The Keystone XL Pipeline Project Should Be Approved

I. Economics I. a. Jobs It takes jobs to extract the material for the pipeline, manufacture the pipes, build the pipeline, and operate the pipeline. These jobs would help stimulate an extremely depressed industry. In addition, with more people in the Midwest region, there would be increased demand for goods and services in the Midwest, prompting people from other industries to create jobs. "It's estimated that the Keystone XL project, which is funded entirely through private investment, would help create at least 20,000 new American jobs in manufacturing and construction. Analysis suggests it could create tens of thousands more. .. "[1]"He [Mark Ayers] noted that 'The Keystone pipeline represents the prospect for 20,000 immediate jobs, and as many as 500,000 indirect jobs via a strong economic multiplier effect. '"[2]Even US government studies suggest that the Keystone pipeline is a great job creator. A recent study conducted by the US Chamber of Commerce concludes that the pipeline could create 250,000 permenant jobs. [3] This isn't just temporary; it's permenant. I. b. Economic Stimulus It also takes money to make and administrate the pipeline. This money would help stimulate the US - specifically the most-depressed Midwest region's - economy. "The Keystone XL pipeline will cost USD 7 billion to construct and will carry nearly 800,000 barrels of oil a day into the U. S. from Canada. "[4] "Keystone should be approved. This is a good project. It will give us energy and give us jobs. You want stimulus? This is a $7 billion deal to be done with private-sector funding. "[5]In addition to the GDP contribution coming from the production of the pipeline itself, the pipeline would help stimulate the economy further by bringing to the US a very hot product - that is, tar sands. In fact, "The same report [by The Economist] projected that 173 billion barrels are available within the Alberta tar sands, valued at around USD 15.7 trillion. "[4] The pipeline would help bring in more of this valuable product to the US, helping to increase GDP further. I. c. Gas PricesBy the laws of supply and demand, an increase in the supply of something with a negligable increase in the demand of that thing means a reduction in the price of that thing. The Keystone XL Pipeline brings in more oil, thus increasing the supply, and in the short term, demand increases in oil are negligable, so the principle goes that prices will decrease. [6]In addition, oil from Canada is cheaper than the most of the oil we currently receive. "Recently, for example, oil that is imported and sold on the U. S. Gulf Coast is trading around $90 U. S. per barrel. Western Canadian oil is currently trading for $70 U. S. per barrel. "[7] In addition, "Currently, over 20 percent of our imported oil comes from Canada. .. Once the pipeline is completed, over 33 percent of our imported oil will come from Canada. "[8] This means that in addition to getting a greater supply of oil, the additional oil we are receiving is cheaper than other oil, making for an even greater decrease in prices. I. iv. The Overall Economic Contribution Here are the results of a few independent studies:"Costing $7 billion, the pipeline would create 20,000 well-paying construction jobs immediately. Midwest construction workers, one of the demographics hit hardest by the economic downturn, desperately need this project. While blue-collar workers would receive many of the direct benefits from Keystone's construction, thousands of businesses from nearly every state would have reaped indirect business were Obama to simply allow the Keystone project to be built. 2,400 American companies in 49 states are involved in the production of Canadian oil sands. "[9]"The Keystone XL pipeline will help to address our long-term energy needs and also create significant job growth at a time when the nation needs it most. The project's construction phase alone will require 13,000 direct construction and manufacturing hires; indirect new jobs could total 118,000. "[10] "The Keystone XL Pipeline project is estimated to bring in $20 billion of private sector investment into the American economy, create 20,000 direct jobs, spur the creation of 118,000 spin-off jobs and pay out $5 billion in taxes to local counties over the project's lifetime. "[11] (Note that the pipeline also increases tax production to deficit-wracked state budgets; an added benefit. )Conclusion That is pretty much all I have to say for this round. I will await attacking environmental arguments and arguing that the pipeline is safe in the next round for rebuttals. Sources [1]: . http://boehner.house.gov...[2]: . http://news.investors.com...[3]: . http://www.cbsnews.com...[4]: . http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com...[5]: . http://www.chicagotribune.com...[6]: . http://www.mint.com...[7]: . http://www.transcanada.com...[8]: . http://www.nam.org...[9]: . http://www.breitbart.com...; [10]: . http://enr.construction.com...[11]: . http://www.chron.com...