How can US Ports not be making enough money to keep ownership?
143295
Most US ports don't make a lot of money - or rather, they didn't many years ago.  The reason P&O first got into the business of managing ports around the world is simply...because they do a very good job of it.\nContrary to popular opinion, Dubai and the UAE are not supporters of terrorism.  On the contrary - they have proven to be some of the US' best allies in the region.  Not all Muslims think alike.\nIt is not a question of ownership of our ports; they are still owned in the US.  It is a question of management.  Cargo handling and port management were farmed out many years ago because there were companies that could do a better job at a lower price.  Do you, as a taxpayer, want to shell out millions of dollars to keep an unproductive port limping along in business - or get new management, and make the port productive and able to support itself?\nWhen was the last time you heard about a dockworkers' strike affecting our ports?  They were almost monthly occurrences in the '50s and '60s.  New management has reined in the excesses of the unions while improving throughput of cargo, thereby spreading prosperity for everyone concerned.
1055083
No they are not.  They invested too much money in it.  They have actually be running it a lot here lately.
1114934
Don't worry.  Err America will lose their NY mother station in August.  George Soros can't afford to dump millions into this sinking ship for much longer.
267587
Yes.\n\nThe ports are not being sold.  They will still be owned by whoever owns them now.  What is being sold are contracts to operate various functions at the ports, like loading and unloading ships.  And those contracts are not being sold by the US government but by the foreign owned company that owns them now.  So, yes, I agree with the President on this one.
488271
Ask the owners of transnational companies..... America is a mere puppet in their hands.....You are toooooo naive... and an idiot, indeed, to ask such a silly question...
572094
Either way, the money doesn't get used in the U.S. as any corporation of the size to be able to open sites in Mexico has a ton of tax shelters that prevent paying taxes.  Mexico benefits far more from both situations than the U.S. does.
177073
No.\n\nAnd anyone who says we shouldn't give control of our ports to another country doesn't understand the situation. These ports were already managed by another country. \n\nPlus, Dubai, has shown itself to be nothing but a friend to the US. And, in fact, it had agreed to put even harsher restrictions and more security measures in place than the previous management company.
1085158
we only produce 25 percent of what we use they claim so we get it from other allied countries. its bought alot cheaper than you think. the government pays less than half you see at the pumps for regular. there is enough oil and natural gas in the appalation mountains to last 2,000 years. there are other secret sites but they won't touch it as we would be paying 10 cents a gallon. the more they claim we don't have, the more profit they make. they don't want the easy route. it was discovered that we had so much excess oil athat many empty wells were being used to store it secretly, but they got caught to some point. the oil giants control the government.
373729
We must not mind too much. We are paying for it by buying a lot of stuff from them. Stuff that used to be ours but it was just too much work for us so we exported it.
1172705
Does the US government sell the majority of jets and military hardware or do US businesses?  Yes, the Navy will sell an old ship to a foreign government, but Israel's F-16 were sold by a company with the permission of the US government.\n\nIf you want to use that as a commodity to pay all state expenses, you will tax the heck out of that company.  The government is not profiting directly from these sales.
334364
a lot of them, if not all of them want to move here. well it won't benefit anyone if usa spends money on fixing it up. but taking over would eventually help build it up. i seriuosly doubt that would ever happen though.
244585
We weren't.  What happened is that the British company that held the contract to manage the ports was purchased by Dubai World Imports, a port management company owned by the UAE.  This led to worries that the UAE would use access to the ports as a way to sneak terrorists into the country. Congress was simply trying to decide wether to get out of the contract and go with another company or maintain the status quo.\n\nThe ports are still owned by the United States and security is handled by the Coast Guard.  The management company only handles day to day operations.\n\nWe are looking for a management company now, because the UAE has withdrawn any claims to that contract.
84080
It seems that even some of the republicans are starting to question the ideas of the bush administration. I was at my mechanic yesterday and overheard rush limbaugh (on the radio, of course) even criticizing bush's plan. It seems like selling the ports to the arab company is like asking the fox to gaurd the hen house. \nI think the Congress will try and stop Bush from going through with the sale since republicans and democrats are against it. Bush says he'll veto any act by Congress concerning the matter, but i would not be shocked to see the veto overridden. That would certainly be exciting and representative of our nation's growing disatisfaction with our president.
294872
The American government doesn't help half as much as they'd have you think they do.\n\nSome transnational businesses are in the habit of helping others, but only if there's a profit to be had.\n\nHelp isn't free, it always comes with a price.
433638
I agree with you 100% on that. That is such a great point. I don't understand it, maybe it's an issue they don't touch because they don't believe they will get enough out of it or something. It's really all about greed and the almighty buck.
1003888
Bush supported a plan to allow a company in Dubai (not the UAE government) to provide security services for ports.  He did not try to "sell the ports."  As to why, it's probably lobbyists.  You will find that shipping companies are multi-national entities, with companies from all over the world handling the work.  For example, the port at Long Beach is run by the Hanjin corporation, which is Korean.\n\nAt some point, the world is going to have to do business with Middle Eastern companies, and maybe someone thought this was a good way to go.  However, the security of a port should be undertaken by local government, not by a commercial entity.  To bad local governments may not have the money to do so.
181305
No. There are not. They have to make money.