Forum Post: 45 days to tell President Obama to reject Keystone XL
Posted 11 years ago on March 15, 2013, 11:11 a.m. EST by DKAtoday
(33802)
from Coon Rapids, MN
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
45 days to tell President Obama to reject Keystone XL
This is our last chance to officially weigh in on the State Department's latest sham review of Keystone XL. We need to go huge in urging President Obama to reject Keystone XL.
On Friday, the State Department launched a 45-day official public comment period on the Obama administration's latest sham review of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
The clock is now ticking on what will likely be our last chance to officially weigh in on the "game over for the climate" Obama Tar Sands pipeline, before the president makes his decision later this year.
We need a response that will make clear to the Obama administration that Americans oppose the Keystone XL pipeline. That's why we've set a goal of collecting 200,000 public comments against Keystone XL, the most public comments we've ever delivered during a single official comment period on an environmental issue.
Tell President Obama: Reject Keystone XL. Submit your public comment now.
The recently released Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that is the subject of these comments ignored the pipeline's significant risk for toxic spills, ignored its catastrophic impacts on our climate,1 and ignored the clear consensus among financial analysts and oil executives who agree Keystone XL will make the difference in tar sands development.2
This assessment was simply a vehicle for the White House to see if we would be silent in the face of its misguided and cynical reasoning: that we should let the bankers and the oil companies profit while the planet inevitably burns. That Canadian tar sands are going to get burned anyway, so while the government's chief climate scientist's assertion that Keystone XL will spell 'game over' for the climate may be true,3 it is is essentially irrelevant.
This is coward's logic. And we will not be silent in the face of it.
Tell President Obama: Reject Keystone XL. Submit your public comment now.
To be honest, it's not clear if any amount of pressure through official channels will be enough to get the administration to change course. After yet another fatally flawed review of Keystone XL, and perhaps more shockingly, the revelation last week that the State Department is once again farming out its analysis to oil industry contractors paid by the likes of TransCanada,4 ExxonMobil and Koch Industries5, our faith in the Obama administration to listen to either science or the public is diminishing.
That's why we have escalated our tactics by launching the Pledge of Resistance to Keystone XL where more than 51,000 people have already committed to engage in civil disobedience if President Obama takes the next step toward approval of Keystone XL.
But we have to do everything in our power to stop this thing. And that means going as big as we can during this official comment period, to convince President Obama to reject Keystone XL; so we do not need to escalate our tactics against it, and so we have a better shot at preserving a livable planet. Please submit a public comment urging President Obama to reject Keystone XL, and ask your friends to do the same: http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=13093920&id=56087-4904244-QChBEGx&t=6
Thanks for fighting Keystone XL.
Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets
"Another flawed environmental review on the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline," NRDC, 3/1/13
"Keystone Pipeline Decision May Influence Oil-Sands Development," Bloomberg,3/7/13
"Game over for the climate," James Hansen, New York Times, 5/9/12
"'State Department' Keystone XL Report Actually Written By TransCanada Contractor ," Grist, 3/6/13
"Critical Part of Keystone Report Done by Firms with Deep Oil Industry Ties," Inside Climate, 3/6/13
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Lee Terry is trying to get legislation passed to bypass the President. He just proposed a bill on it this week. He works for transcanada. It's all he really talks about.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-15/keystone-pipeline-would-reroute-around-obama-under-house-bill.html
No real surprise there - just another fossil fuel corpoRATist in office.
yah he's been a fraud since day 1. His first year in office he passed the GLB act and contributed to destroying the financial system and opening the window for massive corruption. He's been on the wrong side of history ever since.
Yep - many just like him in office. Fortunately not too many YET
I've called his office several times. They have refused to address my question asking how this will lower energy costs. I also include to them that even transcanada has stated it will contribute to the rise of American energy costs in their proposal to the Canadian government.
Not only do they lie when they say it poses no threat to the environment, but they also lie in regards to costs and who the oil is for. Because it's mainly for export. Which is why it's going to the coast.
Had ta Tweet that one :
occupywallst.org/forum/45-days-to-tell-president-obama-to-reject-keystone/#comment-946054 … Do U Still Believe that we have an urgent need? REALLY ???
BTW :
U.S. coal exports - SourceWatch www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._coal_exports U.S. coal exports to China surged from 2009 to 2010, jumping from 387,000 tons (January-September) to over 4 million tons the following year. Demand for US ...
So much for the dire needs at home.
Is There Anyone Who Is Still SURPRISED???
FUCK YOU OBAMA this is not needed for our immediate energy needs while we make a transition to clean alternatives.
those attracted to power are, at best, mediocre but typically venal. -Karl Popper from the book Open Societies and It's Enemies.
best speech - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8UW__mFMd8
Probably my favorite reference from Hedges. And the reason I ordered that book.
They can be just like moths drawn to a flame ( drop and roll drop and roll - oh to late ).
Yep - export - the assholes - just like fracking for oil and natural gas - FOR EXPORT - not to meet immediate needs while we transfere over to clean alternatives - NOPE - Profits over people/world/life again and again and again and again and.......................................
Why legitimize the President's power by writing him letters, making demands to his party, signing petitions, etc...
Isn't Occupy about anarchy? Don't we believe that people have the power and that we don't need to wait for representatives?
Instead of denigrating Occupy with letters to the president, go down in the street and start doing direct action!
Go gargle with Draino
I admit - I am a pragmatist -
Obama is stuck between the environmentalists [ who I agree with ]
and the unions - who want jobs.
I would suggest an alternative that seems MUCH safer & createS jobs
BUILD RAIL & USE AMERICAN MADE TRAINS
Properly shielded Electric Trains ( electrical interference issues ) - also build sound barriers along the tracks where they go through populated areas ( jet noise is bad - trains can be just as bad and the disturbance last longer ) - sound barriers are built along freeways and highways where they go through populated areas.
Call in the marines
http://www.care2.com/causes/marine-vet-protests-keystone-xl-pipeline-by-hanging-us-flag-upside-down.html
Flying the Flag Upside Down - YES This Country These United States are in GREAT DISTRESS.
A small gesture. but profound and appreciated.
A visual that people can see wonder and ask about. ALL Communications are essential.
Exactly. I saw it on the interwebs. And spread it amongst my friends and here as well.
"from the halls of montezuma, to the screens of interwebs"
If only our elected officials were as patriotic - Hey?
I saw where House leaders are trying to pass something to circumvent Pres. and force keystone approval. Don't think it could pass Senate, but I'm surprised at this action because I kinda thought everyone knew Pres would approve keystone.
When I saw this story I thought perhaps there is some hope that Pres might not approve. I guess congress is afraid of that.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-15/keystone-pipeline-would-reroute-around-obama-under-house-bill.html
I'm not sure anymore. In any event we gotta keep up the pressure on Pres Obama and now any congressperson who might vote for this bill.
Gotta keep up all pressure on all fronts.
Agreed.
My flag has been upside down since obama was first elected on 2008.
Slow on the uptake? I woulda thought you would have started at least at the start of the meltdown. Huh.
The obama adminstration is the biggest threat to this country.
Since ol GW ?
Ridiculous. Petitions are useless, and we don't need to tell Obama what we want. We need to tell ourselves. We have the power to make change. We don't have to wait for representatives to do it for us. Let's stop legitimizing them with demands. Start doing actions now. No more of this political nonsense. We are Occupy! Not people who beg the government to do things for us.
Go stalk U'rselves trashy - somewhere else - U'r socks may not even laugh at U - I mean as long as U remember that it is just U.
Yeah U go do that Trashy.
What is U'r 1st move?
Gonna hold U'r breath till U turn blue and pass out?
The first step is to stop legitimizing the representative system by playing into politics. Once we realize we don't need representatives then we realize we as the people hold the power.
The second step is to stop with petitions and move to real protesting and direct action.
Still here? Damn I thought perhaps you went away to play with your selves on your own forum - SIGH.
Just expressing ideas using arguments. That's what you should also try to do, instead of attempting to make your point by standing on the shoulders of insults and attacks.
In compliment from The Environmental Defense Fund :
With national climate and energy policy stalled in Washington, 29 states plus the District of Columbia have adopted state renewable portfolio standards(RPSs). These energy standards have helped more than double America's non-hydro renewable energy capacity over the last five years, making renewables by far the fastest growing energy sector in the country.
But, the dirty energy lobby is waging an all-out assault on the clean energy revolution — and they're working through the notorious American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to push model legislation to gut state renewable energy standards.
Take Action: Tell ALEC to abandon this misguided crusade and stand with the vast majority of Americans who support renewable energy.
The 21st century is fast becoming the clean energy century, and thanks largely to enlightened leadership at the state level, clean, renewable energy is booming here in the U.S. — a fact that should be universally celebrated.
Because of your state's renewable energy standard, an estimated 56,353,738 MWh of clean, renewable energy were generated in Minnesota last year — the equivalent of taking 13 coal plants offline for the year.
But with companies like Koch Industries and Exxon Mobil sitting on ALEC's energy, environment and agriculture task force, they are trying to kill clean energy in America.
Take Action: Tell ALEC drop its backward, fossil fuel-funded assault on America's booming clean energy industry.
Heather ShelbyThank you for all you do, Heather Shelby Action Network Coordinator
Sounds great, but plan B is already in place.
Remember the brothers Koch alone will garner 25% of the profit.
http://www.politicususa.com/14-senators-decide-oil-industry-obama-keystone-xl-decision.html
Plus they have some $18 billion more to play with to make it so.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/03/15/koch-brothers-richer-by-9-billion-each-in-2012-obama-officially-worst-socialist-commie-nazi-ever/
If you are rich enough to buy my government, you are too fucking rich.
Who says that there is no active evil???
I tried in vain to explain to trevor that this is more of a States issue.
And the Kochs el al, have already paid them off and extorted them handsomely, as this article shows. .
Dude I have told you time and time again my congressmen work for Transcanada.
Don't act like I did not say this is a state issue. It is both state and federal. Look it up.
My state already sold us out. The best my state was able to do was get it rerouted. People tried to stop it. Dave Heineman still sold us out.
The states have already sold us out. The federal approval is all it's waiting on. Currently my asshole congressman, Lee Terry, is proposing legislation to bypass the president. He works for transcanada.
Still waiting on that thread about what's going on in Nebraska.
I know people don't pay any attention to what's happening in Michigan, they ignore it regularly, but maybe Nebraska would get some attention.
I checked back on what you used to post many months ago, and you have changed your stripes.
Why?
Changed my stripes? What are you talking about?
I just posted one on Iowa screwing over the future. I've posted several times on how corporations takeover local governments to bankrupt them and manufacture consent to sell out to privatization that screws over the people.
If you want i can link you to a lot of cool stuff Ernie Chambers is doing. He was planning on putting up enough amendments to tie up the legislature for the rest of the session after Heineman proposed getting rid of the income tax and raise sales taxes. Luckily the bill was killed quickly. As it was a break for the rich and an increase for the poor.
You should read a book by Martin Luther King. Maybe then you will fully understand why the federal level is also incredibly important.
If you want to make me out to be some kind of bad guy because I discuss federal issues, I don't really know how to respond to that, because it's bogus.
You were much less enamored with duopoly BS and a lot more willing to admit who was doing what.
MLK's success is/was limited.
They got the federal law, but brown skinned "others" are still being screwed by States.
I guess I'm trying to get you to understand, how strong the influence of libe(R)tarians really are. I suppose it's difficult for you, being in a state where the have already taken over under the guise of the (R)epelican't party.
The 2 party system is a front for corporations.
Just ask Goldman Sachs.
I know how corrupt the republicans and libertarians are. I also know how corrupt the democrats are and unlike you, I don't make excuses for them nor do I participate in nihilistic relativism.
Political parties all varities are bad.
Republican, Libertarian, Democrat, Green, Reform, Socialist, Communist, Tea, Black Vampire, Dance, Whig, Wig, ect.
The concept of political parties alone is a bad thing.
See what I mean?
You should read manufacturing consent.
And if you have already, read it again, because you missed something.
They certainly seem to have manufactured your consent.
They are invisible to you.
Politicians are puppets for the corporate takeover
Goldman Sachs, the banks, Koch, they pull the strings of the politicians they finance.
It is both a state and a federal issue.
You've done well by showing the 45 day window.
How much can we push through it and will it be enough?
111,000 signatures so far. Will be interesting to see how many more will be collected for delivery.
Will it be enough? Don't know. This decision has been put off more then once.
Make that 111,001.
Hey shooz - COOL
Not to vote against this, is a vote for higher gasoline prices.
Shall we count the fools that withdrew their consent?
Ya know? If the fools/idiots were to send a denial of consent in a petition form collection of people sounding off - I would sign it - But just to withdraw from any process to make change and sit on the sidelines and watch - WELL - That is plain stupid.
It's a modernized version of the Weyrich/ALEC plan for conse(R)vative domination.
In Michigan, only ONE vote was counted.
http://angryblackladychronicles.com/2013/03/15/gov-snyder-thinks-he-was-elected-dictator-of-michigan/
It is essentially how things are done these days - and the public is to a large extent staying silent about it.
Except for the protestors. And the word is slowly getting round to the general public - and more people are starting to speak out.
I am looking for the dam to burst - as it must - to wash the BS out.
No. This is a Michigan exclusive.
What other State do you know of, that's incorporating the use of "emergency personnel", by means of usurpation and one vote appointment?
Don't know - but it is good that you are updating us on Michigan ( test ground? ).
But essentially the people have been removed from the process of governing for a very long time now - with that situation getting progressively worse as time moves forward. This is so state to state and Federal.
It is why the birth of the Occupy movements could not have come at a more urgent point in time for The People.
You want people to govern themselves, but you legitimize the power of Obama by having us beg to him. We don't need him. We don't need any of the representatives. We need to take the power back into our own hands! We are occupiers, and occupiers don't beg. We do actions.
TWEET
Excellent reminder. Signed, and forwarded.
And let me add some current news that CAN serve as the mechanism/justification for the Admin to cancel Keystone (and other pollution enabling projects)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-15/obama-will-use-nixon-era-law-to-fight-climate-change.html
THIS is the kind of action we can agitate for.
And it's from a republican Pres! Perfect
What I added to the comment being sent:
Yes - Fighting Global Warming as well as Global Pollution of the air water and land - Is NOT a campaign slogan. Ending the extraction and use of fossil fuel is a MAJOR PRIORITY.
We do not need Tar Sands Oil ( it's slated for export anyway ) we do not need to frack for oil and natural gas either ( it is being exported - so where is the NEED ? ).
There are viable alternatives to the use of fossil fuel - There is an urgent NEED to switch over to these alternatives - NOW - not some distant time in the future - But - NOW !!!