Obama’s Keystone Cops + Open Thread

FYI –Special two-hour show tonight on the Andrea Shea King Show.

What took place behind closed doors when the House GOP met with Speaker
Boehner for the first time since Christmas? We can give you a hint — the
figurative fur flew. The Speaker got an earful from angry House GOP members
during the first GOP House conference of the new session this morning. The main  theme was the handling of the payroll tax bill over Christmas.  He let them speak
their peace before telling them… well… The Honorable Elizabeth Letchworth, our
Capitol Hill insider and editor of GradeGov.com has the scoop.

We’ll also cover the White House’s cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline,
and the reaction from Congress. What will Boehner and Co. do about it? March
on the White House? Set their hair on fire? Flap their jaws, promise a fight
and then go back to their golf games?

Also, lawmakers are backing away from the highly unpopular Internet piracy
bills in the face of a Web blackout today. Elizabeth with the mechanics of the
House’s Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Senate’s Protect IP Act
(PIPA).

Finally, a report on the vote on the debt increase and what came out of
this morning’s GOP conference meeting.  

In the SECOND hour — Glenn Beck, the Economic Jihad and the Repo Men.
Scary stuff about what’s REALLY going on.

The ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW

and what’s worse, he’s hiding behind a compliant Secretary of State Clinton.

The jobs that pipeline would create is important, but even more important is our national security. Energy, fuel, is just as essential as wheels and bullets when it comes to military equipment. Shutting down energy production in any way is like playing Russian roulette and today even more so, just look at what Iraan is threatening to do now. They are even warning the Saudis not to replace any loss of oil stocks should they, Iraan, decide to close the strait of Harmooz. I am hoping this pipeline would create a split between Obama and the unions. But I really doubt that. There are some fairly good sized oil fields in Nebraska with transport lines all over the state. They have been producing oil in that state for years and years, I know for way before 1950. Doesn’t seem as if they have had many terrible problems, if any, with drilling and pipelines. Maybe that Soros creep has something to do with this too.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/01/the-keystone-of-the-republicans-2012-presidential-campaign.php

white house the DOE loans are better.
You can not fix stupid

[T]he idea, as some in Washington have tried to suggest, that building a
pipeline is the ultimate answer to the question of American energy
security and job creation is nothing more than a pipe dream. The truth
is that just two of the Administration’s programs – the DOE Loan
Guarantee Program and the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards – will
create more than 10 times the amount of jobs generated by the Keystone
XL pipeline, which will only generate a few thousand temporary jobs.

Bronwyn,

“It’s all about the politics of the 2012 presidential race.”

Explain to me how it was a political positive for Obama to delay approving this pipeline. I do not understand it. It seems only a political negative for him to delay. You seem to be even confused on this point, given your questions about the Unions.

” ALL of us will get to see our prices rise at the gas pump anywhere from 10 to 15 cents per gallon ”

How would the price of gasoline go up when it was going to take years to build this thing? Also, the price of oil is set in international markets. This pipeline has and would have no impact on the price of oil and gasoline.

This pipeline, which is opposed by conservatives in Nebraska, would have only created very few jobs. An independent study by Cornell University said:

“The project will create no more than 2,500-4,650 temporary direct construction jobs for two years, according to TransCanada’s own data supplied to the State Department.”

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_KeystoneXL_Reportpdf.pdf

And this is not a final “no”, as more review is required, so those jobs are not necessarily going away. TransCanada has already said that it would quickly apply for a new permit to build along a similar route.

Quoting from the company:

“While we are disappointed, TransCanada remains fully committed to the construction of Keystone XL,” said Russ K. Girling, the company’s chief executive. “Plans are already under way on a number of fronts to largely maintain the construction schedule of the project. We will reapply for a presidential permit and expect a new application would be processed in an expedited manner to allow for an in-service date of late 2014.” ”

As for your statement:

“But as Charles Krauthammer points out, Obama was the one who insisted on the February deadline.”

That is a complete lie. Republicans in Congress inserted a provision in the temporary payroll tax cut bill passed in December giving the administration only until Feb. 21 to decide the fate of the pipeline.

GOP Ties Reducing Payroll Tax To Pipeline

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203413304577086293479947370.html

“I am a bit confused.”

It is clear you are confused. You really do not understand the facts.

You should be proud to have a President take the time needed to decide that this pipeline get done right and done in the best interest of America.

Canadian PM reacts to backtrack’s rejection of pipeline

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/01/18/prime-minister-stephen-harper-reacts-to-keystone-xl-decision-conversation-with-obama/

I have never come across a really clear explanation of what this pipeline entails environmentally or economically…although I haven’t looked very hard. What exactly is being pumped…some kind of crude oil? Besides posing a potential threat of leaking into the underlying aquifers, would the pipeline require any water resources as part of the pumping? Is the oil going to be refined and marketed in this country? It seems clear that the oil could be used here in an emergency, which is good. Why doesn’t Obama call on his Secretaries of Environmental Quality, Energy, etc to provide a specific, detailed explanation of the issues still under consideration. Unless he does, the only conclusion a fair-minded person can come to is that he is doing nothing but playing politics….at our expense again. And could someone explain what the Secretary of State has to do with this pipeline? Some people seem to be wanting to point the finger in that direction.

I have no beef whatsoever with the Keystone Pipeline.

And Barky is a prize hypocrite if he cites vague environmental claims for rejecting it, considering his botched response to the BP disaster.

Debbie WassermanShultz, are you gonna call this a “driveby fruiting?” Newtons Law and all…

Richard Rubin — husband of former Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, who still faces seven felony charges of her own — was sentenced this morning to ten months in federal prison.http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/06/richard_rubin_sentenced_to_10.php

Don’t expect BO inc to get what national security is. What has been a talsman ignored is the way the typically Democratic constituancy got play against each other. Hillary Clinton was in favor of this pipe line, until BO put it in the Pay to Play jar. Seems like the environmentalists and the “alternative energy” crowd ponied up more or first. I wonder how much it cost in political cabbage? The pipe fitters got punked. Re-file? There where 4 proposed routes already, temporary jobs for a temporary economy…yep that works f. See ya BO…. you muck around with old money and expect to survive politically.    

The 2 months to decide was going by Obama`s own agenda since he said last Feb. that he would need 12 months to decide.
Try and keep up or get lost. The latter would be preferable.

Maybe Obama can shut them all down. Wouldn`t that be fun Dems.

It’s a pipe you nit-wit. Proud?

Hey Bronwyn, Obama has the “best interests of America” at the forefront….. it just takes time to decide and you “don’t understand the facts.”  You really need to pay more attention k? (geez louise)

Ain’t Putin Special?

“Listen, it was such bull, I just don’t know — where do they get this stuff?” Mr. Putin said. “I thought, This is not information — what they’re broadcasting, it’s serving the foreign policy interests of one country with respect to another, to Russia.”
“I do not take offense when you pour diarrhea on me day in and day out, and yet you have taken offense,” Mr. Putin told Mr. Venediktov as the meeting came to a close, according to an official transcript. “I just said two words, and you took offense.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/world/europe/russia-warns-against-support-for-arab-uprisings.html

Tucked in among the ranch houses in Burnaby, British Columbia, a quiet
suburb east of Vancouver, is the terminal for the Trans Mountain
Pipeline, which brings in oil from Alberta. For decades, that oil was
mainly consumed in the Vancouver region. But that is changing.

Ben West, an anti-oil tanker activist with a group called the Wilderness Committee,
says when the pipeline company Kinder Morgan bought this facility in
2005, it shifted its focus to exports — primarily to the American West
Coast.
“We’ve seen this huge increase of
tanker traffic,” he says. “We went from 22 tankers in 2005, up to 79 [in
2010]. You know these 700,000-barrel tankers that are now coming
through the Burrard Inlet, which passes through one of the most
populated areas of British Columbia.”

The pipeline also has a branch that crosses the border, feeding crude
oil to refineries in Washington state. Kinder Morgan is now exploring
the possibility of doubling the pipeline’s capacity. West calls it the
“quiet repurposing” of the Trans Mountain Pipeline. And because of it,
oil sands gasoline is now fueling cars from Seattle to San Francisco.
Philip
Verleger, an economist who specializes in oil markets, says even if
environmentalists convince Obama to block the Keystone XL pipeline, it
won’t stop the growth of production in the Canadian oil sands.

http://www.npr.org/2012/01/18/145347485/blocking-keystone-wont-stop-oil-sands-production

Obama for America 2012 TV AD

If you look carefully, you can see in this ad that 2 of the statements were made in 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sq3GGwgV7R0

From the start, Obama’s presidency has always been about re-electing him. It has never been about doing the job some elected him to do. Ever.

I am an environmentalist and I have yet to find any substantive reason why this pipeline shouldn’t be built. Other than the usual “OMG it might harm the aquifer if it leaks.” cries I’ve found nothin.

As usual, Obama tries to sit on both sides of the fence. First he tells everyone he needs a year to decide. Then when confronted with the fact that the timetable is approaching fast he knows that the jig is up. So what’s he do? Blame his indecision on those nasty Republicans who held him to account on the timetable he set himself.

Why is he doing this? Other than the fact that he is a complete idiot? It’s payback to the NRDC for those ads they are running stating specifically that Obama is an environmental champion.

The environmentalists have gone out of their way to belittle this project. Their main contention is that it will create very few jobs. And while I do not know exactly how many jobs it will create, it WILL CREATE JOBS. Jobs that people need.

Yet this fact doesn’t fit into the re-election meme Jarrett and others are pushing that it is the Republicans that are the reason we have such a screwed up economy. They’re job killers ya know.

The one thing I am certain of is this: If the Republicans have ANY sense at all (and I realize it’s a BIG IF) they will get their heads out of their collective conservative asses and unite quickly around an electable candidate, so that they CAN kill the only job that means anything. Send Obama and his ilk packin in November.

Can we please vote PA off the island??

Very well said.

I don’t understand the environmental hysteria over this pipeline. We already have a tremendous number of oil tankers around these parts in a very fragile environment. Bringing a pipeline over land makes a lot more sense. What we’re doing now is inefficient and dangerous.

Alberta’s unemployment rate dips to 5.4%: Statistics Canada
 
Calgary’s drops to 5.9%
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Alberta+unemployment+rate+dips+Statistics+Canada/5518308/story.html#ixzz1jsMqMiay

Up Next… Obama’s New Energy Regulations Will Put 32 Coal Plants Out of Business

Up next is the coal industry.
New EPA regulations will force 32 coal plants to close their doors putting hundreds of Americans out of work.

The latest move by the EPA will force new regulations on 26 states. The new rules will kill thousands of jobs, cost billions of dollars and increase electricity rates for every family.

The Obama Administration’s new energy regulations will shut down about 8% of all U.S. generating capacity or the equivalent of wiping out all power generation for Florida and Mississippi.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/01/up-next-obamas-new-energy-regulations-will-put-32-coal-plants-out-of-business/

From my Inbox:

Dear RedState Reader,This morning I noted that we should primary Senators and Representatives on the left and right who refuse to back away from SOPA and Protect IP.Included in the list of sponsors, unfortunately, was Senator Marco Rubio. I would hate, hate, haaattttteeeee to primary such a great guy. We spent a lot of time, energy, effort, and money getting him elected. But SOPA/Protect IP is that bad.Now, I’ve made clear that we wouldn’t do this unless the left was on board too and I’ve only really heard crickets from them. But it was a threat so many of us felt needed to be made to emphasize just how bad this legislation is.Today, about an hour ago, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida showed again why he is a real leader and listener within the conservative movement. He is dropping his co-sponsorship of Protect IP.I hope other Republicans in the Senate follow his leadership on this issue. and please call Senator Rubio’s office and thank him for his leadership. His number is (202) 224-3041. We often fight. We should also often say thanks.Sincerely yours, 
Erick Erickson 
Editor, RedState.com

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/google-anti-sopa-petition.html

4.5 million people sign petition against SOPA
think congress will listen???

More than likely Senator Rubio will be called a flip-flopper for listening to his constiuents. The media likes to do that to those on the right who change their minds or positions based on what the voters want them to do.

Some pols are very much weathervanes. But they are there to represent the people of their district and their state. Time they all did just that. If that’s a flip-flopper sobeit!

Good for Rubio.

Right on target Pat Riot!

I also believe that we need, we must protect our environment. We are an endlessly innovative and productive people when given the chance. Instead of saying “oh no, we can’t do this because it will hurt the environment,” how about find a way to do it that won’t.

Just screaming that it will harm the environment does not constitute proof. Yet the screamers win again and again. In order to keep their support this administration will allow the tail to wag the dog. That’s just nuts.

“even more important is our national security”

How do you figure? Most of this oil was going to Gulf Coast refineries and then was going to be exported to Europe and South America. The refiners on the Gulf coast are actually in a free trade zone and the refinery company Valero that is going to take most of the capacity of the pipeline is looking to increase its exports. The U.S. in fact has now become a net exporter of oil.

http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/policy_library/data/01614

“These facts reveal the important truth that the Keystone XL pipeline would not in fact enhance U.S. energy security at all. The construction of Keystone XL will not lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil—rather, it will feed the growing trend of exporting refined products out of the United States, thereby doing nothing to enhance energy security or to stabilize oil prices or gasoline prices at the pump. If completed, it will successfully achieve a long-term objective of Canadian tar sands producers—to gain access to export markets.”

The Democrats tried to call the Republicans bluff and said, ok then lets put a provision in the approval of the pipeline that says that all of the oil from the pipeline has to stay in the U.S. The Republicans said no.

There is no further energy security if the oil is not even staying in the U.S.

Why don’t you Google Nebraska and Keystone and understand the concerns of conservatives in Nebraska. In fact, the State Attorney General is preparing to challenge the pipeline in court, so chances are it was going to be delayed anyway, even with the recent re-route agreement. Conservative landowners in Nebraska are against this pipeline.

“Nebraska legislators move to block Keystone XL pipeline route – First of an expected four bills to be considered during special session of state legislature on the 1,660-mile pipeline”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/01/keystone-xl-pipeline-nebraska-bill

Nebraskans Applaud President Obama Right Decision on KXL

http://boldnebraska.org/bold_nokxl

As conservatives on NQ you should be against “eminent-domain” and the rights of conservative landowners.

From a Nebraska cattle buyer who is no environmental lefty hippy:

“With so many unanswered questions about the safety of this project, perhaps it’s time for the U.S. to hit the brake pedal,” Mr. Thompson wrote in testimony for a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing in May. “And perhaps it’s time that our government starts placing the concerns of American citizens over and above those of a foreign corporation.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/us/transcanada-in-eminent-domain-fight-over-pipeline.html?pagewanted=all

ABC News plans explosive interview with Newt’s second wife
More: http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2012/01/18/oh_boy_abc_news_plans_explosive_interview_with_newts_second_wife

Obama has the best interests of Obama at the front, sides, back, top and bottom.

If they shut down the coal plants then they might as well wave goodbye to their electric cars since coal plants produce the electricity to run them. Ideology seldom comes with common sense. Or any sense at all.

I find it amusing that Gingrich has complained that this is old news. As if what happened 20 years ago only counts when discussing his opponent.

What’s good for the goose is good for the pompous ass.

Exactly Pat. His past “mistakes” are old news but Romney’s are not. WTF?

Evidently the ex-Mrs. Gingrich has decided that revenge is indeed a dish best served cold. Good for her.

I have been confused about how the “family values” party could be getting behind a serial adulterer. And wasn’t there some scandal about his first wife being one of his teachers? What’s with that? Family values? Seriously?

More likely to listen in an election year than otherwise. Mustn’t pi$$ off the voters.

Everyone said the same thing about the Alaskan pipeline that runs from the  North Slope south ”All that oil is going to Japan”. As for the Nebraska landowners opposing the KSPL, Hell yes they oppose it, leastwise until the price for the right-of-way through their property meets the need of their greed. This is a one time shot for the farmers and ranchers that do not have producing wells already drilled on their property from whence they can collect royalties. Its all about money and votes–environment be damned.  Obama is just pandering to his base who is opposed to everything American and America is about Independance including independance from the islamic nations that supply our energy needs today. This pipeline will not solve all of our energy needs but it could be a start in that direction. This is just like the liberal arguement against exploration and drlg “It harms the environment and besides it would take years for any new oil or gas to enter into the system”. If they are so concerned it would take years for any new product to come online that is all the more reason to begin NOW.So, would you rather have a pipeline running through your fragile buffalo grassland or Soviet and/or Chinese tanks followed by islamic troops camping out in your wheat stubble after they have harvested your crop and kept the proceeds? What we should be doing is exploring and producing our own natural resources, we shouldn’t even be depending on Canada. What we should be doing is working toward getting Obama and all that opposition to America out of government. 

Obama knows what our national security should be and he thinks we have too much of it. That is the problem. I honestly believe that. At first I thought he was just ignorant and/or stupid. He isn’t. I now believe he is following a plan or maybe a dream of becoming the hero of the anti-american world.  Remember what old Nikita Kruschev told America ? ”We will bury you”.  

I think you need a better grasp of the facts. In December the route was re-routed. There have been no environmental studies done yet on the new route. Things have changed. The GOP made this political from the beginning. They made it further political by putting an arbitrary 60 day deadline in the pay-roll tax cut bill.

So we should just ok controversal pipelines without the proper vetting? Republicans and Demcrates along the proposed route have been equally opposed. We should not have a President who just automatically approves everything the energy industry wants, like Bush did. Do you want another BP? Are all you constitutionialists also perfectly happy with trampling on the property rights of ranchers?

backtrack has to have the dumbest PR people in the country.
Due to his taking over the Bank of America field for his acceptance speech, the football team Carolina Panthers will have to start season on the road. I am not a die hard football fan , but I know many and interfering with a schedule is a definite NO – NO.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/18/obama-renomination-speech-will-force-carolina-panthers-to-start-season-on-the-road/

Before that he closes down Disneyland’s Main St in Orlando to give a speech in front of Cinderella’s castle.

I have said since the first primary, the man knows nothing about America and her people

The Alaskan pipeline is completely different. This is a pipeline primarily being built for a foreign company. Second, it is being claimed that this will help U.S. oil security and national security which is completely BS if all the oil out of this pipeline is exported out of the U.S. You are just building a highway through the middle of the country for the Canadians.

You facts on what ranchers in Nebraska want is completely wroing. How can they want more money if they are demand that the pipeline be re-routed, as it has been? Your logic does not make sense.

What base is Obama pandering to? Unions are actually for the pipeline. Getting a few environmentalists votes is hardly worth it.

Could it not be that Obama actually wants to make sure this is done right? Does everything have to be a conspiracy. It is only the Republicans who have made this political.

By the way there are legitimate environmental issues regarding this pipeline and the oil sands. You are obviously unaware of them.

Mitt was 2nd in Iowa.
Count show Santorum won by 34 votes

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/19/us-santorum-idUSTRE80I18920120119?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

Perry to annouce today he is dropping out of race

Money!!! Will ease access for the route through Nebraska. That will make the legislators happy at the same time. Does everything Obama does have to be a conspiracy? Why don’t you ask Obama? Could it be that Obama wants this done right? I doubt it, he hasn’t done much of anything else right, if anything at all so far, so why do you think he is starting to do things right now? Tell you what. Tell me what you know about the oil industry and the problems involved with the gathering systems, trunk lines, compressor and  pump stations, ETC.ETC.ETC.refining, environmental difficulties and I will tell you about my 50+ years working in that industry. And yes some of that time was spent in the state of Nebraska. 

We should not only build that pipeline but when it is completed use Obama for one of the pigs.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/keystone-calamity/1400506675001

keystone calamity

backtrack’s letter to Iran

http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1513259

Right on target

right on.

Rick Santorum wins Iowa caucus Certified results released on January 19 show Rick Santorum actually won the Jan. 3 Iowa
caucus, beating Mitt Romney by 34 votes.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/sen-rick-santorum-1307361776-slideshow/

Ok how in the H3LL did they lose votes. Sounding a bit like the 2008 DNC mess in regards to Hillary, especially when it seems that these votes were probably for Santorum.
Certified results released Thursday morning, first reported by the Des Moines Register, show the final count of votes from Jan. 3′s Republican presidential caucus ended with Santorum a whopping 34 votes ahead of Mitt Romney—with 29,839 votes compared to Romney’s 29,805.
But Republican officials told the paper that votes from eight precincts are missing and will never be certified so the party is expected to render a “split decision.” The Iowa Republican Party is expected to make the official announcement later this morning.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/santorum-may-won-iowa-romney-calls-results-virtual-123742689.html

Thanks for the article.  You are so right too, because I wonder why this hasn’t been reported anywhere else.  No wonder she fits in so well with the Obama crowd.

Also there were ethics charges against good ole Newt.  Romney could play a whole lot dirtier than he has been.  People like Chris Christie could be doing some of the talking against Newt if they want to go in that direction.  Family values aren’t what they used to be.  Must say, I am seriously disappointed in Sarah Palin at the moment.

Why are votes from eight precincts still missing and if they are missing too, how can they say that Santorum finished ahead?

That was my question…If you read the article these were precints heavily in favore of Santorum…STRANGE
I wonder why I do not trust the National Elections espeicaly the primaries, for it was in 2008 that I learned the that DNC and GOP can do whatever they want to to the primary votes.

I am also disappointed in Sarah Palin. But I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to endorsements. I do pay attention to who they endorse. That she would endorse a POS like Gingrich tells me things I don’t like about her.

“Must say, I am seriously disappointed in Sarah Palin at the moment…”

Why?

She’ll get VP out of it.

She played her game, the way the big boys play.

I’ve read and realized that many of her diehard supporters feel she is “entitled” to office.

No comment on that, but suffice to say that I’m sorry I ever even gave her the benefit of the doubt.

I frequent the conservative blogs and have seen no comment that Sarah is “entitled” to anything.

We really have to put all these extraneous things to one side and concentrate on the only things that matter.   The monetary system is on it’s last legs, if we are to survive, then we need to reinstate Glass Steagall.  HR 1489 is waiting in the House of Reps, THE RETURN TO PRUDENT BANKING ACT then give Congress the power to utter CREDIT as it’s mandated in the Constitution so that we can get going on projects that will put our people back to work.  We need a science drivere, so NASA should start planning a manned mission to Mars.
This will mean that we need nuclear fission and fusion power to do so and that will mean that we can get to Mars from the Moon in about a week, if you launch the ship from a Moon Colony, with higher flux density fuel that we have right now which we have to come with.
Yes we can come with new ways of doing things.  We don’t have to resort to riding bikes and growing carrots in our backyard.
This will make time and space at least our concept of time and space change.   We will be able to start moving around in the Galaxy and start discovering other solar systems and our children will be able to survive because we didn’t just allow the oligarchs to tell us we can’t afford it and we must all starve to death because they engineered a famine that is due to start manifesting world wide in about three months time.   Austerity is just another word for genocidal intent.
Anyone talking cutting the deficit and austerity is genocidal.
We don’t like genocide and we most certainly must not go along with anyone who is talking austerity.
It’s really deadly.

It’s amusing to watch you guys attack Obama even for the truly great things he does like this. 

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