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Who’s Obstructionist now? White House Threatens to Veto Keystone

Who’s Obstructionist now? White House Threatens to Veto Keystone

Standing in the way of progress.

The new Republican congress was sworn in yesterday, and one of their first orders of business is an attempt to advance plans for the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Unfortunately, obstructionist Democrats in the Obama administration are standing in the way of progress.

Timothy Gardner and Richard Cowan of Reuters reported:

Republicans push Keystone bill, White House threatens veto

Republican senators kicked off the new U.S. Congress with legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline to bring oil from Canada, but the White House promptly threatened a veto.

With Republicans assuming full control of Congress on Tuesday after victories in the November elections, they have put Keystone at the center of their agenda and plan weeks of debate.

They believe that the public spotlight on Keystone will pressure President Barack Obama to eventually approve the project.

The White House was adamant that Obama would not sign the Keystone bill.

“There is already a well-established process in place to consider whether or not infrastructure projects like this are in the best interest of the country,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

A vote is set for Thursday.

Does everyone remember all the times over the past six years that Democrats and the media called Republicans “obstructionists?” I’d cite a specific example but there are so many, I suggest a simple Google search.

(I’ll also mention that the Huffington Post has used that line so many times, they have a tag devoted to it.)

Doesn’t Obama always say he’s committed to creating jobs? What’s the real problem here? Could it be that Obama is more committed to the environmental activists in the Democratic Party base than he is to improving the American economy?

Will the media hold Obama and Democrats to the same “obstructionist” standard they so eagerly applied to Republicans?

Don’t hold your breath.

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Comments

Considering how many oil and gas pipelines this country already has, and operates on a daily basis, as well as the economic and safety advantages of using a pipeline instead of transport by rail or ship, it seems very hard to argue rationally against this project.

Now is the time to call or write your Congresscritters, most especially if they happen to be Democrats. Be polite, and give sound reasons to support a vote for the pipeline.

9thDistrictNeighbor | January 7, 2015 at 10:31 am

How about Congress finds a backbone and overrides the veto. Barry’s already Jimmy Carter, let’s make him Gerald Ford as well.

“There is already a well-established process in place to consider whether or not infrastructure projects like this are in the best interest of the country,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

It’s a part of the Constitution known as “I’ve got a pen, and a phone.”

The druidic, misanthropic, irrational religion of the Collective is calling the tune here. This simple, stupid pipeline SHOULD have been built and in full operation by now, and the ONLY reason it hasn’t is because Collectivists HATE sound science and rational living.

Remember, they want US (not them) to live shorter, harsher, less informed, less traveled, more sick lives…in the dark.

KM from Detroit | January 7, 2015 at 10:55 am

Would it truly surprise anyone for the new headlines to be “Pushy” or “Bossy” (there’s that supposedly-banned word!) “Republicans Harass President, Override Veto” or something to that effect? Something, ANYthing to lay the blame at their feet?

Thirty Senators who voted for Obamacare are now unemployed. I trust that all democrat senators will be remembering that number when the vote to override Obama’s veto comes up.

    Another Voice in reply to snopercod. | January 7, 2015 at 12:11 pm

    I have to believe the GOP and staff aides are heavily working the phones to remind them of just that, being many of them just voted for it 6 weeks ago.

Henry Hawkins | January 7, 2015 at 12:08 pm

Left spin:

“President Obama recommitted in the new year to even greater efforts in compromising with recalcitrant Republicans in Congress, but the Keystone pipeline is a potentially grave risk to the environment, plus federal studies on its environmental impact have not yet been completed. It seems the GOP wants to make Obama appear a liar by forcing him to veto a clearly bad bill – right after having promised to work with them. Mr. Obama simply has no choice on this bill but to veto it. Thanks to the GOP, gridlock is alive and well in Washington DC.”

“There is already a well-established process in place to obstruct infrastructure projects like this in the best interests of the environmentalists,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

Fixed it.

LibraryGryffon | January 7, 2015 at 1:52 pm

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some powerful folks make lots of money by using trucks and rail to move the oil, and Keystone would hurt their bottom line. I don’t know whether this is true or a conspiracy-theorist type claim, but it makes at least as much sense as the supposed concerns with the environment.

    Henry Hawkins in reply to LibraryGryffon. | January 7, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    There will be winners and losers in any big project, so I guess it comes down to which side has the juice to kill or birth the project. Obama’s *stated* objections have been on environmental concerns, a bone tossed to lefty environmentalists, but money will find its way into party coffers either way. First, you milk the environmentalist groups while you block the pipeline and then, when their money dwindles, you start milking those who would benefit from the pipeline, hinting you might allow it. Very cynical, therefore likely true.

Phillep Harding | January 7, 2015 at 4:23 pm

Force him to actually veto the bill.

Wait! Are you now saying it’s not cool to be an obstructionist? That two wrongs don’t make it right? To be better by taking the high road? Screw that! If it was a good bill… ok. but this piece of garbage would have a couple thousand TEMPORARY jobs, at best and end with 35 permanent jobs. The KXL Pipeline is a money maker for the companies involved and the republican congress that has investments in the 7 companies funding the project. The Kochs stand to profit $100 BILLION DOLLARS. How does 35 permanent jobs and AMERICA taking the environmental risk benefit the American people?

I’ll bet his Saudi friends put him up to it, and maybe George Soros too.