Jones Act, Waivers and Cabotage

You are such an optimist, Thunderhead!

You forgot about "peak oil" (which passed late last year) and the little issue of global warming (which will shift rainfall patterns at the very least, leading to crop failures). Two phenomena which are going to add a lot of "interest."

Oh, and Carter was indeed an engineer. A Nuclear engineer that served in our submarine service. Unfortunately, Carter recognized many of the problems we face today, like energy depletion, and tried to do something about it. At that time President's didn't initiate legislation directly, only tried to get congress to do it. Now, Bush tells congress what to do and makes his own rules as he goes along. So far congress is Okay with that. Probably because they don't want any anthrax in their mail or something selfish like that. Anyway, when Carter tried to push legislation that would have led to energy independence he threatened the oil interests who were paying the campaign costs of their congressional lackeys. Said lackeys were, in turn, instructed to block all such legislation, which they did. Then they made a deal with a certain Ayatollah who happened to be holding on to a bunch of U.S. Citizens so that they would not release those citizens until after our election. It worked, too. Carter was not re-elected, even though he was clearly one of our best president's ever. He is an honorable man --- which is just another way of saying that he didn't fit in Washington, at all! For a model of true success in the Washington scene, I give you George W. Bush! Torturer, Liar, War Criminal, Thief. Totally without a moral compass. The perfect politician and perfect Christian representative. The perfect man to spearhead the looting of the U.S. of A.

While there's still something here to loot.

Bill

 

It is easy to talk class warfare, or blame the rich,the government,or whomever else you want, but what it comes down to, is if you live in this country, and you want it, whatever it is, you can have it, if you work hard enough.
I am relatively unskilled, 32 years old, and retired. I live in a good neighborhood, with excellent schools, in an above average house. My wife works part time at a job she loves. My kids are well fed, and have college savings well under way. I have some disposable income, not alot, but some.
My finantial advisor says that I have income and savings to live at this level indefinately. If you want this, do what I did: buy nothing on credit, save 75% of your income, work 80 hours a week minimum. Invest well, listen to smart people, and with luck in 15 years you will retire.
I believe in America, and in it's workers, I believe that our governement should take any and all means to protect our people and our industries. I care nothing about other countries, or their people. Let their own governments worry about that. I care nothing about lazy, or stupid people, and do not expect them, or anybody else to worry about me.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, you are where you are because YOU choose to be.

As far as credit cards go, who cares about them, never had one, never will.

FLAME ON ( cause I've got all the time in the world to read them)

 

And where would you be with BAD luck Maddy?

Could you have achieved your financial independence if you had been born to a poor family, and had little or no education, and been unable to find a job at all simply because there were none? Surely you recognize that the above describes exactly the plight of way too many people in the United States.

I suppose that you would say that I am an example of the American Dream myself, because I was born poor and managed to get an education up to and including a Ph.D. with no support from anyone . . . except you and a lot of others like you. I was in a hopeless situation that I could not break out of before the Vietnam era GI bill went into effect (on the first of June, 1966. I was IN SCHOOL 13 days later.) I use credit cards, but am very careful to pay them off every month. I even have successful investments. Everything I have is paid for. But Maddy, I was born with the intellectual equipment to pull this off . . . I did not "deserve" it at all, it was merely an accident.

I know too many people born in the same conditions that I was who have struggled all their lives, worked those long hours you mention, and put their faith in employers that turned them out and manipulated their pensions through "bankruptcy," leaving them with almost nothing. People who can't afford medicine they need and food as well. People who are being stripped of every asset through expenses they have no control over. You seem to think that this is because they are stupid. Maybe they aren't so bright. So what? It is a plain fact that HALF the people in this country have an I.Q. LESS than 100 . . . and an I.Q. less than 100 is not very bright at all. Do they deserve to be punished because of that particular accident of birth? Or for that matter, do you deserve any reward because of your accident of birth?

And I would like to point out that one of those common signs of intelligence is an ability to empathize with others. How do YOU fare on that measure Maddy?

Bill

 

Maddyfish be proud to American! Your the sort of guy that Sammy Bin Liner and his other cronys love!

Your pig ignorant, selfish, opinionated, stupid to the nth degree and generally fu**ing up the space in this earth that you occupy!:!:

It would appear that you are using up good water and air that some poor person desperately needs!

Maddyfish the Al Qada's of the world salute you, your certainly making their job easier!

There's some poor bloody American soldier out in Iraq (I know YOU didn't ask him to go and YOU ARE the only person that matters! :?: ) who is dying or just about to die, becuse he believed the **** that his country needed him (we won't go into the politics of the man who sent him there - he's just like you a dumb *hit) and you know the terrible thing is this poor guy is doing it partially for you, you worthless piece of dirt, your not even worth the ground he walks on).

I have over my lifetime worked with some damn fine Americans (and some others, mostly normal straight guys just trying to get on in life and do the best they could for themselves and their families) and because of these people I was slowly, like many others in the world, coming to like and respect the American Nation for what it is, not what it thinks it is! I was starting to believe that the myth of the "pig ignorant red neck American *****" was just that, a myth! How wrong I was to believe this! You and You alone have managed to produce another enemy of America in a time when you need all the friends you can get!!! With your stupid pig ignorant atittude!

There is two reasons that this will not happen - I WILL remember all the good Americans I have met and worked with (in many varied circumstances) :!: including some on this forum and also (tho' God knows why) I realise that the only person you ultimately hurt is yourself - go have have a lonely, sad death mister (but please do the world and America a favour and do it soon)!

 

Billy doc,

I come from a poor family, and started with nearly nothing. That is what is great about America, any body can make it, if they are willing to work extremely hard. I know that infuriates people around the world, but too bad.

safe walrus,
You are a silly foul mouthed individual, no wonder that you haven't made it. With your attitude you never will.

 

Well who's a bitchy little boy then? If your classed as having 'made it' I'm Glad I haven't! And incidentally what is this 'made it' supposed to be?

Be very careful who your calling foul mouthed you might not like the answer conyo, ala zobzob!

 

ft thomas ky is not indusrialised he dont see 14 ford plants close down, he dont see50000 gm workers idled, he dont see delfi closing down ,,,another100000workers ideled,,he is like a frog at the bottom of the well ,he knows all about the well ,but nothing outside of it,,,,,forgive him because he dont know what he dont know

 

I think maddyfish is the curse, the wrath we must pay for dabbling in politics on this board.

Somehow I just don't see us getting in a pissing contest over mono-hulls verses catamarans.

 

You make a good point Kach, and I think Maddyfish will simply never understand.

BUT, I would like to point out that no true sailor would actually put to sea in a cat! Anything that is stable upside down simply isn't sea-worthy.

(*duck, cover . . . put on nomex suit*)

 

I don't think working hard is all that it takes in america. Being in the right place at the right time, being clever, hustling when the time is right, and knowing lots of good people are all vital to success. That last point is key. If the only people you know are out for themselves, the rest of the world be damned, then there's no hope. The next point I'd like to make is about how ignoring and not involving yourself the rest of the world is bad.....because the rest of the world has an impact on you. Everything from the availability of consumer goods, raw materials OIL etc...to emmigration, exports and employment. It's all connected weather you want it to be or not.I'm sure someone here is just funning with me though.....

 

Not me Thunderhead!

I'm trying to stay on the good side of my non-American friends. It's the potential for immigration, you understand. This place is making me very nervous of late . . . way too many of my fellow citizens are like Maddy, an embarrasment to call "countrymen."

Bill

 

Actually gentlemen now that Maddy has come out of the closet as it were he's not so dangerous - looks rather stupid in fact! The Dangerous ones are the ones like him that nobody knows about! You can't keep an atittude or an afliction like that in the cupboard for long can you?

 

Jealous Bergalia? Not you surely?

 

heh heh heh...hover-sprout...heh heh heh...what are propective terrorists?