Canadian Prime Minister, Frustrated with Obama’s Dithering, Will Travel to China to Seek Asian Mkts

The Ledger via Hotair via C4P ^ | 1-15-2012 | Doug Brady

[philman_36]

...what if O says no?
Ummm...that's why Congress is there. A bill can be passed in one day if necessary to authorize the pipeline.
Congress has already forced his hand into making the decision next month instead of next year.

[Jonty30]

Harper is doing the right thing, both for my country and yours. If Harper were to say, “We’ll give America the time to work it out”, the Democrats and Republicans would still be kicking the political football come 2013, because there’s no political price to pay for indecision.

The only way they’ll work it out is if there’s going to be hell to pay for failing to work it out.

Harper is actually doing your country a favour, because by threatening to go to other markets, he’s adding an, “Oh shiat!” factor to the game of chicken. It’s now likely that come February that the decision will be made to build Keystone.

[Steve Newton]

True

But what if Congress doesn’t do it either?

I’m sorry but I have just about 0 faith in our government about now.

[philman_36]

No reason he should play the Canadian supplicant and roll over and wait, either.
Same question for you...What is waiting for one more month before pitching it to someone else going to hurt after waiting more than three friggin' years?

And if you want to get huffy about it then how about this...
Harper should've gotten this pipeline approved when Bush was in office since they were so friendly with each other and Bush was so "oil friendly".

Or if one were to be a tin foil hat type one might conclude that the "conservative" Mr. Harper is doing this deliberately to bring discredit to Mr. Dunham (or whichever Democrat was likely to get elected after Bush).

[Former Proud Canadian]

Philman, I see you are from Texas and so are probably unfamiliar with bilateral issues on the northern border. Allow me.

Regarding Keystone, Harper would be derelict if he did not pursue the Northern Gateway (Edmonton-Kitimat) pipeline. You say "chill out". I say, take Obama at his word. Keystone should have been approved YEARS ago. What guarantee does Canada have that Keystone will be approved in February? Or March? Or this year at all? And if Obama is re-elected? What then? Sorry Phil, Canada has to look out for itself. Our strong friend, ally and trading partner for over a century has turned down our proposal to build a pipeline to supply you with secure, uninterpretable oil. Okay, we have to look at alternatives.

If you lived where I do, across from Detroit, Michigan, you would see another infrastructure project that the Americans are dithering on. There has been a proposal to build a new bridge across the Detroit River for various security and economic reasons, plus the old bridge is 83 years old. A new bridge has been approved by all the agencies in Canada. The approach highway is being built. The Canadian government has offered the state of Michigan $650 million to build the infrastructure on the US side. Payments will be made out of tolls. No taxpayer liability is involved, just like Keystone. And like Keystone, the project is stalled on the US side.

With that kind of track record, what do you expect?

[hinckley buzzard]

You make eminent sense. Harper is clarifying the issue for a regime and media who seek to obfuscate and delay until it is politically advantageous to act. Who knows when and what that will lead to. In reality there is no reason to delay one more hour. Harper is absolutely right in telling the morons in DC, "sh*t or get off the pot."

[dfwgator]

Has anyone in the Republican Party made a stink about this, I haven’t heard a word from the spineless wimps on this.

[philman_36]

...the Democrats and Republicans would still be kicking the political football come 2013, because there’s no political price to pay for indecision.
Get real! There was Congressional action on this as soon as Dunham announced the delay instead of the approval. Furthermore, the "political price to pay" was also well known on both sides of the aisle in the form of "get this approved now or you get no votes or money in the next election".

...because by threatening to go to other markets...
So now you admit Harper is "playing politics" too. Thanks!

It’s now likely that come February that the decision will be made to build Keystone.
There is no "likely" to it. There has to be a WH decision, one way or the other, because of the law Congress passed. Like you I'm hoping Dunham caves due to political pressure and the pipeline gets built here.
High politics is being played, that's all.

[philman_36]

But what if Congress doesn’t do it either?
That's a damned good question. I have no answer.

[steel_resolve]

Youre absolutely right of course. We have to look at bottom lines. Like whether it is necessary anymore to partner with a country that puts it’s economics ahead of the national security of a country that has had its back fort over 100 years. you want to go there? Then by all means, lets go.

[Steve Newton]

Sigh

Nor I my FRiend

I guess we go to back to post 13

[43north]

“Ummm...that’s why Congress is there.”

Let’s be serious for a moment. Boner and Turkeyneck have repeatedly demonstrated that they are absolutely incapable of doing anything to thwart owebama or the dhims.

After the unconstitutional actions the pubbies have let owe get away with in the past two weeks what makes anyone think he won’t just ignore whatever the congresscritters come up with? I’m sure the pubbie leadership will fire off a salvo of stern words that will accomplish absolutely nothing.

[philman_36]

Philman, I see you are from Texas and so are probably unfamiliar with bilateral issues on the northern border.
Not on this issue I'm not. I've been following it for years.
And to be concise I'm directly in the area that will benefit from this pipeline. I can see the flare stacks from my back yard. I also worked on the project building the units that will process the oil. I will be working many more years in the future if this goes through because of the regular maintenance that these units will require.

Our strong friend, ally and trading partner for over a century has turned down our proposal to build a pipeline to supply you with secure, uninterpretable oil.
No, one man has turned down your proposal. Don't equate the two. Will America not be your friend, ally and trading partner after Dunham leaves office or are his actions indicative of the future stance Canada will perpetually take towards America?

...another infrastructure project that the Americans are dithering on.
Apples and oranges. They don't compare.

And if Obama is re-elected? What then?
Here's a clue...you won't have to wait that long!

[TFMcGuire]

Zero has lost the consent of the governed.

Time for the dictator to leave.

Go back to your lover, Larry Sinclair, Obie.

[philman_36]

I guess we go to back to post 13
I'm so fed up with things that I'm ready for a Muster Call, even if it's nothing more than a One Man Muster Call, with me being the only one who shows up.

[Jonty30]

What I’m seeing in your country is what my country went through, starting about 25 years ago. Basically, the main political parties lost their connection with the voter and were just interested in actions that served themselves or got headlines. They weren’t really interested in serving the voter or solving the legitimate problems of my country, like our national debt.

We ended up destroying them and forced them to earn their way. The Conservatives (Harper’s party) were literally to the point of near-nonexistence. The Liberals, (may they stay near-death), are still struggling.

Fortunate for Canada, this happened at a relatively good time globally-speaking.

But I do ultimately see the same end-result for your country. At some point, the American people will get so tired of political games, that they won’t care about the consequences of destroying the Republicans and Democrats. If this happens, the parties will renew themselves. The Roves and Reids and Boehners, etc, will be forced out and the parties will re-learn how to connect to the constituents.

Then, America will be on a good footing.

[greeneyes]

My theory is that it is not just the enviro weenies/election.

Remember Petrobus(not sure of spelling)? Soros benefited from the gulf oil moratorium, because deep water rig left the gulf and went to S. America. Obammy also gave a loan to the country to help drill.

Best place for Petrobus to sell and refine it's oil is USA in Texas. Can't have Texas refinery capacity used up with Canadian Oil.

That's my theory. Usually works. When idiotic policies are being implemented, follow the money.

[Jonty30]

I don’t think you really want to go there. No country is so self-sufficient that they can afford to be petty and isolate itself from the rest of the world. Though you can try and see how far that gets you.

If push came to shove, as unfortunate as it would be, Canada can always make new alliances and trade with other countries. We will be fine. If, however, you go into a snit and build your walls, you’ll probably find, as every other country in history has found, those walls, metaphysical and real, change from being protective to being imprisoning.

As I said, Harper did you a favour, whether you realize it or not.

[piytar]

Well said, Jonty. BTW, if there is a “final answer” in Feb, it will be “No.” I predict an answer of “more study needed” though.

[philman_36]

Can't have Texas refinery capacity used up with Canadian Oil.
Do you have any idea of the amount of work that has been happening here in the Golden Triangle over the last ten years? Let me help you...golden triangle texas refinery expansion
Bring the oil on from wherever you like. Between here and Houston we can handle it.
The new units that have been built here amongst the various refineries is staggering in the dollar amounts already spent.