Trump won’t help Puerto Rico
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Federal Relief to Puerto Rico Won’t Include Waiving Law That Drives up Import Costs
Administration says it will not reduce effects of the anti-free-trade Jones Act.
The act is a bane to Puerto Rico. As I noted yesterday, studies show it can double to cost of shipping goods to ports there compared to nearby island countries that aren't American territories (and therefore aren't affected by the law). The Department of Homeland Security can waive this part of the Jones Act in crisis situations and had done so specifically for fuel shipping to Puerto Rico. But the administration has announced it will not be expanding or extending any relief for Puerto Ricans as it imports what it needs to recover. From the Associated Press:
This is flat-out centralized government planning for the benefit of a small group of powerful U.S. shipping interests. It's no different than a city government deciding how many taxi cabs or liquor stories its community "needs" and using medallions and licensing to keep out competition. Entrenched interests cash in while worrying about competitors entering the marketplace offering lower prices or better services.
The defense of the Jones Act, like most trade restrictions, revolves around "protecting U.S. jobs," about 1,400 in this case, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Puerto Rico has a population of 3.4 million.
Puerto Rico is swamped in debt as well as water, and terrible fiscal management of government and its failure to plan for its expenses definitely plays a role in how difficult it will be for the island to recover.
Administration says it will not reduce effects of the anti-free-trade Jones Act.
The act is a bane to Puerto Rico. As I noted yesterday, studies show it can double to cost of shipping goods to ports there compared to nearby island countries that aren't American territories (and therefore aren't affected by the law). The Department of Homeland Security can waive this part of the Jones Act in crisis situations and had done so specifically for fuel shipping to Puerto Rico. But the administration has announced it will not be expanding or extending any relief for Puerto Ricans as it imports what it needs to recover. From the Associated Press:
A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security says officials believe there is sufficient capacity of U.S.-flagged vessels to move goods to Puerto Rico. Spokesman David Lapan said most of the humanitarian shipments to Puerto Rico will be through barges, which make up a significant portion of the U.S.-flagged cargo fleet.
This is flat-out centralized government planning for the benefit of a small group of powerful U.S. shipping interests. It's no different than a city government deciding how many taxi cabs or liquor stories its community "needs" and using medallions and licensing to keep out competition. Entrenched interests cash in while worrying about competitors entering the marketplace offering lower prices or better services.
The defense of the Jones Act, like most trade restrictions, revolves around "protecting U.S. jobs," about 1,400 in this case, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Puerto Rico has a population of 3.4 million.
Puerto Rico is swamped in debt as well as water, and terrible fiscal management of government and its failure to plan for its expenses definitely plays a role in how difficult it will be for the island to recover.
The Jones Act dilemma: Cut regulations or boost jobs?
Enacted in 1920, the federal law prohibits tankers from hauling oil between U.S. ports unless those vessels are American-made, flagged and manned by a crew that is 75 percent U.S. citizens.
The Trump administration this month extended a temporary waiver to the Jones Act in response to fuel shortages caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, to allow foreign-flagged vessels to meet demand.
But some lawmakers and experts say the waivers prompted by the hurricanes showcase the need to repeal a law they view as protectionist and anti-competitive, making it harder to move goods to market, and raising prices for consumers.
Because of the high cost of using vessels that qualify under the Jones Act, critics say coastal shipping has declined, even though infrastructure experts contend it could be more efficient than delivery by trucks or rail.
"It seems like every other year there is some sort of disaster where we realize for a brief moment there is this law out there that has become obsolete, and it's imposing hidden costs on Americans," said Scott Lincicome, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute.
Indeed, President George W. Bush temporarily waived the Jones Act following Hurricane Katrina, which shut down Gulf Coast refineries like Harvey did. But Obama declined to take action during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Enacted in 1920, the federal law prohibits tankers from hauling oil between U.S. ports unless those vessels are American-made, flagged and manned by a crew that is 75 percent U.S. citizens.
The Trump administration this month extended a temporary waiver to the Jones Act in response to fuel shortages caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, to allow foreign-flagged vessels to meet demand.
But some lawmakers and experts say the waivers prompted by the hurricanes showcase the need to repeal a law they view as protectionist and anti-competitive, making it harder to move goods to market, and raising prices for consumers.
Because of the high cost of using vessels that qualify under the Jones Act, critics say coastal shipping has declined, even though infrastructure experts contend it could be more efficient than delivery by trucks or rail.
"It seems like every other year there is some sort of disaster where we realize for a brief moment there is this law out there that has become obsolete, and it's imposing hidden costs on Americans," said Scott Lincicome, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute.
Indeed, President George W. Bush temporarily waived the Jones Act following Hurricane Katrina, which shut down Gulf Coast refineries like Harvey did. But Obama declined to take action during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
h3mech
Active Member
well I guess we have figured you out, you are a libatard, all you do is call people names (as in the last post), that's what the left does when they have to no legs to stand on with their argument, the left has used race as a weapon or degrade someone Patriotism as a weapon and I'm sick of it. but after 20 years in the navy I will still put my life in danger to protect your right to talk Sh!t about how bad our president is . let come together and find common ground like standing for the flag, I would not be surprise if you walk all over the flag with your altitude, if you don't like what TRUMP then run for office. God Bless America!!!
littlelady
God bless the USA
Thank you for your service. My hub, also, served. He has been getting so pissed off lately about all the crap, that I think he will the first in line to stop the crap; even though he is not enlisted, anymore. Catch my drift. God bless, America.
What part of this couldn't you comprehend?
But DHS said Tuesday that waiving the act for Puerto Rico would not help the U.S. island territory due to damaged ports preventing ships from docking.
Trump has in fact sent help for Puerto Rico and it's been well documented.
kom526
They call me ... Sarcasmo
I'm trying is to figure out how USG/FEMA etc are NOT helping in PR. Maybe the lack of 24/7 coverage of recovery efforts by the media the culprit. Did anyone ever consider (LOL) that maybe the resources required to beam Anderson Cooper looking all serious into your eyeholes has a little less precedence than trying to establish some kind of electrical generation for dialysis patients, water filtration and other, more urgent matters? The CBP (from what I have read) are the ones that have deemed the ports not safe for entry, not Trump. You have a dam that is ready to burst with upwards of 700,000 in its way. I'm evacuating those people before I worry about Don Lemon finding someone, perhaps the Mayor of San Juan, to blast the response from all the alphabet agencies in CONUS.
I'm sorry, not sorry, that coverage of any response is not what you would like to see, but please do not let that interfere with your narrative building.
I'm sorry, not sorry, that coverage of any response is not what you would like to see, but please do not let that interfere with your narrative building.
You obviously didn't read the article since that is exactly what we are talking about.
Can you not read?
Since when is our Military and Fema and that of foreign countries not as sophisticated as the cruise ship industry which manages to dock off shore and move thousands of people by tender and other small boats into ports.
Don't you think if the port is damaged that waiving the act and letting foreign vessels do the same thing while people are hungry and thirsty in the streets with no power might be the humanitarian thing to do? And why waive it for Texas and florida and not Puerto Rico? You are the paranoid one I'm sure you can come up with some theories.
Ahh..so those are foreign navy vessels and sailors/marines assisting with disaster relief in Puerto Rico?
PsyOps
Pixelated
Um, what do you think they're doing, fool? Or didn't your handlers tell you that part?
No they are not because Trump won't allow them to come to the aid of poor brown people.
What other difference is there between PR VS Florida and Texas?
PsyOps
Pixelated
You mean other than the fact that both FL and TX have very large Hispanic and Latino communities? You mean other than Puerto Rico has been governed by corrupt politicians and most of the folks there are dirt poor? You mean other than the fact that virtually the entire island is a mangled mess and you don't just jump in without first getting a good assessment of the damage? You mean aside from the fact that they are a tiny island detached from the country?
Why does everything have to boil down race for you people? When a building collapses on top of a bunch of people, you don't just jump in the middle and start pulling people out. You have to methodically remove debris to avoid making things worse. That's what their dealing with in Puerto Rico.
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Airports and harbors damaged..on an island.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/09/26/damaged-ports-and-airfields-limiting-puerto-rico-aid-effort-dun.html