Posted on 12/17/2011 5:03:37 AM PST by tobyhill
Senate Democrats accepted a provision Friday forcing a decision in two months on the Keystone XL oil pipeline as part of the must-pass payroll tax cut package, leaving the White House on the brink of a meltdown with environmental groups.
"It's bulls—-," said Sierra Club President Michael Brune. "This is no way to run a government. We've got Republicans in Congress who are willing to hold the entire government hostage simply to give a Christmas present to industry."
GOP and Democratic sources told POLITICO that the White House swallowed the House Republican-written pipeline rider in order to get a deal to extend the tax holiday, jobless benefits and the Medicare reimbursement rate into February.
For greens, the fact that the Keystone pipeline was back on the table five weeks after Obama had seemingly punted it until 2013 is causing considerable heartburn with an administration that hasn't been as green as they once wished.
Their initial win looked even better because it came just days after thousands circled the White House at a weekend protest that drew celebrity faces like actor Mark Ruffalo. But now Obama's environmental allies again face the question of whether to withhold support for his reelection campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
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“”We’ve got Republicans in Congress who are willing to hold the entire government hostage simply to give a Christmas present to industry.”””
As opposed to giving a Christmas present to environmentalists, I guess!
he wants money from both sides so nothing will happen.
“I don’t recall seeing any discussion relative to this question: Why not build refineries near the supply source...”
I think most everyone would agree with you. However, it would literally take years and years to get the permitting and then build the thing(s). It would be reminesent of the old nuclear power plant construction days back in the 70s/80s. The enviro commies would literally throw a tizzy of unprecenented proportions, block every permit application, lawsuit after lawsuit, etc. etc. Then, you’d have the NIMBYs to deal with which is another whole set of morons. A pipeline would be relatively easier and quicker to do. We need to commit to move that product now or it’s going to go somewhere else; and that gulf area is where most of the existing refining capacity is at. Actually, we should do both: the pipeline as a tactical move and also push for new state-of-the art refining capacity as you have alluded to as part of a long-term domestic energy strategy plan.
“I hardly know my own name anymore with all the shenanigans coming out of DC. We can count on only one thing - it’s never going to be on the up and up!! Never for what’s good for the country - no matter who is in charge...”
You have perfectly described how any stable person that believes continuation of this successful country is a common good, and that stability is at least partially dependent on budgeting rationally for the future, feels.
Ever since the election of Obama and the last two Congresses, we have abandoned this concept of providing for the future through budgeting, and are behaving, as a country, like some self-destructive spendthrift. What is even more astounding to me, is that the press is going along with it by withholding information and printing confusing stories like the one we are trying to figure out the meaning of!
All I can figure out is that we have a majority of people in this country now who do not believe there will ever be a financial come-uppance, and just don’t care what happens if there is.
“My point is that we must go on offense and destroy or cripple the Sierra club and prevent their meddling in the very life of the country.”
I agree with you. I have several well-meaning relatives who belong to the Sierra Club, Save the Whales, Help Baby Seals, the list goes on. The propaganda for these groups is soul-touching. It’s beautiful. And for just cents per day you can feel good about yourself. These aren’t dumb people. They have no idea what the real agenda is. If they did they’d probably support it at some level. After all, who isn’t for clean air? But their type of critical reasoning can be summed up in the bumper sticker I saw on the back of a Subaru. “You can’t have peace if you’re preparing for war.”
There is no way to cripple the Sierra club as it would look like you were attacking cuddly pandas. The only answer is education and teaching critical reasoning. But we’ve lost the school systems and not enough parents know what reasoning is, let alone critical reasoning.
I keep reading that article over and over and have decided that the DECISION on the pipeline by the “jerk in charge” is to take place in 2 months! He gets the extension of payroll taxes/unemployment now with the provision he make a decision in that time.
Right or wrong? It’s up to him and not Congress??
“..Our president, in addition to being credentialed as Harvard Law Review, is a genius 4PL logistician....”
I just spewed root beer all over my screen on that one!! Whew! Some folks would argue that lil’ Barry can’t even figure out which end of “the pipe he likes to smoke”. :) I’ll leave them nameless.
You mean the extinction of the Caribou that hang out and breed around that warm pipeline to the point of overpopulation? We need to begin lawsuits against these commies.
Pray for America
I just can’t tell. I think it means payroll taxes/unemployment/medicare reimbursement also come up for another vote in February.
Remember the 2010 lame-duck session extensions, last spring’s vote, last summer’s vote - all just temporary extensions of everything made under the threat of government shutdown made by Reid and Obama? I think this is just another 2 month extension of all of it.
I don’t think a yearly budget has been agreed to since 2008.
Pennsylvania? huh?
No one is taking away his Executive rights because he actually has the option not to sign the extension.
The objection used at this point is the crossing of the Ollagala Aquifer which occurs mostly in Nebraska as I see the maps. To me it could be routed farther east like the existing Keystone Pipeline and bypass the Ollagala but would cost more for sure.
The following link is to a map showing the proposed routing of the new line.
“Senate Democrats accepted a provision Friday forcing a decision in two months on the Keystone XL oil pipeline...”
Why 2 months?
Why the R’s didn’t just put the pipleline in a clean bill and keep passing it over and over I’ll never know.
No excuses, no politics.
That could be used in EVERY R Congressional campaign - the D’s did not want the pipeline.
With the price of gasoline ??!!! That would hit a home run. Simple, clear, undeniable; the D’s do no want the pipeline.
I bet on the 3rd or 4th try they’d pass it and dufus would sign it.
The article claims the State Dept can’t finish the environmental reports in the allotted 60 days.
Hmmm...
Seems to me I read the environmental stuff was all finished and the only holdup was nobama’s final okay, which he refused to give.
Can anybody verify this?
BP has been on this for some time.
Whiting Refinery’s project start-up delayed until 2013
http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/article_c98c0121-0056-5c14-a8ac-4a5d97917da0.html
-——I saw on the back of a Subaru. ——
On that subject, the current Subaru commercial says a percentage of your purchase price will be doated to one of 5 charities. The charities aren’t mentioned by name, but their logo stickers are plastered on the subaru tail gate...... just like in the reality on the street
There is a way to cripple the enviro wackos. The way has not yet been developed. If they can develop a scheme to destroy America, a way can certainly be schemed to counter attack and destroy.
That is, Give War a Chance
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