The topic selected for a research essay is the consequences of the Jones Act, and the argument the paper will make is that this law should be repealed because of its adverse impact on the US economy. The first source to support this topic is the article by Grabow et al. The researchers used secondary quantitative data collection methods to show the negative impact of the Jones Act on the US maritime industry and economy. First, Grabow et al. introduced the Jones Act and the two opposing viewpoints on this law (2). Second, the authors reviewed the relation of this law to national security (Grabow et al. 3-4). Next, Grabow et al. used quantitative data to demonstrate how the Jones Act restricted shipping, decreased fleet size, increased transportation and environmental costs, and harmed the US economy. The authors concluded their article by suggesting recommendations about how to mitigate the negative impact of the Jones Act. This source will be used to argue that the Jones Act has brought more problems than benefits. The data from this article will help persuade the audience to support the abolition of this law.
Grabow, Colin, et al. The Jones Act: A Burden America Can No Longer Bear. Policy Analysis, no. 845, 2018, pp. 1-24.
The second source to be used in the paper is the research conducted by Grennes. In this study, the scholar collected secondary quantitative data to perform a thorough economic analysis of the Jones Act. First, Grennes introduced this law, its goals, coverage, and enforcement. After that, the author reviewed recent world developments in the maritime industry and contrasted them to the US fleet to show the impact of the Jones Act. Further, Grennes conducted an economic analysis by estimating the relative costs of this law and how those costs were distributed across US regions (21-31). The author also assessed the effects of this act on national security to see whether the law fulfilled its primary goals. Grennes concluded that the Jones Act had a small positive effect on national security (34). Finally, the author reviewed the political aspects of the Jones Act and compared the US legislative environment to that in other countries. This source is valuable for the research paper because it provides quantitative data on the economic effects of the Jones Act. This data will be used to convince the audience of the need to repeal this law.
Grennes, Thomas. An Economic Analysis of the Jones Act. Mercatus Center at George Mason University, 2017. SSRN.
The third source is the research article by Mason, which deals with the question of the influence of the Jones Act on the US energy industry. First, Mason establishes the historical background of the development of the Jones Act. Second, the author assesses the current state of this law, citing qualitative data on the law’s successes and quantitative data on its failures (Mason 74-82). Further, the researcher evaluates the damage that the Jones Act caused to the US economy. Mason pays particular attention to the detrimental effects on energy costs, transportation of oil and natural gas, and costs for consumers (82-88). Based on the provided data, the author concludes that the Jones Act should be either relaxed or abolished (Mason 89). This source will be used to support the argument that this law has negatively affected the US economy, especially in non-contiguous territories that are dependent on the delivery of goods by sea. It will help convince the audience that the Jones Act reduces the quality of life in such territories as Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska.
Mason, Kyle. Sabotage by Cabotage: The Jones Act’s Attack on U.S. Energy. The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law, vol. 12, no. 1, 2019, pp. 64-92.
The fourth source to be used in the essay is the paper by Morales. This study used quantitative and qualitative data to analyze the impact of the Jones Act. First, the author completed a literature review, identifying the origins of the law, its goals, proponents and opponents, and reform history. Second, Morales evaluated the economic impact of the law on Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The author also included several historical examples of economic inefficiencies caused by the Jones Act, such as cattle shipment from Hawaii to the contiguous US (Morales 27). The researcher concluded the paper by stating that the law was outdated and did not even support national security, which is why it should be repealed (Morales 30). This source will be used in the essay to establish the irrelevance of the Jones Act in the modern world and prove that this law is harmful to the economy of non-contiguous territories. The audience will benefit from the use of this paper because it will help understand how the Jones Act led to economic inefficiencies.
Morales, Joseph. The Jones Act – The Real Natural Disaster: An Analysis of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. 2018. California State U, Master’s thesis.
The fifth source to be used in the paper is the study conducted by Olney. The researcher used quantitative data and descriptive statistics to document changes in the US maritime industry and domestic trade which occurred after the adoption of the Jones Act. First, Olney compared the US fleet with the world fleet and found that the number of US ships significantly declined since the enforcement of the Jones Act (6). Second, the author analyzed shipments by mode of transport and discovered that water transportation became less important (Olney 8). After performing the cross-sectional analysis, the researcher established a causal relationship between this decline in performance and the adoption of the Jones Act (Olney 13). This source will be used in the paper to provide documented facts about the impact of the Jones Act on the US maritime industry and trade. The data from this source will inform the reader about the reduction of the US fleet and a decrease in the use of water transport after the enforcement of the Jones Act.
Olney, William W. Cabotage Sabotage? The Curious Case of the Jones Act. Journal of International Economics, vol. 127, 2020, pp. 1-13.
Works Cited
Grabow, Colin, et al. The Jones Act: A Burden America Can No Longer Bear. Policy Analysis, no. 845, 2018, pp. 1-24.
Grennes, Thomas. An Economic Analysis of the Jones Act. Mercatus Center at George Mason University, 2017. SSRN.
Mason, Kyle. Sabotage by Cabotage: The Jones Act’s Attack on U.S. Energy. The Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law, vol. 12, no. 1, 2019, pp. 64-92.
Morales, Joseph. The Jones Act – The Real Natural Disaster: An Analysis of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. 2018. California State U, Master’s thesis.
Olney, William W. Cabotage Sabotage? The Curious Case of the Jones Act. Journal of International Economics, vol. 127, 2020, pp. 1-13.