I disagree.

The outgoing guy made major promises re: national unity and gov't transparency, neither of which he made any serious attempt to keep. As Jon Stewart so aptly said in a Rolling Stone interview in 2011, "It is as if he was over us (the voters) as soon as he took office."

Look where that got him and, more importantly, his party. One has to go all the way back to the 1920s to find democrats so politically weak nationwide as of Jan. 2017. History will inescapably show him to be a political aberration, not the "new normal". And his failures, almost all of them, go back to failing to keep those two central campaign promises of unity and transparency.

But then, that's what ya get when you promote a guy with no experience whatsoever to be the chief executive. Remember Democrats insisting his lack of experience didn't matter?? Well sir, it will be generations before they make that mistake again, if ever!

The new guy, on the other hand, has decades of experience being a chief executive, and a very successful one at that. He isn't likely to make the same novice mistakes in leadership the outgoing guy did...like failing to keep key, important campaign promises. Can he fail to keep them? Of course. Will he? I don't think so, not the important ones. If he doesn't, he is unlikely to win a 2nd term.

Voters don't like being lied to. See: the last 8 years

During the good or bad years? I'm concerned by menus memos released by the Heritage Foundation that essentially say NAI is good for the economy. I'd imagine she had some say in those releases.

I'm not panicking. I'm asking questions that we should all be asking. And yes, the SoT is the one who approves foreign carrier permits so, technically, she could allow the flag of convenience model.

Finally, she is known to leave organizations she doesn't agree with, for example she left a group that invested in a cause that supported clean energy because it hurt the coal industry. She is/was fellow at the HF. Having expertise as former SoL and under Sec of transportation, you can bet that anything that is published regarding labor and transportation was probably run by her desk. To think otherwise is naïve. She was chosen by Trump specifically and I would bet she wants and believes that NAI is good for the economy.

The bad years! She is a free trade type not fair trade...She is bad for working USA...rhetoric one way actions equal "you can't give away an American job fast enough"

911 was responsible for a very heavy drop-off in flying customers. It is the paying customer who pays our wages and paid for our pension. When they stopped coming, the money airlines used to pay our wages dried up. It wasn't George Bush or any of his "misguided" policies, it was simply airlines going in survivor mode and peeling back their overhead. The PBGC aggravated our situation because they demanded the company "hand over" our pensions and after some foot dragging, they got all our pension money. Federal law (Bankruptcy) allowed our "underfunded" pension to be "unloaded" by the airlines. It was tragic what happen to us and a double-wammy, when you consider our ESOP stock loss.

Well then according to that logic since the airlines are making money hand over fist we'll all be pensioned soon. Right? Trying not to be facetious but 9/11 wasn't the reason. It certainly helped with their justification for doing it.

Agreed.


Maybe so. However, the question at hand is not what is good for the economy per se, but what is best for the American worker, the vast middle class that elected Trump.

If Trump were inexperienced as was his predecessor, I would be very concerned he might make the mistake you are worried about. But he is a businessman first and foremost. He understands the issues of flags-of-convenience instinctively, and his core campaign promise was to say NO to issues and deals that were unfair to American workers.

My point is that it isn't what the new SoT thinks is best, but what her boss thinks is best. And he...unlike her...has a promise to keep. And importantly, not just to red state America, but to the blue state workers who voted in their millions for him, as they did for Reagan.

You raise an important issue. Let's see what happens. I think Trump is sincere. Like he says....he didn't need the job, or the headaches that come with it. He was already set for life. Let's give him a chance to put his newly-given clout where his mouth has been. If he reneges on his promise...specifically as concerns NAI...I will join you in condemning him. It's a prefect issue to test his sincerity, and there is little doubt that Doug Parker and Co. will have their chance to bend his ear on the matter. Moreover, cheap international air travel is not of paramount concern to the well-being of the American economy. Good paying jobs that keep the consumer-based economy afloat are far more important than cheap cost of international travel. Trump will understand that without lengthy explanation.

Let's see what happens first and not read too much into a(ny) cabinet appointment. If we know anything about Trump, it is that HE calls the shots, not those under him. Like I said, he has decades of experience as a CEO. Let's see how he leads before throwing him under the bus.

That is, unless one happens to be part of the extremist fringe the American electorate has thrown back into obscurity for at least the next several years, at a minimum. For those, there is nothing he can do that will not be met with cries of faux outrage and hair-pulling, drama-queens to the last.

Former Labor Sec appointed as Trans Sec
 

In essence, yes. Instead of the defined benefit plans, airlines are compensating you at the same rate, if not better, with a defined contribution plan. What's is up to now? Sixteen percent?

Who really cares if the temperature goes up 1 or 2 degress C in a hundred years anyway? It would be nice to have winters a little warmer. If the cavemen could handle the end of the ice age I think we're fine. And by the way since when was engineering the same as a climatology or meteorology degree? That is like saying someone with a CDL is qualified to fly an airliner.

I remember seeing $1200 one ways turn into $400 round trips in 6 months. The Internet and an oversupply of seats let it happen fast. Well funded startups (jet blue) bled the legacys dry.

So New York, Miami, Los Angeles all being underwater will be good for the economy huh?

On the Board at Northwest Airlines or high VP position, can't recall her exact position back at the day .... and we are familiar with their strikes there......

Not good for unions

I hope my sarcasm meter is broken because, damn. I've heard some scientifically ignorant statements in my time but this takes the cake. You need to open a science book or three.

Remember that Republicans are on record as being opposed to education or anything that challenges people's "fixed belief systems". (Read the 2012 Texas state Republican party platform to see how truly anti-education they are).

Or spend an hour or two watching some NOVA's or a Cosmos episode. The majority of scientists -- climate scientists in particular -- see this as the greatest threat facing our species today -- oh wait, I'll bet they're part of the liberal atheist conspiracy, too.

We can just hire the Dutch to build some dykes. They're good at that sort of thing. Not too worried about those doomsday predictions.

Yep, and all the scientists around the globe, who have no investment in American politics, are in on the conspiracy as well.

Yup. There are a lot of intelligent people who choose to be dumb through lack of continuing education or just basically not being educated to a minimum acceptable level to begin with. This forum is a perfect example of that. Lots of fools here spouting their poorly spelled and grammatically incorrect nonsense daily. It's an undisputable fact that basic education levels in this country have plummeted. And it shows. 'Murica was once great. And I love this Republic but I don't really believe that we have much of a future any longer. I wish the many idiots in this country would take to heart what the many great people who have built and have struggled to hold together our republic have said about maintaining it. But it's far easier to go back home or to the hotel room and turn on the brain anesthetizer and be spoon fed whichever side's comforting and dumbed down propaganda one chooses to swallow.

BigDukeSix loves the smell of napalm in the morning. He may have inhaled a little too much. . . : )

You should have run for president. All of us idiots need to follow and learn from someone as wise and enlightened as you are. Help this padawan to understand the world with your sage advice!

Well sir you prove your stupidity and ignorance with your statements here. Turn off the tv and read. You won't say such foolish things any longer. Have a nice day.

I'll bet your...sorry you're the smartest person in every room you walk in to. All people have to do is ask you! See ya oh wise one.

The current administration decided to punt on NAI and the ME3.

Hmmmm. Nope. Nothing in her Bio about any position with an airline. Sounds like made up rumor or bad recall to me. Way to weigh in with a meaningful contribution, though!


Let's see...

Elaine Chao

- Taiwanese immigrant who came to the US at age 8 with her family, fleeing Mao's communists in 1961 (I think it's safe to assume she didn't speak any english at the time, don't you?)

- father was a common deck hand who later founded his own successful shipping co. (...the American dream, writ large)

- worked hard enough to go on and eventually earn an MBA from Harvard in 1975 (American dream, con't)

- former Deputy Maritime Administrator

- former Chairwoman of the Federal Maritime Commission

- former Director of the Peace Corp

- former President and CEO of the United Way of America

- former US Sec. of Labor

- first Asian American woman to be appointed to a cabinet-level position

Oh, this is interesting...

Wow! Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Highly qualified, distinguished career, successful immigrant family and individual contributor to the nation, first female appointed to a Cabinet level position, etc, etc.










Ahhh, now I see why leftists are already gunning for her.

She's a republican with ties to the Heritage Foundation. GASP! That MUST mean she's anti-labor, right? Nevermind the quote above detailing how, as the first Asian American female Sec. of Labor (and the first to hold a cabinet level position -->appointed by a republican, no less!), she "recover(ed) record levels of back wages and monetary recoveries for pension plans, and obtain(ed) record financial settlements for discrimination by federal contractors."

Funny how leftiest say that stereo-typing people is a "micro-aggression" and, in the case of minorities, blatantly racist...

...unless they are the ones doing it.

The horse already left the barn. Current administration allowed NAI. Open Skies treaty is the airborne equivalent of NAFTA, and you can't really fight the ME3 on a level playing field.

The only real leverage we have left is age 65. It must hold firm.

I love having discussions with people like you in the morning. It smells like victory. Later.

I doubt that even the Dutch can build a dyke. ;)

Laugh out loud!

I find it humorous that everyone thought a democrat would be so great for labor.

Obama hasn't lifted a finger to help anyone in our industry-or pretty much any other.

All politicians suck! Until we get rid of the Railway Labor Act (unlikely,) things will never improve.

Know this. The conservative parties in Germany, Australia, England, Spain, and every other developed country agree with the science. That's the CONSERVATIVE parties. We alone have a single party that denies the obvious. What could possibly cause this? Hmmmm? I wonder?

She was on the BOD of Northwest Airlines under Gary Wilson.

The Sixth Extinction by Kolbert is a good read.

Just a guess, mind you, but I'd say it's the kind of utter insanity behind actually attempting to regulate cow farts, all while demanding to be taken seriously...

Cow Fart Regulation Passed Into California Law « CBS San Francisco

:eek:

Other nominees include:

- deliberately manipulating climate data to reflect the results desired to support a socio-economic agenda

- getting caught over, and over, and over, and over doing this ^^^^^

- declaring wildly theoretical science to be "settled" based upon consensus vs. irrefutable, scientific proof

- using fear-mongering tactics, based upon all the above, to appropriate public funds in order to fund the socio-economic agenda

- unapologetically and openly profiting from same, both fiscally and politically, proving the lie behind the "doing good for all" pablum

- the rank, vile, constant, never-ending hypocrisy of leftist celebrities ...who have absolutely nothing in common with the avg person... rushing here and there to lecture everyone else about their GW religion in their private jets and SUV motorcades

- the snide, condescending, smarmy, elitist group-think that believes anyone who won't convert to their climate religion is (insert your insult here)


I could go on and on, but no need.

CA will regulate it's cow farts and the like while committing economic suicide. The political fringe won't make any new inroads to rural America while become increasingly isolated in their big city islands. Crime there will continue to skyrocket while the same insane idiots make war against their police protection. And in the end, this generation's love-affair with socialism will, once again, fail and fade to nothing. Just as it has throughout World history.

Good luck with those cow fart regulations. Looking forward to hearing about the new advances in controlling chicken poop. ;)

He won't read it. Like Gore said it's inconvenient. So he and the many other "deciders" in our country choose the path of ignorance. And that's why this country will fail.

I see.

So NAI is a done deal, right?

There is a fair bit of unspun factual information out there about how the labor department handled complaints of wage theft and workplace safety while she was heading it up. It's not very flattering from labor's point of view.

"The labor department became a useful tool for predatory employers. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao ignored flagrant union busting and the widespread theft of wages and benefits." - James Hoffa
That's only a direct quote from the President of one of the major unions representing pilots.

Yes, they lowered the standards so everyone could get in, and afford to go to college, with a double digit interest loan. The liberals would shut down any educational institution that functioned solely on merit, however, colleges are no longer places that allow diversity of opinion.

I don't recall anyone saying anything about her being racist. It's weird why you focus on that.
While she is qualified, the argument is if she friendly to labor and good for working Americans in general.

She cut hundreds of safety inspectors as Labor secretary. She was blamed for the poor oversight when a mine collapsed killing 12 miners.
She has refused to go after employers that stole wages from employees.
Under her leadership OSHA didn't issue one single new safety regulation in 4 years.
When it comes to regulating drones or the implementation of the next gen ATC do you really think she's going to have workers in mind or the corporations?

Oh and the real chestnut... she's still pro TPP and lobbies for the Chinese in several areas.

I'm going to have to step back and give some deep thought to the thought of an Asian woman in charge of regulating the quality of transportation in this country :eek:

;):D