Today's Poll: Should Obama approve Keystone?

Yes, so long as Trans-Canada negotiates privately with each land owner for easement rights. If Obama allows eminent domain to be used to either force private landowners to allow the pipeline through their land or to accept payment of less than they want, I would change my vote to no.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/Standing-Tall-for-Landowne-by-Walter…

The argument against Keystone has never been a Battle of eminent domain, it was based largely on exaggerated claims of water possible water table contamination across the area known as the sands,

The real delay now stems from more sinister. The environmental activism is spearheaded by Tom Steyer, he did the same thing in opposition another pipeline in Northern Canada. Tom Steyer however is heavily invested in oil and gas as that was his focus as a former hedge fund manager. Environmental concerns are NOT his real motive, rather killing completion with another pipeline in Canada that Steyer is heavy invested in on a personal basis is. Steyer stands to make many millions if Keystone fails to get the go ahead.
That means cutting 30,000 American Jobs in exchange for 30,000 Chinese jobs overseas and further putting American refineries out competition meaning even existing jobs.

He would welcome philosophical arguments like eminent domain

But don't just let me say it

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/062713-661681-obama-donor-bene…

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/keystone-opponent-and-obama-do…

FOLLOW THE MONEY, ALWAYS FOLLW THE MONEY

The argument against Keystone has never been a Battle of emanate domain

Maybe not, but it should be.

Dave, the Keystone pipeline is about one more step toward energy independence, it's about jobs both high paying construction jobs and high paying refinery Jobs here in the US.

Tom Steyer would love your statement, all the way to his bank vault, FOLLOW THE MONEY, failure to construct the pipeline will mean huge profits for some with direct export to china, vs huge profits for many that bring with it American Jobs.

I could care less about Tom Steyer, he and his tactics are nothing more than the product of crony-capitalism and government picking winners and losers. That's the game and it is wrong on every level. I am following the money straight to Washington DC. You're right this is about money, it's about doing it as cheaply as possible so Trans-Canada can save money on the construction by building where it makes sense to them, regardless of the wishes of the rightful owners. Private enterprises should negotiate land leases for themselves and take the expense and reap the rewards, all without the acquiescence of government. Obama's allowing or dis-allowing is what creates the Tom Steyers of our world. Seizing private property for any reason by government or private enterprise is an absolute affront to the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution. That is the issue. Anything else is just re-directing attention.

For the record, I agree that finishing the pipeline is probably good for energy independence in general, and of course good for the contractors who will work on it, but never never never at the expense of private property ownership rights.

For the record Dave, if this was truly an eminent domain issue I would be right along side with you, but it is not, it is about deception and slight of hand politics.

Incidentally, Steyer is not in opposition to the trans mountain pipeline, the difference between the two is Trans- mountain goes to his companies which will ship directly to China

The keystone is a PRIVATE COMPANY enterprise, the issue before Obama is because the pipeline crosses a national border and an environmentalist back lash

Under the 5th Amendment, the power of eminent domain rest with each individual state, that is reinforced by the 14th amendment, not the federal government with exception of the governments specific purposes for enumeration of its constitutional responsibilities. That is why eminent domain is NOT the issue here.

The article that you cited about the Texas issue is not an actual part of keystone, Texas businessmen politicians are building the pipeline there in anticipation of Keystone being approved.

To this date, not one instance of eminent domain has been exercised for Keystone directly, however, negotiations have been conducted with property owners in anticipation in 5 states Additional, the vast majority of the pipeline will go through public land, not private.

Obama's decision one way or the other will have nothing to do with eminent domain as the power of eminent domain rest squarely with each state involved. It simply is not an issue in this matter.

There has been NO construction as yet on the Keystone Project Proper, therefore NO eminent domain has been enacted by any state involved to date

"it is about deception and slight of hand politics "

You mean there's another kind?

None of the oil will ever see a market in the U. S.

That doesn't matter CM

If processed within the US, it brings profit to the US, If shipped through a port in Vancouver, it doesn't. When the US refineries have more oil to process they can process at lower cost which means lower fuel prices in general. Additionally, US laborers and technicians are processing the oil as opposed to Chinese ,

Export is an important part of our economy, and export after processing is even a larger part. That is why Keystone is important

And C.M. saying not one drop will be used here is every bit as inaccurate as the opposed view saying it is the end all beat all of our energy problems. Both are absolutely incorrect

If all you say is true, Mark, then as I said above I vote yes. I just don't trust anything that is getting this much attention as the truth, especially since billionaire investors and political buyers like Steyer and Trans-Canada, total liars like President Obama and prostitutes like the US Congress are involved and bickering about it.

Irregardless of anything else, and obviously this is a twisted up issue, eminent domain was intended to be used for "public use" and you have to stretch the intent of the 5th amendment to get a privately owned pipeline to meet that description. Not that has ever stopped anyone.

My apologies to prostitutes

I am glad that you apologized to the Prostitutes Dave

I also think that Obama does not want cheaper energy rates..He needs to promote green energy that has higher costs..so he needs all energy to cost more be it oil,gas or coal to make solar and wind look like a viable source....The hold up on Keystone is all political and nothing else........

Buy oil from Canada or the Middle East? Seems to be a no brainer.