Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2014 18:52:37 GMT -6
Folks, if you don't know the technical details and back end information about what this had all been about? That's fine with me. It wasn't about environment for a good % of those against it though The media won't make any point of saying what the largest problems WERE. Still, what is important now is to feel good tonight that this pipeline, by the look of things, will never see more than blueprints and surveys on paper.
It wasn't environmental, aside from the 'Banana' wackos that argue against EVERYTHING these days (and need to get a life..or rent one..or something already). This can be said because the pipeline in question may have put specific 1-2 mile wide areas of its path at risk, but the network of pipes already carrying some of the most corrosive and toxic oil man has yet brought to refine on a large scale do PLENTY to impact the environment as it is. All across our nation, right now. They leak occasionally and do very serious damage. (See Mayflower, Arkansas for more on that) Tar sands oil is filthy oil. That wouldn't matter...if they refined it into useful product in a place a bit CLOSER to the source..but THAT, right there, IS the whole issue.
This pipeline was NOT meant to bring oil to the United States. In fact, NOT doing that was the whole point. I went into far more detail about this at TOS, and don't have the time tonight to update everything and make a new thread for HH....(tho now it may not be necessary anyway), but this is a very serious issue.
To make it very simple, if you put oil into a pipeline or means of transport OUTSIDE the United States, and then transport it directly to a Free Trade Zone, the product remains tax free in the most important ways. It has never been "in" the United States, as the goofy laws of such things read it, because it was always in transit from an international origin to an international destination. The FTZ status is what makes a United States location an international one. Some of the refineries along the Gulf and Texas coasts are in Free Trade Zones.
In a more real example that happens now, you have tankers from nations like Venezuela that bring their crude up, refine in their own FTZ refinery on US soil, then export the gasoline from that same FTZ, directly. It never "entered" the United States for the purposes of customs and duties....and NEITHER would the product crossing through the XL segment.
We get all the risk, pollution and headaches for no actual gain and what actually comes to HURT, as gasoline which may actually do something about these stupidly high fuel prices just runs right off our own coasts by this scheme, for more profitable overseas markets. Ones that charge by the liter, I imagine.
Oh..and Landrieu is having a real bad night, too. That is just the cherry on the cupcake in calling this a good evening, after all.
Democrats Block Keystone Bill, Landrieu's Plea Rejected
I never thought I'd thank Dick Durbin for anything...but Thanks Dick! (smile) - read the link to understand that more...
It wasn't environmental, aside from the 'Banana' wackos that argue against EVERYTHING these days (and need to get a life..or rent one..or something already). This can be said because the pipeline in question may have put specific 1-2 mile wide areas of its path at risk, but the network of pipes already carrying some of the most corrosive and toxic oil man has yet brought to refine on a large scale do PLENTY to impact the environment as it is. All across our nation, right now. They leak occasionally and do very serious damage. (See Mayflower, Arkansas for more on that) Tar sands oil is filthy oil. That wouldn't matter...if they refined it into useful product in a place a bit CLOSER to the source..but THAT, right there, IS the whole issue.
This pipeline was NOT meant to bring oil to the United States. In fact, NOT doing that was the whole point. I went into far more detail about this at TOS, and don't have the time tonight to update everything and make a new thread for HH....(tho now it may not be necessary anyway), but this is a very serious issue.
To make it very simple, if you put oil into a pipeline or means of transport OUTSIDE the United States, and then transport it directly to a Free Trade Zone, the product remains tax free in the most important ways. It has never been "in" the United States, as the goofy laws of such things read it, because it was always in transit from an international origin to an international destination. The FTZ status is what makes a United States location an international one. Some of the refineries along the Gulf and Texas coasts are in Free Trade Zones.
In a more real example that happens now, you have tankers from nations like Venezuela that bring their crude up, refine in their own FTZ refinery on US soil, then export the gasoline from that same FTZ, directly. It never "entered" the United States for the purposes of customs and duties....and NEITHER would the product crossing through the XL segment.
We get all the risk, pollution and headaches for no actual gain and what actually comes to HURT, as gasoline which may actually do something about these stupidly high fuel prices just runs right off our own coasts by this scheme, for more profitable overseas markets. Ones that charge by the liter, I imagine.
Oh..and Landrieu is having a real bad night, too. That is just the cherry on the cupcake in calling this a good evening, after all.
Democrats Block Keystone Bill, Landrieu's Plea Rejected
I never thought I'd thank Dick Durbin for anything...but Thanks Dick! (smile) - read the link to understand that more...