Obama vetoes Keystone XL pipeline, leaving it in limbo

[gsj68]

"(Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday, as promised, swiftly vetoed a Republican bill approving the Keystone XL oil pipeline, leaving the long-debated project in limbo for another indefinite period.
The U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, after receiving Obama's veto message, immediately countered by announcing the Republican-led chamber would attempt to override it by March 3.
That is unlikely. Despite their majority, Republicans are four votes short of being able to overturn Obama's veto.
They have vowed to attach language approving the pipeline to a spending bill or other legislation later in the year that the president would find difficult to veto.
The TransCanada Corp pipeline would carry 830,000 barrels a day of mostly Canadian oil sands crude to Nebraska en route to refineries and ports along the U.S. Gulf. It has been pending for more than six years.
Obama, who rejected the bill hours after it was sent to the White House, said the measure unwisely bypassed a State Department process that will determine whether the project would be beneficial to the United States."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0LS2FH20150224

[duane1969]

I knew this was coming as did everyone else. The bigger issue to me is the Democrat's claim that Republicans are refusing to compromise or work with them, yet this is the first bill vetoed by Obama in 5 years. Net result, when Democrats were in control and rammed stuff thru Obama signed off on EVERY SINGLE BILL, now that Republicans are doing it he suddenly feels the need to use his veto power.

On the upside, the more Obama does stuff like this the more it hurts the chances of Democrats gaining seats in the House or Senate and of keeping the WH. By the time he is finished using Executive Order and veto to squash everything that Americans support Democrats won't be able to win a local town mayor election.

For those who will question the majority of Americans support this...

*CBS poll Jan 9-12, 2015 - 60% for, 28% against
*USA Today/Princeton Survey Research Associates International, Nov. 13-16, 2014 - 60% for, 25% against
*Pew Research Center, Nov. 6-9, 2014 - 59% for, 31% against

[JustAlex]

THANK YOU OBAMA!!!

VETO ANYTHING THE GOP BRINGS TO YOU!

DO NOT cooperate with them!

[habsheaven]

I've heard that this legislation is putting the cart in front of the horse. Something to do with the States needing to individually approve a pipeline crossing their state before federal legislation is necessary. Unfortunately, the GOP will now attach this bill as an amendment to everything else they pass, forcing Obama to use the veto more often.

[Bobhikes]

Its not needed and will not create as many permanent jobs as they say. The actual estimate is closer to 2000 jobs. Also people will have land taken away from them as public domain and are pissed about it. It also cuts through environmentalists area's.

Its not worth the effort any more. The republicans are just using it to try an get negative press for the democrats. Doubt it will work.

[37jetson]

Unfortunately, the GOP will now attach this bill as an amendment to everything else they pass, forcing Obama to use the veto more often.

I love these arguments of how the other side of the political spectrum is so evil when they would do it themselves in a heartbeat.

[shrewsbury]

I don-t think either side has t worry about creating bad press for each other. They do a good job making themselves look bad.

[duane1969]

I've heard that this legislation is putting the cart in front of the horse. Something to do with the States needing to individually approve a pipeline crossing their state before federal legislation is necessary. Unfortunately, the GOP will now attach this bill as an amendment to everything else they pass, forcing Obama to use the veto more often.

Actually the only thing stopping it is Federal law that requires approval for any form of pipeline to cross the US-Canada border. Obama has used that one single aspect to hold up KXL for 6 years.

[duane1969]

Its not needed and will not create as many permanent jobs as they say. The actual estimate is closer to 2000 jobs. Also people will have land taken away from them as public domain and are pissed about it. It also cuts through environmentalists area's.

Its not worth the effort any more. The republicans are just using it to try an get negative press for the democrats. Doubt it will work.

I keep hearing this "eminent domain" and taking people's land thing over and over. Just curious if you have ever driven on a public road? If so, then you benefitted from eminent domain. The Federal and state government did not already own those narrow strips of land that go everywhere. They used eminent domain to take those marrow strips of land from private land owners by force so they could put in highways and interstates. In fact, eminent domain played a role in the creation of several national parks such as Great Smoky Mountains National Parks and Shenandoah, creation of water supply for Washington DC, enlarged the Redwoods National Forest, expanded the Everglades, was used to build several Federal courthouses and has even been used recently to forcefully take land on the border between Mexico and the US to try and stem drug trafficking. So do you have a problem with them using eminent domain for any of those purposes?

[Bobhikes]

I have no problem with eminent domain for public works and public usage. The Keystone pipeline is for a private company. All the public would get is Jobs.

To be honest, I'm looking at this as if I was president. With all the headaches it in my opinion it is really not worth it. It doesn't give us anything for the loses. Trans Canada corporation will make out good and I'm sure a bunch of congressman will pocket some big cash but the rest of us get nothing.