Keystone pipeline good for the American economy

The Keystone pipeline would run from Hardisty, Alberta to Steele City in Kansas and from there it would be redirected to the Gulf of Mexico through Cushing, Oklahoma. The project has been delayed by the Obama administration because of the environmental concerns of running the pipeline through the Sand Hills. However, now that it has been rerouted the American government should cautiously approve the construction of the pipeline as the key environmental concern has been mitigated.

The concern over Sand Hills was notable because the region has ponds and lakes that feed into the Ogallala aquifer which is the water supply to seven other states and may or may not have been worth the risk. TransCanada had said that they would be responsible for cleanup and for providing a new water supply if, in the really unlikely case something should happen, which will provide them with enough incentive to ensure the pipeline is safe. On Nov. 14, TransCanada worked with the state of Nebraska and the United States State Department to reroute Keystone XL away from Sand Hills.

The environment is a concern for young rich self-righteous people even after this rerouting of the pipeline is because they are apparently afraid of spills. However, pipelines are the safest way to transport these materials. They can pretend that they are worried about a pipeline leaking but they are really against the Albertan oil sands. Fine, but the fact of the matter is that we need these non-renewable resources to sustain us until green resources become a viable option. These self-righteous people must be living in a pipe dream to think it’s easy to flip the switch to renewable source. America will get these resources from somewhere.

The fact is that it is best to get the resources from Canada because it negates the country’s reliance on foreign oil. The Ethical Oil campaign made a great argument in showing the other possibilities. Buying oil from the Sudan only fuels genocide, Venezuela uses force labour and Saudi Arabia has an atrocious human rights record especially with the treatment of females.

We will begin to deplete our oil supplies one day and when the supply falls and the demand increases, the price of oil will increase and make other alternatives more profitable. This will lead to the development of green energy. This happens effectively over time so people need to calm down and stop saying that we will burn for our sins at an unspecified later date.

The only real concern about this pipeline which puts it in a negative light should be the use of eminent domain to acquire the land for the pipeline. No one should be forced into giving their land away for some compensation by the government to help out muli-million dollar corporations. Frankly, in order for this pipeline to be legitimate it must purchase the land through the voluntary consent of the owner.

This issue is never brought up because eco-extremists have little regard for private property and Republicans are turning a blind eye because they are more concerned with energy independence than these basic rights.

What should be a concern is the state of the American economy and the debt in the United States. America is over $14 trillion in debt because of Bush, Obama and the United States Congress. Currently their unemployment rate is at 9.1 per cent, that’s roughly 13.9 million people without a job. The pipeline deal will add over $20 billion to their economy. At a state level an extra $5.2-billion in property taxes will be made. It will also directly create more than 20,000 high-wage manufacturing jobs and construction jobs in 2011-2012 across America. This is a great opportunity for the poor in America to acquire a good paying job and receive the job experience they need to move up economically. Once these jobs are created people have to pay taxes which bring down the country’s deficit. All this happens without the American government paying for it.

Obama should expedite the approval once all land disputes are settled in order to create jobs and lower the deficit. He is not approving it immediately to not anger his base supporters but if he was actually serious about not approving it he would have blocked it completely and not tabled it for after the election. I am sure he will approve it if he is re-elected and if a Republican takes the White House then it will be approved as it is the right thing to do.