How do the Americans feel about Elaine Chao? I saw this article today about her connection to the Mujahedeen-e-khalq, today. It sounded so much like the things Mrs. Clinton did that earned her so much criticism. Wondered what you-all felt about it.
I am hopeful that Chao will turnout to be one of our better Secretaries of Transportation (most of them were terrible from a maritime perspective). Chao has family in the foreign flag shipping business, and some maritime experience. It appears that she actually knows something about maritime shipping and she is a strong supporter of the Jones Act.
New Commerce Secretary Wilber Ross is a super smart businessman and a specialist in turning around distressed companies. He bought at least two distressed foreign flag shipping companies. He has been operating them, but has been unable to turn them around and sell them for a profit. I think he still owns them.
I cannot recall any previous cabinet level people with experience in maritime shipping.
As a nationality, Americans have always been among the largest shipowners in the world (currently ranked about 5th largest), but its almost all foreign flag ships. Of course many of these Americans are Greek-Americans, Norwegian-Americans, Indian-Americans, Chinese-Americans, or from other recent immigrant groups.