FOOTBALL: The New Orleans Saints and The LSU Tigers: What Will The 2018 Season Bring?

When it comes to the Saints, New Orleans sports writers have been talking about them since the end of last season.  It seems like they did not take a break and one would think from their writings, the Saints are Super Bowl material.  After only two winning seasons in the last six years this writer won't jump the gun.  In fact, it would not be a surprise if the Saints do not improve on last years record.

Forget about what Kamara and Ingram accomplished in rushing last year.  This is a new season and Saints opponents will be ready.  Besides Ingram has been suspended for four games and it took him five seasons to live up to his potential.  So what Ingram will show up this year?  Brees has slipped the last few years despite individual accomplishments and it will show even more this year.  The larger question will be the Saints defense, despite all the good things said about them.  They are simply over rated.  I would advise Saints fans to lower their expectations.

The LSU Tigers face the same situation as last year.  Coaching, quarterback and a lack of consistent offense play and play calling.  And this writer believes all those are critical.  No one knows yet if Orgeron can be a winning coach at LSU and bring the Tigers back to being competitive every week.

We know the coaches are high on LSU's three quarterbacks and they have a good resume but how will that work out once the season starts?  No one knows the answer to that either at the present time.  Will LSU have a consistent offense that can move the ball and score points?  We also do not know the answer to that despite the fact that LSU has a hosts of good offensive players.  Will LSU's new offensive co-ordinator really change things up from the past?

Die hard LSU fans should be realistic when trying to evaluate the Tigers and not go off the deep end and listen to the hype and clichés.  This writer has been a follower of LSU for over 50 years and because of the Tigers performance the past several years I am not excited yet.  And the big question mark is LSU's head coach, Ed Orgeron, the man that has to set the tone.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Donald Trump: Russia's Favorite Puppet.

The G7 summit began this week in Canada and once again President Trump came to Russia's defense and said that they should be invited back to join the G7 group.  Russia was booted out the G7 group after they illegally annexed Crimea four years ago.  It is another stark reminder how President Trump is so wed to Putin and Russian wishes.  Coupled with Trumps recent action on Tariffs against America's long time allies, Trump is splitting America's relationship with its allies.  That is a split Putin has wanted for a long time.

And when one realizes that Donald Trump is the only Presidential candidate to ever seek the support and help from a foreign government to dig up dirt on an opponent and use the social media to spread falsehoods in support of Trump, every American should be outraged.  And as President, Trump has kept up his cozy relationship with Putin and still has not implemented all the sanctions against Russia.

Trump will be leaving the summit early and skip the portion of the summit that has to do with environmental issues.  He may not participate in the final report when the summit closes and the report is issued.  The bottom line is President Trump is doing his best to destroy every thing good America has always stood for in favor of a partnership with America's largest threat and adversary, Russia.  French President Macron remarked that Trump's isolationist and attitude toward the G7 could push the summit to be a G6 and reminded Trump G6 countries were larger than America.  In other words, Trump's threats would not work.

Hillary Clinton did her best to warn the people during the 2016 campaign and 54% of those who voted in the 2016 election voted for some one other that Donald Trump.  The majority of those who cast their votes understood what was at stake.  And the President still believes that is fake news.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Special Session Failure By The Republican Controlled State Legislature.

Worthless, that is the best but not the only word that describes the republican controlled state legislature.  They have had two special sessions and one regular session and still no agreement to answer the fiscal short fall for next fiscal year which begins on July 1.  Their first priority is the republican ideology that wants to see the Edwards administration fail so they can regain the governorship of Louisiana.  And because they have no answer to the fiscal problems facing the state and its people, the governor has called for another special session towards the last of the month.

The ideology of Louisiana's republicans mirror that of the republicans in congress.  They are against everything and for nothing and call themselves conservatives.  They are actually radical extremist with an UnAmerican attitude.  And what have Louisiana's republicans accomplished?  Well, they never balanced one state budget under former governor Jindal and they are kicking the fiscal can down the road on Edwards watch.

The people of Louisiana knew what they were doing when they elected John B Edwards, a democrat to be governor and he will hold the republicans in the legislature accountable for their failure to be a responsible party.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy Continues To Create Jobs In May

The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy created 223,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate came in at 3.8%.  It was the 92nd. straight month of positive job growth.  President Trump attempted to grab the spotlight in a tweet by announcing the good news before the Labor Department made their report public.  Past Presidents followed a different path and allowed the Labor Department to make the announcement first in order to not make the economy political.

But the facts tell us that job creation under the Obama administration was better.  Under the Trump administration from February 2017 to May 2018 a period of 16 months, 2,927,000 jobs have been created for a monthly average of 182,937.  Under the Obama administration from October 2015 to January 2017, a total of 16 months and Obamas last 16 months in office a total of 3,254,000 jobs were created for a monthly average of 203, 375.  That is an average of 20,438 more jobs per month under President Obama.

The real story on job creation under Trump will be told when he leaves office and the record is complete.  But Trump's statement that job creation under the Obama administration was weak and is now very strong under his own administration is another one of the President's many lies.  President Obama left the Trumpet man with an economy in its 9th year of expansion, positive job growth and a steady decline in the unemployment rate.

Those who refused to ignore the facts understand the terrible economic conditions President Obama inherited and the quality job he was able to do to turn the economy around.  And he did so despite the republicans in congress and their promise to obstruct and not work with him.  That is all history now and history without having to lie.  And the facts are written down by the CBO and the Office of  Management and Budget.

So the trumpet man has a way to go if he wants to created more jobs.  The  lies won't get him there.  Only the facts will.  And that really says it all about this President.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Lying and Corruption of President Trump Concerning Russia-Gate.

President Trump's attorney in a report to special counsel Robert Mueller is reported to tell the special counsel that Trump himself dictated the memo Donald Trump Jr., was supposed to have written about his meeting in Trump tower with a Russian representative.  At the time the story broke, President Trump denied he dictated the memo and so did his attorney and Trump Jr., said he wrote it.

Trump's press secretary Sanders also said at the time the President did not dictate the memo.  After the new story broke this week, the press corps asked Sanders about the new revelation and misinformation by President Trump himself and she would not answer the question.

Both President Trump and Trump Jr. gave different stories about the meeting in Trump towers and what the meeting was about.  This writer believes their lies indicate collusion with Russia was involved and Trump's original lie about not writing the memo and the fact he did so amounts to his intention to obstruct the investigation and is an impeachable offense.

The President's latest rhetoric about the President's power to pardon himself, that he can not obstruct, that the investigation is unconstitutional, a President can not be indicted, etc, etc, tells of Trump's awareness the special counsel is closing in on him and his un-American actions.

The malignancy of this President runs deep and through the republican party in congress who have enabled Trump's corrupted rhetoric and actions at every turn.  For sixteen months, President Trump and his party has stabbed America in the back, violated the norms of government and its institutions with autocratic rule and has shown disrespect for others as policy.

America has a sick and unstable President the likes never seen before by any living human being.  And as such, deserves to be impeached PDQ for the sake of America and its people.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Robert Mueller Is A Better Man Than President Trump

The  Justice Department's special counsel Robert Mueller has executed his responsibility with dignity and character and has proven to be a better man than President Trump.  Mueller is quietly collecting evidence concerning his investigation, several have been indicted and or pleaded guilty.  He does not seek publicity or try to influence public opinion, nor does he respond to the President's personal attacks.

On the other hand, America has a President who has done his best to destroy the Justice Department and its investigation and the people connected to the work.  Trump can not find a real attorney to defend himself so he hires a hit man like Rudy Giuliani to continue his personal attacks against Mueller and the investigation.  Trump held his hand on the bible and swore to uphold and defend the Constitution but instead he has trampled all over it.

Sixteen months in office and impeachment of the President is still the best course of action.  Dishonesty, lies and fake news is the core of Donald Trump, and his corrupted persona is permanent.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The NFL and President Donald Trump: Neither Have A Clue To The Meaning Of Patriotism.

The NFL's new policy concerning the national anthem is as much "fake patriotism" as President Trump's rhetoric on players who take a knee while the national anthem is being played.  The NFL and Trump are simply playing to their base and with Trump its also politics and his every day attempt to divide the country and its people.

In this writers judgement, the new NFL rule of allowing players to stay in the clubhouse while the national anthem is being played is worse than taking a knee.  The situation has gotten out of hand because the NFL has allowed Trump to play politics with sports and the national anthem and also intimidated the league.

Patriotism is defined by how one lives his or her life and not by elected officials or the NFL.  Trumps every day actions tells us he could care less about patriotism or the military.  Protesters have a right to peaceful protest and take a knee and fans have a right to disagree and even boycott the game if they choose to use that form of protest.

The bottom line is the great majority of Americans never burn the American flag and show respect for the national anthem when sung or played and that is why our country will always be "America the Beautiful."  The politics of division only works when the constitution is trampled upon and no voices are willing to speak out.  Free speech lives on.  Those who try to ride the tiger with division and fake patriotism usually end up inside the tiger.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The First For PolitiDose Just Keep Piling Up.

PolitiDose noted in its commentary early on during the 2016 Presidential campaign that Donald Trump and the republican party were one and the same and spelled out the reasons.  The regular news media never picked up on the story because they were giving Trump so much television time over his republican opponents and they even published Trump's tweets on a regular basis which was really foolish.  But foolish describes the regular news media.

Now comes John Boehner, former speaker of the U.S. House who resigned a few years ago said in speaking to the Mackinac Policy Conference in Michigan last week, THERE IS NO REPUBLICAN PARTY, THERE's A TRUMP PARTY.  Boehner, being out of politics is  now speaking his mind, but his former colleges still in congress will not speak out against Trump because like the trumpet man,, have no character or policy.  A few republicans did speak out against Trump's recent action on trade but won't pursue the matter.

Boehner also confessed last year that the republican party would never pass a health care plan because they really have never been interested in the subject matter.  He was right and PolitiDose reported that long before Boehner's remark.  Yes, make no mistake, Trump and his party are one and the same and you read it here first in PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The United States and North Korea Summit

If it happens on June 12 like it was originally planned then it was never cancelled like President Trump said it was.  So what else is new?  If it does take place and both sides say it was successful, then you will know North Korea will come out with the advantage.  Why?  Well, because North Korea like Iraq was never a threat to the national security of the United States or South Korea.

So the United States will give up something big while North Korea will reduce its nuclear capacity that it would never use any way against the U.S. and as a result will surrender very little.  North Korea sits on half a peninsula and would be a sitting duck if they launched a war against any one.  North Korea also has a kicker in South Korea whose leader would like to normalize relations with the North and both sides can do so without any outside interference.  They could also agree that the U.S. must remove its military forces from the Korean peninsula.

North Korea, a poor country unlike the South developed a nuclear capacity to have a bargaining chip in dealing with the U.S. and the west and to obtain respect and a opportunity to sit at the same table.  George W. Bush was the last President who sold the U.S. on a war with Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  Fifteen years later we are still in Iraq after losing over 4000 troops killed and over 30,000 wounded.  Now we have another President by the name of Trump who threatened a war with N. Korea with fire and fury while he kisses up to Russia who is the real enemy of the U.S. with a developed nuclear capacity.

When it comes to nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula it is necessary to remember it was the U.S. who first introduced nuclear weapons in South Korea early on and then withdrew them in 1991.  Also, it was the trumpet man himself who said during the 2016 campaign South Korea should build its own nuclear weapons.  There is one thing you can take to the bank.  That is as long as the U.S. and other nuclear powers have the attitude that they can keep their nuclear weapons but no one else can develop their own, as sure as the night follows the day, there will be some country and its leader who takes that as blackmail and will develop a nuclear capacity of their own.

The spread of nuclear weapons is a never ending story with the conditions the world lives under today.  We just do not know what nation will be the next to seek those WMD.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Trump's So Called Tough Talk On North Korea Backfires

The President's tough talk on North Korea caught up to him and as a result Trump cancelled the summit between the two countries.  The President said it was a set back for North Korea and the world, but it was a setback to a President who has no political understanding or policy on the subject of North Korea.  And it was the trumpet man and his supporters who were bragging that it was Trump's tough talk that was responsible for Kim Jong to agree to the talks.  Yeah, right, only in their dreams.

Kim Jong kept a low profile, released 3 Americans from captivity and followed through of refraining from testing any more missiles before the summit.  Trump responded by allowing the U.S. joint military exercise with South Korea take place and Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton said the U.S. would apply the Libya standard on North Korea's nuclear capacity.  Those issues should be handled with at the summit but Trump and Bolton tried to bully Kim Jong and he replied forcefully to the suggestion by Bolton.  After Trump cancelled the summit, he changed his tune and said the Libya standard would not apply.  So much for tough talk.

Trump's administration is in chaos no matter what it touches and Trump's ego is so dependent on adulation a commemorative coin was prematurely issued concerning the summit before the fact.  There is no real policy plan or thought by this President concerning North Korea and no preparations and it came to the forefront.  Plus there are those in the administration who would like to see another Iraq operation in North Korea.

Make no mistake, if and when a summit ever takes place, North Korea will emerge as the country who achieved all its goals while giving up very little and its nuclear capacity will be the vehicle to their success.  PolitiDose will state the reasons why in a future commentary coming up soon.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio