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Here's a great catch 22...
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has filed an amendment to the bill governing the Keystone XL Pipeline that would repeal the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as The Jones Act, which requires that all goods shipped between waterborne ports of the United States be carried by vessels built in the United States and owned and operated by Americans.
More at:
http://www.the-triton.com/2015/01/mccain...jones-act/
So, in the grand scheme of things would one trade allowing the Keystone XL Pipeline to go through for repealing of the Jones Act?
I personally feel that the Jones Act is the single largest reason for the high cost of living in Hawaii. Forget land prices, or any other reason you could give, the Jones act effects everyone to the tune of thousands of dollars a year each.
I also think the Keystone Pipeline is a big mistake and shouldn't be allowed to go through.. thus the catch 22.
And on top of that.. what's with the lack of reporting of the west coast "strike" here in Hawaii. In the past if the news even hinted at a real strike there'd be a major run on staples in our stores, and now that there really is one going on, that's all but declared, there's practically nothing in our local news about it.
Odd?
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Don't ever watch local news as most the time its easier to find out what's going on here by watching mainland news  or the internet news...
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John McCain isn't even Made In The USA, he was born in Panama.
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As soon as I heard rumors about a boat strike, I stocked up on essentials; I wanted to get there before the hoarders.
Actually, I ordered on Amazon, which comes FedEx, by air, and wouldn't be affected by a longshore strike.
I've heard that shipping to Hawaii is specifically protected during strikes, but I don't see how that works. Buncha longshoremen walking the picket line, refusing to work; management comes out and says, "Say, this is a Hawaii-bound ship" and the mens all stroll in, load it up, then head back out to the picket lines?
><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>
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This couching of one topic in another entirely separate topic is despicable. I don't understand why the great unwashed masses don't get upset about this kind of abuse of power.
It reeks of blackmail.
I'm informed enough to know that I don't know the whole side of either of the issues.
I know that I would rather we use technologies that don't involve oil but snapping my fingers and doing a jig won't make it so. On the other hand our current reliance on oil doesn't necessitate the construction of a pipeline from Alaska to the gulf.
I know that we pay more now because of the Jones act, but if we no longer abided by it what would we pay tomorrow, next year, in ten years, what would our kids pay, our grandchildren? I don't know.
Both are extremely complicated issues with many variables and much history.
But I do know that each should be consideredl separately and either outcome should have no bearing on the other.
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On the other hand our current reliance on oil doesn't necessitate the construction of a pipeline from Alaska to the gulf.
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Its Canada, not Alaska...
Would you rather continue to see that oil transported via rail and see more environmental disasters every time a train carrying that oil crashes?
It is the same parallel to us here utilizing geothermal energy instead of oil coming over via ships. When will the next oil shipping disaster occur which will harm Hawaii coastlines?
Adding this link to pipeline maps.
Once you realize how many there already are, you may change your position on whether or not to allow one more.
http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-o...-pipelines
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would one trade allowing the Keystone XL Pipeline to go through for repealing of the Jones Act?
Take the long view and this makes perfect sense: after the inevitable pipeline disaster, Hawaii will be one of the few unspoiled places that's part of the US.
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quote:
Originally posted by leilanidude
On the other hand our current reliance on oil doesn't necessitate the construction of a pipeline from Alaska to the gulf.
----------
Its Canada, not Alaska...
Would you rather continue to see that oil transported via rail and see more environmental disasters every time a train carrying that oil crashes?
It is the same parallel to us here utilizing geothermal energy instead of oil coming over via ships. When will the next oil shipping disaster occur which will harm Hawaii coastlines?
Adding this link to pipeline maps.
Once you realize how many there already are, you may change your position on whether or not to allow one more.
http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-o...-pipelines
I would much rather have the clean up from a rail car crash then a leak that wasn't noticed for years.
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This has been a topic in the politics section before. McCain has been shot down several times now in attempts to repeal the Jones act. This latest news is he wants to tie it to the Keystone pipeline, which has passed both houses, but Obama has said he will veto and there aren't enough votes to override the veto.
Back to the more pertinent issue for Hawaii, all the way to Puna, is that produce from the US mainland has to be via Jones act, that is, US longshoremen and US ships. Even produce from South America is shipped first to US west coast ports before being transferred to Matson and Pasha to ship to Hawaii. As you should know, grapes, strawberries, cherries, and almost all the citrus is imported in. These are in refrigerator containers but refrigeration only keeps things semi-fresh for a limited time. If Jones act was repealed, south American produce could be shipped directly to Hawaii. As it is, this is the news on the west coast (check your imported produce carefully, nothing like that one rotted grape or strawberry to ruin the whole package):
http://www.breitbart.com/california/2015...ion-fight/
CAL FRUITS AND CROPS ROTTING AT WEST COAST PORTS IN UNION FIGHT
"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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Both issues are intertwined (XL and Jones). The Jones act doesn't just affect Hawaii, it affects the entire US forcing unloading and reloading of ships and unnecessary detours in many cases and drives up the transportation costs of goods across the entire United States. This also drives up the consumption of petroleum on the current unnecessary shipping routes. XL is a streamlining proposal as is the repeal of the Jones act. Both act to reduce the unnecessary consumption of petroleum.
People will not begin using more petroleum because of these proposal aside from the consumption cost of construction, in the long run it effectively reduces petroleum consumption by reducing unnecessary shipping routes.
We aren't going to end fossil fuel consumption tomorrow but we can certainly strive to use that which we consume more effectively. Think about the entirety combined and the effects overall, think of all the carbon no longer released into the atmosphere when ceasing to ship these products via truck, trains and ship unnecessarily to comply with the Jones act or lack of a pipeline.
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