Obama Suffers Keystone "Failure to Commit", Politics Suspected

‘Ridiculous’: Administration punts on Keystone, Obama faces Dem revolt

The Obama administration once again has punted on a final decision for the Keystone XL pipeline, announcing ahead of the holiday weekend it is extending a key review period indefinitely -- a move that could push off a determination until after the midterm elections.

Republicans, as well as red-state Democrats who want the proposed Canada-to-Texas pipeline approved, slammed the administration for the delay. Democrats even threatened to find ways to go around the president to get the project approved.

"It's absolutely ridiculous that this well over five year long process is continuing for an undetermined amount of time," Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said in a statement.

This is strictly a political move. It allows Democrats in districts which favor of the pipeline to campaign for it in 2014 without fear, and allows the weird anti-technology faction of the party the satisfaction of not going forward, and continue to rake in the big enviro-green bucks:

. . .California billionaire Tom Steyer, has been vowing to back vulnerable Democrats with big money if they oppose the pipeline. He called the latest announcement "good news on Good Friday for those who oppose Keystone as not being in our nation's best interest."

That sound like open vote buying to me. It's interesting how the democratic opposition to big money in politics disappears when it's their big money, isn't it?

The environmental concerns about the oil are entirely misplaced.  The oil is Canadian.  It will be developed, and used.  The only question is whether it is shipped by relatively safe pipeline to US refineries, shipped by less safe rail, or sent to China, to burn in their high pollution way.