The Unanswered Question During The Coronavirus Pandemic.

The business community tells us about their employees who have been laid off, furloughed, offered early retirement, lost their matching 401K matching funds, their health insurance, lost wages and other employee benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic.  But as of this writing, the business community has left the most important question unanswered.

Did the business community's executives and CEO's suffer the same fate as their average workers?  It is probably safe to assume that they did not since the business community and the general news media has been silent on the issue.  And it comes on the heel of a new report that says executives and CEO's compensation in the last 40 years increased 320 times that of the average worker.  So it is obvious who needs the most relief during this pandemic.  And the people who need financial help the most are not receiving it from the business community they helped realize that 320-1 ratio advantage.

Trump and the republicans 14% corporate tax cut has done little to help out the average employee during the pandemic and as of this writing according to a report by the U.S. Commerce Department, America has 27 million people still on unemployment and the republican controlled Senate can not get its act together to pass an extended relief package even thought the democratic controlled House passed their relief package bill over two months ago. 

Its past time for the business community to step up to the plate and do more for their average workers production and contribution to the companies success.  And it is past time for Trump  and his party to represent America and its average worker instead of those only at the top.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Huge First For PolitiDose

Now comes Froma Harrop in a New Orleans Advocate commentary dated 8/27/20 titled, "Face it, MAGA-land, you did better under Obama."  In her commentary, Froma used facts against Trump's usual BS about the stock market and job creation are at record levels on his watch by showing how the stock market and job creation did much better on President Obama and President Clinton's watch before the COVID19 era and all through Obama's and Clinton's terms in office.

The commentary is a reminder how democratic administrations do a better job at governing and producing for the country and its people.  Frome also comments about the total economy, how President Obama did not push a deficit spending tax cut even though his administration inherited a severe recession and that the country did not have to suffer this level of sickness and death do to the coronavirus.

Froma's commentary contains information that PolitiDose has been talking about for years in putting to bed the republicans claim of superiority on every phase of governing, the stock market, the economy and fiscal matters.  And PolitiDose has laid out and explained the reasons why it has been predictable before it takes place.  Trump's fate was sealed the first day he took office because the republican party has a 100 year history of failures on the major issues that affect the country and its people.

This writer recommends its readers log onto the New Orleans Advocate and read Froma's commentary.  It will strike a cord to what you have been reading in PolitiDose.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Foreign Policy Failure For The Trump Administration: This Time Before The United Nations

The United Nations Security Council rejected the Trump administration's resolution that would keep in place the ban on weapons concerning Iran that is set to expire on October 18.  The Security Council approved the ban and it became a part of the nuclear agreement in 2015.  This was the nuclear agreement Trump walked away from by withdrawing the United States from the agreement. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to convince the Security Council to vote and extend the ban.  Russia and China vetoed and voted against the U.S. resolution and only the Dominican Republic voted for it.  The weapons ban applied to conventional weapons imported and exported by Iran to and from their country.

It was a bitter defeat for Trump's foreign policy and after the resolution failed Trump said he would go back to the United Nations and demand a provision in the agreement called "snapback" which was placed in the agreement for safety purposes should Iran be in violation as authority to reimpose the ban be implemented.

Russia, China and a United Nations spokesman said the United States had no say in "snapback" since Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018.  And Russia and China added they would not vote or support such a resolution.  Its ironic that Trump falsely claimed the agreement was flawed and now wants to use the safety clause of "snapback" in the agreement.  It should also be noted that prior to Trumps withdrawal, Iran was in compliance with the agreement, were not a threat to shipping in the area as Trump says they are and were not enriching nuclear material to weapons grade.  But with the agreement in shambles since Trump pulled out, Iran is slowly and surely enriching nuclear material over and above what was allowed by the agreement.

Trump's decision to pull out of the agreement was and still is a major foreign policy blunder and now the U.S. and Iran are farther apart than ever and dangerously close to a warlike atmosphere as the rhetoric heats up.  Trump's trade war with China and his cozy relationship with Putin has destroyed any chance of a U.S. resolution reaching bipartisan support in the United Nations Security Council.  Putin continues to control Trump's foreign policy and  that is bad news for America.  Putin and Russia are actually more involved in that part of the world than the United States.

And as previously reported in PolitiDose, the U.S. and the world knows more about Iran's nuclear capabilities because of the agreement that allows inspections to take place of Iran's facilities.  But no one knows Israel, Pakistan or India's nuclear capabilities because they will not allow any outsiders inspect their nuclear facilities.  In other words those 3 countries are a greater threat for a nuclear event than Iran is in the middle east and that part of the world. 

The agreement kept Iran's nuclear program for domestic consumption and Trump's withdrawal was a foreign policy disaster made possible by Trump's mental unfitness to lead.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Senate Intelligence committee's Final Report On The Russia/Trump Presidential Campaign Contact: A Devastating Report of Trump's Betrayal of America.

Those who can think for themselves know Donald Trump was lying the moment he called the Mueller investigation "fake news and a hoax."  Trump also said he did not believe our intelligence community finding that Russia and Trump's campaign tried to interfere in the 2016 Presidential election because Putin denied it.  And Trump, being the liar he is, continues to call the story "fake news and a hoax."

But now, after a three year investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee into the matter, the committee issued its report and the findings were devastating to the President of the United States.  Some of the findings and conclusions are as follows:  (1)  The Trump campaign's interactions with Russian intelligence services during the 2016 Presidential election posed a"GRAVE" counterintelligence threat.  Donald Trump's associates had regular contact with Russians and expected to benefit from the Kremlin's help.  (2)  Russia launched an aggressive effort to interfere in the election on Trump's behalf.  Trump's campaign chairman had regular contacts with a Russian intelligence officer and other Trump associates were eager to exploit the Kremlin's aid particularly the impact of the disclosure of democratic emails hacked by Russian intelligence officers.  (3)  Manafort, Trump's campaign chairman shared internal Trump campaign polling data with a Russian agent.  (4)  Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 with the goal of receiving information harmful to Hillary Clinton. 

The Senate report confirms what Mueller reported and leaves no doubt that Trump and his campaign was willing to work with a foreign power to help him win the 2016 Presidential election and was also willing for Russia to try and find dirt on Hillary Clinton.  Trump himself asked Russia to hack into Clinton's emails to find some thing that would harm her and promote his chances of winning the election.  Mueller's findings, the intelligence community findings and now the Senate committee's findings leave no doubt President Donald Trump tried to cover it all up with his "fake news and hoax" excuse. 

The Senate report and Trump's denials tell the story America has an un-American President willing to betray the country and its people with traitorous acts.  This final devastating report should be a warning to those who plan to vote for Trump in November because the betrayal will continue if he is re-elected. 

The College Football Season of 2020

As of this writing, it appears that college football will have a season.  However, no one really can say for sure or if teams will be able to play their full schedule.  But we do know several conferences cancelled their seasons an so did a few independent teams.  And when you consider the fact that the stadiums will be empty or at least half empty, the picture leaves a lot to be desired.

The cause of it all as every one knows happens to be the coronavirus pandemic that leaves no room for second guessing.  It is a silent enemy that can strike any where and any one, especially people who flock together without protection.  Short term thinking and planning won't work because it has proven to be a long term problem which brings up a lot of trouble for sports that immediately follow the football season if the football season starts and then becomes infected by the virus.

The question should be, what is the proper course.  Cancel football this season and let people heal so every one can gain time, heal and have the possibility of the virus diminish to the point where sports can be played in a healthier atmosphere with their fan base intact in 2021.  Or, play this football season, put the players health in jeopardy and prolong the virus which could affect the next sport baseball which begins in January.  This years college baseball season has already been cancelled once because of the virus.

This writer believes cancelling football this season is the best option under the circumstances and because of the unknown.  Football is a contact sport on every play and it remains to be seen if that can be accomplished safely. 


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Another Traitorous Act By The Mentally Unfit President of the United States

This time the betrayal is against the U.S. Postal Service that has deep ramifications.  The Postal Service is in the constitution as a government institution that provides the public and the government with a necessary service that includes insuring a timely and sufficient vote by mail process.  And America  has a President who violates his oath of office by using the Postal Service as an excuse to bring about his unfounded rhetoric on fraud in mail in ballots.

So Trump appointed an unqualified republican donor Louis DeJoy to become Postmaster General to dismantle the Postal Service's ability to perform just months before the 2020 Presidential election.  There are reports by some Postal union workers that hundreds of high speed postal machines have been placed out of service, workers transferred, drop off mail boxes being removed and announcements  by the Postal department that the Postal Service will not have the ability to process voting mail in ballots timely during the November elections.  The department is short on  cash and Trump is trying to hold those funds up as leverage for him in the talks with democrats over the stimulus relief package for the virus pandemic, something unrelated to the Postal Service.

Trump, as the President has betrayed his constitutional duty to make sure the country's institutions, in this case, the Postal Service is operating with the capacity and funds necessary to carry out its responsibility to act according to its mandates and especially when it comes to the Postal Service's responsibility during the democratic process of free and open elections.

America's mentally unfit President will stoop as low as possible to rig the election in his favor and has no capacity to honor any constitutional process or  the rule of law.  The Presidential election in November really does matter this time around because the rule of law is under attack by the most corrupted and traitorous person in our life time.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Hillary Clinton Vindicated Again Concerning Her Emails.

The so called conservative group Judicial Watch, long time haters of the Clintons filed a suit in district court to depose Hillary seeking detailed records on information Nations Security Adviser Susan Rice discussed about the attack on Benghazi in 2012.  U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth  ruled Hillary had to sit for the deposition. 

However, this week the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled 3-0 and overturned Lamberth's ruling for Clinton to produce a sworn deposition about her use of her private email server and account.  The Appeals court ruled that Judicial Watch was not entitled to depose Clinton and that  (1)  Clinton answered written questions under penalty of perjury about her email practices.  (2)  Secretary Clinton provided 11 hours of public testimony before the House Select Committee and has answered countless media inquiries on the matter.  (3)  Judge Wilkins of the Appeals court called the proposed topics for Clinton's deposition completely attenuated from any relevant issue in this case.  (4)  Judge Lamberth's order was a clear abuse of discretion.  (5)  The Court of Appeals suggested, IT WAS TIME TO CONSIGN THE CLINTON EMAIL IMBROGLIO TO THE HISTORY BOOKS.

The Appeals Court decision was a real slap down of Judge Lamberth's reasoning why Hillary should be deposed.  In another development, the Justice Department Lawyers opposed Clinton's lawyers move to have the Appeals Court block the testimony.  And although it was not a part of the suit, those Hillary haters on social media who called Hillary every name under the sun you  can think of should remember that three investigating committees of congress controlled by the republicans took oral testimony from Hillary concerning her emails and came up with NADA.  All of those accusations were proving wrong.  It should also be remembered that Hillary testified on a voluntary basis and did not seek or try and hide behind a President Obama order not to testify like so many of Trump's stooges.

Judicial Watch knew their lawsuit was frivolous like other ones they brought against the Clintons.  They are one of many groups who try and pass themselves off as conservatives, but in fact are extremist who promote conspiracy stories.  The Court of Appeals saw what their suit was all about and gave a clear answer to their witch hunt.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Federal Deficit Spending: Another Record Is Set And On Another Republican Administrations Watch.

President Trump continues the republican precedent of record federal spending, deficits, debt and economic recessions that has taken place over the past 40 years on the watch of Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43.  The story has been told in PolitiDose commentary for the last nine years while the major news media was silent and continues to call republican Presidents and republicans who serve in congress conservatives.

Now comes a report from Trump's Treasury secretary that for the first 10 months of this fiscal year which ends 9/30/20 the federal deficit came in at $2.81 trillion.  The largest single year budget deficit since the previous record of $1.4 trillion federal deficit in President George W. Bush's last fiscal year.  And to make matters worse, the CBO (congressional budget office) said when the fiscal year ends the deficit is projected to be a whopping $3.7 trillion.  If that number holds true at the end of the fiscal year, the deficit will have more than tripled in just one fiscal year on Trump's watch.  The federal deficit also increased both years in Trump's first two fiscal years.

It was also reported that during the 10 month period total federal spending was $5.63 trillion, a 50% increase over the same 10 months in 2019 which was $3.73 trillion.  Trump is also the first President to preside over a $4 and $5 trillion spending budget and the very first to add a trillion dollars in federal spending in the space of just one fiscal year.

The country has witnessed a Trump presidency that took over a growing economy, an above average job creation record, low unemployment, reduced federal spending overall, a reduction in deficit spending , a evenly rising Stock Market, low inflation and a balanced economy.  But Trump had no real economic plan or policy to keep the economy in-tact or growing.  Instead he followed the Reagan and Bush 43 failed ideology of tax cuts, his own trade wars and his incompetence in governing.  As a result, the country fell into recession in February and when the coronavirus hit in March and the after shocks later, Trump's failure on the economy, coupled with his failed leadership on the pandemic that followed made the recession and pandemic that much worse and deep.

The spending and deficit numbers above tell the story of President Trump's failure to lead and govern.  The results are a disaster for the country and its people, and it is taking place even now 7 months later because the President still has no plans or policy to deal with the situation.  The administrations of Clinton and Obama performed so  much better in every phase of the economy and the governments fiscal house and there were no economic recessions that began on their watch.

On the other hand, President Trump keeps the republican party's record of federal spending, deficits, debt and economic recessions alive and the precedent continues to grow on the republican watch.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The Job Numbers and Unemployment For July 2020

The U.S. Labor Department reported 1.8 million jobs were added back to the economy in July and the unemployment rate came in at 10.2%.  It was 11.1% in June.  The 1.8 million jobs added back was 3 million less than the month of June and the 10.2% unemployment rate was the highest since 1983 when Reagan was President.  So as of July 31, 9.1 million jobs were added back to the economy since the recession began  compared to the 24 million jobs lost.  That leaves 15 million jobs at risk waiting to return to the economy.

The unemployment rate has been over 10% for the past 4 straight months.  President Obama inherited the great republican recession of 2008 but the unemployment rate never exceeded 10% on his watch.  In fact, it hit 10% in October 2009 which was the only time on Obama's watch of double digit unemployment.  So President Obama did a better job at handling unemployment than Trump has during an economic recession.

To add to Trump's problems, when this years fiscal year ends on 9/30/20 the federal deficit will set another record for the highest single year deficit in history.  The present record is held by President George W. Bush in his last fiscal year when the federal deficit hit $1.4 trillion.  And it is very likely that Trump will end his term in office with the worst job creation record since the great depression of 1929.

But it is all fore told in the republican party's past economic record that dates back over 70 years.  And that story has been told right here in PolitiDose over the past 9 years.  It is part of precedent for the republican party and predictable.  Just ask the readers of PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio

No Steven Roberts, Both Parties Did Not "Stand in Way of Help."

Steve Roberts, in an opinion column in the New Orleans Advocate dated 8/8/20 titled, "Both parties stood in way of help" in reference to the lack of progress on a stimulus for the pandemic made that statement.  This writer takes issue with that statement and in this case thinks Mr. Roberts is wrong.  Neither Trump or his republican controlled U.S. Senate could come up with a stimulus relief package they themselves could support.  So there was never a stimulus bill for the Senate to vote on.  That gave Trump the opening he wanted to have his ditto head treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin lead the charge to negotiate directly with the democratic controlled U.S. House and by pass his own Senate and the normal legislation process.    But Roberts was silent on the matter.

Trump and his party's control of the Senate could not pass a stimulus package through the legislative process because they could not agree among themselves what should be in the stimulus.  They did not even bother to put it to a vote.  The fact that Trump and the republicans control two-thirds of the government, they failed the governing process twice.  First, they failed to legislate and second Trump failed with his executive orders to cover up the failure of he and his party's failure to govern.

The democratic controlled U.S. House passed their $3 trillion stimulus package timely over two months ago through the legislation process and vote on the issue.  The House carried out its responsibility to the country and its people to address the problem that would be expiring July 31.  But Trump and his party could not get their act together and lead.  So no Mr. Roberts, both parties did not stand in the way of help.   It was only the Republican party and its leader Donald Trump that did.  And that really says it all.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio