Senate Passes Payroll Tax Cut Extension, Sends Bill to the House for Final Passage

“The bill is completely paid for by raising fees on new mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” ——– Translation: the 1% are protected from a small tax increase, and the fortunate middle class who are home buyers will foot the bill for this.

“The bill includes the Keystone XL oil pipeline provision, requiring President Obama to make a decision on the pipeline within 60 days.” ——– Good. In 60 days, he can decide to hold off on the project.

Face saver for GOP. The pipeline is a trivial gimmick that was sure to get vetoed. Newt “The Flaming Wad of Political Mayhem” Gingrich said he’d have sent it up for repeated vetos (and shut down the government like the good old days) during the debate and everybody clapped so the GOP had to have a candy cane. This clever move sends everybody home smiling for eggnog, disconnects it from the shutdown, and kicks it down the road two months so now it can be evaluated in it’s true context of the authentic economic consequences of a few Canadian jobs combined with environmental risks (I guess clean-ups provide the American jobs) versus millions upon millions of payroll tax stubs and the billions THAT will pump into the consumer markets. So it’s ‘see you around Valentine’s Day’. Smooch smooch and enjoy opening your presents.

The proposed pipeline, under the current plan, would pass through the Sandhills region of Nebraska, and directly over the Ogallala aquifer. If you are not familiar with this natural feature, here’s a primer:

At app. 174,000 square miles, it is one of the largest freshwater aquifers in the world, and lies underneath portions of 8 states (South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas).

It provides over 30% of the nation’s groundwater used for irrigation of crops, and over 82% of the drinking water to those who live within its vast boundries.

Just one breach of the pipeline, one oil spill, would contaminate the entire aquifer, the oil readily seeping down through the sandy soil; if it was a small spill, the levels might be low enough that the water might still be usable, albeit still contaminated. If it was a larger spill this priceless national resource could be lost forever.

If you think OIL is precious, you are behind the times. Fresh, potable WATER is the new holy grail on this planet, and at the rate we are consuming and polluting it, NOT a renewable resource.

All for maybe 15,000 temporary jobs, a relatively little bit more oil to feed our doomed addiction to this outmoded source of energy…oh. and billions in profits for a few.

It is a bad idea, period, and I hope President Obama either vetoes it OR only approves it if the route is altered to avoid the aquifer (as is being considered…the State Dept. concluded in August that the present route was the most economically feasable, and that a spill was “unlikely”. Yeah, aren’t they ALWAYS? The BP spill was unlikely.)

In 60 days Obama will be forced to make a decision……..no punting this time and no voting present.

Well, I was wrong. I would have bet money Harry Reid would have towed the party banner again.

Everyone does realize that without a pipeline, Canada will most likely ship the oil to China for refining?

“Good. In 60 days, he can decide to hold off on the project.” And possibly kill off 4000-5000 non-taxpayer dependent jobs….union jobs who he (Obama) desperately wants to retain as a cohesive voter base. And that’s just in the initial start up. The only reason you are against it is the Republicans forced it. Whaaa!

Obama pulling his little puppet Harry’s strings just like he did during the debt debate but Moodys called those two losers bluff.

The most ignorant thing I’ve yet to hear is – “The bill is completely paid for by raising fees on new mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.”……… Housing is in the toilet and the biggest reason this country suffers as badly as it does. Housing brings us the most jobs and drives the US economy. It makes NO sense to stick it to housing worse at this point.

Please don’t do something stupid just in the name of jobs. The material they want to frack over, is a thick, almost a tar like substance. You frack for natural gas and light oils, this is not that. Let the Canadians take the time and effort to extract and ship the stuff to China, concrete is a better choice when paving for the long haul.

If the President doesn’t ok the pipeline he can not ever say another word about “we can’t wait”,etc. and that he is for jobs. This oil is going to someone, why not us? We can buy from our friendly neighbors instead of our enemies, we can feel more secure in our energy. Just once I’d like to see him do the right thing.

That stupid pipeline. Once again Republicans prove they are bought and sold by the oil companies. Why in God’s name do you push through an oil project before it has been properly vetted for design safety, environmental impact, basically, before the design is done. The wind farm in Mass was completely properly vetted, no short cuts, before final approval. why is oil not required to be safe? Oh, I forgot, because republicans are bought and sold and represent oil companies, not the people. This pipeline would probably be great…when it is designed properly!!!!!!! now if it is approved, it will be done half-baked, ill-conceived, and dangerously under designed for safety and longevity. Does it go underground??? you comfy with it passing YOUR water supply now that we see Republicans dont give a horses butt whether it’s designed or vetted properly???? the republican voters are soft as grapes “YEAH! approve it before it’s designed well!” It’s like dumb and dumber.

Raven…You’re no hippie. Stay strong and stay tough. You’re what keeps America great. Sick of the corporate/elite takeover too. My ancestors fought in every American war after they came here in the 1600′s. They did not fight for the corporate/elite takeover either. Hippies indeed. Our environment is our greatest treasure and gift and essential to sustaining our existence. Water is more valuable than gold, or oil.

Please don’t do something stupid —you do know you’re talking to republicans, right? Do you actually expect logic from them? God forbid we say “ya know, this would begreat WHEN there is a solid design and plan”. Oh God forbid. That would be LOGICAL.

Why can’t the oil be piped to the existing American refineries on The Great Lakes? If they are too small or outdated, this would be a good time to invest in infrastructure.

this would be a good time to invest in infrastructure.—that is the EXACT type of thing a vetting process does. You do the due diligence to say “are we doing the best plan? What IS the best plan?” rather than, “Oil????? Oil companies want this??? THEN SAY YES! NOW! TODAY! DO WHATEVER THE OIL COMPANIES WANT!” why is it, honest to God, why is it that Republicans are so opposed to doing things well? Honestly. This is an honest questions. Putting the pipeline in the bill is NOT About whether to do it or not, it’s about doing it WELL or rushing and doing a crappy job. That is the qu estion and they are, once again, on the side of doing a job a lousy crappy half thought-out job.

This bill is getting paid for by anyone originating a mortgage through Fannie and Freddie, starting January 1, in the way of higher fees. So no new, slight tax increase on the wealthy; the middle class will pay for it. Thank you, Greedy OLD Party. The rich thank you for your continued support and service…….

Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, December 17, 4:48 PM:

WASHINGTON — Who is paying for the two-month extension of the payroll tax cut working its way through Congress? The cost is being dropped in the laps of most people who buy homes or refinance beginning next year.

The typical person who buys a $200,000 home or refinances that amount starting on Jan. 1 would have to pay roughly $17 more a month for their mortgage, thanks to a fee increase included in the payroll tax cut bill that the Senate passed Saturday.

___”In 60 days, He can have you held by the Military, indefinitely detain under the new Defense bill. Making him the President who enshrines indefinite detention into law and goes
into U.S. history as the man who can detain you without trial .”POSTED BY: DEADWRESTLER | DECEMBER 17, 2011, 11:24 AM 11:24 AM______________I was following your post carefully till you started mistaking Obama for George Bush. Mind you, these two guys are not the same person.

No fly zone 2 and anybody else that wonders about the Indefinite detention,
Google ndaa section 1031 and you can see what myself, human rights watch
and the ALCU are talking about. If not, I will not reply to the uninformed.

It is ABSURD to risk drinking water for 2 million people for this company. One big leak and you wipe out the Mid West. Which grows most of your food I might add.

You want to know why the GOP wants keystone? Here’s why…

McConnell – $199,000 from Oil & Gas companies THIS year alone

Boehner – over $430,000 total in his career

Barasso – over $177,000 this year alone

You honestly think they have YOUR interests at heart or theirs?

Ya, like 500 (AT BEST) jobs are worth the risk to one of the largest fresh water aquafiers in the US. Even TransCanada admits it won’t create many permanent jobs.

We need this pipeline.— NOT NECESSARILY!!! What we NEED is to refine it closer to where it is harvested. We need to build refineries up north and then ship it by truck. For MANY reasons – 1) the final product will be cheaper if it is transported less . Why ship it down south and maintain thousands of miles of pipeline only to refine it and then drive it back up north for heating homes. 2) to transport by truck is much much much much much much safer and practically erases any water supply concerns 3) a refinery project IS a job creation project that can be started NOW, where as a pipeline project is a project that needs EXTENSIVE land/water surveys and engineering for years and years BEFORE construction can be even begin. There is actually NOT ONE GOOD REASON for building a pipeline rather than a refinery capability. NOT ONE. This is NOT about do we get the oil/ do we not, this is HOW BEST to get the oil in the US ,and a pipeline IS NOT a good way. period.

Why can’t the oil be piped to the existing American refineries on The Great Lakes? If they are too small or outdated, this would be a good time to invest in infrastructure.—-it can! That is actually the best logical reasoning as to what we should do, so sure enough, that is NOT what republicans want. It is uncanny when given the choice between a well thought out logical solution, or a half baked halfarse solution that benefits some rich fat cats in texas yet is lousy for the US, the republicans ALWAYS go for the things that benefits some rich fat cats in Texas over what is actually best for the citizens of the US.