The Oakland Raiders 35 - The New Orleans Saints 34

Bounty gate continues to take its toll as the Raiders beat the Saints in the Dome on Sunday afternoon.  The Saints loss was typical of past seasons in the last four years.  Beyond the loss lies the same problems the Saints had last year.  A questionable defense and a offense that seems to think all they have to do is show up and a head coach who lost credibility with Bounty gate.

Brees passed for 400 yards again against a defense that seemed to have as many penalties as plays, especially defensive holding which gave the Saints an automatic first down every time and allowed the Saints to continue their drive.  But in the end the Saints could not deliver on their final possession and put the field goal kicker out of range that field goals have become routine.  Not many 61 yard field goals are attempted every week in the NFL.  The prolific offense of Payton and Brees (N.O. sports writers signature saying) took place against a Raider defense in need of help but was not prolific on the final drive of the game.

After the game the New Orleans sports writers were up to their same old cliches and hype.  One said the fans should expect the game to be a norm for the Saints this year.  Their analysis after the game was different than what they wrote about all during spring season.  Which shows they still can not be objective in their reporting.  The most glaring problem that this writer observed while watching the game at home was the coaches and players actions on the sidelines.  They though they had the game won but forgot you have to play the full 60 minutes.

But hey, Brees will still receive the $30 million signing bonus that was reported in the Times Picayune.  His first quarter turn over that resulted in a Raider field goal made a difference in the outcome of the game.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Congressional Republicans Say They Will Censure President Obama

The Obama administration paid Iran $1.7 billion to settle claims related to the incomplete sale of military weapons before the Iranian Revolution in 1979.  The Treasury Department with held $400 million of that payment to make sure Iran released the four American hostages they were holding.  Republicans in congress said that was a ransom payment and that the republican controlled U.S. House would vote to censure the President this week.

Of course, with holding the $400 million was a reasonable and smart move by the administration to make sure Iran complied on their release of the hostages.  It was also the American thing to do and not ransom.  There are 3 reasons why the republicans want to call it ransom.  (1)  It is an election year and they will try to damage the President and Clinton any way they can.  (2)  President Reagan sold arms to Iran in exchange for hostages in the Iran-Contra scandal while Iran was on the list as a sponsor of terror.  It is the republican way of trying to redeem Reagan's decision because Reagan told the people he would never negotiate with terrorists, denied he did and then had to admit the truth.  (3)  Republicans still want to create an issue to scuttle the treaty with Iran which is working.  That ticks them off because they know President George W. Bush did nothing to stop the advance of N. Korea or Iran's nuclear programs.

The republican controlled congress is still a do nothing congress so they think filling up time with a censure vote of the President is an accomplishment.  The November elections need to return congress to democratic control and bring back a congress that is a working congress for all the people and the country.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Is It Unthinkable, Or Could It Really Happen.

Could the chance exist that between now and the November election former President George W. Bush will call a news conference and announce he is supporting Hillary Clinton for President and urge his fellow Texans and the American people to do the same.  The former President, now a civilian would be in a good position to do so and restore at least some sense of responsibility in his retired life.

Bush, like Donald Trump could not admit to any mistakes while serving as President and in fact said he made the right decision in invading Iraq.  Trump's economic policy and foreign policy is the same as Bush pushed.  The big difference with Trump is he can not admit to any mistake in his personal or business life and would act the same as President.

Bush's personal and business life was and is different than Trumps.  Bush was not ego driven or looked for the spotlight nor was he married three times.  This writer believes that Bush knows very well how wrong his foreign and economic policies were for the country and its people and even knows and understands that Iraq was indeed an unnecessary war that did so much damage.  He also knows Trump's Presidency if elected would do the same damage to the country.

So Bush the civilian and former President could step up to the plate, make such an announcement and spare the country another sad chapter in its history.  It would also be something good for the former President's piece of mind in his retirement years.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

ISIS Pushed Out Of More Territory

Turkey announced that they and the free Syrian rebels have defeated ISIS along the Syria-Turkey border and that ISIS has lost all areas along that border.  ISIS used the border area to infiltrate both Syria and Turkey and move military supplies.  It is another major defeat for ISIS and Turkey's border with Syria is once again secured of the terrorists.

The fact that Turkey's military and the free Syrian rebels did the job is another piece of good news because they are defending their own countries and that has more significance and sends a more powerful message to the Islamic state.  ISIS has not only lost much territory they once captured they have also lost a number of their top leaders in Iraq and Syria to U.S. drone strikes.

Yes, progress continues to be made against ISIS but don't look for any of the Obama haters to admit it.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

NBC's "Commander in Chiefs Forum" Was A Major Failure

NBC's "forum" program failed the test thanks to Host Matt Lauer's non "Commander in Chiefs questions.  It was a continuation of the news media in general and their corrupt reporting on this years Presidential campaign.  Elections are no longer respected by the news media and that was exhibited at the "forum" last night when Lauer tried to rush up the candidates answers.  That alone showed the networks disrespect for the subject matter.  After all it was billed as a "Commander in Chiefs" forum so was rushing the answers in line with the subject matter which one would think was important.

The one positive aspect of the program was Hillary Clintons willingness to answer all the questions asked by Lauer and members of the audience.  And that is what Clinton has done all through the campaign.  Her actions show she is a better woman than Frump is a man.  Trump did not answer any question at all that Lauer or the audience asked.  He skirted all around the questions.

Of course, NBC was the network that aired Trump's television show and its affiliate MSNBC continues its love affair with Trump every day on its shows.  The "Commander in Chiefs" forum added another layer of tarnish to a news media that is out of control at a very important time of a national election.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Part III The 2016 Presidential Election: Donald Trump Emulating George W. Bush

The comparison can be made but it is not very flattering.  Like Bush, Trump has no political understanding of the economy, foreign affairs or the country, and its people paid the price big time and our veterans paid the ultimate price in an unnecessary war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  Trump also tries to talk tough like Bush, and fails the real test of being tough.  Their tax plans of trickle down economics lacks the understanding of arithmetic and in Bush's case reversed the economic progress made during the Clinton administration.  Trump's tax plan would do the same to the economic progress taking place in the Obama administration.  Trumps go it alone in foreign policy and shameful talk about our allies would once again trigger a larger American burden in world affairs and make the United States less secure.

Bush learned nothing from his political experience as governor of Texas because his family name won the election as governor.  He came to Washington lacking political understanding and conspired with Cheney and other neocons to rule like a king with no checks and balances.  Trump has that same attitude but he learned it from the business world where money can buy a lot of things and also destroy a lot of things.  Both Bush and Trump's background was business and business leaders are the worst at running government because the government can not be run like a business.  Business are only concerned with the bottom line and not people.  People are the government.  Business leaders sacrifice their employees every day in favor of their executives.  CEOs and executives earn between 300-400 times what the average worker makes and trickle down economics is a business paradise.

Bush left office as one of the worst Presidents in the nation's history after reversing all the good things Clinton accomplished for the country and its people.  His lack of political understanding and attitude domestically and in foreign affairs set the country back and some of the effects are still a burden to the people.  Now Trump would like to be President at a time the Obama administration has turned the country around for the better.  That must not happen because Trump would ape the Bush doctrine and repeat the same mistakes.

The country and its people can not afford that history to repeat itself.  A word to the wise should be sufficient.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The New Orleans Saints and Quarterback Drew Brees

Reports from the Times Picayune and Television in New Orleans indicate quarterback Drew Brees and the Saints are talking about a new contract extension.  It is being said that Brees is asking for a four year contract worth $100 million.  That is $25 million a year.  If that report is true Brees should be ashamed of himself and the Saints should be seeing red to even give that number credibility.

Drew Brees has led the Saints to 3 losing seasons in the last four years, is nearing the end of his career and is not worth $25 million a year.  Not even close.  Brees is one of many players in the NFL who are overpaid and part of a system where wealth has destroyed competition.  After the Saint's last four seasons, Brees should be giving a major cut in salary or let him seek employment elsewhere.  Peyton Manning and Tom Brady has done so much more for their teams during their career than Brees has done for his team.  More world championships, more division and conference titles, more winning seasons and more playoff appearances and wins.  Drew Brees has not earned any thing near a salary of $25 millions a year and the Saints should tell him that.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Wisconsin Defeats LSU 16 - 14 In Green Bay

I wrote a commentary on August 12 concerning LSU and The New Orleans Saints and said this year LSU will start the season with the same problems as last year and after Saturday's defeat I am more convinced than ever LSU's offensive problems are glaring and head coach Les Miles has failed to see the problem and change the offensive nonsense.

Incompetent play calling and selection on offense is a Miles signature that has never been corrected during his 11 years as head coach.  The offense is not only boring, it is also predictable.  That is good news for LSU's opponents but terrible news for the LSU offense and its fans.  Quarterback Harris started off the season where he left off last year over throwing and under throwing receivers and poor quarterback choices at critical times.

Sports writers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge were so sure in their preseason predictions that LSU would be so much more improved than last year.  They pointed out that LSU returned the bulk of their starters from last years team both on offense and defense and that would make a difference.  Unfortunately, they were willing to forget Miles was also returning.  The hype and cliches seem to motivate them which does not allow any objectivity in evaluating the team.

One game does not make a season, but Miles has a record of losing to teams with less talent and being out coached.  Plus he has a record of not changing his offensive play calling and play selection.  That tells this writer LSU will miss the play offs once again this football season.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Job Market Still Remains Healthy and Positive

The economy created 151,000 new jobs in August according to the U.S. Labor Department and the unemployment rate held at 4.9%  It was the 78 straight month of positive job growth and a indication that the job market is still healthy leading into the holiday season.  The August job numbers were down from the previous month of July but that is the nature of the economy at the present time.

At this same time in the George W. Bush Presidency for August 2008 the economy lost 84,000 jobs and the unemployment rate stood at 6.1%.  The country was deep into recession, the wall street banks were failing and the federal deficit continued to rise rapidly.  The fore closure on homes was taking place, median family income was still going down, businesses were failing and there was no end in sight to the downward  spiral.  By the time President Bush left office in January of 2009, the country suffered the worst of economic times since the great depression of 1929.

The people of America then made the right choice and elected a democratic President named Barack Obama.  The new President met the challenge despite opposition from the republicans in congress, a host of conservative journalists and the Fox News Network.  And this writer can say that when President Obama leaves office in January 2017, America and its people will be better off than they were in just about every category when President Bush left office almost 8 years ago.

Now in the middle of another Presidential election Donald Trump and his ditto head republicans are trying to down play the success of Obama's leadership and even talking about reversing the progress made the last 8 years.  It reminds this writer what the Bush administration did when it followed the Clinton administration's record economy and balanced budgets.  Bush proposed a tax cut of $5 trillion because he said the Clinton surpluses over charged the American people and he was going to give the people their money back.

Well, the top 2% got more than their money back from that tax cut while the American people lost their jobs and their homes in the great Bush recession.  President Bush reversed all the good that had been accomplished by the Clinton administration for the country and its people.  The voters in this Presidential election should be able to see the relationship of what Bush did to what Donald Trump wants to do if elected President.

Understanding the mistakes of the past is still the key to a better future and improving on what works and what is working is the key to long term stability and the rejection of past mistakes.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

An About Face For A Conservative Journalist

It finally happened, a conservative journalist Michael Gerson in a Times Picayune editorial of Sept. 2 called out the Fox News Network and Rush Limbaugh for their campaign reporting and support of Donald Trump's pronouncements.  Gerson said Fox News needs to be re-launched and re-branded rather than the angry white television personalties who employ perpetual outrage as a business model.  He also said a similar unveiling has occured with the right's defining radio personalty, Rush Limbaugh.

Of course any one who has ever tuned in to Fox or Rush and are willing to admit it, knows neither program is "fair and balanced" and that both are right wing shows that devote all their air time to criticize democrats and especially President Obama and Hillary Clinton.  And now they have hitched their wagon to Donald Trump.  Fox and Rush are masters at trying to divide the country, talking hate, making false statements and negative in tone.

Gerson notes in his article that according to a recent lawsuit, Fox as an institution is apparently operating like a sex-fueled Playboy Mansion like-cult steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny.  Gerson's article leaves no doubt his comments concern how Fox and Rush have embraced Donald Trump's rhetoric in this Presidential campaign. The real question is why did Gerson take so long to realize the unAmerican attitude of both Fox and Rush.

After all, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh's programs have been selling the same crud since the very beginning and it has been pointed out here in PolitiDose many times.  PolitiDose also reported that Fox was selling sex as news long before the lawsuit was filed against Fox. The Fox camera angle on the female hosts with their short skirts, especially their show Outnumbered, reveals the clue to what they are trying to sell.

The bottom line on conservatism as practiced today is so out of line with main street America and what America stands for, it always ends up attacking its own.  Fox does not need to be re-launched or re-branded as Gerson says, it need to be broken up like monopolies.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio