Erm, we are already importing quite a lot of oil from Canada. Behold.
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.
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.
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.
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.
TransCanada spending $7B? I guess that would be quite a bit to some.
The people building the pipeline and those supplying materials and being paid right of way for their land?
Um, TransCanada and those who ship their oil through the pipeline? The refiners down in Texas? The governments who charge taxes and royalties?
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.
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.
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.
I’m not sure what you’re hoping to win? A victory for ignorance and unfounded fears?
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.
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?
These are the staunch anti-government conservatives, right? The ones who take government subsidies? 
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.
And most of the pipeline will be below ground to keep random people from taking pot shots at it.