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JimG
Guest
The project was first proposed in, I believe, 2005. It has worked it’s way through approvals from Canada and various states. Six years so far. It seems quite difficult and takes a long time to get anything done anymore.
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SamH
Guest
Agreed.
The Empire State Building was completed in 9 years. The original World Trade Center was built in 8 years. The Alaskan pipeline was built in 3 years. Six years into this project and its only about 1/2 complete and it may never be finished.
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JimG
Guest
Nine years for the Empire State Building? I read that excavacation began on Jan 21, 1930, and the ribbon cutting at the completion was on May 1, 1931; and that the architect firm which designed it produced the drawings in two weeks. Did it take eight years to get permits?
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_Abyssinia
Guest
“More than 20,000 new American jobs have just been sacrificed in the name of political expediency,” Speaker John Boehner said in a statement." - Roll Call
The New York Times notes that this is only the latest in a long line of delayed infrastructure decisions.
Commentary says it’s 20,000 jobs “down the drain”.
The New York Times notes that this is only the latest in a long line of delayed infrastructure decisions.
Commentary says it’s 20,000 jobs “down the drain”.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
The engineers who took the Alaska pipeline over permafrost, over rivers and high country can’t figure out how to take a pipeline through the sandhills? Absolutely preposterous! They know how. Obama is just putting it off so he can nix it later.
And jobs? Why would he want jobs? If people have jobs, they aren’t dependent on the government’s handouts and might actually feel a certain amount of independence and personal pride. Can’t have that.
And jobs? Why would he want jobs? If people have jobs, they aren’t dependent on the government’s handouts and might actually feel a certain amount of independence and personal pride. Can’t have that.
No, he is holding it out so that he can use it later as a carrot for the Republicans he will have to deal with should he end up re-elected.
I am shocked to say this decision seems to be the most nuanced and planned decision I have ever seen the man make.
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SamH
Guest
My mistake - 401 days to build it.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
If you’re correct, the man is holding the nation hostage as a “bargaining chip”. Possibly that’s true. On the other hand, Soros stands to make more money if Obama never gives in.
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Luigi_Daniele
Guest
I like this idea. I’m afraid they’ll want the West, though
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scipio337
Guest
The GOP needs some of Chris Christie’s mojo in this respect. Christie convinced the NJ Trade Unions that their future would be much brighter, that they would have more future job security with a balanced budget (with cuts) and future growth, than a stagnant cycle of Kenyesian defecit spending for “infastructure”.
Call it “reality” trumps “hope”!
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Marie5890
Guest
I have a friend who lives in NE, too and pretty much is in agreement with you. Considering the Ogallala Aquifer it’s imperitive that this is truly safe.
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Monte_RCMS
Guest
Freeze in the dark, immobilized, forever.
Green = Watermelon => green on the outside & Red on the inside … economic warfare.
Green = Watermelon => green on the outside & Red on the inside … economic warfare.
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lynnvinc
Guest
I’m against the pipeline because squeezing oil out of the sands and shale and burning all the coal will surely lead to runaway warming, and possibly end all life on earth.
In addition to that emissions from gasoline cause abortions and a myriad of other health hazards.
In addition to that the pipeline would harm the local and regional environments. These pipelines are notoriously leaky, and the tarsands oil is bitumen, much more corrosive than regular oil. See PIPE DREAMS (pipedreamsdoc.com/).
In addition to that the oil would be shipped to China (it’s not for people in America, a point made on EWTN recently), and would increase prices of gasoline for us. We allow free passage of oil, allow it to spill into our largest aquifer and spoil our drinking water so that other people (the oil companies and China can benefit). Water is necessary for life; oil is not.
In addition to that, the fact that they oil companies are going after tarsands and oil shale proves we are past “peak oil,” and are willing to put in a lot more money and energy into retrieving an ever dwindling supply of oil. We’ve hogged up the supply without any regard for our children and progeny, and we’ve pushed harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, harming them further. We are, as Barbara Kingsolver has said, a child-hating country (add that to abortion and the proof is in the pudding).
In addition to that constructing the pipeline would only create a few temporary jobs for a year or so, while investment in alternative technology and energy/resource efficiency/conservation would create many more permanent jobs.
In addition to that we could buy EVs or plug-in-hybrids – Leaf, Chevy Volt, etc – sign onto wind-generated electricity (which is cheaper & won’t be increasing in price like coal-based electricity), and drive on the wind…ultimately saving us money (despite the higher upfront sticker price) AND saving the environment.
Let’s face it we are addicted to oil, and we need to kick the habit before it’s too late.
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In addition to that emissions from gasoline cause abortions and a myriad of other health hazards.
In addition to that the pipeline would harm the local and regional environments. These pipelines are notoriously leaky, and the tarsands oil is bitumen, much more corrosive than regular oil. See PIPE DREAMS (pipedreamsdoc.com/).
In addition to that the oil would be shipped to China (it’s not for people in America, a point made on EWTN recently), and would increase prices of gasoline for us. We allow free passage of oil, allow it to spill into our largest aquifer and spoil our drinking water so that other people (the oil companies and China can benefit). Water is necessary for life; oil is not.
In addition to that, the fact that they oil companies are going after tarsands and oil shale proves we are past “peak oil,” and are willing to put in a lot more money and energy into retrieving an ever dwindling supply of oil. We’ve hogged up the supply without any regard for our children and progeny, and we’ve pushed harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, harming them further. We are, as Barbara Kingsolver has said, a child-hating country (add that to abortion and the proof is in the pudding).
In addition to that constructing the pipeline would only create a few temporary jobs for a year or so, while investment in alternative technology and energy/resource efficiency/conservation would create many more permanent jobs.
In addition to that we could buy EVs or plug-in-hybrids – Leaf, Chevy Volt, etc – sign onto wind-generated electricity (which is cheaper & won’t be increasing in price like coal-based electricity), and drive on the wind…ultimately saving us money (despite the higher upfront sticker price) AND saving the environment.
Let’s face it we are addicted to oil, and we need to kick the habit before it’s too late.
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I can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not.
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EmperorNapoleon
Guest
TransCanada has publicly stated that the project would only create a few hundred permanent jobs. The rest are just construction jobs which will last only a few weeks at minimum and a few months at most. The CEO cited 20,000 person-years not new jobs. For those who don’t know, a person year is the amount of time one person works for the company.
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JimG
Guest
The project will no doubt go forward. If not now, then in 2013. Obama will have no reason not to approve it after the election is over. And a great deal of it is already built.
If in the end, the pipeline really cannot be completed to the south because of political considerations, then it will be completed to the west, to British Columbia, from where the oil can be shipped to China. Let us hope that the pipeline goes south, not west.
If in the end, the pipeline really cannot be completed to the south because of political considerations, then it will be completed to the west, to British Columbia, from where the oil can be shipped to China. Let us hope that the pipeline goes south, not west.
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lynnvinc
Guest
Either way it will be going to China, not us, and I’ve read the Native Americans in British Columbia are protesting it there
Burning all the conventional fossil fuels will likely tip earth systems into runaway warming; also burning unconventional sources, such as tar sand and oil shale will almost certainly tip the world into runaway warming, ending all life on earth (see pg 24 of columbia.edu/~jeh1/2008/AGUBjerknes_20081217.pdf )
Even if this is an overestimation of the harm; there will surely be very great harm.
We are killing people on into the future by our actions today.
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bbarrick8383
Guest
Koch brothers are invested in Canadian oil. Which happens to be the same type of bitumen oil where Obama/Soros have invested your taxpayer dollars.
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Yerusalyim
Guest
That is sarcasm…right?
Name one.
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