The Keystone XL Majority
Mark Green
Posted January 23, 2012
New polling from Rasmussen Reports on the Keystone XL pipeline:
“Most voters still favor building the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas and think it will be good for the economy despite President Obama’s decision last week to delay the project for environmental reasons. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters at least somewhat favor the pipeline, with 36% who Strongly Favor it. Just 27% are opposed, including 12% who Strongly Oppose the project. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.”
Here’s another number from the Rasmussen survey that should get attention at the White House: Among independents the Keystone XL’s favorability is 55 percent, opposition 27 percent. Among independents, 55 percent think the pipeline would be good for the U.S. economy, just 5 percent think it would be bad.
Certainly, the results fit with polling last fall showing broad support among Americans for a strengthened energy partnership with Canada through greater use of that country’s oil sands resources – a resource that’s central to an energy strategy that could see 100 percent of our liquid fuel needs met domestically and from Canada by 2026.
Back to Rasmussen’s numbers -- specifically, the 12 percent that “strongly” opposes the Keystone XL. Who is the 12 percent? The Obama administration is listening to them, not the majority of Americans who favor this project.
They’re the ones blocking more jobs for the United States. They’re the ones blocking the path to greater energy security. Though they claim to be standing up to special interests, they are the special interest – a small minority that lives in a world of energy un-reality and which has captured the administration, foiling the will of a majority of Americans on this shovel-ready, job-creating infrastructure project.
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.