Most heard about Obama’s decision towards the end of last week to defer the extension of the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline further into the U.S., creating more job opportunities (even when many would have been unionized). He once again proves to put the most radical constituency first, as CNSNews reported:
At a time when President Barack Obama insists he is focused on job creation, why would he skip the opportunity to create 20,000 new jobs – many of them union jobs -- next year, the oil industry is asking.
Labor unions -- a key Obama constituency -- support the pipeline extension because of the union jobs it would create, but environmental activists and anti-'Big Oil' groups -- also among Obama's supporters -- strongly oppose it.
But somehow the hypothetical interests of the environmentalists outweigh the benefits to thousands of skilled Americans seeking employment, as TransCanada’s CEO explains:
"We remain confident Keystone XL will ultimately be approved," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "This project is too important to the U.S. economy, the Canadian economy and the national interest of the United States for it not to proceed."
“Keystone XL is shovel-ready,” Girling said. “TransCanada is poised to put 20,000 Americans to work to construct the pipeline - pipe fitters, welders, mechanics, electricians, heavy equipment operators, the list goes on. Local businesses along the pipeline route will benefit from the 118,000 spin-off jobs Keystone XL will create through increased business for local restaurants, hotels and suppliers.
“Five billion dollars in property taxes paid by TransCanada over the lifetime of the project will allow counties in States along the pipeline route to invest in new schools, roads and hospitals.
"If Keystone XL dies, Americans will still wake up the next morning and continue to import 10 million barrels of oil from repressive nations, without the benefit of thousands of jobs and long term energy security," concluded Girling. "That would be a tragedy."
Well, today brought more fallout over Obama’s decision to renege on the project, as the headlines say it all: Obama Forces Canada’s Oil to China:
Delays in building the $7-billion Keystone XL pipeline project will force Canada to sell its huge oil reserves to China instead of the United States, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has bluntly warned President Barack Obama.
The White House has put off a decision on the 1,700-mile pipeline from Alberta to Texas until after the 2012 election so a study can be carried out into its impact on an environmentally sensitive area in Nebraska.
The bolded statement says it all. The man’s playing shear politics to placate his radical base (at least up until the election), while hanging thousands of unemployed, skilled Americans out to dry. This is progress?!
