[GPSCC-chat] Fwd: Weekend Update: All Eyes on Obama

[Gerry Gras]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Weekend Update: All Eyes on Obama
Date: 	Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:59:34 +0000
From: 	Bill McKibben - 350.org <organizers at 350.org>
Reply-To: 	Bill McKibben - 350.org <organizers at 350.org>
To: 	Mr. Gerry Gras <gerrygras at earthlink.net>



Dear Friends,

*As you might know, the Keystone tar sands pipeline is back in play. *

This morning, the Senate passed a bill that requires a 60-day, expedited
approval process for the pipeline in return for a payroll tax cut, and
the President has said he will sign it.

The news has been swirling around Washington the last few days, with one
report after another of deals and deadlines. (It’s a little weird to
think that six months ago, when we started the campaign to stop this
pipeline, almost no one had even heard of this thing and now it’s the
center of frantic bargaining -- that’s a real tribute to your efforts).

*Here’s what we do know: *

1) The dirty energy industry wants the pipeline fast-tracked, and is
demanding that the President grant or deny a permit within two months.
They’re going to do all they can to make that happen.

2) The administration knows that Americans don’t want that permit
granted. They know because many of you encircled the White House in
November, and submitted more public comments than on any energy project
in history, and because yesterday the climate movement flooded the White
House switchboard with so many phone calls that the busy signal was the
sound of the day. For all that work, thank you.

*Here’s what we don’t know: what happens next. *

Our hope -- and what you should ask the President for when you write him
-- is that when he signs the bill he will say the obvious thing:

/“Two months is not long enough to review the pipeline. The Canadians
themselves have just delayed review of their tar sands pipelines over
safety concerns, and we’ve just come through a year that set a record
for billion-dollar climate-related disasters; I’m not going to do a rush
job just to please the oil industry lobbyists. So this pipeline is dead.” /

Since the State Department has already, in essence, said two months is
not enough time, this should be pretty straightforward.

*We should know how it’s going to play out within 48 hours or so. We’re
of course ready to fight like heck. *

But for this weekend? Well, the switchboard is now closed, so to contact
the White House you'll need to send them a message here.
<http://act.350.org/go/869?akid=1482.8388.dhQnnI&t=1> And click here to
spread the word on Faceboo
<http://act.350.org/go/870?akid=1482.8388.dhQnnI&t=2>k, and click here
to share the news on on Twitter.
<http://act.350.org/go/871?akid=1482.8388.dhQnnI&t=3>

Once you’ve done that, I recommend eggnog, football, caroling,
Hannukah-shopping -- and checking the email every once in a while? We’re
hanging fire on this, and we’ll let you know when we find out what’s
going down and if rapid reaction of some kind is required.

So so many thanks for your continued good hearted work,

Bill McKibben for 350.org Team

P.S. We know one other thing too. On Thursday night the Republican
debating society came out in favor the pipeline, which is easy for them
to do since they’ve all now denied climate science. Newt Gingrich in
particular blamed “San Francisco environmental extremists” with holding
things up. I’m sure our California crew is happy for the shout-out, but
it seemed a little unfair to Nebraska farmers, Texas ranchers, Florida
College students, New York trade unionists, Wall Street occupiers, and
even us Vermont granola eaters. We’re a big broad bunch and we’re going
to stay that way!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

350.org <http://350.org> is building a global movement to solve the
climate crisis. Connect with us on Facebook
<http://facebook.com/350.org> and Twitter <http://twitter.com/350>, and
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What is 350? Go to our website <http://350.org/science> to learn about
the science behind the movement.

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