John McCain, Mike Lee introduce bill to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from Jones Act

[Free Vulcan]

Republican Sens. John McCain and Mike Lee introduced legislation Thursday to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from the Jones Act shipping law.

The senators say the Trump administration's decision Thursday to grant a 10-day waiver of the Jones Act for Puerto Rico does not go far enough to help rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Maria and encourage long-term economic growth on the bankrupt island.

Read more at: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/john-mccain-mike-lee-introduce-bill-to-permanently-exempt-puerto-rico-from-jones-act/article/2635979

[driftdiver]

So in other words they did their job.   What took them so long?

[Suppressed]

So in other words they did their job.   What took them so long?

@driftdiver

 

It's good to see you break from the Trump protectionist bloc!

[driftdiver]

@driftdiver

 

It's good to see you break from the Trump protectionist bloc!

@Suppressed
I didnt think this thread was about Trump.  This is a made up issue intend to do nothing but criticize Trump.   The issue is not lack of shipping in PR.   Those that are trying to make this an issue are distracting from the real work of saving lives.  They are causing additional misery, pain, and perhaps even death for the people of PR.

Trump was asked NOT to wave the Jones Act, and then when the Gov of PR asked him to wave it, then he did.   Thats also his job.

If Congress had done his job then perhaps they wouldn't need this law in the first place.   I am curious as to why it exists.   Perhaps it was put in place by the shipping companies?

I've lived through Hurricanes, fortunately I've never been in a place as badly damaged as PR.  Even so the logistics of returning things to normal are tremendous.  Damn anyone who uses it for political gain.

[corbe]

   I thought it had more to do with Union support , didn't Trump just quote that in his defense of NOT waiving it just 24 hours ago?

[driftdiver]

   I thought it had more to do with Union support , didn't Trump just quote that in his defense of NOT waiving it just 24 hours ago?

@corbe
The shipping companies asked him not too.  From what I've read there was no reason to.  Its a made up argument.

There is only one port open in PR.  That port is full and cannot handle more cargo.   There are 3000 containers sitting there right now.  They cannot distribute the materials fast enough.

Why are you echoing the leftist talking points?

[corbe]

@corbe
The shipping companies asked him not too.  From what I've read there was no reason to.  Its a made up argument.

There is only one port open in PR.  That port is full and cannot handle more cargo.   There are 3000 containers sitting there right now.  They cannot distribute the materials fast enough.

Why are you echoing the leftist talking points?

   I stand corrected @driftdriver it wasn't Unions.  I didn't pay close attention to Sarah Hucklebee yesterday when she was explaining why Trump wouldn't waive it.
   Who profits most from the Jones Act?  The Ship Builders Council Local 36 would still be my most educated Liberal guess.

https://shipbuilders.org/

[txradioguy]

   I thought it had more to do with Union support , didn't Trump just quote that in his defense of NOT waiving it just 24 hours ago?

It was originally enacted to protect the U.S. Merchant Marine fleet if I read this correctly.

The Jones Act prevents foreign-flagged ships from carrying cargo between the US mainland and noncontiguous parts of the US, such as Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam.[11] Foreign ships inbound with goods cannot stop at any of these four locations, offload goods, load mainland-bound goods, and continue to US mainland ports. Although ships can offload cargo and proceed to the US mainland without picking up any additional cargo intended for delivery to the another US place. Usually, they proceed directly to US mainland ports, where distributors break bulk and then send goods to US places off the mainland by US-flagged ships.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Marine_Act_of_1920

[DiogenesLamp]

I have evolved to the position that if John McCain supports it, it's a bad idea. 


I need to look at no facts beyond this to arrive at what I regard as a sound decision.

[txradioguy]

I have evolved to the position that if John McCain supports it, it's a bad idea. 


I need to look at no facts beyond this to arrive at what I regard as a sound decision.

McCain has been trying to get this repealed for a few years.

[DiogenesLamp]

So in other words they did their job.   What took them so long?

I saw this discussed earlier.  The problem is not that there aren't enough ships to bring supplies in,  the problem is that so much of the pier infrastructure is damaged or destroyed,  and so many ships already want to come into the harbor now,  and so they couldn't handle the additional traffic anyway.   


People on the ground in Puerto Rico realize this,  and that's why there was no hurry to suspend the Jones Act.   

[DiogenesLamp]

McCain has been trying to get this repealed for a few years.

Sounds like a policy change that helps International Globalist corporations more than it does plain old American citizens.   


I used to give McCain the benefit of the doubt about the Keating five scandal,  but I now believe he was up to his neck in behind the scenes corruption and favor trading. 

[txradioguy]

Sounds like a policy change that helps International Globalist corporations more than it does plain old American citizens.   


I used to give McCain the benefit of the doubt about the Keating five scandal,  but I now believe he was up to his neck in behind the scenes corruption and favor trading.

No doubt he's still the same way today.

[libertybele]

Puerto Rico in humanitarian crisis:


www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEl6hpHxhpo

[endicom]

If they're going to do away with the Jones Act then do it. Selectively propping up failed socialistic governments is not the way to go.

[libertybele]

Cargo containers of relief aid are sitting the port is full, the problem is the roads and passage ways aren't open to get to the people that need it the most and a lack of truck drivers to deliver the goods.

www.cnn.com/2017/09/27/us/puerto-rico-aid-problem/index.html

[dfwgator]

 

People on the ground in Puerto Rico realize this,  and that's why there was no hurry to suspend the Jones Act.

But somebody in the media read about the Jones Act on Wikipedia, and figured it would be a good way to nail Trump.

[txradioguy]

But somebody in the media read about the Jones Act on Wikipedia, and figured it would be a good way to nail Trump.

Since this has been a particular thorn in McCain's side for at least three years from what I can tell...I'm guessing he's the person that pointed them to this.

[DiogenesLamp]

But somebody in the media read about the Jones Act on Wikipedia, and figured it would be a good way to nail Trump.

The New York Democrat Media Complex is an Enemy Psyops/propaganda agency.   We should be nuke bombing it. (Metaphorically.)   

They are making up every phoney baloney story they can throw at Trump.  Today they were whining about one of the Cabinet secretaries spending $85,000 on travel,   (12 trips I think)  but they didn't say boo to Nancy Pelosi,  and they didn't say squat when Obama flew in Hot Dogs and Pizza from Chicago at a cost of $65,000 for one trip.   


The enemedia need to have their weapons taken away from them and then we need to turn their power against them. 

[DiogenesLamp]

Since this has been a particular thorn in McCain's side for at least three years from what I can tell...I'm guessing he's the person that pointed them to this.

Of what interest is the "Jones Act"  to the citizens of land locked Arizona,  on who's behalf he was sent to Washington DC?   


I would think Arizonians would have more concerns about illegal aliens or something.

[DB]

This is all politics, not results.

The functioning ports there are full. There are no lack of ships moving material into the island. So this move is about presentation, "optics", not actual function.

[txradioguy]

Of what interest is the "Jones Act"  to the citizens of land locked Arizona,  on who's behalf he was sent to Washington DC?   


I would think Arizonians would have more concerns about illegal aliens or something.

You and I both already know the answers to those questions.

[Cyber Liberty]

Better idea:  Repeal Jones.  Period.

[Smokin Joe]

I have evolved to the position that if John McCain supports it, it's a bad idea. 


I need to look at no facts beyond this to arrive at what I regard as a sound decision.

This is supposed to be disaster aid. I think it is nice to see bipartisan cooperation on this. 

[Suppressed]

I didnt think this thread was about Trump.

The thread wasn't, and neither was my comment, really.  It was about you, @driftdiver.  I know that you have been a big supporter of Trump, and he's a very strong protectionist and was originally supporting the Jones Act.  The Jones Act is a big protectionist scheme, designed to transfer wealth from the consumer to a business segment, like all protectionist schemes do.

So I was applauding your support for ordinary Americans, who have to pay the burden of such schemes.  I didn't mean to offend.