The Real Significance of the Keystone Pipeline

Both Democrats and Republicans talk about the jobs that would be created and the revenue generated from approving the construction of the Keystone pipeline. I believe the most significant thing about the Keystone Pipeline is that Obama will not approve it.

This should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt to both Obama supporters and Obama detractors that he does not mean a word he says about working with Congress. It is clear that he will only work with Congress when they agree with his position exactly. No compromise. Otherwise, why would he not just approve the pipeline in deference to the Republicans (and many Democrats) and prove he is serious about committing “to every Republican here tonight that I will not only seek out your ideas, I will seek to work with you to make this country stronger”, as he stated in the State of the Union.

So for me the real test of Obama’s willingness to compromise with Congress is the approval of the pipeline. Until he approves the pipeline, all his preaching about “a better politics” remains just cringe-worthy platitudes.