From what I've heard, I think it makes sense to approve the Keystone XL.
That said, Republicans act like this is some enormous issue and the pipeline would save the economy. It terms of the economy, it's meaningless. For both sides, it's clearly more symbolic than anything.
So, why not use this issue to compromise? Liberals give in on the Keystone and in exchange, we get the Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank or improvements to the Clean Air Act. That would make sense, no?
Agreed.
However, I think Obama's made it quite clear he's done compromising.
Obama has always been willing to compromise, but Republicans hate compromise. That's the pattern we've established. Remember during the primaries where Republicans wouldn't trade $1 in tax increases for $10 in spending cuts?
And, what's the deal with this Republican mindset.
"OK, we don't want to maintain our infrastructure or improve the economy, but we're crazy about it when it coincides with shilling for the oil industry!" That's really the compromise, isn't it? They want the government to do nothing to hurt Obama and discredit the idea of government as a positive force, but they'll compromise that idea if an oil company tells them to.
