Log In | Register
For months the majority of Republicans in congress and a few Democrats especially those from oil producing states, relentlessly push for the immediate construction of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline.
Republicans put controversial Keystone XL Pipeline rider in payroll-tax extension
Seeded on Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:58 AM EST
- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
- Public Discussion (16)
Problem is, Republicans in DC is fighting for the rich and well connected. As a result, most Republicans refuse to help pass any recent bill unless this Keystone XL Pipeline is a part of the discussion. After public outcry and fierce push-back from environmentalist groups, this Keystone XL Pipeline decision was delayed.
- 8 votes
#1 - Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:02 AM ESTThey've probably shot themselves in the foot here, EastLaw.
Forcing a decision in 60 days will result in an Administration ruling to deny the necessary permits, with a provision to allow TransCanada to resubmit their application - effectively starting the clock all over again. And the EPA has plenty of precedent to CYA themselves on this one.
House Republicans have been outflanked. While I'm sure that the Right will try very hard to make hay out of this, I don't think it will get much traction. People are not worried about 2,000 temporary jobs. They're worried about millions of jobs, income inequality, the disappearing middle class, home values, food prices, and healthcare costs.
Meanwhile, Congress fiddles as Rome burns.
- 8 votes
World falling about their ears, all they can think of is Big Fossil.
When they've plundered everything and world is in ruins, where do they plan to live?
Did lords of Easter Island regret cutting down last tree as their starving people cannibalized them. They trapped 20,000 people on a tiny island without a way to fish or immigrate.
GOP's done same thing to us.
- 7 votes
Let's be clear; Canada will pull the oil out of the ground; it will be purchased by someone, and it will enter the atmosphere. The only question is will it cause more damage because it is transported to point of refinement via train and truck, or will it be transported using a more efficient and clean path through the Keystone pipeline. Those against the pipeline that say it will be unsafe are being disingenuous. What they are really trying to do is get their way on hydrocarbon policy. Furthermore, they are unconcerned about the impact of their goal on jobs. If they are honest with the American people, they will just say we don't want the Keystone pipeline because we want to do everything possible to raise the price oil. But, they won't say that because Americans would quickly realize opponents of the Keystone pipeline are pushing their environmental agenda to the detriment of the country.
The Keystone Pipeline will bring raw material to a point of refinement in the most efficient and environmental safe manner possible. It will create temporary jobs during construction, operating jobs for life the pipeline, and secondary jobs because the increased flow of Oil.
The President needs to approve Keystone’s building now, not later. If the President doesn't approve Keystone, we will see that he too wants to do everything possible to increase the price of oil without concern for sacrificing American jobs.
In Canada, the oil industry is transforming one of the world's last remaining intact ecosystems into America's gas tank.
Alberta's boreal forest and wetlands are home to a diverse range of animals, including lynx, caribou and grizzly bears, and serve as critical breeding grounds for many North American songbirds and waterfowl. Oil companies are scraping up hundreds of thousands of acres of this wildlife haven to mine tar sands -- silty deposits that contain small amounts of crude bitumen.
Extracting tar sands, and turning bitumen into crude oil, uses vast amounts of energy and water, and causes significant air and water pollution, and three times the global warming pollution of conventional crude production. The rush to strip-mine and drill tar sands in the boreal will destroy and fragment millions of acres of this wild forest for low-grade petroleum fuel. -National Resources Defense Council
The president just might kill it now, and the republicans will be blamed for forcing a decision too soon without a review the president is comfortable with and the president will be the hero while, as usual, making complete fools of republicans with no effort at all and, of course, with thier help.
The people of Nebraska, including the republican governor, want it re-routed due to the Ogallala Aquifer, which serves as the primary source of drinking water for millions of Americans and provides 30 percent of the nation's ground ater used for irrigation.
The oil will be refined on our Gulf coast and shipped overseas. In addition, this is a tar sands pipeline being built by a Canadian company. The only American jobs that will be created are around 6,000 very temporary construction jobs. Not worth destroying the environment or some people's own properties, some of which are extremely fragile ecosystems.
Educate yourselves on this disastrous project to the American people.
http://www.nrdc.org/energy/dirtyfuels_tar.asp?gclid=CN3Wqprlmq0CFcNo4AoddQEDmA
- 6 votes
#2 - Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:29 AM ESTbabina: I agree with you 100%. Have said the same thing several times. Let the Canadians build there own refinery and mess up their own country. Why would anyone here want that?
- 5 votes
babina,
The number of (temporary) jobs created by this pipeline is even less than 6,000. A study from Cornell shows this:
A calculation of the direct jobs that might be created by KXL can begin with an examination of the jobs on-site to build and inspect the pipeline. The project will create no more than 2,500-4,650 temporary direct construction jobs for two years, according to TransCanada's own data supplied to the State Department. [Cornell University Global Labor Institute, September 2011]
and this:
KXL will divert Tar Sands oil now supplying Midwest reļ¬neries, so it can be sold at higher prices to the Gulf Coast and export markets. As a result, consumers in the Midwest could be paying 10 to 20 cents more per gallon for gasoline and diesel fuel. These additional costs (estimated to total $2–4 billion) will suppress other spending and will therefore cost jobs.
This pipeline has nothing whatsoever to do with the creation of American jobs. Pipes are made from Chinese steel, in Chinese factories. Cement is imported from India. A few thousand temporary jobs are created, but an equal number may be lost (especially in the Midwest).
BTW, here's what that tar sands project in Alberta really looks like, as caught by NatGeo:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/12/pictures/111222-canada-oil-sands-satellite-images/?source=link_TW_02#/alberta-tar-oil-sands-satellite-pictures-1984_46159_600x450.jpg
A picture's worth a thousand words. Personally, I hope it's killed.
- 5 votes
A question for all of us.
Do we, as a people, have the guts and integrity that our "leaders" do not? Will we say that if the only way to have this payroll tax cut is to allow someone else's dog to @!$%# in our yard we will skip the tax cut.? Go ahead raise the tax but damn the pipeline?
THEY are counting on us not to.
- 2 votes
Redder,
That may be a false choice. What does a Canadian tar sands pipeline have to do with tax cuts?
These are very different subjects. I, for one, grow quite tired of the Congressional sausage-making that merges special interests with 'must-pass' legislation.
Time to bring back the line item veto, IMO.
- 3 votes
That is the point. They have no relation. The repubs are just trying to muscle it. It IS a false choice. But what if that was the choice. Fair or not?
...I don't think we ever had a line by line veto.
Either way the tax cut is temporary the pipeline is forever.
- 3 votes
But what if that was the choice. Fair or not?
That's a tough one. With China slowing down, and Europe imploding, where do we look for growth if incomes fall to even lower levels? We really do need that money being used to keep our economy on track for even modest growth now.
...I don't think we ever had a line by line veto
Only VERY briefly. It was a great idea, though...
- 2 votes
Thanks P.R. I like to learn new things. A line item veto is a good thing. I read that it was quickly challenged. I wish those 7 senators who voted against the NDAA would challenge it.
Imagine if someone like Nixon had the powers of the NDAA??????????????????
- 2 votes
Hey retired-liberal democrat! What is the difference between "direct jobs" and jobs created due to the fact that more oil is easily put online in the US?
#3 - Sat Dec 24, 2011 9:18 AM ESTmore oil is easily put online in the US?
This is the seductive mantra of the oil industry. For the life of me, I don't know why it still works.
Oil is fungible. Fungible.
All oil drilled anywhere in the world is sold on the open market. Oil drilled in the U.S., or refined in the U.S., does NOT make us 'energy-secure'. It's just as likely to be sold to China or Argentina as it is to be sold to us - and we all pay the same price for it.
The only way to change that is to nationalize drilling here, as Russia, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia have done. Are you promoting that approach, CP?
- 5 votes
Physicist is right. The oil belongs to the company that digs it out. Oil companies are global and oil is sold globally. You have to have the government dig it and that would be socialism. Perhaps even facism. Not sure which.
What we should be doing is developing wind and solar. We are blessed with the great southwest sunbelt and the tradewinds. We should reasearch and develope lithium batteries holding a ten year charge. We should be developing hydrogen fuel cells. Hell if we can make a weapon out of it why not fuel?
Let's get off our knees to big oil and, just like going to the moon, we can do this. Thses are the real jobs. This is our future. Let's stop the bickering and do it.
- 3 votes
Who cares about the environmental factors. Our government should not pay a cent for this. Corporations profit....corporations should pay every penny.
- 2 votes
#4 - Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:56 PM ESTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info.
