Obama Personally Responsible For the Death of 50 People?

Obama Personally Responsible For the Death of 50 People?

Al Ritter 

A railway fire in Casselton North Dakota renews the political controversy on the Keystone Pipeline. The 2013 Lac-Megantic rail fire that killed 50 people in Quebec was the first fatal accident caused by the transportation of shale oil by rail car rather than the Keystone pipeline. President Obama continues to balk at the proposed routes forcing additional amounts to be sent by rail. 

Rail shipments are due to increase by an additional 30% in 2014 over the 2013 figures. Increased traffic always increases the possibility for accidents as witnessed today in the Casselton fire which has caused an ecological spill as well as a massive fire that caused the evacuation of most of the city. 

Although environmental groups have fought the Keystone pipeline because of safety issues, they generally ignore the fact that transportation by pipeline is far safer than transporting it by rail. Obama has used the strong arm tactics of the EPA as his enforcement division to force transportation to the rails. 

If the transportation of shale oil is so much safer by pipeline than by rail……why does it continue? 

Canadian Ambassador Doer observes that Obama's "choice is to have it come down by a pipeline that he approves, or without his approval, it comes down on trains." Seems to say it all doesn’t it? But the Question remains….WHY? 

One has to follow the money trail to understand why. BNSF Railways is owned by Berkshire Hathaway owned by Warren Buffet a large campaign financier to the Democratic Party and Barack Obama specifically. On the other hand Koch Industries has a rather large stake in the Keystone Pipeline. The Koch Brothers are large donators to the RNC, and therein is where the politics plays a role in this much needed pipeline. 

The question now that begs to be asked…..Is Obama personally responsible for the deaths of 50 people in Canada, and possibly more in the future if rail shipments increase? Canadian journalist Diana Furchtgott-Roth commented: "If this oil shipment had been carried through pipelines, instead of rail, families in Lac-Mégantic would not be grieving for lost loved ones today, and oil would not be polluting Lac Mégantic and the Chaudière River."

Casselton, North Dakota rail fire