Tag: Keystone XL Pipeline

The Next Two Years at America’s Capital

Sadly both the president and the congress have decided that the next two years will not be about passing laws that will improve the quality of life for most Americans.

President Obama started the ball rolling with his threat to veto the Keystone XL pipeline. His contention is that there will be a consequential impact on the environment and in addition only 35 jobs will be created. He is talking about the additional jobs that will be added to already functioning refineries. He overlooks the hundreds of construction jobs that will be created in building the pipeline. He overlooks the fact that the refined oil could be used in the United States if needed. He overlooks the fact that oil sands will be transported by rail tanks cars and trucks.

Just as the Republicans are gaining support for the pipeline they distract everyone by attempting to pass an anti-abortion law that would prohibit government subsidized abortions if the woman is more than 20 weeks pregnant and had not reported being raped immediately after it had occurred. It was a large block of moderate female Republican congressional members that refused to vote in favor of the law. It was another prefect example of men deciding laws regulating women.

The other priority for the GOP is the stop Obama’s decision to not deport illegal aliens who have had no brushes with the law. Politico’s column GOP seeking Plan B on immigration suggests a few avenues the Republicans might take but none address the question surrounding the 12 million illegal aliens now in the United States.

Google “new GOP legislation” and all you find is discussion about the failed abortion law and efforts to stop Obama’s executive orders pertaining to illegal aliens.

So where is the unity among Republicans to prove to America’s voters that they can do more than say “No”? Senator Ted Cruz’s “GOP will fight Obamacare until the end of time” position is the best example of Republican philosophy.

Where are the unifiers in the Republican Party? Neither Speaker John Boehner nor Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have sufficient respect to lead the party. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on Wednesday criticized President Obama’s State of the Union address as “aloof” and “detached from reality.” But Priebus has not been a unifying force in his party.

President Obama told us about his dreams in the State of the Union address. That will be part of his legacy. The Republican legacy for the next two years will be “We said no to Obama.”

Objections to Keystone XL Pipeline

11-18-2014: The number one issue in America is a growing economy. That means more good jobs. The president is WRONG on this issue. Perhaps today’s vote in the Senate will change his opinion.

Oil Pipeline GraphicA quick review.  This is the proposed oil pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to Houston, Texas and Port Arthur, Texas.

It now appears that the U.S. State Department sees no objection to approving the project.  However, the U.S. Interior Department warns of possible harm to wildlife.  Activists are primarily concerned with the possibility of oil spills.

Interestingly there is already a pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta to Cushing, Oklahoma.  While the reports of oil spills from that pipeline are rare there has been little in the news that confirms that fact.

Furthermore the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline, 800 miles long, had its largest oil spill involving the main pipeline on February 15, 1978, when an unknown individual blew a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) hole in it at Steele Creek, just east of Fairbanks.  Approximately 16,000 barrels of oil leaked out of the hole before the pipeline was shut down.  Criminal mischief has been the primary cause of leaks.  There are no reports of impact on wildlife.

Trans_alaska_pipelineThe oil companies injected billions of dollars into the Alaska economy during the construction effort and the years afterward.

Of course environmentalists don’t want to hear the facts.