BloggeRhythms 5/5/2012

Every time I read an article like the one I found this morning, I shake my head in confusion as I wonder what's happened to our nation. Because I never in my life would have dreamt that a president would willfully and purposely disregard the vital needs of huge segments the American population.

However, in an update on the Canadian oil pipeline today from Reuters, the first paragraph says it all: "TransCanada Corp is taking its second shot at asking Washington to approve the contentious Keystone XL oil pipeline, betting that a new route through Nebraska and post-U.S. election time frame for a decision will push the project forward."

So what the pipeline's builders clearly realize is that reason for delaying the project had very little to do with its practical merits, which are extremely beneficial in all, but is purely political pandering to a highly vocal group of environmental extremists. And what's even more outlandish is that as time goes by substantial information from well-credentialed experts disavows the premises raised by these lobbying fanatics.

However, looking at the practical side and how the imported oil would help the nation, and especially it's economics, here are some statistics. Overall 830,000 barrels of crude a day derived from the Alberta oil sands would move to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast, which are facing declining volumes of oil from traditional suppliers, including Mexico and Venezuela. It would also transport growing supplies from North Dakota's booming Bakken shale oil fields."

Now, without even going into the specific arithmetic involved, but simply speculating about what would likely happen to the market, what would prices likely do if almost a million barrels of additional oil showed up every day? My guess is they'd reverse in a heartbeat and gas would cost about a buck and a half a gallon like it should.

Consequently, in view of the gigantic boost our economy would gain, I truly have to wonder exactly what kind of person would place roadblocks at every junction because his own survival in office outweighs the needs of a population wherein about 15 percent can't even find jobs.

And that brings me to another item in the article I read. The oil company pointed out that 10,000 pages of study from the first review concluded Keystone XL would have minimal impact on the environment, so the application need not be bogged down again. However, the State Department, which will review the situation, because it crosses the international border, noted that the earliest it could make a decision is early 2013.

So I guess what we're seeing here is another proof that there aren't nearly as many unsolvable issues bogging our economy down as touted, but instead an administration whose major intent is to insure as best they can that recovery doesn't quickly happen, if at all. Because it knows that it's major constituents, the hopeless and dependent, might not show as much support if the economy turned around and they were forced to go to work.

That's it for today folks.

Adios