Analysis: Politics, legacy loom over Obama decision on Keystone XL pipeline
BY JEFF MASON
WASHINGTON Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:17am EST
(Reuters) – President Barack Obama will lay out an agenda on jobs, the economy and the environment during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday.
But he is unlikely to mention the Keystone XL oil pipeline, a politically charged project that could shape his legacy in each area. Some five years after Keystone XL was proposed, Canadian officials, Republicans and some Democrats in conservative U.S. states are expressing frustration over the lack of a decision by the White House on the initiative.
The TransCanada Corp project involves construction of a 1,179-mile (1,900-km) pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Nebraska, where it would connect with a previously approved line. That would create a system that could move more than 800,000 barrels of crude from Alberta’s oil sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast each day.
Supporters say Keystone XL would create thousands of jobs and cut U.S. fuel costs by reducing the nation’s reliance on oil imports from nations that are less friendly than Canada. They also point to U.S. government reports about the dangers of moving crude oil by rail as an alternative to the pipeline. More>
Video below on Donald Trumps Opinion on The State of Union Speech Tuesday:
From Contributor B Harmon: I have to agree with Trump when he said that “The whole thing is a mess.” Our county has never been more divided as no one can agree or simply get along. Trump said what Obama needs to address is jobs and without jobs this county cannot get stronger. So far it has been all talk and no action. The main objective would be putting folks back to work so that Medicare and Social Security would no longer be an issue. Thus, this should be the focus of the State of the Union Speech and not immigrants.
For example, I wasn’t aware that Apple for the most part manufacturers their products in China and not in the USA. The Keystone Pipeline would create thousands of jobs for desperate job seekers and cut fuel costs in the US. This should be our focus and not bringing more immigrants into the US. It only shows that Obama is not taking the initiative to make our country stronger but only weaken our chances of recovery. He would rather pay unemployment benefits than put people back to work.
I agree with Trump that the attitude of President Obama is not like any other President in the history of our country. He is a “My way or the Highway” type of guy and he is not going to change at this stage of the game.
As Trump said, “There has never been a worse time”. How could anybody argue with that!
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