Keystone XL

[Dan H.]

Looks like this is gonna be the first fight of republicans against dems.

The republicans are already cracking, seems like there's a rebellion against Boehner, and it's starting to look like Mitch McConnell is the real power of the party.

Obama says he will veto the bill, which I don't think is a wise decision. The Keystone Bill has a lot of bipartisan support, and it's passing is almost an inevitability. I think Obama should let this one go and save the veto pen for other issues, and maybe work in some sort of green energy compromise to keep the environmentalist dems happy.

My only major issues with Keystone are a few important locations they are planning on building it over, and the use of eminent domain for the private company that owns the pipeline(super shady).

Thoughts?

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dan H.

[downzy]

It's all moot. The Canadian company that was willing to pay for the pipeline will likely shelve the project (at least for awhile) while oil hovers between $40 - $50 a barrel. The pipeline is quickly becoming economically unfeasible because Alberta oil is becoming too expensive to produce (relative to revenues).

I personally don't get the economic benefits of the project. The jobs created will be rather temporary, and its effect on oil prices (which seem less of a concern with each passing day) will be negligible. If the oil doesn't get sent to the gulf, it will be delivered to the west (and possibly the east) coasts of Canada, where it will be exported to world markets.

Obama can use the veto since it's unlikely supporters will get two-thirds majority in both houses to override it.

[Dan H.]

They won't get enough votes to override the veto, at least not at this point.

And yeah, most of the information I've read about the pipeline just makes it seem pointless

I wonder why the republicans are picking Keystone first? I guess they must have thought it would be the easiest to pass through, and maybe didn't expect Obama to veto it

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dan H.

[downzy]

Oil and gas companies throw a lot of money around. So there's that.

And it's also something, like you said, that garners some bi-partisan support. It helps to position the President outside of the mainstream on this issue, and helps frame the contests going forward.

Also, in terms of domestic policy, it's the only aspect of their platform that has a faint chance of passing. Everything else Republicans promised during the midterms, from overturning Obamacare to reducing tax rates and regulations (though they did gut Frank-Dodd bill a bit already), will never happen. This is the one issue in which they might have a chance of saying they did something. This has been the party of obstruction, they're not into governing. After Keystone, the Republican party supports very little and is against much. Might as well start with something you support then spend two years railing about everything you can't change.