The Terrorists Attack In Brussels and The European Community.

First it was Paris just a few months ago and now Brussels, Belgium.  ISIS claimed to have a hand in both attacks.  Terrorists are known for striking the most vulnerable targets and knowing a great deal about the security or lack there of at the targets they hit.  In both the Paris and Brussels attacks their security people admitted that security was lacking in several areas.

The most important element in determining what went wrong and what to do next after an attack is to have sane leaders with courage to face the challenge without fear and not over react.  Tough talk won't get the job done and neither will political positioning or name calling.  So far, the leaders of France and Belgium seem to get the message and are acting accordingly.

In the United States the attacks on Brussels exposed the fear card used by Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.  One would think their response indicated the terrorists attacked America on that day as they went after President Obama's policies in the middle east.  Trump also said he would not take the nuclear option off the table for going after ISIS.  Ted Cruz said the U.S. should spy on and secure moslem communities in the U.S.  Those statements by Trump and Cruz do not define a sane response from a Presidential candidate.

Trump and Cruz have learned nothing from President Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist or his failed policies in the middle east.  Trump in fact has taken different positions on the war in Iraq.  He said he opposed the war but said we should have taken Iraq's oil.  Prior to the war, Saddam and his military kept terrorists out of Iraq and Iraq was also a country that kept Iran in check.  Iraq under Saddam was the balance.  And Trump wanted to take their oil.  How would that have kept Iran in check.  Yeah, right, you got it, it would not have kept them in check.

At present the U.S. has a President who is both sane and responsible and has a policy in the middle east which includes fighting terrorists like ISIS and Al Queda.  It has just been announced that the U.S. in the last month killed 3 of ISIS's top leaders and that Iraq forces supported by U.S. air power will be starting a ground and air campaign to retake Mosul from ISIS.  Mosul is the largest city in north Iraq.  Fighting terrorists is not easy or fast work, just ask President's Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43 and Obama.  And at the present time our country is losing less lives while fighting the war.  We Americans should be able to relate to that and support the President's efforts.  Our men and women in uniform and their families have been paying the price in the middle east far too long.

Our country and its people need serious leaders now more than ever.  That will still be true when the election rolls around in November.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

A Letter To The Editor Concerning Taxes Is A Mirror Of Past PolitiDose Commentary.

In a letter to the editor of the New Orleans Advocate of March 26 James Bollinger in reply to a March 10 "readers view" letter by Mr. John Kay, Louisiana State Director Of Americans For Prosperity whose organization's website declared, " we protect the American dream by fighting each day for lower taxes, less government regulations and economic prosperity for all."  (in reference to recently passed tax increases in Louisiana which Mr. Kay's organization opposed)

Mr. Bollinger pointed out in his letter what "PolitiDose" has said in many past commentaries how taxes and regulations are required to run government and regulate business for the good of the state and its people.  Mr. Bollinger also said this in his letter and I quote.  As for the gentleman's concerns about Louisiana being at some disadvantage vis a vis other states, I believe it is time to realize that competition among states for business is yet another race to the bottom.  It is far better for states to join together to protect themselves against the demands of businesses, rather than give away the store and follow the business piper called American Legislative Exchange Council.

That statement will also be familiar to the readers of "PolitiDose" concerning the business community and their demands on government for special tax breaks.  Bollinger articulates in his letter how taxes and regulations actually protect the American Dream and this writer urges the readers of "PolitiDose" to read his letter to the editors.

Mr. Bollinger ends his letter by saying, "Lets not allow Fox News, Corporate America or Walton and Johnson to dictate what truth is."  And that should really sound familiar because you read it here first in "PolitiDose" your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Republican Politics Of Division Has Become Wider and Wider

The republican tactic of using certain issues to divide the country is well known to those who follow politics and the people should prepare themselves for a brutal battle between the republican Presidential candidates left standing and the general election if the democratic nominee is Hillary Clinton.  Jeb Bush announced his support for Ted Cruz in order to deny Trump the republican nomination.  There is no one who preaches division like Ted Cruz and he has very few friends in congress, where he serves.

Former U.S. representative Bob Livingston of Louisiana announced he was supporting Donald Trump for the republican nomination.  He did not vote for Trump in Louisiana's Presidential primary according to his statement but now supports him because he wants to see the Presidency being denied to Clinton.  Of course, Trump has proved on the campaign trail he too preaches division.  Livingston, who served in congress for many years resigned from the U.S. House in disgrace over a previous affair and was one of the many republicans who hated President Clinton.

So now we have both Bush and Livingston supporting two republican candidates who both practice the politics of division.  One who wants to stop Trump and both who will stoop to any thing in order to defeat Clinton if she is the democratic nominee.  In a recent commentary I wrote the republican party would sell their soul to defeat Clinton and that is what Bush and Livingston are doing with their announced support.

The republicans are scared to death of a democratic being elected in 2016 because a democratic administration would continue the success with the economy, job creation, lower unemployment and a balanced budget that is sure to happen under the next administration if it is democratic.  The gains and progress for the country and its people would be dramatic.  The republicans know that so they will go negative and be divisive and also follow their M.O. of personal attacks, especially if Clinton is the democratic nominee.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Donald Trump: Is He A Dilemma For The GOP Or A Diversion For The Party?

The republican conversation about what to do with Donald Trump has picked up steam just in the last few days and in Sunday's Times Picayune "reflection" section there appeared three long editorials about the subject.  One of the commentary even injected religion into the matter.  It seems like the GOP itself, various leaders of the party and journalists have laid out a story line to divert attention from the real problem.

Trump will go into the convention with the most delegates and if he does not have the total delegates needed on the first ballot a new vote will be taken and the delegates can cast their votes where ever they want.  He has the most popular votes than any of his republican opponents and if some one else is selected it will make the primary and caucus votes of the people moot.  Ditto if the party turns to some one outside the candidates and or goes to a third party.

The GOP is not in a dilemma because of Donald Trump.  It is, because the party itself wants a conservative candidate who is extreme on the issues.  Ohio governor John Kasich presents them with a problem because they have doubts about his conservatism even though he was extremely conservative when he served in the U.S. House, especially during the Clinton administration.  In fact he held an extreme position against Clinton's policies that actually worked for the country and its people.  He voted against Clinton's deficit reduction and economic plan that was passed by the democratic controlled congress in 1993.  He also voted to impeach the President.

This writer smells a ploy when the GOP talks about their options at the convention.  They want to win back the Presidency so bad they would sell their soul.  There is no one in the party at the time to unite them in a civil way.  Newly elected speaker of the House Paul Ryan could not even pass his republican budget because of their tea party's opposition and the word was Ryan was the one person who could unite them.

The best option for the country in November of 2016 is for the people to elect the democratic nominee.  It was bad during the last republican administration and today's bunch offers a worst alternative.  The country can not afford that.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Part II: The Second Super Tuesday Primaries

Hillary Clinton swept all five democratic primaries on Tuesday night including Florida, Missouri, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio.  Donald Trump won four of the five republican primaries.  

According to Real Clear Politics Clinton won Florida by over half a million votes while Trump won the state by over 440,000 votes.  Clinton won Ohio by over 165,000 votes while Trump lost Ohio by over 229,000 votes to John Kasich, Ohio's governor.

The Clinton campaign sustained the momentum and Ohio and Florida were huge victories for her.  Those who though her loss in Michigan would hurt her in those two states were wrong.  The republicans lost another candidate when Marco Rubio, after a poor showing in his home state of Florida announced he was suspending his campaign.  The party's Presidential candidates now number three after starting out with seventeen.

John Kasich ended Tuesday night with the least total of delegates (all primaries) than his three opponents.  He was also quoted as saying the GOP could not avoid a brokered convention.  Ohio was Kasich's first and only win so far.  He finished fourth in Florida and third in Illinois, North Carolina and Missouri.  The media and others are now trying to sell Kasich as an alternate to Trump at the convention but Cruz will have a lot to say about that because he is in a strong second place position.

This writer believes Hillary Clinton has emerged as the one mature Presidential candidate in her campaign style, speeches, policy matters and her willingness to take on her opponents on the issues facing the country and its people.  She is a fighter and the best qualified of all.  She is also a serious public servant.  It is hard to guess what the republican party will do at their convention.  A fight and or brokered convention is not what the party or the country needs at this time.  If a brokered convention comes about could the party go to some outsider as some have mentioned?  It is some thing to ponder.  Now that would be a real finale to the republican circus.

After Tuesday's primaries Clinton still leads Trump in the popular vote total 8,651,128 to Trumps 7,536,465 according to Real Clear Politics. 

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

Part I: The Second Super Tuesday Primary's For The GOP

Donald Trump won four of the five super Tuesday primaries and Ohio governor John Kasich won his state's primary.  Trumps four victories validated what "PolitiDose" has been saying from the very beginning.  His candidacy is on top because the rest of his republican opponents and their party are so weak on accomplishments they border on being inept.  Trump also used personal attacks on them from the very beginning to highlight their weakness and it worked.  His opponents never got a foothold and never appeared to be Presidential.

Rubio was so weak he could not even carry his home state of Florida.  Trump beat him in 67 of 68 counties.  And Rubio was billed as the future of the republican party.  It of course was a republican myth swallowed by the news media.  Ohio governor John Kasich carried his home state but could not get to 50% of the vote.  Pretty sad for a candidate who bragged how well the people have done on his watch.  Sure Kasich had three opponents but all things are relevant.  The news media does what it does best, blow smoke when they say Kasich is now a factor in the republican nomination process at the convention.

The weakness of Trump's opponents does not indicate he would be better if he wins the nomination at the convention.  In fact the republican party is in trouble regardless who they nominate.  Tim Pawlenty, a former republican governor and Presidential candidate in the 2012 election told MSNBC on Wednesday night Trump is winning because the republicans promised to cut spending, cut the deficit, repeal Obamacare, deal with food stamps, change social security and a host of other issues and did nothing on any of those issues.  In other words, the republican party has no accomplishments, just like "PolitiDose" has been saying for the past 8 years.  But Pawlenty did not say any of those things when he ran for the republican nomination in 2012.  Its par for the course for republicans.

The news media are still searching for answers why Trump is winning and continue to give his campaign top billing.  They just can't get enough.  The republican party did indeed create Donald Trump and they are two sides of the same coin.  Donald Trump, the republican party and the tea party all deserve each other.

But the country and its people deserve better.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The GOP Loves To Sign Pledges: A Continuing Story

It started in the Newt Gingrich era with his "contract for America" which turned out to be a "contract on America" that America did not ask for.  It then morphed into the "read my lips" era of no new taxes.  Then Grover Norquist pledge of no increase in taxes that so many republican elected officials gladly signed both on the federal and state level.

And now the latest GOP pledge that is currently in the news that the republican party's Presidential candidates signed onto promising to support who ever becomes the party's nominee.  Rubio and Kasich were reported to have recently said they may renege on the pledge and not support Trump if he is the party's nominee.

Democrats do not sign pledges, not even to support the democratic Presidential nominee.  What they do is hold up their right hand and swear under oath to fulfill their duties as elected officials.  Of course, republicans take the same oath and then sign pledges that contradict their sworn duties.  The GOP has no intention of doing anything that falls outside of their extreme ideology so they sign pledges.

More and more republicans from the past who did not follow a political ideology are coming out now and are speaking about the republican Presidential candidates and opposing their do nothing attitude.
Some are calling them a bunch of idiots and expressed their feelings that the only way to save the GOP is to break up the party as it stands today.

The real question that is hard to answer about the GOP in this writers opinion is this:  Does a pathway really exist to change the GOP's direction away from such an extreme ideology on almost every issue, and if so, who will that person be to finally stand up, lead and articulate the needed change.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Louisiana Special Session Has Ended For The State Legislature

The republican controlled legislature struck out in its special session and ended the session still in deficit to the tune of $30 million according to reports coming out of that body.  The state House did a poor job of moving legislation and sending it to the Senate timely for a vote.  It was reported some of the bills that passed were so tardy the senate did not have time to debate and therefore no one really knows what those bills will really produce.

The state legislature mimics the republican controlled congress more and more by failing to work with a democratic administration at a time of great need.  Governor Edwards said, "This was not our best day" and expressed disappointment in the failure to find a way to address the problems.  He also said the legislature's lackadaisical approach will make the upcoming session a grueling one.  Five of the governor's key proposals to help solve the fiscal crisis did not even pass.

Clearly, there is no progressive leadership in the republican controlled House and very few serious public servants.  In my commentary dated 1/23/16 titled, Louisiana, The state We Are In, I made the following statement.  "This writer will be surprised if the republicans will cooperate and work with Edwards and only time will tell."  Well, the special session is history now and the republicans did not prove that statement wrong.

But they will have another chance to do so in the regular session coming up shortly.  Lets see if they can get this one right with positive action that will put the budget problem back on a fiscally sound footing and into the future.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The President Keeps The Pressure On The Leading Terror Groups

U.S. air strikes hit Somalia terrorist leader al-Shabab's main planning base north of Mogddishu killing over 150 Islamic militants in the training camp.  Somalia's intelligence said they cooperated with the U.S. in the air strikes.  The U.S. government announced the strike.

On another front against terrorists the U.S. said an Islamic terrorists al-Afari, a chemical and biological expert that was captured in Iraq by U.S. special forces provided the U.S. with details about how the group had weaponized mustard gas into powdered form and loaded into artillery shells.

The news media gave very little coverage of the those event in favor of the Presidential race.  But every day we are witness to the fact that the Obama administration has done a remarkable job in bringing terrorists around the world to justice.  His policies are working and fighting terror is still his top priority.

The cable news networks are just like the republicans in congress.  They just can't bring themselves to acknowledge that the President is taking care of the nations interest and national security.  They are too busy filling up their air time with Donald Trump.  The news media thinks its more important to have a post debate show where for hours they tell the viewing audience what they already heard from the candidates.

The U.S. has a President that has his priorities straight and a news media that lacks judgement in their reporting and broadcasting.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

After A Primary Win Donald Trump's Lack Of Character Comes To Life

Donald Trump's post election speech from his headquarters in Florida Tuesday night celebrating his primary wins in Michigan and Mississippi was a good example of a man who on a winning night sought fit to once again personally attack his republican opponents.

It was not a humble speech nor one with virtue.  It was a time to celebrate a victory with his supporters but instead talked about his business accomplishments with much criticism for others.  Trump's lack of character shows his weakness as a man and also conveys his reasons for speaking in the singular.  (I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that.)

Speaking in the singular is the trademark of republicans but they have little accomplishments to show for it.  A Presidential candidate can not afford to be negative as Trump and expect to be effective or even representative of what America is all about.  It should be obvious that many executives in corporate America are ruthless and Trump, being a part of corporate America, exhibits his fondness of being ruthless.

If a Presidential candidate can not show character and humility in winning, he is already a loser.  Trump talks a lot about his opponents being part of the establishment but so is he.  He is part of the corporate  establishment who give millions of dollars to elected officials in campaign contributions to try and influence their vote.  That makes the corporate establishment worst than the political establishment.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio