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Public Citizen’s Tyson Slocum, Energy Magazine’s Rick Slemaker and Washington Examiner’s Byron York debate whether the Keystone XL pipeline shou...
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Joining us now are out of our money power panel -- Some director of public citizen's energy program.
Rick's linebacker -- -- a publisher of energy magazine and Byron York chief political correspondent with the Washington examiner and Fox News contributors are guys.
We're obviously talking about it right now I'm Byron I'll take -- to you first.
This stakes are very high here in the unions want this thing it's gonna create thousands of jobs in the country.
And but the environmental -- fiercely opposing it this puts the president in a very secure earlier.
-- position I is the best I can.
It it at this point.
-- he is stuck between really powerful constituencies obviously environmentalists have been big supporters of the president of the Democratic Party in general just the other day.
There was a protest in front of the White House some top Sierra Club officials were arrested.
Daryl Hannah the actress was arrested there were all -- -- Obama kill the pipeline at the very same time.
The AFL CIO building trades division big powerful union supporter of the president.
Was on a conference call allied with the American Petroleum Institute calling on the president to -- -- pipeline you can see how he stuck between two powerful constituencies.
Much and I wanna take this I wanna take besides you -- Tyson and because he's actually against the Keystone Pipeline -- the approval of it.
And and as I do that Tyson I wanna use the number from the American Petroleum Institute they say that the Keystone Pipeline would create 20000.
New US jobs.
The labor unions -- for at the empire my analysts are against it.
Why are you against it.
Because the pipeline has nothing to do with improving US national security.
And it has nothing to do with lowering energy prices for Americans -- -- -- that the sole purpose of this pipeline is to divert.
Oil that is currently from being processed in the midwest for domestic.
Consumption.
To the Gulf Coast refineries.
In order to export that product member of the largest export in the US economy right now.
Is refined petroleum products business is booming for those Gulf Coast refineries.
But it's actually increasing.
Energy prices for Americans because the more we export that dilutes the supplies here.
-- ends up having an upward pressure on prices and second of all if if the product of the Keystone Pipeline is destined for export.
How does that improve US national security it doesn't.
Particularly when you look at the increased level of Chinese national government investment.
In tar sands production by 20/20.
Chinese and -- under the direct control of the Chinese Government.
Will B under the control of nearly a million barrels of up tar sands production level direct telling you to -- -- respond -- -- Well I think those are assumptions that are that our assumptions.
But based on what he said let's just let's just take down the list.
One is that oil is gonna go to Houston which can refine than heavy -- it's gonna replace Venezuelan oil.
I'll I'll give some producer -- some -- -- could be exported but most of it's going to be used here.
That the project's gonna take several years to build.
That's gonna have thousands and thousand jobs positive for the economy look at the economy and just in Pennsylvania and in North Dakota alone it's huge -- -- that North Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate country.
Obama has also given us sort of a troubling because he did say in -- this -- the union speech that he was going to.
If you have this -- popcorn this type projects -- prove he's gonna as -- said.
Give the olive branch to the environmentalists.
To give the energy research and development dollars out of those taxes.
And we have to remember as a country.
-- oil and gas industry is the second largest Payer into the coffers the United States government behind the federal income tax.
So Byron well this being said you we've heard we've heard both sides of the argument here does the president a purpose.
You know I think he has to find a way to approve -- -- -- interest think think to notice the president has never opposed the pipeline on principle.
He put it off last year until after the election on the basis that the route that it was planned.
Win over some very sensitive environmental areas in Nebraska well they've decided to reroute the pipeline.
And the governor of Nebraska has not given his blessing to us -- that objection from the president probably no longer stands question is.
We find some other reason to be against it or will he decide to.
To approve -- -- perhaps approve it in exchange for some other other thing like evidence of some other environmental progress but I think.
At this point the president is gonna have to find a way to approve this and try to make his environmental supporters that.
-- -- -- gotta get your response here because you know Nebraska was the big that was the big speed -- And the governor of Nebraska has now signed off on this but yet we're still not getting an answer from the White House.
-- -- -- because so we still have to conduct a full environmental impact.
Us study.
And the president needs to look at.
The fact that the Keystone Pipeline is going to increase up production of tar sands oil.
Which is the dirty -- form of of oil from a climate perspective.
And climate change is very real the science is overwhelming and compelling.
And we moved to start taking -- that's cannot enter the fact is not either mad as it is absolutely true that is not be hurt his foot Tyson of tar sands extra hello.
Send warnings have the -- -- of the century there really has two years ago you're just in the -- I ran around in China all -- emails and we clear radical.
To deny science is irresponsible.
Thing facts.
No you know and I can Richards yeah.
That's exactly out of -- and let's look at the facts.
That the EPA has already done -- studies.
They approve this via the objection was the -- -- that was sort of Nebraska which the governor now is approved.
Let's look at this how would you like to look at they when we talk about you as as a person of interest in this.
What are we talked to the soldiers in the family's here about defending the sea lanes over enough Iraq.
Against this what this is this is not going to reduce this is part this is not going to reduce our support reliance on -- Persian gulf oil.
ExxonMobil or Jason all right employees twice -- United States is this -- is getting coming.
Well let me get in here for that's why we're having this this discussion right now this has nothing doing -- Christian and -- -- resurgent evidence that is out there that right now that if the approval of the Keystone Pipeline.
Was put in place Citi eager to put -- a huge reports saying that they believe we can become energy independent by the year 20/20.
Canadian oil now I'm -- -- US energy I didn't want this time let's talk about US energy policy.
In a platform we haven't had an energy policy this country for fifty years.
It's time we now.
Both sides also on this issue state to the issues -- it -- an energy policy did we haven't had and let's make it work they got the future of our.
I -- our kinds of fierce debate at the healthy debate the president has a big decision before and -- and I know we can't get back Dion that's at the end here but as a great debate guys thanks for joining us nine.
Thank thank you thank you.
