The Jones Act Makes Shipping More Expensive

American shipbuilders have a disgusting monopoly. I confront a shipping lobbyist who uses government to ban competition.
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The Jones Act, a stupid law with a stupid name, restricts domestic shipping to vessels built in America and crewed by Americans.
That hurts consumers. It really hurts suffering people who need supplies after natural disasters.
Unions and big shipping companies love this dumb law because it protects them from competition.
“Your rules really hurt people,” I say to a lobbyist.
"They don’t,” she replies. "What the Jones Act does is ensure reliable, dedicated service."
Give me a break.

[@anthonybluhm4724]

That woman's smugness is deplorable

[@sauravnarayan2294]

Makes my blood boil

[@bighaverlegend33]

i bet she enjoys watching lower class people suffer

[@DennistheMenace2011]

@@sauravnarayan2294 Yup, union spokesperson!

[@genepavlenko2984]

It made me shiver how happy/delusional she appeared.

[@dh-flies]

Don't you just want to introduce her to your Louisville Slugger?

[@EagleRun23]

she has a snark response for everything. easy to sniff out a bad deal here, she is all about the coverup

[@bigmouth912]

Foreign Captains sailing our rivers?

[@kelbycaplinger5367]

@@bigmouth912 Who cares what the nationality of the captain or ship that's making deliveries in the US? If there's a demand for them, let them join the market!

[@kourakis]

I give credit to the woman who defended the Jones Act. Few people publicly make so courageous and honest a show of their immorality and unintelligence.

[@ChannelZeroOne]

You can tell she is one of those who will never admit when something they are behind is bad.

[@JuanRamosNCWrestling]

She has to protect her rice bowl.

[@Chris-ji4iu]

Cough (UNIONS) Cough

[@satouhikou1103]

Guarantee she supports abortion.

[@jacobgourley5232]

Every time I watch John stossel it makes my blood boil at what the government does

[@imulippo5245]

There is no government, only ondividuals with broken moral compass.

[@ragnarok7976]

Look at the stuff they do in the light then imagine what the fuck they must be doing in the dark...

[@lucaseduardo8718]

Worker/trade unions are a plague.

[@williamhamilton9364]

And stupid people think that voting is going to fix it

[@michaellowe3665]

Government is corruption and coercion. That is its purpose in the world. The only good reason to have one is to protect yourself from the other bad ones around the world.

[@doncooper6163]

That lady made me laugh out loud. I kept expecting her to whinny. She's such a union cliche` it's embarrassing. The Jones Act is only as powerful as the people who obey it. What kind of port authority would allow people to go without power and suffer because of politics? We have met the enemy and it is us.

[@donald1056]

Politicians will allow anybody to suffer - no matter what it is

[@litigioussociety4249]

I think she's just evil. She'd probably sell her own child for 62 cents.

[@heypaul7646]

I could smell her horse breath through my screen

[@sciencefaction2646]

"Hell is empty, and all the devils are here."

[@Mobus_]

That is a good point. There are lots of antiquated laws that are not followed out of common sense. The Puerto Rican Port Authority could have allowed the ship to dock.

[@ab5olut3zero95]

My dad was trapped in Luquillo, PR during the hurricane. First, he’s blessed to still be alive. Second, don’t tell me there wasn’t a shortage when he waited in line for four hours to buy one gallon of gasoline, only to then walk it back home. This is horse hockey protectionism, pure and simple.

[@michaeldonovan7522]

Jones Act waivers were issued for all foreign tankers. Foreign ships are 100 percent permitted to dock in Puerto Rico if the cargo is delivered there first. Puerto Rico is not a large enough market for foreign shipping companies to invest in the infrastructure and deeper water ports to deliver the amount of fuel the island needs. This has nothing to do with the Jones Act. Also, in the early days of the hurricane the fuel supply at the port was sufficient to supply the island but island transportation was impossible or very slow.

[@jonathanviera1589]

Tell me about it I remember waiting three or five hours to get gas it was a nightmare.

[@jonathanviera1589]

@@michaeldonovan7522it has everything to do with the Jones act as it not only cost the island so much but it limits help when we need it and it played a big role as to why we couldn’t get sufficient support. A tanker sailing from Texas to Europe diverted to Puerto Rico to bolster the island’s depleted diesel fuel stocks. But, because of this stupid century‐​old U.S. maritime law, the foreign‐​flagged ship waited offshore for days before federal officials allowed its much‐​needed cargo to be offloaded. So it’s definitely that outdated law and you can drive from one side of the island to the other in two to three hours so transportation had nothing to do with it. It needs to go.

[@rchandraonline]

I encourage folks to research the Kingsbury Commitment. It basically led to the state-sponsored monopoly of the telephony industry by AT&T. The parallels with Jones Act are amazing.

[@raymondpatrick430]

Her: "Someone's trying to make a quick buck and that cuts into my billions." Lobbying should be totally illegal.

[@Archedgar]

I agree that unions should be illegal.

[@amariner5]

Lobbying is speech. Bezos owns the Washington Post, Carlos Slim, Mexican Billionaire owns the New York Times. Well, a group of people can band together and make their voice heard, not just billionaires.

[@raymondpatrick430]

@@amariner5 sorry let me rephrase that. Monetary gain from voting a certain way should be illegal. Is that specific enough for you or do you want to split more hairs?

[@josh885]

@@amariner5 Lobbying is speech if done by individuals. industries and corporations aren't even owed or granted free speech under the constitution or nature. That is right held by individuals only. Perverting the law to turn corporations and union lobbying groups into some sort of pseudo person with rights is a huge part of the problem we have with corruption today. Backroom deals to make laws that criminalize competition in order to create and maintain monopolies in an industry is not speech, it's subversion and borderline treason on the part of the law makers.

[@amariner5]

@@josh885 does the New York Times, a corporation owned by billionaire Carlos Slim, and supporting his agenda, get free speech? Does the Washington Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, and supporting his agenda, get free speech? Of course they do. You have to open your eyes. Every one except individuals has free speech. If you want your speech protected, you better form a corporation.

[@eosakizo]

It's her smile that really gets me. This person doesnt care that bad policy makes this harder. They're just happy they have the power to influence politics

[@DanSolo871]

She doesn't care about human life. It's all about status quo and money. It's like when a lawyer is hired by someone to negotiate a payment stipulation and fights all proposals as if the money will come out of his pocket and not his clients. Did you even take the proposal to your client or are you shutting it down because you don't agree with the terms? SMH. This is why I voted for Gary Johnson in 2016 and supported Rand Paul in 2020. I'm not sure who I'll support in 2024 yet, but it certainly won't be Crony Corporatists like Biden or Trump.

[@bryanachee7133]

@@DanSolo871 I forgot the oil companies are our friends. They wouldn't want to make more money buyundercutting Americans. They are lobbying DC just like she is.

[@peterlocke7285]

Yeah, I was looking for gum disease.

[@ericredelman2568]

@@DanSolo871 Gary Johnson? Lmao you lost all credibility with that brag

[@austingeorge6659]

She has an annoying face, we all know. But assuming that she knows better isn't necessarily fair. There are many people that haven't heard strong arguments from both sides before. Also, people naturally hold different ideals. She may be hard focused on America-first. Honestly I'd like to hear a strong case for the Jones act, even though I believe it's probably not the right choice in my current view.

[@RyanK-100]

I love this Stossel guy. "Instead of repealing the Jones Act, you need to plan better." "So I planned poorly. Why can't I use the South Korean Ship?" His comebacks to his interviewees are refreshingly simple yet clever and hit home without insulting.

[@jackson5116]

It's why 20/20 ruled Friday night in the 80's and 90's.

[@DC-uo5hy]

I am former USCG. Jones Act needs to go Away. We should be able to buy a ship anywhere we want. Free enterprise works. Airplanes and trucks have no jones act. We would have hundreds of river ports if we dump Jones..

[@warrengoss7547]

I've been a union member for over 30 years. The unions have hurt America.

[@analyticalmind4493]

Small unions that work locally seem to be good. Large, national ones are parasitic to everything it touches.

[@terencejay8845]

One of Margaret Thatcher's greatest victories in the UK was smashing the union strangleholds. Unions almost killed UK car industry, steel production, and especially mining.

[@olliefoxx7165]

No, the union leadership with the Democrats party has hurt America. Corporate salaries have skyrocketed while the average workers wages stagnated. A healthy union would be using its power to push the Democrats out of the bed with corporations.

[@dogguy8603]

Unions have been bastardized, they used to be for the little guy, but now, they are politicians the same as billionaires

[@kevinmcphail2908]

So very true!!

[@jackjumper4231]

Remember the government is not here to help you the government is here to help the ones who are lining their pockets with money

[@michaelanderson8339]

The government in El Salvador helped their people by locking up 1000s of gangsters

[@markselsor6048]

"You said it - with a mouthful" How true. Twas ever thus.

[@Barskor1]

You are all cattle to the people with the guns and magical "Authority" they will gut the golden geese if they ever bite them, poverty and misery is power to get votes to "fix" the problem

[@khoirulanam9141]

3 comment shadowban

[@carultch]

The Jones Act needs to get a special exception for island states and territories of the USA. It may make sense for to restrict shipping between ports on the mainland to US carriers, but islands should be able to utilize the economies of scale and work with ships of other countries.

[@STOK5OH]

Surely most people see the issue, that's actually at hand. I love how she slipped in that "safe, legal and rare." An absolute cunning stunt, that one.

[@bobd9193]

@ Drewko, "cunning stunt" If you exchange the first two letters of those two words, it would be more appropriate for this woman. But I assume that's what you meant in the first place.

[@cleanmikeandtheboys3165]

I'm using "cunning stunt" as a euphemism going forward.

[@AReardon14]

Ugh, that lady is just awful. I appreciate you always showing both sides - even if one is tough to show.

[@HoneydewStudiosBababooey]

She genuinely looks evil.

[@johngalt5411]

She is actually doing an amazing job. If I was looking for a PR person, she would be at the top of my list. I was glad to see the Biden Admin make an exception for Puerto Rico, not a fan but must give credit where credit is due.

[@shakesitoff1122]

There is no situation in which the Government cannot make it worse.

[@SteveXNYC]

Crime paids government

[@Phil-ui4tm]

But governments sometimes have good intentions because they’re following the will of the people. Like trade tariffs, for example. Many people will vote for a certain politician because he promises to tax foreign goods. In the end, it leads to higher prices and less competition for the special interests that are being protected.

[@shakesitoff1122]

@@Phil-ui4tm The road to ruin is always paved with good intentions, always.

[@gmontenegro9711]

Wow… just learned something new. Our politicians have absolutely no care for the livelihoods of its citizens.

[@josephbateman7742]

I'm from NH, we used to build ships, used to have a busy harbor in Portsmouth. Now we get maybe one small foreign bulk carrier or a small tanker, one at a time, sometimes the waterfront is empty except for the yachts. The only vessel that we have built since the 1980s was a replica 19th century gundalow (sailing barge) ironically, aside from a few of the older sloops and schooners, this gundalow is the only thing that could carry cargo from portsmouth, to hampton, less than 10 miles away.

[@bighands69]

Has absolutely nothing to do with the Jones act. Open up US water ways and it will in a very short period of time be dominated by Chinese vessels. Is that really what Americans want? What really needs to be looked at is why are US ships not being developed like they were 60 years ago. Even though US trade is dominated by internal trade. The answer is probably that everyday manufacturing was outsourced at a certain level so that those goods are now coming into super ports on both coasts.

[@lovebug6822]

@@bighands69 That & also that it is prohibitively expensive to flag a vessel U.S. Why can't we do away with the excessive penalties to our shipyards and transport companies to encourage U.S. ship building? Do away with the ridiculously heavy taxes on goods shipped from U.S. ports to other U.S. ports. There are a myriad of fixes for this problem our government COULD do. They just WON'T do any of them because they might lose a revenue stream.

[@chaosgyro]

"Just enter into a long term contract!" Yeah, so you can price gouge with no way out except paying even more in a breakage fee. Sounds like someone is envious of the sweet deal the cable companies have. 😅

[@federicocaputo9966]

The EU entered into a long term contract to get gas... From russia. How well did that go?

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

If the Jones Act was eliminated tomorrow, there would still be additional costs. All of the marine terminals and port infrastructure was built by and is owned by Jones Act compliant carriers like Crowley and TOTE who currently ship to the island. Given the large amount of time and money they have invested in these facilities/equipment, they either aren't going to let their competitors use them or will charge them hefty tariffs/fees which would result products, goods and materials still retaining the additional costs. So don't blame the Jones Act, blame the Puerto Rican government for not investing in municipal port and marine terminal facilities and equipment like you would find at many mainland U.S. ports. Any vessel can enter Puerto Rico.

[@chaosgyro]

@@s.v.saylaraye3212 No, I can blame the Jones Act. The port owners may well decide to charge more, but the law disallows it completely. If the costs were egregious enough, for long enough, then others would undoubtedly step in to undercut Crowley and TOTE - assuming that government didn't disallow that as well

[@karozans]

@@s.v.saylaraye3212 No one expects that a repeal of the Jones Act would solve every problem the next day. The facts are that when you let the free market work, it does. Odd how you blame the PR government for causing the problem because the government didn't do enough.

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

Cabotage laws are not unique to the Jones Act. Most countries with a coastline have cabotage laws. Even many of those without a coastline have similar laws for aviation, railways, and road transport. It is essentially a free market. Any vessel can enter Puerto Rico. In fact, many foreign vessels enter Puerto Rico regularly, importing goods from countries around the world. However, transportation of goods between two U.S. ports must be carried out by a vessel that was built in the U.S. and operated primarily by Americans. How exactly is it odd that the failings of the Puerto Rican government to provide municipal port facilities and equipment has caused their own problem? Is it the private shipping companies fault that the Puerto Rican government left that void which private business had to fill themselves in order to efficiently conduct business there? Isn't that the essence of the free market you were babbling about? The Port of Tampa for example it is a landlord port. The port authority is responsible for port planning, acts as regulatory body, and owns port-related land and basic infrastructure (like modern gantry cranes). The infrastructure is then leased to a private operating company (Ports America). Ports America is a stevedoring and terminal operator and not a shipping company so it does not discriminate against individual shipping customers any more than a regular business would (the free market you were babbling about). In the Port of Virginia, the port authority directly operates a fully automated marine terminal. Neither Hillsborough county Florida or the Commonwealth of Virginia are islands and were able to develop modern port facilities and infrastructure through different business/governing models. In both those cases there is more government oversight/control than in Puerto Rico because everything is owned and controlled by self-sustaining autonomous government organizations. So Puerto Rico operates in more of a free market that the mainland USEC.

[@michaelstansfield319]

Protectionism at its finest. To me, it sounds like a win for U.S. unions, a loss for people in need and, eventually, a loss for rank and file union members.

[@philobetto5106]

Lift a law Americans lose, Pass a law Americans lose, give more responsibility to citizens and less to the government eliminate lobbying, civilian oversight/evaluation committees remove laws protecting wealthy criminals from imprisonment, I'd say that would be a good start.

[@TheWizardGamez]

The whole purpose of the Jones act was to maintain American shipbuilding. All it’s done so far is guarantee that American shipbuilding has gone away. Japan, South Korea and China are the worlds largest shipbuilders. It’s asinine to think that the American people couldn’t compete with Japan or South Korea. But shortsighted politicians made it so that they were guaranteed to be uncompetitive internationally. I think there needs to be a wholesale reform of the Jones act on all non internal waters(not including the Great Lakes). It would only help Americans and American businesses to have to be competitive.

[@caesarsantos]

@JohnStossel don’t forget about the US territories. The Act also affect our cost of living out here in Guam 🇬🇺 🇺🇸

[@MikeDCWeld]

That woman was so infuriating with her insistence that obvious problems weren't real or weren't the law's fault. John should have asked her how long-term contracts would have helped a lack of transport vessels for the product desired.

[@amariner5]

Because she defended American jobs? Why should we surrender what is a good career, to the Chinese? To save you a few pennies? Are you in a job that can't be done by a lower-priced foreigner? Also, the fuel crisis on PR was from a lack of trucks. The Port was at least 1/2 full of fuel.

[@bighands69]

If it was not for the Jones act US waterways would be dominated by Chinese vessels. Does anybody really want that? People just do not look at the bigger picture. Right now nearly 90% of US trade is internal if the Jones act was lifted the US would be exposed to both German, Chinese and Russian trade and that would not be a good thing.

[@joeyGalileoHotto]

It's because she was defending to stay in her cushy job; If she disagreed, she would lose out on benefits.

[@forgetaboutit1069]

She’s saying “they’re just trying to make a quick buck” as if that’s a bad thing in and of itself. So what if they do! People can do the right thing, be self-interested AND make a quick buck at the same time.

[@markldavis1]

Thanks Stossel for exposing BS

[@riodweber]

“Safe, legal, and rare”. This chick just compared shipping vessels to abortions 🙄

[@mojojojoslyfoxharris]

If only each MSM outlet had a John Stossel on their cable networks, the world of mainstream journalism would be x100 better!

[@joelellis7035]

John Stossel used to work for ABC and had a show on FOX News.

[@captiannemo1587]

They already have Sal… who knows more.

[@mojojojoslyfoxharris]

@@captiannemo1587 Sal?

[@mojojojoslyfoxharris]

@@joelellis7035 Yeah and what does that tell you about what's happened to MSM news when he used to work for them and no longer does!

[@jimwerther]

Stossel won Emmys as a young, liberal reporter on ABC. Then he became a libertarian and they forgot he existed.

[@clarkgriswold-zr5sb]

This is tough. We've lost our steel, semiconductors, much of our shipping to OTHER COUNTRIES. Now, we face serious challenges from viruses and war, and we find ourselves with INADEQUATE SHIPPING RESOURCES, ALMOST NO SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING, ALMOST NO STEEL MANUFACTURING, and countless other supplies being sourced from outside the country. **WE** are our own worst enemy.

[@nickelannie3447]

Econ 101 - High paying American jobs and inexpensive American-made goods cannot co-exist. I have to chuckle when I see someone post "Bring back American jobs!" or "[Item X] should be made in America!"...AS IF some person, group or entity decided to send these manufacturing facilities and jobs overseas, and thus the decision can simply be undone. THE FREE MARKET forced them overseas. Want more American-made goods and American manufacturing jobs? One of two things has to happen: Consumers must be willing to pay higher prices than foreign goods; or American workers must abandon unions and stop demanding higher-than-market wages. Until either scenario happens, nothing will change. I'm sure the union members will try to excoriate me, but my post is an economic reality that cannot be refuted.

[@bloodspartan300]

We? Or the jooz?

[@clarkgriswold-zr5sb]

@@bloodspartan300 and we haven't stopped them either.

[@Archedgar]

Hey, maybe if you endorsed reducing the extreme rate of over-taxation & draconian over-regulation in the U.S. then those industries would rise once more. .... but nah. Keep endorsing tyranny & corruption. You are correct that you are the worst enemy of the U.S., leftist.

[@craigdarby9533]

Ditch the Jones Act and increase the taxes on those ships that are are subsidized by their governments. That should level the playing field.

[@williamparker6132]

I live in NH. We use propane for heating. The piping for natural gas stops in areas of NY. The liberal eco warriors in VT, CT, MA stopped those from being extended to areas that desperately need it so it has to be trucked in, rail, and of course from the ports. While we have an abundance of LNG in the Appalachian area and it often goes to VA to be shipped, as pointed out by John we have no US ships capable and the Jones act forbids those that could carry it from VA to NY or Boston for example. So instead American natural gas gets sold on the market and sent overseas which is then RESOLD BACK to American consumers in areas such as the northeast at a premium and THEN it can be brought in via ship as it comes from a foreign port.

[@scallywag1716]

“They don’t” and she regurgitates her rehearsed line.

[@brandonminert6169]

At least she came in and risked being interviewed. Too many times, these organizations refuse to be challenged.

[@Confused_Dog]

Only to lie and spin and attempt to manipulate with an entirely soulless ghastly visage of false joy.

[@brandonminert6169]

@@Confused_Dog 😆🤣Her perspective was tough to believe for sure. But debate and conversation about these topics are important. So, grateful that she put herself out there.

[@amariner5]

She is supporting American LABOR too!

[@Archedgar]

@@brandonminert6169 Bullshit. "debate" & "conversation" are only important if the involved parties are there in good faith which that clam was not.

[@brandonminert6169]

@@Archedgar I get why you say that. Again, I don't agree with what she said, but honestly, how many of Stossel's videos does he say that these organizations completely ignore requests for interviews? I was surprised that she came on and at least tried to defend her stance.

[@darrellburnside9368]

Us maritime laws and policies are woefully out of date and have been for decades. During the 1920's us ships weren't allowed to serve alcoholic beverages, so people people sailed on lines that did. Having laws that don't address the realities of the situation does more longterm damage than any benefits they give.

[@karlostj4683]

Essentially, the Jones Act is a tariff. This results in higher costs for citizens in the US.

[@braintwirl]

Some much more than others, including those of us living in Hawaii.

[@AlexWalkerSmith]

5:20 - Her response boils down to "they should have thought about it, then!" She's saying she wants them to suffer so they learn their lesson.

[@davidng2699]

I want that smug lady to be my lawyer.

[@Juggernaut-fg2up]

I am a vessel Mooring technician, I am the boat captain that runs the crew that ties up these oil and gas ships that come into Texas. Let me say that only one ship out of every 30 or more is actually an American ship. The rest are all foreign-owned, foreign manned and it's always been that way. The American crews are the laziest. When we bring stores out to the ship the foreign ships do everything we just have to rig it up to a crane from our barge they load it unpacking everything while at the same time offering us drinks and food the American ships do nothing, they require us to rig up the pallets and then come on board and unload them and pack them away while the Americans do nothing but sit around

[@jackknife89actual]

Jennifer Carpenter seems like the epitome of the state-lovers i have known. Show her an example of how a law hurts people and prevents them from getting critical services, she says it doesn't hurt people, it guarantees reliable service.

[@lolajl]

The way she grins as words spew forth from her mouth ...

[@wilbo1316]

Oh yeah she looked like a nut case

[@pamlemm903]

This comment is so fucking on point!

[@tommy35ss]

One of the best videos out there on the Jones Act. Excellent job bringing light to this issue John

[@SrJackquito]

I still don’t know how the jones act benefits the local shipyards? They are making less ships and have closed shipyards in the hundreds…

[@thomaskaiakapu2672]

This reminds me of the National Teachers Union that protects a broken educational system.

[@lovebug6822]

Except the Jones Act doesn't only protect UNION jobs. There are lots of jobs that aren't union. Do you really want foreign ships in oil & gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico? Do you want bad people with bad intentions getting access to the L.O.O.P.? If we don't have AMERICAN mariners that have to go through many background checks to work the oil & gas industry here in America, you're going to get bad people that want to hurt us & our ability to produce our own oil & gas. Not to mention all the barge traffic along the many rivers, lakes and coastwise voyages that carry all sorts of goods that would now be subject to nefarious actors. How about just 1 nefarious actor that blocks up a major waterway by whatever means? You think it's expensive now to use U.S. built, flagged, owned and crewed vessels? Your costs would skyrocket as a result of having to ship things to your city by rail or truck.

[@noblelies]

I think the teachers are finally figuring out that the unions don't represent them or the students. They represent the sweetheart deals they've cut with education administrators and politicians. That's why we are experiencing so many teacher shortages lately.

[@ericgardner5548]

Not even similar.

[@websterri]

Yes... it is. Only the teachers unions are 100x worse.@@ericgardner5548

[@exchequerguy4037]

When I was a midshipman in 1981, my officer professor lectured us on how wonderful the Jones Act was, because it was "strategic".

[@tomsmith5785]

Your professor bought into the "national security" line that ignores 2nd, and 3rd order effects..

[@gunsofsteele]

And the strategy is to line politicians pockets.

[@amariner5]

How do you think the US Army gets stuff from one place to another? By US Ships. We still do. I moved US Military equipment to Europe last year. Do you want the Abrams tanks to be under the control of the Chinese government?

[@knowideas7184]

@@amariner5 what’s the logic of a blanket law that negatively impacts American consumers for the benefit of large corporations? Simple language could easily make exceptions for military and or national security shipping. Think for yourself.

[@frederickjeremy]

@@knowideas7184 its not just military, granted inland towboats do provide fuel for military ships, but they also move cargoes in large quantities to, from, and through many major cities in this country. The entire icww was made based off a national security concern. The jones act has thus far kept osama bin laden barge lines from shoving hundreds of thousands of tons of anfo or any bleve capable cargo into New Orleans, Corpus Christi, houston, mobile,memphis, lacross, saint paul, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and having an “accident “ that turns a major city into a crater.

[@Trump985]

The Jones act is the best law we have. Without the Jones act we would all be out of work overnight. These foreign ships pay peanuts, the Jones act is extremely important for this country. It ensures that we have decent paying work in this country. We need more laws like it.

[@hi14993]

"safe, legal, and rare" Oh I think we know her hang ups from that quote.

[@markdavis8532]

John has been doing a great job of exposing scams and rip-offs for decades! He deserves a big thank you.

[@joshuagould548]

Thank you John!

[@marktheshark7754]

If you support repealing the Jones Act, and hurting high paying American jobs, you can’t complain about NAFTA and other policies that send blue collar jobs offshore where Americans can’t compete with cheap labor.

[@joshuagould548]

@@marktheshark7754 Any policy that restricts your use of your property is anti-American. With that said, you don't have a right to a market price (high paying jobs), and you don't have a right to tell owners where they can have labor done for their company. Repealing the Jones Act is about liberating American business owners and letting them have control over their own property. It's not about hurting jobs. Profit margins are tight, can't just pay workers what workers want, so workers don't work there, now what? Have to find someone to do the work, right? Let the business owners figure out that problem, instead of handcuffing the business owners with stupid existing regulations, and more and more future regulation and restrictions.

[@barneycarparts]

@@marktheshark7754 I thought leveling the playing field was why we had tariffs, But I guess Tariffs are arbitrary.

[@Mike-tu7uw]

This isn’t a rip off. John is wrong on this one. If not for the Jones Act America wouldn’t have a merchant marine. It would all be foreign flagged

[@totallynotaneel_8216]

I work as a maritime electrician. And I can say 100% even shipyards that still “function” are falling apart I have seen nicer bathrooms in the fallout universe than some of these shipyards.

[@REAL-UNKNOWN-SHINOBI]

Post war or pre war fallout bathrooms?

[@adviceman66]

Unions are in Contol shipping docks and interstate shipping. Other union competition restrictive laws are specifically designed to protect union jobs. The government favors union jobs but don’t care about non-union workers and I’m sick of it.

[@wsinbad1356]

That woman looks so threatening. Like she's ready to come through the screen and bite someone on the neck.

[@Voicenreason247]

Regulations mean I can you can't. What's good is What's good for me.

[@vegeta_69420]

“What were seeing is people just trying to make a quick buck.” Yeah, I think I see one of those people right here…. Can you guess who it is?

[@noahellis3672]

For every sensible idea that John presented to that smug woman she would counter with the same old platitudes of how Americans would be hurt by those common sense ideas. And for every ridiculous argument she had to offer for keeping that monopoly promoting Jones Act John gave so many more for why it needs to be done away with.

[@MrJoshcc600]

Full respect for that lady kicking ass at her job as a union PR rep. I couldn't do it with a strait face let alone a massive smug smile

[@jmo4415]

The Jones Act has crippled Puerto Rico and makes Hawaii a expensive place to live.

[@steveniksid5874]

The government is really good at creating more government jobs.

[@SteveXNYC]

Crime paids government

[@michaeldonovan7522]

Anyone saying the Jones Act should be repealed has no experience dealing with foreign mariners or ships. It is a nightmare. The amount of accidents and serious incidents that would occur would offset any cost savings.

[@iamfromtheusamerica]

Any US state or territory that the Jones Act affects in a severely negative manner is basically being treated like a colony. Large countries, like the early 1800s Portugese Empire (with Brazil), have fallen because of similar policies. Politicans from both parties should wake up before it's too late.

[@rigell2764]

Anger, defensiveness, dismissal. Three attributes that most people exhibit when they can't defend something they believe in. Blonde lady exhibits all three traits.

[@ViburaBlanca]

Well then give us a good reason why you want foreign vessels operating on US rivers. Imagine that, a Russian nat gas ship going through the hudson riverHow stupid does that sound and you agree with that.

[@WNH3]

@@ViburaBlanca Surely there's a difference between inland v. coastal waterways.

[@ViburaBlanca]

@@WNH3 I know, so getting rid of the Jones Act opens both inland and coastal. Even then it’s a terrible argument. Foreign vessels operating on our coast with un vetted crews from unstable nations. Sounds smart derp

[@willierants5880]

It's like speaking to a Mule. Just even more stubborn.

[@howebrad4601]

Jones act does protect our shipping industry, but makes them less efficient, and ultimately a smaller industry than it would be if competition was allowed.

[@shughes5725]

A few months ago, we found a cruise traveling from LA to Vancouver, BC. The ship was going to leave from Vancouver to Alaska. It would have been very convenient for us, but we were told that this itinerary would violate the Jones act. We had to look it up. We decided to drop the first leg of the cruise and fly to Vancouver. What a waste of our time.

[@rockstonedread]

There is a booming cottage industry to get around the Jones Act. Moving goods to Mexico or Canada then ship to the port in the U.S. that you were trying to send it to. Works the same the other way around. For instance, to ship a pleasure vessel from Florida to Washington State via the Panama canal, ship it to Canada instead and then transport it down to Washington.

[@bighands69]

NAFTA prohibits goods from entering Canada and then just being transported to the US. Is there a black market well the answer to that is most certainly but that applies to anything really.

[@travisthompson1679]

So what you are saying is that I should open a port in Panama that people can "stop" at and use as their from destination.

[@ShaggyRogers1]

@@bighands69 That is a tax regulation. It doesn't prevent the actual motion of goods, but rather just still applies the foreign import tax relevant to the actual source of the item. The point of using another Port is to be able to use whatever shipping company you want to move it from point A to B. A foreign ship can easily transport something from a US port to a CA port with no hassles. You can't ship anything "domestically" using a foreign ship, regardless of route or location of ports. It doesn't matter if the journey between the two US ports requires going around the whole continent and navigating two oceans, and not staying within the EEZ(let alone the actual US water borders).

[@bighands69]

@@ShaggyRogers1 I never said it prevented the good. What it does is to ensure that good entering into Canada and are then transported to the US are still classified as an import outside of NAFTA. Goods cannot be imported into Canada and then sent to the US as if they are a Canadian good.

[@DJJ81]

Well done, once again, Stossel. That quip about them giving money to politicians was beautiful.

[@danieldismukes4972]

money is how things get done in DC

[@ikigai47]

@@danieldismukes4972 No way, really?

[@capnbobretired]

Yeah, because no one uses attorneys to function as bag men for politicians...

[@randyosborne3971]

John, industries don't manipulate congress. Congress has the only game in town. Selling bills. They are the troll at the bridge. You want something. You'll have to pay the troll.

[@bryanachee7133]

the oil and foreign shipping companies don't lobby in DC? LOL

[@gunsofsteele]

It's very nice to hear two informed people discuss a topic at an adult level. Thank you both!

[@MariaFolsom]

I only heard one informed adult.

[@lovebug6822]

@@MariaFolsom you're right about that. I normally like Stossel but he is ill informed about this subject.

[@strangelyukrainian7314]

@@lovebug6822 Sorry, but what? He explained everything very well, what exactly did he get wrong?

[@CameronCajun]

That lady made me doubt that I was a kind, tolerant person in my heart; I wanted to choke the smug smile off her face. She brought the worst out of me, and that takes some doing!

[@uowebfoot]

How does this man only have 800,000 subscribers. Such good stuff.

[@huguenot121]

Absolutely! It should be at least 10 times that!

[@jonathanhall7903]

Forward this report to at least 3 or 4 people in your circle. That might help the subscription numbers rise.

[@DevinDeCremer]

Because he doesn't do a good job researching, and cherry picks what is put out.

[@izafanime]

@@DevinDeCremer no, stossel has a good reputation. He left msm when it went woke

[@DevinDeCremer]

@@izafanime, that's not why people, like him, leave main stream whatever. It's so they can put out whatever they want without having to be checked.

[@LeviathantheMighty]

She flat out lied, on multiple occasions.

[@thegrim418]

What else can you expect from someone whose job is to make excuses for corruption

[@chedisLoL]

Welcome to unions.

[@bryanachee7133]

let it rip, where did she lie?

[@Archedgar]

@@bryanachee7133 Found the shill. We all saw the same video, fef.

[@marshmower]

He's right once again. Mediocrity is being "Jones'd"

[@bradykirk9932]

This lady is the definition of a mouthpiece. We need a John Stossel school of journalism

[@paxiahern2383]

Great video. I have to give credit to the lobbyist for being willing to give a spirited defense of this long time grift on video.

[@KG-xt4oq]

Just yesterday in my 'recommended' videos was one about the world's shortest railroad that exists right next to the US/Canada border near Maine that solely exists to circumvent the Jones Act. Until then I did not know such an act existed and now in the span of less than 24 hours I've watched 2 YT videos about it.

[@biscoito1r]

Is it that half as interesting video ?

[@tog4867]

​@@biscoito1r If you are interested in our laws and why things are so expensive then yeah it's interesting... It's not a long video...

[@mrnobody6609]

My best friend is a navigator on those massive merchant ships. He has absolutely nothing good to say about any aspect of the job.

[@eewewe283]

funny because ik tons of people who loved being a mate on those ships

[@scottduthie2912]

As a steamship agent for 13 years, I can tell you story after story after story about how the Jones Act actually prevented Americans from enjoying a wider variety and a cheaper selection of goods. There is so much other government red tape, American farmers are suffering. This is the only reason American beef exports are #3 with Brazil and Australia in the lead.

[@ChrisLoew]

Bless her heart for explaining her side of the Jones act. Remove competition, remove common sense

[@bryanachee7133]

yeah lets let some "competition" foreign mariners at $20 a day move all of out military equipment in times of war.

[@Logan-dk8of]

@@bryanachee7133 did you even watch the video?

[@TheBanshee90]

@@bryanachee7133 spend trillion dollars for military but they can't afford a few cargo ships. Get real Bryan. The strategic power of having some shipmen isn't that strong to require such a anti-competition law.

[@bryanachee7133]

@@TheBanshee90 and where are they going to build them. We can’t even build warships fast enough .you know who has plenty of merchant ships? China

[@richard84738]

"Waivers should be safe, legal, and rare" ugh of course she would use abortion rhetoric for an issue like this. Somehow when she's on screen I stop hearing what she actually says and immediately have a gut reaction of "whatever she stands for, I will support the opposite". When I actually do listen, my gut is proven right.

[@CharlesGraham]

I was thinking the same thing...

[@CasshernSinz1613]

Its her faux smile. Its such a plastic, trained smile that she has been told to use to disarm people. Ironically, with any amount of awareness most people can see through that sort of thing

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

As someone is a pro-choice moderate, I was offended by the use of that phrase!

[@debbiewilley9428]

The tone of her voice is just nasty and confrontational. She should be embarrassed because she sounds like an eighth grade "know it all" child.

[@wheel-man5319]

The empress who wasn't sounds a lot like this woman.

[@martinbecklen6486]

Jennifer Carpenter talks like she knows how to run a shipping company, yet she's a bureaucrat in an NGO who probably has never had to deliver a profit to shareholders, nor deliver anything more than policy statements to her betters. Probably makes over $150,000/yr. I don't understand the Partnership's focus since the American shipping industry keeps losing money and labor every year. John, It might have been a better report (and it IS a good report) if we knew which politicians pushed this bill --- what, 30 years ago? Who were they doing the bidding of? It certainly didn't include politicians in states that did shipbuilding. Are any of those politicians, including governors, still around?

[@charliealegria180]

Did that freakish lady just juxtapose getting a Jones Act waiver, too the ending of a human life. Deplorable.

[@davidwayneprins]

My favorite attempt at getting around the Jones Act was what American Seafood Corporation tried doing with the Bayside Canadian Railway. There is an exemption to the US ship mandate if part of the journey is made via Canadian railroads. ASC would ship frozen seafood from Alaska to Maine via foreign ships that used the Panama Canal. The ships would be unloaded in New Brunswick and the cargo transferred into 18 wheelers. Those trucks would then be driven onto flatbed railroad cars, pushed 200 feet by a front end loader and then pulled back those 200 feet. The trucks would then be driven off and over the border to their destination in Maine. US Customs caught on and imposed a fine. The judge sided with Customs but also dismissed the fine.

[@utoobuser206]

These regulations need to be reviewed on a regular basis to see if they really do any good ,but when they are set in place and supported by huge lobbying concerns they are damn near impossible to remove let alone adjust

[@terencejay8845]

The entire lobbying industry in the USA needs looking at. It's legalised corruption.

[@VeniVidiVid]

Better yet, they should all sunset. Make the politicians agree to extend them every time. The incentive should be toward freer trade.

[@peterlocke7285]

Every law passed; every law, should have a 'Sunset' clause. Haven eaten the rotten apple once, maybe, maybe, we could make a better choice...given the chance.

[@trailblazer632]

At the very least any economic regulation should have a sunset clause.

[@peterlocke7285]

@@trailblazer632 Any law above county level should have a sunset clause.

[@chrismiller5198]

Once again, government coercion allows the few to benefit at the expense of the many.

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

If the Jones Act was eliminated tomorrow, there would still be additional costs. All of the marine terminals and port infrastructure was built by and is owned by Jones Act compliant carriers like Crowley and TOTE who currently ship to the island. Given the large amount of time and money they have invested in these facilities/equipment, they either aren't going to let their competitors use them or will charge them hefty tariffs/fees which would result products, goods and materials still retaining the additional costs. So don't blame the Jones Act, blame the Puerto Rican government for not investing in municipal port and marine terminal facilities and equipment like you would find at many mainland U.S. ports.

[@Sugarsail1]

@@s.v.saylaraye3212 that's one circumstance and your claim is 100% speculative, the Jones Act destroyed all sorts of maritime services by rendering them too expensive. It actually drove ship building out of the country, and that's a historical fact.

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

It is 0% speculative. I have been in the Maritime Industry for >20 years including many years as a professor at a State Maritime Academy studying the Jones Act and a professor at another institution teaching Naval Shipyard Apprentices. I write this from an airport because my company has me travelling to St. Thomas and St. Croix to figure out how to increase port efficiency since there is very little port infrastructure/equipment other than one particular shipping company owns a mobile harbor crane that they exclusively use for themselves. Everything else is done by ship's gear which is very inefficient/slow. These inefficiencies contribute to costs. Reducing those inefficiencies requires investment in equipment which also increases costs. Those costs get passed along to the customer because people go into business to make a profit and not break even. So no, it is not just one circumstance. I could write on here all day about the challenges of shipping to Hawaii, Alaska and a host of other U.S. territories. I used Puerto Rico as an example because that was what was mentioned in the video. America's shipbuilding problem has nothing to do with the Jones Act. Most U.S. shipyards are focused on military shipbuilding because our federal government (which doesn't have the same profit concerns as private business) pays a premium versus other customers or the tug and barge industry because it serves a very unique/niche market. The Maritime Security Program essentially cancels out any negative effects the Jones Act has on U.S. shipbuilding and operation by paying shipping companies the difference in costs to build and operate U.S. flag/U.S. crewed (mostly) ships versus foreign flag and that's an actual fact. The shipbuilding topic is an entire other huge rabbit hole that I simply don't have the time to get into in the KZbin comments. Military Sealift Command alone operates 130 merchant marine vessels, MARAD another 100 and there are 60 ships in the Maritime Security Program alone. No other nation on the planet has anywhere close to that UNREP/Sealift capability so our shipbuilding model/needs is very different and not even comparable to any other situation.

[@Archedgar]

@@s.v.saylaraye3212 *"B-but we shouldn't, I mean can't get rid of corruption that benefits me! that's crazy talk!!"*

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

What are you even talking about? How is a law that was passed in 1920 that is essentially the same as the laws every other nation with a coastline has considered corruption? Did someone grease the palms of President Woodrow Wilson so that he wouldn't veto it? Did someone rig the 1920 Presidential election so that Warren Harding would be elected? How do I benefit from the Jones Act? I have worked for both foreign flag and Jones Act carriers. Both paid me roughly the same.

[@kodiakkeith]

Spent much of my life on Kodiak Island, Alaska. The cost of everything, food; fuel, building materials, is scandalous because of the Jones Act. It's a beautiful place to live, and a wonderful way of life but you have to squeeze very dime until it screams to get by.

[@ddc163264]

Don't forget it's also the Jones act that makes cruise ships have to stop in Canada for an Alaska trip of Mexico for a West Coast one or if you go to Puerto Rico you must stop in some other country BEFORE your cruise heads back to Miami. Imagine if airlines had to do this! No other transportation has to, not trains nor trucks, ONLY ships.

[@Mihomiti]

Every time I tell people about the Jones Act, they are completely unaware it even exists. John, next time you touch on this subject, get into the interactions the Jones Act has with Canadian ports and Cruise ships, and the fact that we have Canadian lobbyists pushing to keep the Jones Act in place. They're making a killing on the Cruise industry because of how the Jones Act restricts non-USA made ships from operating, and they stand to lose a LOT of money if the Jones Act is killed.

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

If you wanted to fly to Puerto Rico from Europe, you would first fly into that airlines hub like New York, Miami, Atlanta, ect... then change planes and board a feeder plane to San Juan. Products, goods and materials shipped on a vessel from Europe arrive in Puerto Rico in the same exact manner. Cruise ships make up only a tiny sector of the Maritime & Shipping Industry.

[@wojtek9675]

@@midtownmariner5250 why wouldn’t there be any US ships? Because they’re forced to compete with foreign companies? American car manufacturers has to compete with foreign companies yet they’re still around. Why would it be different for shipping

[@peetfj]

@@s.v.saylaraye3212 and your point? Should it be that way?

[@spencer6044]

@@midtownmariner5250 who is to say there would be no shipyards? The shipyards and shipbuilders would have to improve to stay competitive. As someone said above, we didn’t outlaw foreign cars, and yet Ford and Chevy aware still around? Tesla is worth more than any carmaker, and they are American. So obviously allowing Americans to purchase goods from anywhere in the world won’t necessarily end domestic production.

[@youarewrong5523]

Even more so the US has the largest intranavigable waterway system in the planet and over 12 continental rivers the Jones Act is what keeps the train industry in place, it costs 15% less to move goods by waterway than rail if you repeal Jones act railway simply cannot compete. We are opening a new superport in the Virgin Islands and starting a virgin island lease that is equivalent to a U.S. lease but at a cheaper cost. We should get rid of the whole thing honestly.

[@irregularhunter0586]

She could be the mouth of Sauron.

[@samwisegamgee2488]

And I, Samwise, shall fight it!

[@MarekBobosik]

She could be a mouth of everything with those teeth. An alien or the donkey from Shrek comes to mind.

[@jessemaier8681]

John, you should dive into shipbuilding and ship maintenance for our military.

[@hapaboy65m87]

We live in Hawaii and the same stupid rule prevails out here. There is an old monopoly held by Matson navigation and Pasha. Ships bring goods from Asia, right past our islands. Those “other” ships have to go to Long Beach and transfer the goods to Matson or Pasha ships then bring it back to Hawaii. What a waste!

[@scalp340]

"You shouldn't be blaming the jones act for your poor (impossible) planning" unintentionally enough, she admits that these protectionist laws and cartel-like rules makes people's life worse and is far less efficient than competition within the market.

[@amariner5]

The port had fuel. It was a lack of trucks on PR that lead to the inability to get fuel from the port to consumers. This was solved by US Flag, US Crewed (as in US Labor) ships shortly thereafter.

[@bighands69]

They do not make peoples lives worse. You can whine all you want but poor planning is no excuse of the Jones act being in place. DO you want US waterways dominated by foreign powers?

[@scalp340]

@@amariner5 so you're saying that the Jones act was irrelevant here then? You unintentionally made a great case to abolish it....Let's do that.

[@scalp340]

@@bighands69 imagine missing the point, not once but twice and then asking some dumbshit rhetorical question.

[@Archedgar]

@@scalp340 Lmao.....BTFO'd him with his own BS. Outstanding move.

[@CoolStuffDad]

Union mentality hinders healthy competition…Jones Act favors the few at the expense of the US consumer. Outstanding work as usual, John!

[@loke5713]

Simply cutting costs by hiring a foreign worker for pennies on the dollar is not healthy. People like you would sell thier mother to save ten cents

[@charliemcgee9803]

You really want to kill the merchant marine, don't you? Unions are the reason any saftey regulation stays in place and the jones act is the only thing keeping american inland crews from being replaced by underpaid forien crews. If you want to be treated like a doormat by big business, go for it. But don't expect any help when the rug gets pulled out and your job goes to an Indian payed 30 cents an hour

[@williamconroy5875]

As John brings up, multiple Asian countries have large subsidies to build ships and dominate the world market. So actually the government subsidy is putting competition out of business.

[@leo4rmleoland]

Even if they get rid of the jones act which I hope they don’t . doesn’t mean that these greedy multi billion dollar corporations are going to lower the cost for you lol it’s just going to add more profit for them . Unless you believe the lies and think these billionaires care about you 😂 at the cost of you paying a few pennies less

[@websterri]

wrong@@williamconroy5875

[@briannewman6216]

So the US flushes itself down the toilet.

[@briandhoward6137]

Our government is to big and overbearing. We need less government. Great reporting

[@frapeyou]

that chick is legit the problem and shes proud about it

[@user-uj3zk2cx8t]

The people who are in charge are mentally ill and disconnected from reality

[@frapeyou]

@@user-uj3zk2cx8t pretty acurate

[@DrummerJacob]

You don't even understand what was said in this video or how/why the Jones act even exists.

[@user-uj3zk2cx8t]

@@DrummerJacob go play your drums, little boy.

[@frapeyou]

@@DrummerJacob okay, since you know and assuming I don't, why don't you refute my comment?

[@TheDustin151]

Wonder if she signed a long term contract with her cell phone provider or cable provider.

[@christoney2491]

Sharing this everywhere I can. Thank you!

[@glaciersilt316]

It's literally a law BANNING competition

[@PickUps]

Her answers were too good. She sounded like a politician

[@fredstevens129]

Union scum.

[@grondhero]

Whenever there's a union involved, there's a policy to keep people out of work.

[@amariner5]

Well, we could have no union jobs, and all live in our parent's basements.

[@bighands69]

It is not just unions. The Jones act protects US water ways from being dominated by foreign markets such as China. The Jones act has features that are built in that restrict the market and are not good but it also has features that ensure the US water ways do not get dominated by foreign powers. Could the Jones act be reformed probably but good luck trying to do that.

[@Archedgar]

@@bighands69 .... and you think your cowardice justifies your endorsement of slavery? it doesn't. It makes it (you) even worse.

[@grondhero]

@@amariner5 If you require a union to get out on your own, that's on you. Unions ruin the free market because their corrupt leaders are in bed with politicians.

[@grondhero]

@@bighands69 The Jones Act was introduced by Unions. Getting rid of the Jones Act and unions would be a great way to improve our economy. (Still more to do, though.)

[@samhelsel443]

I was listening to this video (with the screen off obviously). I tried to envision in my mind what that woman looked like. When I parked the car and replayed the - BOOM - exactly what I expected. I forgot the exact quote but it's something like "there are some ideas that are so stupid, only an academic and a bureaucrat could get behind". Keep doing your thing Stossel!!!!

[@Nisfornarwhal1990]

That was incredible to see this lady claim that Puerto Rico didn't need the fuel, or that they were just looking for a quick buck. Quite astonishing

[@nathannagle5382]

I love the idea of banning the competition, assuming I’m the ceo that gets to ban the competition

[@TheCarnivoreSoprano]

You're correct. What's even funnier is the fact that people think we have capitalism. This shows that we don't.

[@danielmorris7648]

What if the competition can undercut you because they don't have to follow all the regulations that you do? Thats what's happening with foreign shipping. Its not a fair playing field. We need to jones act to protect American shipping.

[@ragnarok7976]

@@TheCarnivoreSoprano Capitalism isn't even a thing. It's a socialist/communist term that seeks to put an evolved system like the free-market on the same level as a synthetic idealized system like communism or socialism. We chose to have a free market in the same we chose to start walking up right. You are correct though, the problems of the free-market are created and accelerated by not having the market be free.

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

Any vessel can enter Puerto Rico. In fact, many foreign vessels enter Puerto Rico regularly, importing goods from countries around the world. However, transportation of goods between two U.S. ports must be carried out by a vessel that was built in the U.S. and operated primarily by Americans.

[@josedorsaith5261]

@@TheCarnivoreSoprano Same here in the UK. Haven't had free markets for over a century