The Pipe, Mr. President!

 

 

"This is not rocket science. In fact, it is a no brainer. Just build it for crying out loud!"

Here we go again. For the umpteenth time I need to address the Keystone XL Pipeline. Why now? First, we continue to be held hostage by fluctuations in global oil markets. With the growing unrest in Iraq, world petro prices are already starting to climb. Many energy independent countries in OPEC have very inexpensive fuel for their citizens. Having the XL Pipeline would not guarantee independence, but it would sure hurry it along.

Number two hits much closer to home. Rather than build and upgrade more pipelines, we instead continue on with our "nothing burger" energy policy. In other words, we are doing nothing, and getting nothing. Market forces however refuse to stand still. Since we have not addressed our inadequate pipeline system, our rail systems are taking more of the brunt of the North Dakota and Southern Canada oil fields. Right now there are more oil cars on the Burlington Northern track than Legos in a day care center. Trains are getting longer, which is causing a huge problem for smaller towns with longer wait times at crossings. For emergency vehicles, longer wait times could be the difference between life and death.

In all my years, I have never seen a President, or any other world leader, act more like a deer in the headlights. If he played baseball, he would either get called out on strikes or walk every time he was at bat. He would never swing, as that involves decision making. Just like he is taking a pass on Iraq, he took a pass on Syria, and he ignored the VA mess, he continues to take a pass on building the Keystone Pipeline. EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING this guy does has political motivation. Not our country's best interest or security - just politics.

Here we are going into Summer Solstice and peak driving season. A terrible time to get hit with higher fuel costs. I have said before, this President could tame jittery global petro markets just by opening up more federal land for drilling and authorizing the pipeline. That would send a clear message to the oil speculators that we mean business. However, doing nothing also sends a message - and not a good one.

So as Boko Haram continues its reign of terror in Nigeria, while ISIS imitates Sharia Law in the sovereign country of Iraq, while the body count grows closer to 200,000 in Syria, President Bystander does nothing. Or as the Speaker of the House said yesterday, "When Iraq was falling, he took a nap". If this continues, by the time he leaves office, the world, our country are going to be in a hell of a mess.