For all the wrong reasons House Republicans did the wrong thing tonight. To appear more tough on national security and to fend off the Democrats next year, they have neatly scuppered some of President Bush's credibility in the international arena.
As Rep. Jerry Lewis [good gosh he must get hammered with Deano jokes] lives up to one of his namesake's more famous characters, Sad Sack, by exclaiming we must keep American ports in American hands. This is one those most outrageously stupid things a person can say. The land the port is on is still attached to the United States. Homeland Security and the Coast Guard will still patrol and inspect. American longshoremen will still work the docks. But the ownership of port operations will now go from the current British owners to who knows while telling the UAE that 'yes you are an ally but we really don't want you buying up American property.'
This is why the United States has a bi-cameral legislature. The House panics because they are up for election every two years while the Senate is supposed to debate things more thoroughly while facing election only every six years. Lets hope the firebreak happens in the Senate to stop this stupidity before the House Republicans commit sepukku because they art mightily afrightened by their shadows.
4 comments:
You can always depend on the Republican Party to self destruct when they get into power. It must be a genetic defect in all Republican politicians.... fight for years to get into power and then implode when you get the power. You know, if both parties would put as much effort in the American people as they do in their political lives, think of what these people could achieve.
I just found out that our Indianapolis airport is run by a foreign country although I didn't find out which one. Hell, I think that this whole country has been sold out to foreign investors.
AndyJ
With the UAE as an ally, we don't need enemies.
Their grimy paws are all over 9/11.
Regardless of whether they have "changed", it cannot be said that this was an unwise decision.
RWR
I know AndyJ, overseas companies are already managing airports and ports. Now DPW has announced it is withdrawing its bid.
RWR, I am not sure it would have been that bad to let DPW run it. It is the end that I find troubling since the Republicans let their fears get control of them, allowed the Democrats to stampede them to a decision, and instead of bringing the matter up in a formal way they snuck it on as a rider to a disaster relief bill. This was not a shining moment for the Republicans. And it will come back to haunt them.
It wasn't a shining moment for anyone. The whole idea was stupid to begin with, and it was embarrassing to be discussing it in the first place.
At any rate, the best thing wound up happening.
RWR
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