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Noem Thrilled to Pass Keystone XL Bill; Rounds Says Voted Without Looking

Rep. Kristi Noem says she is "thrilled to put Keystone XL pipeline legislation on the President's desk." She apparently is just as thrilled to put a dangerous and unnecessary pipeline on South Dakota farmers' and ranchers' land via eminent domain.

But her new colleague in the opposite chamber, Senator Mike Rounds, makes a comment about the creation of that Keystone XL bill that should chill our lone Congresswoman's thrill:

The Keystone debate was positive because there was a free flow of ideas, but there wasn’t always time to look into amendments carefully before voting on them, Rounds said [James Arkin, "How Being Governor Did (and Didn't) Prepare Mike Rounds for Senate," Real Clear Politics, 2015.02.09].

Senator Rounds suggests the Republican leadership was so hell-bent on passing this Keystone XL bill that they couldn't pause enough to allow their members to read and study the issue in full. And Congresswoman Noem is thrilled to pester the President with an ill-informed bill to usurp executive authority and approve a pipeline whose policy significance, amidst falling oil prices and growing job numbers, "comes close to nil.'

Mr. President, please do not hesitate to veto the Keystone XL bill.

27 Comments

  1. Roger Elgersma 2015.02.11

    Typical Republican, if it looks like money, DO IT.

  2. CLCJM 2015.02.11

    Typical. Typical Rounds bowing at the feet of his Koch owners and ramming a mystery bill through because there was just no time to read it and know what they were actually passing! And Sarah, I mean Barbie, I mean Noem is just giddy with excitement to pass another environmental nightmare over the objections of most experts and more and more voters!What a pair, a thief and an airhead!

  3. Lanny V Stricherz 2015.02.11

    All five Republicans in the Senate primary debates last winter and spring were in favor of the Keystone XL. As I posted on another thread, this is an issue between the State Department and Canada and will only be completed in the form of a treaty. Treaties are approved by the US Senate, not proposed by either the House or the Senate.

  4. 96Tears 2015.02.12

    Stupidest congressional delegation in all 50 states.

  5. Tim 2015.02.12

    I hope people weren't expecting any more from the three stooges. The will of the people have spoken, doesn't say much for the people does it?

  6. mike from iowa 2015.02.12

    The people have spoken-all both of them-Charles and David-the infamous koch bros. Their money has spoken-all hunnerts of millions of them there free speech bucks.

  7. larry kurtz 2015.02.12

    Noem: Mike Ill-informed; Leadership Free Flow

  8. caheidelberger Post author | 2015.02.12

    Mike, I certainly don't expect more. But we have an obligation to list very clearly and share with all of our friends and acquaintances the crimes they commit against logic, principle, and the public interest in favor of the corporate colonizers. Spread the word!

  9. mike from iowa 2015.02.12

    This is a big problem with allowing people's conscience to decide major issues. Wingnut's conscience tells them to vote the koch bros line or else they can kiss their cushy,tushy seats buh-bye.

  10. Charlie Richardson 2015.02.12

    Tim, the will of the people means NOTHING to these clowns. Referring to our congressional delegation as the three stooges is an insult to the three stooges. They're more along the lines of the "keystone" cops. For those under 50, goggle it. You'll see what I mean.

  11. Jana 2015.02.12

    So let's make sure that people know that Noem, Rounds and Thune are FOR the allowing foreign companies to take land from family farms and tribal lands.

  12. jerry 2015.02.12

    WR Old Guy, you are correct. Rounds just pocketed $250,000.00 in chits for his not even bothering to read what he voted on. Not a bad days work and he even called Joop I would bet, to let him know that he isn't the only game in town. The EB-5 will be chump change for Rounds as he has hit the lottery courtesy of dumbass South Dakota voters.

  13. Lanny V Stricherz 2015.02.12

    Is it dumbass or give up on the system, Jerry? No matter the issue before the legislature, if the people are for it and lobby the legislature to pass or deny it, whatever the Governor says is what the legislators do.

  14. jerry 2015.02.12

    I am sorry if you think I mean giving up on anything, on the contrary, I was trying to point out that dumbass voters in South Dakota voted for Rounds and this is what they got, no surprises here. I am sorry if I offended you for voting for him, but I think you were wrong in that vote.

  15. Lanny V Stricherz 2015.02.12

    Vote for Rounds???? I started working to defeat him in the summer of 2013. No one and I do mean no one could be more disappointed than me in the election of Rounds and Daugaard.

  16. Jenny 2015.02.12

    Rounds will be the career smilin' politician representing SD until the day he croaks. Aren't you lucky, Lanny! ;)

  17. Les 2015.02.12

    This is the kind of talk that alienates the GOP voters trying to help reclaim our state government from the elite, Jerry. Tim blows a cork if I say all RC residents must be racist to display the ignorance of the continued slogan here "all Republicans." You can continue to hate and slander and drive your wedge issues doing your part in keeping SD right where she is or figure out how to come to the table.

  18. jerry 2015.02.12

    I was answering a question.

  19. Douglas Wiken 2015.02.12

    In the Mitchell Daily Republic publishing of Noem's nonsense, was an Abraham Lincoln quote above it. It is just a bit more irony. Noem blames the President for making XL a political issue. Essentially all issues are political. Noem and her fellow retrogrades have made it a partisan issue. It was not Obama who did that. If nothing else, it is a scummy, stinking pot calling the kettle black.

  20. mike from iowa 2015.02.15

    Muchas Gracias,Tim. I keep a close eye on Wisky politics and this is the first I've heard of this pipeline. Needless to say since Walker is a wholly owned subsidiary of koch bros,it does not surprise me about the secrecy or the rubber stamping by officials who are supposed to protect the environment-outdoors-not korporate profit environment.

  21. clcjm 2015.02.18

    Well, Tim, that's an eye opener! The greed and corruption is dirtier than the tar sands in the pipeline. There's just nothing these guys won't stoop to for the almighty dollar. Spooky is not even close to how awful this is!!!

  22. larry kurtz 2015.02.24

    VETO!

Comments are closed.