tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post114185523405657643..comments2024-02-28T14:41:47.313-07:00Comments on Flares into Darkness: Election year Politics and Portsambisinistralhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03836786826294202405noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141941913792865302006-03-09T15:05:00.000-07:002006-03-09T15:05:00.000-07:00knuck:I doubt the press will make an issue of it a...knuck:<BR/><BR/>I doubt the press will make an issue of it at all.<BR/><BR/>There are cases like this all the time all over the country. There is no way to avoid it.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141939337206069872006-03-09T14:22:00.000-07:002006-03-09T14:22:00.000-07:00knucklehead:I saw some reference on instapundit to...knucklehead:<BR/><BR/>I saw some reference on instapundit to trouble with port authority, It seems Homeland Security found out they hired drivers with criminal backgrounds. Needless to say Reynolds was trying to make that the fault of the people who found the problem, rather than the ones who created it.<BR/><BR/>Yes, let Congress move on and start bugging someone other than Dubai Ports. See how they like it.<BR/><BR/>But I would like to know if they are going to demand that China and Saudi Arabia give up their interests as well.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141937882053420162006-03-09T13:58:00.000-07:002006-03-09T13:58:00.000-07:00knucklehead:Principled???Puhleaze.Well it seems th...knucklehead:<BR/><BR/>Principled???Puhleaze.<BR/><BR/>Well it seems that Dubai was not just trying to find a way to get in our ports so that they could kill us all after after all. In fact I read elsewhere that the US ports were not the real draw, Europe was. In all more than a dozen countries have contracts with P&O...and those I take it will stand.<BR/><BR/>But we are special. I think it would be a hoot if Halliburton got the deal.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141937301643928822006-03-09T13:48:00.000-07:002006-03-09T13:48:00.000-07:00If you look at the link you can see there was an e...If you look at the link you can see there was an effort out there to do something like that, but they were not sure how to handle reimbursement.<BR/><BR/> I wonder if Dubai found a way because Congress had a fit, or if Congress had a fit because they knew something like this was coming and wanted to try and take credit for it.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141935255514749352006-03-09T13:14:00.000-07:002006-03-09T13:14:00.000-07:00As I mentioned before, you could put together a US...As I mentioned before, you could put together a US-led group consisting of some "US" firm in concert with the major global ocean carriers. It is, no pun intended, pretty deep water; there could be antitrust implications. But in one form or another, international participation by the shipping lines is here to stay. They have been expanding in port and landside transport activities now for some 20 years in large part because their "just in time" customers have demanded the efficiencies that often accompany vertical integration. And that isn't going away.Skookumchukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16069553196217619229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141934439323641972006-03-09T13:00:00.000-07:002006-03-09T13:00:00.000-07:00Haliburton should be able to handle it.Haliburton should be able to handle it.Rick Ballardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11082425215912372067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141934040592795042006-03-09T12:54:00.000-07:002006-03-09T12:54:00.000-07:00Breaking News: Dubai Ports World has announced tha...Breaking News: Dubai Ports World has announced that they will step away from the ports deal. I saw it <A HREF="http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/03/09/341762.html&cvqh=itn_dubai" REL="nofollow">here</A>.Specterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14253933751289239821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141888505979324902006-03-09T00:15:00.000-07:002006-03-09T00:15:00.000-07:00Truepeers, get ready for the Vancouver NIMBYs to r...<I>Truepeers, get ready for the Vancouver NIMBYs to raise Cain, since the CN and CP will be running container trains 24/7. </I><BR/><BR/>-oh we're already hearing from them concerning the present port expansion plans. Too many trucks on the road! (and given local geography - we're basically a densely populated flood plain shut in by mountains, ocean, and the border - with lots of bridges and other bottleknecks, we do have problems...) <BR/><BR/>As a sometimes cyclist, i was a little miffed when they closed the one long stretch of flat road into the city from the east to cyclists and non-accredited traffic after 9-11, because it was the road along the port and security was increased (and everyone knows that cyclists are a bunch of leftish loons...) Anyway, no doubt a troublemaker could find many security issues here as elsewhere still to be addressed... I await expansion of the silly season.truepeershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16401984575637492845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141880787952751062006-03-08T22:06:00.000-07:002006-03-08T22:06:00.000-07:00I'm with you on polling, Terrye. Very, very bad po...I'm with you on polling, Terrye. Very, very bad polling of the "Do you think furriners should control our ports?" variety. Ask people "Do you think furriners should pay Muricans to unload freight" and see what the answer is.Rick Ballardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11082425215912372067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141878651943491932006-03-08T21:30:00.000-07:002006-03-08T21:30:00.000-07:00flenser:Yes, off with their heads sounds good righ...flenser:<BR/><BR/>Yes, off with their heads sounds good right now.<BR/><BR/>They are concerned about the polls, but those things are just snapshots and one never really knows where people will be in 6 months anyway.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes I wonder how much of this about turf.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141878233622571602006-03-08T21:23:00.000-07:002006-03-08T21:23:00.000-07:00terrye, my guess is that the UAE leadership is a l...terrye, my guess is that the UAE leadership is a little more mature and practical than our own.<BR/><BR/>Which is not setting the bar terribly high, I admit. Now you see why some of us long for a return to a monarchy.flenserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05864178703173384289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141877724904819222006-03-08T21:15:00.000-07:002006-03-08T21:15:00.000-07:00Terrye,Not with Bubba and Albright doing the old w...Terrye,<BR/><BR/>Not with Bubba and Albright doing the old wink, nudge and nod. The UAE has said nothing negative (to my knowledge) about this. Bill and Madeleine are undoubtedly giving them excellent advice concerning the level of principle involved with the pols votes.<BR/><BR/>I wish it were not so but I rarely have wishes granted. This is just the sausage being made in public.Rick Ballardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11082425215912372067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141877335963293022006-03-08T21:08:00.000-07:002006-03-08T21:08:00.000-07:00rick:I disagree. The Congress just made Bush look ...rick:<BR/><BR/>I disagree. The Congress just made Bush look powerless. My guess is the Iranians are hoping for a split between us and the UAE. <BR/><BR/>This vote will make them bolder.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141875215874797002006-03-08T20:33:00.000-07:002006-03-08T20:33:00.000-07:00C'mon, we're in the tween time silly season. As FA...C'mon, we're in the tween time silly season. As FA noted, this is a no cost, meaningless vote. Every Congresscritter on the committee can point to it and say "See, I voted agin them furriners!"<BR/><BR/>Fortunately, Congress has absolutely no say in the serious business coming up at the UNSC. I'd sure like a peek at Ambassador Bolton's opening remarks and proposed sanctions. That one is the only story of real interest at the moment - I'm curious as to how the Iranians are going to back down.Rick Ballardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11082425215912372067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141874721800500082006-03-08T20:25:00.000-07:002006-03-08T20:25:00.000-07:00specter:It depends on the leases, but ultimately i...specter:<BR/><BR/>It depends on the leases, but ultimately it would probably be the taxpayers . . .Skookumchukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16069553196217619229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141874379306644902006-03-08T20:19:00.000-07:002006-03-08T20:19:00.000-07:00I think that the members of the Committee who vote...I think that the members of the Committee who voted for this should pony up the cash it's going to take to pay off the breach of contract law suit.....Specterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14253933751289239821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141873830480922212006-03-08T20:10:00.000-07:002006-03-08T20:10:00.000-07:00Here is the list of the Appropriations Committee m...<A HREF="http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutTheCommittee.MemberList&SubcommitteeId=18" REL="nofollow"> Here</A> is the list of the Appropriations Committee members. See if any are your Congressman and give 'em a call.flenserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05864178703173384289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141873384130596022006-03-08T20:03:00.000-07:002006-03-08T20:03:00.000-07:00I think a poll must have shown the public's confid...I think a poll must have shown the public's confidence in Congress to be rising. Every time that happens, Congress makes sure that the people fully understand that such a feeling truly is completely unwarranted.Rick Ballardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11082425215912372067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141872496450630362006-03-08T19:48:00.000-07:002006-03-08T19:48:00.000-07:00By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar...<I>By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports.</I><BR/><BR/>Clearly this is political posturing. But it also seems to me that it's very unlikely that the Appropriations Committee has any authority to do any such thing. American foreign policy is not set by 62 members of the House of Representatives. I'd love to see them try to justify their position before the Roberts Court.<BR/><BR/>I think its an open question whether even the full Congress has the power to do this. Could they invoke interstate commerce here?flenserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05864178703173384289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141866910147958022006-03-08T18:15:00.000-07:002006-03-08T18:15:00.000-07:00skook:Why shouldn't they? We do have roads. Once s...skook:<BR/><BR/>Why shouldn't they? We do have roads. Once some of this stuff gets over here, it might be easier to drive or fly it in.<BR/><BR/>But not all.<BR/><BR/>Besides I do not know if there are enough Mom and Pops to take over.<BR/><BR/>It is like farming. If people decided tomorrow that they wanted the family farm back, they would be shocked to find that a lot of those guys just are not there anymore.<BR/><BR/>The thing that really pisses me off, is seeing them cut Bush off like this when are looking at a possible showdown with Iran.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141866454753258302006-03-08T18:07:00.000-07:002006-03-08T18:07:00.000-07:00And if the future terminal operating restrictions ...And if the future terminal operating restrictions do prove too onerous, I can see a dandy competitive opening for aggressive ports like Vancouver, BC and even the Mexicans in places like Ensenada (which is being quietly promoted by the Chinese Huchison Wampoa group). They would court the "foreign" shipping lines that we have barred.<BR/><BR/>Thereby cleaning the American clock.<BR/><BR/>Truepeers, get ready for the Vancouver NIMBYs to raise Cain, since the CN and CP will be running container trains 24/7.Skookumchukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16069553196217619229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141865932481579932006-03-08T17:58:00.000-07:002006-03-08T17:58:00.000-07:00It's not only the Democrats that want to keep us s...It's not only the Democrats that want to keep us stupid--it's the Republicans too.<BR/><BR/>They're so afraid the Democrats might be perceived as stronger on national security because of this issue that they won't even argue the facts in this deal. Reps not only are allowing the stupid memes to persist, they're pushing them.<BR/><BR/>I expect the Dems to be stupid and to demagogue. I expect the Reps to stand on principle and argue the merits.<BR/><BR/>The whole lot need to be voted out. All of them.Sylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03069871911665125873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141865685212866132006-03-08T17:54:00.000-07:002006-03-08T17:54:00.000-07:00knucklehead:These idiots are ready to block fundin...knucklehead:<BR/><BR/><I>These idiots are ready to block funding for Iraq and Afghanistan for the sake of this? What a bunch of maroons!</I><BR/><BR/>The Chinese, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, the Danes in the form of A.P. Moller (who by the way own some of our civilian-crewed Navy support ships), the Singaporeans and the rest are here to stay.<BR/><BR/>I can't believe that the big users of the system, the Wal-Marts et al., would in the end allow control to slip away from these firms to small US operators. They spent 20 years wresting control away from them to allow the current global logistics system to develop as it has. Ain't gonna happen.<BR/><BR/>I can see a future where US "control" may be there in some cosmetic sense, but the guts will remain the same.Skookumchukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16069553196217619229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141864957065440752006-03-08T17:42:00.000-07:002006-03-08T17:42:00.000-07:00yeah. they put it on a must pass piece of legislat...yeah. they put it on a must pass piece of legislation.<BR/><BR/>I hope Charles Johnson and Michelle Malkin are proud of themselves.<BR/><BR/>No doubt it makes folks like Osama and Zarqawi happy too.terryehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609746018265953069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16821859.post-1141864109551652712006-03-08T17:28:00.000-07:002006-03-08T17:28:00.000-07:00There are 64 members of the House Appropriations C...There are 64 members of the House Appropriations Committee?Charlie Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586506407851173416noreply@blogger.com