President Bush waives Jones Act.......????

[peaches from georgia]

.. Yet, a musician could get there with a TV camera. ....

Since Harry could get there and the aid trucks could not, maybe he really does walk on water in NOLA like they say. :D

[sail7seas]

I think I shall take Host Doug's suggestion and bow out of the political conversation.

 

I started this thread as a conversation about Waiving the Jones Act.

 

It has now veered way of topic. IMO

[peaches from georgia]

I think I shall take Host Doug's suggestion and bow out of the political conversation.

If you are alluding to my comment, it was not meant as serious political conversation. It is a joke for anyone who knows Harry and how they feel about him in NOLA.

[cruisecrasy]

The big issue was that the State department had not yet said "Yes" to the offers. Not saying "no" is hardly the same thing. She did say that we have not yet accepted the offers.

 

I truly appreciate the need to marshall supplies and equipment before entering NOLA and Mississippi towns. But many officials were saying that they could not get to the sites where so many people needed help - the roads were impassible etc. Yet, a musician could get there with a TV camera. Political leaders could get to the heart of the destruction in Mississippi. But the aid trucks could not?

 

Showing pictures of Aid Stations at the Super Dome certainly would have been news and I think it would have been reported. BUT, it didn't happen that way . . . CNN and MSNBC (and even Fox) can't create those pictures we all wanted to see. At least it appears that aid is, finally, on its way.

 

should all be questioning why? The answer cld lie partly in what may be perceived as 'protecting home turf' and garnering 'kudos' for future political benefit - ugly to contemplate on the backs of 'poor southern blacks' hmmm? Never happened before right?

Perhaps 'Sail7seas' has done a favor here by making us all wonder about the necessity of the 'Jones Act' etc..

[babyher]

I freely admit making a slightly snide remark about not hearing about any other countries offering help at the time I posted (I believe it was Thursday).

 

 

Since that time, I see I was wrong and have heard quite a few reports of many countries offering their support. Which I certainly think is wonderful and so greatly appreciated.

 

 

Peaches,

 

Don't feel bad, I was thinking the same thing the other day, You kept hearing how hard it was to get in and out of NO and yet Harry got there to Canal St. to talk with Katie Couric.

[peaches from georgia]

Peaches,

Don't feel bad, I was thinking the same thing the other day, You kept hearing how hard it was to get in and out of NO and yet Harry got there to Canal St. to talk with Katie Couric.

Thanks. LOL- I don't feel bad because anyone who knows Harry knows I wasn't talking politics. To the folks in NOLA Harry is practically a god, so I was joking that maybe he really does walk on water, since he was there walking around the flooded streets with no problems. It was a joke.

 

(If you're a fan you might enjoy knowing he is headed back there tomorrow, for how long I don't know, to work with the folks who are left.)

[Oceanwench]

I think I shall take Host Doug's suggestion and bow out of the political conversation.

 

I started this thread as a conversation about Waiving the Jones Act.

 

It has now veered way of topic. IMO

 

When I first saw this topic I thought, "Oh no, this is going to turn political."

Not that you intended for it to at all!

But for the fact that when a government official's actions are the topic, you are going to find some who approve and some who don't.

 

When someone disapproves of the government official's actions -- then it is considered by some to become a political discussion.

[sail7seas]

I started this post with the intention of talking about the Jones Act (...and maybe if someone brought it up, the Passenger Carriage section of it.)

That's it; that's all.

 

For some time, I have wanted the Jones Act, as it pertains to cruiseships, to be modified.

 

I don't want to get into Bush should have; Bush should not have or any of the rest of it.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I agree, Sail. As to the Jones Act and any other red tape, bureaucratic nonsense that in any way holds back or holds up help arriving where it's needed, I think it should be "all bets are off" throughout this tragic aftermath.

 

So if it has been waived, at least for now, that's good thing. As to any hope for change in the future for cruiseships, I think that will be a different matter. But of course I'd love to see it go, too. Who wouldn't?

[Oceanwench]

I started this post with the intention of talking about the Jones Act (...and maybe if someone brought it up, the Passenger Carriage section of it.)

That's it; that's all.

 

For some time, I have wanted the Jones Act, as it pertains to cruiseships, to be modified.

 

I don't want to get into Bush should have; Bush should not have or any of the rest of it.

 

I am aware of that, as I would hope most posters are! But as I said, the mere mention of something that a government official does is likely to start off a political discussion.

 

I realize it was never your intention!

[sail7seas]

:confused: So I shouldn't have mentioned the Jones Act? :confused:

 

 

Jones Act (Passenger Carriage Act) directly relates to cruising.....politics far less directly, IMO.

[Oceanwench]

:confused: So I shouldn't have mentioned the Jones Act? :confused:

 

 

Jones Act (Passenger Carriage Act) directly relates to cruising.....politics far less directly, IMO.

 

 

No, I was not implying that at all. It is a good topic. I think you were right to post it.

However, what I've been trying to say is that whenever something is connected to a government official -- especially a president -- then things are bound to become political. People who disagree with the action taken will become critical of the person. People in agreement will become supportive of the person.

 

That is not your fault, nor is it in your control.

Fortunately, it is within Host Walt's control, and he was wise enough to put a stop to it.

 

Other threads discussing the hurricane's aftermath have also tread on political grounds, with criticism of FEMA, the mayor of NOLA, etc.

I guess it's up to the powers that be on this board to sift through the posts to determine when the criticism is politically motivated.

[Grumpy1]

:confused: So I shouldn't have mentioned the Jones Act? :confused:

 

 

Jones Act (Passenger Carriage Act) directly relates to cruising.....politics far less directly, IMO.

 

Sail, bringing up the Jones act was a very good and proper topic, IMHO... OK, just IMO... Grumpy is never very humble...:rolleyes: , but most threads tend to veer offcourse somewhere along the line. Right now, there are a great many very frustrated people because of the disaster in NOLA and surrounding areas. When people get frustrated, some do active things to alleviate the situation, some just vent. We're seeing a lot of venting... not as much on this board as on the Carnival board, though.

 

Venting is OK... even questioning the abilities of the public officials is OK by me... but when a poster, as one did on this thread, start trying to blame this and all of the worlds problems on one official... well, I replied a little on the strong side. When that poster upped the rant a little more, I hit the yellow triangle and asked the host to take action as necessary. The result was that several posts were pulled, including mine... all those words of wisdom forever lost:D ... but the thread survived, as it should.

 

Hopefully, there will be some moves to modify the Jones Act/Passenger Carriage Act, as those laws have clearly, IMO, outlived their reason for being. The laws are nothing more than protectionism designed to protect American industries and workers, but the industry is very different than it was when the laws were passed.. As we move into a global ecomomy and demand open access to foreign markets, how can we justify closing off our own markets?

[Oceanwench]

Grumpy,

 

Thanks for explaining it all so eloquently! And, as always, with a sense of humor!

[HeatherInFlorida]

I just love the way Grumpy writes! He states it all so clearly that I am honestly almost too humbled to write at all;) . But seriously, he is right and it does make sense.

 

Isn't it funny, though, that when our posts are pulled we believe those really were pearls of wisdom forever lost?:) It's somethng like when you start to say something, forget what it was, and you're so positive it was brilliant!

[cruisecrasy]

[quote name='Grumpy1']Sail, bringing up the Jones act was a very good and proper topic, IMHO... OK, just IMO... Grumpy is never very humble...:rolleyes: , but most threads tend to veer offcourse somewhere along the line. Right now, there are a great many very frustrated people because of the disaster in NOLA and surrounding areas. When people get frustrated, some do active things to alleviate the situation, some just vent. We're seeing a lot of venting... not as much on this board as on the Carnival board, though.

Venting is OK... even questioning the abilities of the public officials is OK by me... but when a poster, as one did on this thread, start trying to blame this and all of the worlds problems on one official... well, I replied a little on the strong side. When that poster upped the rant a little more, I hit the yellow triangle and asked the host to take action as necessary. The result was that several posts were pulled, including mine... all those words of wisdom forever lost:D ... but the thread survived, as it should.

Hopefully, there will be some moves to modify the Jones Act/Passenger Carriage Act, as those laws have clearly, IMO, outlived their reason for being. The laws are nothing more than protectionism designed to protect American industries and workers, but the industry is very different than it was when the laws were passed.. As we move into a global ecomomy and demand open access to foreign markets, how can we justify closing off our own markets?[/QUOTE]
Enjoyable reading - very well put - 'words of wisdom' indeed. U 'nailed' it exceptionally well with the 'protectionism' angle - that will only hurt all involved. Cruising is too good an activity and enjoyed by too many to continue to be hindered thru the Jones Act - Sail7seas did us all a favor bringing this up - in my humble opinion anyway!
Wld appreciate u amending the statement however regarding 'blaming one individual with all the worlds? problems' - I only blamed him for the 'southern' reaction time problem - partly caused by what I perceive as motivations & actions elsewhere - seems I was not the only one either - please be fair!
My compliments - I enjoy your posts very much!

[Grumpy1]

cruisecrasy... there are some points where we will just have to agree to disagree... I'm sorry if I read more into your post than you intended, but that was the way it came across to me. Yes there were other's pointing fingers, also, but your post was written in a manner that pushed a button with me. The others didn't. Can we shake hands and move on? Perhaps we should both try a little harder to stay on topic.... dang, now what does this post have to do with the Jones Act?... my apologies Sail for going off topic... again:)

[sail7seas]

[b]:) No problem, Grumpy. [/b]

[elsje]

[quote name='HeatherInFlorida']............. and Sri Lanka. How wonderful is that?

No country has been turned on in their offer of aid. Not one.[/QUOTE]

[color=red][b]The Dutch have sent a boat last week with emergency supplies and engineers to help with fix pumps and look at the New Orleans levees. I am sure their offer was accepted by us otherwise they would not have sailed to New Orleans.[/b][/color]

[sail7seas]

[quote name='elsje'][color=red][b]The Dutch have sent a boat last week with emergency supplies and engineers to help with fix pumps and look at the New Orleans levees. I am sure their offer was accepted by us otherwise they would not have sailed to New Orleans.[/b][/color][/QUOTE]


[b]That is so good to hear.[/b]

[b]There surely is no one in the world more expert at handling the control (pumping) of water than Engineers from Holland. Sure makes sense to me they would not be en route if their offer had not been accepted.[/b]

[b]Their help surely will be much appreciated.[/b]

[b]Thanks for sharing this info.[/b]