Feds to defund Kingspoint? Interesting reading

Administration to Dismantle U.S. Merchant Marine?

Reduction in cargo preference shipments just the first step.

BY TONY MUNOZ

As the administration and Congress continue to batter the American psyche with doomsday terms like “debt ceiling,” “fiscal cliff” and “sequestration,” the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been busy behind the scenes dismantling the U.S. Merchant Marine. After funding a decade of war and bailing out Wall Street and the banks, a gridlocked and dysfunctional government’s only answer to deficit reduction appears to be the shutdown of basic services for its citizens and the gradual elimination of funding for the U.S. Merchant Marine (USSM).

The USMM has served the United States for more than two hundred years and has supported U.S. military operations around the world during every conflict this nation has been involved with. But, to no one’s surprise, the White House seems intent on ceasing operations of the USMM. Since taking office, the administration has provided more Jones Act waivers than any other administration and, just a few months ago, it hacked the USMM’s percentage of cargo preference shipments of food aid from 75% to 50% before any one even knew what hit them. Now it intends to write the final chapter of the USMM with the scribble of a pen on another backroom deal.

President Obama and DOT Secretary LaHood have never recognized the maritime sector as part of the U.S. infrastructure. They provided MARAD with $433 million while providing air, truck and rail an additional $495 billion to rebuild their systems. Furthermore, the administration ensured that America’s Marine Highway would be tabled until 2017 or at least pushed back to the next administration.

So How’s That Working Out…?

As part of its deficit reduction plan, the White House wants to send money to starving nations under a new food aid scheme, which includes NGOs overseeing the program. OXFAM America, an NGO currently campaigning on Capitol Hill to cease buying food from American farmers and end cargo preference laws for U.S. flag operators, received $78 million in revenues and spent $28 million in organizational salaries in 2011.

OXFAM’s IRS report says its mission is to create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice with local groups in more than 90 nations, which includes giving them cash to buy food. And the NGO says it is campaigning for social justice by participating in meaningful discussions about issues affecting indigenous peoples’ families, livelihood and land. Additionally, OXFAM advocates investment in small-scale food producers and modernization of food aid programs as part of its campaign.

USAID reports distribution of more than $2.3 billion in food to starving nations such as Pakistan. For more than 60 years, the U.S. has been providing aid to Pakistan, and in 2011 the country got another $1.5 billion in aid. And yet its people are starving? Egypt is another boondoggle for disappearing U.S. aid funds. It is estimated that almost $19 billion has disappeared due to corruption. Egypt has 80 million people and is the largest food importer in the world. The Egyptian government, which gets $1.3 billion in annual credits from the U.S., only gives cheap bread to its poor.

Countries like Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Colombia have been getting money in aid from the U.S., yet these countries have the most starving people in the world. When NGOs claim more than 25,000 tons of food aid reached the Haitian people almost instantly after the earthquake, they forget to mention the U.S. maritime sector delivered the vast majority of the tonnage.

Ending food aid by sending money and NGOs overseas to ensure that people are fed is another problem in itself. Since the U.S. began sending money to foreign governments to ensure democracy endures and its people are fed, it just hasn’t worked.

Time to Reconsider

Buying food from U.S. farmers and transporting it under cargo preference laws may not be the most effective program, but it’s a lot better than sending cash to countries to buy food locally. Most of these nations’ farmers cannot produce enough food in the first place, so what is going to change in the future? The cash will be used for other purposes, and everyone will suffer.

The USMM is an institution with a long heritage and a vital role to play in America’s economic well-being and military readiness. To put an end to it because special interests believe money is faster and safer in order to feed the starving is a big mistake. The White House needs to reconsider its budgetary plans and keep American jobs where they belong – in America. – MarEx

yeah…only in my dreams I am afraid

Our great Administration will do everything it can to diss the Merchant Marine except the one thing it should do which is to close that fucking massive money sinkhole on Great Necrophiliac, Lon Gisland, Knoo Yawk!

[QUOTE=c.captain;101423]yeah…only in my dreams I am afraid

Our great Administration will do everything it can to diss the Merchant Marine except the one thing it should do which is to close that fucking massive money sinkhole on Great Necrophiliac, Lon Gisland, Knoo Yawk![/QUOTE]

Hold on to your suspenders, c. captain, Kings Point will eventually close. My problem is this, we must recognize there was, once upon a time, Kings Point served our Nation well. It still does, if you look in all the right places.

[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;101431]It still does, if you look in all the right places.[/QUOTE]

Which are where exactly?

[QUOTE=c.captain;101439]Which are where exactly?[/QUOTE]

Here, for one, there’s a lot more so stop shitting on my Academy. There is no longer a US Merchant Marine but that does not, in any way, allow you to make fodder of KP and its graduates. Who the fuck are you to get away with such arrogance? Doubtful you will be delighted when the end happens. It’s time to leave this alone. Don’t fuck with me, c.captain.

http://blog.usni.org/2011/12/28/admiral-mullen-awards-silver-star-to-lt-jg-francis-l-toner-usn-posthumously

[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;101444]Here, for one, there’s a lot more so stop shitting on my Academy. There is no longer a US Merchant Marine but that does not, in any way, allow you to make fodder of KP and its graduates. Who the fuck are you to get away with such arrogance? Doubtful you will be delighted when the end happens. It’s time to leave this alone. Don’t fuck with me, c.captain.[/QUOTE]

This is an old and tired shoe to try to walk the KP Serves the Nation March. We’ve already got one Naval Academy and don’t need another.

Call me crazy but I always said I was a member of the merchant marine with some pride. Btw, I never said I was “in” the merchant marine as being. “in” something made it look like a service like the USN. Given my overall pride of being a member of the US merchant marine I enjoyed a standard of education associated with it. I personally think KP gave that standard. We can argue all day long now well they provided that standard to no avail. In short, I am not a KP graduate, but I think if I had it to do over I’d certainly rather be. If I had a son or daughter that showed any interest in the US merchant marine I’d want them to attend KP. Personally I think it’s wrong to close the doors to KP when there are so many other areas to cut spending…

[QUOTE=c.captain;101447]This is an old and tired shoe to try to walk the KP Serves the Nation March. We’ve already got one Naval Academy and don’t need another.[/QUOTE]

I agree, it’s the Midshipmen I defend, but you know that. Shall I post again the question of how can our Nation have a US Merchant Marine Academy without having a Merchant Marine? In my day we actually had fleets of Merchant Ships from quite a few Shipping Lines. That’s gone. I’ll not debate the reason, it really doesn’t matter, the fact that KP had to morph its mission to Brown Water and Off Shore says it all.

[QUOTE=Xmsccapt(ret);101462]Call me crazy but I always said I was a member of the merchant marine with some pride. Btw, I never said I was “in” the merchant marine as being. “in” something made it look like a service like the USN. Given my overall pride of being a member of the US merchant marine I enjoyed a standard of education associated with it. I personally think KP gave that standard. We can argue all day long now well they provided that standard to no avail. In short, I am not a KP graduate, but I think if I had it to do over I’d certainly rather be. If I had a son or daughter that showed any interest in the US merchant marine I’d want them to attend KP. Personally I think it’s wrong to close the doors to KP when there are so many other areas to cut spending…[/QUOTE]

Very good, I always called myself a Merchant Seaman when I was actively sailing.
Now I call myself an old fart but don’t get any ideas, I gotta [ATTACH]3084[/ATTACH]

KP is redundant. It duplicates and competes with services provided by the states and private institutions. It’s service is not required for our country to maintain what’s left of our maritime fleet. Therefore it is waste and/or abuse.

This is what makes me sick to read, how little money is spent on the USMM by the Feds and and look at the huge positive impact our industry has in the USA. Not just our jobs, our very way of life is at stake here.

Whatever funds have been spent on the USMM Academy aka Kings Point, I am sure were funds better spent than most of the other wasted Fed endeavors… Here, again, is an issue which has helped to totally screw up the US Maritime industry, each little group or segment trying to say who’s more important or who’s balls clang together louder…
Kings Point Vs State Academy grads, Academy grads Vs Hawespipers, Union Vs Non-Union, Union Vs Union, Unlicensed Vs Licensed, Deck Vs Engine, Unlimited Tonnage/Horsepower Vs “Limited” License People, damn, the list just goes on and on…

The US Maritime community is pretty damn small, our presence in the eyes of the public is minimal at best but the services which WE provide to the USA, to our trade, our national security, our everyday infrastructure, is beyond measure…

An insult to one, is an injury to all. I agree with those words. If KP closes, it will just be another nail in the coffin of the US Merchant Marine… No, I never went there, and I’ve met some great and not-so great KP grads… But what can we claim to be as a maritime nation if we refuse to even provide minimal support for an academy of national and world prestige that turns out not just USMM officers but also trained reservists for our military???

And while we bicker and call each other names on this forum, while we trade our barbs and insults, the REAL enemy is out there, lurking, biding their time, and if they can, they will make sure there are NO jobs left in America on ANY US flag, US Built or US Crewed ships anymore… Just more 3rd world sailors working for starvation wages on foreign built and owned vessels. We have proven time and time again, that we can still BUILD modern ships in US Shipyards, we can SAFELY operate those ships, and we PROVIDE a GREAT service to the USA.

[B]And I don’t mean to offend anybody, with this comparison, but here it goes: [/B]

First they came to take the jobs from the deep-sea union guys, but I wasn’t a deep-sea union member, so I said and did [B]NOTHING[/B]. Then they came to take the jobs from the coastal freighters and tankers, but I wasn’t working there either so I said and did [B]NOTHING[/B]. Then they came to take our jobs and ships on the Lakes, but I wasn’t a Lakes Sailor, so again I said and did [B]NOTHING[/B]. Then they took the US fishing vessels and jobs from our fisherman, but I wasn’t a fisherman, so I did and said [B]NOTHING[/B]. Then they closed the US shipyards and I still refused to speak up, because I didn’t work in the shipyard… Then they took away our jobs and boats on the inland waterways, but I still did [B]NOTHING[/B]…Finally they came for me, for my boat or ship, for my segment of the US maritime industry, but there was [B]NOBODY [/B]left to [B]DEFEND [/B][U]me[/U], and since I never had the [B]COURAGE [/B]to stand-up for [U]my maritime brothers and sisters[/U], so I too now join the ranks of a gone profession, with only stories to tell, some faded papers to show, some sea-stories and not much else remain, of a once proud and vital part of the USA, our economy, our way of life, [B]GONE[/B]…:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[QUOTE=DeckApe;101475]KP is redundant. It duplicates and competes with services provided by the states and private institutions. It’s service is not required for our country to maintain what’s left of our maritime fleet. Therefore it is waste and/or abuse.[/QUOTE]

It is, DeckApe, and the State grads are paying off big financial debts yet the State Academies are putting out first rate graduates. I sailed with both Mates and Engineers who picked the State Academies over KP. I’ve been recommending Great Lakes Maritime Academy to the few local young folks who asked for my opinion. However, I mentioned that in the long run it doesn’t matter where you go, it’s what you learned. Your real training begins on the first day on the job and it continues until you retire.

[https://www.nmc.edu/maritime/

https://www.nmc.edu/maritime/cadet-life/faqs.html](https://www.nmc.edu/maritime/cadet-life/faqs.html)

SaltySailor, it’s a sad story played over and over throughout the past century. The USA has a long and sordid history of turning its back on its Merchant Marine. As an example, when World War Two began the USA was caught with her pants down AGAIN although there were plenty of markers of what was on the horizon and heading our way.

It could be argued that state schools are redundant… I contend that a standard needs to be set regarding education within the Maritme field. If left on their own to what level would the state and private schools teach? A good point made is that the US is no longer a Maritme nation, therefore why do we need a merchant marine Academy. But for my money I think we should maintain one. Side bar: the state and private schools fill the void left by KP. Ie: KP only takes so man appointments, and thus other schools of the same type were needed in years past.

Very good points made by salty sailor !

What puzzles me is how graduates can walk away and start business careers without ever having sailed. My company is loaded with such people. How many other young people would have loved that opportunity? It seems like such a waste.

I know they do Reserve time but is there any economic penalty for getting the education and using it to go into shore based business and industry, often not even related to the marine industry? If not, there ought to be. Naval officers can’t get away with that.

You attempt to confuse the question of economic return of investment with history and heroes.

The issue is not if KP has provided a valuable and necessary service in the past. Should we fund the Pony Express again? Should we build four masted man of war? Should we stock up on cannon balls and muskets?

Of course not. Those times are past. What was once valuable would now be waste.

I’ve seen the same… And from what I understand they are supposed to remain within the Maritme field. But who polices this, and how many jobs can be located within the marine field when the field is near dead?

I’m sure over the years KP has advanced in class curriculum to exclude cannon balls and top sails.

[QUOTE=Xmsccapt(ret);101491]I’m sure over the years KP has advanced in class curriculum to exclude cannon balls and top sails.[/QUOTE]

Oh my Gawd, that is so friggen funny, are you sure? :smiley:

I guess we could federalize everything. Why not incorporate all maritime education under the Feds? We could have KP-California, KP-New York, KP-Maine… a modest proposal I’m sure will please all.

:slight_smile: