President Obama Vetos the Keystone Pipeline as Promised.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015, President Obama vetoed a bi-partisan bill authorizing the construction of the 1,179 mile Keystone XL, (KXL), pipeline designated to move crude oil from the Canadian Tar Sands, as well as oil from the rapidly developing Bakken oil fields of North Dakota, to American refineries located on America’s Gulf of Mexico coast. President Obama vetoed the bill knowing it had the support of the overwhelming majority of Americans.

Based on facts, a rational person has to question the motivation behind President Obama’s veto. The President stated:  “The Presidential power to veto legislation is one I take seriously, but I also take seriously my responsibility to the American people. And because this act of Congress conflicts with established executive branch procedures and cuts short thorough consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest — including our security, safety, and environment — it has earned my veto.” This from a President who openly bullies Congress with Executive Orders when Congress will not support his desired actions. Why did President Obama really veto the KXL pipeline which has bi-partisan support as well as the support of the majority of Americans? After all wouldn’t a rational person question the fact that the Department of State has been ‘reviewing’ the KXL pipeline for more than 6 years? Is it not logical to consider it might be long past the time to replace the obviously incompetent or even worse, unscrupulous government employees assigned the responsibility for evaluating the KXL pipeline!

Is it possible President Obama’s veto is payback for the very public support he received from at least one of his wealthy and influential supporters? Is it possible Americans have elected a President that due to his experiences as a child growing up in areas outside America, does not fully understand the American way of life? Another probability is the American people elected a President without the experience required to occupy the office as President of the United States and leader of the free world. After all, what were President Obama’s qualifications for the office? And then there is the question many Americans consider but do not openly ask in fear of being branded racists: Did Americans vote for President Obama based purely on the fact that he would be the first African-American President? Would any other American, not being an African-American descendant, with experience comparable to President Obama even be considered for the office of America’s President, much less be elected as President? Think about it. As of the writing of this article, Scott Walker, the Governor of Wisconsin is pursuing the Republican nomination for President. One major obstacle is the fact he has not completed his college degree! Considering Mr. Walker’s age and experience as a state governor and applying a quote from another potential candidate for the presidency: “What difference, at this point, does it make?”

Who benefits from the Keystone XL pipeline? Obviously, the companies producing oil from Canada’s tar sands. America’s Gulf Coast refineries will benefit from a predictable supply of crude oil. Americans will benefit by having access to fuel which is not likely to be disrupted by international events. Temporarily, many Americans and American businesses will benefit from the construction of the pipeline. The downside is that there is and always will be a potential for leak with significant environmental consequences. That said, it’s hard to believe a country capable of placing men on the moon and exploration equipment on Mars cannot design and construct a pipeline which can move crude oil with negligible leak risk. Think about it: Even if KXL pipeline is not built, the Canadian oil will still be produced and transported to market. Would you rather have oil moved through a modern pipeline or transported in railroad tank cars which may or may not be safe? (According to a recent CBS report there are 92,000 railroad tank cars hauling crude oil and other volatile products; 78,000 of those tank cars need to be “retrofitted or phased out altogether”.)

President Obama has clearly lost sight of the fact that he was elected to serve the American citizens, not dictate to the American people. Unfortunately, very few people will ever know the real reason behind President Obama’s veto of the KXL pipeline until historians have the opportunity to fully research his presidency. But maybe the answer lies in the reasoning behind his open opposition to the development of America’s vast fossil fuel resources. Is the fact that fossil fuel production and consumption are a significant source of carbon emissions into Earth’s atmosphere the basis for President Obama’s battle against fossil fuels? Since current scientific research indicates atmospheric CO2 levels likely function as Earth’s thermostat, President Obama’s logic appears solid. But then, a closer examination of the scientific data reveals the fact that if atmospheric CO2 levels are the cause of global climate change, with excessive levels of CO2 resulting in global warming; there is currently more than enough CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere to make the World’s climate extremely uncomfortable for mankind. Since President Obama must be aware of this fact, his publicly declared reason for opposing fossil fuels quickly falls apart.

Global climate change is a natural occurrence which, according to modern scientific research, is controlled by the level of atmospheric CO2. Due to human efforts to create a better life which resulted in the development of fossil fuel resources to feed technological advances and supply carbon based compounds used in products necessary for modern society, mankind has rapidly and dramatically increased the current level of atmospheric CO2. This is an irrefutable fact which leads to another fact which President Obama and most Americans have chosen to ignore: No amount in the reduction of present and future fossil fuel carbon emissions can reduce current atmospheric CO2 levels. If mankind is to gain control over climate change, America will have to undertake the massive and mind-bogglingly expensive task of developing and implementing technology which will monitor and control the levels of atmospheric CO2. The only way America can fund such an enormous undertaking is by creating a strong, stable economy. To build such an economy will require America utilizing all its energy resources and energy related technology. A fact President Obama is surely aware which leads back to the question: What is the real reason behind President Obama’s veto of the KXL pipeline?

As an added note: Don’t be surprised if President Obama supports the oil industry’s push to overturn America’s ban on exporting crude oil. Logic clearly dictates that if that were to occur, America’s opportunity for energy independence ends.