We are committing suicide

[Nebe]

not only is the middle class being squeezed by employment problems, look at the real estate markets these days. Down here in south county, a person earning 35 G a year can not buy a house down here unless you have a big down payment. I think the average price for a house is around 350,000. I know this is not the fault of the goverment, but it just goes to show that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. soon there will be no middle class, only the haves and the have nots.

[Skitterpop]

Sorry to say Nebe but that happened already...before you were born.

Haven`t seen you on line lately...busy season?

Be well,
Mike

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Indanite

Sorry to say Nebe but that happened already...before you were born.

Haven`t seen you on line lately...busy season?

Be well,
Mike

very busy with the glass, plus i am busy working on that you know what

[Navy Chief]

I'm not a big fan of selling our ports to other countries, but I don't get to make those decisions. It's way too late anyways.

Lets take a reality check here, the port of Long Beach is owned by the chinese, this sale is from the British to Dubai. Our ports are not run by us! There are only about 200 U.S. flagged merchant ships in the world. We (as a country) got out of the shipping business in the 70's and other countries do it way better than we do.

Having been to the UAE more times than I can count, I will say that Dubai Port Authority is easily the best in the world at running these types of operations. Through the ports of Fallujah and Jebel Ali, almost a third of our oil flows. They have run this massive operations for years and are extremely effective. The UAE is easily our best friend in the middle east. If you have seen this company in action, you would NOT oppose this sale. Greater efficiency of our ports means lower prices on imported goods for you and me.

U.S. Customs and the Coast Guard will still be in charge of security.
This entire thing is a non-issue developed by the left wing to appear right of the administration on a issue that the democratic party has proven itself completly ineffective and inept over the past 20 years.

That's all I have to say about that.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Navy Chief

I'm not a big fan of selling our ports to other countries, but I don't get to make those decisions. It's way too late anyways.

Lets take a reality check here, the port of Long Beach is owned by the chinese, this sale is from the British to Dubai. Our ports are not run by us! There are only about 200 U.S. flagged merchant ships in the world. We (as a country) got out of the shipping business in the 70's and other countries do it way better than we do.

Having been to the UAE more times than I can count, I will say that Dubai Port Authority is easily the best in the world at running these types of operations. Through the ports of Fallujah and Jebel Ali, almost a third of our oil flows. They have run this massive operations for years and are extremely effective. The UAE is easily our best friend in the middle east. If you have seen this company in action, you would NOT oppose this sale. Greater efficiency of our ports means lower prices on imported goods for you and me.

U.S. Customs and the Coast Guard will still be in charge of security.
This entire thing is a non-issue developed by the left wing to appear right of the administration on a issue that the democratic party has proven itself completly ineffective and inept over the past 20 years.

That's all I have to say about that.

I am not for or against this Port thing yet but leaning against at the moment but I have heard snippets of good things about the UAE port company amongst all the negative. I for one am not a fan of having a company, owned by a government, operating a US port. Same goes for China as most of their major companies are State owned.

I know the Navy significanlty uses UAE ports in the Gulf... Are they an ally of ours in the class of a Germany or a UK? I would be more comfortable that way.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Navy Chief

This entire thing is a non-issue developed by the left wing to appear right of the administration on a issue that the democratic party has proven itself completly ineffective and inept over the past 20 years.

Yea, that's why so many Republican Senators are against it

It's not even really an issue of security. The question really is why should we reward a nation that's been on the wrong side of the terrorisim issue so many times.

The inside scoop is that we have CIA and Special Ops positioned right across the straight from Iran, wink, wink...

But to call this liberal fluff is pretty silly.

-spence

[Backbeach Jake]

I can understand that we should reward our allies. But this constant sliding things like this under the radar screen by "W" is getting stale. What else ain't he telling us?

[Skip N]

Originally Posted by spence

Yea, that's why so many Republican Senators are against it

It's not even really an issue of security. The question really is why should we reward a nation that's been on the wrong side of the terrorisim issue so many times.

The inside scoop is that we have CIA and Special Ops positioned right across the straight from Iran, wink, wink...

But to call this liberal fluff is pretty silly.

-spence

The left is using this to make it look like they are tough on national security. But really both partys look like freakin idiots right now with all this fake outrage.The initial reaction to this was pure emotion, they knew nothing about the deal or how the ports will be run. Now that the fact are coming out about how the UAE will not have anything to do with security and really nothing will change i think people are starting to understand the whole thing better. I know i am.

But you and Nebe should LOVE this! We are being kind to our Middle East friends like you guys aways talk about. Now that more facts are coming out i dont see what the big deal is. nothing will change security wise so who cares. If they run the best ports in world they should get the deal. Sure it sucks to see a middle east country doing this but if there's no security concerns and they do the job the best i really cant object.

[Karl F]

350K
why couldn't I talk my wife into sellin out up here and moving down there last winter... can't even broach the subject with her for a coupla more years.
place will be all discovered like here, by then, (startin already, ain't it?), and right down the chit-chute it'll go, for the workin guy.