Harrison Bergeron in the Skies

Final April, I did a publish discussing the components behind the severely restricted variety of flights between the US and China. In current months, the US authorities has allowed extra flights, however solely beneath the situation that Chinese language airways fly a for much longer route between the 2 international locations. US airways had complained that they have been at a aggressive drawback, on account of their lack of ability to fly over Russian airspace due to the Ukraine sanctions dispute.

US airways are at a aggressive drawback, simply as US exporters to Hawaii which might be restricted by the Jones Act are at a aggressive drawback to Chinese language exporters to Hawaii.  However would that be a cause to increase the Jones Act to the remainder of the world?

Requiring the Chinese language airways to keep away from Russian airspace has the next results:

1. Turning a painful 13-hour flight from the East Coast to China into an excruciating 20-hour marathon.

2.  Sharply elevating ticket costs.

3.  Rising world warming.

4.  Decreasing tourism between the 2 international locations.

This final merchandise is very necessary, as I consider that tourism is likely one of the finest methods to enhance worldwide relations.  Covid journey restrictions pushed the world towards nationalism.

The Biden administration means that world warming is likely one of the most extreme crises dealing with the human race.  However in terms of a alternative between nationalism and environmentalism, their actions counsel they care extra about nationalism.  They’ve additionally put commerce obstacles on the importation of unpolluted applied sciences.  Don’t inform me what you care about, present me what you care about.

PS.  Readers of Kurt Vonnegut could acknowledge the reference within the publish title.

PPS.  One current examine estimated the impression of the Jones Act on the Hawaiian financial system:

Because of this new analysis, we now know that native households pay virtually $1,800 yearly due to the act, together with $389 for housing prices, $248 for groceries and eating places, and $62 for gasoline. Total, the act prices Hawaii’s financial system an additional $1.2 billion a yr, with uncomfortable side effects together with 1000’s of misplaced jobs and decrease tax revenues for our state and native governments.