Keystone XL Pipeline will Wreck the Environment, BUT it will Create FIFTY Jobs!!!
Sometime in 1969 or 1970, President Nixon sealed off the U.S. Mexico border — Operation Intercept — for several days, in order to crack down on drug smuggling. There was a comedy skit where one of Nixon's advisers is telling him: “Tourist traffic hasn't moved in days, the economy has lost millions of dollars, the Mexican government is threatening to cut off diplomatic ties with the United States, AND — we scored three joints!”
At least that was only a comedy skit. Now, fast forward forty-five years (and this is not satire): The fossil fuel industry is ordering its prostitutes in Congress to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline to transport Canadian tar sands oil from Canada to Texas, where this oil will be refined and then shipped overseas. The Keystone XL Pipeline will drastically speed up the climate change process, jeopardize the water supply for about one fourth of the United States population, AND it will Create FIFTY Jobs!!!
The linked article is titled “Sorry, Republicans, the Keystone XL Pipeline is not a jobs agenda.” I think the title is inaccurate. Republicans don't give a flying fuck about jobs or people who work for a living. “Jobs!!!” is one of their favorite soundbites, a mating call to their useful idiots. Nothing more.
The article should be directed at the misguided Democrats who mistakenly believe the Keystone XL Pipeline will create jobs. It won't. But the GOP has shrewdly turned this into a wedge issue between environmentalists and labor unions.
According to the linked article: “Generous estimates predict that the pipeline would create around 42,000 temporary jobs — about 2,000 construction jobs and the rest in supplying goods and services. How many long-term jobs? Fifty. That's right, 50 whole long-term jobs."
Got that? Come on Democrats and labor unions — we need to stand together on this. There aren't enough Republicans in the Senate to override President Obama's promised veto of the Keystone XL Pipeline. They'll need some Democrats to falter and start believing the “Jobs!!!” hype. Don't.
And if President Obama vetoes a must-pass spending bill because there's a Keystone XL Pipeline amendment attached to it, we need to stand together and make sure the blame goes to the right parties: the fossil fuel industry and its “global warming is a hoax” useful idiots.
Labels: fifty jobs, Keystone XL Pipeline
posted by Tom Harper @ 3:13 PM
16 Comments:
I could be wrong but I think the drastic drop in oil prices might make this less of a positive issue for the GOP. A lot of uninformed voters probably think the pipeline is supposed bring oil here for our consumption...
Jim: I think you're right that lower oil prices will take some of the momentum out of this issue. Unfortunately, millions of people still think Keystone will create millions of permanent jobs; the fossil fuel industry is creating and fanning this ignorance.
Don't they get that just like the last energy miracle, the Alaskan Pipeline, once it's built you don't need that many people to maintain it?
Don't they also get that also like the Alaskan Pipeline, that oil is going to a port so it can be shipped overseas?
Erik
Most Alaska oil is refined in California. Very little, if any, Alaska crude oil is shipped overseas.
Erik: I'm afraid the answer to both questions is No.
Jerry: Are you sure? I had always understood that most oil from Alaska was exported.
Exported to CA.
That California, not Canada.
Jerry,
Maybe it is now, but I went to a conference at Chevron in which they said all Alaskan Crude is swapped 2/1 with Japan for Iranian Crude (while we supposedly had a boycott) as their refineries were not set up to handle Alaskan Crude (Sulfur Content). Now I've been reading the last few years that California and Texas refineries has been upgrading for the thicker crude (probably for Keystone and other Frag/Shale). Provided they're done, that means California has just started refining it since Alaska was producing over 40 years ago.
Erik
The Trans Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act of 1973 effectively required all petroleum from Alaska's North Slope (ANS) to be sent to U.S. refineries. Congress passed legislation in 1995 eliminating that requirement. A small amount was (less than 10%) of production was exported between 1996 and 2000. A small amount was exported in 2012. The majority of Alaska crude is refined in California.
The majority of Alaskan crude comes from the North Slope where Chevron has only played a very minor role. Perhaps they were talking about their own production in the Cook's Inlet area which is a very small part of Alaskan production.
Jerry: Thanks for the information.
Yeah! I stand corrected
Erik
One more thing Jerry,
Do you believe that all this Keystone Oil will stay in America or piped to Texas so that it can get exported?
Erik
My understanding is that the keystone oil will be refined in Texas and exported. In other words, it is Canadian oil, pipelined across the United States to Texas, refined in Texas, and then exported overseas.
My understanding is that the keystone oil will be refined in Texas and exported. In other words, it is Canadian oil, pipelined across the United States to Texas, refined in Texas, and then exported overseas.
Also note, that Mineral fuels including oil is one of our top exports, coming in at #3 in 2013. We import oil and export refined products. I wonder how much lower our gas prices would be if we did not do this?
Yeah that's always been the one thing that blew my mind over these decades. The US always in a energy crises, always importing oil and talking about weaning off foreign oil, is one of the leading EXPORTERS in the world, and there are plenty of capped oil wells in the South and Southwest.
One explanation I've always heard is our oil is quite crude and mostly used for lubricants, car oil, road tar, and additives whereas Middle Eastern Oil is fine and used for fuel.
But then decades ago, many refineries switched over and then moaned about only being able to process imported oil every time Congress inquired.
Still doesn't add up!
Erik
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