It's telling that he mentioned the pipeline before the tax cuts for the middle class.

GAT_00: Which is really why I hope Boehner keeps this up. I want that damn pipeline dead.

Politically, this is fascinating. The GOP usually is so good at lock stepping their votes, and yet here they are.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Probably it has something to do with historic relationship between the House & Senate. Senators don't like to be told by Congressmen what to do (to the point where there's turf warfare over which side of the Capitol conference committees are held). The Senate is generally derisive towards "the lower house".

That's a possibility, but over the last few years we've seen the GOP sort of disregard that attitude in the name of party cohesiveness. I really can't think of any other issue where the disagreement is so loud, and so openly rebellious of party leadership.

Either that or negative internal polls have sent them into panic mode and it's every man for himself.

I think that has a lot to do with it. They're finally beginning to realize that while America isn't thrilled with Obama or the Democrats, they're even less thrilled with the GOP.

An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: ahahahah you fell for that dreck? ahahahahaha sucker.

Care to give your case for it?

Aarontology: It's telling that he mentioned the pipeline before the tax cuts for the middle class.

Tax cuts are only good if they're tax cuts for the rich. Poor people don't create jobs _{in China}, therefore, no tax breaks.

An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: We've operated a larger pipeline across major mountians chains, faultlines, (many earthquakes up to 8.4), salmon streams, large rivers, wetlands, wildlife sancuaries and extreme temps.


for 40 years.

The end of the world is nigh!

Tell me; when you look at a map of US/Canadian pipelines, can you tell me one thing?

Why aren't there already pipelines over the aquifer? There are literally ZERO pipelines.

Is it possible that it's the most retarded idea in the history of building pipelines?

An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: We've operated a larger pipeline across major mountians chains, faultlines, (many earthquakes up to 8.4), salmon streams, large rivers, wetlands, wildlife sancuaries and extreme temps.


for 40 years.

The end of the world is nigh!

I see you've received your Fox Business talking points.

Dusk-You-n-Me: [30.media.tumblr.com image 500x409]

That.

GAT_00: An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: Major Oil and NG pipes already cross the Aquifer

Not the area of highest water depth. You see the gap over Nebraska? That's the deepest part of the aquifer, and the part safe from accidental pipeline poisoning.

And I've seen no jobs numbers from this pipeline, only Republican claims that it will create thousands of jobs. No proof. The oil companies already pay little to no taxes and have massive subsidies, so not much revenue will come from it.

And they're STILL cleaning up the Prince William Sound.

There is still oil leaking out of their 'fix' on the bottom of the gulf.

gilgigamesh: [static.lolstream.com image 498x323]

Old and Busted: Republican Party

New Hotness: Donner Party

An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: Is it a stupid idea? Only if you hate jobs, tax revenue and have been brainwashed to think dirty dirty oil will ruin everything it touches just like the Gulf of Mexico

I think we can do without the whopping 6,000 temporary jobs it would create, given the environmental concerns.

Edited together for clarity (the rotation might be a hair off, but this is pretty close...)

GAT_00: Republican claims that it will create thousands of jobs. No proof



NPR discussing oft-cited by republican numbers Link (new window), turns out they're bullshiat
WAPO doing the same thing, but in even more excruciating detail Link (new window), including poking fun at the TYPES of jobs this farkwit analyst claimed would be made (900 new jobs for reporters!)

An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: You think the EPA/DOE/DNR is controlled by republicans?

the EPA certainly was during the last administration - it's executive branch. look what them appointing their preferred staff to the EPA wound up with. people in the enforcement agency for oil drilling literally sleeping with oil execs, and rubber stamping whatever they wanted and not making new rules and not enforcing new ones

good thing nothing bad happ... oh wait, gulf of Mexico

you'd be out of your depth on environmental issues in a kiddie pool dude, i'd STFU and GBTW if i were you.

GAT_00: An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: We've operated a larger pipeline across major mountians chains, faultlines, (many earthquakes up to 8.4), salmon streams, large rivers, wetlands, wildlife sancuaries and extreme temps.


for 40 years.

The end of the world is nigh!

None of them feed the world. The Ogallala Aquifer does.

Point of order! Most of "The world" is not in the Western United States.

This being said, you may continue with your argument.

McConnell, hoping for extension, disappoints and deflates fellates Boehner

FTFY

Flab: GAT_00: An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: We've operated a larger pipeline across major mountians chains, faultlines, (many earthquakes up to 8.4), salmon streams, large rivers, wetlands, wildlife sancuaries and extreme temps.


for 40 years.

The end of the world is nigh!

None of them feed the world. The Ogallala Aquifer does.

Point of order! Most of "The world" is not in the Western United States.

This being said, you may continue with your argument.

Do you have any idea how much grain we export each year?

cameroncrazy1984: Do you have any idea how much grain we export each year?

Yes. I know the US is the world's largets grain exporter (we had geography in highschool!), and it would really screw up some countries if there was a leak in the pipeline.

This being said, you guys only export about 20% of your corn production (which amounts to 8% of the total worldwide corn production), so if there was a major spill, "the world" would survive, and although I don't have any numbers to back it up, I'm pretty sure that the remaining corn production unnafected by the spill could still supply US consumption (both human and cattle). It might hurt Pepsico, though as they would have to find something else than corn-syrup to put in their drinks.

Don't get me wrong, I am also against the pipeline and the oil sands. Just trying to get your egos back down to a manageable size.

Boehner's going down!

Flab: I know the US is the world's largetslargest grain exporter

/FTFM.

Did a little Googling. Looks like most of the corn crop would be spared. alfalfa, sorghum and winter wheat, on the other hand...

There's no reason to tie approval of an oil pipeline in to a tax cut extension bill. These two things have nothing in common.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat: Aarontology: The GOP usually is so good at lock stepping their votes, and yet here they are.

Probably it has something to do with historic relationship between the House & Senate. Senators don't like to be told by Congressmen what to do (to the point where there's turf warfare over which side of the Capitol conference committees are held). The Senate is generally derisive towards "the lower house".

Moreover, McConnell wants to pick up seats and hold on to the ones he has in 2012. I'm guessing that his Senators recognize that they're getting a bad image because of the House GOP and are afraid of losing their seats in the wake of their melt down. So, McConnell doesn't want to be seen as bailing out the House once again for their own (Boehner and Cantor's) fark up.

Either that or negative internal polls have sent them into panic mode and it's every man for himself.

Word I've been hearing is that GOP polling shows that if this isn't passed it could cost them 5-6 seats in the Senate effectively ending any hope of GOP control in 2012

qorkfiend: FTA: "The House should pass an extension that locks in the thousands of Keystone XL pipeline jobs, prevents any disruption in the payroll tax holiday or other expiring provisions, and allows Congress to work on a solution for the longer extensions."

Someone remind me why the House refuses to pass this?

We're still trying to figure that one out. We think it's because Boehner's parents told him he's not getting a Colecovision for Christmas.

Magorn: Word I've been hearing is that GOP polling shows that if this isn't passed it could cost them 5-6 seats in the Senate effectively ending any hope of GOP control in 2012

The idea that there's still a chance that Americans could elect more Republicans...this country sucks so bad.

qorkfiend: Someone remind me why the House refuses to pass this?

Because Obama.

An-Unnecessarily-Long-Name: We've operated a larger pipeline across major mountians chains, faultlines, (many earthquakes up to 8.4), salmon streams, large rivers, wetlands, wildlife sancuaries and extreme temps.


for 40 years.

The end of the world is nigh!
http://www.adn.com/2010/05/28/1298543/alyeska-awaits-federal-ok-to-re s tart.html
and it's made some terrible messes during that time too (new window)

Note this one in particular:


• In 2001, a Livengood man shot the pipeline with a high-caliber rifle, causing 258,000 gallons - 6,143 barrels - to spew from the line before Alyeska could secure a clamp over the hole.


A solitary asshole with a gun caused a quarter million gallon spill. Now think about that and consider what happens if that drunken pot-shot is taken over the Aquifer

Boner dances to the TeaBaggers' tune.

You know we get awfully blase' about these Teapartiers spouting crazy nonsense. But what if Boehner has well and truly lost it?