Keystone Pipeline Approval? ... How Hard Is It to Say Yes or No, Mr. President?

President Obama has a knack for saying nothing. He did it again yesterday during his climate change speech attacking coal.

He even mentioned approving the Keystone XL Pipeline project, but what did he say? That's the question, and that's another clear indication of why politics sucks.

Getting to a clear yes or no decision from the President about Keystone isn't even about doing what's right for America. It's pure politics.

Obama's Pipeline Comments Send Mixed Messages has the 'maybe yes' and 'maybe no' story relating to Keystone's approval, America's efforts at energy independence and the tens of thousands of needed high paying jobs hanging in the balance. It's all about politics in Washington, as usual:

 

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks as he unveils his plan on climate change June 25, 2013 at Georgetown University in Washington.

"President Barack Obama’s unexpected mention of the Keystone XL pipeline in his climate-change speech Tuesday gave the appearance of pledging a tough line on the project’s environmental impact. But his comments were embraced by Keystone supporters, who said the pipeline has already met the president’s standards.

Standing outside Georgetown University in a blanket of heat that left him wiping sweat off his forehead, Mr. Obama said Keystone will be approved “only if this project does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution.”

Both supporters and opponents of Keystone were quick to claim victory and said Mr. Obama signaled a decision in their favor. But Keystone’s climate impact, while still debated, has been largely determined already by the U.S. State Department. . . .

The department’s analysis went something like this: The process of producing Canada’s oil sands, which is what Keystone would be carrying, emits more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional types of crude oil. But if Keystone is denied, energy companies will simply find alternative ways of getting the oil sands to market. So the pipeline itself has a limited impact on emissions.

Based on that review, “the standard the president set today should lead to speedy approval of the Keystone pipeline,” said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio).

“We welcome the fact that President Obama seems to be finally acknowledging the value of the Keystone XL pipeline,” said Charles Drevna, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. “We hope his statement means the State Department will immediately approve the pipeline.”

Environmental groups walked away with an entirely different impression, however, demonstrating how eager both sides are to win a battle that has raged for years. “As it is clear that the pipeline will increase net carbon emissions, we look forward to the president rejecting the permit,’ said Damon Moglen, a director at the environmental group Friends of the Earth.

The White House declined to elaborate on Mr. Obama’s comments. . . .

If approved, the Keystone pipeline would provide a key conduit for Canada’s oil sands to reach refineries in the Gulf Coast, becoming the last link in a network of pipelines stretching from Canada to Texas. A final decision on the project could come before the end of the year."

Summing Up

How hard is it to say yes or no?

In Presidential politics, it's obviously very hard, especially when union allies want the jobs that would be created, as do almost all Americans, but the allied greenies want the world's cleanest air, even though what we do here will have absolutely no effect on what happens elsewhere.

It's all about politics and not at all about doing what's right for America.

So the President "fiddles" away while time flies, our economy suffers, energy independence remains elusive, deficits grow and unemployment stays high.

Politics sucks.

That's my take.

Thanks. Bob.