Um, and the operative difference in this case is what? If Schumer is ignorant of the basic facts he may still be capable of making a competent decision? I guess that’s the possibility that we’ve all been hoping and praying for the past five years: “Oh lord, please let George W. Bush guess right.”

And for the record the only delight I take in this controvery is the cognitive dissonance it must be causing in the heads of loyal A-rab hatin’ Bush supporters. Other than that, I don’t really care what company manages our ports as long as all the legally required i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed before the deal goes through. There seems to be some question that that happened in this instance. As far as I’m concerned it looks like just another case of Bush cronyism and corruption only this time it happened to tweak the quivering paranoia that Bush has done so much to cultivate since 9-11. Bush can cry me a river.

FedNav s fleet are largely bulk carriers different than breakbulk which are general purpose cargo carriers.

Please. Put away the “Ocean Shipping For Dummies” book, ok? Just stop embarassing yourself. Fednav’s fleet are called ‘bulk’ carriers but handle both bulk and breakbulk cargo. Whole ‘bulk’ carriers are more specialized. The main difference between bulk and breakbulk is how the cargo is stowed. IE, bananas stowed loosely in a hold (not in boxes or containers) is considered ‘bulk.’ A pallet of boxes of bananas is considered ‘breakbulk.’

I’m going to charge to educate you from this point on.

And it s not just container traffic that represents a potential threat it s also general cargo that which is shipped on pallets or triwalls, etc.

Read for content Mr. Stevedore wannabe. I said which one would be more at risk

JK, what does President Bush have to do with Chuck Schumer’s ignorance regarding the ocean shipping industry?

Box of rocks…meet Jay. Jay…box of rocks.

A few selected Bush’isms..

1.)BOB SCHIEFFER: Suddenly we find ourselves with a severe shortage of flu vaccine. How did that happen?
DUBYA: Uhhh — Bob, we relied upon a company out of England to provide about half of the flu vaccines for the United States citizen, and it turned out that the vaccine they were producing was contaminated. And so we took the right action and didn’t allow *contamidated* medicine into our country

2.) “Uhh — I hear there’s rumors on the, uhh, Internets that we’re gonna have a — draft. We’re not going to have a draft. Period”

3.) AND my personal favorite:

“We got an issue in America. Too many good docs are gettin’ out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren’t able to practice their — their love with women all across this country.”

Tune in next week, folks, when Jay’s denial manifests itself as hypochondriacal paralysis of the left big toe!

JK

Still false but irrelevant.

FedNav’s fleet are largely bulk carriers–different than breakbulk which are general purpose cargo carriers.

For someone as experienced as you claim to be not understanding the difference is amusing.

And it’s not just container traffic that represents a potential threat–it’s also general cargo–that which is shipped on pallets or triwalls, etc.

The reason you don t know is that you assume ownership nationality confers some degree of safety or risk.

Wrong stupid. My example had nothing to do with ownership nationality. One ships breakbulk, the other breakbulk and containers. It’s an important distinction, which I won’t bother explaining to you. Believe me, ocean shipping is not the most exciting subject in the world, but it’s something I am very familiar with and experienced with. I’m sure I know more about it than Chuck Schumer and I’m positive I know more about the subject than you.

The democrats thank you Save Farris for your endorsement of their Department of Homeland Security idea, the NSA wiretaps through FISA, they had an effective sidestep of the Gorelick wall too, but since Bush couldn’t figure it out, tearing it down can stay with Bush as a bad idea. You can keep the ineffectual patriot act that does more to spy on US citizens for the republicans too.

I’m certain you don’t know either, Jay Caruso.

The reason you don’t know is that you assume ownership nationality confers some degree of safety or risk.

It s AWOL George s party of racists who are beating the drums against the UAE.

Yes, never forget: Republicans are against the deal because of racism while Democrats oppose it because of national security.

Even if all the Dems were solidly aligned against the port deal, they couldn’t do a thing about it.

It’s AWOL George’s party of racists who are beating the drums against the UAE.

This is good fun watching the racist Repugs’ heads explode. After years of “9/11 changed everything” and “Islamofascists”—their hero is giving the keys to US ports to a company which has been a leading exporter of terrorism and still calls for Israel to be destroyed.

Hah hah. That’s a good one. The possible anti-Arab stance by Democrats on this issue is BUSH’S fault.

Next: Bush was on the grassy knoll!

AWOL George seems to be enjoying it as well. So much so he’s backing away from his threat to veto any Congressional action to void the port deal.

And let’s face it, the UAE served as the financial conduit to the 9/11 terrorists. It was one of only three nations on earth to recognize the Taliban. It continues to advocate the destruction of Israel (isn’t that what we have against the democratically-elected Hamas Govt?). And the UAE has routinely been used as a shipping point for Pakistani nuclear technology to No. Korea and other garden spots.

What amuses me is that AWOL George is reaping what he’s sown. He’s the one who fostered an anti-Arab hatred. Now his business buddies are getting what AWOL George carefully nurtured.

Whether or not UAE port management is a good or bad idea really isnt the point. Depending on which party was out of power, this arrangement would be attacked just for the political gain by the other party.
It is an opportunity to screw with the administation. It’s good politics and its the way the game has been played since Lee Atwater.

As far as foreign companies owning important parts of our infrastructure…why? Is international trade more important than US security? Fear mongering is part of this Admins political agenda. Does this deal reveal that we dont need to fear anything after all?

This adminstration thrives on puttig a scare into the public. Doesnt the vetting of UAE company demonstrate that the fear is just political BS? If the Admin was serious about American security, they would pass on this deal regardless of its merits.

And yes, of course it is petty and political but, thats the game.

As far as Bush hating goes, its just part of politics. And I am sure that GOP people had just as much fun hating BIll Clinton as we do hating Geo BUsh. Hating Bush is not a sin. Its kind of fun, actually.

who is saying that the Coast Guard is being outsourced to the UAE? I’m not aware of any such proposal.

After you’ve read it we can discuss the merits of hypocrisy in re the Republican Guard Party

Dana, excellent points you make at the beginning of your post. But what about the response of Senatrist Frist? Is that also hypocritical, or is he OK since he s been in the Arab-hatin game from the get-go? Or what about Rep. King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee? Or Susan Collins? See, I m not sure if you should go to the dictionary and refresh your understanding of the word  hypocrite , or if you re just suffering from the cognitive dissonance that stems from voting for Bush twice.

While I wouldn’t call Senator Frist quite the same hypocrite that I’d call the oh-so-inclusive Democrats, he’s way wrong on this one. Quite frankly, anyone who has been claiming that this war isn’t against Arabs in general, but then turns around and says that we can’t approve this deal because the cargo handling functions will be partially owned by the Arabs is being hypocritical.

There’s nothing that prevents Republicans from being hypocrites and demagogues; the fact that they usually aren’t as bad as the Democrats is a plus, but only a plus.

We are told by the neocon apologists that we must stop Iran, because they are state sponsors of terror.

We are told by the neocon apologists that we must allow a state-owned corporation from the UAE, state sponsors of terror, to control security at many of our ports.

Most Bush apologists don’t believe in Democracy, they are actually more comfortable with a ruling class of their betters. Who could possibly question the royal family as they use their monarchy to enrich theirselves and their fellow royalty?

Not incompetence. Ignorance. I can guarantee that if I sat down and asked Senator Schumer what shipping line was more at risk, Wallenius-Wilhelmsen Steamship Lines or Fednav, he probably wouldn’t know. I don’t have an issue with that, except that he shouldn’t be out there presenting himself as somebody in the know, when he doesn’t know.

I agree with Quaker 100%. Now excuse me while I go and shovel all of the snow that just fell out of the sky here in Florida.