Left, right, center, libertarian, socialist, your uncle who "doesn't do politics" — virtually every economist and policy expert agrees the Jones Act is bad. It's possibly the only issue in America with near-unanimous expert consensus and near-zero public awareness. So let's fix that. Together. On June 5.
On June 5, we declare a 24-hour ceasefire on social media. No dunking. No ratio-ing. No "well actually"-ing. Just vibes and maritime law reform.
The Jones Act says goods moving between US ports must travel on US-built ships. Sounds reasonable — except almost no ships are built in the US anymore. So instead of sailing directly from Houston to Puerto Rico, cargo often routes through a foreign port like Jamaica first, on a foreign ship, just to technically comply. Americans shipping to Americans, via another country, because of a law meant to protect American shipping. You can't make this stuff up.
Write your reps. Have a cookout. Buy a $200 boat off AliExpress and ceremonially transport a single coconut between two US ports. You know, normal civic engagement.
The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, Section 27 — better known as the Jones Act — requires that all goods shipped between US ports be carried on ships that are US-built, US-owned, US-crewed, and US-flagged. It sounds patriotic until you realize what it actually does.
Shipping costs between US ports are 3 to 5 times higher than comparable international routes. This hits island territories hardest — Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam pay vastly inflated prices for basic goods. A Grassroot Institute of Hawaii study found the Act costs Hawaiian households roughly $1,800 per year.
After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, Jones Act restrictions initially prevented foreign ships from delivering aid, even as people were dying. The government eventually issued a temporary waiver — after public outcry. This happens every. single. time.
The US had around 300 oceangoing merchant ships when the Jones Act passed. Today? Fewer than 100 Jones Act-eligible vessels. Meanwhile, South Korea builds more ships in a month than the US builds in a year. The "protection" has protected the industry into near-extinction.
Because coastal shipping is so expensive, goods that could go by water get put on trucks and trains instead — producing more carbon emissions. The Jones Act is literally making climate change worse because of a law from the Woodrow Wilson administration.
New England imports liquefied natural gas from Trinidad and Tobago instead of getting it from the Gulf of Mexico — because there aren't enough Jones Act-compliant LNG tankers. Americans import energy from other countries because it's illegal to ship it to themselves affordably.
Great question. The answer is the same answer to like 80% of "why does this bad thing still exist" questions: a small group of people make a lot of money from it.
The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) — the main lobbying group defending the Jones Act — represents domestic shipbuilders, carriers, and maritime unions. They spend millions annually lobbying Congress. According to OpenSecrets, the maritime transport sector has spent over $300 million on lobbying since 2000.
Here's the basic math of why this keeps happening:
This is a textbook case of regulatory capture: when the industry being regulated effectively controls the regulations meant to govern it. The Jones Act doesn't serve the public interest. It serves about 650 companies really, really well.
Whether you prefer writing a thoughtful letter or buying a questionable watercraft on the internet, there's a participation level for everyone.
Send a letter (physical paper hits different) to your Senators and House Representative telling them you support repealing or reforming the Jones Act. Mention you vote. Mention you know what regulatory capture is. They love that. Or use Resistbot — text RESIST to 50409 and it'll walk you through sending a letter in about 2 minutes.
Invite your neighbors over. Fire up the grill. Explain the Jones Act to them while they can't leave because they're waiting for the food. Captive audience outreach is an underrated civic strategy.
Buy one of those surprisingly cheap inflatable boats on AliExpress ($47, free shipping, 3-star rating). Fly a Bhutanese flag on it — they have no merchant marine so it's a nice thing to do, and there's a cool dragon on it. Load it with goods (e.g. beer, coconuts). Transport said goods between two US ports. Document everything. Is it seaworthy? Probably not. Is it Jones Act-compliant? Absolutely not. Is it making a point? Definitely.
Support organizations actually working on Jones Act reform year-round. The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, the Cato Institute's trade policy center, and the Open the Oceans Coalition do the heavy lifting between June 5ths.
Take a break from the timeline. Do something together for once. And maybe — just maybe — free the ships.