McCaskill Bucks Obama

McCaskill Bucks Obama - The Missourian: Editorials

Posted: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 5:32 pm

One of the things we always have admired about Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill is that she isn’t afraid to butt heads with her party and with President Barack Obama in backing her beliefs and what’s good for her constituents. As all Americans should know by now, the president doesn’t want to dig into our energy reserves because he’s afraid he might lose a few votes to the environmentalists. The president has blocked the construction of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas.

TransCanada announced Monday that it was going ahead with part of the Keystone pipeline in Texas and Oklahoma which does not need federal approval. Sen. McCaskill said that’s “good news” and “a good step toward increasing energy production right here at home.”

Sen. McCaskill said Missourians are being squeezed by higher gasoline prices and that she supports construction of the Keystone pipeline and she “hopes to see the entire project back on track as soon as possible.” She has urged the president to release oil from the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Of special note is that Sen. McCaskill spent the month of January visiting Missouri towns to hear from energy producers and consumers on how to keep energy prices affordable. She listened and acted on what is best for Missourians and the country.