Bill Cassidy And His Party Has Given The Voters Good Reason To Reelect U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu

The reason is she supports America's President, Barack Obama.  It was the democratic controlled congress in the early part of Obama's administration that passed the President's stimulus package to move the economy out of Cassidy's party'great recession.  It was that same package that has given the country 55 straight months of positive job creation and has lowered the unemployment rate to 5.9%.  The latest economic reports on the economy, job creation, lower unemployment and a increace in middle class income are all positive for the future.

It was Landrieu and her party's vote that created the Affordable Care Act and brought health insurance to 14 million people who were uninsured.  That includes those insured under the medicaid part of the ACA.  Those who have been insured in Louisiana under the ACA will experience a smaller increase in their premiums next year than the insurance companies offered in the past.

It has been President Obama who has kept America safe from terror attacks and who brought Bin Laden to justice.  The President has also kept our men and women in uniform out of combat operations in Iraq despite the rhetoric from republicans John MCCain and Lindsey Graham who want to see American troops involved in combat operations again.

The President's policy on reducing the federal deficit is working and has reversed the massive deficit spending of the revious administration.  Total federal spending has increased at its smallest rate since the Clinton administration.  The Bush tax cuts that favored the wealthy have been scaled back and the economy and jobs continue to grow despite Cassidy and his prty's predictions it would be a job killer and increase unemployment.  (They must have had the Bush administration on their mind.)

The President's party passed immigration reform in the U.S. Senate and a package to rebuild the nations infrastructure long ago that Cassidy and his party in the U.S. House has refused to take up and even debate the issue because they lack courage.  Landrieu supports the President's position on equal pay for women and raising the minimum wage and improving the ACA if necessary.  Cassidy opposes all of that.  Landrieu has also sponsored and voted on the federal level legislation that benefited Louisiana over the course of her service in the U.S. Senate.

Landrieu supported America's President and votes for and supports his policies most of the time.  Cassidy and his party vowed to obstruct America's President and voted with the majority of his party in the U.S. House 98% of the time.  Mary's Louisiana support of the President's policies turned the country around for the betterment of the people.  Cassidy's vow and obstruction vote take us back to 2008 and the policies that failed.

Senator Landrieu has had the courage to take a stand on the issues and spell out her position.  Cassidy lacks the courage to take a stand on the issues and spell out his position.  There is no courage involved in blaming others and voting to obstruct.  In fact it does not even take brains to do that.  Bill Cssidy, the doctor, has a fever.  The correct prescription to treat his fever is to reelect Mary Landrieu. 

Senator Landrieu stands with America's President when it comes to moving the country and its people forward.  Cassidy stands with an ideology that is unAmerican in nature and the same failed policies of his own party the last time they ran the country.  This writer will take Landrieu's 97% of the time vote with the President's policies over the 98% of the Cassidy vote in the republican controlled U.S. House to obstruct. 

A vote for Mary Landrieu is a vote for America and its people to continue the advances made during the last five and half years. 


This commentary written by John Lucia

The Wisdom Of President Harry Truman: The Story Continues.

One of President Truman's famous saying was, America was not built on fear, America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.  Those words are more relevant today and relate to what is taking place in the country.

The conservative news media, especially the Fox News Network, conservative journalists and republican's in congress are using fear as a scare tactic in the run up to the November elections.  Ebola, immigration, the ACA, ISIS, Benghazi and a host of other fear related  stories.  President Clinton did not have many quoted sayings as Truman but he did say over and over, "the only way republicans can win elections is by dividing the people."  And of course that is what fear is all about, division.

Added to the fear factor is the statement, "Obama can not be trusted."  Not close to being an original statement, just another fear seed to be planted in people's mind.  Of course, the latest number show that the President is more popular than the people who are trying to drive a wedge between the voters and the President.

Fear is not a new tactic, it is just being carried to a new level.  Remember those awesome WMD that Saddam and the threat they posed to America?  Or what about those mobile chemical labs?  Those who use fear tactics are insecure people who can not compete in the real world.  It is a symptom of their inability to offer the people any thing of a constructive nature.

And yes my friends, that is why democratic administrations are able to offer America and its people a better way of life.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The LSU Fighting Tigers 10 The Rebels Of Ole Miss 7

THE GAME in Tiger stadium Saturday returned the spark to this writers generation who were fortunate to witness and live the rivalry of LSU-Ole Miss during the late 50's and the decade of the 60's and 70's.  Who can forget the legendry games they played and the chant, "Go to hell Ole Miss, Go to hell" and of course the Ole Miss fans would return the favor. 

That rivalry has been absent far too many years and hopefully Saturday night's game will be the beginning and renewal for a newer generation that can witness and live the greatest feeling only a Tiger fan can understand.  The game fit the mold of that past "Golden Era" when Ole Miss coach Johnny Vaught's team were the offensive powerhouse and LSU's Paul Dietzel and Charlie Mac's teams were the defensive powerhouse.  Saturday's game was a struggle just like those past games were.

The 10-7 score even  duplicated the score of a game LSU also won not too many years after Billy Cannon's famous run.  It was LSU's defense that preserved a win in the last few minutes of the ball games in that Golden Era and also Saturday night.

The names of all the players and the coaches have changed but Tiger fans were vocal and once again the atmosphere was electric.  LSU was ready to play and brought back a lot of good memories for this old timer.  My grandson Jefferry was in the stands Saturday night in Tiger stadium and is an avid sports fan of LSU.  I am happy that he was able to see and experience what I did long ago because you have to live it and be there to understand.  He was also able to do something I was never able to do, "flood the field after the game was over."   That had to be awesome. 


This commentary written by John Lucia.

Unemployment Nationwide Vs. Unemployment In Louisiana. Update, The Numbers Tell The Story.

When Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal took office in January 2008 the Louisiana unemployment rate stood at 3.8%.  The Louisiana Workforce Commission announced that the unemployment rate in September 2014 in Louisiana was 6%.  In the 80 months Jindal has been governor the unemployment rate in Louisiana has increased 2.2% as of September last month.

The unemployment rate nationally when President Obama took office in January 2009 was 7.8%.  In September 2014 the national unemployment rate was 5.9%.  In the 60 months the President has been in office the national unemployment rate declined 1.9% as of September 2014.  Despite all the negative attacks by Jindal on the U.S. Economy, job creation and Obama's policies, the President has done a better job at reducing the national unemployment rate than Jindal has done in reducing the Louisiana unemployment rate.

One has to consider the fact that the state of the national economy has an affect on states economy, job creation and unemployment.  We saw that during past recessions and economic recovery on the national level and experienced that during the 2008 recession and the economic recovery that is taking place now nationally.  State's economy does not cross state lines and help another state economy, but the national economy crosses the line of all 50 states and has an affect on them.

There are governors such as Jindal who like to place blame and are incapable of giving any credit to the President for any positive advancement in the national economy, job creation and lowering unemployment.  To do so would remind the people that it is once again a democratic administration that is moving the country and its opeople forward out of another republican recession.  Does any one remember Jindal or any other Louisiana official serving in congress blaming Bush for the 2008 recession or the record job losses?  This writer does not remember any one of those doing so.

The 6% unemployment rate for Louisiana in September was the 5th straight month that unemployment has increased while 31 other states unemployment rate decreased in the same month.  When democratic governor Kathleen Blanco took office in January 2004 the number of people employed (non-farm) in Louisiana was 1,916,247 and when she left office in January 2008 the number of people employed was 1,972,655 an increase of 56,308 employed in the 4 years she served.

When Jindal took office in January 2008 the number of people employed in Louisiana was 1,972,655 and on September 30, 2014 the number of people employed in Louisiana was 1,987,900 an increase in employment of 15,245 in the 6 years and 8 months he has served so far.  Governor Blanco did a better job than Jindal has done so far and Jindal has been in the job 2 years and 8 months longer than Blanco.

There were 77,393 unemployed in Louisiana when Blanco left office in Janury 2008.  In September 2014 there were 129,724 unemployed on Jindal's watch.  Makes no difference be it the state or federal level, democratic administrations perform better than republican administrations where it counts most in moving the people forward.  And of course, its the reason republicans are always in the attack mode against democrats.  When you can't compete, try to destroy and be negative against the other party.

When Blanco left office her administration left a surplus close to a billion dollars to the Jindal administration which he blew big time like Bush did on the federal level with the surplus left by President Clinton.  And as of this writing Jindal has not balanced one state budget except by gimmicks. (explained in previous commentary in PolitiDose)  In the news recently is the story by Louisiana state Treasurer John Kennedy, a republican who pointed out Jindal used one time money from the state's insurance fund to balance the state budget and now is looking for a way to increase insurance premiums for retired state workers to shore up the fund. 

As this writer has reported many times over in PolitiDose, republicans find a hundred different ways to get into the pockets of the average worker while preaching conservatism, the phony ideology.  Yes there are some things that never change.

Note:  All numbers shown above concerning unemployment and employment concerning Louisiana taken from the records of the Louisiana Workforce Commission.


This commentary written by John Lucia.

The Detroit Lions Defeat The New Orleans Saints 24-23

Detroit extended the Saints loosing streak on the road Sunday in beating the Saints 24-23.  The Saints are now 2-4 after six games.  Their performance shows they still have their troubles despite playing well at different times during the game.  And they are still wearing the look of a loser. 

Brees continues to be unsure and threw a critical interception in the last few minutes of the game that Detroit converted into the winning touchdown.  Brees also had a bad fourth quarter completing only 3 passes in 14 attempts.  The Saints could not put Detroit away even with a 13 point lead late in the ball game. 

Sports writer Jim Duncan in Monday's Times Picayune said the Saints have failed their rallying call of "Finish Strong" and if that sounds familiar its because you read it here first in PolitiDose more than a year ago.  Duncan also praised the Saints for dominating 56 minutes of the game, forgetting about the last 4 minutes and that there are 60 minutes in a game.  As Yankee great Yogi Berra said so many times, "It ain't over till its over."  All six writers in Sunday's Times Picayune picked the Lions to win the game and restored a little of their ability to properly make a judgement based on performance rather than the usual hype.

Playing 56 minutes of competative football does not always indicate progress.  Sunday's up coming game with Green Bay and playing the balance of their schedule will give the answer.  The question begs, how is it that so many experience Saint players are making the same mistakes after 6 regular season games.  The coaches nor the players have been able to give a reasonable answer.

And has anyone noticed the Saints still can not keep a good running back healthy during the whole season with out missing games with injury.  First it was Ingram and now Thomas is out for 2 or 3 games acording to reports.  The Saints have not been able to draft or trade for a good running back they could rely on for every game and this season is no different.


This commentary written by John Lucia

The United States and The Global Economy

For the past few weeks reports on the Global Economy, regardless the source, shows the present economic conditions and future economic conditions are best in the United States.  Almost every phase of the U.S. economy is working better than the Global Economy.  Europe's economy is almost at a standstill and some are talking about another recession there.

Future job growth in the U.S. is projected to stay strong and unemployment applications are at the lowest level in years.  The predictions now say median income will also start to rise because economic indicators point to a strong recovery.  This writer predicted in an earlier commentary that would start to happen as the country nears full employment.  U.S. manufacturing remains steady and so is job creation in that industry.

So why are the people fed so much negativity about the U.S. economy and the President's performance on the economy?  Does any one want to go back to 2008?  I think not.  The news media and too many people in congress seem to have an appetite for failure and not economic success.  If one listens carefully you can hear comments that even project decline in America's leadership abroad.

Yet, the U.S. still leads the world in every thing that counts.  Our men and women in uniform perform well in all parts of the globe to assist humanity in so many different ways to better life abroad.  Foreign nations still look to the U.S. for leadership and help and it was the comback of the American economy after the collapse in 2008 that kept the Global Economy out of another recession.

America's bright star still shines with greastness for those who have vision and are willing to look beyond the petty whims of ones self.  Yes, American leadership is still in vogue.  It just can not be seen by those with a closed or jealous mind.


This commentary written by John Lucia. 

Illegal Immigrants In Louisiana's School System

According to a Times Picayune article of 10/17/14 by Cole Avery, 1400 immigrant children are putting a strain on Louisiana's financial ability to school those children as mandated by the federal government.  Mary Quaid of House Legislature Services gave a report on the effects the children are having on the state and what actions are available to the House Select Committee On Homeland Security.

U.S. Senator David Vitter testified before the committee about the cost to educate the children and said, "the phenomenon of children crossing the border is a result of the federal government not inforcing the law and working towards amnesty."  Bob Tasman, executive director of the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops testified and said the answer to the problem is comprehensive immigration reform on the federal level and what we really need to do is advocate and use our voices to let the individuals in Washington know we need to set politics aside.

Vitter had an opportunity to cast aside the usual ditto head conservative blame game and say some thing constructive and failed the people he represents.  Mr. Tasman's comment showed he understands the real problem and solution.  Vitter well knows it is the Obama administration that has inforced our immigration laws better than the previous administration and placed more security guards on the border than ever before.  He also knows the Obama administration has deported more illigal immigrants than any past President.  And surely he knows the immigration reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate almost a year ago does not contain amnesty.

It seems that Vitter was the only one who testified before the committee that had nothing positive to offer.  And now he says he will run for governor when Jindal's term ends.  What a waste. 


This commentary written by John Lucia. 

Columnist's Rich Lowry And Richard Cohen: Two Editorials With No Substance.

Lowry and Cohen each had an editorial published in the New Orleans Advocate of 10/15/14 and both continued the ditto head negative comments that conservative journalists and the republican party have joined together to find fault with any thing coming out of the Obama administration.  Its the same old negative drum beat since the Newt Gingrich era. 

Lowry's editorial concerns the study by the Department of Defense that bans the sale of cigaretts, cigars and chewing tobacco on bases and ships.  Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel has spoken favorable of the idea, citing health care costs according to Lowry.  The conservative columnist then goes off the deep end and suggest that the study would lead to a ban on smoking by the military in combat and in off base situations.

Lowry points out correctly that military life lends itself to smoking but gets one of the reasons wrong why military people smoke when he cites :mind numbing boredom."  As a Marine who smoked while on active duty I can say two things for sure.  (1)  There is no such thing as "boredom" in the Marine Corps and (2)  the Department of Defense will never ban smoking for our GI's especially those in combat and or those who are off base and serving their country.  Lowry seems to know very little about the military but that does not stop him from taking a huge leap from a study in progress to his own warped conclusions.

Cohen's editorial accused President Obama of lacking menace" which is the conservative code work for "lacking toughness" concerning those events taking place around the world today and especially in the middle east.  He tries to relate the President's lack of "menace" to Iran having a fully functional nuclear weapons program and if he would join Israel and striking Iran's facilities and bombing it to smithereins.  He then answers his stupid question by saying Obama would not and would stall and equivocate. 

When it comes to Iran's nuclear activities we know the following.  Most of their progress had been made on the watch of President George W. Bush, the tough talking President.  On Obama's watch, international inspectors have inspected Iran's nuclear facilities and are still on their property now while talks are moving forward and the U.S. and the world know more now than they ever did about Iran's nuclear capabilities.

Cohen then really gets into fairy tale mode when he tries to compare how President Gerald Ford handled Viet Nam to how Obama is handling the ISIS matter.  And of course, like a good conservative ditto head he does not thinkPresident Obama is enough of a "menace" to ISIS.  History has already told us that President Bush's tough talk on Iraq, created Al Queda in Iraq and paved the way for ISIS and their followers.  Bush's tough talk also had no affect on the terriorists who carried out the attacks on America on 9/11. I guess they did not think Bush was much of a "menace."

Conservative journalists like the conservatives in congress will never let up on their attacks on the President or give him any credit for his accomplishments.  People who are small of character never do.  They want to see the President fail in the middle east just like they want to see him fail domestically.  They also want to see American combat troops in Iraq fighting a ground war once again.  Bush told the people it was Saddam and his military that was a threat to America.  But it was Al Queda in Iraq and other terrorist groups that entered Iraq after the invasion that was responsible for inflicting most of the casualties on our men and women in uniform 

Now Cohen thinks the U.S. can control events in the middle east if only Obama was a "menace."  The President has dealt with the many fires left to him and has done a pretty good job.  The country's best course of action is political understanding and wisdom, not some precieved "menace."  Rich Lowry and Richard Cohen would do better if they would write an editorial of the positive accomplishments of the Obama administration but don't hold your breath, their conservative ideology will not allow that to happen.


This commentary written by John Lucia

Another Huge First For PolitiDose

This writer's past commentaries concerning Coastal Wetlands Environmental Levy known as (CWEL) which was proposed by former Louisiana Republican governor David Treen would levy a tax on oil and natural gas transported thru Louisiana as a way of raising state revenue to deal with the environmental damage done by oil drilling, production and pipeline operations in Louisiana.  Treen offered CWEL in the early 1980's.  The Oil Industry opposed CWEL and the state legislature never took up the matter. 

Now 30 plus lears later, CWEL has taken center stage.  An editorial in the New Orleans Advocate dated 10/7 titled, "Save Our Coast" co-authored by Quin Hillyer and John Barry who want Louisiana to move forward and adopt a limited, fair and reasonable Coastal Wetlands Environmental Levey that would levy a tax to apply to the transport of oil and gas moving in Louisiana.  The levy or tax would supplement Louisiana's trust fund for wetlands preservation and restoration.

Both Hillyer and Barry agree in the editorial that the energy industry caused significant damage to the coast.  Both also believe pipelines and canals by their own very nature threaten the marshlands.  Hillyer is a conservative, a New Orleans Advocate columnist and a contributing editor for the National Review.  Barry is a liberal and former VP of The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East that filed the law suit against 97 Oil companies for damages caused by their operations to Louisiana's wetlands, marshes and coast.  Hillyer opposed both CWEL in the past and the above law suit.

The co-authors are a Johnny come lately on CWEL since this writers commantary published in "PolitiDose" dated 5/10/10 titled, Its time for Louisiana;s legislature to act on CWEL.  But better late than never and hopefully their editorial will influence the state to have a real debate on the subject matter.  Regulations have proved to be inadequent because of the relationship between elected officials and the special interest of big oil who have acted irresponsible in destroying the states environment with their operations. 

Former governor David Treen was on target over 30 years ago with CWEL but no one would listen.  Filing of the law suit by the Levee Board was necessary because our elected officials did not do their job and inforce the laws.  They simply did not care and neither did the oil companies who caused the damage and just laughed at their responsibilities to the state and its people.

PolitiDose has been in the forefront and understood governor Treen's proposal was and still is relevant today and a sound way in upkeeing and restoring Louisiana's environment.  "PolitiDose", your daily dose of political commentary will continue to comment on those issues that really matter and make a difference.

Note:  Check out previous commentary concerning CWEL.
            a)  The Wisdom Of Former Governor David Treen    4/22/14

            b)  Louisiana's Ecosystem Restoration    7/20/11

            c)  The Con Game Is On   9/30/10

            d)  Its Time For Legislature To Act On CWEL    5/10/10


This commentary written By John Lucia

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal: A Very Small Person

One would think the holder of the highest elected office in Louisiana would stand tall, be positive and act grown up, but Jindal continues to be a small person when it comes to leadership, character and courage.  The governor continues to play the blame game, a favorite tactic of conservative ideology because they have no record of positive accomplishments. 

Jindal's latest blame game was an appearance before the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank where he gave a speech on foreign policy and defense spending according to an article in the New Orleans Advocate dated 10/7 by Elizabeth Crisp.  According to the article Jindal said we should increase defense spending to 4% of the GDP.  He also made the following comment.  Today we are living with the consequences of the Obama-Clinton ideas when it comes to foreign, domestic and defense policy.  And those ideas have set America on a path that will create more chaos, more conflict and more wars.

The George W. Bush administration in which Jindal served must have been on his mind because what Jindal described happened on the Bush watch.  As every sane Americn knows President's Clinton and Obama have kept our country and its people safe and has protected our national security much better than Bush did.  Jindal, according to the article would pay for the billions necessary to increase defense spending by his belief that entitlement programs such as medicare, medicaid and social security need cost saving changes.  That is the same old conservative code word for privatising those programs they have been trying to kill for years. 

Jindal goes on to criticize the President for announcing that the nations plan to fight ISIS would not include troops on the ground, and that the President should have been more closely guarded with his plan.  Well first, Jindal said the President did not have a plan and now he has a plan but Jindal does not like that the President was truthful with our men and women in uniform and the people.  Of course the President knows well American troops on the ground will be used as an excuse by Iraq and others not to commit their own forces to fight for their own country.  Jindal, Lindsey Graham and John McCain like to act tough wanting our men and women in uniform back on the ground in Iraq in combat operations.  Well, I think the tough talking three brave men should be the first to volunteer.  The people know where the President stands which says a lot about his courage and character.  Can any one really picture JindAl as commander in chief?

What Jindal is trying to repackage and resell is the fairy tale that republican administrations are better at protecting Americas national security than Democrats.  Of course the tragic events of 9/11 and Bush's unnecessary war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist and destabalized that country, created AlQueda in Iraq and planted the seed for ISIS.  What really chaps Jindal and conservatives is that President Obama has kept America safe during his time in office.  Jindal and his conservative ditto heads will be fanning the flames of fear between now and the 2016 election.  Every one who follows what has been taking place in the middle east know the war in Iraq created the conditions that exist over there as of this writing. 

Jindal and his ditto head conservatives are a disgrace to the republican party who once put country before politics and did not govern by an unAmerican ideology.  Its hell when one has nothing of substance to offer the country and its people and its tragic when the highest ranking elected official in Louisiana has to be so small minded.  Bobby Jindal is not a serious public official and will not be the republican standard bearer in 2016. 


This commentary written by John Lucia