Posted on 02/19/2006 12:33:10 PM PST by hedgetrimmer
I think Hillary and Schumer jumped on a bandwagon that was already rolling. When I first saw the story I had a WTF moment, and this was several days before Hill and Chucky jumped on. They didn't get involved until they saw that conservatives were questioning the deal.
Not sure about MineralMan, but I did ready the posts linked in post 80 and have to admit it doesn't look as serious as I originally thought. I suggest you do a bit of educating rather than arguing.
U.S. Department of Transportation MARITIME ADMINISTRATION
http://www.marad.dot.gov/welcome/mission.html Mission: To strengthen the U.S. maritime transportation system - including infrastructure, industry and labor - to meet the economic and security needs of the Nation. MARAD programs promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced United States merchant marine, sufficient to carry the Nation’s domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its waterborne foreign commerce, and capable of service as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency. MARAD also seeks to ensure that the United States maintains adequate shipbuilding and repair services, efficient ports, effective intermodal water and land transportation systems, and reserve shipping capacity for use in time of national emergency
U.S. Department of Transportation MARITIME ADMINISTRATION
http://www.marad.dot.gov/welcome/index.html
MARAD Mission, Goals, and Vision
Mission:
To strengthen the U.S. maritime transportation system - including infrastructure, industry and labor - to meet the economic and security needs of the Nation. MARAD programs promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced United States merchant marine, sufficient to carry the Nation’s domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its waterborne foreign commerce, and capable of service as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency. MARAD also seeks to ensure that the United States maintains adequate shipbuilding and repair services, efficient ports, effective intermodal water and land transportation systems, and reserve shipping capacity for use in time of national emergency.
Goals:
Commercial Mobility:
To Reduce congestion on the nation’s inland waterway, marine and landside infrastructure National Security:
Assure an intermodal sealift capacity to support vital national security interests
Environment:
Formalize environmental considerations in our operations and in our partnerships with other agencies and private stakeholders to streamline processes that lead to environmentally friendly transportation improvements.
Organizational Excellence:
Focus our energies on implementation of the President's Agenda and on continual improvement in our efforts to manage for results. Vision:
A maritime system that serves America with American ships and American labor
You're mistaken that MARAD has nothing to do with US port security. Take a look at the MARAD website.
http://www.marad.dot.gov/Programs/portsecurity.html
Just took a look at your profile -- you're a "passionate supporter of George W. Bush." Well, put down the Kool-Aid. Bush doesn't walk on water.
If Clinton did this you'd scream bloody blue murder.
It's not about Bush. It's about America.
Nobody has the right to sell American security to the highest bidder.
You might have jumped the shark here MNJohnnie, in your quest to bless all things Bush, regardless.
Whoever in the Administration thought they could sneak this one buy is as stupid and blinded as the guy who thought they could sell Long Beach to the Chinese Communists.
Heads up. This is not just "a" British company. This is "THE" British company which has been operating for nigh on two centuries and has contracts with such countries as Argentina (hello, now we know why Hugo has been grabbing headlines), Germany, Autralia, and eastern bloc countries. It was also just posted on another thread that it's not just 6 US ports being contracted out but 2 military ports. The Arabs get hold of all these ports and .......
http://www.lauramansfield.com/j/022106_sanburn.asp
February 21, 2006: Former Exec at Dubai Ports appointed by Bush as Maritime Administrator, reporting to Norman Mineta, Transportation Secretary
According to a January 24, 2006, press release on the DPWorld website, Dave Sanborn, Director of Operations for Europe and Latin America for the Dubai-based company was appointed by US President George W. Bush to serve as Maritime Administrator, a key transportation appointment reporting directly to Norman Mineta the Secretary of Transportation and Cabinet Member.
The press release states that the confirmation process is to begin this month.
Republican US Senator George Allen from Virginia introduced Sanburn for confirmation before the Senate on February 7, 2006. In his introduction, he said:
Finally Mr. Chairman, I would like to introduce another fine Virginian, David Sanborn of Smithfield, VA who the President nominated to serve as Administrator of the Maritime Administration. He is a graduate of the Merchant Marine Academy. David has impressive credentials and a wealth of experience, both domestically and internationally, but most importantly a sincere desire and vision to promote our nation’s ports and shipping industry.
Most recently, as Director of Ship Operations for Dubai Ports International, he was responsible for expanding port infrastructure and efficiency, while developing successful new lines of business. As Senior Vice President of Service Delivery, a company based out of Norfolk, VA, he controlled cargo logistics and demonstrated his ability to seamlessly coordinate shipping with rail and truck operations. Operating multi-million dollar budgets, overseeing staff of hundreds, and redesigning organizations are familiarities extensive to David Sanborn that will undoubtedly ensure his success as Administrator. I look forward to working with him and working with this committee toward his swift confirmation.
transcript
According to the USDOT Maritime Administration website, as Maritime Administrator, Sanburn would have direct responsibility for processing "process applications submitted by private industry parties to construct, own, and operate deepwater ports".
DP World Exec Withdraws Nomination to Head Maritime Administration [Sanborn]
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