Posted on 01/10/2015 8:18:34 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee
This is why we have to hold onto Congress for a generation. There’s a lot of messes to clean up. Under a GOP POTUS we could even cut the tax benefits to the Media. They hate us anyway, so why benefit them at all?
Not any more - remember, the Dems went nuclear. Whoops.
This is a sideshow.
The only things that Obama will understand are a full government shutdown and Articles of Impeachment.
Anything less than this is simply a GOPe masquerade designed to fool conservatives.
He does not care. Oil is bad. Canada is a successful country run by a conservative political party dominated by white Christian men. Can you connect the dots?
It would be nice to have the details better explained.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_Pipeline
The fight is over a detour that would bypass the route funding the Chicago Mob.
He IS rewarding crony Warren Buffet, who is making a ton from the oil having to be transported via the railroads.
Perhaps there are Republicans who are friendly with the Saudis (the Bushes and Cheney perhaps) and powerful Wall Street players who prefer not to alienate them. As I listened to Congressional arguments a few weeks ago, several points were raised that I think we at FR might want answered and addressed if this has not already happened.
First of all is the question of giving Canada/Canadians the right of EMINENT DOMAIN over taxpaying American property owners.
Second is NOT requiring the tar sands oil companies to pay into an accident mitigation fund that American oil companies are required to pay into.
The third is what correctives and ongoing protections regarding the soundness of pipeline pipes will be followed. The tar sands oil (dilbit) spill in a Kalamazoo River tributary has already cost over $1 billion for clean up, and deprived dozens of people of their homes. The Enbridge owned 6 foot diameter pipe was 40 years old. Once we get the KXL pipeline, what provisions are there made for ongoing upkeep?
Also, speaking of Warren Buffet, what legislation is/has been proposed to improve the strength/safety of oil tank cars. Both Kalamazoo and Lac Megantic have strong elements of human error added to inadequate/elderly equipment. How is this being addressed?
Does anyone know if any or all of these points have been addressed/corrected in the current or planned legislation?
I read earlier this week that Kennedy sent men to the moon in about the same amount of time as Obama has spent dithering about this pipeline.
She said it "wouldn't be appropriate" since she had turned it over to her successor SOS. Or something.
I think your first two questions are off base. This is a transportation project where there is good reason to prevent any single landowner from blocking it. As to the second it is a good and likely answerable question about what bonding and or insurance Trans Canada has for when they do have an incident.
Any argument about greenhouse gas contribution has already been negated by the EPA. The following is an excerpt from that decision...
Although the DSEIS describes the GHG intensity of oil sands crude, the DSEIS
nevertheless concludes that regardless of whether the Project permit is approved,
project•!d oil sands production will remain substantially unchanged. This conclusion is
based on an analysis of crude oil markets and projections of oil sands crude development,
including the potential for other means of transport to bring oil sands crude to market.
One of the alternative transport possibilities discussed in the DSEIS is the potential
construction of other pipelines. As part of this discussion, the DSEIS appropriately
recognizes that there is uncertainty about when, if ever, additional pipelines will be built.
In light of these uncertainties, the DSEIS examines options for transporting oil sands
crude by rail, and concludes that scaling up transport by rail js logistically and
economically feasible, and that market forces will result in additional rail transport of oil
sands crude if the Project is not built. It is this finding that supports the DSEIS’ overall
conclusion that approval of the permit will not by itself substantially affect GHG
emissions or contribute to climate change.
http://www.epa.gov/oecaerth/nepa/keystone-xl-project-epa-comment-letter-20130056.pdf
Technically Obama has run out of time and excuse...further road blocks or an outright veto will severely impact his already tenuous relationship with Harper. Basically, the Saudi’s have declared war on Canada’s oil industry in order to protect their American market share..so Obama must decide either his in favour of maintaining a good relationship with his closest neighbour friend, ally and largest trading partner, or, of supporting the homeland of the terrorists that murdered 3000 innocent people on 9/11.
If you like paying Warren Buffet an extra $.50/gallon for your gasoline, keep right at it.
OK the pipeline is important, but why is it prioritized over the equivalent mileage of say SOUTHERN BORDER?
WHY isn’t that border the first thing on the Republican agenda, OR perhaps nuking Obamacare. WHY the pipeline first?
Are there no courthouses twix Canada and Oklahoma ?
Has a shortage of lawyers developed in the USA ?
Are you saying the you believe it is OK for foreign corporations or countries to exercise EMINENT DOMAIN in the US???
Are you saying that you want Warren Buffet to be able to use oil cars that have walls that are too thin or other inadequate features that make them dangerous? Enbridge, the company stuck with the $1 billion cleanup of the Kalamazoo River mess has petitioned to be allowed to refuse to transport the kind of high sulfur, potentially explosive oil that may have been implicated in the 47 deaths at Lac Megantic.
Simple answer: Koch Brothers want pipelines, Warren Buffet wants railroads. Do the Koch Brothers care about the border if it helps them get cheap labor? How does Big Pharma feel about millions of new paying customers?
No.
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