The poll that will be taken down asked how the killing of the Keystone affected you personally as a mineral rights owner or equity investor. The question: the "non-decision" regarding the Keystone XL:
- was good for me as a mineral owner: 16%
- was not good for me as a mineral owner: 25%
- was good for me as an investor: 6%
- was not good for me as an investor: 11%
- was good for me both as a mineral owner and as an investor: 12%
- was not good for me either as a mineral owner or as an investor: 30%
- good overall: 34%
- not good overall: 66%
Now, for the new poll: There was a story in The Washington Post last week that President Obama might visit one of the Indian reservations in North Dakota. If he were to visit one of the reservations, which one is he likely to visit?
- Lake Traverse
- Spirit Lake
- Standing Rock
- Fort Berthold
- Turtle Mountain
I think it is sad that Obama is going to do his photo op on a reservation versus the Bakken oil fields in western ND. My guess is he will show up at Standing Rock where unemployment is high, suicidal rates for young are high, health care is poor, people lost their lives because they did not have propane to heat their homes out on the reservations prairies. Fort Berthold would not support his agenda, because the reservation is reaping the benefits of OIL. But maybe he will surprise us and tout how his administration has managed to utilize natural resources to benefit natives on the fort Berthold reservation? But I doubt it. It will be more about how the United States has failed residents on Standing Rock instead.
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct. If he does show up at Standing Rock for the purposes many suspect, it is the hypocrisy that bothers me the most.
DeleteOn another note, CNN reports the commander-in-chief received a "cool reception" at West Point. If so, I can only imagine his reception in McKenzie County.
Disagree with anonymous. He will show up on Fort Berthold res. stand in front of some pumping wells and crow about how his efforts have led to this great boom in US oil production. It will be much like his TV photo op "Approving" the southern leg of the Keystone pipeline. You know, the leg where his approval was never needed in the first place.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't need to go to Standing Rock to highlight economic inequality. He could just fly into his former hometown of Chicago, or drive to SE DC to do that. If he comes to North Dakota it will be to claim credit for one of the few bright spots in the US economy during his term in office.
Yes, I have had trouble trying to figure out exactly why he would visit Indian reservations at this point in time. Whenever something happens that cannot be explained, I tell my granddaughters to "follow the money," and to ask "why now." And then google it. In this case, googling is not yet helpful.
DeleteSo, the big question is, if he comes to North Dakota, "why is he coming now?" If one can answer that question, the location of his visit will be easier to guess.
The problem I have with "guessing" that he would come to the Bakken is this: I truly feel the president really, really dislikes the oil and gas industry. Even if he doesn't dislike the oil and gas industry, it won't go down well with "his base" if he has a photo op in front of oil wells, regardless of where they are. [I honestly don't think the Keystone XL is even on his radar scope any more, if it ever was.]
One of the things this president (and any successful president, I suppose) is very good at is setting the agenda. Right now, with the elections coming up, anything to get people's minds off ObamaCare is incredibly important. To take our minds off ObamaCare he needs to do things that surprise us but don't upset "his base." Going to Afghanistan was a surprise; announcing that we were getting out appealed to "his base." It took our minds off ObamaCare for a day or two. But every day, he has to come up with something that won't irritate "his base" but will open a new round of news stories on something other than ObamaCare. The plight of the American Indian is a huge opportunity that has not yet been milked by this president.
So, we'll see.
He will show up at Standing Rock. Heidi Heitkamp is an up and coming star in the national Democratic circle. She is well liked on the North Dakota reservations and has been given credit for her working with North Dakota reservations on tribal issues. I think Obama wants to help her star shine a little more. also, Jodi Gillette, the president’s senior policy adviser for Native American affairs. She is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and her her brother is chairman. I think it will be nothing more than a political visit to attempt to introduce North Dakota democrats on a national level, in hopes of exciting some of the undecided voters into voting with the democrats in upcoming elections. Remember his "fun" speech encouraging New Yorkers to move to North Dakota so they can tip the scales from conservative to liberal?
ReplyDeleteVery, very well said. The Heitkamp connection is, no doubt, the key.
Delete