Harper warned not to pester Obama about Keystone in Mexico

If Stephen Harper fails to get his Keystone pipeline, he'll have Tom Steyer to blame almost as much as Barack Obama.

Because the anti-pipeline billionaire has just produced a devastating poll that could kill the project dead.

By reminding his fellow Americans that Harper's bitumen won't be fuelling their country, it will be fuelling China.

For years, a majority of Americans have been telling pollsters they favour building the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline. But if asked whether it makes a difference that Alberta’s oil sands crude could be exported to China then sentiment turns negative, according to the project’s opponents.

According to the poll, overwhelming majorities of Americans want Congress to “make sure” it knows where the oil is going and want TransCanada executives to testify under oath that the oil will stay in the United States.

Which pulls the carpet out from under Harper and his oil pimps.

TransCanada, backed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a slew of Canadian premiers, have pitched Keystone XL as a reliable source of much-needed oil from a trusted ally.

But environmentalists and other anti-Keystone XL groups claim the oil is no longer needed in the United States where domestic production has soared and that what Canada really wants is an export route to finance vast new development of the oil sands.

And undermines the support of even some of the pipeline's strongest backers.

Consider, for instance, the responses to this question: “Would it concern you a lot, a little, or not at all, if oil flowing through the Keystone XL pipeline ended up in China?”

Overall, 87 per cent agree that would concern them, with the concern greatest among conservatives – who otherwise tend to back the pipeline most strongly.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... d/follows/

"Cracks forming in U.S. support for Keystone, says poll paid for by anti-pipeline billionaire "

The title says it all.....BULLSHIT

Of course it's bullshit. How much trade does the US doe with China.

But bullshit is mostly what these protests are about. The landowners whose land the pipeline will go thru have a legitimate beef to ensure that the risk is minimized and they are fairly compensated. Most of the anti-pipeline people tho are dupes that think that stopping Keystone will stop the oil sands and so reduce co2 emissions while they continue with their co2 spewing lifestyle based on middle east oil.

In a way it's good if Keystone doesn't go. We should number one build or reverse a pipeline to the east so that we become oil independent, and two, figure a satisfactory way to send oil west to sell on world markets - probably the Kinder Morgan is the more feasible route there.

US needs energy. Sooner or later, they'll want the oil. Common sense. In the mean time, they need to play all the required games.

But so embarrassing to hear about this blunt request "not to pester". Shame shame.

The forecast is that shale oil will mean in the near future they won't be particularly interested in our oil unless it comes at a steeper discount than it already does. And they won't be averse to playing silly buggers with pipelines etc for political reasons. We need to stop relying on the US as our only customer for our oil.