April 3 who writes and I quote:  The evidence is in and it shows that the dominate media narratives about 2016 are wrong.  Our country is not roiled with across the board discontent, and Donald Trump is not the most important voice in our politics.  Turmoil in one of our political parties is being misread as reflecting a deep crisis well beyond its boundaries.  

Dionne goes on to say the following:  (1)  the best revealing and underplayed development this week was Gallup's finding that President Obama's approval rating was at 53%.  George W. Bush's approval rating at the same point in his Presidency was 32%.  (2)  The demography of Obama's support explains why a relentless media focus on Trump and the republican primaries entirely warps the message coming from Americans as a whole.  (3)  The voices of conservative republicans are being amplified beyond all reason by the obsession with Trump and the GOP struggles.  Dionne also reports that everything in America is not going swimmingly good but Trumpism is a very poor guide to what needs to be done.

E.J. Dionne in this writers opinion is the best journalist on the issues because his commentary covers the facts of the subject matter he writes about and he fully understands the issues.  He does not inject wild comments, use cliches or try to bend the issue to support a certain position or ideology.  "PolitiDose" is proud to have such a respected journalist agree with some of the positions taken in its commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Foreign Policy Of The United States: Serious People Understand It, Others Do Not

President Obama understands it because he is serious, knows the history of it and as President is involved in it.  Charles Krauthammer and Cal Thomas, two conservative journalists have never experienced it first hand.  In two separate articles in the Times Picayune dated 4/1/16 titled "Assessing the final four on foreign policy" by Krauthammer and "Terrorists regard U.S. restraint as weakness" by Thomas show their lack of being serious.

Krauthammer tries to explain the foreign policy of Clinton, Sanders, Trump and Cruz who he calls the final four if one of them were elected President and fails the test.  Clinton is the only one of the four with actual foreign policy experience but he does not like anything democratic so his comments on her can be taken with a grain of salt.  He really is confused about the other three because of their lack of foreign policy experience and therefore has nothing serious to say except to repeat their statements made on the campaign trail which they often walk back.

Thomas in his article is still trying to sell America restraint in its foreign policy as a weakness exploited by terrorists.  He can only sell it to the uninformed.  He tries to use Bin Laden's statement as an example of restraint even though Bin Laden is dead and not by restraint.  In fact Thomas is ignorant concerning American history and American values where restraint plays a major role in American success.

Krauthammer and Thomas has a problem as they continue to show their motivation for such articles because they want to see America hit by terrorists.  They were wrong about republicans being better than democrats at keeping America safe and they will stoop to say anything.  Those are the type of people connected with the news media who are feeding the extreme policies of the republican party and their Presidential candidates, especially Donald Trump.  Yes, for some, conservatism is still the unAmerican ideology.

President Eisenhower was a republican, a conservative and a retired military general who knew about foreign policy, war and the role restraint played in his responsibilities as a leader.  Ike, as the President was known, would be opposed to the conservatism paraded today by the republican party and the news media.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Conservative Journalist Michael Gerson and Radio Host Rush Limbaugh Are Both In Denial

Washington Post journalist Gerson in a Times Picayune editorial of 3/30/16 said that one of the main reasons some conservatives find Donald Trump acceptable is that the most influential political talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has provided his blessings.  Gerson takes the position that Limbaugh favors Trump over the "established" republican conservatives because he thinks they are a cliquish, elitist club preserving its influence and employment prospects.

 Trump is no conservative by any stretch and Gerson in his article conveys that true conservatism is serving a set of ideals, which includes market economics, limited government and that Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell are conservative by any serious measure.  Gerson also takes a shot at Limbaugh who believes there is more potential to fight liberalism.

The editorial has so many flaws it is a tell tale confession why republicans and their conservative ideology has been such a failure and how it created the pathway for Trump to emerge as their leading Presidential candidate.  For over 20 years Limbaugh has been telling his audience the "establishment was the party of conservatism and was best at governing.  Now, that has all changed and the establishment is no longer Limbaugh's go to party.

What has happened to the republican party and their brand of conservative ideology has been spelled out in "PolitiDose" many times over.  They are at each others throat almost daily now and that includes journalists such as Limbaugh, Gerson and the conservative news media.  Gerson talks about limited government and market economics but they have no record of matching the accomplishments of democratic administrations.  Did any one notice Gerson could find nothing positive to say about any accomplishments by the administration of George W. Bush.

The GOP as it is today are a failed party with a failed ideology that is breaking up and there is no one there with a voice of reason and true political understanding to save it.  And to make matters worse, their Presidential candidates are still running a circus despite only 3 of them left standing.

The voters should take a pledge not to vote for any republican in the November elections.  Now that would be a pledge worth signing.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Governor Edwards Shows He Is A Serious Public Servant and Will Govern With Policy To Put The State's Fiscal House In Order

Two recent articles in the Times Picayune dated 3/27 by Julia O'Donoghue is a good example of governor Edward's determination to have his policies reflect reality and priorities in order to move the state forward.  In the first article the governor put a hold on construction projects not yet started on university campuses or other state property in favor of moving forward on projects that advance the states greatest needs.

Edwards will prioritize road projects and deferred maintenance on existing state buildings and college campuses.  That at least $80 million would be put toward road funding this year and the governor believes Louisiana must do a better job at shoring up the facilities it already has.  He also pointed out public universities and colleges alone face a $2 billion backlog in needed maintenance.

The second article concerns part of the governor's agenda that would reverse some of Jindal's so called legacy.  According to O'Donoghue, Edwards is pushing a higher minimum wage, equal pay for women, medicaid expansion, limits on TOPS, real ID license that complies with federal security regulations, primary and secondary education and others that Jindal opposed and would not accept.

Those two articles indicate what "PolitiDose" has said from day one, that Edwards would not govern by ideology but by policy that takes on the issues facing the state and its people.  Ideology does not solve problems, policy with solutions that recognize a problem does.  Governor Edwards knows when the state's deficit problem is so bleak, plans and priority are the first step to break the cycle of fiscal madness.  Only then can the state move forward with real progress for the people.

Governor Edwards is beginning that process.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Terrorists Attack In Brussels and The European Community.

First it was Paris just a few months ago and now Brussels, Belgium.  ISIS claimed to have a hand in both attacks.  Terrorists are known for striking the most vulnerable targets and knowing a great deal about the security or lack there of at the targets they hit.  In both the Paris and Brussels attacks their security people admitted that security was lacking in several areas.

The most important element in determining what went wrong and what to do next after an attack is to have sane leaders with courage to face the challenge without fear and not over react.  Tough talk won't get the job done and neither will political positioning or name calling.  So far, the leaders of France and Belgium seem to get the message and are acting accordingly.

In the United States the attacks on Brussels exposed the fear card used by Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.  One would think their response indicated the terrorists attacked America on that day as they went after President Obama's policies in the middle east.  Trump also said he would not take the nuclear option off the table for going after ISIS.  Ted Cruz said the U.S. should spy on and secure moslem communities in the U.S.  Those statements by Trump and Cruz do not define a sane response from a Presidential candidate.

Trump and Cruz have learned nothing from President Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist or his failed policies in the middle east.  Trump in fact has taken different positions on the war in Iraq.  He said he opposed the war but said we should have taken Iraq's oil.  Prior to the war, Saddam and his military kept terrorists out of Iraq and Iraq was also a country that kept Iran in check.  Iraq under Saddam was the balance.  And Trump wanted to take their oil.  How would that have kept Iran in check.  Yeah, right, you got it, it would not have kept them in check.

At present the U.S. has a President who is both sane and responsible and has a policy in the middle east which includes fighting terrorists like ISIS and Al Queda.  It has just been announced that the U.S. in the last month killed 3 of ISIS's top leaders and that Iraq forces supported by U.S. air power will be starting a ground and air campaign to retake Mosul from ISIS.  Mosul is the largest city in north Iraq.  Fighting terrorists is not easy or fast work, just ask President's Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43 and Obama.  And at the present time our country is losing less lives while fighting the war.  We Americans should be able to relate to that and support the President's efforts.  Our men and women in uniform and their families have been paying the price in the middle east far too long.

Our country and its people need serious leaders now more than ever.  That will still be true when the election rolls around in November.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

A Letter To The Editor Concerning Taxes Is A Mirror Of Past PolitiDose Commentary.

In a letter to the editor of the New Orleans Advocate of March 26 James Bollinger in reply to a March 10 "readers view" letter by Mr. John Kay, Louisiana State Director Of Americans For Prosperity whose organization's website declared, " we protect the American dream by fighting each day for lower taxes, less government regulations and economic prosperity for all."  (in reference to recently passed tax increases in Louisiana which Mr. Kay's organization opposed)

Mr. Bollinger pointed out in his letter what "PolitiDose" has said in many past commentaries how taxes and regulations are required to run government and regulate business for the good of the state and its people.  Mr. Bollinger also said this in his letter and I quote.  As for the gentleman's concerns about Louisiana being at some disadvantage vis a vis other states, I believe it is time to realize that competition among states for business is yet another race to the bottom.  It is far better for states to join together to protect themselves against the demands of businesses, rather than give away the store and follow the business piper called American Legislative Exchange Council.

That statement will also be familiar to the readers of "PolitiDose" concerning the business community and their demands on government for special tax breaks.  Bollinger articulates in his letter how taxes and regulations actually protect the American Dream and this writer urges the readers of "PolitiDose" to read his letter to the editors.

Mr. Bollinger ends his letter by saying, "Lets not allow Fox News, Corporate America or Walton and Johnson to dictate what truth is."  And that should really sound familiar because you read it here first in "PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Republican Politics Of Division Has Become Wider and Wider

The republican tactic of using certain issues to divide the country is well known to those who follow politics and the people should prepare themselves for a brutal battle between the republican Presidential candidates left standing and the general election if the democratic nominee is Hillary Clinton.  Jeb Bush announced his support for Ted Cruz in order to deny Trump the republican nomination.  There is no one who preaches division like Ted Cruz and he has very few friends in congress, where he serves.

Former U.S. representative Bob Livingston of Louisiana announced he was supporting Donald Trump for the republican nomination.  He did not vote for Trump in Louisiana's Presidential primary according to his statement but now supports him because he wants to see the Presidency being denied to Clinton.  Of course, Trump has proved on the campaign trail he too preaches division.  Livingston, who served in congress for many years resigned from the U.S. House in disgrace over a previous affair and was one of the many republicans who hated President Clinton.

So now we have both Bush and Livingston supporting two republican candidates who both practice the politics of division.  One who wants to stop Trump and both who will stoop to any thing in order to defeat Clinton if she is the democratic nominee.  In a recent commentary I wrote the republican party would sell their soul to defeat Clinton and that is what Bush and Livingston are doing with their announced support.

The republicans are scared to death of a democratic being elected in 2016 because a democratic administration would continue the success with the economy, job creation, lower unemployment and a balanced budget that is sure to happen under the next administration if it is democratic.  The gains and progress for the country and its people would be dramatic.  The republicans know that so they will go negative and be divisive and also follow their M.O. of personal attacks, especially if Clinton is the democratic nominee.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio