# The Keystone XL fails; Legalize pot for jobs instead **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 22, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050 "2011-12-22T05:26:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/21 "2011-12-23T05:16:48Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Try2bComprehensive, you can you to have a comprehensive answer to this? Or to why the pipeline shouldn’t be completed? I mean, if you want to have more expensive fuel and insult Canada while buying oil at high prices from corrupt Middle Eastern governments… Erm, we are already importing quite a lot of oil from Canada. [Behold](http://www.eia.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html). > [@](#): > > CANADA 2,324 2,240 2,157 1,937 1,971 > SAUDI ARABIA 1,465 1,075 1,180 1,082 1,072 > MEXICO 1,099 1,150 1,113 1,108 1,132 > VENEZUELA 759 806 893 919 928 > NIGERIA 529 854 826 1,107 1,018 > COLOMBIA 510 365 364 308 328 > IRAQ 403 637 473 422 464 > ECUADOR 299 303 203 229 215 > ANGOLA 283 311 323 404 413 > RUSSIA 275 252 246 286 295 > BRAZIL 163 213 225 177 270 > KUWAIT 145 165 164 172 204 > ALGERIA 139 140 204 366 337 > CHAD 74 32 54 30 14 > OMAN 72 52 39 0 0 Why do we need an XL pipeline? But again, it is moot now, I win. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/22 "2011-12-23T05:44:51Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Why do we need an XL pipeline? But again, it is moot now, I win. Because you are still buying oil from corrupt ME dictators? Because oil transported through pipelines is vastly safer for the environment than oil being transported through tankers from the ME (or from anywhere else for that matter)? It is amazing how many people can’t see past the end of their noses. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/23 "2011-12-23T08:02:11Z")
Oil via pipeline is safer environmentally than any other means. Last time I checked we haven’t invented the dylithiam crystal yet to suit our energy needs. So keep on trucking that unethical oil from OPEC countries that treat women and gays worse than Canada does. I’m pretty sure most Americans if they had a choice at the pumps between one that said Canadian Oil or Saudi Arabian Oil are going to end up choosing Canadian oil to fill up their car on the way to the Stop XL pipeline rally. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/24 "2011-12-23T08:33:38Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > …OPEC countries that treat women and gays worse than Canada does. It is probably the reason they don’t want to buy oil from us. Allowing gays to marry is worse than shooting them in the head to some. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/25 "2011-12-23T08:38:24Z")
Clearly the political arguments about this issue don’t make sense. I’m stuck with the nagging suspicion that there’s a a story beneath the surface here involving enormous sums of money, and who ends up getting it, and nothing to do with aquifers or gay people. Somebody is going to make a lot of money and someone else is going to lose a lot of money if this goes through. I’d like to know who. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/26 "2011-12-23T15:31:03Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m stuck with the nagging suspicion that there’s a a story beneath the surface here involving enormous sums of money, TransCanada spending $7B? I guess that would be quite a bit to some. > [@](#): > > and who ends up getting it, The people building the pipeline and those supplying materials and being paid right of way for their land? > [@](#): > > Somebody is going to make a lot of money Um, TransCanada and those who ship their oil through the pipeline? The refiners down in Texas? The governments who charge taxes and royalties? > [@](#): > > and someone else is going to lose a lot of money if this goes through. I’d like to know who. The people who ship oil from the ME? The dictators in the ME? It is pretty clear who gets listened to. You really sure Obama isn’t a secret Muslim? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/27 "2011-12-23T15:33:56Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > The people who ship oil from the ME? The dictators in the ME? > > It is pretty clear who gets listened to. You really sure Obama isn’t a secret Muslim? I was thinking more along the line of US companies who import the ME oil for the losses. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/28 "2011-12-23T15:36:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I was thinking more along the line of US companies who import the ME oil for the losses. A lot of the big ones also have operations in the oil sands. Most of the oil that comes from the ME is from state owned oil operations. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/29 "2011-12-25T20:53:03Z")
I didn’t mean to drop out suddenly. My computer is getting munched by a virus… I’ll get it sorted out soon enough. But it looks like I was misunderinformed about the nature of the House compromise. I spoke too soon- the XL thing is still on the table and I didn’t win anything. Rats. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/30 "2011-12-26T00:13:30Z")
I’m not sure what you’re hoping to win? A victory for ignorance and unfounded fears? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/31 "2011-12-26T17:56:11Z")
I’m not sure I understand the problem. Currently there is a pipeline beig built from Denver to the east coast to help bouy natural gas prices in the rockie mountains which are depressed due to high transportation costs. This pipeline will cross the same space but since it’s not international no one cares. As far as leaks go the single largest oil spill in alaska, including prudoe bay, was caused by someone shooting the pipeline. The actual spills have been minor and while the pipeline has changed caribou migration patterns the has been no other problem with the herds. So we know it’s not concern based on a pipeline possibly damaging the aquifer and based on other large pipelines it’s not due to concern over spills or damage to wildlife. I think it’s just people reacting because an “evil” oil company found a way to help the country so it must be evil. Basically republicans and Obama but reversed. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/32 "2011-12-26T18:31:34Z")
Just for starters, consider the differences between a crude oil pipeline and a natural gas pipeline. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/33 "2011-12-26T18:34:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Just for starters, consider the differences between a crude oil pipeline and a natural gas pipeline. One will explode and one will leak a fluid that has proven cleanup techniques on land? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/34 "2011-12-26T18:42:02Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > But take a closer look. The ‘environmentalists’ in this case tend to be conservatives. And not just any ordinary conservatives either- these are Nebraska farmers. These are the staunch anti-government conservatives, right? The ones who take government subsidies? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/35 "2011-12-26T22:42:55Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > As far as leaks go the single largest oil spill in alaska, including prudoe bay, was caused by someone shooting the pipeline. On purpose? Or accidentally? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/36 "2011-12-27T00:56:01Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > On purpose? > > Or accidentally? That’s what I get for going from memory. The largest spill from the pipeline was 16,000 bbls and was due to someone trying to blow up the pipeline. The gun shot was on purpose but it was only a little over 6,000 bbls. It happened while inwas in college so it stands out in my memory. On a side note I meant excluding Prudoe Bay not including. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050/37 "2011-12-27T01:15:47Z")
And most of the pipeline will be below ground to keep random people from taking pot shots at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-keystone-xl-fails-legalize-pot-for-jobs-instead/607050.md?page=1)