New York's Court System Brings Donald Trump To Justice and Holds Him Accountable For His Crimes.

 New York's Judiciary would not allow former President Trump to intimidate its system of justice and held him accountable for his crimes.  In three New York trials Trump's company was found guilty of committing fraud against the state and Trump was found guilty of  sexual assault against E. Jean Carroll and in another trial found guilty of defaming her.  

Trump's fraud trial was without a jury at his own request and the presiding judge decided the case.  Both trials concerning E.Jean Carroll, the verdict was decided by a jury of Trump's peers.  Before, during and after Trump's trials, Trump did his best to try and intimidate the judges, prosecutors and the system with his personal attacks but the system held firm.  The fines that were given to Trump for his actions are now in the process of playing out and time will tell how much Trump is affected financially. 

Unlike the federal court system, New York took Trump's crimes seriously, understood how he tried to manipulate the system and destroy the legal process, acted timely so justice would be served.  And coming up next in New York will be Trump's trial with Stormy Daniels next month.  

In the mean time, Trump is waiting to go to trial on the federal level whose trials has been delayed because of Trump's delaying tactics that the federal courts have allowed to take place.  The federal courts have succumbed to Trump's intimidation and attacks and the Supreme Court has agreed to take up Trump's notion of "total immunity" for his actions which the Court of Appeals have already ruled against twice.  The Supreme Court's decision will push back Trump's trial date for several months.  It should be noted that Trump is the only President to ever claim a President has "total immunity."  New York upheld its laws and acted timely.  The federal courts have failed to act timely.

Those convictions of Trump make him a convicted criminal according to Websters Dictionary.  And because of that, Trump is totally not qualified to be a Presidential nominee or ever be President again.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe  Lorio    

The GOP Controlled U.S. House, With Speaker of The House Louisiana's Mike Johnson Still Represents The Republican Do Nothing Party.

 Johnson and his anti-Democracy GOP'ers in the U.S. House are still taking the country to the brink, threatening a last minute government shutdown.  It has been going on for months and splinters the normal process to pass a budget that requires intelligent thought.  The budget process needs the minds and thoughts of SANE adults and not the CULT mind of the GOP.

The democratic controlled U.S. Senate passed a bill with GOP support that provides the funds for Ukraine and Israel that President Biden asked for.  The "do nothing" republican controlled U.S. House said the bill was dead after Trump rejected the bill and gave orders not to support it.  There is no question that there were enough GOP votes in the House that would join the democrats in the House to pass it. To make things worse Trump took the position of Putin and said he did not care if Russia prevailed in Ukraine.

On another note, the U.S. Senate controlled by the democratic party was ready to pass an immigration reform legislation bill with enough GOP support to send to the House for a vote.  But Trump ordered his CULT party to reject the bill and therefore there was no bill.  And once again in just a short month the "do nothing" party did nothing that they thought would help the Biden administration.  Comprehensive reform immigration legislation has to be done by congress because it is only congress who have the authority to provide the funds to implement the cost of the legislation.  Executive Actions will not solve the problem.

In the past 11 years only two administrations have offered immigration reform legislation.  Both the democratic administrations of President's Barrack Obama and Joe Biden.  President Obama in 2013 when the democratic controlled Senate passed the bill by a vote of 68-32.  Fourteen GOP Senators joined the vote and voted yes with the democrats.  However, the GOP controlled U.S. House refused to take the bill up and let it die without even a vote or debate.  And now in 2024 President Biden's administration and the democratic controlled senate had enough votes to pass immigration reform legislation until Trump stepped in and ordered his CULT party to reject the legislation and not take it up.  Trump and his party had a great chance to introduce immigration reform legislation when his party controlled both houses of congress the first two years in office and failed to do so.

Nothing has changed for the GOP since President Truman said long ago that the GOP was the "do nothing" party.  The only thing they did was add to their resume that they have become a CULT party following a CULT leader, one corrupted to the core and a convicted one.  They also now lean on the anti-Democratic edge and favor dictators over the democratic process.  And Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is right in the middle of it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and The Unemployment Rate for February 2024.

 The U.S. Labor Department reported the economy added 275,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate came in at 3.9%, it was 3.7% in January.  It was the 37th straight month of positive job growth and the unemployment rate has now been in the 3% range for the past 25 straight months, the longest string in that range since the 1950's.  Some of the pundits noted that the jobs report demonstrated the resilience of the job market but failed to understand that the resilience of the job market has been steady for the past 37 months and still counting.

The U.S. economy, job creation and the low unemployment numbers have been constant over time despite the 11 interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve which was to slow the economy, raise the unemployment rate and reduce wage demands.  It was an unnecessary intervention of the old school of economic thought to address inflation.  It did not work because the real cause of inflation was the business community's failure to TIMELY bring the nations "supply chain" up to date to handle the consumers spending demands.  The business community knew that the COVID legislation passed was to put money in the consumers pocket to spend on goods because consumer spending is 70% of the economy.  So, the business community knew the consumer would be spending.  They did not care because all the economic reports tells us the business community did well during COVID.

The sad part is that the Federal Reserve can still bring the economy down if they keep on the same misguided path.  It is time the Feds start reducing interest rates.  The business community has to step up also making sure the supply chain can continue to handle customers demand TIMELY without raising prices and creating a new line of inflation.  Their financial reports show they have the capabilities to do so.

The President's policies guided the nation out of COVID and the Trump economic recession that lost 2.7 million jobs.  The economy is  stable and so is lower unemployment.  Inflation is at 3% and falling over all.  The nations GDP has done well under the President's administration so far and better than it did under the Trump administration.  Now it is time for the Feds. and the business community to step up and do  their part for the nation and it's people.  There are no excuses.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

President Joe Biden's State of The Union Message To America.

For the past three years the media has filled the news cycle with Donald Trump's re-election toxic rhetoric and the negative voices personal attacks against President Biden.  The media joined the negative voices and also complained that the President was not available for public comment and even suggested that his people were keeping him away from news conferences.   

What the President was doing those three years was what he was elected to do, govern and take care of the country and the people's business.  It was not a time to start his reelection campaign or get caught up in the toxic rhetoric and havoc of Trump or his party's do nothing attitude nor the media's enabling stories that kept pushing Trump's lies and misinformation.  So, with eight months until the November elections, the President thought it was time to act and boy did he ever act.

Thursday in his address to the nation and the people the President made a powerful speech concerning what his administration has accomplished and what more he plans to do if re-elected.  He also laid out how America's democracy was under attack by the former administration, how he opposed those attacks and how he would continue to do so.  The speech was hard hitting and covered the issues facing the country and how to respond.

Eight months before the November elections, the President picked the right time and forum to kick off his re-election campaign.  Donald Trump, his cult party and the negative voices will continue to be toxic and the media will continue to enable them.  In other words, for them, the next eight months will be like the last three years.  The Biden campaign will be the SANE campaign and continue to talk about the issues that face America and the policies that will address the issues.  And that really says it all.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

 

Donald Trump, A Convicted Criminal Wins The Republican Presidential Nomination.

 Donald Trump's supporters on  so called "super Tuesday" traveled the lowest road possible and clinched the Republican Presidential nomination for Donald Trump over his opponent Nikkie Haley who suspended her campaign after the votes came in.  Now the GOP and their supporters have a Presidential nominee whose company has been convicted of fraud and Trump himself convicted of sexually attacking E.Jean Carroll who sued him successfully before a jury of his peers, not once but twice.  And Trump still faces multiple additional felony accounts and trials to be set at a later date.  New York's trial against Trump for alleged payments to Stormy Daniels is set to start March 25.

Trump's supporters have allowed themselves to believe that criminal Trump represents the best America can do to represent them as President of the United States, the greatest country in the world.  They, along with the media have also allowed themselves to push Trump's lies and misinformation about a stolen 2020 election and other toxic lies that divide the country.  Trump and his supporters believe the oath of office the President swears to, to uphold the constitution and the rule of law do not apply to their ideology, especially when President Trump tried to over turn the 2020 Presidential election and obstructed the peaceful transfer of power to the Biden administration.

American leadership and democracy has stood the test of time for over 249 years because we are a country and people who believe in the constitution and the rule of law and we do not elect criminals as President and Commander in Chief to destroy the process that has made the U.S. the greatest country in the world.  Donald Trump had four years to prove his worth as an American President who took the same oath of office our forebearers took over 200 years ago and failed the test to protect the democratic process and the rule of law.  To Trump, the oath was only words. 

It was reported in the  New Orleans Advocate of 3/7 that six of the seven Louisiana GOP delegations in the U.S. congress endorsed Trump for the nomination.  Louisiana's U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy had no comment but he had said long ago he would support the Republican nominee.  In other words, he does endorse Trump's nomination.  

The Republic Party, the Republicans in Congress and those who support Trump at the voting booth are willing to take the lowest road and return a criminal to the highest office in the land.  A sad situation since they know he would, if elected, continue his assault on democracy, the constitution, the rule of law, the courts, his oath of office and the morals of America and its people.  

The only real choice for America is to return President Biden to office in November 2024.  That will continue the stability of the federal government and the sanity in the White House that has prevailed for the past three years in spite of the negative voices and toxic rhetoric of lies, misinformation and division.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio

Clancy DuBos's Commentary and "PolitiDose" Commentary Are On The Same Page.

 Columnist Clancy DuBos's commentary in the New Orleans Advocate of 3/5 titled, "New concealed-carry laws won't make state any safer" and "PolitiDose commentary dated 3/1 titled, "The State of Louisiana: An Invitation for Gun Violence" were on the same page concerning Senate Bill 1 which allows 18 years olds to carry concealed firearms without permits.  Both commentaries recognize the elementary fact that more guns on the streets in Louisiana means more violence and deaths.

Mr. DuBos in his commentary and to his credit never mentioned the concealed-carry laws as "tough on crime" like the GOP love to throw around and which some in the media enable as fact.  The record of gun violence and deaths can be backed up with stats that states with the weakest gun laws are the ones with the most gun violence and deaths per capita.  

As an experienced journalist, Clancy DuBos understands the issues and the negative outcomes that will take place with the new concealed-carry law that goes into effect on July 4.  His words of wisdom should be taken seriously. 

This commentary was written by Joe Lorio

The State of Louisiana: An Invitation For Gun Violence.

 The passage of Governor Jeff Landry's crime package by the Louisiana Legislators was reported in two articles in the Advocate of 2/29 and 3/1.  The paper used the GOP's BS phrase, "tough-on-crime" to describe the package.  The phrase is familiar and the media embraces the BS even though the GOP has a terrible record on crime prevention.

Part of the package will allow 18 year old and older to carry concealed firearms without a permit.  In other words, more guns on the streets of Louisiana.  That is a prescription for more gun violence because we know from stats, states with the weakest gun laws have more gun violence deaths than those states with strict gun laws.  And those stats come from FBI reports, The gun violence archive's report and Statista reports who keep gun violence records.

We are also aware of the facts that the New Orleans Police Dept., worked with the federal government to remove guns from the streets of New Orleans were successful in removing hundreds of guns and that help contribute to  lower the murder rate the past 4 months and as of this date it is still working.  If the media would check the facts they would know the GOP's "tough-on-crime phrase they love to ape is just one big lie.

The two most recent years for gun violence deaths per capita 100,000, the ten states with the most deaths were:

In 2022, eight of the ten worse states were governed by Republicans.  #1 was Alaska (R),  #2 was Miss. (R),  #3 was Wyoming (R),  #4 was New Mexico  (D),  #5  was Alabama (R)  #6 was La. (D),  #7 was Missouri (R),  #8 was So. Carolina (R),  #9 was Arkansas (R),  #10  was Montana (R).

In 2023 eight of the ten worse states were governed by Republicans also:  #1 was Miss. (R),  #2 was Louisiana (D)  #3 was New Mexico (D),  #4 was Alabama (R), #5 was Wyoming (R),  #6  was Alaska (R),  #7  was Montana (R),  #8 was Arkansas (R),  #9 was Missouri (R),  #10 was Tennessee (R).  

Keep in mind the media loves to enable the GOP when they talk about crime in democratic California and New York.  Well, year in and year out, Florida and Texas, two GOP controlled states have more gun violence deaths per capita than California and New York.  Evidently the media is ignorant about the weak gun laws created in Florida and Texas and the more strict gun laws created in California and New York.  

If any one in Louisiana thinks the weak concealed carry gun laws without a permit that puts more guns on the street meets the tough-on-crime standard you can be sure they are GOP ditto heads.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Good News for The City of New Orleans and The New Orleans Police Department.

 In a New Orleans Advocate story of February 22, the City of New Orleans received some good and positive news from the Judge over seeing the Federal consent degree the city has been operating under for the past decade.  The Federal court said it was clear that cooperation improved dramatically and progress accelarated dramatically the past few months due to the hard work of people in the courtroom and other officials.  

According to the article, NOPD's new superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick was given credit for the department working closely and together with the Federal monitors for the improvements.  Because of the plan by Kirkpatrick and her deputy Chief Nicholas Gernon, compliance with the degree is a step closer.  This writer believes what we have here now is elementary, that means the right people are in the right positions to handle a problem that has been long running.

That piece of good news for the City and NOPD goes hand in hand with a earlier January report in the Advocate where the murder rate in New Orleans in 2023 fell 27% from 2022 and that the down trend began 3 months before the New Year.  That downward trend was the subject of a PolitiDose commentary in January.  And once again this writer reminds it's readers that the improvements and good news began months before Jeff Landry was elected governor, months before Landry appointed a New Orleans Crime Commission and months before Landry authorized the State Police to work with New Orleans.  

Why is it important to remember that?  Well, it's because the GOP has a history of trying to take credit when good things take place on the democratic watch.  

This commentary written by Joe Lorio   

Louisiana's U.S. Representative Garret Graves: Sour Grapes Comments About His Own Party.

A New Orleans Advocate report by Mark Ballard of 2/13 titled, "Lies Kept House GOP From Wins" tells the story of Graves comments in a speech before the Ripen Society, a GOP think tank when he says his own party misled the American people with lies and mis-information that took off in social media.  Those lies and mis-information by his own party also took place on Fox News, the GOP's leading source of lies and mis-information.

Graves indictment of his own party comes too late and his party is still engaged in such actions and still support Trump's lies and mis-information on a daily basis.  His party, 3 years after the 2020 election still can not say in public that Joe Biden won the Presidential election and the legal President of record.  This writer does not recall Graves challenge to his party's position of election fraud and in fact the same lies and mis-information Graves talks about were spread on social media against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election while Mr. Graves was silent.

Graves comment that the GOP controlled House's failure to enact successful legislation incrementally because they have the attitude of "all or nothing" is really one of their staple positions and nothing new.  Maybe if Graves would have stepped up to the plate earlier, he could have done something about it, especially if he would have said it on the House floor to his own members and for public consumption.  The party has been Trump's party for the past 8 years and no one in the GOP has the character to call him out for what he is.  

Nothing will change with the GOP being the party of lies and mis-information until the party dumps Trump and the Fox News as being their spokesperson.  The GOP allowed Trump to kill the democratic process and become the un-American party and it is being played out in the Courts.  And recently, the public was exposed to the dangers of Trump and the GOP, when Trump told his GOP stooges in congress to kill the latest immigration reform legislation that was surely going to pass.  And his ditto head stooges did just that.  

The GOP is a sick party and the sickness grows every day.  PolitiDose commentary back in 2016 pointed out that Trump and the GOP were one and the same.  The general news media never recognized that fact and the party's lies and mis-information was never challenged by them.  Mr. Graves violated his own expressed concern about the GOP not accepting incremental wins when he voted against President Biden's infrastructure legislation, a good piece of legislation for America and for the people of Louisiana who Graves represents.  The legislation did pass congress despite Mr. Graves no vote.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio  

The U.S. Economy, Job Creation and the Unemployment Rate for January 2024.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy created 353,000 jobs in January and that the unemployment rate came in at 3.7%, same as it was in December.  It was the 36th straight month of positive job growth and the 24th consecutive month of unemployment in the 3% range.  The last time that took place was during the Kennedy-Johnson administration.  The Department also reported that wages were up 0.6% in January over December and that year to year were up 4.5%.  The Department also noted that November and December's job numbers were increased 129,000 from the previous reports.  The economic pundits were wrong again when they predicted January's job numbers to be around 170,000. 

When the Labor Department announced the numbers some of the negative voices of doom and gloom had to admit and eat their words and said this is a good economy and the numbers were amazing.  The negative voices never bothered to check out the economic facts all along since Biden took office.  They were only concerned with dealing out mis-information to influence the voting public.  

Why did so many express shock at the good January job numbers?  After all in January of 2022 513,000 jobs were added to the economy and in January 2023, 510,000 jobs were added to the economy according to the Labor Department reports.  President Biden's administration has accomplished in 3 years what past democratic administrations accomplished in creating a good economy, job creation and lower unemployment.  They set a precedent of good government that enabled the voters to expect progress and that is what President Biden has done since day one.

The business community's ad advertising for job openings are still holding steady and have actually increased lately in an earlier report.  In other words, the business community are still hiring and obviously pay no attention to the negative voices of doom and gloom.  The media seems to be changing its tune on the economy also.  They are responsible for enabling the negative voices for the past two years and lack understanding of the economic facts.  They should be ashamed of themselves and their failure to inform.

And for the past three years, PolitiDose commentary has been there reporting on the economic facts before they unfold and thereafter.  The same is true on economic facts the past 10 years and counting.  So stay tuned to PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary.

This commentary written by Joe Lorio