Spirit Grounded: The Balancing Act in a Fuel-Dependent Industry

As a champion of privately owned transportation systems, from rideshare and commuter vanpools to Brightline trains and the airline industry, the loss of Spirit Airlines brings me a tinge of sadness. I never flew the yellow jets. The consensus I’ve heard is that Spirit had great staff on the airplane, but poor business strategy and non-existent operational redundancy kept away those who could afford better. Interest rates are a killer. Two years ago, I was looking at making a van purchase. It would have been the same price to purchase a ten-year-old vehicle at a higher interest rate, as a new vehicle would have cost at a lower interest rate. Reviewing the history of the 34-year-old airline, Spirit sought to standardize its fleet, in the model of other low-cost carriers. Unfortunately, engine recall issues grounded a significant portion of the airline’s fleet, and left the airline paying leases and mortgages for aircraft that couldn’t fly for revenue hours. Unhedged fuel prices finished off the airline. At the beginning of the recent conflict with Iran, I personally set aside a tankful of gasoline in case of fuel shortages or price spikes. That is a two-week supply for me. Many airlines, and other fuel-dependent transportation companies, hedge fuel prices to prevent pricing shocks. Other airlines, like Spirit, took the gamble that they can pass on price increases to the customer. Which leads to the K-shaped economic recovery: United Airlines noted that the average airline passenger today is demanding a premium experience, and is willing to pay the cost. Spirit provided mobility for young adults and the working class. Prior to the Pandemic, a more robust intercity bus network served as a Plan B, as did one-way car rentals. Now that one-way car rentals are difficult to obtain, and bus routes have been slashed to one trip per day on many key routes, the most reliable backup plan was to book a ticket on a “legacy” air carrier instead. Despite the meddling of an anti-trust judge in 2024, who blocked a merger between Spirit and Jet Blue, no Federal rescue plan was forthcoming. In the present case, it required cooperation with private bond issuers. The idea of a Trump Shuttle 2.0 was fleeting indeed. I turn to the New Jersey model of what could have been done to rescue Spirit Airlines. In that case, the state’s transportation department leased motorcoaches to established bus operators, at the rate of one dollar per year, on the condition that they run commuter service at regulated rates. Free of equipment amortization and interest costs, transportation companies suddenly have a lot more economic headroom to operate. However, since other low-cost carriers sought the same aid proffered to Spirit, it was too late to do anything quick enough to save the airline. (Did I eulogize Skybus back in ’08? I probably did).

The Streetcar that Could / Gallipoli that Couldn't

March 31, 2026 marked the second time that Washington, DC rid itself of streetcars. Before the present day, many wondered why the Nation's Capitol scrapped electrified rail transit in 1962. On the last day of streetcar service, we were reminded why: a streetcar cannot merge out of the way of a double-parker, a delivery driver, or a disabled vehicle. The lowly bus could; and that bus could travel into neighborhoods further than the end of the streetcar line. This streetcar was one of several Obama-era streetcar line launches across the nation, which seemed to be designed for gentrification of neighborhoods, rather than providing rail rapid transit. (Portland, Oregon has another such system in its Pearl District neighborhood). This streetcar building program did meet a couple goals: providing employment in the construction industry during the depths of the Great Recession, and fostering neighborhood redevelopment. It was a missed opportunity, however, to ignore traffic engineering principles that could have made the streetcar line into a fast and efficient trip. -- I realized that my last post concerend action in the Hormuz Strait, and refrained from headlining this post with the same topic. However, I have been watching movies and reading books about British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who served in that role during the Second World War. As a Minister of Parliament, he had in the 1930s been written off as a nostalgic warmongerer, in large part to his role in planning the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign of the First World War. Fast forward twenty years, and the bloody lessons learned became helpful resolve when facing total war on and adjacent to the home front. In the current Iran conflict, I feel as if the lessons have been learned, as to what the future of warfare will hold. How much has changed since Operation Iraqi Freedom 20 years ago, when we could be self-assured in our top-of-the line equipment. Expensive units today may not be the "best" in a given conflict. There is now plenty of hard-won knowledge that American military strategists can apply to slide decks, flashcards, and tabletop excercises. Here is a news article that name-drops Gallipoli: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/kharg-and-ghost-of-gallipoli-why-trump-risks-walking-into-iran-s-trap/ar-AA1ZwjrT

Aircraft Carrier: Gone the Way of Battleships?

I spent the weekend trying to learn about the current conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. Drone technology is limiting the battle supremacy of the aircraft carrier. Conventional mine sweeping techniques require air threats to be controlled. I came across maritime articles written 5 years ago on autonomous barges and unmanned ships being tested. Overall, I have never worked on the R&D side, only in implementation. But as the supercarrier USS Gerald Ford sits in the Mediterranean for extensive repairs, its time to think about the future of warfare.

Is this a War, or Not?

1942 was a terrible year for the US Navy. The nation had just begun its endeavor in the Second World War, and Imperial Japan was going head-to-head with the American Pacific Fleet. The merchant fleet fared even worse. U-boats menaced shipping and cut off the northeastern states from Texas and California fuel supplies. Cargo runs to Europe, especiallly the run to Murmansk, USSR, were exceptionally perilous. Lend-lease and war preparations such as the 1940 Selective Service Act should have prepared the nation for combat. It took battle testing to turn military theories into successful strategies. We face the same predicament in the Persian Gulf at this moment. We have spent years talking of the Contested Maritime Environment, and of near - peer adversaries. We know how to sweep a minefield, and we know how to engage aerial threats. But putting both threats together? “It’s too dangerous right now”, reports the Secretary of Defense. “Later this month”. Having seen the damage wrought on world-class cities like Dubai, and the port facilities of friendly nations, there is no exit strategy but victory. Restoring our allies will not be complete with an apology and reconstruction loans; it requires achieving a peace that is superior to the previous status quo of a menacing but stalemated Iran. While the presence of a prepositioned logistics fleet, established after the First Gulf War, reduces the merchant shipping crunch at the onset of conflict, we need to replenish the warfighter with “beans, bullets, and bunker fuel”. Concerningly, there has not been a call by shipowners and unions to “man the fleet”, brining mariners working ashore back into shipboard roles. What happens if we must stop the fight, not out of a peace deal, but for lack of manpower and material? That would present a tragedy of American lives lost without reason or closure. Optimistically, it would prove to be an expensive test, in economic and human costs, of near-peer warfare. “Run as to win the race”.

When it becomes your work duty to write a technical paper, it becomes harder to keep writing outside of work. Fortune has it, though, that I had been working on a Vibe Coding project this week, and had some fresh insight to share from the maritime world. I have never "html"ed, or hand-coded a website, but I've used various web building systems. I even remember when we had free, quality options like matmice and webs.com. Today, the ability to build apps and websites through AI has been a game changer. Instead of clunky click-and-drags of the mouse, I can narrate what I want to see on the page. Some readers may find this to be filler material, but I tell them: the blog must go on! The content below was written by me, not AI. Now that you know which courses to take and what wickets to accomplish to get your maritime license, you may be wondering, how do I pay for it upfront? Course Fee Funding Mechanisms Current Maritime Employees: Training Courses or Fee Reimbursement may be provided by Employer or Maritime Union. Veterans with GI Bill: Courses may be covered at approved training centers, such as the Maritime Institute in Norfolk, VA. As a bonus, the GI Bill may also offer a housing allowance payment during your training period. Active Duty: The Navy’s Tuition Assistance Program can assist active duty enlisted members with course fees. Other popular strategies include bootstrapping the course fees with cash, use of a rewards-based or lower-interest credit card, or a gift or loan from family. License Fee Funding Mechanisms Veterans with GI Bill: The VA will reimburse testing and evaluation fees. Note that you may be personally responsible for license issuance fees, as these are not authorized for GI Bill reimbursement. Active Duty and Recently Separated: USCG offers waiver of fees during and within 180 days of service. Be prepared to provide your endorsed orders. Strategic Sealift Officers have benefitted greatly from this program, but be mindful of the 180 day threshold from your last Active Duty for Training period. Active Duty: In addition to the USCG’s statutory fee waiver program, active-duty Navy personnel may participate in the Navy COOL program. Note that this program should only be used if fee waiver is not applicable to your particular situation. Victims of Natural Disaster or Maritime Casualty: Credential mariners may be able to replace lost credential documents at no cost. Be prepared to provide a notarized statement as to the nature of the loss. Compared to the cost of maritime training, licensing fees are more approachable. While the rewards of earning your maritime credential are significant, we advise against taking high-interest loans to do so.

And the Payphone Still Stood

For a couple months, I had thought of disconnecting my public payphone. Yes, the payphone that recently earned a small grant - through Virginia's Small Business Investment Grant program. Already displaced from its once-popular location at a strip mall, it has seen little use at its new location at a highway offramp. I was shaken back to my senses when the prolonged Verizon cellular outage occured. Every other use case seemed to render the payphone obsolete- confidentality (apps like Signal and the "burner phone" phenomenon), affordability (see the Obamaphone program), and access (99% national coverage by cell towers). But one use case remained: redundancy. I think in terms of redundancy. It is what makes commercial aircraft and oceangoing ships fit for their voyage. Lose an engine, and you can still limp home. The payphone, ironically supported by Verizon copper lines, still worked. But is there still a payphone network? In Portsmouth, Virginia, where my payphone is now located, there is a barebone network encompassing downtown. While the City sponsors phones at the phone exchange building and city hall, the system could be better maintained. This state of affairs is among the best in the state. These days, we all ride the one-trick pony called the cell phone.

Greenland: Scratch the Idea

Being able to respond quickly, anywhere and anytime, has been a hallmark of the US military since the Cold War. While we have long lasting military partnerships with many countries around the globe, certain military capabilities, such as strategic nuclear armament, is a diplomatic risk that host nations do not want to bear. Hence, there is a strong incentive to maintain small territories overseas. We can look to Guam, a Pacific territory of the United States; and Diego Garcia, in the British Indian Ocean Territory, as examples of forward-located military strongholds. Europe (also known as the 6th fleet and the European Command) is an exception. We have ships and Army units stationed in most NATO nations, France being a notable exception. What the United States doesn’t have is European territory of its own. Perhaps NATO members and other European allies prefer having a check on American military power. For the Navy, autonomous capabilities in Europe include the command ship USS Mount Whitney, 55 years of age; and the two fast combat support ships USNS Supply and USNS Arctic, both 30 years of age. None of these ships launches or lands jets, nor do they tender submarines. If a naval operation cannot be operated from these platforms, allied nations become essential to military success. Denmark recognizes what Greenland means to their own sovereignty, and Europe’s continued relevance in world affairs, more generally. The chunk of ice is too valuable for Denmark to sell or forfeit.

Finish the Year Strong...

There’s five minutes left in the soccer match. You already lost half of the fourth quarter to an injury. Will you fold, or will you continue the endeavor? As a maritime professional working in government spheres, I had lost 43 days, or just about half of 4th quarter 2025, to the government shutdown. Deadlines and guarantees were delayed indefinitely; Plan A was not an option. Plan B, involving last-mile logistics between grocery stores and SNAP recipients, was also embattled. I took Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick’s controversial recommendation to heart, and had bananas and cereal for dinner on several occasions. After all, I was spending a lot of time in grocery stores, dreaming of a brighter future, where my hard-earned degrees and marine engineering skills could be put to use. As I was about to write off the second half of 2025 as an annus horribilis, a bad experience, I got a call. I was the one person with the experience and capabilities to solve a problem of confounding variables, at sea. Don’t count yourself out.

Vessel Boarding and Seizure: a relic of the past?

Is it always wrong to sink a drug boat? Many, even on Capitol Hill, are concerned by the seemingly gung-ho attitude of military strikes on small boats. As the last of the Thanksgiving turkey is finished, I will ponder some thoughts. It is wrong to allow dangerous drugs into the United States? If we look to Asia and the Middle East, drug trafficking is considered a crime against the people and the state. The United States has not maintained that type of collective-minded culture: despite being on the books since the 1990’s, no one has faced the death sentence for large-scale drug trafficking in the United States. Drugs were something that happened in the inner-city, among the ‘other’ The opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis have shown how pervasive the drug problem really is. Sinking drug boats in international water: isn’t that an act of war? If we limited drug boat interception to territorial waters and the contiguous zone, a total distance of 24 nautical miles offshore, beachgoers would be witnesses to drug boat interception. On the other hand, the Exclusive Economic Zone for activities such as fishing and offshore drilling extends to 200 miles. I will leave the implications of international law enforcement on the high seas to the lawyers. It’s cruel to shipwreck a sailor! Indeed, assistance should be rendered to any sailor whose fighting capacity has been eliminated, regardless of nationality or group affiliation. Let me offer a personal perspective. Over the past several decades, American sailors, particularly the US Coast Guard and Special Forces personnel, have taken high level of risks in apprehending suspicious vessels on the high seas. Some may attribute this to milquetoast leadership, but I attribute the soft-touch approach of Vessel Boarding and Seizure to the realpolitik of host nation sensitivities. Two names come to mind: the USS Monsoon (PC 4) and USS Lewis Puller (ESB 3), both ships I have embarked. It is notable that both ships were homeported in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Both ships, albeit decades apart, had seen the loss of sailors’ lives when attempting to board hostile vessels. Shifting tactics, to apprehension from a distance, can save sailors’ lives. Wanton destruction for the sake of shock and awe, particularly if loss of life results after threat is neutralized, may hurt sailors’ psyche and morale.

10%: The Tough Call that's a No-Brainer

The Federal Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Controllers are overworked, and at the moment, unpaid. They are the imporant eyes in the sky in the control towers of commercial airports around the United States. Recognizing flagging morale and increased absenteeism, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced a temporary 4% cut in flight slots, with the prospect of 10% or 20% cuts in the future. While many people of all stripes reluctantly accepted the Secretary's decision, some felt that the flight cuts were political blackmail. Vested interests in the aviation field wanted proof that "10%" was the correct number. There seemed to be a handful of limousine types who wouldn't accept human constraints: that working air traffic controllers too hard or too long could have negative consequences. In terms of the federal government shutdown, aviation again is the straw that breaks the impasse. Politicians are betting that the All-American Thanksgiving Traveler probably won't understand why their flight was cancelled, either. I applaud the Secretary of Transportation for his understanding of the nuts and bolts of the transportation industry- that is, the people and the equipment. In a given situation, you have to work within the constraints. A 10% cut is not unprecedented in aviation: Fred Smith of the then-new Federal Express company, recalled fighting for fuel allotments during the 1973 energy crisis. Looking to marine transportation, the Military Sealift Command last year made the quite shocking decision to lay up 17 ships, or about 25% of its civil service crewed vessels, to alleviate a crewing shortage. In addition to being a prudent steward of aviation safety -or hardball negotiator- Mr. Duffy has his sentimental side as well: his admiration for the Lifeboat Jesus painting at the US Merchant Marine Academy made national news- on the FOX network, at least.

Does Anyone Remember the Military of 1990?

A grainy video revved up the projector screen. The setting was a party, 1990 on an American base in Germany. A gaggle of women surrounded a spry middle-age man. They could’ve been Fawn Hill or any of a million secretaries or female courtesans the Army men had back then. They were pinning paper tails on the “donkey” as he danced. Which was ironic; the man was the opposite of an “ass”. The music played: “Love shack, baby love shack Everybody's movin' around and around and around Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin' baby” The movie cut from the Colonel playing hard, to him working hard. He earned his stripes as a young man in the Vietnam War. Now, he was starting to fight another war, not against the Soviets next door, but against Saddam Hussein in the Middle East. There was no computer at his desk, just stacks of important papers. I thought: “This was a man who wasn’t afraid of going into the office on a Saturday”. After he fought the First Gulf War, he became a dedicated family man, shortly thereafter retiring from the Army- and its culture of solo deployments and family separation. This video was presented at a wake for the Colonel. We literally buried the military of 1990. I got to work with military veterans of that era. In the 1980’s, American industry had experienced serious downsizing, leading to an economic depression in the Rust Belt of America. Strong unions may have done their best to stave off layoffs and hour cuts of senior workers, but young people had no future in the factories. For those of intellectual capability, the college wage premium offered an opportunity to move upward. For the others, the military had a seemingly endless source of young men in the 1980s. Even as it increased in manpower, it was able to maintain recruiting standards, implement random drug testing, and ban beards. The military of 1990 did its grunt work in house. Not only was it necessary to wipe the bilges or peel potatoes, senior enlisted leaders of the time thought it built character. Roughhousing junior soldiers and sailors, and keeping an adversarial attitude, instead one of mentorship, seemed in their minds to build character too. This “busting nuts” attitude was becoming increasingly unacceptable in the private sector, but nobody told the military of 1990. Enlistments do come to an end, and veterans of that era did not receive the open-armed welcome to civilian employment that they often receive today. The “politically correct” military of today offers soft skills of leadership that transfer to the private sector. Senior enlisted leaders no longer view scheduled attrition as a personal failure of the soldier or sailor to commit to military life, but as an inherent part of the pyramid rank structure. For hard skills, the military now pays its departing soldiers and sailors to apprentice and earn credentials in private sector trades, before leaving the service. Once they hand in their uniforms, post-9/11 Education Benefits are generally superior to Cold War- era veterans’ programs. Sometimes I do wonder if the checks-and-balances of today’s military hamper its ability to move fast and break things: what militaries are meant to do. When anything happens quickly, such as this summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer, you can be assured that rules were broken. These could be in procurement, maintenance, personnel, or another of a dozen wickets. Being a rule follower means very little gets done in the military. Hopefully, this is the kind of political correctness our Secretary of Defense is out to fight.

Remembering SS El Faro, 10 Years Later

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the sinking of the SS El Faro, on October 1st, 2015. I was sailing as a Third Assistant Engineer for the Military Sealift Command; asides from environmentally- conscious petroleum tankers plying protected trade routes, government vessels (crewed by contractors or civil servants) were the most well-kept ships. Other vessels of the US merchant marine had to compete. When labor costs couldn’t be cut, on account of union contracts or the unwillingness of mariners to accept less than a sole breadwinner’s wage, it was maintenance and capital investment that had to be cut. Many of my fellow classmates had to compete in union halls for their first jobs. As our graduation ceremony was at the start summer, union-hall job seekers were encouraged to hit the halls when more-experienced mariners stayed at home with their kids on summer break. Having risen to the top of the pecking order at the Academy, they were reminded that their new position would be at the bottom of a new totem pole, although financial compensation could be decent in this career. You didn’t turn down a job offer, even on the most decrepit ship, as one could find themselves unemployed for a spell. When the SS El Faro sunk, it was a reminder that rustbucket ships were dangerous. I have to be careful with that term, as the longtime engineers onboard that vessel were proud of keeping the ship sailing with the limited material resources given to them by the company. Today, the picture has changed. There is a shortage of mariners, rather than a shortage of jobs. Inspections and the change configuration process is more rigorous. No captain can make fateful decisions in a vacuum, certainly not in the Starlink satellite internet era. Merchant marine officers were required to go through a three-week course of continuing education, in how to use technology, and in leadership and teamwork. At that precipice in 2017, many chose to take their retirement, instead of going back to the classroom. It was the end of an era in merchant shipping; those departing mariners had entered the industry at a time when women and college degrees were rare onboard ships, and when alcohol and smoking were fixtures at sea. They were world travelers at a time where that privilege was reserved for the rich. In other news, I am disappointed that our government has gone into reduced operating status. While the effects on civil servants will be cushioned for two weeks, on account of recently-added backpay protection, there is a risk of harm when the paycheck does not arrive on time. The impact is being felt immediately by those outside of government employment, as licensing bureaus such as the US Coast Guard are not processing applications. This means people are missing out on promotion and new career opportunities, as they must wait for government to reopen in order to obtain their new credentials. On the flip side, I believe there needs to be little debate to extend healthcare subsidies. In many states, the medley of health insurance programs allow for near-universal coverage. This is a stark contrast from the single-payer dreams of Democratic Socialists, or the creeping socialism, found in the UK or Canadian health systems, that President Eisenhower warned us about.

"Its Windsday": Offshore Wind Power

For the same reasons it attracted the bulk of the US Navy’s Atlantic Fleet, geography was to be destiny for Tidewater Virginia’s participation in the offshore wind economy, Easy transportation connections and a deepwater port attached to the ocean make the region the go-to place for offshore wind power. In contrast to the talk-much, do-little culture of other “green” states, Virginia put a priority of putting wind turbines in the sea. Tidewater’s region, which despite its once-great promise, has been struggling to bring good jobs and retain local talent. Offshore wind farms, or “It’s Windsday”, as a booster touted, would turn the local economy around. Each state has unique energy challenges. Green energy mandates in the Northeast compelled the search for renewable energy. Densely-populated rust belt states were retiring nuclear power plants. Virginia has to reckon with surging energy demand to power its growing data center economy. For several decades, it seems, electricity demand stagnated as light bulbs, insulation, and appliances became more energy efficient. Computer programmers, once terse on account of small and expensive data storage and processing options, have become inefficient, and this trend will not turn around soon. I was in the room- in December 2021- when the Republican Party of Virginia decided to pursue an all-of-the above energy policy. Solar farms, wind turbines, nuclear energy, and clean coal would be the way forward. The cranks and nutjobs who opposed farming the sun, and for that matter, who opposed installing 5G internet in rural areas, were put to pasture. Unfortunately, some of those cranks slithered into federal government agencies. Conservative principles of limited government be damned, they sought to seize the physical assets of large wind investors (by revoking offshore permits), and use the regulatory state to keep business- the wind power business- from participating in the free market. Virginia has so far stayed out of the fray that enveloped wind power projects in the Northeast. That saga is slowly being played out in the courts, where swift and direct action by Congress should have happened.

Not so Free and Careless Anymore

What are you going to write about? It should be about ships. If the trend of blog posts is an indicator (Gerry Connolly and Donald Trump, with one post in between), one might think I quit the sea. But that is not true. Mentally, July was the longest month. For the first two weeks, I was at sea in the Indian Ocean, working long days to coordinate cargo movements. Then, six days of travelling from a remote island (guess which one!) back to the USA. The final week of July was spent at home, and commuting to the office, to wrap up business from the voyage. I also commemorated ten years' of career work in the maritime field. August was a month of decompression, and a fast month. After two weeks of "demobilization" class, I officially finished duty with the Navy mid-month. As a civilian mariner, we simply flew home from the ship. On the military side, such an event is considered a career transition. By "decompression", I was referring to the day job. After 3 months' absence, I had a to-do list of upkeep tasks for my home and property. Surprisingly important for me, I made up Spring and Summer events I missed, or were put on hold while at sea. First and foremost was the Sacrament of Confirmation (August 9th) and then attending Mass with my recently-ordained Priest friend (August 31st). I also squeezed in a summer barbeque in August, in place of the usual July 4th spectacle. I think that September will be a good, routine month. We've got a lot of living to do...

Policing the Capitol City

In the assessment of Zachary Schrag, the professor who wrote the book Great Society Subway, John F. Kennedy was the first American President to care about Washington, DC and the future of its people. Unlike later congressmen-turned-presidents, such as Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, JFK lived for decades in the City of Washington, DC, rather than its suburbs. Donald Trump, paradoxically both the lifelong city dweller and the aloof man, is the second President to care about Washington, DC. To be sure, Mr. Trump continues in the traditional heavy-handed approach towards city affairs (rule by decree), rather than the collaborative approach that city residents have come to expect over the last 60 years. The use of federal power in Washington, DC has generally been for the good of society. Early in his Presidency, Dwight Eisenhower ended the practice of racial segregation in the once-Southern city. In the 1990’s, Newt Gingrich’s Congress took over Washington, DC’s broken finances through the Fiscal Control Board: Under the long leadership of Mayor Marion Barry, the city offered too many patronage jobs, and offered middle-class taxpayers nothing in return for their large tax bills- schools were failing and crime was record-high. In the end, suburbanites (residents of Maryland, Virginia, and even West Virginia) were allowed to hold jobs in the beleaguered police and fire departments, and a strong system of charter schools and school vouchers were implemented. Suburbanites are becoming reaccustomed to Washington, DC after a 5-year absence. The lightly-enforced return-to-office policies under President Biden ameliorated a crash in commercial real estate valuations (and therefore, city tax collections). It was the stronger approach under President Trump that increased commuter rail ridership, and brought back the after-work culture in central Washington, DC. It's irresponsible to explain away the crime. Washington, DC had become a lawless place during the pandemic, and bringing back public order was important to bringing back the tourist and businessperson. Too many interns and taxpayers have been victimized to turn a blind eye. Yet I had faith that the Mayor was taking a proactive approach to restoring public safety and quality of life. She was willing to take the contentious step of removing tent encampments from public spaces. Donald Trump’s personal involvement is adding friction- and fomenting resistance- which would be counterproductive to the gains in public safety made so far. If I were the President, I would focus federal resources- and the deployment of federal law enforcement officers- to the aptly-named Federal District of government buildings in Downtown DC. The L’Enfant City, which also was until 2008 the flat-rate Central Zone for taxi rides, would be the widest perimeter of federal law enforcement deployment. Beyond that line, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) would have full and solo jurisdiction. In return, resources dedicated to the downtown area by the MPD could be moved to other parts of the city, such as the troubled Columbia Heights retail district. This was where a federal cop was infamously hit by a sandwich last week

The Homecoming

I owe my readers a blog post for July (and for that matter, I ought to be publishing every two weeks- or fortnightly, as I have done for several years). Where have I been? I crossed the equator five times, boarding the ship at less than 10 degrees north and debarking at less than 10 degrees south. This is a public forum, so it's not advisable to blast the ship's whereabouts all over the internet. How long have I been gone? 90 days on the ship, and about a week of roundtrip travel?. What were you doing? "CONSOL" operations, or fueling from a tanker at sea. Specifically, I was not working in the engine room as I normally do, but closer to the ship's bridge to help coordinate fueling-at-sea events. Why were you doing this? I elected to take a half-year Mobilization with the US Navy Reserve. Who was with you? Contracted mariners who are civilian employees for the perroleum shipping company. When did you sneak away without anyone noticing? I thank starlink onboard the ship. It was seamless connectivity 90% of the time, so didnt miss out on news from home. As longtime mariners know, this is both good and bad. Good that you know whats going on, bad in the sense that you have limited ability to deal with matters on land. Indeed, when I returned home last week, there were a myriad of items I needed to address. I needed to replace my iphone screen, and was able to bring my laptop back from the fritz (it was a charging canle issue, resolved now). I needed to schedule home repairs. so, a lot to do, while maintaining an office work schedule as well.

Couldn't Stop Thinking: Gerry Connolly

What I’ve been looking up today: Gerry Connolly, the late representative from the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. I met him at a Kings Point Club event when I was a freshman (or soon to be freshman?) at the academy. Already a familiar local name from his service on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, his first two elections in 2008 and 2010 were competitive. In a place like Virginia, “safe seats” are earned, not given. He was likewise unflappable as boundaries changed again, Northern Virginia’s other representatives retired, lost re-election, or resigned to seek higher office. Just now, I learned that he was a key advocate for Information Technology modernization and accountability across the US government, and perhaps a reason why I had to trade in work laptops every two years. Gerry Connolly was a knowledgeable advocated for what mattered to his constituents: the civil service. Apparently, that was a major reason he ran for reelection in his twilight years: to guarantee his longtime staffers a federal retirement. Democratic Party internal policies were not kind to him, with their strict adherence to seniority in choosing who would serve as a ranking member on the House Oversight Committee. This year was “his turn”, and Mr. Connolly’s frail appearance juxtaposed with contender Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became a flashpoint in left-wing circles. Legacy is something that is often revealed after death. Congress must act on this year’s spending bill, and hometown realities mean that the most caustic disestablishmentarian ideas against the civil service have been removed. We expect that the new laptops will keep coming.

On Renaming Ships, Part II

If you can recall, several years ago I disagreed with renaming the USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) for several reasons: Firstly, there should be no opposition to honoring servicemembers who perish in a “losing” battle- instead, the argument was framed as “celebrating a Confederate victory”. Secondly, the ship CG-62 was already scheduled to be retired. Thirdly, Robert Smalls, an African-American Civil War privateer, deserved to have his name on a brand new ship- a capital vessel at that. Our military’s tactical strength is in making a decision and following through, rather than re-litigating the past. In this regard, the very recent- and apparently unilateral- proposal to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a newly-built fleet oiler (T-AO 206), is a flyball. Before the ship’s keel was laid, it was the California congressional delegation that pushed for a ship named in honor of Harvey Milk, himself a Navy veteran. Among them was Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Fears of a “gay ship” led to the compromise of giving Harvey Milk an auxiliary ship, crewed by “professional” civilians, rather than a combat ship crewed by often-teenage sailors. The issues were discussed and a decision was made. On what ground should it be reopened, now that the ship is now in service? Were civilian mariners requesting religious exemption from working onboard the USNS Harvey Milk? I have seen no evidence of this. Did our military allies (particularly in the Middle East or Southeast Asia) request renaming of the ship? I have seen no evidence of this. Did notorious sexual acts happen more frequently on this ship, than on other Navy ships? I have seen no evidence of this. And if “frociaggine” (using Pope Francis’ term) occurred on the ship, the UCMJ, with its prohibitions on fornication, does not apply to the civilian crew*. The Secretary of Defense’s goal is to reclaim a fighting spirit, with a focus on “lethality, readiness, and warfighting”. Are you sure that renaming a fleet oiler ship contributes to that goal? * There are restrictions on intimate relationships between supervisors and their subordinates; and implemented within the last three years, between maritime cadets and other crewmembers. Views expressed are solely those of the author, and not the official position of the Department of the Navy or any of its subordinate commands.

Tariff Talk

Tariffs; it's this year's inflation talk. I'm open to the idea of tariffs, particularly from imports on countries with lower labor protections and standards of living. I supported tariffs when Donald Trump was still a Democrat, reminiscing how import tariffs and excise taxes covered the full federal budget prior to 1913. Our import tariffs were, and still are, lower than those of most other countries; we were a total mercantile nation of shopkeepers, or more accurately, patrons of big-box stores. We were told as Americans that it was okay to import "low cost" goods, like plastic toys, kitchenware, and appliances; since we exported high-tech equipment like industrial engines and aircraft. Corporate greed, or the desire for greater profits, mean that imported goods aren't very cheap anymore, when it comes to big box retail. Bargains can still be found in marketplaces like eBay, where items are shipped factory direct to consumer. American manufacturers, in contrast to importers, carry the economic risk of capital equipment, and must expand their domestic market share, even at lower cost and profit margin. In leading export nations like South Korea and Japan, foreign goods are expensive. In Korea, M&M Candies, for example, are three times the price of the local Lotte brand, at similar quality. When we talk about reciprocal tariffs in the United States, and impose them, we're increasing the price of imports by fractions, rather than multiples- as we see in the retail shelves of other countries. I, being on a ship with room and board provided, may be protected from the direct costs of tariffs. I wonder, who is buying all those imports? It must be those Amazon Prime subscribers, the elite consumers, the upper-middle class bourgeoise who receive parcels of "stuff" every day to their doorstep. I eat American, my t-shirts and socks are made in America, so are my toiletries. Why worry about tariffs, I'll be fine! "Well, have you thought about people who shop at the dollar store? Prices are going to go up from $1.25 to $2.00, or something". This man at the dinner table was right, abrupt changes would hurt the economically vulnerable. Store shelves could be empty of moderate-priced goods; the Port of Seattle's containership terminal is eerily quiet. American capital must wait and see if this change in policy will be lasting. American manufacturing has been propped up by government purchases of cars, military equipment, and other items under Buy American clauses. There is less conviction, including among the Wall Street Journal set, that the protectionist policies will last beyond Trump's administration. Thus, no new factories at this time.

The Drive for Federal Efficiency

Happy Easter to all! *** Downsizing of the federal government occurred under Vice President Gore in the mid-1990’s. This was a Democratic administration that was willing to get tough on crime, bring efficiency to government, and “end welfare as we know it”. Washington, DC does not remember this downsizing. In fact, the city flourished and rejuvenated as federal agencies moved out of untaxed federal real estate and into leased office space; and income-constrained federal employees moved into contracting roles with generous payscales. In that era, the economy as a whole was bifurcated. In the Old Economy were massive corporations with significant physical assets (airlines, utilities, and manufacturers), often unionized, with administrative bloat worthy of the “railroad era”, as one business author put it. In the New Economy were nimble, fast-growing companies, that encouraged employee ownership and initiative (and not in a passive, DRIP-shares kind of way). Many of these businesses were in finance, technology applications, and retail. The federal government, which swelled in size during the 1960’s, was a creature of the Old Economy. Many federal employees, hired prior to 1983, were enrolled in defined-benefit pension plans. Federal job titles were, to a greater extent than today, were highly siloized; cross functional training didn’t exist then. Great Society initiatives had put large numbers of scientists, analysts and other thinkers on the federal payroll, employees whose job performance was hard to evaluate on a year-to-year basis, and whose productivity was just as difficult to ascertain. Under Al Gore’s scalpel, great efficiencies could be achieved. The cost of Research and Development, and the endless count of federal studies could be quantified by issuing contracts instead of paying general-scale (GS) employees to scintillate on topics of interest. The Federal Government hired smarter. President Obama’s “insourcing” drive during the Great Recession focused on hiring recent graduates, who had difficulty finding private-sector employment. In comparison to “career” feds, they were inexpensive and generally motivated. One thing that did not change was the bureaucracy involved in agency-based grants to the various states. Attorneys and compliance specialists were required both on the giving and receiving sides, and often at the local level, too. These stipulations applied even for miniscule grants of $20,000 or less. Indeed, the bureaucracy- the gap between Congressional appropriations and the funds being used to move dirt, was more stifling in more austere budgetary environments. Witness the number of smaller private colleges opting out of federal student loan programs; in addition to philosophical differences over issues such as Title IX, it was no longer cost-effective to accept federal money. The truth of “inefficient” federal employees got spun into “lazy” feds by politicians unhappy with the strings attached to their hometown grants, such as DEI requirements. Remember the author who criticized corporate bloat? One of his recommendations was to trust but verify; approve the travel vouchers and purchase requests, then let the audit process catch errors. Few politicians want to turn off the spigot of federal funds issued by the agencies in downtown DC. They just want to cut out the middlemen. Let’s retool those middlemen for new careers in the states (as New York, Maryland, and Virginia are encouraging) or in the charitable foundations of billionaires who benefit from this federal efficiency drive.