News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Nov. 16, 2012: Here is a phrase Barack Obama should finally add to his Presidential vocabulary: “the art of leadership.” Instead he is preparing to “compromise with the forces of darkness.”
The start of his second term is a perfect time to learn something new. Barack Obama spent four years “compromising” with his own promises. We “don’t need no more compromising Mr. President.”
In spite of his many weaknesses, the even more pathetic Republicans have been vanquished, losing badly on Election Day. Call it a resounding defeat for something that some might call nothing but hate; others more generally tired old worthless views about the world and the United States. The Party of the Past.
Might as well not hesitate giving a good example of what I am talking about – one that is not on the front burner (sic) with everyone else right after Election Day 2012 but very telling nonetheless.
What will Obama do about the proposed Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the U.S. to bring very dirty tar sand coal from western Canada to Nebraska and from there everywhere in the U.S. and keep us dependent on dirty coal for decades to come?
Obama “postponed” his decision for political expediency, to keep those who care about the environment happy and voting for him but he also hinted wink, wink he would approve this dirty pipeline later. There is no doubt the Republicans are BIG fans of this pipeline and to keep the Republican troops happy Romney pledged to approve the pipeline his first day in office. Sorry Mitt, your fantasy is over but not this pipeline, not by a long shot.
So this pipeline makes the point as well as many other issues that will confront Obama in the coming weeks, months and the next four years. It blares out the dirty lie of compromise.
Compromise with what?
Obama will either approve or cancel the pipeline. End of story. But not in the phony spirit of compromise being advocated by Democrats and Republicans and the media and everyone else.
Their convoluted definition of “compromise” is selling out.
In this version, President Barack Obama will approve a smaller or a shorter pipeline or one that includes perfume being mixed with the tar sands or he will announce a special commission will “guarantee” no bad comes from the pipeline or other gobbledygook, which means nothing except that he will approve the pipeline.
Or here is the stunt Obama may pull – he is so expert at – yes he will say I am approving the pipeline although I wish it were not necessary but IN RETURN he will get Republican support for immigration reform or taxes or the Easter Bunny – anything he can ram down our throats to declare he did not sell out again. Of course it won’t be the real immigration or tax reform we need.
OR President Obama can just say NO. And do the right thing,
What happens if he does say NO? The Republicans will be all over him. They will declare that he lied to the voters when he said he would create more jobs and end our dependence on foreign (sic) oil. Republicans will use a NO on the pipeline to raise huge amounts of new campaign dough to prepare for the 2014 elections.
So what? What’s the point when all this ridiculous talk about we need “compromise” to solve our problems and bring us all together is nothing but a canard; it is CRAP, more new speak to confuse us and insure we do not get the change in America we need.
We need leadership, NOT compromise!
The U.S. is about to become the largest oil producer again and is the largest natural gas producer on Earth. The last thing we need is to bring tar sands from Canada into the U.S. for no reason at all except to spend billions and endanger vast water aquifers and then use coal that is so dirty to produce electricity that it will become a major new hit to our air quality while setting back any attempts to end our dependence on dirty fuels and carbon based energy.
So it should be very simple for Obama to just say NO to this pipeline. We don’t need it. It is the most polluting source of energy on Earth and it will be a major danger to water supplies. Let all that tar sand go to China; Let them choke on it if they want to be that stupid. Better them than us. Better yet no one!
In fact, President Obama should have already announced he is permanently canceling the Keystone XL pipeline but he won’t do that because the Republicans will complain, major coal industry companies will complain, even some Democrats will complain, DC lobbyists for the coal industry will complain, and all together they will complain not approving the pipeline will cost jobs and hurt the economy. So what will Obama do? “Compromise!”
Read above again if you have already forgotten.
But this commentary is not truly about this pipeline. The pipeline is just a convenient timely illustration of the reality of Obama’s World and why all the feel good nonsense about his re-election should not be taken seriously. Why we should all be very worried about this “spirit of compromise” Democrats and Republicans, the media and everyone else walking down the street is spouting.
So whether it is pipelines, taxes, immigration, etc. etc. ….
Here is my advice for President Barack Obama in his second term.
Don’t compromise with the Devil when the Devil is “compromise!”
We’ll soon find out. I have forewarned you. Be prepared.
About The Writer: Arthur Piccolo is a professional writer and commentator and often writes about Latin America for New Americas.
