Marathon Pundit: Breaking news from 2009: Obama approves oil-sands pipeline!

More proof that President Obama cares more about his Hollywood environmentalist donors than creating jobs.

From the Senate Republican Communications Center:

Obama Approves Oil-Sands Pipeline!
No, Not Keystone… His Administration Approved A Different One In 2009, Arguing It Would Send ‘A Positive Economic Signal’

The Clipper Pipeline: Granted ‘A Presidential Permit’

“More than two years ago, on Aug. 20, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton approved a 1,000-mile pipeline that has the capacity to send 800,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada’s oil sands…” (“Pre-Keystone, Obama Backed Sands Pipeline,” National Journal, 2/2/12)

·         “Sound familiar? The Keystone XL pipeline, as proposed by another Canadian company, TransCanada, would send up to 700,000 barrels of oil a day 1,700 miles from Hardisty, Alberta—the same town where the Enbridge pipeline known as the Alberta Clipper originates—to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast.” (“Pre-Keystone, Obama Backed Sands Pipeline,” National Journal, 2/2/12)

‘09 PERMIT RELEASE: ‘This Shovel-Ready Project Will Provide Construction Jobs’

“Approval of the permit sends a positive economic signal, in a difficult economic period, about the future reliability and availability of a portion of United States’ energy imports, and in the immediate term, this shovel-ready project will provide construction jobs for workers in the United States.” (U.S. Department Of State, “Permit For Alberta Clipper Pipeline Issued,” Press Release, 8/20/09)

·         “The Department found that the addition of crude oil pipeline capacity between Canada and the United States will advance a number of strategic interests of the United States. These included increasing the diversity of available supplies among the United States’ worldwide crude oil sources…” (U.S. Department Of State, “Permit For Alberta Clipper Pipeline Issued,” Press Release, 8/20/09)

·         “…on August 20, 2009, the Department issued a Presidential Permit to Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership for the Alberta Clipper pipeline.” (U.S. Department Of State, “Permit For Alberta Clipper Pipeline Issued,” Press Release, 8/20/09)

Senate Dems ‘Didn’t Know About’ It

“…several senators… didn’t know about the Clipper oil-sands pipeline before being prompted about it.” (“Pre-Keystone, Obama Backed Sands Pipeline,” National Journal, 2/2/12)

·         SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D-LA): “The same administration approved that one? … Then why aren’t they approving this one? I don’t know.” (“Pre-Keystone, Obama Backed Sands Pipeline,” National Journal, 2/2/12)

·         SEN. MARK UDALL (D-CO): “It speaks to the fact that the Keystone XL debate has been infused with presidential politics, partisan politics, and has not had enough to do with the discussion of how do we truly become energy self-reliant… I think there is a legitimate argument that it’s in the national interest to build the pipeline.” (“Pre-Keystone, Obama Backed Sands Pipeline,” National Journal, 2/2/12)