Incompetence Is The Only Excuse

Most Americans, even most of those in Congress, if they would only admit it, believe that the Keystone XL pipeline would be good for the country. The State Department has been studying this proposal for five years now. They have produced a report that is positive on the advantages of building this pipeline, while showing no negative effects.

It only stands to reason that the report would be positive as the alternatives are thousands of railroad tank cars going over the rails or tens of thousands of tanker trailers going over the roads. Railroad cars sometime leak or even derail and burn as has happened recently. There have been four such derailments in the last four months. Tractor trailers have all kind of accidents. Especially on the ice covered roads in the northern states and Canada in the winter.

But, apparently, President Obama is unsure of the competence of those in the State department who are charged with doing this study. Otherwise why would he have sent the study back once again to be redone? Personally, were I in his position, I would fire the lot of them and their leadership. If, after five years of intensive study, they are unable to make their point convincingly, it speaks a lack of understanding. There is no reason for the American taxpayer to continue subsidizing them. Simply hire capable replacements. Problem solved.

Now if I were a skeptic, I might think there is the possibility of another reason that our, oh so studious President, wants another study. Dare I accuse the Democrat administration of playing politics? Of course I would. I would be a fool not to.

My first thought is of one hundred million reasons to block the pipeline. There is an evil Democrat billionaire by the name of Tom Steyr, who wants to buy control of the government for cash money. He has offered the Democrats one hundred million dollars to block the Keystone XL pipeline. I do not know whose interests he serves, but certainly not the interests of middle class Americans. It seems we are breeding a new crop of American oligarchs. 

Then there is Barack Obama's good friend and supporter, billionaire Warren Buffett. Mr. Buffett just happens to own the railroad that hauls most of this Canadian oil across the country. No politics in play there, right?

So, I guess incompetence is not the only excuse. Good old fashioned politics, greed, and crony capitalism goes a long way with those, supposedly, idealistic liberals. They say, money talks. It seems that when money talks, our President listens.