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You are here: Home / Politics / Rep. Harris: President Obama Would Have Done More for Jobs By Staying in DC & Approving the Keystone Pipeline

Rep. Harris: President Obama Would Have Done More for Jobs By Staying in DC & Approving the Keystone Pipeline

May 17, 2013 By Dagger News Service 31 Comments

From the office of Congressman Andy Harris:

If you are covering the President’s visit to Baltimore, I’d like to make sure you’re aware that the head of Ellicott Dredging, where President Obama just wrapped up his remarks, testified yesterday in front of the House Small Business Committee that he wants the Keystone XL Pipeline approved.

The irony is that President Obama has been dodging and delaying Keystone’s approval, instead of putting the full weight of his office behind this jobs project – to appease his Democratic base. After attempting to control the IRS/AP/Benghazi fiasco, the White House claims today’s trip gets him back to talking about jobs.

But my question is – if President Obama really wanted to create jobs, instead of just talking about them, why didn’t he stay in Washington and approve the Keystone Pipeline without trekking to Baltimore for another campaign-style photo-op?

Congressman Andy Harris had the following to say about the trip:

“President Obama could have stayed in Washington and listened to the testimony of the CEO of Ellicott Dredges who said that we need to build the Keystone Pipeline in order to create jobs.

“The President has been dragging his feet for years on this vital energy project that would create thousands of jobs, including jobs right in Baltimore at Ellicott Dredges.

“Unfortunately, this visit is just another one of President Obama’s campaign-style photo ops. Instead of doing concrete work to create jobs, he’s busy giving speeches and taking pictures.”

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Comments

  1. Peggysue says

    May 17, 2013 at 8:29 pm

    Andy being the party that only sez no is growing old.

    Be a trend setter and do something to make us all proud instead of pointing out the Presidents shoes are untied.

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  2. Because says

    May 18, 2013 at 10:20 am

    Mr Harris… give back 5% of your salary to show solidarity with the people who elected you into office, now facing a furlough. While no doubt you agreed with continued Abrams tank production for vehicles the Army doesn’t want and forcing the Navy to keep ships it wants to retire. It all depends on whose welfare you want to support Andy. And I’m banking that you are only interested in yours.

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    • Nice Try says

      May 19, 2013 at 3:41 am

      Well all of those Abrams tanks are being built because we are giving them to Egypt, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood. So there is your answer.

      http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/egypt-847m-request-for-125-m1a1-tanks-03684/

      http://www.jpost.com/International/Despite-revolution-US-set-to-approve-tank-sales-to-Egypt

      I honestly hope one day you all will learn to debate on fact, and not emotion. You may someday find people more willing to listen to you, and even join your cause.

      Log in to Reply
    • B says

      May 19, 2013 at 6:57 am

      Every chance you get, you support higher taxes for everyone else, but when it is time for you to pay up? Complaining.

      Log in to Reply
      • Because says

        May 19, 2013 at 9:14 am

        I’ve said before. My taxes need to be higher. Thank you B for giving me an opportunity again to tell you that you’re the selfish one.

        Log in to Reply
        • B says

          May 19, 2013 at 9:29 am

          Not wanting to give more to government to waste, when there is already record revenue, and no sign of fiscal responsibility, is not selfish, it is sane.

          Log in to Reply
        • Because says

          May 19, 2013 at 4:05 pm

          One man’s waste is another man’s policy. Maybe you missed the remark about Abrams tanks being built that the Army does not need or want and the Navy being unable to retire ships they no longer want to keep in service. Those demands by US Congressmen are selfish. And as long as you have this kind of policy you will not be able to argue your point about waste.

          Log in to Reply
  3. Seriously? says

    May 18, 2013 at 11:00 am

    The Keystone Pipeline has been proven to create very few permanent jobs with most workers and materials coming from out of the country, and the oil bypassing the US for export. The only jobs that might be created are for HAZMAT workers to clean up the spills all over the land and water supply.

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    • Nice Try says

      May 19, 2013 at 3:27 am

      Actually there are thousands of miles of pipelines in the US now with very little problems. The proposed pipe line is needed to get the North Dakota Oil to the refineries in the south. Currently the only way to get it to market and/or refineries is via one railway. That railway happens to be owned by Birkshire Hattoway (Warren Buffet) Buffet is a huge Obama supporter. That’s the only reason it has not been built. Transporting crude oil by rail is dangerous, messy, and often leads to spills. So if you were really concerned with the environment you would want to stop this dirty practice and support a pipe line. North Dakota technically has negative un-employment. 3 percent unemployment with over 65,000 unfilled jobs. Wall mart starts pay at $17.00/hour there. Seriously, please do your homework, and stop drinking the cool aid.

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      • Because says

        May 19, 2013 at 9:22 am

        I was led to believe it was oil from Canadian Tar Sands Deposits. And the company you’re trying to name is Berkshire Hathaway. The extraction process involved in getting the oil out of the sand is considered an environmental disaster since it involves injecting steam into the sand to extract the oil. The only reason it is even becoming economically viable is because of the current high price of oil. According to Wikipedia: “Making liquid fuels from oil sands requires energy for steam injection and refining. This process generates 12 percent more greenhouse gases per barrel of final product than extraction of conventional oil”

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      • Bill H says

        May 19, 2013 at 9:32 am

        Thanks OBama.

        http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/18/business/energy-environment/mountain-of-petroleum-coke-from-oil-sands-rises-in-detroit.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

        Log in to Reply
    • Nice Try says

      May 19, 2013 at 3:36 am

      I have also included a link which shows statistics for spills per gallon, broken down by delivery method. Please refer to table 6 specifically. I hope that I may educate you in this matter. I dont care what side of an issue you are on, but when you spew such uneducated filth, you only make yourself look like an ass.
      http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/ir_17.htm

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    • Fed up says

      May 19, 2013 at 10:30 am

      Hey Seriously? – did you realize that every category construction worker (roads, home builders, dry wallers, etc.) are considered “non-permanent employment” according to the government? So be careful when you disparage the high-paying jobs associated with pipeline construction because these guys rove the country doing this work their entire careers… yet, it is considered temporary employment. Aside from the employment to construct issue, this project is completely logical for the US and Canada – the only guy missing that logic has his head in a dark place in DC.

      Log in to Reply
  4. Common Sense says

    May 18, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    @ Seriously

    There you go again just making stuff up

    Of course the Keystone pipeline creates jobs
    and profits in building it , maintaining it, refining
    the oil into gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc…

    And we can buy as much of the fuel produced as
    we want to.

    Log in to Reply
    • Five Iron says

      May 19, 2013 at 8:34 am

      It creates profits for Canada, and they overstated the number of jobs by, oh 20,000 people. To top it off, the REPUBLICAN Governor of Nebraska and the REPUBLICAN legislature of Nebraska were the ones begging President Obama to halt until a new pathway was found. The Keystone Pipeline is “mostly” complete and has leaked 12 times in the past year.

      http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/01/18/six-reasons-keystone-xl-was-bad-deal-all-along/

      Who knew but Fox actually had 90% of this right before venturing off into bugaboo’s about Enviromentalists and such. Damn them wanting clean water!

      Best part, it gives Canada’s manufacturer’s the allowance to drain ALL the oil held in the US in Canadian owned tanks via Keystone XL so they can dump on the world market, increasing the loss of jobs as nobody needs to watch an empty tank….

      It will get built and approved for transnational usage, but laying the blame on Obama is typical mindset of the G-NOP party. Wonder when Andy is going to get his healthcare? He’s a fool.

      Log in to Reply
      • Mike Welsh says

        May 19, 2013 at 9:39 am

        Sally Kohn, an unpaid contributor to Fox News, was the author of the opinion which you reference. It is her opinion and not an official position of Fox News, which allows all sides of an issue to be heard.

        Should you wish to know who Sally Kohn is, feel free to look her up on the internet. It would be hard for anyone to be left of Sally.

        Log in to Reply
        • Five Iron says

          May 19, 2013 at 9:55 am

          What part of her article is untrue? I don’t care about her leanings one way or the other if she is telling the truth. It happens from both the left and the right but the opposite side always dismisses the messenger, not the message.

          Log in to Reply
        • Mike Welsh says

          May 19, 2013 at 12:50 pm

          It is not a proven fact that the reserves held in the US suppresses current gasoline prices. In fact the reserves of tar sands oil is not refined and not available as gas.

          The implication that those for building the pipeline do so because it will reduce the US dependence on foreign oil is untrue. The tar sands oil was never intended for use as a refined product in the US. The keystone pipeline is about jobs, now and in the future. It is about a supply source of refined oil for China and will help drive down the price of oil globally.

          You are correct that the complete pipeline will in fact be built. It will be built regardless of everything Ms Kohn has to say about it. It will be built because President Obama, now reelected, wants a legacy of jobs and recovery of the economy. It will be built because it makes sense to do it.

          Log in to Reply
          • Five Iron says

            May 19, 2013 at 9:50 pm

            Thank you Mike. It is always refreshing to deal with someone who is not a rabid nutjob! Have a good week sir!

          • Arturro Nasney says

            May 20, 2013 at 7:59 am

            Good response Mike. The only thing I would quibble with at all is the statement about the reserves and their effectiveness on price. There are no data to support either side of that argument. The reserves, however have nothing to do with the tar sands deposits. Those are two separate and distinct issues. The real bottom line is that this administration and the seven or eight before it have not had any energy policy that could possibly make any sense. Investing in “renewable energy” has proven to be a poor to lousy investment. turning our backs on other readily accessible oil sources is just plain stupid. One has to wonder what the true agenda of those bobble heads in Washington might be.

          • Mike Welsh says

            May 20, 2013 at 8:20 am

            I would presume that the real agenda of the bobble heads in Washington would be helping/rewarding those who, through their financial resources, helped them get to Washington.

  5. Mr. Moderate says

    May 18, 2013 at 9:57 pm

    Wow! This is very interesting. Andy Harris is even catching it from Dagger readers!

    Log in to Reply
  6. one more former student says

    May 19, 2013 at 8:59 am

    hey Andy,,
    how about getting off your ” if Obama wants it. my answer is NO” box and actually do something for the people you were elected by and do things for the state of MD. what have you been doing for all the military bases and contractors, what have you been doing for the Bay, what have you been doing for the state you live in… yep.. didnt think so.. can’t come up with anything…
    if that’s the best you can do is sound bites and press releases against the President, then do us all a favor and nor run for re-election.

    Log in to Reply
    • Mike Welsh says

      May 19, 2013 at 9:49 am

      Not only will he run again, he will be re-elected. The reason, most voters agree with his positions. If you voted for Mr. Harris, did you do so because you wanted him to do things for the military bases and contractors, spend more federal dollars in Maryland, and give you free things? I voted for him because he said he would cut back on spending, not spend more.

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  7. Tried and Frustrated says

    May 20, 2013 at 8:10 am

    If the Republicans in congress and the senate were not so fixated on destroying the President and started doing what they were elected to do this country would be in better shape. They are right; Obama is the cause of America problem because all the GOP is doing is trying to getting him out of office no matter the cost is to America and not governing.

    Log in to Reply
    • Mike Welsh says

      May 20, 2013 at 8:41 am

      So all of the lies, coverups, deceit, and political prosecution of groups who don’t think like the current administration should just be ignored. As Secretary Clinton said: “What difference does it make?” I guess whats done is done. Lets just move on so we can govern effectively!

      Sorry, but that needs to stop. As old Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation said yesterday; President Obama had a brilliant team who got him reelected, but they have all but disappeared. Not only is what the administration doing now wrong, its just plain stupid! I couldn’t agree more.

      Log in to Reply
    • Fed up says

      May 20, 2013 at 11:55 am

      @Tried and Frustrated – the Prez and his cronies are doing a fine job of destroying themselves. Our only question is, will they destroy our country at the same time – that is hanging in the balance. Don’t for one minute think that the IRS, AP and Benghazi were created in any way by the GOP. What is painfully obvious now is that there were clearly errors made, maybe laws broken, but today that all pales in contrast the bs stories from the White House and its appointees. So Congressman Harris – please keep saying “NO” to this administration whenever it suggests so much as $1 more spent when it is incapable of cutting one dime!

      Log in to Reply
  8. Tried and Frustrated says

    May 20, 2013 at 10:27 am

    Nothing has been proven on the President or his administration. Any lies, cover-ups, deceit, or political prosecution done by him or his people have been shown. Just a bunch of witch hunts fill with a lot of innuendoes and accusation by the Republicans. A lot of money and time spend on this and nothing else is getting done in the house and senate.

    Log in to Reply
    • Mike Welsh says

      May 20, 2013 at 1:48 pm

      When presidential press secretary Jay Carney stated that the only change the white house made in the talking papers on Benghazi was to change the term “Consulate” to “Diplomatic Mission” and then later has to admit, (because the E-Mail documented otherwise) that many more changes were made deleting references to terrorist attacks, he wasn’t lying, he was just misinformed? And now that it is readily apparent that they knew all along it was a terrorist attack, their instance that it was a demonstration about some homemade film turned bad was not a coverup, they were just misinformed?

      It is no wonder you are tired and frustrated. I don’t know which is worse, the scandal that is increasing each day or the demonstrated incompetence to govern. Both are bad.

      Log in to Reply
  9. Tried and Frustrated says

    May 20, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    You know Fed up, I would not be surprise went everything is said and done that the RNC, Carl Rove and Cheney had something to do with all of it.

    Log in to Reply
  10. Fed up says

    May 20, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    Thank you Tried and Frustrated – feel free to put your head back in the sand.

    Log in to Reply

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