President Barack Obama rejects KXL: WSJ

[Stay Golden]

Obama did a lot of great things for the US but nixing the KXL is not one of them.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by 2Stonedbirds

Good thing he doesn't need a legacy then as the one he's leaving is hardly one to admire.

Yeah, healthcare reform? Meh.
Rights for gays to marry, meh.
Get a major recession under control, meh
Iran, Cuba , meh
A world leader getting the ball rolling on fighting climate change and getting some commitment from places like China. Meh

Yet he's going to lose sleep at night wondering if he'll get any high 5's for not building a pipeline that only conservatives seem to want because he doesn't. Sure

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Obama did a lot of great things for the US but nixing the KXL is not one of them.

How do you figure? Bad for Canada, yes, but this is a great decision to keep investment and jobs in the states.

I don't get it when people post random facts with no back-up when this thread is full of opposite opinions with sound justification.

[killer_carlson]

Duffman is so partisan towards Obama I wonder if he's on the payroll.

[Tinordi]

Question to those blaming Obama, what portion of the blame would you give to Steven Harper for the stasis in seeking markets? Was his strategy sound?

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Duffman is so partisan towards Obama I wonder if he's on the payroll.

Do you not agree that these are accomplishments Obama should be proud of, despite anything else?

Yeah, healthcare reform?
Rights for gays to marry
Get a major recession under control
Iran, Cuba
A world leader getting the ball rolling on fighting climate change and getting some commitment from places like China.

Remember, duffman was responding to a post which implied Obama didn't do much to admire, so he countered it with true points which should be admired (you can argue how much influence a president has over recession mitigation and getting unemployment below at level from when he assumed office).

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Duffman is so partisan towards Obama I wonder if he's on the payroll.

Nope, just being realistic. Which points was I wrong about?

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Question to those blaming Obama, what portion of the blame would you give to Steven Harper for the stasis in seeking markets? Was his strategy sound?

None. No strategy would've gotten KXL approved. It's impossible to really judge the merits of his strategy knowing there was literally no strategy that could have been successful.

To be honest, Harper's strategy of listening to BC or Ontario's concerns for EE or Northern Gateway, when the provinces have zero jurisdiction over federal infrastructure is the more frustrating part of his O&G strategy. Also consider he gets no credit from environmental groups for actually listening to those provinces rather than "ramming" it through (which is completely within his power).

[jayswin]

Not to take away from Duffman's point but didn't the legalization of gay marriage have nothing to do with him? I thought I read that somewhere, could be misremembering, though.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Not to take away from Duffman's point but didn't the legalization of gay marriage have nothing to do with him? I thought I read that somewhere, could be misremembering, though.

I like to think that Canada was the positive influence that helped America see the light.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Not to take away from Duffman's point but didn't the legalization of gay marriage have nothing to do with him? I thought I read that somewhere, could be misremembering, though.

I am really outside of my knowledge base, but I thought there were tons of rulings by many different courts in the states (including the supreme court on gay marriage rights in 2013). In some of these cases, I thought the federal government lawyers campaigned for the same sex marriage cause.....meaning if we had McCain as POTUS, it could of never happened?

but that could be a lie as I can't find it online. Hopefully one of the lawyers on here correct me.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by 2Stonedbirds

Why even bother debating which mode of transport is safer when it's clear neither safety nor the environment is the reason for Obama nixing KXL, but rather a convenient excuse for what is simply protectionism on behalf of the US?

NAFTA issues aside, I'd sure appreciate it if Obama would just come out and say that's why. It's the most obvious reason and makes rational sense. I mean, I wouldn't like it, but at least I'd get it. Pinning it on dirty oil pisses me off so much.

[Weitz]

Isn't gay marriage in the USA strictly a State issue? Hence why its legal in some but not all states?

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Isn't gay marriage in the USA strictly a State issue? Hence why its legal in some but not all states?

No, it's legal in every state, the Supreme Court ruled on it. Obama didn't give an Executive Order or anything to make it legal, but I would guess if Hucklebee or Santorum or Palin or pretty much any other Conservative wer POTUS, this would never have been an issue the SC ruled on.

[driveway]

Obama appointed Sotomayor and Kagan to the Supreme Court, both of whom voted to expand Gay Marriage to all 50 States.

How much you want to credit Obama with that is obviously open to interpretation.