Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Big and little boats, and a sign
It is nice to see that in Padanaram, Massachusetts -- the Commonwealth in which Senator John Kerry did not want to dock his yacht, thereby saving nearly half a million dollars in taxes -- the residents know how to name their streets.
I did not see a Tiger Inn Lane, Ivy Road, Dial Way, or Cannon Avenue.
In an effort to support the coastal economy of New England, I am actually looking for a used sailboat to buy, and expect to have substantial professional refit work done, once I find a satisfactory sloop. My overall investment will be perhaps 10%-15% of the tax savings which Senator Kerry thought he would enjoy by keeping his New Zealand-built $7,000,000 yacht in Rhode Island (note that there are many yacht builders in the United States, and in New England specifically, that are desperate for orders for yachts such as "Isabel," and that such an order would employ many highly skilled craftsmen for some time). But I am just one of the little people.
Around these parts (on the Massachusetts side of the state line), locals ask, "What was he thinking?" I blurted out, he probably thought that he should be in the middle of his second term as president. I would speculate that most Democrats are happy that John Kerry is not president right now, and that the current resident of the White House is in fact the president.
14 Comments:
By 
My name is Inigo Montoya, at
Tue Aug 03, 12:32:00 PM:
I find US politics confusing;
I am a huge fan of this blog & its bloggers, but am unsure as to why you care that the boat was built in New Zealand. The whole 'Buy American' thing on the US right is offensive to the reasonably simple concept of free trade. Perhaps American boat builders should improve their craft (excuse the pun), lower their prices, or push for a better legislative environment for their business.
On the flip side - ironically - the link to the HuffPo article is accompanied by scores of comments along the lines of 'who cares what he does, doesn't he have a right to choose where to take his boat?' by Democratic fan boys. It's a crazy old world - if we were talking about the SS Bush the Huffington Post would have 24/7 around the clock coverage.
By PD Quig, at
Tue Aug 03, 12:48:00 PM:
"I would speculate that most Democrats are happy that John Kerry is not president right now, and that the current resident of the White House is in fact the president."
With the current resident of the White House having turned into the punch bowl's turd, it remains to be seen how happy the Democrats will remain after 2010. Probably at least as happy as they were with the hapless Carter.
By Escort81, at
Tue Aug 03, 12:52:00 PM:
Excellent point, DM, and I was sarcastically trying to hoist Senator Kerry on his own petard, in terms of the pro-labor rhetoric he employed during the 2004 campaign. I beleive that unions on the left are more pronounced in their buy American -- and indeed overtly protectionist -- attitudes than those on the right. I happen to think NZ-built yachts are wonderful, and the Kiwis are great sailors. I don't want to be guilty of too much hypocrisy -- I own an 11 year-old Audi made in Germany. But I will most likely buy a used boat originally built in RI or ME, and have the refit work performed in ME.
The tax avoidance issue is really more of a bugaboo, in my view. Senator Kerry represents the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Washington, D.C., and yet did not initially want to pay his fair share of taxes in his home state, on a major luxury item. The tax bill is one that Kerry (or more specifically, his wife) can well afford.
By 
, at
Tue Aug 03, 12:57:00 PM:
I know of a very nice Catalina 25 which will be available in September. It is about 20 years old, on its second owner, in excellent condition, and has many new parts, including an outboard motor. How would I get in touch with you?
By MartyH, at
Tue Aug 03, 01:05:00 PM:
DM-
It's the hypocrisy. Democrats in general decry outsourcing American jobs. Kerry was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004. One of his ads said, "John Kerry believes we should export American products, not American jobs." Well, guess what-he chose to export about seventy jobs from the US to New Zealand.
I, as a free trader, have no beef with that action. It's when you combine it with his and his party's stance towards sending jobs overseas that the situation becomes noteworthy.
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Aug 03, 02:33:00 PM:
Anonymous with the Catalina 25 -- you can reach Escort81 at his email address, which is posted near the top of the right sidebar.
By , at
Tue Aug 03, 04:59:00 PM:
Heh, you also might be interested in one of these, recently refreshed by Annapolis Yacht Club Commodore Bill Torgerson, P'66 who to tie this all together really was a Swift Boat Commander in Viet Nam.
JLW III p'67 (I fixed trucks in Viet Nam)
By My name is Inigo Montoya, at
Tue Aug 03, 05:49:00 PM:
Thank you Marty & Escort - points well made!
By , at
Wed Aug 04, 09:54:00 AM:
Heck, all I want him to do is release the rest of his military service records....like he said he would.
By Escort81, at
Wed Aug 04, 04:16:00 PM:
Great link, JLW. I know the yard and the type of boat, and she is beautiful. More boat than I am looking for (and more $), since I will be single-handing a great deal of the time along the coast of Maine. I'm focusing on sloops in the 34-36 foot range.
I will hail your friend if I'm ever anchored nearby.
By , at
Thu Aug 05, 06:11:00 AM:
DM, many Massachusetts boatbuilders have been forced out of business, or at least seen their business drop off, thanks to anti-business legislation passed by the likes of Senator Lurch. That's why him buying the boat overseas is so offensive.
By , at
Thu Aug 05, 11:47:00 AM:
Thanks to the business legislation.
Joyce
-------
Virtual-Tours.com
Interactive Virtual Tour Specialist
By Greg Toombs, at
Thu Aug 05, 12:36:00 PM:
DM, the point is that John Kerry was for taxes before he was against them.
Or, it may be he was against taxes before he was for them.
Then again, it may be both, spinning as needed.
What a jackass he is.
By , at
Tue Aug 10, 01:05:00 AM:
John Kerry's business owned yacht also violates the Jones act by being foreign built.
It is impermissible to do any coastwise trade with a foreign-built vessel; business development with clients included.
