Remind me, who are the takers again? A cruise ship is the very model of free enterprise at work, no? A conservative's 'wet' dream if you will.
News of over 3,000 passengers stranded on a disabled Carnival Cruise Line ship has infested the news for the last week, with breathless reports updating us constantly on the progress of the boat reaching shore as well as the 'horrific' conditions on board. You would be forgiven if the description reminds you of something else:
The crippled cruise ship, carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew, was tugged into port late Thursday night after losing power Sunday. Miserable conditions soon developed with urine and feces backing up and spilling into rooms and hallways, spoiled food, long lines to use the few working bathrooms and rooms that were too hot or too cold.
But this incident has prompted a Congressional investigation.
The boat was rescued and towed by the Coast Guard
MOBILE, Ala. — The Coast Guard escorted the disabled Carnival Triumph to the Alabama Cruise Ship Terminal in Mobile Thursday evening. Busloads of the passengers left for New orleans, Houston and Galveston beginning aroun 10 p.m. Feb. 14.
The tug vessel Roland Falgout and four assist tugs towed the Triumph to the Alabama Cruise Terminal following more than a 100-hour voyage from Cozumel, Mexico to Mobile.
Resources used to assist the Triumph:
The 210-foot Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous and crew, homeported in Cape May, N.J.;
Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile MH-60T crew;
The 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Stingray crew;
Three Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island 45-foot Response Boat — Medium crews;
One Coast Guard Station Pascagoula boatcrew;
Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team.
The Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous arrived on scene Sunday night and safely medevaced one passenger to the Carnival Legend. Cutter Vigorous began escorting the Triumph once the contracted tugs arrived and began towing it toward Mobile.
The Coast Guard worked closely with federal, state and local partners to effect the safe return of the Carnival Triumph and its crew and passengers. Through a collaborative effort, the Coast Guard and its port partners transferred critical engineering equipment, assisted CBP with the disembarkation process, enforced a security zone and assisted with the medevac of one additional passenger.
The Flag Administration of the Bahamas will be leading the investigation into the incident with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board.
Read more: Tangilena.com - How the Coast Guard helps recscue stranded Carnival cruise ship many passengers now bound for New Orleans
The boat has finally made port in Mobile AL. It seems that this event is not an isolated incident but is happening with some regularity. In the 'wake' of this incident Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has begun a Congressional investigation. The ship was rescued and towed to shore by the Coast Guard and Sen. Rockefeller wants to know how much this has cost taxpayers.
Rockefeller asked the Coast Guard to report how much it spent responding to the disabled ship, which was towed to Mobile, Ala., and a similar 2010 incident involving another Carnival cruise ship, which was towed to San Diego after an onboard fire. He asked the Coast Guard if it can and will seek reimbursement from the cruise ship company for its costs.
I'm not going to do a lot of researching of cruise costs, but they are generally a vacation for a well-off person. Three different people I know went on cruises in the last year and paid about $8,000 a person.
The role of government as well as who benefits from it was a fundamental topic shaping last year's election, with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan popularizing the phrase 'makers vs takers' as well as the Republican party in general calling for reduction of the government in all phases (but defense). Yet as soon as there is any kind of emergency, these same people take for granted that they will be taken care of or rescued by their government, which they don't want to fund with taxes. Had public employees been scaled back as Romney wanted, who would have taken care of these poor, suffering souls whose vacations were ruined? We can be nearly certain that the cruise going population is among the same group that fought fiercely against President Obama's call to raise taxes on the 1%, and were the ones to point fingers at the 47% takers. But, have no issue with the government coming to their rescue - at no cost to them.
And if the free market is so glorious, why doesn't Carnival Cruise Line have its own, private emergency services for just such occasions? Shouldn't these bootstrappers be embarrassed to rely on the government for help?
I certainly hope that Sen. Rockefeller follows through with his investigation. If Republicans think America shouldn't help out Sandy victims because we have to 'lower spending', we certainly shouldn't be spending tax dollars to rescue stranded vacation goers.
This US Coast Guard photo released on February 14, 2013 shows the Carnival Cruise Ship Triumph as it is towed by the tug vessels Pioneer and Roland Falgout toward Mobile, Alabama, on February 13, 2013. The Triumph reported lost power due to an electrical fire in the engine room, on February 10, 2013 and has received assistance from the Coast Guard and sister cruise ships. Passengers on the stricken cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico are enduring a nightmare after days without power, waiting hours for sparse meals and relieving themselves in plastic bags, one said on February 14, 2013. The ship carries more than 4,000 people. It is being towed to Mobile, Alabama and is to arrive Thursday afternoon" AFP PHOTO / US COAST GUARD/PAUL MCCONNELL/"
