Comments on Port Services Deal Dies, Bush Signs Patriot Act Extension

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Damon and Offbeats . . .

I think Damon is more right than wrong on this. From what I've observed, many of the Republicans took the easy way out on this without studying the actual facts of the situation, just as did the Democrats. They were just as guilty of xenophobic and borderline rascist reactionism as the Democrats. See yesterday's post for more discussion on that.

As far as wanting to distance themselves from Bush, I don't think they wanted to be seen by an equally reactionary and uninformed consitutency as siding with the government of an Arab nation. If it put them at odds with President Bush, then so be it. I do know Bush's stance on the deal was unpopular. I rejected it myself; he should have been more discreet than to simply promise a veto no matter what, especially when he has failed to veto all sorts of pork-barrel spending and other legislation that he should have vetoed.

posted by WriterofLight on March 12, 2006 at 4:25 PM | link to this | reply

Good point, kingmi!

The Communist Chinese company that provides similar services in Long Beach and Oakland (to describe the matter correctly) has never raised an eyelash of concern from what I've heard. It sounds like you'e unaware that Shrillary, that great protector - along with Bubba - of American interests, want to ban companies owned by foreign governments from purchasing port operations in the U. S. Oddly, her press release about the legislation to this effect that she and Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) sponsored (see http://www.senate.gov/~clinton/news/statements/details.cfm?id=251709&&) is silent about existing ownership. My guess is that she won't hassle her pals in Beijing, given the coziness that existed between Beijing and the Bubba administration.

posted by WriterofLight on March 12, 2006 at 4:20 PM | link to this | reply

Thanks for commenting, glenn!

It took a couple of times through to decipher that second sentence, but it sounds like what that 1/3 of Americans who supposedly think Muslims want to kill Americans would be thinking. See my post from yesterday for discussion od that. The port services deal was about money - DPW's. It does sound oretty dead to me, but in the wonderful world of politics, who can really be sure? (That's not to say I trust you, but you do have an interesting perspective.)

posted by WriterofLight on March 12, 2006 at 4:12 PM | link to this | reply

Oh well...

posted by DamonLeigh on March 12, 2006 at 7:30 AM | link to this | reply

I don't see them trying to distance themselves from the President...how silly!

posted by Offy on March 10, 2006 at 9:09 AM | link to this | reply

From What I've Seen...

...Republican senators and congressmen who have been shouting this deal down have largely been using it as an excuse.

The deal is secondary - their main aim was to distance themselves from an increasingly unpopular and isolated president.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on March 10, 2006 at 9:06 AM | link to this | reply

WofL, Right back on top again, wait and see! BTW, are they going after the

Red Chinese company that runs our West Coast next?

posted by kingmi on March 10, 2006 at 3:22 AM | link to this | reply

WriterofLight,

Study what? Drum in to American head enough anti-Arab hysteria to bring them to war with all Arabs! But wait! Stop on a dime and make a little money in the process (Port Deal was about money)! Americans don't think that fast! They mis-calculated the amount of time to warm American to this "good" Arab business!

This deal ain't dead! Too much money! They just neeed a little more time! Trust me on this one!!!!!

posted by Glennb on March 9, 2006 at 10:14 PM | link to this | reply

Thanks, mountainclimber and offbeats!

Personally, I have been neutral on the matter because I haven't had opportunity to fully study it. (I know, and here I am bashing Congress for not doing so! They don't have to work 55 hour weeks to make ends meet.) It's how it all has been handled that I've been hammering.