Why would we want to screw over the Mid West with the Keystone Pipeline?

I have to dissent with many of the Conservatives on Soda Head on the much talked about Keystone Pipeline that President Obama gave the no-go on. But, you ask, how could you possible be against such a pro-America, jobs initiative? Well here's the dirty little secret about the Keystone XL Pipeline: It would be ungodly awful to the states it passes through and would be a complete disaster for states-rightists under the 10th Amendment.

Consider:
-> The Keystone Pipeline is extremely unsafe from a strictly engineering stand point as a former engineer on the project points out. The materials are shoddy. The supervision negligible and the room for error high. Indeed, TransCanada (the company operating the pipeline) has already had accidents under their watch. When THEIR OWN engineer brought this to their attention, they fired him. The room for a spill would devastate the Mid Western states such as Nebraska and Kansas.

-> The Pipeline would actually raise gas prices in the Mid West. "How could this be if it's importing MORE oil?" Well the question is WHERE the oil is being imported. The Keystone Pipeline essentially shifts oil flow towards Texas and the Gulf Coast rather than the MidWest. This could cost around 15 cents a gallon to a state like Kansas.

Though it's pretty clear the Federal Government has the right to regulate interstate commerce, that doesn't mean we need to be in the business of pushing things on states that aren't in their best interest. I don't claim to know what is in the best interest of Kansas, Nebraska or the other Western states. But I also don't claim to know that this Pipeline is the best thing since sliced bread and should be passed through these states without the concerns of the local residents and safety issues.

So in an uncharacteristic decision, President Obama made the right call here by respecting the rights of the states.