Today the Obama Administration once again rejected the Keystone XL pipeline. The pipeline would have transported crude oil from the Canadian tar sands to refineries along the Gulf Coast. It would have provided more oil from a friendly ally while reducing Americas dependence on imported oil from hostile regimes like Venezuela or those in the Middle East.
Todays decision is surprising because it is contrary to the recommendation of President Obamas own jobs council. Consider this excerpt from the 2011 year-end report issued by the Presidents Council on Jobs and Competitiveness:
Additionally policies that facilitate the safe thoughtful and timely development of pipeline transmission and distribution projects are necessary to facilitate the delivery of Americas fuel and electricity and maintain the reliability of our nations energy system.
Last month a bi-partisan majority in Congress passed legislation demanding a decision on the pipeline within 60 days. Congress took this unusual step because the Obama White House said it would wait until after the 2012 elections to make a decision.
The administration now claims it is denying approval because the administration cant make an informed decision in 60 days. But according to the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577168892140746430.html?mod=googlenews_wsj The U.S. government has been reviewing the 1700-mile Keystone XL pipeline since 2008.
So this project has been under government review for four years -- thats 1460 days -- and we still cant get an answer? We developed the atomic bomb in less time. We built the Empire State Building in less time. The Hoover Dam took less than five years to build.
The radical environmentalist movement has made the Keystone pipeline a litmus test issue. They have drawn a line in the sand on the use of dirty tar sands oil. But the oil will be used. The pipeline will be built -- going west instead of south to load the oil on Chinese tankers.
China desperately wants this oil. In fact the Chinese are already aggressively buying up interests in Canadas tar sands and Prime Minister Harper is headed to China next month.
According to Canadian news reports A decision by U.S. President Barack Obama to delay approval for a major pipeline expansion through the country led to Harper talk about finding other customers for Canadian oil.
By the way petroleum analysts are warning <http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/13/gas-outlook-most-painful-year-at-pump-ever/> that 2012 could be the most painful year at the pump that we have ever seen.
My friends let me remind you what President Obamas former National Security Advisor Gen. Jim Jones said last month about the failure to develop a serious energy policy:
If we get to the point where we cannot bring ourselves to do what is in our national interest then we are clearly in a period of decline… A nation that fails to secure the energy its citizens and its economic engine need to keep functioning leaves itself vulnerable to external contingencies in a dangerous and uncertain world and to the whims of foreign leaders and other actors who may not always have its interests at heart.
Today the Obama Administration once again rejected the Keystone XL pipeline. The pipeline would have transported crude oil from the Canadian tar sands to refineries along the Gulf Coast. It would have provided more oil from a friendly ally while reducing Americas dependence on imported oil from hostile regimes like Venezuela or those in the Middle East.
Todays decision is surprising because it is contrary to the recommendation of President Obamas own jobs council. Consider this excerpt from the 2011 year-end report issued by the Presidents Council on Jobs and Competitiveness:
Additionally policies that facilitate the safe thoughtful and timely development of pipeline transmission and distribution projects are necessary to facilitate the delivery of Americas fuel and electricity and maintain the reliability of our nations energy system.
Last month a bi-partisan majority in Congress passed legislation demanding a decision on the pipeline within 60 days. Congress took this unusual step because the Obama White House said it would wait until after the 2012 elections to make a decision.
The administration now claims it is denying approval because the administration cant make an informed decision in 60 days. But according to the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204468004577168892140746430.html?mod=googlenews_wsj The U.S. government has been reviewing the 1700-mile Keystone XL pipeline since 2008.
So this project has been under government review for four years -- thats 1460 days -- and we still cant get an answer? We developed the atomic bomb in less time. We built the Empire State Building in less time. The Hoover Dam took less than five years to build.
The radical environmentalist movement has made the Keystone pipeline a litmus test issue. They have drawn a line in the sand on the use of dirty tar sands oil. But the oil will be used. The pipeline will be built -- going west instead of south to load the oil on Chinese tankers.
China desperately wants this oil. In fact the Chinese are already aggressively buying up interests in Canadas tar sands and Prime Minister Harper is headed to China next month.
According to Canadian news reports A decision by U.S. President Barack Obama to delay approval for a major pipeline expansion through the country led to Harper talk about finding other customers for Canadian oil.
By the way petroleum analysts are warning <http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/13/gas-outlook-most-painful-year-at-pump-ever/> that 2012 could be the most painful year at the pump that we have ever seen.
My friends let me remind you what President Obamas former National Security Advisor Gen. Jim Jones said last month about the failure to develop a serious energy policy:
If we get to the point where we cannot bring ourselves to do what is in our national interest then we are clearly in a period of decline… A nation that fails to secure the energy its citizens and its economic engine need to keep functioning leaves itself vulnerable to external contingencies in a dangerous and uncertain world and to the whims of foreign leaders and other actors who may not always have its interests at heart.
