Sean Hannity Slapped Himself In The Face

Hannity, the Fox News conservative host who has been dealing in "fake news" for many years finally was caught.  His love affair with republicans ability to govern and accomplish much for the country even though the record says otherwise, recently slapped his own face with a tweet.

The republicans failure to repeal and replace the ACA produced a tweet from Hannity urging republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to retire because of his failure to deliver on his promise to repeal and replace the ACA.  Over the years Hannity got caught up in his own "fake news" about promoting the ability of republicans to govern.  Hannity, Trump and the GOP are at each others throat trying to salvage the propaganda they themselves created.

Hannity is a big supporter of Trump on his program but never has asked Trump why he did not introduce his own health care plan as he said he would during the month of March.  Of course we all know the answer, Trump, like his party never had a plan.  Things are not going well for Hannity and Fox news.  Their lies are legendary like Trump's lies and every day Trump proves what this writer has pointed out in PolitiDose long ago, that is, business men who turn to politics seldom succeed.  Hannity may have a successful show but he sold his soul long ago to an ideology of division and hate.  And as the Trump administration has more set backs Hannity will continue to slap himself in the face.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

New Orleans: FLOODING

This Saturday the rain came down and flooded several sections of the city.  It was reported up to 7 or 8 inches of rain fell in just a few hours time.  People were stranded, cars had to be parked on the neutral ground or any high land.  Those who flooded wanted answers and rumors were rampant that the pumps were not working.  But with all that took place, nothing was really new, it was an event all too familiar because it was a repeat of the past.

When things go wrong, the blame game starts and the real problem and solution gives way to the politics of the moment.  The city council will meet in an emergency meeting and the S&WB will review all that happened.  Those candidates now running for Mayor will chip in with their comments and of course those who suffered damage are already out of patience.  And because the event was not new, tempers will deny a level headed approach to the problem.

The real problem is the water bowl the city sits in and a sewage and drainage infrastructure that has been neglected for over 30 plus years.  And until the funds are found and allocated to take care of that situation, Saturday's event will take place again.  A good start was FEMA's agreement and approval with the city to fund $2 billion to fund repairs for roads, sewer, water and drainage infrastructure cause by damage due to Hurricane's Katrina and Rita.  Those funds are now in danger because of the Trump administration.

The other problem of neglect is our political system that is so divisive that state and city budgets no longer put priorities first and as a result the service people rely on are under funded and neglect sets in.  All forms of taxes, which government needs and uses are unfair because taxes in general are not fair to all.  This writer has made several commentaries here in PolitiDose concerning every one should pay his or her fair share of taxes, even the poor and the reasons why.

Saturday's event will not be a wake up call if the status quo does not change.  If there is no real priority and commitment to fund the sewer, drainage and street neglect that has taken place, the city's future will repeat the past.  And keep in mind, if a commitment is made to take care of the problem, reversing 30 years of neglect will not be accomplished quickly.  But it must begin.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Happy 90th Birthday To Former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards

Any person who reaches that magic number should be wished a very happy birthday.  And Monday, August 7, the former four times governor has a reason to celebrate.  A birthday party on August 12 has been planned and will be attended by hundreds of Edwards friends, including Louisiana's present governor John B. Edwards who will be the featured speaker at the event.

Tim Morris, conservative opinion writer for the Times Picayune in a column dated August 4 is not happy with friends giving Edwards a birthday party, especially governor John B. Edwards being the featured speaker.  Morris tries to link those who will help Edwards celebrate his birthday to corruption because of Edwards conviction a number of years ago.  But Morris is the same ditto head conservative who defends Trump's every day lies, corruption and hatred for American institutions.  In fact Morris has used the words "alternate news" to support Trump's lies.  

It is worth remembering again that Edwin Edwards was never convicted of any wrong doing while holding an elected office.  The convictions covered that period when Edwards was a private citizen and held no elected office.  This writer would support Edwards over Donald Trump any day and so would the facts.  So best wishes to former governor Edwards on his 90th birthday and I hope there are more healthy and happy ones in the future.  Those who can not separate birthdays from politics really have a problem and need help.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Note:  The title of Morris' article was:  Newspaper owner, governor think it's OK to celebrate corrupt politician.    It is a conservative mind set that can't escape the gutter.  

Another First For PolitiDose. They Just Keep Piling Up

There are two political commentaries published in the Times Picayune of 8/2/17.  One by Paul Krugman, the other by Cal Thomas.  Krugman is a political science and economic professor and Thomas often identifies himself with religious matters.  Thomas' commentary are extreme most of the time while Krugman's commentary are about facts.

The title of Krugman's article was, "The right's intellectual and moral collapse" and concerned the lies of Trump and the republicans in congress on dealing with the ACA and their attempt to repeal and replace it.  Krugman points out they were caught in their own web of lies.  He also wrote about the republicans lies in their support of supply side economics (trickle down economics that this writer has commented on many times) and show their motive was political strategy and not sound policy or economics.  They were just looking for something to help them win elections.  They knew tax cuts for the wealthy was no economic plan.  Krugman also told how the republicans lies started long ago.  And if all that sounds familiar its because you read it here first in PolitiDose on more than one occasion and long ago.

Thomas' commentary titled, "The President is not the enemy," claims a democratic-republican establishment and the media has overwhelmed Trump with investigations and media Molotov cocktails.  Thomas does not like what is being said about Trump because it is true and reality compared to the ditto heads like Thomas who accept Trump's lies and his disgraceful talk about America's institutions.  In fact, listen to this line in Thomas article.  BETTER TO BUILD UP THIS PRESIDENT AND THE GOOD HE CAN DO, AS HE IS THE ONLY PRESIDENT WE HAVE.'  That sentence by Thomas is so hypocritical because of his personal attacks against President Obama for 8 years.  President Obama was the only President we had at the time also, but that did not stop Thomas for trying to tear down President Obama.

Thomas is still the right wing conservative writer who had no respect for President Obama and now supports a President who respects no one and even makes excuses for Trump.  President Trump is at the root of his self made problems and he and the republican party are showing their inability to govern.  But as usual, Thomas and other republicans always find an excuse to blame some one else for the failure of their ideology.

A good President left office in January of this year and left the country in good shape for President Trump.  Unfortunately, Trump and the republican party decided on a regressive course for the country and have no major accomplishments after 6 plus months on the job.  Their tough talk was for show.  And now we are learning that in January Trump in a phone conversation with Mexico's president asked him not to make any statements in public about Mexico not paying for the wall because it would hurt Trump politically.  Trump also told him the wall was unimportant but important because Trump himself made a political issue of the wall.  In other words, President Trump, a great business man according to his own mouth, was a fraud on the matter and sought Mexico's help in getting him off the hook for some thing he himself started.

Yes, Thomas' article is old news, the facts have been told much earlier here in PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Donald Trump: Unfit For Office and Corrupt To The Core

In a span of one week, Trump continued to expose just how unfit he is to be President and how his corrupt persona is taking a toll on America's moral foundation, institutions and democracy itself.  And after 6 months in office his party remains silent with very few exceptions and excuses are still the GOP's alibis.

In a matter of days, Trump speaking before the Boy Scouts of America and Police Chiefs around the country trashed what both organizations stand for.  Trump's speech before both groups was so un-Presidential the leader of the Boy Scouts apologized for Trumps remarks and police leaders around the country out right condemned Trump's statements about roughing up people who've been arrested.  One said last thing we need is a green light from the President of the United States for officers to use unnecessary force.

The Presidents dislike for the U.S. constitution and the laws governing behavior are a betrayal of the Presidency and what America is all about.  Respect for others is not even part of Trump's thinking process.  The republican controlled congress has to put a stop to this traitor before he does any more damage.  Fifty four percent of the people who voted against Trump in the November 2016 election understood the threat Trump represented and now the republican party has to act, they have the votes to do so.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

A Recap Of The Republican's Scam To Repeal and Replace The Affordable Care Act and A Compliant News Media

There is little left to be said about the subject matter until the issue is once again put on the agenda by congress.  But this writer feels a recap is in order to cut through the nonsense that became a large part of the issue that was totally unnecessary and skewed the issue.  And the news media in general and cable news in particular were compliant in the matter all the way.

Congress delivers its message to the public through the news media and for seven years the republicans in congress appeared before the media, mostly on cable and the Sunday morning news shows and proclaimed they had a plan to repeal and replace the ACA.  But they never held one public debate or meeting to obtain input from those concerned and involved in health care.  Nor did they have any written plans.  And the host of all the TV shows they were guest never asked the republicans to reveal their plans they claimed to have. Nor did the news media ever do a major story about their fake news on the subject matter.  Ditto Donald Trump, only for him it was 18 months, but he too never had a actual plan.  It was all fake news and the news media was submissive and yielding.

In being compliant, the news media gave a measure of credibility to the republicans claims of having a plan and did not devote any time to the fact that the ACA was working and how the ACA could be amended if necessary.  They became ditto heads for the republicans fake news and never challenged Trump and his party's charges that the ACA was imploding.  The media simply fed the American people the republicans and Trump's fake news on the issue like they also did Hillary Clinton concerning Benghazi and her emails.

The best information concerning the health care issue took place when Clinton and Sanders debated during the 2016 campaign.  Sanders wanted to start all over on health care but Clinton articulated how it would be best to amend the ACA and make it better.  The news media decided it would be more fun to run with the republicans fake news.

For the republican party and Donald Trump the issue backfired, thanks to the value of the ACA and the latest poll that showed 62% of the American people support the ACA.  The news medias handling of the issue and the republicans scam should be a reminder to the people to do their own homework on the issues so they can make a judgement based on the merits of such issues.  And when health care is once again brought to the floor of congress one can bet the news media will still lack a true voice for the people to really understand.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Finally, Something Good Comes Out Of Washington, D.C.

And it happened because the votes of 48 democratic Senators and 3 republican Senators defeated the SKINNY  health care plan by the republican controlled Senate.  It was the final push by the Senate and Trump to repeal and replace the ACA for the immediate future.  They will try again later but for now their seven year itch lacks scratching and credibility.

With six months plus in office President Trump and his party still have no major legislation accomplishments.  His staff and appointed ones are dropping out like flys and Trump's inability to select qualified people is telling.  His administration is a circus and chaos still reigns.  The buck passer in chief failed to keep his word of submitting his own health care plan to congress in March for congress to debate.  His mind has a hard time thinking policy and plans because he is not a thinking President.

After the SKINNY failed, republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said it was time to move on to other issues.  Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer said the democrats in congress are still willing to work with republicans if they reject their ideology of repeal and replacement of the ACA and work in a constructive way with democrats to address any problem that exist with the ACA and make it better.  The ACA is working and is the proper frame work to address health care.

Trump and the republicans should read the following statement made by President Harry Truman many years ago.  It is relevant to the health care issue today.  YOU CAN ALWAYS AMEND A BIG PLAN, BUT YOU CAN NEVER EXPAND A LITTLE ONE.  I DON'T BELIEVE IN LITTLE PLANS.  I BELIEVE IN PLANS BIG ENOUGH TO MEET A SITUATION WHICH WE CAN'T POSSIBLE FORESEE NOW.

Those words of wisdom come from a very successful President who guided our country during and out of
WWII.  Today's democratic party are using those words of wisdom concerning their position on health care.  This writer has no way of knowing if Truman's statement influenced their position but it is the right position to take concerning working within the ACA and not destroying it.

President Trump and the republicans in congress could learn a great deal from Truman's statement and signal they are ready to work with the democrats and with in the ACA.  It is their move because they control both houses of congress and they are the ones who control and decide what legislation can be introduced.  Time will tell if the republicans are ready and willing to walk away from their big lie concerning health care the past 7 years.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana's Republican Representatives In The U.S. Congress Have Hit Rock Bottom

All of Louisiana's republican reps in the U.S. House of congress voted for the American Health Care Act a few months ago which would have repealed and replaced the ACA.  The CBO report on the bill pointed out how damaging that bill would be to health care and the millions of people who would lose their insurance.

And now just this week the U.S. Senate, thanks to all the democrats and 7 republican  senators voted to kill the latest version of the republican party's health care  bill called "The Obamacare Repeal Reconcillation Act" by a vote of 45-55.  If passed the legislation would have left 17 million with out insurance in the first year and 32 million over the next 10 years.  The bill would have become effective in 2020 pending a replacement.

Louisiana's two U.S. Senators, John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy voted for the bill even though it did not meet Cassidy's own test.  He and Kennedy were just conservative ditto heads who followed the republican leadership.  Cassidy came up with the lame excuse the 2020 effective date would give the party enough time to craft a suitable replacement.  What a bunch of crap from a republican and party who has lied about its health care plans for 7 years and still not even close.

The republican controlled Senate is now saying they will try to pass a SKINNY health care plan bill this week which still has the same problem as their other lies and in fact creates other problems.  The party are the lying liars of health care and Louisiana's republican representation in congress have been just a bunch of ditto heads who care nothing about health care, Louisiana or its people.  Their voting record and their actions say it all.  Louisiana and its people miss the representation of former U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu big time.

Special Note:  Late last night into the early morning the republican's SKINNY health care bill was voted on   and defeated 51-49.  All 48 democratic Senators voted no as did three republican Senators.  The defeat ends the issue for the time being and again Louisiana's two U.S. Senators, Kennedy and Cassidy voted for the SKINNY bill and continued their conservative ditto head march behind Trump and the republican leadership and their vote said to hell with Louisiana.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Piece of 'FAKE NEWS' By Times Picayune Conservative Writer Tim Morris

In a Times Picayune column of July 26 titled, "The Most Corrupt State?  Louisiana Owns It., ditto head Tim Morris displays a picture of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards and tries to connect the Governor to corruption along with other elected officials from several other states that he mentions.  Morris talks about Edwards conviction in 2001 in bribery and extortion charges and the fact that Edwards fought criminal indictments in the past.

But the facts tell the real story that Edwards was never convicted of any wrong doing while holding public office, not even his conviction in 2001.  That chaps Morris and the Times Picayune because while Governor, Edwards always got the best of the news media by admitting in public, some of his bad habits.  But Edwards was never found guilty of any crimes that took place during his 4 terms as Governor.

"FAKE NEWS' is alive and well with conservative opinion writers and the Times Picayune and especially since Trump became the author of "FAKE NEWS'.  And when one becomes a ditto head, 'FAKE NEWS' is substituted for facts.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another First For PolitiDose Concerning The Affordable Care Act

Two articles in the Times Picayune of July 24, one by three writers with the Washington Post titled, "Trump's  first 6 months:  A fact-check tally" the other by Paul Krugman, titled, Health Care in a time of sabotage" confirms that the ACA is working, not dying or imploding and according to the Congressional Budget Office the ACA exchanges are expected to remain stable for the foreseeable future.  And if that seems familiar its because you read it here first in PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary just recently and many other times in the past since Trump and the republicans started their lies.

Other information pointed out in the two articles state that Trump lied approximately 44 times that the ACA was dying and essentially dead.  One article explains how Trump can sabotage the ACA and not make it work which Trump has already alluded to on numerous occasions.  The article also list three areas the Trump administration is already doing to sabotage the ACA.  First:  Weakening enforcement of the requirement that healthy people buy insurance.  Second:  Its letting states impose rules on people seeking medicaid.  Third:  It has backed off advertising and outreach designed to let people know about options for coverage.  The article list other things the Trump administration is doing to discourage the uninsured to join the ACA.

The health care issue has exposed Trump and the republicans for what they really are, liars with an unAmerican ideology who are willing to even lie to their supporters to destroy anything democratic.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio