A Pipeline for Christmas: Candy or Oil in Your Stocking?

The Keystone pipeline is another litmus test for the current American political system and more pointedly to the current members of Congress. Of course they are unlikely to understand the true nature of the test, since that would require them to comprehend the real problem before them. The Keystone pipeline issue is not a simple pro or con issue, it is not for jobs versus for environment question, it is not an energy independence or national security issue, and it is not a Republican versus Democratic issue. Now that is not to say that these factors don’t have significance, rather that those who are representing the interests of the citizens of the country should be assessing what best serves those they serve. These same representatives should not of course be looking for their best opportunity to do what politicians do best, look to their own self-interests and selling out to special interest groups.

The issue of the Keystone pipeline is a multi-facetted dilemma, including the items referenced above; it is a challenging and thorny problem for a legislative body to contend with. The chore for Congress is to not simply to vote for or against the pipeline, but to insure that they structure any approval in a manner that serves the public. Do any of the Congressional minions realize that their duty is to deal with establishing the legislative environment and legal conditions under which the pipeline, if approved, should be required to be built, operated and the really important part Congress doesn’t even appreciate is holding the industry fiscally accountable and liable for damages with guaranteed assurance that there is no escape from this responsibility. This is the responsibility and duty that Congress is neglecting in their quest for pandering to their respective special interest contributors.

Why is this a partisan or a bipartisan issue? If the pipeline will benefit America then it is worth doing. But Congress is not responsible for that benefit being that the pipeline serves the oil companies. The companies will do the pipeline if they can profit from it. It’s what companies do. But to benefit America, the pipeline has to let the oil companies not only make their profits but to do so without risking that the public is left saddled with the consequences of poor, risky and negligent actions by the companies that build and operate the pipeline.

This is the test for Congress, to serve the country and the people. This is where Congress fails. Congress does not look at issues, like the pipeline, through the lens of national interests. Instead, Congress lines their positions up based on a political philosophy that has nothing to do with understanding an issue but with wanting the country be their way they want. Nothing wrong with a vision of what you would like. But we should expect Congress to be ready and able to deal with issues and the reality of those issues, not with their own belief that reality will bend to their will. Congress makes the laws of the nation, but they are powerless to make the consequences of their laws affecting us all be what they want them to be. Just like everyone else, Congress and the nation will reap what they sow in our fields.