OPINION: Pipeline And Tax Dilemna

President Obama insists that Congress extend a temporary reduction in the payroll tax, also known as contributions to the Social Security Trust Fund.

The U.S. House has voted to do that. Yet Obama is talking about vetoing the bill.

The House bill also approves the Keystone Pipeline to bring 700-thousand barrels of oil each day from Canada to the U.S. Obama has sided with environmentalists who oppose the pipeline, even though it creates tens of thousands of jobs and would reduce dependence on MidEast oil. And if we don’t buy it, Canada says the oil would be sold to China.

The House bill also freezes the number of federal workers and their pay, to adjust for the reduced money going into Social Security.

So here’s the showdown. Which is more important to Obama? Avoiding a tax hike for almost everyone, or siding with environmentalists and government workers?

From The Heritage Foundation, I’m Ernest Istook.

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