The State Department is conducting public meetings up and down the Great Plains on the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Secretary Clinton's people will hold their South Dakota meeting this Thursday, September 29, 2011, at the Pierre Ramkota, from noon to 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. If you plan to attend and offer your two cents' worth, be sure to check the rules:
- Sign up at the door and take a number
- Speakers will be called in order: if they call your number and you're in the john or out getting a sandwich, you miss your chance.
- Speaking time will be limited to three to five minutes, depending on how many speakers are there. Write your outline, keep it tight, and practice, practice, practice!
- If you want to go longer, write it down and hand a copy to the State Department officials at the show.
- The presiding officer from State will make an opening statement but won't answer questions. There is no cross-examination, so just focus on giving 'em heck!
- No signs or banners are allowed... but funky t-shirts appear to be fine.
Some Keystone XL readings to take along on the long drive to Pierre:
- Dr. Blanchard continues to lobby for Canadian oil bound for China. In his South Dakota Magazine column, the good professor argues that Keystone XL promises economic stimulus.
- But keep an eye on those promises of prosperity: the industry's job projections are deceptively inflated.
- A Canadian observer agrees that property rights and eminent domain should pose a more serious problem for American politicians backing this land grab by a private foreign corporation than the environmental concerns.
When will american's wake up and realize that our addiction to oil and listening to our "suppliers"the oil company "greed is good guys" we should be focusing our efforts on clean/green energy sources.Wind and solar won't have the potential to leak or spill globs of goo into our land and water supply like this pipeline line from hell.You think gas prices are high,just watch if this project opens and does leak,you'll get to buy water fresh drinking water too,like some of the folks back east.We all want jobs,but why do we always succumd to listening to the morons who give us stuff like B.P. spill and Anwar spill and already numerous leaks on this same pipeline thru-out canada?When will our thinking look at protecting our land and water first,instead of getting cheapset oil fix to stuff these oil corp.jack-asses pockets?We have to think of our kids and leaving them a world that we haven't totally "F-ed"up.Remember,green means you will protect it for the future and our childrens future.If canada wants to develop this dirty crap oil than do it on their own soil not on america's beautiful lands.And by the way how much of this oil is guarantied to be sol to u.s.people and at what guarantied price?Or is it just cheap way for oil giants to get more product to their refineries in the gulf so they can sell to highest bidder on international markets."Who's your daddy" big oil,guess again.THIS IS JUST MY TWO CENTS!!!!South dakota farm boy.