What is your opinion on the USA's President backpedaling on the Keystone line of late?. We unleashed a MAJOR shot over their bow so to speak and now their President seems to take notice.
http://theweek.com/article/index/225997/obamas-keystone-pipeline-turnaround-a-publicity-stunt
GOOD link! Also good links to follow in that article!
Harper's "major shot over the bow" was NOT very major, it was bearly noticed in the U.S. by anyone! That was for your Canadian benefit only. Harper got his PR out in Canada, to just try to gain support for "HIM" and "HIS" "BAD"programs. What "little" it did I find interesting was the articles popping up about how Harper is trying to turn Canada into an "Authoritarian Oil Government" which "HE" would have to have "authoritarian control" of your government to do that - Think I thought up that word myself?
That article is addressing the "southern" portion of the pipeline, which Obama has NO control. It is the "northern international" portion Obama vetoed. As previously mentioned Obama “veto” DOES NOT mean it is a dead issue.
As pointed out by Reelfast, the northern “international” portion of that pipeline has to go through and be approved by “Congress.” Then the President does have the power to “veto.” Every decision made by the President has to be approved by Congress. In International Politics the President can tell anyone anything he wants – it still takes Congress approval. FYI… The President is also the Commander-in-Chief. While the President “is pretty much a figure head” as role of President. As Commander-in-Chief, while actions are accountable to Congress, is required to stay within U.S. law (supposedly), that President has exercising supreme command authority of the ENTIRE U.S. military. IMHO rather puts the term “figure head” into another prospective. That would be a WHOLE LOT of POWER at his fingertips which he has FULL (temporary) authority of. FYI… Russia leaders believed Regan so radically and unpredictable he going to use that power for “nuclear first strike” - scared the hell out of them! Another FYI... the President as Commander-in-Chief authorized troops to go to Vietnam, it took "An Act of Congress" approval to keep them there. After the Vietnam U.S. withdrawal Congress passed a law withdrawing the Presidents “power” to send ANY “Combat” troops back, without Congress prior approval. End result as soon as North Vietnam learned of that law, end of story – FULL invasion of the South!
Back to the pipeline, picked these up in those links, just tought I share:
“The president stages a photo-op in Oklahoma to take credit for the portion of the Keystone XL pipeline that doesn't need his approval and for oil production on private and state lands beyond his jurisdiction.
“It's the section that doesn't need presidential or State Department approval since it does not cross an international boundary.
“The part that does require State Department approval and a presidential blessing, and which holds as much as 24 billion barrels of oil, runs from the rich oil sands of Alberta, past the booming oil fields of the Bakken shale formation in North Dakota and down to Cushing. It is the portion Obama killed in January.
http://news.investors.com/article/6...keystone-xl-pipeline-photo-op-.htm?src=IBDDAE
"This administration has expanded drilling in the Arctic, has delayed protections from smog, and at the same time done more for clean energy and to cut oil consumption than any administration ever," said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. "By our view, that's a combination of wins and losses, or advances and retreats, that shows a pragmatic and moderate record."
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Electi...t-green-enough-say-environmentalists/(page)/2
Keep in mind, it is a well known fact when natual oil is gone - it is GONE! When Canada sells all of it's oil to either the U.S. or China, what is Canada in a couple of hundred years - WHEN YOU HAVE NONE? I posted the following chart to think about!
There is a difference between NEED and WANT! The U.S. wants the oil for one reason and one reason ONLY - we don't want to use OURS. They both end up being the same price to the end user, so why buy and use YOURS! Any country selling their resources off when they can buy them (HARPER) is not LONG TERM smart - PERIOD! It is called National Security!
In case some don’t know, the U.S. actually has more combined resources than any country in the world. Some is authorized for use - some takes that “Act of Congress” to use. It is estimated, if the U.S. stops all foreign import of oil there would be enough in the U.S. “oil reserve” (which does that Act of Congress to use) to currently last approximately 200 years (I have read, but NOT confirmed that).
http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq320/charlie4278/ISSoil_120322.jpg
My 2 cents for the day... Get ready to start using “ethanol” – IT IS coming!