My bet: Keystone is on the fast track.

[Jackpine Radical]

His Energy Policy statement leaves a hole big enough to route a pipeline through:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/earth-insight/2013/jun/25/obama-speech-climate-action-plan-disaster1

…Obama promised to only ratify the Keystone XL pipeline if its "net effect" does not "significantly exacerbate" carbon pollution (which it already does)….

The defunct "net effect" argument has already been used to legitimise shale gas, officially touted as a clean bridge fuel. But shale gas is far from clean.

Any takers?

[villager]

1. All I know is that in Hollywood, when anyone uses the word "net" in a contract negotiation...

...watch out. You're not gonna see a cent!

[Romulus Quirinus]

8. How come? You know, in case I ever hit it big. ;) nt

[villager]

11. Studio accounting makes sure there is no "net." Everything always appears to lose money.

What you want is "points gross."

[Romulus Quirinus]

12. Ah, ok. Kind of like how people can make money by running a "not-for-profit"?

I think I saw a thread that mentioned points. That's a percentage point of the total take, right?

Thanks for the info!

[villager]

13. Yup. Points from the box office (for movies, at least)

you need a percentage of the gross, if you're going to see anything substantial.

[Autumn]

2. I'm willing to bet you are absolutely right.

Energy independence and all that important stuff.

[SamKnause]

3. Pipeline

I concur with your prediction.

It was discussed on Democracy Now today.

[MotherPetrie]

4. I've never doubted Obama would approve it. If he didn't plan to, he would have just shitcanned it.

[AtomicKitten]

10. The Clintons were instrumental in pushing this project.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023022353

After HClinton commissioned the crap environmental impact report from a company who lists Keystone as their client, Pres O took the project away from State.

The next SOS Kerry has quite a different view on the project and Pres O has returned the responsibility back to State. I have infinitely more confidence in Kerry on this.

[forestpath]

5. I agree. Obama always goes with what the 1% wants.

[Recursion]

6. I'll take that.

$20 to a charity of the other's choice?

My own guess is that he gets Interior involved, which kills it for at least 2 years. What's the specific definition for this purpose of "fast track"?

[Downwinder]

7. Fill the pipeline up with water and send it to Texas.

[Buzz Clik]

9. Not taking it.

If Obama announced yesterday he was approving the pipeline, it would still not be on the fast track. How long has it been? But that's semantics and not your point.

My take on this is that Obama does not have a philosophical objection to Keystone being completed just on general, broad principles: we need fossil fuels, pipelines are already crisscrossing the country, etc. However, he does not support bringing fuels into the mix that undo the strides we've made with wind power, solar, biofuels, and other means of reducing carbon. So, unless State can definitely demonstrate that petroleum from tar sands is no dirtier than normal crude, he will not sign.

==========

About some of the language from the Guardian article: "The defunct "net effect" argument has already been used to legitimise shale gas, officially touted as a clean bridge fuel. But shale gas is far from clean." Very sloppy language coming from a paper with great reputation. Shale gas is no different than any other natural gas -- it is very, very clean. It's the extraction process that's dirty, and it's the extraction process that needs an overhaul.

[ljm2002]

14. I sincerely hope you are wrong...

...but I fear you are right.

I'm thrilled that Obama has made climate change a cornerstone issue. It's wonderful, and about damned time a world leader took that bull by the horns.

But I can't shake the bad feeling about Keystone either.

We'll see. Regardless of Keystone, I do hope the rest of his climate initiative is all it's cracked up to be. We are so in need of leadership on the issue. Better late than never (not intended as a dig at Obama, rather as a comment on the overall climate situation).