Can Congress Force the Presidents Hand on the Keystone XL Pipeline? Should They?

Dirty Alberta Tar Sands Oil - Photo by: corpethics.org

 Can Congress overrule Obama on the Keystone XL pipeline? {Hope NOT!} The State Department is in the midst of an extensive environmental and national interest review of the pipeline, which supporters say will help meet America’s energy and economic needs, and which opponents say will accelerate climate change. Read more of the Washington Post article by Juliet Eilperin, "Can Congress Overrule Obama on the Keystone XL Pipeline?"

 "Supporters say will help meet America’s energy and economic needs," THAT'S A LIE! The fact is that NONE of the tar sands crude will be used in America at all. The crude to go through the pipeline to the Gulf is going to be shipped to China and other nations. The refinery is owned by Shell Oil and a Saudi Arabian oil company. As far as our economic needs, it has been proven that the pipeline will cause gas prices to go up 25 to 40 cents per gallon at the pump. As far as jobs where as supporters originally said the pipeline would create "tens of thousands of jobs," which they have backed down from, the pipeline will create approximately 2,000-4,000 construction jobs while it is being built, but once operational will only create about 50 permanent jobs.

 In an article written by Brendan Smith for Labor Network for Sustainability 5 Reasons Why the Keystone Pipeline is Bad for the Economy   After a year of extreme weather — at an extreme cost to the economy — this age old jobs vs. environment debate is emerging as a false choice. Hurricanes, floods, and droughts are already having a devastating effect on American jobs, and that is nothing compared to what will happen if we throw open the spigot to the tar sands from Canada, considered the dirtiest oil in the world.
Here are 5 reasons why building the Keystone pipeline is bad for the economy — and workers:

1. Building the Keystone pipeline and opening up the Tar Sands will negatively impact national and local economies: Burning the recoverable tar sands oil will increase the earth’s temperature by a minimum of 2 degree Celsius, which NYU Law School’s Environmental Law Center estimates could permanently cut the US GDP by 2.5%.

2. The same fossil fuel interests pushing the Keystone pipeline have been cutting, not creating, jobs: Despite generating $546 billion in profits between 2005 and 2010, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP reduced their U.S. workforce by 11,200 employees over that period. In 2010 alone, the top five oil companies slashed their global workforce by 4,400 employees — the same year executives paid themselves nearly $220 million. But at least those working in the industry as a whole get paid high wages, right? Turns out that 40 percent of U.S oil-industry jobs consist of minimum-wage work at gas stations. Instead of bankrolling an industry that is laying off workers and threatening our economic future, isn’t it time to take the billions in subsidies going to oil companies and invest instead in a sector that both creates jobs and protects the planet?

3. Unemployment will rise: According to Mark Zandi, the Chief Economist of Moody’s Analytics: “Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on the job market in November, slicing an estimated 86,000 jobs from payrolls.” In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the number of workers filing unemployment claims in Vermont went from 731 before Irene to 1,331 two weeks afterwards. Hurricane Katrina wiped out 129,000 jobs in the New Orleans region — nearly 20 percent. For the U.S. economy as a whole, 2011 cost US taxpayers $52 billion.

4. Poor and working people will be disproportionately affected: KXL and projects like it result in disproportionately negative impact on already struggling working families. According to a recent report by the Center for American Progress called “Heavy Weather: How Climate Destruction Harms Middle- and Lower-Income Americans, lower-and middle income households are disproportionately affected by the most expensive extreme weather events. Sixteen states were afflicted by five or more extreme weather events in 2011-12. Households in disaster-declared counties in these states earn $48,137, or seven percent below the U.S. median income.

5. Building the sustainable economy, not the Keystone pipeline, will create far more jobs: Our nation is in desperate need of jobs. Approving the Keystone pipeline locks our nation into a trajectory of guaranteed job loss and threatens the stability of the US economy. Why keep the “job-killing” course, when the alternative-energy path is already out-performing other sectors of the economy. For example, the solar industry continues to be an engine of job growth — creating jobs six times faster than the overall job market. Research by the Solar Foundation shows a 13 percent growth in high-skilled solar jobs spanning installations, sales, marketing, manufacturing and software development — bringing total direct jobs to 119,000 in the sector. And according to the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst, investment in a green infrastructure program would create nearly four times as many jobs as an equal investment in oil and gas.

 You may remember that when Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney spoke of the 47% that would never vote for him, he referred to them as "takers." The 1% has consistently referred to themselves as "Job Creators," which just doesn't pan out and has been disproved.

“If you want to create jobs, cut taxes on the people who create jobs.” This plausible-sounding policy proposal, which translates politically into lowering marginal tax rates on high earners, has generated massive discussion. Forbes - June 2013 - Who are the Real Job Creators.
Bottom Line
 I am all in favor of government doing less, spending less, and extracting less from the citizenry in taxes. There may be sound rationales for skewing the tax cuts that emerge from such reforms toward the highest earners. Attempting to foster long-term job creation in the economy at large is not one of them.
 People like Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney and other members of the 1% often portrayed themselves as "Job Creators," and take credit for creating the best economy in the world. They pretend that they have superior knowledge, and through their own hard work, they have risen above the rest of the us in America in terms of economic wealth and political power. Well the political power part is true, mainly because of the U.S. Supreme Court 2010 Citizens United decision, which allowed unlimited campaign contributions from corporations, without even disclosing the donor. They claim to be held back by the fact that so many of their fellow citizens are "moochers" and expect a free ride and a free lunch at their expense. The Bush tax cuts were in place for 10 years and when Bush left office we were losing 700,000 jobs a month.
 The Keystone XL pipeline will carry the dirtiest fuels in the world, tar sands oil. TransCanada wants to build the northern section of the pipeline but needs approval of the President because it crosses an international border. The Keystone XL pipeline, if built, will stretch 2,000 miles from Alberta Canada to the Gulf Coast of the United States. The pipeline could cause devastating environmental damage to ecosystems, water, and public health, there have been numerous disasters of late with train derailments, chemical spills, and more that has already caused damage. Imports of dirty tar sands would double with the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport it to refineries and ports on the Gulf coast for international export. America would not benefit from a drop of oil, but would sustain all the environmental, and other risks. What will America gain? 50 permanent t jobs, an increase in our own gas prices at the pump, of 25 to 40 cents per of gas, and risks. What will the big oil companies, including Shell and that Saudi Arabian oil company gain? Billions of dollars in increased profits, sound familiar?

Please contact your Representatives in Congress and the Senate by clicking on the "Find/Track Politicians, Bills, and Voting Records" page on the grey line above. Once on the page go to GovTrack and by simply putting in your zip code it will find all your Representatives and assist you in contacting them.  The only way we can make a difference is to call and write our Congressmen/women, and Senators. When enough people contact them they have no choice but to listen. Right now only the ultra-rich and corporations have their ear, and the influence, and it's working, FOR THEM. 




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