Labor Leader Terry O’Sullivan suggests Obama needs ‘to grow a set – – of antlers’ – Rips ‘the billion-dollar man’ Tom Steyer: ‘He has amplified the rhetoric of the environmental fringe’ – ‘On the Keystone XL pipeline, put policy ahead of politics’
O'Sullivan: 'Steyer has amplified the rhetoric of the environmental fringe aimed at tearing down the value of Americans who build things with their hands...It’s not completely surprising that a hedge-fund manager would fail to understand the kitchen-table economics of a pipeline or its value to working people. Or that construction work is, by nature, temporary and that millions of construction workers lead middle-class lives, own homes and put their children through college by moving from one union construction job to the next.'
'For the record, our union was among those that twice supported the Obama-Biden ticket, and we continue to support many of the president’s initiatives. But that does not negate our right and obligation to speak out when, because of politics, the administration fails to stand up for working people and the men and women we represent.'
'After all, the evidence points to federal approval of the pipeline. After nearly six years of delay, thousands of pages of research, five environmental impact statements confirming the evidence and millions of public comments, a pipeline that could put thousands of Americans to work and help ensure our nation’s energy security remains stalled.'
'By the time Keystone is built — we’re not giving up — we will have spent nearly as much time studying it as it took to build the Transcontinental Railroad 150 years ago. If this foretells the future of U.S. energy security, we are in more trouble than even the Keystone debacle portends. A little courage from the administration would go a long way.'
