Obama to reject Keystone XL

[CARLHAYDEN]

From what I read, Obama wanted a proper study to ensure the impacts across a number of issues - environmental concerns were ONE of them, but not the only one.

The Congress tried to force Obama to sign it quickly and Obama did frankly what I would have done and rejected it.

Then either you read wrong, or read an inaccurate account.

[CARLHAYDEN]

I wrote a column on this for Monday.  The Republicans screwed this one up.

Do you have a link to the column, Inks?  I'd be interested in reading it.  Thanks!

It probably won't be up until Monday.  I've already got one in line for tomorrow's issue on Michigan's State of the State, but here's what I wrote (I hate the 500 word limit--it's so hard to consolidate this issue to 500 words):

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Inks,

You REALLY don't understand American law.

Congress retains authority to overrule the decision of Obama against the Keystone pipline.  So your statement that: "Congress has no power to tell the President to issue a permit, because Congress has no regulatory power over pipeline permits," is simply incorrect.

Further, you assertion that Obama would have approved of the project if it was sufficently delayed is pure nonsense, and false.  Obama was NOT "open to considering the pipeline," but simply wanted to delay its rejection until after the election.

You did get one thing correct in your statement that "The project is a good project." 

[CARLHAYDEN]

No, Congress doesn't retain the power to overrule Obama, at least not under current Federal Court rulings.  They could challenge it to the Supreme Court, but I'd expect them to lose that case.

Please cite those "rulings."