Argumentative Steamboat research paper

How about an argument supporting congress' passage of the DQ's exemption??? Lotsa stuff there!!
S'
David D.
Or you could do it on WHY Congress didn't pass the exemption!

Dave,

EXACTLY what I was thinking! You took the words out of my mouth!

Travis

Travis,
Are you accusing me of being a politician--stealing words???
Heh Heh Heh! Oh a wise guy, eh??
Hmm, can you email me your snail mail, I have something I think you'll appreciate!
S'
David

Yeah I was thinking of something along those lines, just trying to come up with a strong thesis statement for it, like I've tried to write a few but I just can't seem to get the words put together right to make it sound like the example she gave us in class; but I guess I have plenty of time to work it out.

Example:
"High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness."

I'll keep working on it and tell you where I come up, maybe I'm just not getting how to write an argumentative essay thesis.

Matthew, if you decide to do this, let me know--I have stuff that might help that was used that last season on the DQ.
If you are looking for another steamboat topic in general, try Louis Hunter's wonderful "Steamboats on the Western Rivers." Another great topic you can argue forever (and I have loads of references on) is who should get credit for inventing the steamboat? I bet you'd get a lot of opinion from this board on that, too--I have a number of books on the topic.

Matt, I, too, will be more than glad to share all the info I have on the fight to SAVE THE DELTA QUEEN. Please email me at [email protected].

I hope you pick that topic!

"High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness."

Mat,
I have to say that I like the thesis statement you have here because it is exactly what I did, and it made such a world of difference in how I think about things. I mean it wasn't community service projects, but I got to work on the NATCHEZ for the winter and learn about the operation in New Orleans, something that I wouldn't have been able to do if I went directly to college. There's only so much they can teach you in the classroom, but having real world experience is so much better. Good luck on your paper!

Matt

Here are a couple ideas, they still need work.

"The debate between Congress and Delta Queen Supporters over the exemption to allow the operation of the Delta Queen has continued for decades, Congresses explanation for denial is said to be due to safety concerns while Delta Queen Supporters argue the long track record and organizations effort to go above and beyond safety requirements."

"Without an exemption from Congress to operate the Delta Queen, a great piece of American History will be lost"

"The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (James Oberstar) created a campaign that single-handily put an end to one of the greatest symbols of American history."

"The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (James Oberstar) had a personal vendetta to stop the operating of the Delta Queen, contrast to what they gave as there reasoning."

Which do you think sounds the "best" and how would you suggest tweaking it.

Mat,

I like the first of the 4 the most. It is not pointing fingers, it is stating facts. Isn't that the best place to start the argument, from the facts of both sides?

The other three, while echoing the sentiments of many on these boards only display your argument as one-sided.

The last one...almost a perfect conclusion statement to a great argumentative essay (just remember, you have to prove that statement in the body of the essay)!

It is now your challenge to make it happen! And let us all read the finished product on here, too!

If you need anything from the last few seasons of the boat, please let me or any of the myrad of others on here who were there, too know...we will all be glad to help you out!

Somewhere I have the email no one was supposed to see from Ambassadors to the upper management of MAL about the end of the DQ. It got sent to the Tour Managers of all the boats the day before public announcement by mistake! A kindly Tour Manager on the DQ forwarded it to me and about half my personal email group....imagine how that happened 😉

No stress here dude...but, we are all counting on you!

Travis

Perhaps this belongs in a new thread, but here's another suggestion that maybe represents an overarching theme in current American trends:

"It is an outrage that negligence, apathy, shortsightedness and personal greed have led to the near destruction of the American riverboat culture."

Evidence:

former Str. PRESIDENT hacked to pieces
Str./S.S. DELTA QUEEN removed from operation
Str. JULIA BELLE SWAIN cruises canceled
abandonment of Str. MISSISSIPPI QUEEN
loss of former Str. MISSISSIPPI/BECKY THATCHER
handover to MARAD of Str. AMERICAN QUEEN
collapse of former DQSC/MAL
increasing rudeness to river community of boat owners (General Jackson Co., MAL, in some cases BoL's Waterfront Development Corp.)
nearly universally decreased state funding to historical museums
partisan and special interest politics leading to shady-at-best legislative practices

Anybody care to add more?

I would personally add:

Inland river industry suffocated by overabundance of Coast Guard regulations, mandated by an overzealous Congress, and fueled by a nation of too many lawyers. There are too many CG regulations, too many fees for abiding by all the new CG regulations, and too many useless CG bluewater reg's working their way into inland river reg's.

In other words, good river people are being red-taped out of business, out of work, and/or extremely discouraged to even think about starting a river-based business in this bureaucratic climate. It's all this added red-tape, combined with a bad economy, that has contributed greatly to this historic level of attrition on the rivers (in my opinion!)...

How about this wording?

Remember: Congress did not deny an exemption - there was no vote taken. The membership was denied a chance to vote on it by having the bill killed in committee.

"The debate between Congress and Delta Queen Supporters over the exemption to allow the operation of the Delta Queen has continued for decades, Congresses explanation for denial is said to be due to safety concerns while Delta Queen Supporters argue the long track record and organizations effort to go above and beyond safety requirements."

There has been a decades-long debate between Congress and Delta Queen owners/supporters regarding exemptions to allow the continued operation of the boat. A Congressional committee recently refused to consider another exemption, citing safety concerns, which Delta Queen supporters refute with her safety record and extensive safety equipment and procedures installed over the years.

Mathew,
Some more ideas:
The American Public's lack of interest in American Maritime History, powerful congressmen with political agendas, a declining economy, and a mis-guided cruise line combined to form a "perfect storm" that ended American overnight passenger riverboat travel.
May be too long!
American overnight steamboat travel ended because of a lack of national unity for preservation of our American Heritage
I'll see if I can come up with anything better, it's too late tonight!
S'
David D.

A simple title: The Delta Queen Steamboat should be allowed to operate again.

I know many of us here can give you referenced materials for that argument!
S'
David D.

Mathew Stage;20493 wrote: Yeah
Example:
"High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness."

Actually, Matt, there was at one time a federal program that accomplished that very goal. It required a two year commitment and, until around 1962 or so, was administered in a more benign arena than that in which it would exist today.

It was called the draft.

Paul

Judy Patsch;20514 wrote: Remember: Congress did not deny an exemption - there was no vote taken. The membership was denied a chance to vote on it by having the bill killed in committee.

"The debate between Congress and Delta Queen Supporters over the exemption to allow the operation of the Delta Queen has continued for decades, Congresses explanation for denial is said to be due to safety concerns while Delta Queen Supporters argue the long track record and organizations effort to go above and beyond safety requirements."

There has been a decades-long debate between Congress and Delta Queen owners/supporters regarding exemptions to allow the continued operation of the boat. A Congressional committee recently refused to consider another exemption, citing safety concerns, which Delta Queen supporters refute with her safety record and extensive safety equipment and procedures installed over the years.

Thank you Judy for this great upgrade to my thesis!

Everyone with information please send me an email! I am going to be starting this tonight and finishing the rough draft hopefully by Sunday or Monday (depending how the weather is and how busy I am cutting away steel from the Belle's bow) my email is [email protected] any books, documents, emails, interviews, anything at all would be great I'm going to need seven citations minimum, look forward to hearing from you all!

Alright, well the paper is coming along very nicely, however I'm still shy on a few items.

From the library and interlibrary loan I have gotten numerous books regarding steamboats and the Delta Queen, both past and present. I also have the Traveling inspectors report (thanks Mary). What I need are some more sources regarding the case, documents that would be in FAVOR of the NOT granting the exemption. Does anyone have any of the court cases documents or internal memos/documents etc from The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, or any other legal documents I can use as a source (for or against). I have 5 strong sources currently and two that I can use for historical relevance but they aren't what I would consider "strong sources", the minimum requirement is 7 sources.

If anyone would like to see my current thesis, outline, source interpretation/use. I'd be glade to let you review it! I will be turning in my outline on Thursday, as long as I can get a few opposing viewpoint sources.

Thanks guys! and look forward to hearing from you!

Maybe check the Congressional Record for Rep. Obestar's testimony against the amendment in mid (April?) 2008.

I would be interested. What contact information do you need?

Still trying to find resources?? Doesn't anyone have documentation for this or is it all hearsay with no backing other then personal opinions?

Documentation for what?????????????????????

The last case with the denial of the exemption or why it was never presented, I can't find any official (documents I can use as a source) information from the The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee or Congress on the matter as to there decision... Thank-you

Matt--let me see what I have--but remember, we were being fed stuff from confidential inside sources. I do remember that someone present at the meeting of the transportation committee told us that when the bill was considered, safety was never discussed, but the unions were. I have a vague recollection of this coming out in the news at that time--possibly a newspaper back east, like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh? I'll look through my files. Seems to me this came from a committee member's aide.
I learned a lot about how business is done in Washington. It's made me a firm believer in term limits, and throw the lobbying system OUT!