Posted on 09/19/2014 7:51:37 AM PDT by thackney
Marking the sixth anniversary of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline's permit application, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) teased voters with a preview of what a GOP-controlled Senate would do.
"If American people give us the opportunity to be in a majority next year, I'll be setting the agenda," McConnell said. "It's easier to score if you're on offense, and the majority leader is offensive coordinator."
He added: "If we have a new majority next year, and a new majority leader, the Keystone pipeline will be voted on on the floor of the Senate, something the current majority has been avoiding for literally years."
The promise should come as no surprise as Republicans have voiced constant frustration with the administration over the $5.4 billion project, which would carry crude from oil sands in Alberta to Gulf refineries. Republican Sens. John Hoeven (N.D.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), John Barrasso (Wyo.), John Thune (S.D.) joined McConnell in marking the anniversary of Keystone's permit, which is currently in limbo at the State Department.
All 45 Republican senators also sent a letter to President Obama on Thursday, calling on him, yet again, to approve the pipeline, which they argue is "shovel-ready."
Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said, when asked by voters why the pipeline has yet to be approved, that he blames billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer.
"There is no good answer to this other than the ideological blinders that Sen. Barrasso was alluding to and the fact that Tom Steyer will come after any Democrat who votes for this because of his own ideological blinders," Cornyn said.
He added that, if given the majority, Republicans would pass Keystone XL, move on natural gas exports, and "have a robust debate about crude [oil exports] as well."
Environmentalists and liberal Democrats are adamantly opposed to the pipeline, arguing it would significantly contribute to climate change, as well as endangering the environment and homes along the project's route.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) offered to have a binding vote on Keystone XL earlier this year as long as Republicans joined with Democrats in passing a major energy efficiency bill.
Republicans wouldn't budge, blasting Reid for blocking their energy amendments.
I have reached the belief that RNC does not want to end this battle any more than the DNC. Both have used it greatly for years to raise donations.
We need to make McConnell unemployed. The traitor needs to go.
Yep. I’ll hold my nose and vote for Grimes. The first time I will have voted for a democrat since 1972. Putting the R’s in charge of both houses is a very high priority. Cleaning out the GOP is a higher priority.
First things first.
I have reached the belief that RNC does not want to end this battle any more than the DNC.
I’m done with that paradigm.
Make McConnell’s 15 minutes END
But the primary is already over. Try again in six years.
If more people vote for the more liberal candidate, you believe the GOP will take that as a voter preference for more conservative candidates?
The time to make that push is in the primary. I can understand withholding the vote in the general election, but voting for the most liberal is not making your point, in my opinion.
If conservatives farther down the ticket in smaller local elections get more votes than the RINO's near the top, it may help to convey the "No RINO" point.
Well Mitch. If you are not going to repeal Obamacare we really don’t have any use for you. You have had several years, and as of today absolutely no results.
I am discussed that he thinks that is all we care about.
No and no.
We may need McConnell for control of the Senate but it’s a disgrace this rotten, cadaverous old RINO was re-nominated.
Choosing him as majority leader would be further rewarding incompetence and duplicity and cowardice.
Politics is local. McConnel needs to be removed, one way or the other.
This has nothing to do with the primary. This has to do with Deliberate efforts by McConnell to damage and marginalize the Tea Party. McConnell helped to pay for those Racist attack ads against Chris McDaniel in Mississippi, and McConnell needs to go.
McConnell trod on the Tea Party, now McConnell needs to get bitten.
In that we agree. But I do not believe electing the democrat shows support for the Tea Party.
He added: "If we have a new majority next year, and a new majority leader, the Keystone pipeline will be voted on on the floor of the Senate, something the current majority has been avoiding for literally years."
Whereupon McConnell futilely scanned the horizon looking for takers.
I think they will take it as "Don't deliberately piss on them or they will bite you."
Yes, it's important to gain seats in the Senate, but it is *MORE* important not to let people attack us in such a way that we will LOSE seats.
McConnell just took a sure thing Mississippi Senate seat, and may have very well flipped it to the Democrat. If we lose that seat it will be because McConnell would rather have a Democrat sitting in it than a Tea Party Reform candidate.
If McConnell is willing to let the seat go Democrat instead of letting one of us win it, why shouldn't we give him a taste of his own medicine?
Beyond that, his tactic of accusing the Tea Party of racism will very likely be used again in the elections two years from now, if he is not seen as having paid a price for stooping so low.
The Tea Party's future is in jeopardy if McConnell gets away with that tactic.
How on earth do you expect him to do that?
Do you think he's President?
I doubt there is a Republican who if became Senate majority leader would NOT bring the Keystone XL pipeline up for a vote.
The first thing McConnell would do is announce Power Sharing with his fellow nutjob Harry
McConnell and his band of RINO’s have done nothing except enable
Harry Reid and his liberal bills by voting for cloture numerous times.
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