Michael Gerson: A Conservative Journalist Who Is No Ditto Head For Donald Trump

Conservative journalist Michael Gerson of the Washington Post is no President Trump ditto head like most conservative journalists who see no wrong in President Trump's actions and are ready to support his lies and traitorous acts.  In a article that appeared in the New Orleans Advocate dated 10/1 titled Trump Is Guilty But will he pay for it?  Mr. Gerson writes in his first sentence as follows:  "For the first time in American history, the President has pleaded guilty to an impeachable offense."  Mr. Gerson relates that to Trump's telephone conversation with Ukraine's President on July 25 which is the subject of the U.S. House's impeachment inquiry.

Mr. Gerson is no Johnny come lately in his commentary about the President's conduct and like commentary in PolitiDose that began early on also, recognized the dangers that Trump presents for the country.  Gerson in his article says Trump's asking Ukraine's President to investigate Biden constitutes corruption of the first order  He then said Trump has spent so many years in the trash heap of corruption that he can no longer recognize the stench.  Readers of PolitiDose have read about Trump being corrupted to the core long ago.  It was also PolitiDose commentary in 2016 that recognized early on Trump's traitorous act when he asked Russia to hack into Hillary Clinton's emails.  That was a betrayal of America, but few in the news media took note of how serious Trump's actions were at the time, but PoitiDose was there to report it timely.

So commentary by Mr. Gerson and PolitiDose concerning President Trump's unAmerican actions have a similar tone and understanding just how damaging the trumpet man has been to our country and everything America stands for.  And both have commentary about those republicans and conservatives who have enabled Trump and in the process have become ditto heads who look the other way.  Republican and conservative journalists who continue to support the President's every day lies and traitorous acts, remain silent and give voice to the most extreme voices out there are not journalists.

But this writer and I feel sure Mr. Gerson will continue to report on what really matters and make a difference for our country and its people.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Federal Judge Strikes Down Another Attempt By President Trump To Restrict Immigration

President Trump's attempt to extend authority of immigration officers to deport people with out allowing them to appear before judges was blocked nationwide by U.S. District Judge Ketanji Jackson Friday.  The judge ruled the administrations expansion of expedited removal authority violated procedural requirements to first seek public comments and ignored flaws in how it has been used at the border.  The judge's order did not rule on the merits of the case but the decision prevents the administration from expanding fast track authority nationwide.

It is another sad example of an administration who still lacks a legislative agenda for immigration reform after 32 months in office and prefers to demagogue the issues with executive orders and administration procedures that end up being overturned by the courts.  And it was the trumpet man himself and his party during the 2016 Presidential election that said if they won the White House they would have an immigration legislation reform plan for the country.  Well, they did win, but all they have to show for it is immigration rhetoric, like Mexico will pay for the wall and etc, etc, etc.

The voters should remember that U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Lindsay Graham were also running for the republican Presidential nomination in 2016 and indorsed that approach.  Both are still serving in the U.S. Senate that has been controlled by their party for the last four and half years but neither has introduced one piece of immigration reform in their own chamber.  They too, only have immigration rhetoric on the subject.

There is only one way to accomplish true immigration reform and that is by legislative action.  But Trump and his party has failed to embrace that approach because they do not care about the issue.  The democrats have always had a immigration legislative plan as explained in previous commentary in PolitiDose.  And if a democrat wins the White House in the 2020 elections they will act on the issue with legislation.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Trump's Blame Game Continues

Now its the Nobel Peace Prize's governing make up why Trump has not been selected for the Nobel Peace Prize.  They are against him and are not fare and he should have won multiple times by now.  The President's mental corruption knows no bounds and after 32 months in running the country with a republicans party that backs him up, his lies continues on a daily basis, every one else is to blame for his failures and his corruption extends to every thing he touches.

Trump  and his party still have no legislative agenda on immigration reform, gun safety and will once again have to rely on stopgap spending to avoid a government shutdown on September 30.  No trade deal with China and a problem with Iran that did not exist before Trump  withdrew the U.S. from the Iran agreement with our allies. No sustained 4% or more per year of GDP growth as Trump predicted from his tax cuts, not even close.  Single year trillion dollar budget deficits have already returned this fiscal year that ends 9/30.  For a President who  brags and lies so much, little has been accomplished so blame others is the name of his game.

And the two people that Trump hates the most, former President Obama and Hillary Clinton have accomplished so much more for the country and its people while they held office.  Both were not afraid to let the voters see their income tax returns that they made public for  many years.  The corruption and lies run so deep for this President his mental deficiencies will not allow him to be transparent.  What a shame and stain on the Presidency.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Republican Controlled U.S. Senate Continues Its Failure To Lead.

Once again the U.S. Senate had to pass a CR stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government running thru November 21st because they failed to address and pass a long term spending bill before the government's fiscal year ends September 30.  The democratic controlled U.S. House did its part months ago when they passed 10 funding bills that are long term without the need of a stopgap measure but the republicans in the U.S. Senate failed to act on those bills.

The republicans failure to act last year on the same problem resulted in the longest ever shut down of the federal government which lasted from December 22nd to January 25, 2019.  And the shutdown began when the republicans controlled both houses of congress and the Presidency.  The absence of republican leadership in running the country should be a warning to all Americans.  The answer to their failure is to always blame someone else.  That is how the republican party governs.

The evidence is clear why budget deficits always soar on the republicans watch any why budget surpluses and deficit reduction takes place on the democratic watch.  The  news is not new for those who follow politics or for those who read and follow PolitiDose.  But for those who follow the false republican talking points, shame on them.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Traitor In The White House: The Story Continues With The Betrayal Of America

President Donald Trump continues his traitorous acts against America in the story now unfolding of his attempt to have Ukraine's President Zelensky investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's son's work in Ukraine in an attempt to influence the 2020 Presidential elections because he believes he will have to face Biden in the election.  Trump also wants Ukraine to investigate the Vice President's role in his dealings with Ukraine during the Obama administration.  Trump even authorized his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to go to Ukraine and discuss the above with the Ukraine government.

It is a repeat of his betrayal working with Russia to influence the 2016 elections and his willingness to see Hillary Clinton harmed.  The President continues to try and destroy our democratic voting process, our constitutional safeguards and the rule of law.  He then uses the power of the Presidency to obstruct justice and the checks and balances of congressional inquiry and oversight.  Trump tried to paint the "whistleblower" who knew of his conversation with Zelensky as partisan.  But the inspector general of intelligence described the "whistleblower's" August 12 complaint as a serious and urgent matter.

The President's corruption knows no bounds and his mental capacity to betray America with foreign leaders is a danger to the country and the people.  And his party in congress and those that continue to support his corruption and betrayal are cowards for their silence.  President Donald Trump, the traitor, should be impeached ASAP even if republicans in the Senate refuse to vote to convict.  Impeachment is required and when Trump leaves office the trumpet man should be prosecuted for his crimes in the courts.  That is the way to deal with his corruption and betrayal of America.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Aftermath: The New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams

With the latest report that Saints quarterback Drew Brees will be out for approximately six weeks because of his injured thumb, leaves a lot of questions to be answered.  But its not complicated.  Coach Payton made the decision to play back up quarterback Bridgewater after Brees went out and until Brees returns will have to choose between Bridgewater and Hill.  Payton knows the strength and weakness of both but it is the one that actually PERFORMS THE BEST that should determine who guides the team until Brees returns.

With Brees out, one reporter in Monday's New Orleans Advocate hinted that maybe Kamara did not do so well in Sunday's game was because of Brees absence.  That of course is hogwash because Kamara did not do so well in last years championship conference game with the Rams either and Brees was certainly in that game.  Excuses are just that when the Saints play teams that are well coached on defense.  This writer does not look for any improvements in sports writers reports with Brees absence, objectivity will be out the window.

One can not predict how the Saints will perform while Brees is on the sidelines, but we do know that the Saint's defense will have to perform better and keep the team in the ball game.  This writer still believes Payton should put down the cheat sheet and let the offensive co-ordinator call the plays and free Payton so he can focus on what is taking place on the field and in the game.  No coach can do both well.  The challenge that the Saints have this year is huge.  The only way to improve on last years record is to go to the Super Bowl.

And that is not an easy task, just ask the players.  And keep in mind the Saints have only three winning seasons in the last seven years, and that was with a healthy Brees at quarterback.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Los Angeles Rams 27 The New Orleans Saints 9

The Rams took up where they left off last year and beat the Saints.  This Sunday they shut the Saints offense out of the end zone and yielded only three field goals.  The first half was not a very good or well played ball game and in fact this writer had the impression neither team wanted to play the game.  The second half was a little better but it was penalties galore.  Sports writers who cover the Saints and who tried to make the game issue all week a game of revenge, called it a rematch forgot the real story line of the game and decided on the usual clichés and hype.

The real story all week should have read:  WILL THE SAINTS OFFENSE BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE RAMS DEFENSE?  Everyone should know that the Saints are not so productive against the teams that are well coached on defense.  In the conference championship game last year against the Rams, the Saints could only manage less than 50 yards rushing.  And Sunday the Rams defense was not about to let Kamara run loose and held the Saints rushing yards to 57 yards.  In fact the Rams defense would not allow Michael Thomas or Kamara to make a difference.  The Saints defense in the second half failed big time to stop the Rams on third and long, gave up yardage and Saints penalties just kept piling up.

So the story line for the next two Saints games with Seattle and Dallas will be the same:  WILL THE SAINTS OFFENSE BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE SEATTLE AND DALLAS DEFENSE?  We do know that the Saints could not handle the Dallas defense last year and could not handle Seattle's defense in previous years.  That same question applies with or without Brees.  We should find out soon enough what the sports writers think the big question will be.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Huge First For PolitiDose: The Federal Deficit Tops $1 Trillion.

Just as previous PolitiDose commentary predicted, the federal government announced this week that the federal deficit at the end of August came in at $1.09 trillion for the present fiscal year that actually ends on September 30.  So when the September numbers come in the total deficit for fiscal year 2019 will come in close to $1.2 trillion since the announcement said the government is spending approximately $200 billion more each  month than it takes in revenue.

So in President Trump's first two fiscal years in office the deficit continues to rise at a horrific rate as it did during the Reagan and Bush 43 administrations.  And all three republican Presidents told the people their massive tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy were going to create increased revenue to balance the federal budget.  President Trump continued the fairy tale but three strikes and you are out.  Will the voters and the news media ever learn how republican administrations have destroyed the fiscal health of the U.S. government and just how much the government has had to take out of the social security fund to pay for their reckless deficit spending.

The record is clear, for the past 50 plus years every democratic administration except President Carter left office with a smaller deficit than when they took office and two administrations balanced the federal budget 5 times.  That was Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton.  But no republican administration has balanced the federal budget since Eisenhower in 1960 and no republican administration has left office with a smaller deficit than when he took office.  In fact the increase deficits have been huge on their watch.

The sad fiscal legacy of republican administrations was the subject of commentary in PolitiDose several years ago.  Projecting what is likely to take place on the republican watch has precedent.  Their ideology is extreme and lacks policy and plans to deal with issues.  And Trump has taken that ideology to a new level with danger written all over it and the GOP ditto heads are in full support.  The many issues where progress was made on President Obama's watch are "gone with the wind."

The trumpet man is running the government's fiscal house with the same corruptive ideology of his business world.  And now he is floating the idea of a middle class tax cut late next year because of the election.  Trump's companies have already seen a 14% reduction in their income tax because of the 2017 tax cuts and is running scared of the recession people are talking about.  In fact the business world has taken the position that American manufacturing is already in a recession.

President George W. Bush's last fiscal year deficit came in at $1.4 trillion, an all time high single year budget deficit.  That is what President Obama inherited.  But Obama's last fiscal year budget deficit was $665 billion, a decrease of over 50%from when he took office.  That is what Obama left Trump, and now after only two fiscal years the federal deficit is over $1 trillion under the trumpet man, almost double.

PolitiDose and its readers knew it would take  place long before it took place.  And that really says it all.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

President Trump's Disaster With The Afghan Taliban Terrorists.

President Donald Trump's representative had been in peace talks with the Afghan Taliban for almost a year and shut out Afghan's President from those talks collapsed just one day after leaders of Trump's administration said an agreement was imminent.  During those talks the Taliban continued their terror attacks in Afghanistan killing innocent Afghans and U.S. Troops.

After the expected agreement was announced the news media reported Trump secretly invited the Afghan Taliban leader and Afghan's legitimate President to Camp David for talks and a possible end to the war.  The invitation to invite the Taliban to Camp David was met with much protest which caused Trump to backtrack and say the meeting was cancelled due to the Taliban's recent attacks in Kabul that killed many, including one U.S. serviceman.  The Associated Press reported in a New Orleans Advocate article of 8/30 Trump said the U.S. and the Taliban was close to a deal and would plan to withdraw more than 5000 American troops from Afghanistan.  But as of this Tuesday the deal is dead says Trump.

The exclusion of Afghan's President from the peace talks with the Taliban was a disaster in the making and Afghan's President said he would not allow America to decide Afghan's future.  Trump's foreign policy disasters have been a result of his ego, lack of understanding foreign policy, the issues and the skill of diplomacy.  He has to pass blame on President Obama to justify his own incompetent actions.  And just Tuesday, Trump said he fired National Security Advisor John Bolton. (Bolton said he resigned)  Bolton was the third NSA to resign or be  fired by Trump since he became President.  The trumpet man's ego is so large he is incapable of appointing a NSA who has a balanced of foreign policy experience because he thinks he knows more about foreign policy than his advisor, so it becomes a shallow unworkable arraignment that leads to disaster.

And also Tuesday, in another foreign policy flip flop, Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo now says Trump would like to meet with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani at the U.N. next week with no preconditions, a reversal of Trump's previous position. Months ago, Trump predicted that Rouhani would be calling Trump for a meeting but now it is Trump who is doing the begging.  Rouhani's position has been no talks unless Washington lifted the sanctions against his country.

Iran and Afghanistan Presidents seem to know more about foreign policy than Trump does.  Is it any wonder why so many of Trump's appointments, who he calls the best people for the appointed jobs have left the administration in such a short period of time?  Every thing this President touches dies because he is so toxic.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and Unemployment for August 2019

The U.S. Labor Department reported the U.S. economy created 130,000 jobs in August, down from the previous month of 164,000 jobs and that the unemployment rate remained at 3.7%.  The numbers continue to decrease and this years average job numbers for the first 6 months are way behind last years average.  The economy is in its 11th year of expansion but the slow down continues.

So in Trump's first 31 months in office, a total of 5,725,000 million jobs have been created for a monthly average of 184,677.  In President Obama's last 31 months in office 6,574,000 million jobs were created for a monthly average of 212,065.  That means during that 31 month period 849,000 more jobs were created under the Obama administration despite the Trump tax cuts which were supposed to create more jobs.  As a distraction, Trump now says the Dow Jones Average would be 10,000 points higher if not for his trade war with China.  That in itself reflects his commitment to corporate America, those who were helped the most by Trump's tax cuts and used those tax cuts to buy back their own companies stock to run up the prices,

In addition, Trump is still blaming his Federal Reserve Chairman's failure to reduce interest rates to the level Trump desires as a reason for a slow down economy and job creation.  But those who follow politics understand that republican administrations have no real economic plans or policy for the economy, they only have an ideology based on tax cuts for those that need them the least.  And Trump did not realize he admitted his own failure when he ordered American business to leave China and move their company business back to the U.S., something he said would take place after his tax cuts took effect.  Of course it never took  place and Trump has not moved any of his companies business back to the U.S. either.

The bottom line on the economy and job creation was the steady growth on President Obama's watch because of a sound economic policy after a severe economic recession.  Under Trump's tax cuts and ideology, the economy and job creation is now in decline and consumers are paying the price for his unwelcomed trade wars.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio