Representative Peters Once Again Votes Against The Will Of Michigan Residents. He Is A Political Hack Who Should Not Become A Senator!

Gary Peters wrong on Keystone

• Brandon Helderop
• 59 Comments

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Peters (Max Ortiz / The Detroit News)

The Obama administration went against the popular opinion of the American people last month with its decision to delay indefinitely the building of the Keystone XL until after the 2014 election. The pipeline is a 1,700-mile project that would transport 830,000 barrels of crude oil a day, most of it from Canada’s oil sands to refineries in Port Arthur, Texas.

In addition, the undertaking would create short-term and long-term middle class jobs for both the Canadian and U.S. economies. Precisely, economic studies have found that the project would create 20,000 manufacturing and construction jobs and an additional 118,000 spin-off jobs.

President Barack Obama said last year, “The net effects of the pipeline’s impact on our climate will be absolutely critical to determining whether this project is allowed to go forward.”

Meanwhile, the administration’s latest decision comes after an exhausting five years and two investigations into the pipeline’s potential impact on the environment by the State Department which have concluded that the effects are minimal.

The Wall Street Journal reported a week ago that Obama and Democrats are feeling pressure from liberal billionaire Tom Steyer who has recently emerged as one of the biggest opponents against Keystone XL. Through his organization, NextGen Climate Action, Steyer has vowed to raise at least $100 million to back vulnerable Democrats in November in an effort to help them keep the Senate as long as they oppose the pipeline.

In recent months, Gary Peters has been tied to the billionaire. Back in February, Steyer hosted a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Among the 70 guests in attendance at Steyer’s home that included Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Al Gore, was Peters. The attendees reportedly enjoyed grass-fed beef from Steyer’s ranch in addition to salmon.

Peters voted against the bipartisan North Route Approval Act, H.R. 3 which passed the House 241-175 last May and would have expedited the process and declared that a presidential permit not be required for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline’s northern route. Meanwhile, Harry Reid, whose Senate Majority PAC has already spent millions backing Peters and others in hopes of maintaining a majority, has refused a vote in the Senate with the intentions of not forcing the hand of those vulnerable Democrats in states where it would be politically unpopular to vote against the pipeline.

This begs the question: Whose back does Peters have? He claims to be a champion of the middle class yet his actions are more in line with that of a career politician beholden to special interests who do not support the will of both Michiganians and the American people. A poll released recently by Rasmussen revealed that 61 percent of the American people favor building the Keystone pipeline.

This project would not only create thousands of the jobs across the country but would also provide a boost to Michigan’s economy. Peters has a responsibility to inform Michiganians where he stands on this issue.

Brandon Helderop is a New Hudson-based freelance writer who is active in the Republican Party.