The Oil Spill Crisis. the Obama Administration, the Jones Act and Unions

The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act, was passed in 1920 and was ostensibly meant to promote US shipping interests and to provide medical benefits to merchant sailors.

Among its provisions, still in effect today is that shipping and the passenger trade in US waters must be carried on by US flagged and staffed ships, with staffed being defined as 75% crewed by US citizens. With the growth of Unionism beginning in the 1930's, those 75% staffed jobs on ships became Union jobs with the Jones Act protecting the Unions and the Unions protecting the Jones Act.

President Bush waived the Jones Act during Katrina to allow foreign ships to come into US waters to aid in the Katrina disaster. After the bulk of the Hurricane cleanup was done, the Jones Act was reimposed.

Today, many are asking why the Obama Administration does not waive the Jones Act to allow foreign vessels into our waters to help us with the oil spill cleanup.

Dear Reader: Could it be that the Obama Administration's cozy relationship with Big Unions is allowing the crisis in the Gulf to worsen by not allowing foreign ships and their experienced non-union crews to assist in the clean-up?

Is the destruction of wildlife and the ruination of the ecology of the South's water's edge being permitted by the Administration because of Big Union's contributions to the 2008 Obama Campaign?

The best Oil Skimmer Ships are from Belgium, Holland and Norway. The best cleanup of a major oil spill was by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Aramco, in a 1991 wartime oil spill off Kuwait. Shouldn't the Obama Administration ask these knowledgeable companies to come help? What is going on here?

Obama can waive the Jones Act as President Bush did three days after Katrina hit. It is now 53 days since the oil rig explosion occurred, and the oil is beginning to pollute our Southern Shores.

Surely, Mr. President, some issues rise above politics. Waive the Jones Act and get the world's expertise in here as soon as possible. All Hands On Deck!
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“A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.” ~~ John Stuart Mill, Philosopher, 1806-1873

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