But then, I stumbled across a Facebook post on the page of Democratic Congressman, Dan Kildee-representing Michigan's 5th U.S. congressional district. The post asked his followers what they wanted to hear from the president in his second to last SOTU. Being a loyal follower and fan of Congressman Kildee, I, of course, commented what I wanted to hear. My post consisted of expressing hopes that President Obama would renew the push for sensible gun control and also to be reassured that he would veto the Keystone XL Pipeline bill after it passes through the Republican led Senate as expected. It passed the Republican led House earlier this month.
I wasn't thinking much about it afterwards until I received an alert from somebody responding to my comment. I wont mention this "Americans" name but I am going to share with you exactly what he had to say-with no editing on my part. Keep in mind that my comment was short and sweet and only made minor mention of the Keystone Pipeline. This was his response...
"Yor a idiot democrat or if you believe the OBAMA lies your a socialist !!
The only reason gas prices are low today are because of the shale deposits being fraked in Dakota !
Obama hasn't approved. 1 ounze of Oil on federal land it's all being done in private or state land !! If Keystone passes it will release AMERICA from OPEC oil control and OBAMA is not gonna let that happen since he financed ISIS that's right your president sent hundreds of millions of dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood
Who in turn gave all the money and military arms to ISIS that is your president !! He is a traitor and all the terrorism that is happening today has OBAMA's Name on it !!
Wake up you Fools"
Yup, that is precisely what went through my head as well. I could barely gather my own thoughts to respond back to him. I cant even remember what I typed in the cloud of stupidity that hung over me. I'm not even sure I want to remember. But after that cloud finally went away and after I was done responding to him I did what I always tell myself not to do. And just like it always does when I go on to read other peoples comments, the situation got worse. The same guy who responded to my own personal comment left a personal comment of his own-on the original post. This is what else he had to say-again, with no editing on my part...
"Are you people serious!! Who gives a shot about roads and bridges ! Or paying higher taxes ! That's Obamas agenda tax hikes ! What about the Americans who died in Bhengazi! Or the border patrols died in Fast and furious? Or the billions of dollars that went into the stimulus plan waisted on shovel ready Jobs it's all a LIE OBAMA is a big Lie to us the American people!! Kildee stand up for us the the American Voter who got you where you are !! I'm worried about Radical Islamic Muslim Terrorrism !! That is the biggest threat against Ameriac today !! Yet you or your OBAMA can't even say it !! iSLAMIC TERRORISM !! It's infaltrationg AMERICA as we speak ! Yet all of you liberal radical Democrats
Want to make sur you don't cross the politically correct Line !! Wake up you idiots ! Any Muslim Radical that wants to believe in the Karan is a enemy of America ! When the moderate Islamic MUSLiMS speak up against the radical Muslim terrorists is when this will stop!! So wake up Kildee wake up OBAMA !! Your all corrupt until you believe in the Contstitution of the United States of America your all Blinded by the OBAMA LiES !! When you go against American Military and of kids in uniform as OBAMA has done you know there is something wrong in Politics !!"
I mean, seriously? What is this guys deal? I'm honestly debating whether or not he has some sort of mental issue...like most of the other people who call themselves Tea Party Republicans. I really feel bad him. Those who are that oblivious to reality really need help. If you're part of the Tea Party please get the help you are so desperately in need of. Here's a hot line to help you.1-800-662-HELP. This is an actual hot line to SAMHSA-for substance abuse and mental health. I'm serious about getting you help.
Now, even after all that Facebook nonsense I was still stoked to blog about the SOTU. And after hearing what our leader had to say, I was for the most part, impressed. I'm glad it was mostly about the middle class-the people struggling the most today. I'm glad he called on congress to do what's right for the country and ALL the citizens of this country. I liked that he was confident and cocky, yet classy-the Obama that us Democrats and a whole lot of Republicans voted into office not just once, but twice. And there's more I liked about the speech too but I will admit that all the good stuff was overshadowed a bit by the fact that he didn't say anything about gun control or Amir Hekmati, former U.S. Marine from Flint, Michigan who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2011 on false accusations of being a spy for the CIA. And worst of all, for me anyway, is the fact that President Obama not one time mentioned vetoing the Keystone Pipeline XL bill. He made one short remark about the pipeline but to me, it wasn't reassuring enough that he would use executive action to kill this pointless proposal.
And then, all the Keystone drama from before the address had even begun and from Keystone being left out of the presidents speech was all topped off by Iowa's freshman Republican Senator, Joni Ernst going on national television and calling it the "Keystone Jobs Bill" and "Infrastructure Bill" during the official Republican response to the presidents SOTU.
All of the other lies in Joni Ernst rebuttal were mute to me after the blatant lie of calling the pipeline a "jobs bill". The Keystone XL Pipeline is a lot of things but in no way shape or form is it a "jobs bill" or an "infrastructure bill"-other than a Republican bank account infrastructure bill.
This pipeline may create thousands of temporary jobs. But that's it. Temporary. Not permanent. The permanent jobs may add up to a total of 50. That's all. Just 50 permanent jobs...at most...when it's all said and done.
Yes, those temporary jobs may spark the local economies while in the construction phase-hotels, stores, restaurants, etc. and that's only if the cost of living and inflation don't sky rocket during this phase. But then afterwards, what happens? Possibly a local recession and loss of numerous jobs? Yes, that is exactly what might happen.
And what does it really mean for the national economy? Republicans claim it will spark it and help it. People say it will lesson our dependency on foreign oil like we, as a country aren't already 75% energy independent. And the biggest crock of all being told by Republicans about the pipeline is that it will lower gas prices here in the states.
Let me put it to you guys like this...the Keystone XL Pipeline will be built through our country from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. Canadian oil (not American oil) will flow through the pipeline where it will be shipped out to China. We see NONE of the oil and NONE of the profits. Hell, Republicans don't even want to use American made steel to build the thing.
So, how it's going to help gas prices here in the states when all the oil is being shipped out of the states is beyond me. How it's going to help our national economy or our crumbling infrastructure is also beyond me. Considering the fact that any revenue actually produced from XL will be pocketed by The Koch Brothers and other politicians with personal investments in the pipeline like Speaker of the House, John Boehner and newly appointed Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. Or used in the massive cleanup projects when the pipeline leaks-and it will leak. Kind of like the leak that just happened in Montana with the Bridger Pipeline which dumped 50,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River where its residents water supply is now unsafe to drink and use.
So you see, essentially, XL will have no impact on our economy. But what it will most certainly impact is not just our own environment here on the homeland but also environments around the world. Especially in Canada where their dirty tar sands are already dumping carbon emissions into our ozone and water pollution into our ground.
Now, there are many reports out there on the environmental impacts of this pipeline in our own country. Some say the impacts will be minor. Others say the impacts are already being felt. Since there are strong arguments from both sides of the environmental issue here, I am going to post two links. One from each side. After you read them you can decide which stance you want to believe.
This is a site claiming major environmental impact of XL:
http://www.foe.org/projects/climate-and-energy/tar-sands/keystone-xl-pipeline
And this is a site claiming minor-no environmental impact of XL:
http://keystone-xl.com/keystone-xl-will-not-significantly-exacerbate-climate-change/
In my strong opinion, even if this pipeline doesn't add to global warming and global carbon emissions-like some claim, it will still have huge impacts on our environment. Land will be destroyed. Wildlife will be replaced and as stated before, it will only be a matter of time before this thing starts to leak and spray dirty oil onto our beautiful, majestic land, rivers, streams and lakes. And that is where the major environmental impacts and destruction will come from.
It's just not worth the risks. None of it is. Unless of course, you're a Republican or a Koch. But we cant just stop at denying this pipeline though. Canada is and has been shipping their dirty tar sands through our country via train rail for awhile now. Which is a completely different story and I will get to that story right after people get this pipeline out of their heads. I will not be 100% satisfied though until there is not one single drop of dirty Canadian oil running through this great country. Unless, it is actually going to safely and positively impact and benefit us.
So, as just stated, we must first stop this pipeline from being constructed. It's a waste of money. It's a waste of land. It's a waste of resources. It's a waste of our governments time when there are real problems and real solutions to those problems-both of which are being completely ignored by Congressional Republicans.
Ya know, after the midterms I wondered how some of these candidates on the right like Joni Ernst could have possibly pulled out victories in the House and Senate. But after watching her address last night and seeing all the strings attached to her arms, legs and mouth, the reasons are clear. Her puppet masters, the Koch Brothers spending tons of money through "Citizens United" to put all of those lies into campaign ads that falsely attack opposing candidates and discourage voters from exercising their voting rights.
Its very disheartening to openly see high up politicians ignoring everything that a majority of their constituents want because of what a very few rich people want. The really, really, really, really sad thing is that all of those Republican lies...those lies that were put out there by Joni Ernst last night, they resonate into the minds of the unfortunate, the uneducated and the ignorant-like the guy who responded to my comment yesterday. And they actually believe the propaganda spewed by Republican/Koch Brothers puppets including Fox "News".
It has got to stop. It has to be stopped. By politicians who are actually willing tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. By politicians who will proudly stand up and fight and do whats right for the entire country. By politicians who will compromise and just simply work together. Who will just simply do their jobs.
But it all starts with us, the people. It starts with us by not believing the propaganda. It starts with us by doing our own research. It starts with us by actually VOTING. And it starts with us by actually acting like...ya know....Americans. Let's all finally start doing our jobs again, America! Let's fix this great country that we all call home!
I'll leave you all with this one question to think about. How can we possibly expect politicians to do their jobs when we cant even do our own jobs?
Sources:
http://www.foe.org/projects/climate-and-energy/tar-sands/keystone-xl-pipeline
http://keystone-xl.com/keystone-xl-will-not-significantly-exacerbate-climate-change/
https://www.facebook.com/RepDanKildee/posts/859633850745940:0
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-yellowstone-river-oil-spill-20150120-story.html
http://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
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