Why Politics Sucks ... Keystone Pipeline Indecision and Hillary Clinton's Unwavering Position of No Comment

Most of us need no more proof that American politics sucks, but some things are simply too good not to pass along. So here goes.


We need a greater domestic energy supply, and we have the clear and present opportunity to become substantially less dependent on countries such as Iraq, Iran, Russia and Venezuela and others for both our energy supply and national security. And in addition relying on ourselves for more of our energy supply, our close friends from Canada very much want to help us to do just that.


Added to that, we need more good high paying jobs and a growing and much healthier U.S. economy too. So you'd think that achieving energy independence would be a front burner issue among Americans in general and for American politicians in particular.  But if you took that common sense approach, you'd be wrong in this wild and crazy disfunctional American world of politics today.


Clinton on Keystone is subtitled 'The Democratic nominee in waiting can't tell you what she thinks:'

"Hillary Clinton's presidential, er, book tour hasn't gone well, but not because she isn't trying to avoid controversy. Asked last week by the Toronto Globe and Mail if she believes the U.S. should build the Keystone XL pipeline, she replied: "I can't respond."

Who knew an oil pipeline was classified information? As the former Secretary of State explained, "I can't really comment at great length because I had responsibility for it and it's been passed on and it wouldn't be appropriate." If she told you, she'd have to kill you. Or, to put it differently, if she told you, some Democrats might try to kill her presidential chances.                 

                  

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discusses her new book "Hard Choices" in Toronto on Monday.

Mrs. Clinton knows the State Department made its final environmental assessment of Keystone XL in January. It found that the pipeline would have little net impact on global greenhouse gas emissions. State's final recommendation to President Obama rests with current Secretary John Kerry, so Mrs. Clinton is free to speak her mind as she pleases.

She certainly speaks on other issues, such as gay marriage, where she now exudes the zeal of the convert, having changed her mind only a year ago. She's also more than happy to revisit her 2003 decision as a Senator to support the invasion of Iraq, something she now regrets at every opportunity. And she's perfectly happy to distance herself from President Obama's decisions that are turning sour, such as refusing to support the moderate opposition in Syria.

All of which suggests that her Keystone reticence is an attempt to dodge the Democratic divide between unions that support the pipeline for its jobs and billionaires like Tom Steyer who brook no dissent on climate change. By ducking now, she can see what Mr. Obama decides (if he ever does), test the political wind, and come out on the side that offers the most political benefit. You can't say she didn't learn from all those years with Bill."

Summing Up

If it weren't so sad, all this government knows best pandering to the base nonsense would be funny.

But then again, it's pretty much just another example of politics as usual as practiced in America these days.

And the saddest part is that We the People may very well elect Hillary as our next President.

Heaven help us.

That's my take.

Thanks. Bob.