With 48 Days Left, Will Dems Let Obama Send Keystone Jobs to China?

January 4, 2012

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Lois Capps (CA-24), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Kathy Castor (FL-11), Ben Chandler (KY-06), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-21), Mark Critz (PA-12), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), John Garamendi (CA-03), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-09), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-46), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-16), John Tierney (MA-06), Paul Tonko (NY-21), Niki Tsongas (MA-03), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

With 48 Days Left, Will Matheson Let Obama Send Keystone Jobs to China?
Democrats Could Be Forced to Reject Thousands of Jobs to Appease the Radical Anti-Energy Activists Who Finance Their Campaigns

Washington — Utah Democrat Jim Matheson could put jobs before politics if he steps up and urges President Obama and his Washington Democrat leaders to approve the common-sense Keystone XL project which could create up to 130,000 associated jobs and provide a stable source of North American energy production. Matheson’s Democrat leaders now have 48 days left to decide whether they will support these high-quality jobs or bend to increasing pressure from their radical activist base that would gladly see thousands of jobs destroyed to get what they want.

“With Democrats caught between their fractured political bases, Jim Matheson has the opportunity to stand up for thousands of jobs by urging his party leaders to approve the Keystone XL pipeline,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Matheson’s silence would only demonstrate that he is unwilling to embrace job creation opportunities when it is politically unpopular to his radical activist supporters.”

The clock is now ticking for Democrat leaders to approve or reject the Keystone XL pipeline project:

“The payroll tax cut law gives the Obama administration 60 days to decide whether to allow construction of the pipeline.” (Matthew Daly, “Obama, Congress begin 2012 in oil pipeline dispute,” Associated Press, 1/3/11)

But the decision is putting Democrats in a tough position between anti-energy activists and unions who don’t want thousands of jobs to be quashed:

“Some liberal donors even threatened to cut off funds to Obama’s re-election campaign to protest the project, which opponents say would transport ‘dirty oil’ that requires huge amounts of energy to extract.

“If he rejects the pipeline, Obama risks losing support from organized labor, a key part of the Democratic base, for thwarting thousands of jobs.” (Matthew Daly, “Obama, Congress begin 2012 in oil pipeline dispute,” Associated Press, 1/3/11)

However, if Democrats reject the pipeline project, countries like China will simply benefit instead:

“Project supporters say U.S. rejection of the pipeline would not stop it from being built. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said TransCanada could pursue an alternative route through Canada to the West Coast, where oil could be shipped to China and other Asian markets.” (Matthew Daly, “Obama, Congress begin 2012 in oil pipeline dispute,” Associated Press, 1/3/11)

With only 48 days left for Democrats to decide on the fate of thousands of jobs, Jim Matheson should demonstrate whether he values job creation more than activist donors. Matheson’s constituents in Utah want to see active efforts to create jobs in America, not more Washington policies which send them directly to China instead.

With 48 Days Left, Will Dems Let Obama Send Keystone Jobs to China? http://ow.ly/8hX7l #madeinwdc

###