WashPost Editorial Slams Obama's Nixing Keystone Pipeline, But Then Calls for Higher Gas Taxes
In denouncing President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project today, the Washington Post gets it right, but not for the Right's (pun intended) reasons, defending the job-creating project from a liberal position.
The Post editorial board argued today that approving the Keystone XL project "should've been an easy call for the administration." "We almost hope this was a political call because, on the substance, there should be no question," the editorial board concluded, laying out a case from the Left as to why stopping the pipeline isn't going to do squat to "reduce global warming" anyway. But, being the Post, they concluded with a call for higher gas taxes:
We almost hope this was a political call because, on the substance, there should be no question. Without the pipeline, Canada would still export its bitumen — with long-term trends in the global market, it’s far too valuable to keep in the ground — but it would go to China. And, as a State Department report found, U.S. refineries would still import low-quality crude — just from the Middle East. Stopping the pipeline, then, wouldn’t do anything to reduce global warming, but it would almost certainly require more oil to be transported across oceans in tankers.
Environmentalists and Nebraska politicians say that the route TransCanada proposed might threaten the state’s ecologically sensitive Sand Hills region. But TransCanada has been willing to tweak the route, in consultation with Nebraska officials, even though a government analysis last year concluded that the original one would have “limited adverse environmental impacts.” Surely the Obama administration didn’t have to declare the whole project contrary to the national interest — that’s the standard State was supposed to apply — and force the company to start all over again.
[...]
...clearly, constructing the pipeline would still result in job gains during a sluggish economic recovery.
There are far fairer, far more rational ways to discourage oil use in America, the first of which is establishing higher gasoline taxes. Environmentalists should fight for policies that might actually do substantial good instead of tilting against Keystone XL, and President Obama should have the courage to say so.
So the Post is half-right for the wrong reasons, perhaps, but it's telling that a liberal newspaper generally supportive of Obama is denouncing the president for being beholden to the leftist environmental lobby and not the overarching interests of the American people.
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Comments
Well, Boy Barry has invested
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:02pm.
Well, Boy Barry has invested 'us' in Brazilian oil, so that we can be their 'best customer'................and it appears that now, we'll become one of China's 'best customers' as well. Maybe we'll be sending American 'coolies' to China to do the grunt work, much like what happened back in the 1800's here when we had the coolies doing the grunt work.
I've been paying in the $4.50 range for gas (regular) over here in Hawaii for a couple of years - up from the high $3 range, and we get most of our oil from Indonesia - but there's a refinery in Honolulu.
The Washington post is gutless, as usual, since they can't just lay it on the line without having to salvage their stance by adding some other stupid suggestion.
killa
Submitted by Agnostic on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:13pm.
When Obama does away with the aircraft carriers perhaps you can just plug an island or two into those reactors. Should cut down on overhead.
Having atomic power in Hawaii violates, Hawaii's Constitution
Submitted by upcountrywater on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:31pm.
Building an on shore nuclear power plant, will happen only when Obowboy sells Hawaii to the Chinese.
Electricity is 38 cents a KwH here.
A tax paradise where the windmills here STILL "need" gov subsidies.
You Didn't Build That.
It's no surprise
Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 2:23pm.
What makes me mad about some of this is how people are acting surprised that BlahBlah made his decision that he did. I mean, come on, really, they thought he was going to "allow" this to happen?
He's done NOTHING good for this country, not one bit. ZIP, ZERO, NADA! Why would he start now?
At this point, the thing to do is to stop asking/hoping that he will do the "right thing" because he won't. He never will. Hell, he can't, it's not in his blood.
I'm SO looking forward to even higher gas prices than before. But then again, why would I need the money, right? Like all the other racist Americans, we need to be beaten down to learn our lesson, especially after many of them wanted to teach the Republicans a lesson. Damn, I feel smarter already.....of course already is a long time when you think about it for the last 5 years.
-Jon
"We almost hope this was a political call because..."
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 3:01pm.
it means Obummer has said screw you to the public and it's needs in the name of his re-election campaign. So if anyone had any doubts as to how "noble (let me hold back my lunch)" he is, now you know.
Two days ago
Submitted by ahusser on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 4:42pm.
An AP article came out concerning a 43 million dollar experiment in geothermal energy with the Fed government footing half of the bill with "stimulus" (read taxpayer) money. One of the partners with 6 million invested is ultra lib Google. The other investors are unknown. There are two companies involved in the engineering an implementation aspects of this experiment. I posted the whole article on the Open comment thread two days ago. The link is below (bold and underlining are mine). Now that Obama and his (mis)administration have said no to the Keystone pipeline I now think the geothermal article was a lead to the decision about Keystone. My tinfoil hat is on and believe there is agenda here aplenty.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb-staff/2012/01/17/open-thread-liberal-fav...
"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'
This may be a political blunder of the first magnitude
Submitted by ahusser on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 4:52pm.
Obama is playing to his whacko environmental, OWS constituency. I hope he believes that constituency is powerful enough to offset the potential (get on the bus GOP candidates) political hay this decision could make if boxed, wrapped and ribboned properly. I think he had a chance to pretend he was moving to the center again but his handlers said no. I don't expect any good decisions from this guy and really don't want any as he is digging another hole hopefully he can't get out of. So keep up the good non-work Mr. President.
"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'
Assuming the media plays it as a blunder.
Submitted by drsamherman on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 4:59pm.
So far, they have been sycophant apologists for his decision not to approve the pipeline. The problem is, the optics of the refusal are playing out badly among the organized labor base that wanted the pipeline and the states that would have had increased tax revenue from the jobs and economic activity the construction would have created. So he appeases environmental whackos, but ticks off his organized labor base.
Blaming this on the "do-nothing" congress will not work. They pushed him to make a decision because he was sitting on his hands hoping to use the issue as a weapon to get his jobs bill passed. Problem is, it did not work and now he will have to answer for that. I see some in his own party are as miffed as most of America is that Old Batears turned down the chance to create thousands of jobs to score some cheap political points with a part of his base that is marginal in terms of its ability to translate into additional votes for him. He already had their vote, so why gamble an ever larger vote (organized labor) on a refusal?
This is just another issue that should be played over and over and over again every time Obama walks onto a stage for a debate with the eventual Republican nominee. Out of complete selfishness, I wish Obama were forced to debate Gingrich on this issue. Gingrich would slice and dice him six ways to Thursday. May not happen, but Obama stumbling his way without a teleprompter to aid him would be just a nice little way to pass a few hours.
The GOP
Submitted by ahusser on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 5:15pm.
Candidate et al have to put at least this questionable decision out front at every opportunity. That and the gulf offshore drilling embargo and the strange Brazilian connections. There is no other way. I like Newt but am not sure he can bring in the independents and fence sitters like Romney. I haven't heard Romney speak I think he is more of a McCain than a Newt. Newt, for all his baggage and occasional foot in mouth is a top notch speaker and can think on his feet, is not afraid of the press and the psychophants (sp?LOL) and can give as well as get. I always get frustrated with the Dems no matter what turns up under the rock they ignore it and call you a nut. Obama and his dem predecessor are teflon dons. I wrote a thread before the one you responded to. I think there was huge agenda there and the article's timing about the geothermal experiment is too coincidental.
"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'
Even his own people
Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 5:15pm.
I read that even his own energy council (har har) was for the pipeline idea and wanted him to sign off on it to make it happen, and that they were surprised he signed against it.
So apparently he's not even listening to the advice of his own advisors....unless it's Valarie Jarrett, I wonder if she was the one who said "do it, kill it!"
-Jon
So Boy Barry's 'worst'
Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 7:51pm.
So Boy Barry's 'worst' advisor is the one that he listens to the most??? Apparantly.................as you said yourself - if it's good for the country, or it's the 'right' thing to do..................he WON'T do it!!!
The Union Base
Submitted by Saltherring on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:56pm.
Obama's "organized labor base" is centered around public employee unions and low (or non) skill-based unions such as SEIU. Trade unions are comprised (for the most part) of white, middle class, blue collar folks who are peeling off in droves from the Dimocrat Party...a party that no longer represents the interests of working, taxpaying, Americans.