Why do Republicans support the Keystone XL pipeline?

Question

The oil is not ours.
The refined products from it will not be for U.S. use ... They will be shipped to Asia.
When the pipeline is worn out, it becomes the responsibility of the U.S. property owners to dispose of.
Given the legal definition of oil, if there is a spill, it's debatable as to who is responsible for the cost of clean up.
The pipeline is to be built over our largest aquifer which is used to irrigate our farmlands.
If tar sands oil gets into that aquifer, the aquifer is ruined.
Once the pipeline is built, Canadian crews will maintain and operate it.
I've seen estimates of 1,000 to 50,000 American jobs to build the pipeline over roughly a two or three year period.
The only permanent jobs associated with the pipeline will be the handful of jobs needed to run the refinery, move refined product to the docks, and load them onto tankers.
There is absolutely nothing in building the pipeline that promotes energy independence for the U.S.
But, there is a hell of a lot of money to be made by the people who paid for this last election.

Answer 1

Do you ACTUALLY think that oil flowing from Canada does not generate revenue along the pipeline?! Is there ANY other product in a market-driven society that works like that, especially in the US? If nothing else, there is tax revenue created by it to government coffers. Commerce everywhere generates revenue all along the way from source to destination.



Besides, oil from the Dakotas will flow in the pipeline too. The same is happening with Southern oil suppliers. There would be ZERO incentive for the Southern part of the pipeline to be in construction if this weren't the case. Obama OKed this part 2 years ago. Do you actually think that oil companies would build a pipeline that would not be used? There are some Southern refineries that will tap some of that oil too.



"When the pipeline wears out"?!! You ACTUALLY think this is a valid argument? Do you actually think that when the Trans-Alaskan pipeline "wears out", the oil company that run it will just throw up their hands and walk away?!! Does this happen with ANY other infrastructure? Please!! There will be future maintenance and replacement on segments of the line.



You seem to think that Canadians are shipped in to build, administer and maintain the line. That's nuts. Locals will hired like with any other pipeline on Earth! The Trans-Alaskan pipeline has 800 employees. There is the maintainance, pumping stations and administration of the Keystone Pipeline, never mind the jobs created at the oil fields putting oil in the pipeline, refineries taking some out and the jobs at the ports. A basic rule of business, expansion of goods and services creates jobs.



It's also ironic that there is poo-pooing of the construction jobs when THIS administration was proclaiming that infrastructure building was the key to getting the economy going again. Obama lamented that shovel-ready jobs weren't as "shovel-ready" as he hoped. Well, HERE is one big infrastructure job that IS shovel-ready with 40,000 jobs.



All this is an increase in commerce, business and a job creator, all without taxpayer dollars needed.

Answer 2

Oil lines last decades. Asia is not the sole market. That WILL be if we do not put in that pipeline. And I rather am disgusted with Libs about this. Their sole objection seems to be that the state and federal governments will not get their piece of the action. The Canadian government will. Not caring about the jobs, prosperity and 2nd. 3rd and 4th hand job creations done to support the pipeline and it's workers.



Seems Uncle Sugar Sam doesn't want to wait for the income taxes. He wants the full measure Canada's government will get. As IF the pipeline source and company were US origins. Have you seen how much tax Uncle Sugar Sam rakes in from North Dakota?

Answer 3

American businesses want to buy Canadian oil for resale elsewhere.

That's American capitalism in action, not the Trump of Doom sounding the end of the world.

America's already crisscrossed by literally tens of thousands of miles of oil pipelines.

Keystone XL is simply an extension to link to an already existing US pipeline network.

If there's genuine environmental concerns, the solution is simple & obvious: reroute it around them.



There's no need to cause international incidents with Canada - both America's largest trade partner and closest military ally - over America's dysfunctional & polarized domestic partisan politics.



After all, you don't see people whining about American factories that export goods overseas.

Yet when they hear the words, 'oil pipeline' they suddenly flip their b*tch switches and freak out.

That makes no sane, rational sense whatsoever.

Answer 4

The Alaska pipe line has never had a big spill but there were small spills that were quickly cleaned up. The oil tanker Valdez was in a remote sense part of that pipe line. If the Keystone pipe line had to go over Lake Superior then and only then would I vote against it.

Answer 5

Canada is the USA's biggest trading partner. I like it because buying oil from Canada is a heck of a lot more pleasing than continuing to send billions to the Muslim countries. According to CBS-60 minutes, the oil sands oil is high quality and commands a premium price. Any increase in the supply of oil will have a downward pressure on the price. I hate Obama's high gas prices. Even cutting the price of gasoline by 1-2 cents would be worth it from my standpoint.

The Ogallala aquifer is very, very deep underground. It is hard for me to see how a surface spill would have any effect on the aquifer. The aquifer will be gone anyway in a few years because water usage is far larger than replenishment rates.

Even if rich US & Canadian oil men get even richer, they spend their money into our economy, unlike Arabs, who spend their money on jihad.

Ok, you asked, and I gave you my reasons.

Answer 6

false. the refined products will be sold all across the South. They'll replace oil from Venezuela -- a country that surely needs something to change

Answer 7

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 8

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 9

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 10

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 11

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 12

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 13

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 14

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 15

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 16

The folks that own the Republicans stand to make some bucks from it.

Answer 17

the Republicans basically support the pipeline because of corporate sticking money into their pocket not because of jobs for the 230 million unemployed Americans in this country

Answer 18

Would you rather have the US get the jobs or someone else? Oil is a global market. Wow so the landowners get to sell the transportation system once the oil runs out in 30+ years? I fully expect Obama to be his typical foolish arrogant self & veto the bill.

Answer 19

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 20

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 21

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 22

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 23

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 24

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 25

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 26

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 27

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 28

They support it because it will make a shltload of money for their sponsors. Isn't it obvious?

Answer 29

Because their corporate masters are bribing them. And a lot of republicans are invested in the oil industry.

Answer 30

Hold on Ace!



DEMONcrats do too!



now that mary Landrieuu's job is on the line!

Answer 31

Hold on Ace!



DEMONcrats do too!



now that mary Landrieuu's job is on the line!

Answer 32

Hold on Ace!



DEMONcrats do too!



now that mary Landrieuu's job is on the line!

Answer 33

Hold on Ace!



DEMONcrats do too!



now that mary Landrieuu's job is on the line!

Answer 34

Because it's the right thing to do

Answer 35

Stop making us democrats look stupid.

Answer 36

Their congressmen have been paid off by lobbyists and the citizens are misinformed.

Answer 37

All they know is their big oil masters want it. I love the fact that Y!A cons call Canadian oil, domestic.

Answer 38

Hold on Ace!



DEMONcrats do too!



now that mary Landrieuu's job is on the line!