Back to 2016

I remember lounging in my friend’s minibus on Election Night 2016. It was a weeknight, and we’d have to be back on the ship in the morning. Donald Trump won Wisconsin; I knew the election was over at this point, since the midwestern “blue wall” had been broached by Republicans for the first time in my life. We’re eight years down the stream, and some of the long-term projects from the original Trump administration have come to life. Eight years is enough time to get things done, even on the governmental timescale. Most monumental for American mariners is the construction of new, oceangoing training ships, two of which are now in service (in New York and Massachusetts). At the deckplate level, the training ships are admittedly controversial, since they have not been assigned to a continuing education role, and have only been used in original licensing programs. Nevertheless, they were a significant investment, and employ American mariners as staff and crewmembers. To an extent, it feels that we are entering Trump’s third term. Former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, who spearheaded that shipbuilding project, resigned after the events of 1/6/2021 (don’t forget that date!), and we haven’t had someone to fill those experienced shoes: Pete Buttigieg and Sean Duffy both have entered their roles without significant maritime experience.