Pro-Jobs or Pro-Environment



If President Obama really is pro-jobs, why hasn't he given his approval of the Keystone Pipeline Project? The Keystone Pipeline project will run a new pipeline through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. They predict that the project would create over 20,000 jobs in 2011-2012. It would also provide 20 billion dollars for the U.S. economy and over 5 billion dollars to the states the pipeline would run through.

Has President Obama not given his approval because he does not want to lose the support of environmentalists in the next election? Is Obama holding off on his decision because he has two different groups giving him money and it is another Moneyocracy problem? One objection to the pipeline is that the company should invest in more clean energy to create jobs. The problem is that creating jobs with clean energy takes longer than the pipeline would if it was approved. The government has been investing in clean energy and has created very little jobs. Others opposing the the project say that they are worried that the pipeline could hurt the environment. My rebuttal to that objection is if our economy goes into a depression or if no one has jobs will the state of the environment matter?

Some of the farmers that own the farmland that the pipeline are also objecting the pipeline because they do not want their land taken from them. I somewhat understand the farmers opposition. Several of my friend and family own land in Nebraska, but the pipeline will not go through their land. The one thing I would ask the farmers that the pipeline would go through would be isn't it worth it if you have to give up a little to help the country you live in?