The Keystone pipeline will NOT create 20,000 new jobs
“Millions of Americans are desperate for jobs, and no single project promises more of them than the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, which would run from Canada to the Gulf Coast…. As the largest shovel-ready infrastructure project in the U.S., Keystone XL was expected to create 20,000 new jobs right away.”
– U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar and
Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell
And that, of course, is false, and Lugar and McConnell have good reason to know it is false. The Keystone XL Pipeline, the centerpiece of the latest standoff in Washington, will not produce 20,000 shovel-ready jobs. Even TransCanada, the company pushing the pipeline’s construction, now acknowledges that it is false.
The number that the company likes to throw around is now 13,000 direct construction jobs, but that too is misleading. When challenged, the company acknowledges that it is counting what you might call “job years.” In other words, TransCanada believes the project will produce 6,500 jobs that last for two years.
Six thousand five hundred jobs is a far cry from 20,000. And even the 6,500-job estimate is much too high. According to an independent assessment by Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the project would produce between 2,500 and 4,650 construction jobs, and could even end up costing the country jobs, for reasons that we’ll get to below.
TransCanada is basing its job estimates on a report that it commissioned from the Perryman Group. However, the Perryman Group has refused to release important data behind its estimate, claiming it to be proprietary information. The folks at Cornell nevertheless took what data Perryman did make available and found several major, fundamental flaws in its approach.
For example, a $1 billion portion of the Keystone XL pipeline has already been built and is up and operating. The Perryman study nonetheless pretends that section of the project is still on the drawing boards and, when built, will provide thousands of new jobs.
In addition, Keystone supporters ignore the fact that large quantities of Canadian tar-sands oil are already being imported into the United States and are being refined and used in the American Midwest. As the Cornell study points out:
“According to TransCanada, KXL will increase the price of heavy crude oil in the Midwest by almost $2 to $4 billion annually, and escalating for several years. It will do this by diverting major volumes of tar sands oil now supplying the Midwest refineries, so it can be sold at higher prices to the Gulf Coast and export markets. As a result, consumers in the Midwest could be paying 10 to 20 cents more per gallon for gasoline and diesel fuel, adding up to $5 billion to the annual US fuel bill.”
As the Cornell study concludes, those higher fuel prices for the Midwest could cost that region thousands of jobs. So while the pipeline construction would certainly help the Canadian tar-sands investors — many of them Chinese — get a higher price for their product by moving it to the Gulf, it could prove to be a wash or even a net negative in terms of jobs for American workers.
As the Cornell study concludes:
“It is unfortunate that the numbers generated by TransCanada, the industry, and the Perryman study have been subject to so little scrutiny, because they clearly inflate the projections for the numbers of direct, indirect, and long-term induced jobs that KXL might expect to create. What is being offered by the proponents is advocacy to build support for KXL, rather than serious research aimed to inform public debate and responsible decision making. By repeating inflated numbers, the supporters of KXL approval are doing an injustice to the American public in that expectations are raised for jobs that simply cannot be met. These numbers — hundreds of thousands of jobs! — then get packaged as if KXL were a major jobs program capable of registering some kind of significant impact on unemployment levels and the overall economy. This is plainly untrue.”
– Jay Bookman
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804 comments Add your comment
Bill Orvis White
December 14th, 2011
7:20 pm
@USMC
“mick” is a naive September 10th McFly who just doesn’t understand the threat of the jihadist movement. The honorable Vice President Richard B. Cheney is one of the architects of the War on Terror. We would all be speaking Arabic right now if it was not for Vice President Cheney. When will useful idiots like “mick” get it? Oh, I have the answer: NEVER! Guess what? When the jihadists storm our free soil, they’ll be coming for “mick” first. When they get to me, they get to meet my weapons cache.
Merry Christmas and Amen,
Bill
josef
December 14th, 2011
7:20 pm
USMC
Had sense enough to stay out of the military and Vietnam, didn’t he…? And I must disagree with my fellow liberal…Cheney has been amazingly creative in staying out of the line of fire and then coming in and pulling his strings and having my boy sent to face fire to protect his interests…
Cheney is the prime example of what is wrong with our society…and you couldn’t pay me to go huntin with him either…
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:21 pm
Happy Holidays, Bill! Wage that war!
I love the comedic claim that the Tea Party is small government by supporting big government Washington insider Newt….. come on tell us. You write for Colbert show don’t you.
Jeremy
December 14th, 2011
7:21 pm
Doggone/GA It’s not the president’s job to create jobs. I guess the economy isn’t his responsibility either. Please tell all of us about Obama’s great accomplishments.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:22 pm
OMG, he’s using Honorable again…. screencleaner for everyone!
Erwin's cat
December 14th, 2011
7:22 pm
Bro@7:19
X2
Bill Orvis White
December 14th, 2011
7:23 pm
@Keep Up the Good Fight!
The Stewart “fella” is an embarrassment to the Hebrews and he’s just not funny. Roy Clark=funny. Jon Stewart=liberal moron.
Merry Christmas and Amen,
Bill
USMC
December 14th, 2011
7:23 pm
“The Keystone pipeline will NOT create 20,000 new jobs”
What about all of the “SHOVEL READY” jobs it will create???
AmVet
December 14th, 2011
7:25 pm
ex-marine, love your sarcasm about the worst VP ever!
Obviously Dick Cheney is as stupid, incompetent and deadly as they come, and truly rivaled the Boy Emperor himself in saying staggeringly idiotic things by the boatload.
I do give him credit though. He is the only man who could have done the impossible. He made Spiro Agnew look good!
Being dense is certainly a prerequisite, but to be a really good neo-con you have be an unethical scumbag as well.
And that POS from Wyoming was irrefutably that!
USMC
December 14th, 2011
7:25 pm
“Cheney is the prime example of what is wrong with our society…and you couldn’t pay me to go huntin with him either…”
You know, Josef, you have more wisdom in your pinky than most people I know.
USMC
December 14th, 2011
7:26 pm
“ex-marine, love your sarcasm about the worst VP ever!”
I said NOTHING about Joe Biden, so watch who you accuse.
Erwin's cat
December 14th, 2011
7:28 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxFrXuly_B0
judge for yourself and critique
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:28 pm
Roy Clark? From Hee Haw? If Roy Clark is your standard for humor, you may be a redneck…. [oh no, that is gonna set josef off
)
Salute!
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
7:30 pm
Sad to think some people watch a comedy show to get their news, many of them the usual 24/7 posters here.
Hilarious to think that just because you cannot differentiate between news and infotainment, that others also share your affliction.
Also quite humorous that you can’t own your own feelings such as sadness and must attribute them on the actions of others.
Steve - USA
December 14th, 2011
7:32 pm
Keep,
I have never come across a person who is as dis-honest as you. Your spin on things to suit your own prejudice and agenda is astounding. That’s your reply to someone who goes on national TV and talks out his rear end was that his source was wrong. Stewart doesn’t have any accountability for what comes out of his mouth? Has Stewart set the record straight or not?
I don’t watch Fox, MSNBC or the Daily show due to their almost comical bias.
I bet your eyes are glued to MSNBC though.
josef
December 14th, 2011
7:33 pm
USMC
I curse Cheney and that lot with every breath I draw, but stupid and ignorant they aren’t…mean, evil and d*mn them to h3ll fire eternal, and there they sit, counting up the shekels they made from the sacrifice of how many young lives to further their worship of Mamon?
Bill
As one of your Hebes, I find him a fine representative of “my people!” And, for the record, I find Roy Clark an equally fine representative of “my people,” too.
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
7:34 pm
When the jihadists storm our free soil, they’ll be coming for “mick” first. When they get to me, they get to meet my weapons cache.”
WOLVERINES!
Steve - USA
December 14th, 2011
7:34 pm
Kamchak,
Your
usual
mindless
comments
that
make
no
sense
but
you’re
lonely
and
need
to
be
here
24/7
josef
December 14th, 2011
7:36 pm
good fight
I love “Redneck” humor…I love Jewish humor. I love New England humor…I love humor…
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:36 pm
Wow Steve you really got me….yep, Stewart has no accountability at all. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-december-12-2011/war-on-christmas—historical-fact-checking
PS — the Daily Show is a comdey show on the Comedy Network……. of course it has a comical bias.
Jeremy
December 14th, 2011
7:38 pm
We as conservatives are stupid. We are stupid for posting on this biased blog. I would be willing to bet that Bookman gets paid for every blog post. We as conservatives should just stop posting on this useless column and Bookman will be added to the fuzzy job numbers that Obama likes to boast about. This will be my last post.
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
7:39 pm
This will be my last post.
If only.
josef
December 14th, 2011
7:40 pm
“This will be my last post”
Under the nom de blog Jeremy at any rate…
USMC
December 14th, 2011
7:40 pm
“I curse Cheney and that lot with every breath I draw, but stupid and ignorant they aren’t…mean, evil and d*mn them to h3ll fire eternal, and there they sit, counting up the shekels they made from the sacrifice of how many young lives to further their worship of Mamon?”
Josef… Get a hold of yourself. You are sipping the Jay Bookman Socialist Koolaid, now.
Dick Cheney is not an evil man. The Hateful Leftwing Socialist Fringe orchestrated an Evil Slander campaign against Cheney.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:40 pm
josef…. what, a jewish gay guy with humor and intelligence?
Two Pilgrims walk into a bar with a rabbi and a duck…….
Erwin's cat
December 14th, 2011
7:41 pm
WOLVERINES
K-oddly one of the few times outta the box, i watched wolverines and shortly (a few months) after a documentary of Germany days into post WWII…the similarities were noteworthy
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2011
7:41 pm
This will be my last post.
Isn’t that sweet.
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2011
7:42 pm
Dick Cheney is
notan evil man.Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
7:43 pm
josef @December 14th, 2011
7:33 pm
As one of your Hebes, I find him a fine representative of “my people!” And, for the record, I find Roy Clark an equally fine representative of “my people,” too.
—————————-
Roy Clark is/was Jewish?
getalife
December 14th, 2011
7:43 pm
“We as conservatives are stupid”
Ya think?.
Erwin's cat
December 14th, 2011
7:43 pm
oops
that’s the end of wolverines and the documentary
Welcome to the Occupation
December 14th, 2011
7:43 pm
This will be my last post.
Oh, small blessings..
Bill Orvis White
December 14th, 2011
7:44 pm
@Keep Up the Good Fight!
Yes, I have to add Mr. Foxworthy as to what’s truly funny these days.
I love to go on these lefty blogs as part of my crusade to save this once-free nation. I am almost sure that I converted thousands of naive secular progressives in these places. When I go to the Ultimate Kingdom, I know that the Lord Almighty will reward me for my hard work at re-introducing and preserving freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness.
The far left who go on these blogs and lamely attempt to defend their heroes like Jimmah Carter, Bawney Frank and Maxine Waters will get their comeuppance when they meet their maker.
Good night!
Merry Christmas and Amen,
Bill
josef
December 14th, 2011
7:44 pm
USMC
He’s evil. And that’s not the Socialist in me speaking, it’s the capitalist…and while I might agree with you that “The Hateful Leftwing Socialist Fringe” (meritous of proper noun status!
) orchestrated and equally proper noun status Evil Slander campaign against him, it wasn’t a particularly hard thing to do given the fuel he provides…
…and, well, you know he DOES support gay marriage!
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
7:45 pm
Dick Cheney’s theme song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ECmkDSE2o
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
7:49 pm
Jeremy –
just for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJjBvK_2Wjo
Mick
December 14th, 2011
7:49 pm
bill orvis
How nice of you to take the low road, I’m sure jesus would approve. I’m the son of a union plumber who raised nine kids, a scab like you might be as good as a first year apprentice. It’s OK because he has left his mark along the palisades of the hudson and the serene shores of key biscayne. Jihadists on our shore? I think you are have tequilla flashbacks. However, keep your cowardly bravado where it belongs, I live in the home of the brave, you’re not needed……Merry Xmas and good night
AmVet
December 14th, 2011
7:50 pm
DickHead was nothing more than a very little man with great power.
And at a minimum, he was lethal and incompetent. And if there was any justice in the world, someone would snatch him up in the dead of night and torture him for about three months.
And he and that POS he worked with ruined thousands of American families for no reason.
F&ck them both.
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2011
7:50 pm
When I go to the Ultimate Kingdom, I know that the Lord Almighty will reward me for my hard work at re-introducing and preserving freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happyness.
Yep, there it is, word for word. Book of Johns, Chapter 1, Verse 1.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:51 pm
Bill: I am almost sure that I converted thousands of naive secular progressives in these places.
Ahhh Bill, no need for modesty. I bet you have changed many a voter registration forcibly in the back seat of a Buick.
Happy Holidays whatever your religion and beliefs!
josef
December 14th, 2011
7:52 pm
common sense
Bill Orvis
Well I hope I get to there before you…the wait in line while you try to get past H-m explaining all the hateful venum you’ve spewed just here will be an eternity or two,. on the other hand, it might be worth the wait to hear you squawk when H- “will reward (you) for (your) hard work…”
Mick
December 14th, 2011
7:52 pm
usmc
See amvet@7:50 for truth serum…you too billy boy…
getalife
December 14th, 2011
7:54 pm
bill,
I doubt cons that fight for the greedy and believe in torture and discriminate against others will wind up in heaven.
Good luck with the devil evil doer.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:55 pm
josef, you’re not saying that that meeting with your maker could end like this exit by a woman reporter? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApNedgj3HBs&feature=related
Mick
December 14th, 2011
7:55 pm
**The far left who go on these blogs and lamely attempt to defend their heroes like Jimmah Carter, Bawney Frank and Maxine Waters will get their comeuppance when they meet their maker.**
Bill makes himself a god with that judgement….
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
7:56 pm
http://www.columbiatribune.com/photos/2011/nov/23/34866/
Ross Perot
December 14th, 2011
7:56 pm
Check this out and it will tell you who the next president will be!
http://thinkmarkets.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/the-free-market-versus-crony-capitalism/
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
7:56 pm
josef, sorry that should have been a reference to “his maker” not “your maker”
AmVet
December 14th, 2011
8:01 pm
Note the cameo by Bill at the 4 second mark!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McaiADeflto&feature=related
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:01 pm
good fight
Well, truth be told, I can see it happening to me, too,,,right after he says, “Come on in!”
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:01 pm
For PlatinumBlack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRCgueckAXE
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
8:02 pm
Ross Perot – If I say you convinced me will you go away?
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
December 14th, 2011
8:03 pm
Well, thanks alot, Keep. I had a belly full of spare ribs and mashed potatoes until I watched your video. Prevert!
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:03 pm
Common
Heh, heh! “even his baggage has baggage” Ain’t it the truth…
Mick
December 14th, 2011
8:05 pm
bruno
Always hated that song but on retrospect, what a really cool mccartney bass riff….
getalife
December 14th, 2011
8:06 pm
ross,
Halliburton.
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:08 pm
LOL @ Mick–There are a ton of songs which sound better all these years later. I stayed away from disco the first time around, but love it now. This was a fav back in the day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll0a1ZPI2cQ
AmVet
December 14th, 2011
8:13 pm
Mick and B, I’m not sure if I’m cornball or just cool, but I always dug that McCartney ditty.
And I’m not sure who the other guitarist was, but loved the dual leads with him and Denny Laine.
Another so-so Liverpudlian…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4s7s5tSk8E
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
8:16 pm
I stayed away from disco the first time around, but love it now.
Oh, dear.
Jay
December 14th, 2011
8:16 pm
“I love New England humor.”
Null set.
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:17 pm
Back at ya, Brother Am:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq7jLEnZw6s
jack bull
December 14th, 2011
8:18 pm
title should’ve been, “Like President Obama’s stimulus, the Keystone pipeline will NOT create 20,000 jobs”
much better.
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
8:22 pm
Jay – is this what you mean by New England Humor?
http://www.frugalyankee.com/node/877
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:25 pm
JAY
It took me a minute! Good one!
New Yorker’s driving a backroad in Vermont and sees a guy sitting with a fishing pole and line dropped in a tub of water. Smirks, “Catching anythin?” “Yay-up. Fourth one today.”
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
8:25 pm
heres one just for Bill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odg_RHYNvR8
Mama Says
December 14th, 2011
8:28 pm
Ok how are we exactly going to measure jobs Jay ? The entire Obama jobs stimulus plan was based on jobs that were saved. This was an arbitrary number based on the politicians who supported the stimulus. The liberals loved this math, citing it over and over in the now familiar refrain of what it would have been.
In this economy a job is a job and it counts to the person holding it. I am a conservative, one who would like to see my party improve on its environmental attitude. But if the argument is going to be put forward that the republicans are just doing what they are told by big oil then, in fairness, we should have to admit that the democrats are beholden to the environmental groups. In this equation it’s the job creating, in argument only, Obama administration and congressional liberals who are killing the jobs- at least 6000, that would otherwise be created.
My problem with all of this is the continued practice of mixing two issues into one bill. How does a pipeline have anything to do with a payroll tax ?
Jm
December 14th, 2011
8:28 pm
Obamby doesn’t have the temperament to be president
larry
December 14th, 2011
8:28 pm
Just wondering………. why would you call any project Keystone ? It automatically reminds me of the Keystone Cops.
Which maybe building the pipline in the first place.
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:29 pm
Deep cut from Bowie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifIi6ewkFvs&feature=related
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:29 pm
Obviously you’re not from Pennsylvania, larry.
larry
December 14th, 2011
8:30 pm
Romneyiscuns doesn’t have the temperament to be president .
Fixed your typo.
larry
December 14th, 2011
8:32 pm
Yep, your right Bruno , Im not. Georgia born, Georgia bred…………….. and probably Georgia dead.
Pennsylvania , thats Gingrich’s home state , isnt it?
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:33 pm
Newt’s campaign song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60wfkuZVxOU&feature=related
AmVet
December 14th, 2011
8:33 pm
Niice, erudite burn at brother jo’s expense, Jay.
Always kinda like the haunting feel to this one, B…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_umeMtV4QU
Doggone/GA
December 14th, 2011
8:33 pm
“Obviously you’re not from Pennsylvania, larry”
I had the same thought! When I first heard the term “Keystone pipeline” I thought it was going to run through PA to NJ!
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:33 pm
larry– Pennsylvania = The Keystone State.
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
8:34 pm
Romneyiscuns doesn’t have the temperament to be president .
Doesn’t matter.
Mr. Mid-20s wont be the nominee
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2011
8:35 pm
I should have known that the Koch Crooks would be involved.
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:35 pm
President Gingrich.
Kind of rolls off the tongue, no??
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:35 pm
larry
“Pennsylvania , thats Gingrich’s home state , isnt it?”
Yeah, I try not to hold it against them, but I do wish they wouldn’t go throwing their trash in our yard…
Jm
December 14th, 2011
8:36 pm
Getalife says cons are going to hell
Whatev
larry
December 14th, 2011
8:36 pm
My problem with all of this is the continued practice of mixing two issues into one bill. How does a pipeline have anything to do with a payroll tax ?
Welcome to the Republican way of governing , Mama. Hold something hostage until you get your way.
I do have a question. Did some of the states in which the pipeline is supposed to go through vote to pull out of it ? Or did they just vote to state that they are against it ? Like Nebraska did?
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:37 pm
ZamVet
Didn’t take it as a burn…should I have? Erudite, yes…
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:38 pm
If Newt comes through Columbus, I’ll be sure to get a picture with him. Do you want me to send you a copy, josef??
larry
December 14th, 2011
8:38 pm
Kind of rolls off the tongue, no??
You’re right , no it doesnt roll of the tongue. But it does give one nausea.
larry
December 14th, 2011
8:39 pm
thats off the tongue, not of the tongue.
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 14th, 2011
8:39 pm
Bruno Pres. Gigrinch probably rolls off Calistas tongue more than mine, Can you imagine her a third first lady?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 14th, 2011
8:40 pm
New England humor usually starts or ends with a “Yankees Suck!” reference
Unless you are talking about the Beanpot!
getalife
December 14th, 2011
8:40 pm
jm,
willard is losing……
Mama Says
December 14th, 2011
8:43 pm
Ok Larry I thought my concession on the environmental thing would solicit a agonies response but you proved me wrong. To even try to argue that democrats don’t do the same thing is totally out of touch with reality.
If any state opted out then that should be respected. I am sure that another will allow the line if it is truly an asset.
Jm
December 14th, 2011
8:45 pm
Warren is too incompetent to be senator
She may win anyway. The disastrous Reid senate will then continue to go downhill
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:45 pm
larry–Next Nov, when the voters are standing in the booth asking themselves should we give Obama 4 more years(?), I’m betting that a majority will hold their noses and vote for the Newster. Newt by a nose, with an extremely poor turnout.
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:46 pm
BRUNO
For the dart board or a gris-gris?
Kamchak
December 14th, 2011
8:46 pm
She may win anyway.
Unlike Mittens.
Mama Says
December 14th, 2011
8:47 pm
Can any of you libs tell me exactly what you find wrong with Newt, I am a bit confussed, he is an example of every democratic principal that you have.
Free love, government give always and passing the buck
Bruno
December 14th, 2011
8:48 pm
Back at your 8:33, Jam. For PB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOOiZAHFvfc
josef
December 14th, 2011
8:49 pm
I mean, really, how can anybody cast a vote for a man who’d turn his own chirren into b*stids?
Mama Says
December 14th, 2011
8:50 pm
That’s giveaways not always
Doggone/GA
December 14th, 2011
8:50 pm
I’m beginning to get the feeling that Jm is working hard to convince himself. Got be, he sure ain’t convincing anyone else.
getalife
December 14th, 2011
8:51 pm
Bruno,
Check the polls.
Our President crushes the Newt.