By: Dr. Tom Borelli
With the holidays over the stage is set for the Keystone XL
pipeline to be the first political battle of 2015, pitting the lame duck
President Obama against the new Republican-led Congress.
The political posturing over approval of the pipeline that
would bring oil sand crude oil from Canada
to refineries in Gulf
Coast states began
shortly after the midterm elections.
During his end of the year press conference last month, Obama
downplayed the economic benefits of construction of the pipeline saying it
would not benefit consumers at the gas pump and job creation would be limited
to a few thousand temporary construction jobs and some additional employment in
the refinery industry.
Obama followed those comments by saying in an interview with
NPR that he would use his veto power to block the Congressional bills that
threaten his accomplishments in areas including the environment.
As new members of Congress were being sworn into office, word
came from the White House that Obama would not sign a bill approving the
pipeline.
Meanwhile, the new Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
(R-KY), promised to put a vote on the Keystone pipeline on the fast track. The
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee had scheduled a hearing on the
Keystone approval bill on January 7 but the hearing was blocked and by Senator
Dick Durbin (D-IL).
Despite the last minute gymnastics by anti-fossil fuel
Democrats, a bill approving the pipeline will pass Congress but be met with an
Obama veto.
The truth is Obama never had any intention to approve the
Keystone XL pipeline.
Obama’s obsession with his climate change agenda and the money
flowing from radical environmentalists such as billionaire Tom Steyer to
Democrats will serve as motivation to use his veto pen.
Additionally, Obama’s arrogance would not allow him to yield
to the first bill coming from the Republican led Congress.
No comments:
Post a Comment