The Jones Act Makes Shipping More Expensive

[@happycamper9300]

I AM FROM PUERTO RICO, AND YES THERE WAS A SEVERE FUEL SHORTAGE. That union leader is just a stupid liar

[@KandiKlover]

They’re all low level thug criminals. It’s why a lot of them dress like flashy trash on news interviews like the Amazon one and the dock worker one.

[@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.

[@caesarsantos]

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

[@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.

[@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!

[@blackkennedy3966]

@@kelbycaplinger5367noooo but everybody is out to get usss!!! If we let le foreign merchants trade with us they’ll sell info to the Chinese and Russians!! Even though they could just use satellites to map out the Mississippi River and stuff on it!! -t bigmouth

[@Jerry-o3p]

Of course! She getting PAID for it. Paid with OUR TAXPAYERS money 🤑 to fund THEM. The goddamn sly,slick,and selling-snake-oil-salesman's pitch type of advocates that had supported that farce. It's a disgrace. She ought to be in politics. 😅😅😅😮😮😮😮.

[@arawackwarrior2554]

Bulshit highway robbery and is Leagal do as I said not as I do alviizo campos said this will happen

[@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.

[@rodhatanaka9769]

😂

[@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.

[@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?

[@ChannelZeroOne]

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

[@DILLIGAFFB]

She has to protect her rice bowl.

[@Chris-ji4iu]

Cough (UNIONS) Cough

[@satouhikou1103]

Guarantee she supports abortion.

[@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

[@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.

[@frederickburns1739]

Typical where politicians,lobbyists and union's are involved the cost of the product goes out of site!!!

[@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!!

[@DustonDiekmann]

That woman is the worst. Help -"I wan to buy Natural Gas to Help the people of my state" Her - "Why didn't you enter in contracts to ensure you had what you needed ahead of time"

[@benjamingooch8723]

Seriously! If the USA doesn't even have a Natural Gas ship in its entire merchant fleet, it's impossible. You can't plan for Impossible! 😡

[@stanwolenski9541]

Because there is the possibility of having more natural gas than could be used.

[@TheFrontyer]

She make a great point. He did fuck up big time, not securing his gas needs

[@Matthew-Anthony]

@Frontyer She did not make a great point. Using restrictions to maintain shipping monopolies is not how you maximize efficiency. It is how you keep rich people in power and prevent them from ever being replaced by better people.

[@stanwolenski9541]

@@Matthew-Anthony You are correct. Years ago I was an agent for a group of parcel delivery , we had a monopoly in Texas which was able to keep UPS from handling intrastate parcels although were able to pickup and deliver in certain commercial zones. The service was mediocre at best, they shunned technology and saw no reason to strive to do better. Eventually the law changed, UPS came in and within a year the monopoly was defunct.

[@DrRChandra]

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.

[@Magikarp-4ever]

@DrRChandra you're dead right dude absolutely I never realized that

[@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.

[@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.

[@doobiedoobadayus7711]

Im a captain in the Gulf of Mexico. If the jones act was gone it would hurt a lot of high-paying jobs by allowing oil companies to hire foreign boats to work for much cheaper and pay foreign crews much less money. I know that some rules in the jones act are antiquated but it does protect American jobs. I usually agree with Stossel but we need jones act. To protect American seamen.

[@shakesitoff1122]

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

[@Stevexnycautomotive]

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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@scallywag1716]

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

[@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.

[@jameslabs1]

That poor shill is a caricature.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@bradykirk9932]

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

[@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?

[@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.

[@keithsj10]

Ehhh... I agree and disagree with his point on this. Port authorities control of ports gives union workers ludicrously high wages that are undeserved. During covid, the unions successfully blackmailed the Biden administration to give them all unjustified raises. They held ports for ransom and hundreds of ships stacked up at America's ports. Oddly enough, as soon as their demands were met, workers stopped calling in sick and started putting in as much overtime as they could. That's convenient. Unions always support democrats because they know the Dems like giving away taxpayer dollars, so they might as well get in on the trillion dollar grift.

[@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.

[@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

[@jamest2401]

Big government has failed us, let’s make it bigger!😂

[@Voicenreason247]

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

[@totallynotaneel]

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?

[@nemozetbit]

she articulates in a creepy manner. exaggerated emotions 500%. Every frame freeze is an unflattering picture.

[@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

[@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.

[@CaptainTenneal]

The real criminal here is Jennifer Carpenter's hair stylist.

[@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

[@jmo4415]

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

[@grantcivyt]

Poor woman. What an awful job to have.

[@willierants5880]

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

[@TiesOfZip]

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

[@navyveteran2A]

Thank you Mr. Stossel. I didn't know about the Jones act.

[@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?

[@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.

[@s.v.saylaraye3212]

Utilizing transshipment ports is standard operating procedure for most major shipping companies for business/cost reasons. The airline or rail industries didn't invent it, they copied it from the Maritime industry. It has been proven a proven business model for centuries and in many different countries with the added benefits of preserving domestically owned shipping infrastructure for national security purposes and ensuring safety in territorial waters.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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 ?

[@Tog84two97]

​@@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...

[@brianpatrick1944]

here is something to keep in mind a lot of jobs from tug boats to osvs would be entirely wiped out the jones act covers more then just cargo ships . i work as a merchant seaman i would be unemployed immediately if the jones act was lifted and so would tens of thousands of others .

[@kenofken9458]

The problem is tugs and barges are damn near the only ships that get built under the Jones Act. The law may be preventing a small segment of American shipping from going entirely extinct, but it's not doing much more than that. I'd rather see an end to flags of convenience. It's absurd that ship owners can register their ships to some backward little country they're not based in or never even visited in order to pay no taxes and follow no real safety, labor or environmental standards.

[@steveniksid5874]

The government is really good at creating more government jobs.

[@Stevexnycautomotive]

Crime paids government

[@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.

[@tommy35ss]

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

[@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.

[@12BY6]

The shortest route is a straight line..

[@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.

[@russelldevaney7001]

The original purpose of the Jones Act was to maintain US shipbuilding capabilities, to maintain a supply of US seamen, and to maintain US owned and controlled shipping. The primary benefit of having US ships and sailors was to ensure their availability in time of war. This became quite apparent during the 1st Gulf War when foreign flag ships carrying military supplies refused to enter the war zone. If this is no longer considered a desirable benefit, then there is no real reason to maintain the Jones Act. However, if China invades Taiwan and the US is actively involved, we might be glad to have some of those ships available. Think about it.

[@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

[@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

[@secrets.295]

So basically it means that goods have to be shipped into the mainland US before it could be shipped to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, etc right? America imports a lot of food. So lets say if you live in Guam & lets say America imports a lot of rice from The Philippines, those rice have to be shipped to Los Angeles and then they have to reship it and make a U-turn, go all the way back to Guam. Which means the total travel distance to deliver that rice is 25,000 km. If Guam were to directly receive goods from The Philippines it would be just 2400 km total travel distance. And this lady is saying the 2400 km total distance travel is poor planning, the 25000 km travel distance is a much better planning. Is she nuts?

[@frankd7905]

It is hard to get someone to understand something when their job depends upon them not understanding it. This Jennifer Carpenter is all about her job. In Canada we have supply management. In history in England they called them "guilds". You had to pay to be allowed to practice your trade to the governing body in your neighborhood. My how history has a habit of repeating itself.

[@PickUps]

Her answers were too good. She sounded like a politician

[@fredstevens129]

Union scum.

[@biffhenderson1144]

It is interesting to hear the argument for "cheaper" foreign ships and products at the same time we are arguing and regretting outsourcing everything to China. You have two choices. (1) Cheap products and high unemployment. Or (2) Moderately priced products and full employment. Choice 1 is a burden on society as it consumes taxpayer money and creates dependence on entitlements. Choice1 ensures cheap products, but you have no money to buy them so it is worthless. Choice 2 contributes to the tax base and decreases dependence on entitlements. Choice 2 ensures that you have money to buy or not buy moderately prices products. Choice 2 is the best choice for a strong society and government. Choice 1 is foolish as we are seeing it now with everything made in China.

[@Archedgar]

Lmao.... tell me more about how govt corruption & tyranny is 'good' for the citizens at large, commie.

[@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.

[@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?

[@GregPentecost]

So we are not at the mercy of foreign competition.

[@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.)

[@hadrianwall9157]

I'd love to live to see the day when our politicians at least try to act like humans.

[@joserivera7379]

Years and years not understanding this stuff but thanks to you I have it all clear

[@burritogod59]

You were spot on right at the beginning John. It's about reducing competition so they can be less efficient and get away with it. If other countries ships get there faster and are cheaper, then we need to use our resources for something else. What is wrong with foreign shippers trying to make a quick buck? They only make money if they are faster, cheaper, or better.

[@stevegrow5349]

John, love ya man. We need straight reporting, you are the ultimate professional!!!

[@briandhoward6137]

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

[@mrow7598]

Years ago, New Jersey had snow storm after snow storm and Maine had a mild winter, We had a ship full of salt we sent down to NJ and it was rejected because of the Jones act because it was going from an American port to American port and it was a foreign flagged ship. By the time NJ got the salt the snow melted.

[@jimwerther]

Ouch

[@bighands69]

That is not the problem if the Jones act that is the problem if the states having poor planning and management. Complaining about the restrictions put on foreign vessels in US water ways is not going to change that. The alternative is unrestricted water way access that ends up being dominated by cheap Chinese vessels that flood the water ways with toxic waste. While getting rid of the Jones act would do wonders for trade in the US it would bring so much problems that it would cost far more than the trade is worth. Right now US economic trade is dominated by internal trade if the Jones act was removed it would be a boom for trade but imagine getting exposed to Russia, China and Germany right now.

[@Archedgar]

@@bighands69 YEAH. How dare people try to blame the corrupt govt for a problem govt itself is causing and actively refuses to fix? they should just bend over and let govt strip them of even more liberty, like good little slaves. That'll solve all the problems. For sure.

[@TheDustin151]

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

[@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?

[@Pərfectchāøs]

Our govt is so pay to play

[@Y.M...]

I'm not gonna stoop low and comment on the way the lady looks like a Bond villain, but she just doesn't even try to mask how she *behaves* exactly like one.

[@CharlesGraham]

She reminds me of the donkey in Shrek 🤣

[@jgrenwod]

But you did.

[@jeremybellman3870]

I grew up watching you and have never stopped. Please keep it up!

[@paulinotou]

I'm from Guam. And the Jones Act makes everything more expensive. It really is shafting the non-contiguous territories unnecessarily.

[@sliftyy]

@@Islandwaterjet maybe america shouldn't have conquered guam from spain then :)

[@paulinotou]

​@@Islandwaterjet ??? This isn't just a place I chose to live, its where I'm from and my ancestors have lived here for thousands of years. I'm not completely sure the subsidizing you are talking about, but I'll definitely look into it. The US isn't a cruel ruler, but I was just saying the Jones Act is in fact screwing over overseas territories.

[@bighands69]

@@paulinotou It has nothing to do with the Jones act. Guam is not a state and is a territory so even if the Jones act was to be abolished tomorrow it would make no difference. Guam would not have an international port it would still need clearance from the US government. Either a new clearance system would be needed for Guam with a new port facility or goods would need to be cleared via another US port. The only solution for this is for the territory of Guam to seek state status which is a long arduous process. People complaining about the Jones act do not understand the real protection it gives to Americans.

[@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.

[@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.

[@kitcat4512]

More and more UN stakeholders taking a cut at taxpayers' expense.

[@patrickbateman1660]

This law was made decades before the UN ever existed. It's protectionism and conservatives support it now.

[@colleenmarie9534]

Get the UN out of the United States. Get the United States out of the UN.

[@mytoolworld]

You should also report on new car dealers that are fighting tooth and nail to prevent Tesla from selling directly to consumers bypassing the dealership sales model. Most states have laws preventing Tesla from selling directly but at least Tesla has managed to get many of these laws overturned. Still it remains that many states still have these laws on the books which is a bad thing for car buyers.

[@goodolearkygal5746]

Sounds like what happened to Sam walton... years ago he was trying to sell cars for less than $1,000. The dealerships shut him down and I believe a law was made somewhere to stop him from trying again

[@unbreakable7633]

When I was a law clerk for a federal district judge, I used to dread those few Jones Act cases we'd get. What a disaster of a statutory scheme.

[@eggydrums]

Thanks once again for bringing this topic to more people, John. As a native Puerto Rican it's terrible that we have to pay so much more money for even the most basic of things because of outdated regulations like the Jones Act.

[@RenegadeManta799]

Same for those in Alaska and Hawaii, as well as every other territory.

[@bighands69]

Puerto Rico is a territory and not a state so unless you want to petition your self to be a state the Jones act is not the limiting factor. The Jones act did very little in terms of the post disaster relief either from a good or bad point of view.

[@timhicks6557]

Thanks John your commonsense reports are very valuable and making a difference in this country.

[@larryfromwisconsin9970]

Agreed. I lived in Hawaii in the early 1990s and again in the late 2000s. Prices were crazy high because everything had to be shipped from the USA on USA flagged ships. Once the ship carrying toilet paper sank and that was it. No TP for Hawaii for weeks.

[@nerdicusdorkum2923]

Thank god it's just toilet paper. Imagine how utterly fucked Hawaii would of been if it was something actually important.

[@paulhoward4579]

Apparently, you should have planned better and appreciated the shipping monopoly.

[@OhNoNotAgain42]

I have lived in Hawaii continuously since 1990. While I’m not a fan of the Jones Act, there has NEVER been a time when there was no toilet paper for weeks. Not after 9/11 when the planes stopped. Not during Covid when people were hoarding. Toilet paper comes on the container ship with everything else. There is no special cargo ship with toilet paper.

[@bighands69]

That is complete and utter nonsense. What you call crazy prices are actually proper market prices not slave labour products made in a authoritarian communist state. It used to be that work tools would take a weeks wages to a months wages to acquire. Now those tools can be bought at a fraction of a weeks wages but they are plastic junk made by childrens hands in slave camps.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

Government is not for us, it's for the highest bidder.

[@jessemaier8681]

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