The New Orleans Saints and The LSU Tigers Kick Off The 2023 Football Season: Food for Thought.

 Kickoff is just around the corner and sport's writers have already given their take on what might take place for the Saints and Tigers this football season.  So, it is now "PolitiDose" commentary to take a shot of what might be.

The New Orleans Saints:  The Saints will start the season just like they did last season with a second year head coach who lacks a winning record as a head coach and that is still the Saint's number one issue.  Can he win?  For now the record says no.  The number 2 issue is quarterback.  The Saints will start the season for the third straight year with a quarterback who does not have a record as a Saint's starting quarterback that has played one full season as a Saint's starting quarterback and that looms large.  In the New Orleans Advocate of 8/19, 26 local media members predicted the Saint's outcome this season and only one, Ed Daniels predicted the Saints would have a losing season at 8-9.  This writer thinks there will be no change in the Saint's defense.  Some games they will play great and some games they will just be there.  This writer also feels that the Saints are in the same position as last year dealing with the same 2 major issues and only time has the answer.

The LSU Tigers:  High  expectation in Baton Rouge this year and the key to LSU's success or failure falls to the running backs.  We are being told the Tigers are loaded at that position but if the Tigers can not produce a running back that can carry the ball 15-20 times a game and be effective, quarterback Daniels running will be neutralized.  Daniel's running will not be as effective this year as last year because LSU's opponents now know his ability and a one dimensional running game is not good enough in the SEC.  In just a few weeks we will know just how good the LSU running backs are and better yet, if they are, we will find out if coach Kelly knows how to use them.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Nancy Pelosi Stands Tall For America, The People, The Constitution And The Rule Of Law.

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi recognized what took place at the Nation's Capitol on January 6, 2021, knew something went wrong and had the character and courage to say so and support a House bi-partisan committee to investigate all the facts and ramifications of went took place.  The GOP objected and their House leader rejected the 4 GOP House members Pelosi appointed to the committee.  

Nancy Pelosi stood tall for America, the committee did its work, held public hearings, gave the public its final report and sent the report and its findings to the Department of Justice to act on.  The DOJ acted on the report, did its own investigations and former President Donald Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury for what took place on January 6.  Nancy Pelosi, the January 6 committee and the democratic party stepped up to the plate to bring the facts of what took place on that toxic day to the American people and by doing so, carried out their responsibility as elected officers of the government to defend the constitution and the democratic process of our democratic elections. 

Even now with Trump's indictment the GOP in Congress are still enabling him and blaming government an others for Trump's own corrupted behavior.  No telling where America would be today as a democratic nation had the GOP controlled the U.S. House on January 6 attacks and thereafter.  As of this commentary the media has been no help.  The media still devotes a large part of its time to Trump, his lies and personal attacks on everyone and everything like the truth does not really matter.  

Nancy Pelosi understood that President Trump tried to undermine democracy on January 6 and that his plan to deny the peaceful transfer of power to President elect Biden was an un-American act for a sitting President and what harm that could do to the democratic process of our elections and the future peaceful transfer of power.  The former Speaker did what she should have done without hesitation.  And as an elected official of congress, performed her duty and responsibility well.

Very few elected officials have "political understanding" to hold high elected office.  The nation can be thankful that Nancy Pelosi leads the current list who has "political understanding to run government."  That is why she is a successful leader who has character and courage.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for July, 2023.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy added 187,000 in July and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.5%, down from 3.6% in June.  It was the 30th consecutive month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate has stayed in the 3% range now for the past 18 months.  Wages in July grew 0.4% over June and 4.4% year over year according to the Department.

The report was greeted by some as a positive sign that the Feds program is working at slowing down the economy, the result of slowing down job creation, but worry wages are not falling far enough to halt inflation.  The negative voices are still trying to sell their negative thoughts no matter what is reported.  The Feds themselves reported that a recession is not in sight.

This Labor Department report is positive all the way.  The jobs market is still robust, claims for unemployment are still at historical lows, job wanted ads are at 9.7 million and wages are still growing.  Some business centers are cutting back hours instead of laying off workers because of the tight jobs market.  That makes sense.  The 187,000 jobs created in July was a good number considering the circumstances.  During the first 36 months of the Trump administration (that was 3 months before COVID and the economic recession) job creation averaged 183,000 jobs per month.

Those negative voices who want to see wages fall more and willing to see the continuation of higher interest rates to cool the economy more with weaker job creation still have no economic answers and only painful rhetoric to deal with a good working economy.  Those who continue to doubt the 30 months of a growing economy and job creation and why it is taking place are ignorant of the democratic record on the economy for the past 100 years.  Keep in mind, the GOP does not govern with economic policy.  That is why every GOP administration in the last 100 years has given the country an economic recession.  That is not just a coincident.  It is the same reason they cannot accept a good economy when they see one.  

JP Morgan, one of the largest financial institutions now says there will be no recession.  They are the same ones who has been predicting a recession for the past year.  Not very smart for a company who should know something about the economy.  I wonder how many people's mind was affected by their predictions.  Thanks to PolitiDose commentary, the positive news has been delivered and will continue.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

Louisiana's U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy: His Lack of Courage and Character Continues.

 Cassidy's announced endorsement of Attorney General Jeff Landry for governor of Louisiana offers proof how close he is still aligned with Trump and his corrupt policies.  Landry, a Trump ditto head continues to support the former traitorous President and his attempt to over turn the 2020 Presidential election.  Tyler Bridges, a staff writer with the New Orleans Advocate wrote of Cassidy's support in a column dated 8/1/23.

The column suggests that Cassidy's support for Landry is more about improving his political relationship with members of congress and the state's GOP.  It is the usual cop out by elected officials who have no courage or character.  Cassidy is obviously afraid of defending his own position on policies.  During President Trump's 4 years in office, Cassidy supported Trump's policies and extreme rhetoric the majority of times.  So now he supports Landry who backs Trump and his policies and extreme rhetoric.  

Former U.S. Representative GOP Liz Chaney served on the January 6th committee after Speaker of the House McCarthy pulled all GOP appointees to that committee after being appointed by then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.  Liz Chaney and former GOP representative Adam Kinzinger were the only two GOP members in the House willing to serve.  They understood the importance of the issue at hand and had the character and courage to serve even though both were subject to their party's hurtful rhetoric.   Liz Chaney and Adam Kinzinger put their country first, Bill Cassidy put politics first with his endorsement of Jeff Landry.

Liz Chaney and Adam Kinzinger recognized what is important when one takes the oath of office to serve and protect.  They also recognized what should be political theatre and what should not.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

MSNBC Continues To Saturate The Air With The Lies and Falsehoods of Donald Trump.

 Instead of reporting the positive news of President Biden's policies and the economy, MSNBC prefers to flood the air waves with Trump's ongoing lies and falsehoods which the people are well aware of.  They just can not get enough of the trumpet man and are now a negative news source of prime time reporting.

At a time when the legal system is dealing with Trump, the country is exposed to the daily headlines of Trump, the GOP and their anti-American agenda.  All the while the people are surrounded by a media that is bent on confusing the public instead of reporting the positives taking place in America every day.  The country no longer has a news media who can say they are in the business of informing the public on matters that really matter and make a difference.  

The media is still giving the disgraced and indicted former President all the air time he seeks for his next campaign.  Donald Trump, the GOP and today's brand of conservative ideology, along with their cultural wars at the state and federal levels, are the greatest threat to American democracy and the media continues to enable them by flooding the air waves with their unAmerican agenda.  

The bottom line is simple.  A traitorous former President who tried to overturn the last presidential election by force on January 6 and continues to lie about the election being stolen deserves no press coverage.  It is time to let the courts do their job and take care of Trump's traitorous acts.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for June 2023.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy added 209,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate came in at 3.6%, down from May's 3.7%.  It was the 29th straight month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate stayed in the 3% range for the 17th straight month.  The numbers tell the story of an economy that has been solid since President Biden's policies took root even though one would think  not so if they listen to the negative voices in the media and the GOP whose recession predictions and doom and gloom projections for the economy have been wrong for the past year.

Thanks to PolidiDose commentary and commentary from journalist Froma Harrop. the positive news concerning the economy is being told.  There was a time in America when the media informed the people on the facts and the positive actions taking place to move the country and its people forward.  Now the main street media has joined the likes of the Fox News Network and the GOP with their negative attacks on everything good about the U.S. economy.  Ms. Harrop in her excellent commentary titled, "Biden's economy is Boffo" takes the GOP and the media to task for their negative voices on the economy and like previous PolitiDose commentary spells out the accomplishments of the Biden economy and its positive benefits.

The greatest threat to the U.S. economy comes from those negative voices because they ae the same ones who urged the Feds to raise interest rates high and fast originally and believe the only way to fight so called inflation is to weaken the economy, raise unemployment and see wages fall.  In other words, they have no answer, they just oppose the President's agenda.

In the mean time the economy continues to move forward, create jobs, lower the unemployment, reduce inflation and the consumers are still spending and wages are still rising.  And all the while, the GOP is still the "do nothing party."  PolitiDose, in its commentary will continue to inform the public of those positive issues that are taking place in America so the people can judge against the negative voices of doom and gloom.  And this writer believes Ms. Harrop will continue to do the same.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

The Positive News On The U. S. Economy Continues.

 The U.S. Commerce Department reported that inflation for May increased only 0.1% over April's inflation and that inflation is up 4% over the previous 12 months, the lowest in over 2 years.  Another piece of good news on the economy reports retail sales were up 0.3% in May.  Economist were predicting retail sales would be down for the month.  With job creation at 339,000 for May, the month was positive despite the negative doom and gloom voices.

After 28 full months in office (Feb 2021-May 2023) the Biden Administration's policies are still working for the economy and producing results.  The consumers are still spending, unemployment has stayed in the 3% range for the past 16 months, the longest string since the Kennedy-Johnson Presidency, record job creation, rising wages and America is leading the free world and democracy at home and abroad.  For those 28 months the negative voices have been wrong on every phase of the economy.

The media during those 28 months unfortunately, for the country and its people decided to push the negative doom and  gloom predictions about everything connected to the economy rather than the positive results of the economy and the President's policies.  So now they are pushing the negative voices predicting an economic disaster later this year.  

The sane voices of the President and the democratic party are working for America and its people in a positive and progressive way that continues to move the country forward for a better economic future.  The democratic party represents America's best interest and are the only party that is working for America and its people.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio 

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for May 2023.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the U.S. economy created 339,000 jobs in May and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.7%, up from 3.4% in April.  It was the 28th straight month of positive job growth and over shocked the usual negative voices who predicted only 160,000 jobs would be created.  So the negative doom and gloom voices who have predicted an economic recession for the last 15 months now say maybe before the end of the year.  They want to see it so bad it is driving them crazy.  The negative voices have been wrong on the economy for the past 28 months, ever since Biden took office.

There are so many ignorant voices on the economy just like there are on the federal budget.  Opinion writer Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post in a New Orleans Advocate of 6/6 titled, "What the heck is going on in the U.S. economy?" still don't understand and offers several suggestions.  The key to the economy is jobs because consumer spending represents 70%  of the economy according to the CBO.  Democrats understand that and that is why their priority policy is related to job creation.  And precedent over the past 92 years supports that.  From 1929 -2021 when Trump left office seven Democratic Presidents and 8 Republican Presidents served a total of 92 years.  Democrats 48 years, Republicans 44 years. 

Those democratic administrations created 84.1 million net jobs and none lost jobs.  Those republican administration created 25.5 million net jobs and the administrations of Herber Hoover lost 6.4 million jobs and Trump lost 2.7 million jobs.  So far, the Biden administration has created a reported 13 million jobs in his 28 months in office, a record not included in the above numbers.  Past PolitiDose commentary has broken down each President's job creation separately.  Past PolitiDose commentary has also called the shots how the Obama and Biden administrations would bring the economy back with job creation, lower unemployment, lower deficits and reduced increases in federal spending and did so before they took office.  Precedent was on their side, the reason being that democratic administrations govern with policies and plans that address the issues at hand.  The GOP govern with ideology, an extreme one at that and tax cuts for you know who that never address the issues.  The disparity in job creation between the two parties tell an accurate story why the economy does so much better on the democratic watch.

Reagan, Bush 43 and Trump all cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy that were supposed to do wonders for the economy and job creation but all  three administrations gave the country an economic recession, 20 years of unbalanced budgets, record deficits and federal spending at the time.  Clinton raised taxes on those same folks, balanced the budget with surpluses and created more jobs in 8 years than Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump did in the 24 years they served.  Yes, my fellow Americans, precedent and policy tell the real story and how that can be a gauge to judge the future. 

What has taken place in that 92 year period is not a coincidence and is still playing out before our very eyes this day.  As the Sumerians said they were taught almost 6,000 years ago, "understanding the mistakes of the past is still the key to a better future" is alive and well.  And for the GOP, their future has been like their failed past.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Louisiana's Representatives Steve Scalise and Garret Graves: Still Ignorant On The Federal Budget.

 When Bill Clinton took office as President, some in Congress were shocked to learn his knowledge about the federal budget.  How could this be, a kid from Hope, Arkansas knew more than many in Congress who worked with the budget for many years?  There lies the secret why the government and its people did so well fiscally and economically on his watch.  Twenty two years later, the GOP, the media, Garret Graves and Steve Scalise are still ignorant on the federal budget.

In a New Orleans Advocate article dated 6/1 titled "House oks bill to avoid default" by four Associated Press writers, they quote GOP representative Graves as saying: "Republicans were fighting for budget cuts after Democrats piled on to deficits with extra spending."  Graves statement shows he is not  serious about deficit spending he is ignorant.  Deficits were not piled on by any extra spending or any spending at all.  Federal spending at the end of the Trump/GOP's last fiscal year was $6.8 trillion, a record.  Federal spending at the end of Biden's first fiscal year that ended 9/30/22 was $6.2 trillion a reduction in federal spending of 8% as published by the CBO.  And when it comes to deficit spending, the Trump/GOP administration holds the record.  The federal deficit in Trump's last fiscal year came in at $2.7 trillion.  The budget deficit in Biden's first fiscal year came in at $1.3 trillion, a 50% reduction.  Plus in just 4 fiscal years under the Trump/GOP crowd, federal spending crossed the $4,5 and 6 trillion mark.  The very first administration to exceed the trillion mark three times.  It has actually been the GOP who has piled on the deficits and the national debt with extra spending.

Scalise demonstrates his ignorance of the federal budget in the article and was quoted as saying. "For once in a long, long time, Washington is actually going to spend less money next year as it did this year and that's a reform that all of us can support."  That statement is false and displays Scalise's ignorance on the federal budget.  As stated in the paragraph  above Washington spent less money last fiscal year than it did the previous fiscal year which was Trump and the GOP's last fiscal year.  The reduction was 8%.  So it has not been a long, long time ago since spending was less.  And since 1946. year to year federal spending declined 8 times.  It was down 3 times on Truman's watch in 1946, 1947 and 1948.  It was down 3 times on Obama's watch in 2010, 2012 and 2013.  It was down one time on Biden's watch in 2022.  It was down one time on Eisenhower's watch in 1955.  Scalise's ignorance goes back a long, long way.  

President Biden and past Democratic administrations have "walked the talk" of fiscal responsibility.  The GOP has not.  They recently proved that under Trump and that was not a long, long time ago Mr. Scalise. 

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio.

  

President Biden and His Administration Delivered For America and It's People As The GOP's Debt Ceiling Charade Comes To An End.

The U.S. House and Senate voted to end the GOP's debt ceiling charade with the democratic party supplying the majority yea votes in both chambers of Congress.  The total democratic yea votes was 210, (165 in the House and 45 in the senate.)  The total GOP yea votes total was 166. (149 in the house and 17 in the senate.)   The legislation suspends the debt ceiling for two years and will not be a factor in the next Presidential election as a hostage issue.  The GOP's weakness in their votes was an indication of their charade all along.  The legislation also ended the GOP's legislation passed earlier in the House that called for major cuts in federal spending and President Biden's priorities.  

Those who are familiar with the federal budget know that the GOP's debt ceiling charade and their rhetoric are incapable of "walking the talk."  THIS generation of the GOP has it's roots in the Reagan-Gingrich era that began when Reagan was elected in 1980.  Since then, Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43 and Trump during the 40 year period they served, never "walked the talk" of fiscal responsibility or large cuts in federal spending as demanding the democrats do in the House bill they passed a few weeks ago. 

As a reminder how those 4 GOP administrations brought fiscal disaster to the federal budget lets recall what Vice President Dick Chaney said when he said, federal deficits don't matter.  Evidently President Bush agreed with his V.P. because federal spending increased 61% during Bush's 8 fiscal years, never balanced one budget, the national debt increased 105% and Bush's last fiscal year saw a record one year deficit that hit $1.4 trillion.  Trump broke that record with a $3.1 trillion deficit in his 3rd fiscal year and than a $2.7 trillion deficit in his last fiscal year.  

The Trump generation of the GOP have no record of being fiscal conservative and join Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 in that regard.  That is why they loss the debt ceiling charade before it even started.  The facts escaped the media because they are ignorant when it comes to the budget numbers and therefore are enablers of the GOP talking points concerning the budget.  

The CBO reported the debt ceiling agreement would reduce deficits $1.5 trillion in the next decade, a goal of the GOP.  Well President Biden's administration reduced deficit spending $1.4 trillion in his very first fiscal year budget.  The deficit came in at $1.3 trillion compared to Trump and the GOP's last fiscal year deficit of $2.7 trillion, a reduction of almost 50% in just one short year.  So the GOP is happy to reduce deficit spending close to President Biden's number but they want to take 10 years which is what a decade is.  

Opinion writers who are ignorant concerning the federal budget numbers and the two parties performance, never picked up on the facts and reported that democratic administrations have already cut federal spending long before the GOP's debt ceiling charade.  In fact year to year federal spending was down on the watch of 3 democratic Presidents that took place 7 times.  Year to year spending under President Truman was down 3 times, in fiscal years 1946,1947 and 1948.  It was down 3 years on Obama's watch in fiscal years 2010, 2012 and 2013.  It was down in fiscal 2022 8% on President Biden's watch.  It was down only one time in the last 68 years on President Eisenhower watch in 1955.  For the record federal spending in Trump and the GOP's last fiscal year budget was $6.8 trillion.  It was $6.2 trillion in Biden's first fiscal year budget. 

THIS generation of the Trump/GOP has no record of "walking the talk" of fiscal responsibility and that is why their debt ceiling talk has been a charade.  The President, the democratic party, the country and its people have won the debt ceiling debate and continue to be the only sane voice for America to move forward and leave the toxic rhetoric behind. 

This commentary written by Joe Lorio