Immigration reform. The federal deficit. Isis and international terrorism. The Iran deal. U.S.-Cuba relations. Racism. Wage issues, unemployment and inflation. Taxes. Corporate corruption. Healthcare and medical research. The war on drugs and medical marijuana. Education. Poverty and hunger. Social Security. National security. The environment. Gun control, crime and violence.
Whew. Our nation is facing some serious stuff, people.
That’s why it is comforting to know that we have serious people like 
Congressman Carlos Curbelo in Washington, taking on the big issues that define our society today.
Earlier this month, in fact, Curbelo introduced a very important piece of legislation designating October as “Cruise Travel Professional Month.” Now, if you think this is silly or useless or completely ridiculous, you just don’t realize that this resolution acknowledges “the creativity and professionalism of the men and women of the Cruise Travel Professional community.”
The resolution is co-sponsored by Democrat Congresswoman Corinne Brown, a former travel agent, and, naturally, supported by cruise industry professionals.
Read related story: Curbelo kicks off campaign with friends… and clients?
“We thank Rep. Curbelo and Rep. Brown for recognizing these outstanding professionals,” Cindy D’Aoust, acting CEO of Cruise Lines International Association said. “We greatly value cruise travel specialists who create memorable vacations for the more than 22 million cruisers each year, and are thrilled to see Congress acknowledge their professionalism.”
A “Cruise Travel Professional Month” in October would coincide with National Plan a Cruise Mon
th — not to mention Hispanic Heritage Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In fact, October has more awareness tied to it than any other month of the year. It is also Breast Feeding Awareness Month. And National Pit Bull Awareness Month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, National LGBTQ History Month, Dwarfism Awareness Month, Vegetarian Awareness Month, National Fire Prevention Month, National Italian and Polish American Heritage Month, to name a few, as well as the month for awareness of several illnesses, including Alzheimer’s, Lupus, Eczema and Rett Syndrome, which obviously needs the promotion.
Cruise professionals have to be just as important.
According to a press release, the resolution honors the value that cruise travel professionals offer consumers, “by providing advice on choosing the best cruise based on customers’ budget and interest, and taking the worry out of vacation planning by arranging all the details.”
Wow. They arrange all the details? And they do this for what? For lots of money, right? I’s not out of the kindness of their hearts.
Ladra can’t help but wonder if a cruise line or two is in that secret client list of Curbelo’s lobbying firm, which he put in his wife’s name so he wouldn’t have to disclose it. We’ll never know. But he seems to really have studied the industry.
Read related story: Carlos Curbelo hides lobbying client list under wife’s skirt
“Florida is the center of the cruise industry in the United States. In 2013, 6.15 million passengers or 62% of embarkations were boarded from one of Florida’s five ports: Miami, the Everglades, Canaveral, Tampa, or Jacksonville,” Curbelo said in a statement. “In 2014, the cruise industry generated $46 billion and housed a workforce consisting of 375,000 jobs in the United States alone.
“I thank my colleague Rep. Brown for her leadership on this issue and for supporting a business that provides vibrant employment opportunities for our friends and neighbors.”
He should have also thanked Norweigan Cruise Lines, his fifth largest contributor, for giving $15,000 to his campaign fund.
Seeing as how Leon Medical Centers is No. 1, giving $57,000 so far, one might expect Curbelo to introduce another resolution designating November as Medical Service Center Professionals Month.
Carlos Curbelo’s legacy in first term: Nod to cruise industry added by Ladra on
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