<p>Regarding the Coast Guard and for the sake of clarity.... Shogun the AP article you sited above also included the following: </p>
<p>" ...However, Coast Guard spokesman Commander Jeff Carter said in a statement that the Cost Guard's analysis of the port deal was taken out of context, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.
"Upon subsequent and further review, the Coast Guard and the entire CFIUS panel believed that this transaction, when taking into account strong security assurances by DP World, does not compromise U.S. security," the statement said..." </p>
<hr>
<p>One can also read the transcript of Hugh Hewitt's interview with U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Craig E. Bone, who is the Director of Port Security in the Maritime Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection Directorate at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, in regards to the Dubai port management controversy:
<a href="http://www.radioblogger.com/archives/february06.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.radioblogger.com/archives/february06.html</a> (scroll down the page until you see "
The administration's best case so far so support the UAE port deal...02-22bone.mp3")</p>
<p>Mr. Hewitt wrote about that interview ".... Rear Admiral Bone is a great witness on behalf of the Coast Guard, and a confidence builder, but I simply don't see the need to increase the risk associated with port operations by any significant measure. But listen to the interview or read the transcript later at Radioblogger.com and let me know if he has persuaded you."</p>
<hr>
<p>BTW, I have only recently learned that foreign companies have operated US ports for the past 30 years! In addition, our US military ships regularly use the ports in Dubai, and I understand their air strips as well. That admission of my ignorance in these matters leads me to rely on those who have a working knowledge and expertise in this area. Leaving aside partisan politics, it is my hope that those who are well-qualified in issues of national security will know what to do. Nonetheless, at the risk of appearing to be a xenophobe, I would prefer that a US owned company would manage our ports and NOT the UAE.</p>
<p>I am in the same boat of knowledge as you, prayerful mom! I still don't feel comfortable with the UAE managing things. From my limited knowledge, I heard the UAE recognizes Taliban as legitimate and Israel has no right to exist. They won't ship Israel manufactured products? I heard that this morning. I also heard that UAE might have access to our security process. Then on the other hand, don't we have military bases there that might be helpful in the event that the issues with Iran escalate? I just don't know what to think as there is so much political stuff being thrown around and the media makes it even more confusing. I'm glad I am just a mom worrying about a wedding...and a 15 yr old son who just got his permit.</p>
<p>Oregon Mom...too funny, my daughter just got her permit last week.</p>
<p>Did I read your post right, your son is 15 and got a permit?
You have to be 16 in Pa. and then you cannot take your drivers exam for at least 6 months after you have your permit.....I am fine with that :)</p>
<p>Seems right when I think I've got a small handle on what all of this means, alittle clinker to the story gets thrown in to make me say, 'hey, wait a minute'. I'm doing my best to learn about it all through 20/20 vision. I've heard mostly all cons. Would like to hear IF there are any pros. Knew I should have packed my bag & went & got educated at USMMA with my kid. #1, I would know more about shipping and our port security - #2, I could make them all brownies and make sure they brushed at night! :)</p>
<p>In SC, kids could drive by themselves at 15 until about 5 years ago when they changed it to permit at 15 then the big test at 16. Talk about scary. Some 15 year olds could hardly reach the gas pedal or see over the dash!</p>
<p>The automobile industry has gone global and is now in the hands of the Japanese. The aircraft industry almost went the way of the EU. Industrial output is in the hands of China, Latin America, et al. What is wrong with the ports being managed by a middle eastern country? By the way, "Do you want fries with that?"</p>
<p>Locally, there is a very tragic story in the news: a dad who took his 15 year old daughter (she did not have a permit) out on a Sunday afternoon. The following excerpt from the Phila. Inquirer</p>
<p>... According to earlier court testimony, Miller and his daughter, Megan, were in the family's 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis about 2:15 p.m. April 17 when he suggested she get behind the wheel for a driving lesson in the Abraham Lincoln High School parking lot.</p>
<p>Megan apparently confused the accelerator and brake, and, as her father got down on the floor to try to press the brake by hand, the car crashed through the school fence, crossed Ryan Avenue, and went onto a front lawn.</p>
<p>McGinley, a nursing student, was playing with her infant daughter on the lawn of her fiance's home on Nesper Street near Ryan Avenue. As the car approached, she threw the infant to safety before being pinned under the car and killed.....</p>
<p>pm, I heard about that story. Well, my Mike, age 15, is too good of a driver! He is a little too confident for me. He says that he wants to save up money to buy a "Crown Vickie" so he can look like he has a police car. Oh, my god! He is a slightly different individual than Jake. For Mike, "if its fun, why not?" I guess I will have to dye my hair even more often now.</p>
<p>OM - I feel for ya. Our oldest has the appt to USNA; number two has just gotten his permit and has already done about $1000. worth of damage to DH's F-150 (glad I wasn't anywhere near that!), and son #3 is in first yr of middle school. No grey yet, but I know it's coming! </p>
<p>Horrible tragic story about the above posted accident. That's a story that will stay with me forever. Even tho' I hate to hear news like that, I appreciate you posting it, PM, so we can all pray for the families of those involved.</p>
<p>Being a city, kid LFWB never had much interest in learing to drive. Still doesn't have his license. My guess is he'll have his CG license to drive 1000 ft ships before he gets his license to drive a car.</p>
<p>lfwb dad, just because we are in Oregon doesn't mean we are "country folk". We live in Portland. We have busy freeways and gridlock just like everywhere else. However, they did drive our riding lawnmower as little kids!</p>
<p>I grew up in Seattle, the Northwest is wonderful. Nonetheless, public transportation in the East isn't a noble civic duty like it is out there, its just easier than driving and gets you where you want to go faster than driving. My guess is if we lived in the suburbs there would have been more incentive to learn to drive. Each of his schools and all his friends were within walking distance and the subway could take him anywhere he wanted to go.</p>
<p>Earlier this week on NPRs Morning Edition, Monty Graham, senior fellow at the Institute for International Economics, spoke about foreign investment in the United States and national security. Graham said legitimate foreign firms would make every effort to protect American assets because anything else would be bad for business. (Makes sense to me.) When asked if investments such as the UAE ports deal give foreigners power over the United States, Mr. Graham pointed out that Foreigners already hold large assets in the United States China has bought BILLIONS and BILLIONS of U.S. government bonds. According to Mr. Graham, China is FLOATING the United States government as it runs its own budget deficit. (Does that mean that China is directly or indirectly financing the war in Iraq???). Graham went on to say that THE CHINESE COULD INFLUENCE AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY at some point by saying Look, were going to stop buying so many government bonds unless you, the United States, change your behavior. Conceivably, the behavior they would want to change could be the United States deficit spending (since Bush has been in office) in respect to the rest of the world.</p>
<p>Many Americans are worried that current U.S. economic, energy, and foreign policies create an ongoing threat to our national security. One doesnt have to have a PhD in economics to know that you relinquish power if you borrow a lot of money from someone (billions and billions...).</p>
<p>I do not question that budget deficits should be reduced but you should not equate the budget and the current account deficit. The latter is a result of a global savings glut relative to investment opportunities. The excess savings of the Japanese and the Europeans has caused interest rates to decline which require a large external deficit somewhere in the world. Thanks to its unequaled openness to imports, a strong economy with buying power and capital availability, the US has provided that deficit. Cutting the budget deficit is a good idea but it will not correct the current account deficit in the absence of growth from Europe and Japan. Also, the strong US economy has created impressive buying power on the part of companies and investors who cannot find enough opportunities to invest. Should China actually pull back on rolling over its debt, I know one investor who manages $200 billion who cannot wait for rates to rise 5 basis points -- just to buy more treasuries. (That would be me). If I have the capacity to buy at least $5 billionin a very short period of time, Im very confident the market can absorb Chinas reluctance to rollover should it occur ($190b). </p>
<p>Should they elect to do so. what do you think they will do with the dollars they will now have under their mattresses? Where do you think one can find dollar denominated investments? What will that do to help them solve their domestic problems (see below). </p>
<p>Meanwhile, in the US, a tighter monetary policy and growing (bipartisan!) attention to fiscal spending will hopefully, eventually raise the savings rate and China will be forced to let its currency revalue if it wants to remain a trading partner with Europe, Japan and the US. Graham says that the deficit is being financed by the Chinese but he ignores the nearly $1 trillion of private foreign investment. These investors like the rates, the safety, the liquidity and this doesnt include the US investors that have invested over $1 trillion abroad double the amount in the 1990s. Those investors (Im included) would have the liquidity to buy treasuries, particularly if spreads/rates widen. The US debt has not eroded the US economic model, which does not face some of Chinas problems: unreformed state businesses, bankrupt financial institutions and the (relative) need for new jobs. China is heavily dependent on our market access and technology to solve many of these problems. The US has considerable influence as a primary source of technology and as a capital markets lynchpin. Business investment grows rapidly (much more than personal consumption), household wealth is at an alltime high (and yes, real estate is still cheaper here than in Europe and elsewhere -- which is why I have problems investing in real estate -- the European demand is too strong), and companies have tremendous reserves of cash as well as borrowing capacity. </p>
<p>We both agree on the need to cut the deficit. I would be curious as to where you think it should be cut. And, what basic needs do you think the govenemnt should provide? Should it include housing, a car, a computer, clothing, healthcare, dental care, protection, a college degree?</p>
<p>I think cuts need to be made, but it is apparent that the current administration doesn't really believe deficits are bad given that no spending bill has ever been vetoed by this President. We have people at the top (in congress and the white house) who don't really seem all that interested in reducing the deficit. Non defense spending has risen 27%. Is this what you get when ONE party controls congress AND the white house? We seem to think we can finance a 300b dollar a year war on terror but we don't need to tighten our belts or be fiscally responsible anywhere else? If American's had been asked to pay a "9/11" tax to fund the war on terror I'm willing to bet it would have been supported overwhemingly. Instead we go out and spend the extra $ for Iraq and Afganistan and hey, while we're at it lets raise spending on everything else AND push for lower taxes. Please....we have a congress and an administration that doesn't have a clue.
Frankly, we need a REAL republican running the show, one that really does believe in less government interference in our lives, who believes in fiscal conservatism when it comes to spending the public money, not this "conservative" blend of "moral majority" anti-science, and "trust me I know what Im doing" hogwash we have been served for the last 5 years.</p>
<p>Shogun -- I totally agree that spending is out of control. I support this President on the war but he has yet to veto a single spending bill and that is inexcusable. Congress -- both sides of the aisle -- has little ability to reduce spending and the result is indeed a deficit mess. I would be in favor of the tax cuts (they have kept the economy moving in my opinion) but they MUST be accompanied with fiscal responsibility, and that just hasn't happened. A 9/11 tax would be the current equivalent of the kind of sacrifice our parents made during WWII (which we seem unwilling to make) and so that actually is appealing to me -- if it's one-time.</p>
<p>Seeing as how neither the president nor vice president are running in either 2006 or 2008, we will all have the opportunity to choose a new leader.
And the current incumbent still has supporters and he still is Commander-in-chief.</p>