Job Numbers and Unemployment For October 2020

The economy returned 638,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate came in at 6.9% according to the U.S. Labor Department report.  The job numbers were down from the September numbers of 672,000 jobs and was the fourth straight month of lower job numbers.  The unemployment rate was one percent lower than the 7.9% rate in September.

The department also reported that the nation still has 10.1 million fewer jobs than it did before the recession and pandemic and at the current pace of hiring, it would take until February 2022 to regain those jobs lost.  Despite those projections, Trump and his party still have no stimulus plan or economic plan to put the country back to work and address the problems.  

That is not a pretty economic picture especially with record COVID 19 cases surging at the present time and Trump and his party's rejection of the stimulus passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.  And now with the election over we shall see just what Trump and his party are willing to accomplish before he leaves office in January 20, 2021, just two and half months away.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

 Note:  The republican controlled Senate failed to pass their own stimulus plan.

What Is The Point? Semantics At Its Worse.

In a New Orleans Advocate opinion column dated 11/5 by Tyler Bridges and Jeff Adelson titled, "Big wins show republicans still reign in Louisiana"  was much about nothing.  They tried to explain how Tuesday's Presidential election turned out to be about the same as the 2016 election as far as Louisiana goes with the same kind of results.  Its meaningless because with all the republican party control in Louisiana, it is  democratic governor John Bel Edwards that leads the  state.

The big red in Louisiana controlled the government and both houses of the state legislature under former governor Bobby Jindal but accomplished very little in their 8 year reign.  They never balanced one state budget, left the state with billions in debt and the unemployment rate was higher when Jindal left office than it was when he took office.  They also refused to implement the ACA under the medicaid provision and left millions go uninsured.  

Governor John Bel Edwards did much better and governed with character even though he has a hostile republican legislature and attorney general who try to oppose his every move especially against the COVID 19 virus.  Edwards has done a better job than Trump at managing the virus even though the President has more resources at his calling.

So the republican party may still reign in Louisiana in some minds, but it is democratic leaders who lead and govern the best for the people and the state.  This writer is not moved by the red state when governed by the republican party.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

President-Elect Joe Biden Wins The Presidential Election and Defeats President Donald Trump.

 Democrat Joe Biden rode a record democratic "blue wave" vote that drowned President Trump on election day November 3.  President-Elect Biden also won the popular vote with more than 74 million votes and the final tally not in yet.  It was the most votes received by any Presidential candidate in the history of the country.  It was also the second Presidential election for Trump when he failed to win the popular vote.

The so called conservative opinion writers never saw the democratic "blue wave" coming because they refused to believe it existed.  But the readers of "PolitiDose" knew better because the "blue wave" was explained in PolitiDose commentary on several occasions the past few years.  It was also obvious in the record early and mail-in voting.

Biden's campaign was about American values while Trump's campaign was like his administration, one of division and personal attacks, both on people and our institutions.  Biden campaigned in the states Trump won in the 2016 election and pushed him to defend those states.  Biden's win also put to rest the old worn out line by Presidential campaigns that you have to win Ohio and Florida to win the Presidency.  Biden lost both states and won because he knew how to add and obtain the necessary 270 electoral votes.  

So now with the votes counted, Trump, in his usual anti-American rants continues to say he won the election by lots of votes and has already had his attorney engage the federal courts in unfounded claims of voter fraud and other illegal activities.  But the courts will be no help to the trumpet man's allegations.  Trump's behavior in trying to corrupt and undermine the democratic process is a sad time in the life of a U.S. President.

On January 20, 2021 when President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office, the darkness of the Trump administration will be lifted and "HONOR" will return to the White House..  The change will reflect the will of the people and their confidence in President Joe Biden and America the Beautiful.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

LSU 11 AUBURN 48

 LSU's win against South Carolina was talked about being a great improvement for their rushing offense, the offense in general and a big improvement for the defense.  However, it slipped some peoples mind that South Carolina was really not a good football team and therefore the game was not a vehicle to make such a judgement.

Then along came the Auburn Tigers, no relation to the LSU Tigers in a SEC match up that defeated the LSU football team and made it look easy.  LSU's problems on offense and defense were once again glaring.  After five games, the Tigers from Baton Rouge have the same problem giving up big chunks of yardage on offense and defense.  Poor tackling and blocking.

Every SEC team has the same problems.  COVID 19, players sitting out because of it, players lost to the NFL draft, injuries and young players.  But when you have the right coaching, the cream should come to the top.  At this point, the defending national champs have a long way to go to become a team that can compete on a consistent basis for the BCS playoffs and a shot at the national championship.

In fact they have a long way to go and just be a winner in the class with Alabama and Clemson.  And the Tigers play Alabama next week with two weeks to prepare for the game and make a positive statement.  Will the Tigers be up to the challenge?  Will the coaching staff wake up, coach and understand 15-0 is over and done with?

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The President Continues To Violate His Oath Of Office.

 The mentally unfit and impeached President Trump continues his assault against the nation's democratic voting process with his lies and unproven remarks of massive voting fraud both at the polls and with the mail in ballots.  And his anti-American rhetoric to his supporters to take action at the polls in order to intimidate voters all add up to the violation of his oath of office to uphold the law and protect America's institutions and the constitution.

The unfit President took another sick step recently in declaring that the only votes that count are the votes cast and counted on election day Nov. 3.  Never mind the millions of lawful mail in votes that are timely filed but counted past election day.  The confusion that this President tries to perpetuate during the country's voting process apes what authoritarian and dictator regimes do to deny the vote and divide the electorate.  The attempt to corrupt our institutions and the constitution has never been greater by an American President.

On November 3 the American voters should overwhelmingly reject this President's traitorous actions and his anti-American quest of authoritarian rule.

This  commentary written by Joe Lorio

New Orleans Advocate Journalists Mark Ballard and Tyler Bridges Are The Latest Bill Cassidy Ditto Heads

 Their long, drawn out commentary published on 10/26 titled, "Cassidy, Perkins Differ On Health Law By Wide Margin" was the usual out of touch commentary on health care by journalists who love to quote the GOP's talking points on an issue they have a record of inaction and opposition on for the past 16 plus years.  Trump and the GOP during the 2016 Presidential election promised health are if elected but failed to deliver even though they controlled both houses of congress in Trump's first two years in office.  Bill Cassidy, a doctor played a part in the republican health care plan that went down to defeat in 2017 and could not even provide the 51 votes necessary for passage and the GOP controlled the majority vote.

Now, Ballard and Bridges in their article swallow the GOP tale of another health care law the republicans have ready sponsored by Cassidy again and Lindsay Graham.  But they fail to question Cassidy why the plan has not been introduced yet, even though Trump said it would be introduced this past August but never was.  They also failed to question Cassidy's lie that republicans have proposed at least three times replacement bills but were defeated by Democrats.  In 2017 the republican controlled U.S. House passed their health care plan but the republican controlled Senate ignored that plan and introduced their own plan and it went down to defeat.  And Trump and his party have done nothing  outside of their rhetoric.

Ballard and Bridges in their commentary quoted Cassidy saying, "as a doctor, I do bring something unique to the conversation, and I think it shows in my legislation."  Yeah, right, a self serving statement that his own party defeated and disowned in its vote in 2017.  And this is the party who told the people during the 2016 election if they won they would pass a new health care plan to replace the ACA and it would be better.  The Congressional Budget Office actually reviewed their plan and said it would remove millions from the insured rolls and out lined its deficiencies.  So now after 4 years and no health care legislation or plan they now say wait until the next election and 4 years.  What is  the something unique that Cassidy brings to the conversation?  And what is unique that Trump and his party can explain about their health care plan besides the rhetoric?

The bottom line in health care tells us Trump and his party have no record of any health care legislation as of this writing because they do not believe in the issue.  The same is true to their opposition of Medicare that was passed in 1956 by a democratic controlled congress and democratic President.  And when Trump and his party's health care legislation was defeated in 2017, former speaker of the U.S. House John Boehner, a republican said, the republican party was never interested in passing health care legislation.  And that really says it all.  

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio

Another First For PolitiDose

After much commentary in PolitiDose concerning the democratic controlled U.S. House doing its part in the fight against the coronavirus by passing a needed stimulus package to help the economy and its people recover, we finally hear from Dana Milbank, columnist for the Washington Post in an opinion column dated 10/29 titled, "Rich Mitch Acts For The Wealthy and Not The Hurting Americans." 

Milbank comments how republican senator Mitch McConnell would not take up the House passed $2.2 trillion stimulus plan nor the $3 Trillion original stimulus plan which money would already be circulating in the economy.  PolitiDose commented on that along with other needed legislation passed by the House that McConnell would not even take up for debate, much less a vote.  The general news media are always behind PolitiDose reporting on  those issues that really matter and make a difference.  In fact the news media paid little attention to a piece of major legislation passed by the House that would lower prescription drug prices over five months ago.  McConnell also let that legislation die in his senate chamber.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary for timely information.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

What Is Important Is That The American People Understand The Word "TRANSITION."

 The America people understand exactly what democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden means when he says a Biden administration will work to expand the country's energy sector from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy by a certain date and it will be done by TRANSITION.  Trump and his ditto heads, some Oil and Gas executives included, sought to use a lie saying Joe Biden would immediately shut down the industry and the jobs associated with it.  They allow themselves to not understand the word TRANSITION in favor of a stupid lie thinking about the election around the corner.

The Oil and  Gas industry, like Trump, have been lying for years about democratic administrations trying to put them out of business.  The Kennedy-Johnson administration in the 1960's eliminated their tax breaks called the 12 and half percent depletion allowance and the industry claimed it would put them out of business.  Well of course as every one knows it did not because the administration knew it was just another tax gift to an industry that did not need it.  Plus the readers of PolitiDose understood from previous commentary that the industry does better on the democratic watch.

According to the LSU Center For Energy Studies, 8,000 oil and gas jobs were lost in Louisiana since the start of the economic recession.  From 72,000 workers to 64,000 workers.  In a separate report by the Baker-Hughes rig report on October 23, there were 12 rigs working offshore and that a year earlier there were 21 rigs operating, a reduction of 43%.  And it took  place on Trump's watch.  We also  know as fact that the oil and gas industry did better under the administration of President Obama than they did under President George W. Bush and also so far under President Trump.

TRANSITION, such an easy word to understand if one has the wisdom to do so.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

  

Federal Spending Continues To Grow On Trump's Republican Watch.

In a PolitiDose commentary dated 10/31/09 (11years ago) titled, "Federal Spending, Facts vs. Myth" it was reported how republican administrations are the big spenders in Washington and not democratic administrations as the GOP always tried to sell the public and the news media.  And now after the Trump administration completed its third fiscal year on 9/30/20, we can compare those three years of federal spending with President Obama's last three fiscal years of federal spending.  We will also explore federal spending for the last 40 years.

Total federal spending in Obama's last three fiscal years was $11.5 trillion.  At the end of Trump's first three fiscal years total federal spending was $15.1 trillion, up $3.62 trillion or 31%.  By comparison, total federal spending for Obama's first four fiscal years increased 18% over President Bush's last four fiscal years.  And in Obama's last four fiscal years, total federal spending increased 7% over his first four fiscal years.  So total federal spending for Obama's eight fiscal years increased a total of 25% compared to Trump's increase of 31% in only three fiscal years.

Total federal spending In President Reagan's first four fiscal years increased 50% over the previous four years of President Carter.  Total federal spending in Reagan's last four fiscal years increased 25% over his first four fiscal years.  So total federal spending in Reagan's eight fiscal years increased 75%.  Total federal spending in President George H.W. Bush's first four fiscal years increased 28% over Reagan's last four fiscal years.   Total federal spending in President Clinton's first four fiscal years increased 14% over Bush's first and only four fiscal years.  Total federal spending for Clinton's last four fiscal years increased 14% over his first four fiscal years.  Total federal increase in spending for Clinton's eight fiscal years was 28%.  Total federal spending for President George W. Bush's first four fiscal years increased 28% over Clinton's last four fiscal years and total federal spending for Bush's last four fiscal years increased 33% over his first four fiscal years.  Total federal spending increase for Bush's eight fiscal years was 61%.  

The democratic administrations of Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama fell between the administrations of Reagan and Trump and brought sanity to federal spending with much smaller increases and a budget process because democrats govern with plans and policy and the real issues that affect the country and its people.  Republican conservatism is a myth along with the notion that democrats are the big spenders.  During this 40 year period, the Clinton and Obama administrations were the only administrations to leave office with a balanced budget and or a reduction in deficit spending from the numbers when they took office.  The country and the people had to deal with an economic recession that began on the watch of Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump and three of those Presidents passed massive tax cuts that benefited the wealthy and Corporations the most which they said would keep the economy growing and balance the budget.

And if one wishes to really understand the magnitude of republican spending, how about absorbing this bit of information.  It took the country 212 Years to have a $1 trillion spending budget and that took place in Reagan's fiscal year ending 9/30/87.  President George W. Bush became the first President to preside over the very first $2 and $3 trillion spending budgets in fiscal 9/30/02 and fiscal 9/30/09.  Trump became the first President to preside over the first $4 trillion spending budget in fiscal 9/30/18 and the first to preside over a $5 and $6 trillion spending budge in fiscal 9/30/20.  It took 15 years to go from a $1 trillion spending budget to a $2 trillion budget;  Then it took 7 years to go from a $2 trillion spending budget to a $3 trillion budget.  It then  took 9 years to go from a $3 trillion spending budget to a $4 trillion budget.  It then only took 2 years to go from a $4 trillion spending to a $5 and $6 trillion spending budget.  Good thing democratic President's Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama served in between those four republican President to break up the republicans spending spree.

And still today, the news media in general and especially the so called conservative republican opinion writers try to pass off republican administrations and those republicans in congress as fiscal conservatives.  They are not only enablers of fake news, they have no original thought on fiscal matters or the actual numbers.  And its the same media who tell us it is their job to inform the people.  Yeah, right.

PolitiDose for the past 11 years has told the story of the republicans massive deficit spending and debt and their failure to balance the federal budget since 1960.  That is over 60 years ago.  How many years do they need?  The cruel implementation of three massive tax cuts that favored those who needed tax relief the least fueled the great disparity know as income inequality and economic recessions that damaged the average American worker while Corporations gave record bonuses and salary increases to their CEO's and executives.

The national debt has increased almost $7 trillion in just three short fiscal years under Trump, the economic recession is still in progress, unemployment is higher than when Trump took office, job creation is in minus territory, Trump's trade war is still waging on and Trump and his party still have no real policy or plans to deal with the issues.  Ideology rules and the country lacks governing and leadership.  The fiscal disaster under this administration is there for all to see.  The GOP has learned nothing from the past.

And as expressed many times in past PolitiDose commentary, "The secret to a better future is understanding the mistakes of the failed past."  Otherwise, the future will be like the failed past.  Republican administrations have proved that over and over.  And that really says it all.

Note:  Spending information above taken from the Congressional Budget Office and the Office of Management and Budget historical data.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

Republican Administrations on Trump's Watch Records Another Record Deficit Spending Fiscal Year For The U.S. Government

 President Trump's Treasure Secretary announced that the government's federal deficit for fiscal year ending 9/30/20 came in at a record $3.13 trillion, topping the previous single year fiscal deficit of $1.4 trillion during George W. Bush's last fiscal year that ended 9/30/09.  Revenues were $3.42 trillion while expenses were $6.55 trillion.  The $3.13 federal deficit was an increase of 218% over the previous fiscal years deficit of $984 billion.  Fiscal year 9/30/20 was Trump's third full fiscal year and the federal deficit has increased each year.

Trump's record deficit should be a surprise to no one that follows PolitiDose or the facts because it was all preordained by precedent of republican administrations and record over the past 60 years.  And it has been documented in PolitiDose commentary during the past nine years.  No republican administration has left office with a smaller deficit than when it took office in the same period, but every democratic administration except one during that same period left office with a smaller deficit then when they took office.  And no republican administration has balanced the federal budget since President Eisenhower in 1960, but two democratic administrations balanced five budgets during that same period.

And to top it off, the highest percentage increase in the national debt during that same period took place on the republican watch of Nixon-Ford, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.  So called republican conservatism is a myth and the federal government's fiscal health does much better on the democratic watch and has the record to prove it.  Conservative opinion writers continue to push the fake news and disinformation that democrats are the party of deficit spending because they are ditto heads for Trump and the GOP and are cowards when it comes to facts.

The federal deficit at the end of President Obama's last fiscal year ending 9/30/17 was $665 billion.  It was $1.4 trillion at the end of Bush's last fiscal year .  President Obama inherited the Bush economic recession, had to deal with it and the terrific job losses that followed but still reduced deficit spending and kept the deficit below Bush's record number.  The Obama administration also left office with a great job creation record.  

On the other hand, The 2020 economic recession and pandemic took place on Trump's watch, the federal deficit increased every year and exploded this year and the economy has lost jobs on Trump's watch.  Trump's tax cuts also reduced needed federal revenues that helped explode the deficit.  Trump and the GOP has followed the same failed ideology that allows one to predict the calamity that takes place on their watch.  And to think many people and the news media still believe the bill that was sold to them about the Reagan, Bush and Trump tax cuts and how  great it was going to be for the economy and balancing the federal budget.  Three strikes and your out.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio