Good lord in heaven, when can we receive media personalities, that actually understand the issues they proport to be experts about? You know things are bad when an atheist such as myself starts prayin' for the press.
Fellow Blue J's, I give you Anne Applebaum. Her piece in WaPo is the latest attempt to paint anyone in favor of killing the Dubai Port deal as an xenophobic racicst. This typical piece has been written ad nauseum lately, and perhaps Anne missed the fact that David Ignatius wrote the same column last Friday. First of all she conflates the truly xenophobic policy held by Republicans like Duncan Hunter (R-CA) of "no foreign body ownership," with the rather distinct Democratic view of "no state-owned foreign body ownership." For those who haven't taken the remedial class on how to mislead your readers, these are very distinct positions.
Simply reducing to "no foreign body ownership" is xenophobic and can be construed as racist depending on which foreign bodies are allowed to do business in the USA and which aren't. This can definitely have implications for our foreign policy as well as our trade policies. This is the position held by Republicans.
However, if your position is "no state-owned foreign body ownership" then it is simply a foreign policy position. It is not in our interest to have any state-owned operation running our critical infrastructure. This does not mean that a company residing in Dubai cannot do business, but that a company ownded by the Government of Dubai cannot do business. An independent corporation is NOT a government owned entity, it has shareholders and customers that keep it accountable.
A government owned body, such as the dictatorial UAE, does not even have voters to hold it accountable. It can do whatever it so pleases without being held accountable. It is uncapitalistic at best, and a threat to our national security at worse.
U.S. District Judge Jose Linares also said the state will not be privy to documents the company gave to a federal committee reviewing the deal. Linares said the state "needs to show an immediate need for those documents."
...
The Bush administration agreed Sunday to the company's request for a 45-day investigation of the deal's potential security risks; the judge on Wednesday said that review should be sufficient.
"The very action now is taking place," said Linares, who added that if the review does not take place, the state could reargue its case.
U.S. District Judge Jose Linares is scheduled to hear New Jersey's lawsuit requesting an investigation of the deal to allow United Arab Emirates-based Dubai World Ports to take over of some U.S. port operations, including operations at Port Newark. Gov. Jon S. Corzine is also seeking permission to inspect documents given to a federal committee reviewing the deal. Of course, Bush's mind is made up and says his position isn't changing.
The citizens' group Stop Renewal Of Oyster Creek will get the public hearing they wanted on the safety of the of a metal liner that helps keep radiation in the reactor core. The nuclear power plant is licenced through 2009 and seeking to renew its licence until 2029.
Yesterday the Democratic State Committee agreed to pay a record $255,000 fine, levied by the State Election Law Enforcement Commission, for being late in reporting of contributions during the end of the 2001 election year. Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D- Union) said the mistakes were caused largely by an overwhelmed computer system; the Democrats raised a record $28 million during that election year.
Assemblyfolk Bill Baroni, Jennifer Beck and Linda Stender urged Rutgers University to retain Douglass College as a separate institution and not to combine it with the University's other colleges. Assemblywoman Stender has drafted a resolution to that effect, AR131. The companion bill, SR26, is scheduled for a committee vote on Thursday, while Douglass grads and students plan a rally at the statehouse.
The NJ Supreme Court unanimously upheld the state's standards for water clean-up at sites polluted by industry. Federal Pacific Electric Co. had challenged the standards in court, saying they violated the 1997 Brownfield Act, but were shot down. Score one for the environment!
The National Alliance on Mental Illness gave Our Fair State a C for its services to the mentally ill. They noted former Gov. Codey's improvements to the system during his time as governor, but said they are simply good starting points. The nation as a whole recieved a grade of D.
The child-care industry in N.J. had a direct economic impact of $2.55 billion in 2005, according to a report released yesterday by the New Jersey Child Care Economic Impact Council. The impact is more than the revenues of the agriculture, scientific research and development, and hotel industries in New Jersey, and employ more people than many industries such as telecommunications, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and transportation.
There was one winner in last night's $267 million Mega Millions drawing, and the ticket was sold in... Ohio. Better luck next time, NJ lottery fans.
Assemblywoman Linda Stender (also a contender to help Dump Mike) has fast tracked her bill A-2702 through the statehouse. The bill portends to stop the Dubai port grab and seems to have a promise of passing the legislature rather quickly and being signed by Gov. Corzine expeditiously.
This bill is moving so fast, that Linda Stender is talking to the Homeland Security Committee RIGHT NOW.
That's right folks, the famous, I dunno defense is now being toted by the White House. The problem is, people who work for the White House, actually DID know.
The next thing you know, the White House will no longer be commenting on an ongoing "investigation." At least that is what the Karl Rove playbook says.
Also of interest, according to Think Progress, another law was broken, and our future Port operations managers in Dubai actually met with Osama Bin Laden.
Again use this as an open thread to voice your concerns about this National Security issue that our Senator Bob Menendez brought to the forefront of our national conversation.
The State Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee started picking through the Medicaid budget yesterday in search of savings. The Committee proposed a new office of oversight for Medicaid spending, which is currently split between the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Human Services.
Governor Corzine stated yesterday that he wouldn't consider privatizing the Turnpike to assist the failing Transportation Trust Fund. He stated his current choice will be to (sigh) borrow more money and refinance the existing debtload instead. The Governor said that this would not be the only facet of his plan but nothing else has been stated yet.
Controversey is swirling around Governor Corzine's pick for state treasurer. Bradley Abelow has been accused by businessmen who say they were victims of a short-selling scheme by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp., where Abelow was a board trustee. Abelow has stated that "lawsuits against DTCC "have been largely dismissed or withdrawn and have nothing to do with me personally or my service on the corporation board.""
Lawyers are arguing that Our Fair State's new rules for pay-to-play restrictions are confusing. At a hearing yesterday for the Election Law Enforcement Commission, Dover Twp. (Ocean) attorney Garry Mundy testified about ill-defined terms, questionable timeframes for permissable donations, and whether local ordanances supersede or enhance the state's ban, among other issues.
Acting Environmental Commissioner Lisa Jackson is requesting public hearings on safety of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. There are concerns with corrosion of liners at the site, vulnerablity to aircraft attacks, and monotoring and management of aging equipment. Excelon submitted an application for renewal of the power plant's licence last summer; if renewed in 2009, the plant will remain licenced until 2029.
U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings makes her first visit to Our Fair State today. She will be speaking at Fairleigh Dickinson University then visiting the acclaimed Robert Treat Academy Charter School in Newark. She is not expected to visit any public schools where Children have been Left Behind.
NJ Transit is reviewing just how many people will use a proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex rail line. Let's hope they have better luck predicting ridership there than they did on the RiverLine.
The Star-Ledger editorial weighs in on the port deal with UAE-owned Dubai Ports World. Bush's defense of his position on this deal? "Trust us."
Have you heard the Sen. Menendez podcast interview? You can subscribe to BlueJersey's podcast so you never miss one!
Cino Says United States Navy
Should Take Over Ports
Cino Says National Security Paramount
Michael J. Cino Congressional Candidate in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District states that the United States Navy should step into the Port Deal, exercising eminent domain on the basis of National Security Concerns, and take over all the ports covered by this transaction.
The Attorney General should then be directed to properly compensate the current seller in this transaction.
The United States Navy would then have a new ports from which we can DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE OUR HOMELAND SECURITY.
"The Sailors in the Navy are already on this Nation's payroll. How hard is it to have the Navy expand its role in Port Security? Commodore John Barry would not believe any of this - he would be shaking his head," Cino stated.
Commodore John Barry, of Irish descent, was recently recognized by the United States Congress as the First Flag Officer of the United States Navy - Michael J. Cino is a Candidate in the June 6 Republican Primary in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District which includes Northern Bergen County, Sussex, Warren and Upper Passaic Counties.
How about we let the United Arab Emirates folks pay for the dredgeing of the Delaware River!
For those of you listening to the aweful media coverage on this, remember how simple this is.
The President, acting without Congress, approved the sale of our ports to a nation that is a terrorist sponsor, and has a huge economic relationship with Iran (axis of evil).
Use this as an open thread to discuss the President making a major business deal with a terrorist sponsoring nation!
Corzine has asked that state and federal lawsuits be filed to prevent the sale of our ports to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates::
[T]he Port Authority of New York & New Jersey will seek to terminate its lease with Port Newark Container Terminal, a current operator at Port Newark. Under the terms of the lease, the type of transaction engaged in with Dubai Ports World requires prior written approval from the Port Authority; none was sought and none was given. The lawsuit will be filed in Superior Court in Essex County.
Also:
Corzine also directed Attorney General Zulima Farber to file a lawsuit in federal court based on the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, which gives independent sovereignty to the states. As part of the suit, the state will assert its independent authority and obligation to protect New Jersey citizens and the Port of Newark.
Tom Kean, Jr finally spoke up against the port deal. He says that "the security of the people residing in the surrounding communities should not have to wait for congressional action when the State of New Jersey can act decisively to protect the security of our residents." Sounds to me like he's trying to steal the thunder from Menendez' legislation to block the port deal, which he announced four days ago. Still, Kean suggests that Corzine may be able to void the lease aggrement:
Section 48 of the lease Between the Port Authority and Port Newark Container Terminal, the subsidiary of P&O that operates the terminal, entitled "Right of Termination/Ownership and Control," would appear to give the port authority the ability to void the provisions of the lease if the transaction is contrary to public interest.
If Bill Frist and Congress do not follow Senators Clinton and Menendez' lead to block all such port deals, this is an option that the state should definitely consider.
Senators Menendez, Clinton, Lautenberg and Boxer sent a letter to Bill Frist urging him to consider legislation that would prevent the sale of our ports to foreign governments.
In the letter, they wrote: “This sale will create an unacceptable risk to the security of our ports. We therefore request that emergency legislation we are introducing to ban foreign governments from controlling operations at our ports be slated for immediate consideration when the Senate convenes on February 27.�
Today, Frist said that if the Bush administration does not reverse course on the decision to sell the ports, he will ask the Senate to act:
"If the administration cannot delay the process, I plan on introducing legislation to ensure that the deal is placed on hold until this decision gets a more thorough review."
Senators Lautenberg and Boxer today announced that they will co-sponsor legislation being introduced by Menendez and Clinton to prevent the sale of ports to foreign governments.
So I am barely waking up this morning and I hear a blathering Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborn Boggs a.k.a. Cokie Roberts talking about how the Katrina Report was all Republicans as is the opposition to the UAE owning the port system.
First off, in fairness, the Republican committee that issued a report on Wednesday is totally Republican. However, when asked on ABC's This Week, Rep. Gene Taylor said that they didn't bother to subpoena White House records, for fear of being stonewalled and thus delaying the report. I guess the report just HAD to come out February 15th so that folks planning Mardi Gras could prepare special floats with Chertoff bullseye's painted on. Either way, the Republican committee failed to really scathe the White House because, the White House wouldn't let them see their records. Good job Committee. In other words, the reasons Democrats boycotted the committee in the first place came to fruition in the Republican's version of the GAO and DHS Inspector General reports. I won't even get into how screwed up our country is when Republicans get stonewalled by their own party's leader.
Besides, this is only the first of 3 reports on Katrina. The next one to come out is from a BI-PARTISAN Senate Committee. Too bad Cokie forgot to mention that.
However, Cokie wasn't done lifting the Republicans above all ills.
She then went right ahead and blatenly lied.
Cokie went on to say that Republicans were the only one's outraged over the UAE takeover of our Port system. This as we all know, is what Washingtonian Press Folk would potentially call, blatant disregard for the truth. Isn't it enough that Bob Menendez has to issue rapid responses to Michael Chertoff? Go ahead give it a listen, not one mention of Menendez, Clinton, or any legislation that they happen to have already introduced! Though there was a tone of belittlement when she mentioned Chuck Schumer using 9/11 familes to highlight the issue. You can almost hear her think "politicizing 9/11."
However, NPR wasn't done with their Republican cheerleading effort just yet. Immediately following Cokie Roberts' wankery, Peter Overby filed this report, which basically tried to explain the already debunked convoluted way that Harry Reid shares guilt in the Abramoff scandal. The explanation itself is totally convoluted, then again, most baseless accusations come accross this way.
This Morning Edition's pyloric parastolsis gives credence to the idea that NPR really stands for Nice Polite Republicans.
Michael Chertoff on This Week just said that the sale of our ports to the United Arab Emirates is "classified." Michael Chertoff approved the sale of these ports to a country that supports terrorism. Besides the hypocrisy this move obviously generates for Bush doctrine (you know, "with us or against us"), why would the sale of the Operations of our ports be considered "Classified?"
What is it about the sale of any business function to any entity that makes it a "classified" transaction?
“Secretary Chertoff demonstrated again this morning that the Bush administration just does not get it. No matter what steps the administration claims it has secretly taken, it is an unacceptable risk to turn control of our ports over to a foreign government, particularly one with a troubling history. We cannot depend on promises a foreign government has given the administration in secret to secure our ports. Congress needs to pass the legislation I am developing with Senator Clinton to ban foreign governments from controlling operations at our ports.�
