Alexander Ryking

quickhits:

Republicans demand that foreign company be allowed to screw American consumers.

Because freedom.

Huffington Post:

The Natural Resources Defense Council on Tuesday released a report dispelling the myth that the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline would lower gas prices. Rather, the opposite is true, findings show.

On a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, report author and NRDC attorney Anthony Swift called the pipeline’s impact on gasoline prices “one of the most misunderstood issues surrounding the proposed Keystone XL,” adding that when TransCanada originally proposed the pipeline, they pitched it as a way to increase the cost of oil in the United States, providing increased revenue for Canadian producers. Since then, proponents of the pipeline in the United States have pitched it as a means of decreasing U.S. gasoline prices.

Swift’s study examined these two conflicting claims, and findings suggest that the former is the true one. “Our study has found that Keystone XL is likely to both decrease the amount of gasoline in U.S. refineries for domestic markets and increase the cost of producing it, leading to even higher prices at the pump,” Swift told reporters.

The report finds that the pipeline would direct crude away from midwestern refineries that produce regular gas to Texas refineries that produce diesel. The result would be an artificial shortage for most consumers.

So, when Republicans (and far too many worthless Democrats) tell you that Keystone will bring down gas prices, they either have no idea what they’re talking about or they’re lying to your face.

kathiek:

Beginning at noon today, the progressive community will focus for 24 solid hours on the Keystone battle, shooting for half a million emails to the Senate—the most concentrated burst of environmental advocacy this millennium. We’ll know if it works if the Democrats who control the chamber do one simple thing: back their president.

think-progress:

Study finds that corporate media is biased heavily in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline.

HT Media Matters

Damned liberal media! Oh, wait a minute…

nickturse:

From TomDispatch tonight: A powerful, piece of reporting from the front-lines of the anti-fracking movement — Ellen Cantarow, “Shale-Shocked, Fracking Gets Its Own Occupy Movement.” 

In this trailblazing effort, Cantarow interviews participants in the movement, follows developments as local bans on fracking cascade across the state and anti-fracking citizens are voted into office, and vividly describes a movement with minimal funds facing off against some of the wealthiest corporations on the planet — with amazing success.

As she writes, “Consider this, then, an environmental Occupy Wall Street. It knows no divisions of social class or political affiliation. Everyone, after all, needs clean water.”    

Read the entire article here!

photo credit: Owen Crowley/Flickr

How Republicans Killed Their Own Pet Oil Pipeline Project

At the peak of December’s payroll tax cut showdown on Capitol Hill, two top Republican aides discussed with me the pros and cons of making the Keystone XL pipeline a centerpiece of the debate.

They relished the idea of forcing President Obama to take a public stand on the pipeline early in an election year, instead of after the election as he had wanted. And they were eager to force him to choose between supporters in the labor movement, some of whom are pushing for the pipeline, and others in the environmental movement who vehemently oppose it. So they decided to go for it.

At the same time they knew he’d likely have to reject the project, and for them that created a dilemma.

“It’s a question of whether we’d rather have the pipeline or the issue,” said one of the GOP aides. Black or white.

In the end they chose the issue.

think-progress:

Where the job creation REALLY is: Obama’s clean energy initiatives create 68,000 jobs to Keystone XL’s 6,000 temporary jobs.