Why a Clinton Presidency Could Mean the Keystone Pipeline Goes Ahead
The Republican Party has been hungry to approve the Keystone XL pipeline since gaining the majority in both the Senate and the House, and only one thing has stood in the way of turning the massive oil project into a reality: President Barack Obama’s promise to veto any such legislation. Looking forward, however, it seems like the president’s bold stance may just be delaying the inevitable.
If Republicans take the White House in 2016 the threat of vetoing the Keystone XL disappears. Unfortunately, the same might be said for a win by Hillary Clinton, whose Democratic Party nomination feels inevitable at this point with no other viable candidates coming forward.
The Clinton Foundation, a charitable organization run by the Clinton family, has raked in millions from vocal proponents of the pipeline like the Canadian Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Agency. http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/02/19/clinton-foundation-receiving-millions-proponents-keystone-xl Last year, the Clintons also received millions in direct donations from giant oil corporations like BP, Exxon, Citgo, and Anadarko. http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/big-oil-and-pro-keystone-groups-gave-millions-to-clinton-foundation-20150218 Incidentally, these are the same companies that have been lobbying Congress and the president to approve the pipeline.
Richard Keil, a spokesperson for ExxonMobil, insisted that his company’s large donations were purely altruistic. “We have a long history of supporting any number of charitable groups and organizations whose interests dovetail with our own, and that’s certainly the case here. There’s no link to any political or policy issues,” Keil said.
Despite assertions to the contrary, while it’s pretty apparent what the corporations are angling for with their “selfless” financial contributions, it might not be fair to call it a sure thing that Clinton would support the Keystone XL pipeline as president. Like many serious issues, Clinton has intentionally sidestepped taking a stance during her presumed pre-campaign phase, and according to ABC News, Clinton “dodges” any questions on this topic, too. Her official response tends to be that since she oversaw the permit stage of the pipeline while serving as secretary of state, she is not in a position to give her opinion.
Still, for a clue on what Clinton might do, look no further than her husband and former president Bill Clinton. At an Energy Department conference, Bill declared the project a positive for the economy and encouraged people to “embrace” the Keystone XL pipeline. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/73445.html
Between the large corporate donations and the lack of official comment from Hillary, environmental groups are already panicking about what the future holds for the Keystone XL. For a Democrat that talks about climate change, Clinton has a reputation for being particularly cozy with the oil industry. After seeing this special interest money pour into the Clintons’ foundation, many environmental organizations decided to pen a letter to Clinton urging her to state her opinion on the project. Thus far, Clinton has not commented on the letter.
It’s discouraging news, but it’s a reality – winning the battle on the Keystone XL now won’t necessarily mean winning the war in another couple of years.
http://www.care2.com/causes/why-a-clinton-presidency-could-mean-the-keystone-pipeline-is-a-go.html
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