Quote:
Originally Posted by Gozer
Barack wants to re-examine bypassing a fragile part of Nebraska's ecosystem. The route favoured by Nebraska was deemed to expensive by the State department; a state department that is being accused of being in bed with a former-Clinton aide / current-lobbyist for an oil company.
http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2...scanada-elliot
Seems like they're trying to do their job to me. |
Obama doesn't want this to affect his chances next November...period. He didn't stick his nose in it until it affected his own aspirations. Some group or another will be annoyed with an actual decision, so by not making a decision, he really only pisses off TCPL and Canada (except the NDPs and Greens, of course.) This has nothing to do with pipeline routes or lobbyists or fragile Nebraskan ecosystems or anything else.
Companies hire guys like Elliott because of their connections and understanding of how beurocracy and lobbying works. So long as companies have to gain government approval, these positions filled by these types of people will persist. Heck, Nexen had Lingenfelter as their VP, Gov't Relations - y'know, the recently new / former NDP leader in Sask. He'll probably go back to a job like that in the future.