Should a foreign company run our ports?

[Snowguy716]

I totally think it was a George Bush power ploy.

My problem was never specifically with Dubai running the ports as much as any foreign government running our ports. It was something I hadn't known before (and for that, I am ignorant). I just think some things that are so important to our security like our airports and seaports should be run and overseen by our own country.

What really really made me angry about the whole thing is that George Bush only supported so much because his friends and family would make so much money from it. Is it not curious that his dad is a big shareholder in the company being taken over by Dubai Ports world?

What I'm really sick and tired of is the fact that EVERYTHING.. I mean EVERYTHING that Bush does is to sell this country out for his and his friends' personal gain. It's disgusting.

For example.. George Bush Sr. is a big stakeholder in the Carlisle group, a group that oversees many defense contracter companies.. a group that has made a lot of money since we invaded Iraq.

Now his little empire is beginning to crumble because Americans are finally seeing what's going on.. and I don't think they're happy. A poll yesterday stated that 47% of Americans want to see Democrats controlling congress compared to 36% for the Republicans. And Bush's approval rating is 36%.

But what does Bush do? He sits there and does the same old stuff. He won't change his ways. No.. he wants to pull his entire empire down with him. Stubborn son of a *****

[monsoon]

Indeed. The Republicans in this country are running scared of the next election given the completely failed policies of this administration and they finally woke up and said no. I fully expected Dubai to pull out of the deal at this point to save Bush the embarassment of a veto override from his own party.

The entire United States should not be for sale to foriegners so that a few in this country can be enriched by it.

[PghUSA]

Considering that the Clinton administration and Sen. Feinstein from Cali gave the West Coast ports to a company controlled by the communist and nuclear power Chinese (oh and by the way the NON ALLY have been running them for over a decade now, not a peep from the critics on that deal), and the fact that Hillary is playing a brilliant shell game paying off her house and credit cards with Dubai royal money from 2 speeches given in the "behind enemy lines" nation, it is strange the Republicans would be running anywhere. Unless of course, Clinton, Sen. Feinstein, Gore, Carter are all Republicans now?!

Metro, I appreciate your pathos on this, but the reason people like me gave up voting for Democrats is this double standard, selective outrage foolishness that has seemed to grip the party. Most on the fence voters realize that elections are a choice between the lesser of two evils, to pretend purity on an issue like Dubai is a real insult to potential Democratic supporters in 2006 and 2008. The Republicans are no angels but at the very least they don't incriminate others on missteps they too commit ala Chinese run ports on the westcoast courtesy of D, D and another D.

[monsoon]

Does that make what Bush did right? I don't think so. Bush ran on the platform that he would bring back good morals to the Whitehouse, yet everytime he screws up, it gets framed "oh but Clinton did it".

[PghUSA]

^^Personally I think Bush was foolish not to realize the impact of this decision, that said I don't see what the problem is when we have a nuclear power, communist govt. controlled co. running ports already in major nerve centers on the west coast. Morals really have not much to do with this, Dubai is an ally that wants to run a business here.

All I am looking for in leaders is for them to start abiding by the same standards, it is disapointing to me that some of the alternative leaders to our current administration are so angry about a decision they themselves have encouraged and benefited from.

It's one thing to make an unpopular decision, it's another to feign outrage at it while you worked so hard to aid it's development.

[monsoon]

For the record, I totally disagree with the wholesale exporting of our manufacturing base to China and turning over anything to the commies over there. Further I am outraged by the companies such as google and microsoft that assist that government all in the name of chasing the dollar. Whatever happened to putting your country first? I totally disagree with the USA borrowing so much money from China to fund our deficit spending.

Both the democrats and republicans have sold out to the corporations who so readily put our business in China, but it happens to the the republicans that are running things now which is why my criticism is lobbed towards them.

China is a big problem that is going to come back and get us one day.

[PghUSA]

^^I too am following the internet/China story closely (appalling what absolute terror our American companies are helping to spread over there), the China port sellout was pre-9/11 but I generally long for some more pathos by the Joe and Jane public out there on what our politicans are doing in DC. China and UK and even UAE should not be allowed to run major infrastructure here, but if I had to pick just one to bar it wouldn't be the UK or Dubai. I think what Hillary did was very brave, but I also think if she was serious Bill wouldn't be accepting UAE money twice or even giving them the time of day, it makes me suspicious of what kind of leadership alternatives we have available.

[Snowguy716]

PghUSA,

I think you've made some valid arguments concerning democrats and their double standards. I'm not going to try and counter it with yet another example of republican slyness, but I will say this:

Hillary Clinton, Feinstein, etc. are some of the worst democrats in this country. I'm not fond of the Clintons. It was Bill Clinton, after all, that signed Freedom to Farm into law, and we all know how well that boded for the group of democratic support, the family farm.

I think we need an overhaul in our political system. It has grown outdated and has soured like old milk on a warm, sunny day.

That is why I'm so disheartened by national politics. I have no idea who should run for president in '08. There just aren't any GOOD candidates that have the possibility of winning.

That's why I'm much more interested in state-wide politics. We have some very good candidates here that I believe would make fine presidents, but for lack of the qualities that this country can't seem to resist: Corruption, sell-outs, and slimeballing.

As far as China is concerned, I don't think it would be fair to label them as communists anymore. In fact, their country is making the switch from an authoritarian left-wing "utopia" to an authoritarian neo-liberal business haven. It's becoming one of those places from modern Science fiction where a few elite have all the power and money while the lower-downs live in abject poverty with no rights whatsoever.

I mean, there are millions of Americans living in abject poverty, but at least we can b*tch about it incessantly.