That is pretty close to what I thought when I heard him say 2 hours. Probably stressed him out too much sending aid to Red states and 15 minutes felt like 2 hours. What a terrible man.
You are correct about the strike, except for one thing. According to Conservative Treehouse, foreign entities actually own most of our ports.(Read "Dragon Riding"). Thus the longshoremen are striking against ideological, political and financial interests of foreign actors. Foreigners owning our ports could have significant ramifications in our modern world. I'm no expert on any of this, so read the article.
Which, unfortunately, their constituents voted into power. We, as Pogo said, have met the enemy. And he is us. Perhaps we as a collective really are too stupid to live.
We did indeed. But we also expected them to have our country’s best interests at heart, which they mouthed. Clearly that has seldom if ever been the case as the whole place is now buckling from the effects of their feckless greed.
Perhaps there should be a requirement that no one can run for office who has not previously spent at least 5-10 years in private business. At least then those holding office would have some sort of clue as to how things actually work in the real world - unlike the incomprehensibly ignorant mass of rubes currently in place in our Congress.
That discussion about the logistics of automation - remote operators of automated cranes would not necessarily be in America - was really eye opening for me.
Aside from the real job losses, there are safety (what happens if there’s an error and the humans are thousands of miles away?) as well as national security issues (all that networked stuff run by sometimes non allies and how do you work the cranes when the owners decide you don’t deserve any more stuff delivered.) The union members might be worried about their own legacy jobs, and the union about their own legacy dues paying money laundering fiefdoms, but the rest of the world should pay attention to some hard core political issues.
Selling off our independence has happened gradually over decades with no real “attention” from the public. I am not optimistic that most shoppers will consider the deeper issues when they can’t buy goods.
Average public has no idea about ownership of ports. Similarly - Mexico just nationalized one that’s been owned, developed and operated by an American mining company for decades. Same issues as Indonesia wanting the sulphur and copper mines of Freeport McMoRan. Countries don’t have the skill and resources to develop themselves but want what some else makes successful.
Venezuela and its really productive petroleum industry comes to mind. It was superbly run and productive (even though it followed the oil cycles like the rest of the industry) until nationalized by Chavez. The skilled crews left, Chavez stripping profits for social programs and equipment wasn’t maintained. So Venezuela lost its primary economic asset.
If I am not mistaken the majority of the dock cranes were built in China and if so you can bet your last dollar are espionage equipment if deemed necessary by the Chinese communist party.
The trouble is that for a short time it DOES seem to work. Then the inevitable troubles and problems emerge, and the communist rulers turn tyrannical to keep down dissent.
Criswell predicts that Amazon is about to take a big hit. We have a lot of Amazon warehouses nearby always with lots of big trucks lined up to be loaded/unloaded. Pretty darn soon, if this stranglehold is not resolved, there's not going to be anything to keep those 18 wheelers working.
Most of our imports come from Canada and Mexico. Only about 6% of total GDP or so come through overseas. And as a total economy we don't import all that much. We will most feel this in small electronics. There is significant reshoring to NA of what used to be made in China.
Canada and Mexico, as PDJT’s Trade Team of Wilbur Ross, Lightheiser and Navarro showed, these two nations are just way-stations for China and EU to game NAFTA import rules. China & Canada don’t make any steel or smelt aluminum….but transship/stockpile inventory to import to US.
That last video link at the bottom of the post is a must see if you want the union members’ side of the story. They’re pissed and with good reason. I don’t like unions, but I can empathize with the workers after viewing this.
And the Chinese pharma companies are ‘required’ to adhere to US FDA Good Manufacturing Procedures requiring “self-reporting” of any quality or contamination issues…..when you get a good dose of contaminated pills that crash your kidney function, your family can just call up ‘Wang Wi - the Wuhan Hammer’ and sue those bastards into oblivion for damages…
I loved Trump’s plan to re-establish DISC tax breaks for pharma production in Puerto Rico, but that was to support their island economy, he should just do it anywhere in the US now.
About fifteen years ago my doctor was telling me of his concern about imported drugs. Apparently, the chinese had figured out how to conterfit viagra and US barcodes with real US serial numbers and get their drugs into the American supply chain. So when he got a shipment of something he had to verify its authenticity. By the way, that viagra was determined to be about 30% actual drug and the rest was largely sheet-rock dust! So take those pills wisely and if you see a change in results of whatever you are taking, call your doc immediately. The chinese are not our friends.
I take tadalafil, a generic form of Cialis, for a rare lung disease. Lots of my fellow patients take Viagra for it so this is scary stuff. These meds open up blood vessels in our lungs so we can get oxygen. These meds aren’t just for men.
I doubt it. They will just blame whoever is in office at the time. Far too many people live a life of short-term decisions, rather than thinking about why life events happen.
Cellphones are from Samsung Telecom factories in Korea, some of the best manufacturing engineers in the world. Once they get the bugs out, almost 0% out-of-spec per 100,000 units.
One thing not part of this discussion is that longshoremen on the West Coast are in a different union, the ILWU, not the ILA. So some of the slack may be taken up by West Coast container ports, mainly LA/Long Beach, Oakland, and Seattle/Tacoma. Plus possibly, up in Canada, Vancouver BC and Port Rupert, which has an excellent train connection to Chicago.
Long-term, however, I would expect a lot of manufacturing to return to the US, now that the vulnerabilities of the outsourcing fever have been exposed.
Good. The Atlas is FINALLY shrugging! Federal "workers" ...being paid more, disgusting. Adam Smith would puke ....crony capitalism and insider trading politicians have been trying to destroy Capitalism since inception. It is the only system that is color blind and makes men FREE. Happy people tend to reproduce little freedom lovers in their GLORIOUS image.
Federal workers who largely do nothing. Way back in 1981 I had occasion to visit the State Department and was walked through a secretarial pool of dozens of women. Most were sitting at their desks with small TV’s on them (this was before the internet) and watching soap operas. They were of a certain demographic and could not be fired because they would file racial grievances against the department. Just imagine what it’s like now. At over 100k a year.
The scam/scheme was brilliant. Gotta hand it to them, they created PLUS SIZE BIG GOV dependents, soap opera watching implies BON BON's and MOO MOO's....formerly called housewives. Insulin dependent on CHEM PHARMA, keep them snacking at their desks on BIG FARMA.
If by "Federal workers" you mean the longshoremen, you're wrong. They are militantly on their own, although they don't mind subsidizing friendly politicians.
Warren Buffett owns railroads that will help America get stronger ‘helping’ move the US’ total consumption of the worlds imports for all 320 million legal American and 40 million illegal US-debit card Americans (right past those spur lines of shuttered same make manufacturing plants) ……unless you need more oil from a pipeline.
And then, What’s to stop those dock workers from then deciding to strike because of the “extra” work they’ll be expected to perform?
What a mess.
And at the root of all of it is corrupt management and greed, from the CoC, to the Unions, to the Federal Government, to the dock owners, ad infinitum.
Who will pay for all of the Manufacturing needs, - new modernized buildings, at new locations, expensive equipment, re-training, the list goes on.....clever, those chinese children....
If there's money to be made, it will all be built. That's an iron law of economics. Although this might not work in those states that are causing businesses to flee to more accommodating ones. Those stupid states include New York and California, but there's plenty of others with more sense.
Actually it took 50 years to build that infrastructure. And that was without the crazy regulations and EPA mini. Now that it’s destroyed, it would take another 100 years to restore it.
Wim - It's not as if we didn't already experience this with the supply chain disruptions during COVID and the useless "Secretary of Transportation". Obviously we're slow learners!
I didn't say that ILWU members would be "scabs" to replace the ILA; I know better than that. I merely indicated that there are still ways to import stuff into the country. Those places might get a bit overcrowded or backed up, but they exist.
Today’s post goes into Don’s Top 10. Using common sense and humor he skewers libtard masculinity, globalist idiocy, federal parasites, feckless FJB and Taylor Swift. A tour de force.
Totally agree. The analogy to the body is particularly astute.
That said, seems like it might be worth pondering how we got here. Yes and remember the MFN status for China and downsizing not to mention the LBO fueled era of 1980's-1990's to both wring efficiencies in business and merge companies in similar industries.
However, if we are wise and honest, we have to admit that it is very tough indeed to see past immediate consequences to the longterm and unintended consequences.
One approach that I think works is to make change small--that allows for changing course midway. Seems to me that this is part of the definition of conservatism--being incremental, rather than embracing "reforms" that too easily become radical.
Thank you for this column, Don, you connect the dots like no one else can and really help us understand what's going on. There are so many pieces/angles to this story, before reading your column I had only the faintest grip on it.
I wonder if this is the October Surprise. The fact that it can cause alot of disruption and shortages in our economy makes it a candidate. Also notice that our illustrious Marxist Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, is involved somehow in this--behind the scenes egging it on to encourage the economic disruption, or setting it up for the Democrats to impose Taft-Hartley and think they will look like heroes?? And to what degree is Daggett and the ILA socialist? It all gets intricate, because the longshoremen do have a right to lobby for appropriate wages, but it is also a fact that continually increasing levels of automation cannot really be resisted in the long-run.
If this IS the Democrat's October Surprise, it is very, very, likely to turn into an October Fiasco. There are too many pieces in this event for it to neatly only support one Party, and I bet the Democrats have miscalculated what all the moving pieces will result in. Don is making the crucial point that underlying this problem is the original decision to open trade to Communist China and ship huge hunks of our manufacturing (and everything else) overseas. This point is inevitably going to come to the surface in the wider media--because it is a Truth, a reality-- and in the end, it only benefits Donald Trump--who was so strong on pointing this problem out, taking on China, and taking vigorous efforts to bring this manufacturing back to America.
For me, it is an easy bet to make-- this will end up being an October Fiasco.
So, the dockworkers have the power to damage the country and the economy for their own personal gain. How far should citizens take this abuse of power? Many segments of the society have the ability to disrupt the lives of others.
The truckers could just decide to stop hauling unless they get a pay increase of ___%. Maybe the people who provide electricity, water and other vital services should say to the dockworkers . . . no services as long as you choose to shut down the economy. Or maybe the medical profession should say . . . no services for you and your family as long as you choose to make our lives more difficult for your personal gain. Where does this end?
“No real man slugs a woman. That he was drunk was no excuse. Whatever you say drunk does not count.” There is a saying (not sure of the source) that “a drunk speaks a sober mind.”
But Epictetus nailed it when he discusses blame. “An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.”
Great column Don. Nice thing about the strike is like so many other features of the Clown World in which we find ourselves, there are no good guys on any side. The way things are going - and seemingly accelerating - I’m not sure the country will hold together long enough to make it to Election Month, when the real fun begins. And by fun I mean something else entirely. Stock up. Strap in. And if you’re so inclined, pray…
Ccmpare it to public staffing firms Kelly or Manpower; Big 5 Accounting firms PwC, EY, Deloitte; Multinational Law firms billing $500 to $1000 per hour - all are Labor Cartels or Guilds. Same difference.
Maria Bartiromo just now talked with a reporter who was on the docks interviewing the longshoremen. Before the segment ended, Maria asked the reporter to ask the workers who will be voting for Kamala. Dead silence.
The ILA has deep roots in the communist party. For decades, the ILA, Teamsters and the mafia have been natural partners in corruption. It should surprise no one with a brain that Word Salad was duty bound to declare her support for her brothers in crime. *** I'm not capable of identifying the best part of the Harris performance on this subject. Is it her kindergarten level definition of collective bargaining? (Video available at YouTube) Is it the political decision to further advance the war on American consumers by supporting the ILA strike? Is it her sure to come appearance on an ILA picket line? *** Poll: In the short term, the lack of Biden-Harris-FEMA response to Helene's devastation of Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and parts of Georgia are creating such anger that those states are certainly voting for Trump. As we get closer to Nov. 5, the ILA strike will become a more significant cause of Trump votes as it will impact the entire country. Harris will remain firmly committed to the inflation and shortage producing strike, thus costing her millions of votes.
It’s all the left has: coercion. They’ve been shaking down whole industries for decades. Now they’re going to shakedown the people.
This strike was coordinated by the Democrats for leverage in the election. Kamala will adjudicate a grand bargain in a few weeks to demonstrate her great leadership.
You’re so right! This whole strike episode has been manufactured to benefit Scamala and the leftists to make that “grand bargain” to score political points just before the general election. Besides part of the leftists’ “cheat the vote” plan relies on longshoremen unloading multiple boxes of fake ballots.
They need the union votes. Couldn’t care less about the other people. I’m not saying it will help. They haven’t been very good at any strategic political action they have taken. It has all backfired. They’re arrogant
I disagree, this strike will not help the frick and frack regime.
There's plenty of time for Trump/Vance to explain the truth of the decades of our government corruption used in selling out our country to foreign enterprises, China in particular.
Based on the speech you quote by Daggett, do we not have treason laws he could be arrested on? And could not some Chamber of Commerce guys be brought in on aiding and abetting a crime? Do our laws require us not to defend ourselves?
On a personal level this strike may adversely affect my bluebirds. I have managed to attract many bluebirds to my new home, but if I can’t get cheap dried mealworms from China they may have to go back to catching and eating American bugs in their own.
Very important report on what our government has done via the "Chamber of Commerce"(CoC).
Folks - Daggett is the paid stooge of the union and please put him aside... FOREIGNERS like the CCP own our ports(thanks CoC). Automation - which is why the union members are striking - will put the power into foreign hands.
Daggett is the Alinsky rule for you to focus on by design while you are being duped by the Chinese(our CoC).
To the longshoremen: You are fighting the last war, and you will lose. When Harold Daggett, the leader of the International Longshoremen's Association, spouted off on-camera about having the nation over a barrel, he just cut his own throat - and yours. It is quite alarming to see him openly threaten the whole nation with privation and hunger. Automation is coming, boys, like it or not. The days of throwing your shoes (French, sabot - origin of the word sabotage) into the gears of the machinery are long gone. You can be replaced - and will.
The anus is on the beach in Delaware, Don.
Applause for today's presentation.
From the beach....
🌞🇧🇷🌴🏖🌊🐠🌎😎
But he is working so very hard. Spent almost 2 hours on the phone.
Yes, it takes two hours to find a doordash to deliver ice cream to the hot beach before it melts.
He was not talking on the phone, he dropped it in his chair and was sitting on it for 2 y ears ....probably still is.
Almost two hours for Joe is less than 15 minutes.
That is pretty close to what I thought when I heard him say 2 hours. Probably stressed him out too much sending aid to Red states and 15 minutes felt like 2 hours. What a terrible man.
You are correct about the strike, except for one thing. According to Conservative Treehouse, foreign entities actually own most of our ports.(Read "Dragon Riding"). Thus the longshoremen are striking against ideological, political and financial interests of foreign actors. Foreigners owning our ports could have significant ramifications in our modern world. I'm no expert on any of this, so read the article.
makes about as much sense as selling our toll roads to foreigners or farmland to China.
Decades of really stupid, greedy politicians.
Which, unfortunately, their constituents voted into power. We, as Pogo said, have met the enemy. And he is us. Perhaps we as a collective really are too stupid to live.
We did indeed. But we also expected them to have our country’s best interests at heart, which they mouthed. Clearly that has seldom if ever been the case as the whole place is now buckling from the effects of their feckless greed.
Perhaps there should be a requirement that no one can run for office who has not previously spent at least 5-10 years in private business. At least then those holding office would have some sort of clue as to how things actually work in the real world - unlike the incomprehensibly ignorant mass of rubes currently in place in our Congress.
Maybe. We did vote them in, but they always lie about their goals.......which is to enrich themselves at our expense.
It is not that we are stupid but moral people are trusting and gullible to a fault ,thus the situation we are now in.
Yes and selling uranium to the Chinese, much of our farmland to the Chinese, US Steel anyone?
That discussion about the logistics of automation - remote operators of automated cranes would not necessarily be in America - was really eye opening for me.
Aside from the real job losses, there are safety (what happens if there’s an error and the humans are thousands of miles away?) as well as national security issues (all that networked stuff run by sometimes non allies and how do you work the cranes when the owners decide you don’t deserve any more stuff delivered.) The union members might be worried about their own legacy jobs, and the union about their own legacy dues paying money laundering fiefdoms, but the rest of the world should pay attention to some hard core political issues.
Eye-opening for me, too, EODMom.
Hard core political & security issues, indeed!
Selling off our independence has happened gradually over decades with no real “attention” from the public. I am not optimistic that most shoppers will consider the deeper issues when they can’t buy goods.
Average public has no idea about ownership of ports. Similarly - Mexico just nationalized one that’s been owned, developed and operated by an American mining company for decades. Same issues as Indonesia wanting the sulphur and copper mines of Freeport McMoRan. Countries don’t have the skill and resources to develop themselves but want what some else makes successful.
Venezuela and its really productive petroleum industry comes to mind. It was superbly run and productive (even though it followed the oil cycles like the rest of the industry) until nationalized by Chavez. The skilled crews left, Chavez stripping profits for social programs and equipment wasn’t maintained. So Venezuela lost its primary economic asset.
In conclusion: socialcommunism doesn’t work.
If I am not mistaken the majority of the dock cranes were built in China and if so you can bet your last dollar are espionage equipment if deemed necessary by the Chinese communist party.
The trouble is that for a short time it DOES seem to work. Then the inevitable troubles and problems emerge, and the communist rulers turn tyrannical to keep down dissent.
Criswell predicts that Amazon is about to take a big hit. We have a lot of Amazon warehouses nearby always with lots of big trucks lined up to be loaded/unloaded. Pretty darn soon, if this stranglehold is not resolved, there's not going to be anything to keep those 18 wheelers working.
Most of our imports come from Canada and Mexico. Only about 6% of total GDP or so come through overseas. And as a total economy we don't import all that much. We will most feel this in small electronics. There is significant reshoring to NA of what used to be made in China.
Canada and Mexico, as PDJT’s Trade Team of Wilbur Ross, Lightheiser and Navarro showed, these two nations are just way-stations for China and EU to game NAFTA import rules. China & Canada don’t make any steel or smelt aluminum….but transship/stockpile inventory to import to US.
Like AI or remote piloted airliners….Of course USAF is doing it w killer-drones all around the world as we type…
You raise some excellent questions!
We sold out to China or Islam years ago.
I should say we as in you and me were sold to China or Islam years ago.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/10/02/dragon-riding-dockworker-strike-underway-as-alinsky-methods-deployed-against-labor-union-head-harold-daggett/#more-264703
That last video link at the bottom of the post is a must see if you want the union members’ side of the story. They’re pissed and with good reason. I don’t like unions, but I can empathize with the workers after viewing this.
when people can’t get their Prescriptions filled because most drugs are manufactured overseas maybe they will realize how hostage we are to China.
And the Chinese pharma companies are ‘required’ to adhere to US FDA Good Manufacturing Procedures requiring “self-reporting” of any quality or contamination issues…..when you get a good dose of contaminated pills that crash your kidney function, your family can just call up ‘Wang Wi - the Wuhan Hammer’ and sue those bastards into oblivion for damages…
I loved Trump’s plan to re-establish DISC tax breaks for pharma production in Puerto Rico, but that was to support their island economy, he should just do it anywhere in the US now.
About fifteen years ago my doctor was telling me of his concern about imported drugs. Apparently, the chinese had figured out how to conterfit viagra and US barcodes with real US serial numbers and get their drugs into the American supply chain. So when he got a shipment of something he had to verify its authenticity. By the way, that viagra was determined to be about 30% actual drug and the rest was largely sheet-rock dust! So take those pills wisely and if you see a change in results of whatever you are taking, call your doc immediately. The chinese are not our friends.
I take tadalafil, a generic form of Cialis, for a rare lung disease. Lots of my fellow patients take Viagra for it so this is scary stuff. These meds open up blood vessels in our lungs so we can get oxygen. These meds aren’t just for men.
I was wondering why I would get a rise on construction sites.
I doubt it. They will just blame whoever is in office at the time. Far too many people live a life of short-term decisions, rather than thinking about why life events happen.
MAHA....and who got everyone hooked and medicated?
chamber of commerce???
Headline: “Kamala Hit Hardest”
Thank you, Catherine kasparian.. Some ugly stuff will be hitting the FAN very very soon... in all walks of American life.
I think high value products like drugs are air freighted
Cellphones are from Samsung Telecom factories in Korea, some of the best manufacturing engineers in the world. Once they get the bugs out, almost 0% out-of-spec per 100,000 units.
That’s why I can’t be a Democrat:
I have never cheated on my wife
I have never knocked up the nanny
I have not hit a woman
I’m sure there’s many more reasons.
What, you’ve never sold out your friend and neighbors?
And you likely have a working, thinking brain and commonsense.
And I actually work and pay taxes.
One thing not part of this discussion is that longshoremen on the West Coast are in a different union, the ILWU, not the ILA. So some of the slack may be taken up by West Coast container ports, mainly LA/Long Beach, Oakland, and Seattle/Tacoma. Plus possibly, up in Canada, Vancouver BC and Port Rupert, which has an excellent train connection to Chicago.
Long-term, however, I would expect a lot of manufacturing to return to the US, now that the vulnerabilities of the outsourcing fever have been exposed.
Good. The Atlas is FINALLY shrugging! Federal "workers" ...being paid more, disgusting. Adam Smith would puke ....crony capitalism and insider trading politicians have been trying to destroy Capitalism since inception. It is the only system that is color blind and makes men FREE. Happy people tend to reproduce little freedom lovers in their GLORIOUS image.
Federal workers who largely do nothing. Way back in 1981 I had occasion to visit the State Department and was walked through a secretarial pool of dozens of women. Most were sitting at their desks with small TV’s on them (this was before the internet) and watching soap operas. They were of a certain demographic and could not be fired because they would file racial grievances against the department. Just imagine what it’s like now. At over 100k a year.
Still the same.
The scam/scheme was brilliant. Gotta hand it to them, they created PLUS SIZE BIG GOV dependents, soap opera watching implies BON BON's and MOO MOO's....formerly called housewives. Insulin dependent on CHEM PHARMA, keep them snacking at their desks on BIG FARMA.
Thank you Beyond Nobody, your message makes me smell Nancy Pelosi.... whew!!!!!!!!!!!!
If by "Federal workers" you mean the longshoremen, you're wrong. They are militantly on their own, although they don't mind subsidizing friendly politicians.
No, I responsed to above chain-Playswithneedles.
Warren Buffett owns railroads that will help America get stronger ‘helping’ move the US’ total consumption of the worlds imports for all 320 million legal American and 40 million illegal US-debit card Americans (right past those spur lines of shuttered same make manufacturing plants) ……unless you need more oil from a pipeline.
Nailed it Cactus !!
And then, What’s to stop those dock workers from then deciding to strike because of the “extra” work they’ll be expected to perform?
What a mess.
And at the root of all of it is corrupt management and greed, from the CoC, to the Unions, to the Federal Government, to the dock owners, ad infinitum.
Who will pay for all of the Manufacturing needs, - new modernized buildings, at new locations, expensive equipment, re-training, the list goes on.....clever, those chinese children....
If there's money to be made, it will all be built. That's an iron law of economics. Although this might not work in those states that are causing businesses to flee to more accommodating ones. Those stupid states include New York and California, but there's plenty of others with more sense.
Actually it took 50 years to build that infrastructure. And that was without the crazy regulations and EPA mini. Now that it’s destroyed, it would take another 100 years to restore it.
Wim - It's not as if we didn't already experience this with the supply chain disruptions during COVID and the useless "Secretary of Transportation". Obviously we're slow learners!
Tut-tut, give him a break. He was having a baby!
A union guy is not going to cross another union guys picket lines. Doesnt matter which union either.
I didn't say that ILWU members would be "scabs" to replace the ILA; I know better than that. I merely indicated that there are still ways to import stuff into the country. Those places might get a bit overcrowded or backed up, but they exist.
Today’s post goes into Don’s Top 10. Using common sense and humor he skewers libtard masculinity, globalist idiocy, federal parasites, feckless FJB and Taylor Swift. A tour de force.
Totally agree. The analogy to the body is particularly astute.
That said, seems like it might be worth pondering how we got here. Yes and remember the MFN status for China and downsizing not to mention the LBO fueled era of 1980's-1990's to both wring efficiencies in business and merge companies in similar industries.
However, if we are wise and honest, we have to admit that it is very tough indeed to see past immediate consequences to the longterm and unintended consequences.
One approach that I think works is to make change small--that allows for changing course midway. Seems to me that this is part of the definition of conservatism--being incremental, rather than embracing "reforms" that too easily become radical.
Good points.
Thank you for this column, Don, you connect the dots like no one else can and really help us understand what's going on. There are so many pieces/angles to this story, before reading your column I had only the faintest grip on it.
I wonder if this is the October Surprise. The fact that it can cause alot of disruption and shortages in our economy makes it a candidate. Also notice that our illustrious Marxist Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, is involved somehow in this--behind the scenes egging it on to encourage the economic disruption, or setting it up for the Democrats to impose Taft-Hartley and think they will look like heroes?? And to what degree is Daggett and the ILA socialist? It all gets intricate, because the longshoremen do have a right to lobby for appropriate wages, but it is also a fact that continually increasing levels of automation cannot really be resisted in the long-run.
If this IS the Democrat's October Surprise, it is very, very, likely to turn into an October Fiasco. There are too many pieces in this event for it to neatly only support one Party, and I bet the Democrats have miscalculated what all the moving pieces will result in. Don is making the crucial point that underlying this problem is the original decision to open trade to Communist China and ship huge hunks of our manufacturing (and everything else) overseas. This point is inevitably going to come to the surface in the wider media--because it is a Truth, a reality-- and in the end, it only benefits Donald Trump--who was so strong on pointing this problem out, taking on China, and taking vigorous efforts to bring this manufacturing back to America.
For me, it is an easy bet to make-- this will end up being an October Fiasco.
The surprise will be to Harris/Walz and the Dems this November.
Hopefully a Harris Hit To The Face that Spins Them Around.
Sure hope so!
So, the dockworkers have the power to damage the country and the economy for their own personal gain. How far should citizens take this abuse of power? Many segments of the society have the ability to disrupt the lives of others.
The truckers could just decide to stop hauling unless they get a pay increase of ___%. Maybe the people who provide electricity, water and other vital services should say to the dockworkers . . . no services as long as you choose to shut down the economy. Or maybe the medical profession should say . . . no services for you and your family as long as you choose to make our lives more difficult for your personal gain. Where does this end?
This is actually but a small taste of the pain all men could inflict if we took a knee.
Men are so bad. Okay. Take this.
And shut. It. down.
Then demand ALL democrats politicians be arrested a tried for treason.
"This is actually but a small taste of the pain all men could inflict if we took a knee."
Soooooo you're saying "Old White Guys Day" could be a useful tool?
I didn’t say white guys. All guys. This culture demonized toxic masculinity. Let’s show thenm how important that is.
It won't end.
I foresee the industry phasing in automation and remote control.
No question. AI is a speeding train heading towards massive replacement of millions upon millions of jobs in all kinds of sectors across the board.
Our government is struggling to figure out how to even begin to regulate something over which they have zero comprehension.
So instead, They’ll just end up trying to figure out how they can get a piece of the action - per usual, and let it run amuck.
It is huge and inevitable. And scary.
“No real man slugs a woman. That he was drunk was no excuse. Whatever you say drunk does not count.” There is a saying (not sure of the source) that “a drunk speaks a sober mind.”
But Epictetus nailed it when he discusses blame. “An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.”
A wise man doesnt open his mouth and remove all doubt he is not wise.
Aren’t many wise men around. Look at us. Spouting off “anonymously “. Lol
Good one! 😁
More like a bunch of Wise Guys.
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Abusers always have an excuse that starts with You made me…
Great column Don. Nice thing about the strike is like so many other features of the Clown World in which we find ourselves, there are no good guys on any side. The way things are going - and seemingly accelerating - I’m not sure the country will hold together long enough to make it to Election Month, when the real fun begins. And by fun I mean something else entirely. Stock up. Strap in. And if you’re so inclined, pray…
Can you Imagine!!! That an executive of a highly paid and highly skilled company with 50,000 highly paid US workers…..is making $900,000 a year???
Dude is a BARGAIN…$2-20 million annual - for ANY US public Company President, at least as competent to his shareholders…..
It's a bad analogy.
He's not running a company.
Ccmpare it to public staffing firms Kelly or Manpower; Big 5 Accounting firms PwC, EY, Deloitte; Multinational Law firms billing $500 to $1000 per hour - all are Labor Cartels or Guilds. Same difference.
He dosen't provide a product or service. He is not producing profit.
Amen, Marty. Amen...
Maria Bartiromo just now talked with a reporter who was on the docks interviewing the longshoremen. Before the segment ended, Maria asked the reporter to ask the workers who will be voting for Kamala. Dead silence.
The ILA supports Trump/Vance.
lol. That makes me feel good.
The ILA has deep roots in the communist party. For decades, the ILA, Teamsters and the mafia have been natural partners in corruption. It should surprise no one with a brain that Word Salad was duty bound to declare her support for her brothers in crime. *** I'm not capable of identifying the best part of the Harris performance on this subject. Is it her kindergarten level definition of collective bargaining? (Video available at YouTube) Is it the political decision to further advance the war on American consumers by supporting the ILA strike? Is it her sure to come appearance on an ILA picket line? *** Poll: In the short term, the lack of Biden-Harris-FEMA response to Helene's devastation of Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and parts of Georgia are creating such anger that those states are certainly voting for Trump. As we get closer to Nov. 5, the ILA strike will become a more significant cause of Trump votes as it will impact the entire country. Harris will remain firmly committed to the inflation and shortage producing strike, thus costing her millions of votes.
It’s all the left has: coercion. They’ve been shaking down whole industries for decades. Now they’re going to shakedown the people.
This strike was coordinated by the Democrats for leverage in the election. Kamala will adjudicate a grand bargain in a few weeks to demonstrate her great leadership.
You’re so right! This whole strike episode has been manufactured to benefit Scamala and the leftists to make that “grand bargain” to score political points just before the general election. Besides part of the leftists’ “cheat the vote” plan relies on longshoremen unloading multiple boxes of fake ballots.
By any means necessary……
I'm puzzled as to how this strike would benefit the Dems. I suppose it would depend how long it lasts.
They need the union votes. Couldn’t care less about the other people. I’m not saying it will help. They haven’t been very good at any strategic political action they have taken. It has all backfired. They’re arrogant
Agree; if those commie morons believe this will help them in November....big mistake.
Spot on.
Not if DJT beats her to it.
"ADJUDICATE" being the Key Word here.
I disagree, this strike will not help the frick and frack regime.
There's plenty of time for Trump/Vance to explain the truth of the decades of our government corruption used in selling out our country to foreign enterprises, China in particular.
Daggert just popped open a big can of worms.
I agree. Trump should be making huge political hay out of this. Proves his point about manufacturing.
THANK YOU, JIM MURRAY!!!!!!!
Based on the speech you quote by Daggett, do we not have treason laws he could be arrested on? And could not some Chamber of Commerce guys be brought in on aiding and abetting a crime? Do our laws require us not to defend ourselves?
On a personal level this strike may adversely affect my bluebirds. I have managed to attract many bluebirds to my new home, but if I can’t get cheap dried mealworms from China they may have to go back to catching and eating American bugs in their own.
Good. No more Red bluebirds
You can give’em some of your home made Aunt Jemima ‘Jiminy Cricket’ pancakes! Bill Gates swears they are the best he’s ever had!
Someone meeds to eat the cricket powder because I’m not. I told my doctor I’m allergic to cricket powder, because why take a chance
Bluebirds are my favorites, too. I feed them this food from Ace Hardware and they love it. It’s a family business that sources the ingredients from local farms. https://www.acehardware.com/departments/outdoor-living/bird-and-wildlife-supplies/bird-food/8039231
"they may have to go back to catching and eating American bugs in their own."
... business opportunity?
high-level maritime union source tells me ILA leadership didn’t expect this much public backlash, especially on TikTok and X. https://x.com/johnkonrad/status/1841830055585988922?s=46
Tmitsss - oh no, you mean they'll have to fend for themselves rather than depend on your generosity?
I am their Kamala
Very important report on what our government has done via the "Chamber of Commerce"(CoC).
Folks - Daggett is the paid stooge of the union and please put him aside... FOREIGNERS like the CCP own our ports(thanks CoC). Automation - which is why the union members are striking - will put the power into foreign hands.
Daggett is the Alinsky rule for you to focus on by design while you are being duped by the Chinese(our CoC).
https://tinyurl.com/du8e992r
To the longshoremen: You are fighting the last war, and you will lose. When Harold Daggett, the leader of the International Longshoremen's Association, spouted off on-camera about having the nation over a barrel, he just cut his own throat - and yours. It is quite alarming to see him openly threaten the whole nation with privation and hunger. Automation is coming, boys, like it or not. The days of throwing your shoes (French, sabot - origin of the word sabotage) into the gears of the machinery are long gone. You can be replaced - and will.
Yes. Daggett sounded just like Biden or Harris exerting the mouthy power they think they have over us.