The Trump-Sanders Debate Circus

Donald Trump pulled the plug on his own promoted debate with Senator Bernie Sanders.  Trump's suggestion was to keep the news media's attention on his campaign and the media fell for it big time, especially the Fox News, MSNBC and CNN and of course those networks are just continuing their love affair with Trump and he is their lead story almost every night.

Sanders wanted the debate to try and embarrass Hillary Clinton and was willing to support the Trump debate circus.  Sanders still has a problem understanding he had a fair chance against Clinton in the primaries and lost fair and square.  The voters spoke loud and clear with their ballot.  Hillary Clinton had the best comment at the time the debate story broke when Chuck Todd of MSNBC asked Hillary what she thought about the debate idea.  She just LAUGHED because she knew what Trump was trying to do.

Trump will continue to use the news media as one of his little pawns and the media will continue to do his bidding.  The public should remember NBC had a Trump television show and they are inseparable.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Leader Of Terror Is Brought To Justice

The U.S. announced that the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a U.S. air strike on his vehicle in Pakistan just several days ago.  It was one of many leaders of terrorists brought to justice by the Obama administration and a major one for the region.

The President gave the go ahead order for the strike and continues to focus on the problem of terror and bringing their leaders to justice.  The administration's success in keeping the pressure on terrorists and keeping America safe continue to be his priority at home and abroad.  The President's policy of not putting thousands of American troops on the ground in the middle east unnecessarily is also saving American lives from IED's truck bombings and etc.

Yes, America does have a President and Commander in Chief who has a policy to fight terror without having to talk tough and bring about his accomplishments.  Too bad from now until the November elections there will be one Presidential candidate who will use tough talk as his signature and continue to bad mouth the President's policies and bore the American people to death.  Some things never change and there are always those that are willing to put American lives at risk when there is no compelling reason to do so.

President Obama came along at the right time to serve his country and its people.  Don't look for Fox News or the news media in general to give this story much coverage.  They are more interested in covering stories that are negative in content towards the President.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Tax Returns Of Presidential Candidates

Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has released her tax returns and so has Senator Bernie Sanders.  Donald Trump, the presumptive republican Presidential nominee has not and says he won't until after an IRS audit is completed.  The IRS has said the audit has nothing to do with Trump releasing his tax returns.  It has been a tradition for Presidential candidates to release their tax returns.

Hillary Clinton has released her tax returns for over 30 years, more than any other person by far seeking public office.  From 2007 thru 2014 the Clintons paid over $43 million in taxes.  They paid an effective federal tax rate of 35.4% in 2013 and 35.7% in 2014.  In state taxes, they paid an effective rate of 44.6% in 2013 and 45.8% in 2014.  That is one heck of a lot more than her democratic or republican opponents who can not walk the talk when it comes to paying their fare share of taxes.

So far Senator Sanders has released one year of tax returns that show he paid an effective federal tax rate of 17%.  He says more will be released so time will tell.  Trump's income and wealth will probably make Clinton and Sanders look like paupers if he ever releases his tax returns and no one should be surprised if his returns show he has paid a lower federal tax rate than Sanders.  Trump is the only one of the three who has proposed lowering the Corporate tax rate and the tax rate the wealthy pay if he is elected President.

Hillary Clinton wins this issue in a landslide and is credible on walking the talk when it comes to the issue of paying ones fair share of taxes.  Trump is just a loud mouth bully until he releases his tax returns and it shows he can walk the talk of paying his fair share of taxes.

Note:  Mitt Romney, the 2012 republican Presidential nominee released his tax returns and it showed he paid an effective federal tax rate of 13%.  He too had a platform that called for reducing the taxes on Corporations and the wealthy and failed to walk the talk.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Food For Thought: The Story Continues

The latest Gallop poll shows President Obama's approval rating at 51%.  It has been at or over 50% since January and the President's approval rating has gone up dramatically among independent voters.  The President is finally receiving his just due after guiding the country out of the great republican recession of 2008.  Maybe the people are becoming numb from the constantly negative talk about the President from the Fox News Network, the republican party and conservative journalists.

President Obama has been a steady voice among the people he serves and even in foreign affairs.  His record on job creation will be second to only Bill Clinton's record.  He has reduced deficit spending his last 4 straight fiscal years and is only the second President ever to do that besides Bill Clinton in the last 50 years.  And his administration accomplished that after President Bush's record single year budget deficit of $1.4 trillion.  History will judge the President's administration well and will rank his accomplishments high.  The sad part is that there are so many people who lived through his administration and have refused to acknowledge the President's accomplishments.

On another Note:  The news media is constantly reminding the public that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's negative ratings are the highest ever for a Presidential candidate.  Yet both received more votes in the Presidential primaries than any other candidate.  What does that tell you about their opponents and the voters?   Because of the way polls are conducted and the way questions are asked, reality is lacking and the so called negative numbers do not show up at the voting booth.  Plus, how do you define a negative?  Is it the person themselves, their performance, their knowledge, their record and etc.  So what is left for a voter to vote on if he or she thinks in negative terms about the person they will vote for.

The news media's willingness to ignore the good things that happen in America and the good things that government does well in favor of non stop negative reporting on all levels has a negative impact on society and the voting public.  Republicans believe if negative comments are made about some one or an issue and repeated over and over enough times people will believe even if its a lie.  A good example would be the lies concerning the ACA and death panels, Iraq having WMD and the birther issue concerning President Obama.

This writer believes that an open mind is the best way to judge a political candidate and not by negative views obtained from news sources, individuals or candidates themselves.  And when the general election begins and and it is one on one a decision on who to vote for in November will come into focus more clearly.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: A Prime Time Show Lacking A Real Message

Maddow's Wednesday night show started off with a long winded story about past Presidential campaigns and conventions leading up to the statement that the democratic party today suffers from acrimony and division because of Senator Sanders supporters protest actions at the Nevada state democratic convention recently and some statements made by Sanders himself.

It was the lead story for a change instead of Trump who the network has had a 10 month love affair with almost every night.  Maddow tried to paint her acrimony remark as being the top story.  Of course it was not but when air time has to be filled and the host lacks a real story, that is when the fairy tale starts.

MSNBC has a long history of giving Bernie Sanders a lot of air time and treating him like a democrat which he is not.  Does Maddow's comment mean that the network will now switch its attention to the democratic candidates and try to promote a "all is not well" in the democratic party?  The party will be UNITED with or without Sanders if Clinton is the nominee.  A lot will change after the conventions because that is when it will become one on one for the general election.

That is when the voters start paying real attention.  Trump is well aware that Clinton will be no push over if she is the democratic nominee and that she can take care of herself.  That is why Trump wants to see Sanders become a third party candidate to dilute the democratic vote.  Rachel and MSNBC has let that story slip by.

Trump's announcement of the names of a possible VP choice and the names of candidates for the Supreme Court is an attempt to keep the spotlight on himself and to continue the free coverage by the news media.  This writer sees the cracks starting to show up in Trump's campaign and the positions he has taken so far and once the general election starts and its one on one Trump will not be such a attractive candidate any longer.

The democratic party and their nominee will put up a UNITED front against Trump and his do nothing party and expose both for what they really are, the party of Corporate America who want to dominate the country's political system with division, lies, ongoing wars, extremism, religious bigotry and third world wages for working Americans.

No matter how you cut it, MSNBC is not the place for politics and neither is Donald Trump.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Food For Thought On The Presidential Election

During elections there are a lot of words thrown around by the news media, various pundits and the voters (those who vote and those who do not).  The words are used to try and build a story and influence the election.  This years Presidential election has produced the word "establishment" to try and convey the message that so called "established candidates" are out of favor with the voting public.  But nothing could be farther from the truth.

There are three Presidential candidates left in the race, Sanders, Trump and Clinton.  After the conventions there will be only two.  Bernie Sanders represents the "establishment" because he has been a member of congress for over 25 years.  Donald Trump represents the "establishment" longer that anyone else, in fact all of his working life he has represented the "establishment" of corporate America.  Hillary Clinton has represented the "establishment" serving in congress as a U.S. Senator for 8 years.  She also served in the appointed job of Secretary of State for 4 years.

We know corporate America which Trump is part of give campaign contributions (in the millions of dollars) to elected officials because they are looking for special favors.  Trump admitted that in the debates.  If corporate America had a policy of not giving campaign contributions to elected officials then those elected officials would be more responsible to the needs of the country and the people they serve.  So it is corporate America that keeps the political process corrupted.  Cut off the dogs tail and it won't wiggle.  Trump now says he would like to raise $1 billion for the general election and will seek it from PAC"s and corporate America.  This is in conflict with his position all through the primaries when he said his campaign would be self funded.

Sanders says he receives no campaign contributions from PAC's or corporate America.  He is a registered independent and would be donors probably believe he could not help them in congress.  As a Presidential candidate he has raised enough money from independent people that has allowed him to compete.  Sanders whole campaign has been about how money has corrupted the political system and that is why the 1% are the only ones advancing financially.

As a U.S. Senator for 8 years Hillary Clinton received campaign contributions from corporate America and individuals and is doing the same today along with PAC groups in her Presidential campaign.  In 2013 she was out of public office and received speaking fees from various corporate America groups that has been the subject of comments by her opponents who would like her to make the transcripts of those speeches public.  Something that has never been required in the past for any Presidential candidate.

So, here we have 3 remaining Presidential candidates and one who will become President who all represent the "establishment" and Hillary having the least involvement.  Does that sound like the voters are against an "establishment" candidate?  That won't wash and one can bet those voters are the same voters who have voted over and over for the same "establishment" members of congress who have been there for so many years.

The use of the word "establishment" is over played in this Presidential campaign and part of its use is to promote some one outside of politics like Trump.  But Trump now wants to be in the political process and rub elbows with our political system.  Since the next President will come from the "establishment" this writer would like to see the candidate come from the political "establishment" rather than the "establishment" of corporate America and for obvious reasons.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

America Does Not Win Anymore: Authored By Donald Trump

Like the republican party and the Fox News Network, Trump will push anything to try and cast doubt on the country and its government, especially in an election year.  America and its government are always the bad guys even though people represent both.  Trump used this remark because he is out of touch himself with what America is all about.

The remark was used by Trump on more than one occasion concerning the President's policy on fighting ISIS.  It is a cheap shot on every man and women who ever wore the uniform of their country because they are America along with all citizens.  Our men and women in uniform are all winners because they go where ever the President and Commander in Chief orders them to go.  They do their jobs, serve their country well, never complain and obey the Commander in Chief even when they are sent off to a unnecessary war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.

That war took the lives of over 4400 American military personnel and wounded over 30,000, some so severely they will never walk again without assistance of some kind.  And many who returned wounded never received the proper care.  Yes, America does win because all our men and women who wore the uniform of their country are Americans and they are winners.  Of course, Donald Trump knows nothing about that.

There are a lot of Donald Trumps in this world who like to tear down America because they themselves feel so inadequate.  They like to talk tough but never walk the talk.  The American people will continue to win and therefore so will America.  Donald Trump may be a billionaire but he lacks character, courage and the wisdom to understand that America and its people win every day.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio


 

Foreign Policy Requires Leadership and Knowledge: Some Leaders Have It, Some Do Not: Trump Seeks It But Does Not Understand It.

Donald Trump said he would not take using the bomb (nuclear) against ISIS off the table.  George W. Bush could not find Bin Laden in the seven years and 9 months that passed after the attack on 9/11 and not even in the invasion of Afghanistan a month after the attack.  How many members of ISIS would be killed in a nuclear attack and how many innocent men, women and children would be killed?  Common sense tells this writer the innocent would suffer the burden and the devastation.  There would be more refugees in the middle east from that one event than what is taking place now with the civil war in Syria.

Israel's prime minister Netanyahu appeared before the U.S. congress almost two years ago with charts and told congress and the world Iran would have a nuclear weapon in six months.  Of course it never happened and was used as a scare tactic to scuttle President Obama's treaty with our allies and Iran to curb that country's nuclear ambitions.  That treaty is now working and Trump said as President he would end or redo the treaty.  So here we have Iran who has never threatened to use nuclear weapons or admitted having a nuclear weapons program and Trump who is talking about the possibility of using the bomb in the middle east.

Trump said he would build a wall on the U.S.'s southern border with Mexico and make that country pay for it.  Mexico said don't hold your breath because they would not pay for the wall.  Trump then back tracked and said immigrants in the U.S. who send money back to Mexico would be banned from doing so and that would be a loss of revenue for Mexico.

Trumps position of a ban on Muslim's entering the U.S. was quickly rebutted by London's mayor who is a Muslim and Trump backed down again and said there would be exemptions.  He backed down once again and said the ban was only a suggestion.

Trump also said he would renegotiate the treaties with our allies.  Of course that can only happen if our allies agree and in many cases the treaties are with multiple allies such as NATO.  This goes along with his statement of America to go it alone like the failed policy of President George W. Bush.

The United States and our allies have worked for many years to stop the spread of Nuclear weapons and now we have Trump talking about nuclear weapons use in the middle east and urging S. Korea and Japan to develop their own nuclear weapons program so they can defend themselves.  That is a foreign policy based on madness.

Trump's loose talk shows his lack of knowledge and leadership on the subject and a failed grasp of what the President and Commander in Chief's responsibilities are in foreign policy.  His flip flopping indicates a person who is not confident and speaks before he understands the foolishness of his words.  And when one understands Trump does not think American is a great country, that is all the more reason the American people should be alarmed.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio                                              

April Was Another Good Month For Job Creation

The U.S. Labor Department announced that the economy created 160,000 jobs April and that the unemployment rate held steady at 5%.  It was the 74th straight month of positive job growth.  Some business groups were forecasting 190,000 plus jobs.  The President's policies are still working and the economy and job creation would be even better if the republican controlled congress would approve the President's plan for the repairs to the nations infrastructure, roads, bridges and etc.

In the past that expenditure was always bipartisan and both parties worked to pass legislation to take care of the problem.  It is a project that puts people to work quickly with good paying jobs.  But today's republican party is the do nothing party of obstruction who wants nothing to do with progress under a democratic administration.  They would like to see the economy tank in this election year and use that as a campaign issue.  It tell how far the republican party is willing to stoop to sabotage the President and the people.  A democratic controlled congress would have passed that legislation in a New York second.  And they say a New York second is the fastest second in the world.

Despite the republican party's opposition, President Obama will leave office with a better economy than he inherited, a better job creation record than both President Bush 41 and Bush 43 combined, a better record on reducing deficit spending, a lower unemployment rate than when he took office, brought Bin Laden and a host of ISIS leaders to justice, a safer America and a host of other positive accomplishments.

The previous republican administration failed to have a positive impact on any of those issues and that is why the republican party want to see President Obama  and his administration to fail.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First For PolitiDose and Another Johnny Come Lately Article By The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post recent story concerning President Obama and how he has not been given credit for the advancement the country has made on his watch on the economy, and other issues.  Well, the question really should be how come the Huffington Post and the rest of the news media took so long to be out of the loop and so late in their reporting of the Administration's success.

The answer comes down to the Huffington Post and the news media are more interested in reporting the negative comments of the moment and the hype that goes along with filling up the news cycle.  But there is one news outlet that actually predicted the turn around in the economy, job creation, lower unemployment and reduced federal spending in December of 2009, over 6 years ago and has continued to point out the good news on the recovery and etc.,on a regular basis ever since that December commentary.  And the news venue is "PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary.  "PolitiDose" has been at the forefront in reporting the success of the Obama administration.

Its ironic that the same day the Huffington Post carried the story Donald Trump was their lead story on 5 or 6 different articles.  They and the other news media have lots of time for the likes of Trump.  The good things that happen in our country take a back seat with an out of control news media whose first obligation should be to keep the American people informed.  'PolitiDose" has filled that void time and time again.

"PolitiDose" will continue to make commentary on those issues that matter to the people and make a difference.  The Johnny comes lately will continue to show a lack of respect for their profession and their disdain for the truth.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

See commentary dated December 14, 2009 titled "An Economic Turn Around:  Job Creation and Fiscal Stability:  There Is A Precedent.