Forum Post: Definition of a typical Republican in Congress: Disingenuous, bad faith, hostage taker

How dare they attach the payroll tax cut to the pipeline project? As if lowering taxes for the middle class had anything to do with a controversial project that even Republican voters in the states concerned do not want?

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/12/07/democrats-warn-against-tying-keystone-xl-to-payroll-tax-cut-extension/

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/12/obama-canadian-pm-harper-meet-the-press/1

President Obama vowed Wednesday to veto any measure that packages approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline to his payroll tax cut extension -- something House Republicans want to do.

Obama went further, saying no extraneous issues should be attached to the payroll tax cut.

What's the big deal: (Wikipedia--Impact)

Environmental groups, citizens, and politicians have raised a number of concerns about the potential impacts of the Keystone XL extension.[40][41][42] One concern is that the pipeline could pollute air and water supplies and harm migratory birds and other wildlife.[20] It will cross the Sandhills in Nebraska, the large wetland ecosystem, and the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the largest reserves of fresh water in the world.[43] The Ogallala Aquifer spans eight states, provides drinking water for two million people, and supports $20 billion in agriculture.[44] Critics are concerned that a major leak could ruin drinking water and devastate the mid-western U.S. economy.[45] Portions of the pipeline will also cross an active seismic zone that had a 4.3 magnitude earthquake as recently as 2002.[44