‘THE PRES STOOD UP’ – ROBT REDFORD

President Obama Stands Up to Big Oil
Robert Redford, January 18, 2012 (Huffington Post)

"…Big Oil is used to getting its way. But not today... and we have President Obama to thank for standing up to them in spite of the political risk…President Obama has just rejected a permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline -- a project that promised riches for the oil giants and an environmental disaster for the rest of us.

"His decision represents a victory of historic proportions…[but] Big Oil is going to fight back hard and fast…Because this was a prime-time fight. The oil giants…had their Congressional boosters put the president to an election-year test by forcing him to decide the pipeline's fate within 60 days. Then, the oil lobby itself rolled out its biggest PR guns…"

The President courageously seized the moment (click to enlarge)

"Because Big Oil lost…This is the beginning of the real battle for America's energy future…That battle will be fought in Congress, where Representatives who've collected $12 million from the Oil & Gas industry over the past two years are sure to try to raise Keystone XL…

"…A single pipeline project is not a jobs plan. Economic security is to be found in clean energy not in dirty energy that threatens us with oil spills and ever worsening harm from climate change…Energy security comes from reducing our dependence on oil, not from a pipeline that would leave us with the risk but send the tar sands oil overseas…The president stood up to Big Oil and listened to Americans…Now we need to continue to stand with the president…"