Is a 'No' on the Keystone XL Pipeline President Obama's Swan Song? (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama has given a "no" on the Keystone XL pipeline, according to Fox News. As a political scientist, I see this as one of the most desperate moments of Obama's time in office. If the Keystone pipeline falls through because of this move, it could be the swan song of this administration.

When Congress extended the payroll tax cut, the State Department was given 60 days to approve the Keystone XL pipeline route, which the department has been looking into for three years. The department, and Obama believe that two months more is not ample time to look into concerns, which have been stated by environmental groups. Right now, Canada is furious because of the wait to build the pipeline and create a strong energy transportation system.

President Obama has been getting heat from Republicans, Canada, labor unions and members of his own cabinet to get this project underway. If the Keystone XL pipeline does not get approved very soon, our neighbors to the north have threatened to take their business elsewhere. The possibility of lower gas in America and the number of jobs created by the program could make the president look very good.

While the State Department does not have the authority to completely kill the project, but President Obama has decline the current route. Canada might give up now and leave President Obama with egg on his face since everything fell through during his term. This gives loads of ammunition to the Republicans as we progress through this election year.

I can see the commercials now pointing out how Obama could not rope in the State Department over the Keystone XL pipeline. I can see the Republicans asking how we can trust a president who cannot run the government to run the country. At the same time, the potential jobs which would be created by the pipeline will become repeated over and over again. Pictures of gas pumps with excessive totals on them will remind us of how the president dropped the ball.

This is not a time to play party politics. Obama will now be held responsible for putting a huge chink in the armor the Keystone XL pipeline project. If Canada passes now, the president can count his days.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120118/pl_ac/10851375_is_a_no_on_the_keystone_xl_pipeline_president_obamas_swan_song

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