Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumObama, Congress begin 2012 in politically charged dispute over Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/obama-congress-begin-2012-in-politically-charged-dispute-over-canada-to-texas-oil-pipeline/2012/01/03/gIQAh0JbXP_story.htmlBy Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, January 3, 2:16 AM
[font size=3]WASHINGTON President Barack Obama and Congress are starting the election year locked in a tussle over a proposed 1,700-mile oil pipeline from Canada to Texas that will force the White House to make a politically risky choice between two key Democratic constituencies.
Some unions say the Keystone XL pipeline would create thousands of jobs. Environmentalists fear it could lead to an oil spill disaster.
A law Obama signed just before Christmas that temporarily extended the payroll tax cut included a Republican-written provision compelling him to make a speedy decision on whether to build the pipeline. The administration is warning it would rather say no than rush a decision in an election year.
Its a dicey proposition for Obama, who enjoyed strong support from both organized labor and environmentalists in his winning 2008 campaign for the White House.
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LonePirate
(13,386 posts)Nihil
(13,508 posts)> will force the White House to make a politically risky choice between
> two key Democratic constituencies.
(putting the slant on it ending up a purely political decision)
> Some unions say the Keystone XL pipeline would create thousands of jobs.
(maintaining the lie that it is a job creation scheme)
> Environmentalists fear it could lead to an oil spill disaster.
(choice of words: the pro-pipeline argument "say" and "would", the anti one
uses "fear" and "could" )
> A law Obama signed just before Christmas ... included a Republican-written
> provision compelling him to make a speedy decision
(pretending that Republicans are in favour of quick action rather than their
record of stalling, obstructing and delaying tactics)
> The administration is warning it would rather say no than rush a decision
> in an election year.
(suggesting that Obama's position is pre-judged unless it can be changed for
political purposes - win-win for their election publicity machine)
> Its a dicey proposition for Obama, who enjoyed strong support from both
> organized labor and environmentalists in his winning 2008 campaign
(again, putting the wedge between labo(u)r and environmentalists when the
real pro-pipeline side is 100% Republican corporations)
By wimping out in the first place and "deferring" the decision, Obama has not
just painted himself into a corner but he's now handed the brush & pot to the
Republicans to ensure that there are plenty of coats on that tacky trap.
This WP piece is just going to set the standard for the Koch Brothers' attack
until he gives up and signs on the dotted line for the pipeline.