By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
President killing pipeline to raise gas prices
Placeholder Image

Despite having spent a record three years reviewing the Keystone XL permit, including two comprehensive environmental evaluations, the Obama administration recently deferred a decision on the permit until after the 2012 presidential election.
The question is “Why?” According to heatingoil.com, the proposed 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would transport 700,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada and the U.S. Bakken region to U.S. refineries and employ more than 20,000 people. This comes at a time when gas prices are the highest ever and jobs are scarce.
Canada’s oil sands are among the largest oil reserves in the world. As global demand for oil surges and Canada increases production, the addition of the Keystone XL pipeline will ensure that Americans benefit from reliable and secure oil from our largest trading partner. But — and this is a very large but — if we don’t approve the pipeline, Canada will direct the pipeline toward the Pacific Ocean and sell the oil to China, according to House Speaker John Boehner on abcnews.com.
If we delay building the Keystone XL pipeline now, we would be giving China a full year to go to Canada, make investments and tie down Canada’s oil supply, giving China a huge advantage over the United States. The president is ignoring the fact that China is our largest competitor in the world market, and more oil will give China a further leg up on us. Remember, oil is essential for making plastics and other products, not just to fuel cars and warm homes.
The president, the Environmental Protection Agency and the environmentalists are striving to destroy gasoline cars and push for all-electric vehicles. There are many coming on line, but they are not selling well. Here is some food for thought: What happens to your electric car when a hurricane or earthquake knocks out the power for weeks? At least with a gasoline car you can store 5-gallon cans of fuel for such an emergency. Generators have no connections for an electric car.
The pipeline would extend the reach of the Canadian tar sands from Alberta to the Texas gulf, cutting across the U.S. heartland. According to the EPA’s comments, pipeline safety, spill response and impacts on communities all need further research and assessment, and much more information is needed about the greenhouse gas implications and the need for such a project. This is typical of the failed EPA. It wants to destroy our civilization in the name of protecting the environment. There is no proof that the pipeline will have any effect on the environment, but we know for certain that without oil, this country will falter and the economy will implode.
The EPA wants to implement an oil-savings plan and reduce oil consumption by increasing fuel-efficiency standards, hybrid cars, renewable energy and environmentally sustainable biofuels. So far, this has failed, as Americans don’t want to change.
The president says that he wants to put off a decision on the pipeline until after the election. Why? If he wins the election, he will stop the pipeline, but he doesn’t want to alienate the voter base before the election by such an action.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., has introduced the North American Energy Security Act, which would force the Obama administration to issue a construction permit for the pipeline.
The pipeline will spur job creation in the United States quickly and will reduce America’s dependence on oil from volatile regions. The Keystone XL pipeline immediately will increase America’s energy security, strengthen ties with one of America’s strongest allies and create jobs.

Calderone is a conservative who lives in Midway. He is a professional salesperson and has written articles for trade publications in various fields for 30 years.

Sign up for our E-Newsletters