Obama in Oklahoma: Make southern Keystone 'a priority'

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

My understanding (from my environmental politics class which discussed this a couple months ago) is that Obama only had permitting control because it was an international border.

Ultimately, this is really only a campaign stunt.  It's a good thing to approve it, but so is the entire pipeline.  That being said, the GOP screwed it up by trying to rush it.  The new pipeline layout should be examined, and hopefully be approved in 2013.  Trying to force Obama's hand was a bad move, and both sides are guilty of playing partisan politics.

Ultimately, I don't fault Obama for doing this - he's playing partisan politics as a retort to the GOP doing it.  Two wrongs don't make a right, but if you don't play a little dirty, you lose.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

BigSkyBob, the pipeline is in the nation's best interest, but the original Nebraska path is unacceptable, and now that a new path was proposed, there's NO good reason to rush the approval before the Environmental Impact Study is done.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

BigSkyBob, the pipeline is in the nation's best interest, but the original Nebraska path is unacceptable, and now that a new path was proposed, there's NO good reason to rush the approval before the Environmental Impact Study is done.

Yes there is: if we continue to dick the Canadians around they plan to build a pipeline to B.C. and sell the oil to China.

Waiting 10 more months to complete the EIS is dicking the Canadians around?  I disagree.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

BigSkyBob, the pipeline is in the nation's best interest, but the original Nebraska path is unacceptable, and now that a new path was proposed, there's NO good reason to rush the approval before the Environmental Impact Study is done.

Yes there is: if we continue to dick the Canadians around they plan to build a pipeline to B.C. and sell the oil to China.

Waiting 10 more months to complete the EIS is dicking the Canadians around?  I disagree.

In ten months the election is over, and with it any political pressure on Democrats to do the right thing. Those that claim that the question is approving the pipeline this year, or approving the pipeline next year are simply wrong. First, we may very well not have the option of approving the pipeline next year because the Canadians may have decided to build their own pipeline to the Pacific [and sell the oil to the Chinese.] Second, there is no more finality to an alleged deadline ten months from now than there is to the one that just passed this winter. The strategy of those opposed to the pipeline is to kill it by repeated delay because they know the vast majority of the  American people are against them, including both business interests and labor unions. That will still be their strategy ten months from now. Either Obama, and the Democrats will muster the political courage to do the right thing, or the Canadians will build their own pipeline. If they do, Canadians will build it, and the Chinese will buy the oil.

The person who benefits from delays is Warren Buffet.

The Environmental Impact Study hasn't been done yet, and won't be done until at least close to the end of this year.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Litigation for EISs is quite limited (basically to "Was it done according to procedure?").  The application for crossing the border was the same as the rest of the pipeline.  The fact is that the EIS wasn't completed.  Rushing a pipeline through before the EIS is done is just simply stupid, and could have detrimental environmental effects.