Okay, maybe I'm painting with a broad brush. Not all Arab companies are run by terrorists. However, we're talking about safety vs. fairness here and sorry, fairness goes out the window. What's that old saying, once burned twice shy?
Besides besides besides...why are we turning over our real estate to companies operated by countries not our own? Previously, the company running the ports was a British company. Pardon me, but I think that American ports should be run by American companies. What's going on here? Are there no worthy American companies or is the administration just looking to save a buck?
Penny wise and pound foolish.
There are some governors who have a lick of sense--and they are Republicans, too. Governor Petaki of NY and Governor Robert Ehrlich of MD are threatening legal action.
Both governors indicated they may try to cancel lease arrangements at ports in their states because of the DP World takeover.
"Ensuring the security of New York's port operations is paramount and I am very concerned with the purchase of Peninsular & Oriental Steam by Dubai Ports World," Pataki said in a news release. "I have directed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to explore all legal options that may be available to them."
Ehrlich, concerned about security at the Port of Baltimore, said Monday he was "very troubled" that Maryland officials got no advance notice before the Bush administration approved the Arab company's takeover of the operations at the six ports.
"We needed to know before this was a done deal, given the state of where we are concerning security," Ehrlich told reporters in the State House rotunda in Annapolis.
What is Governor Corzine of NJ doing? We're involved in this too as it also affects the Port of New Jersey. I'm going to contact him and our senators too and let them know how I feel!
Our Senator Menendez (who replaced Corzine when he became governor) is doing something.
Sen. Robert Menendez, who is working on legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from running port operation in the U.S., said Chertoff’s comments showed him that the administration “just does not get it.”
In a statement, the New Jersey Democrat said, “No matter what steps the administration claims it has secretly taken, it is an unacceptable risk to turn control of our ports over to a foreign government, particularly one with a troubling history. We cannot depend on promises a foreign government has given the administration in secret to secure our ports.”
But this is a done deal! Congress is going to hold hearings into what happened and Senator Boxer of California is planning to introduce legislation to prevent it happening again. I wonder if this done deal can be undone?
The articles I read are located here and here.
The latest update I read is that Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist is calling on the Bush administration to stop the deal. I bet Mr. Bush is going to need a lot of Excedrin for this headache!
Tuesday Twosome:
1. Do you have a collection of anything? If so, of what?
I have a collection of beanie babies, stuffed bears, and some Precious Moments figurines.
2. What is your favourite book? How many times have you read it?
I think I've read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn about a dozen times. My other favorite is Outlander, which I think I've read 4-5 times.
3. Do you usually prefer books or movies?
Books
4. Do you tend to believe immediately what people tell you or are you cautious?
It depends on who is telling me and how well I know them.
5. Where do you get your news information (TV, newspaper, internet) and why?
Probably mostly from the internet because it's the easiest for me to access. I don't watch much TV but I am on the computer every day.
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