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daveonI came across this blistering line of logic from the great Jordan Bassior today. It's over on somebody elses LJ and I don't want to pollute his stream, but it's a classic bit of Jordan from those of us that remember his "nuke a random Islamic city until they like us" days on RASSF.
BEGIN QUOTE:
On the other hand, when shipping companies register their ships in countries like Panama and Liberia specifically to avoid US regulation, why exactly should US tax dollars and US blood be expended to protect them?
Because, since the shipping companies are in fact American and in fact carry American commerce, if we allow the pirates to attack this shipping we will suffer the real-world economic, diplomatic, political and social consequences of allowing these attacks. Furthermore, the pirates are not going to restrict their attacks to merchants registered under flags of convenience: they are not operating under the assumption that it is ok to attack Panamanian or Liberian-registered ships but dangerous to attack ships of other registries.
The larger point you should consider is just why nobody wants to register their ships as American. Could it be that our regulatory burden is so onerous that it's impossible, or at least very difficult, to turn a profit operating American-flagged vessels? We've obviously priced ourselves out of the commercial shipping trade: the market is hinting that we need to relieve the regulatory burden.
END QUOTE
The STUPID it burns mummy!
I bolded the bit in the last paragraph because my stupid-o-meter almost blew up at that stage.
Could it be that paying salaries to crew and tax on profits and running safe vehicles is more than the market can bear? Well, golly gosh darn it, I have a feeling that that could be the case and the only regulatory/tax environment that would meet the markets criteria would be pretty damn close to NONE and ZERO.
BEGIN QUOTE:
On the other hand, when shipping companies register their ships in countries like Panama and Liberia specifically to avoid US regulation, why exactly should US tax dollars and US blood be expended to protect them?
Because, since the shipping companies are in fact American and in fact carry American commerce, if we allow the pirates to attack this shipping we will suffer the real-world economic, diplomatic, political and social consequences of allowing these attacks. Furthermore, the pirates are not going to restrict their attacks to merchants registered under flags of convenience: they are not operating under the assumption that it is ok to attack Panamanian or Liberian-registered ships but dangerous to attack ships of other registries.
The larger point you should consider is just why nobody wants to register their ships as American. Could it be that our regulatory burden is so onerous that it's impossible, or at least very difficult, to turn a profit operating American-flagged vessels? We've obviously priced ourselves out of the commercial shipping trade: the market is hinting that we need to relieve the regulatory burden.
END QUOTE
The STUPID it burns mummy!
I bolded the bit in the last paragraph because my stupid-o-meter almost blew up at that stage.
Could it be that paying salaries to crew and tax on profits and running safe vehicles is more than the market can bear? Well, golly gosh darn it, I have a feeling that that could be the case and the only regulatory/tax environment that would meet the markets criteria would be pretty damn close to NONE and ZERO.
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no subject
Date: 2011-11-10 09:50 pm (UTC)Yeah, I want to compete with the Marshall Islands and Panama on wages and taxes.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-10 10:44 pm (UTC)