Republican Response to the SOTU: Newly Elected Iowa Senator Joni Ernst … “President Obama Will Soon have a Decision to make [Keystone XL Pipleline]: Will he sign the Bill or Block Good American Jobs?

JONI ERNST … A STAR IS BORN.

Tonight, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) delivered the Republican response to Barack Obama’s SOTU. The freshman Senator nailed it. In a forum that is hardly a comfortable one or easy, she came across well versed, was up to the moment and never once reached for a glass of water. As Barack Obama touted questionable economic numbers and gave the appearance that we have turned the page on the economic tough times, Joni Ernst personalized the current situation that a majority of Americans feel, that Americans are hurting and are demanding answers, not the same old stale same old, same old.

We see our neighbors agonize over stagnant wages and lost jobs. We see the hurt caused by canceled healthcare plans and higher monthly insurance bills. We see too many moms and dads put their own dreams on hold while growing more fearful about the kind of future they’ll be able to leave to their children.

“Americans have been hurting, but when we demanded solutions, too often Washington responded with the same stale mindset that led to failed policies like Obamacare. It’s a mindset that gave us political talking points, not serious solutions.

“That’s why the new Republican majority you elected started by reforming Congress to make it function again. And now, we’re working hard to pass the kind of serious job-creation ideas you deserve.

The Weekly Standard – Full Text of Republican Response to State of the Union:

“Good evening.

“I’m Joni Ernst. As a mother, a soldier, and a newly elected senator from the great State of Iowa, I am proud to speak with you tonight.

“A few moments ago, we heard the President lay out his vision for the year to come. Even if we may not always agree, it’s important to hear different points of view in this great country. We appreciate the President sharing his.

“Tonight though, rather than respond to a speech, I’d like to talk about your priorities. I’d like to have a conversation about the new Republican Congress you just elected, and how we plan to make Washington focus on your concerns again.

“We heard the message you sent in November — loud and clear. And now we’re getting to work to change the direction Washington has been taking our country.

“The new Republican Congress also understands how difficult these past six years have been. For many of us, the sting of the economy and the frustration with Washington’s dysfunction, weren’t things we had to read about. We felt them every day.

“We felt them in Red Oak — the little town in southwestern Iowa where I grew up, and am still proud to call home today.

“As a young girl, I plowed the fields of our family farm. I worked construction with my dad. To save for college, I worked the morning biscuit line at Hardees.

“We were raised to live simply, not to waste. It was a lesson my mother taught me every rainy morning.

“You see, growing up, I had only one good pair of shoes. So on rainy school days, my mom would slip plastic bread bags over them to keep them dry. (Read the rest HERE)

CNN Poll: Majority of Americans Back the Construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline as Barack Obama Vows to Veto It if Passed

Shocker, Barack Obama once against doing something against the will of the American people … 

A recent CNN poll shows that a majority of Americans are in favor of the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. A resounding 57% are in favor of building the 1,179 mile Canada to Texas pipeline, while only 28% oppose. Of course you already know what side of the fence Barack Obama takes on this matter. Obama continues to pander to the environmental wackos and facing no more elections, once again goes against the will of the American people.  No matter how many jobs, permanent ones, part time or otherwise are created by this oil pipeline project, the fact of the matter is that jobs will be created. This is a bad thing how? But Obama will tell you he wants to create jobs for the American people. Really? Even though Americans are overwhelmingly in favor of the building of the Keystone XL pipeline, the House has passed the construction of it, Obama has vowed to veto the bill. Yeah, he really cares about putting people to work.

Read CNN Poll here.

Poll Question: Based on what you have read or heard, do you favor or oppose building the Keystone XL pipeline?

A majority of Americans favor the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline — a result that could give Republicans a boost as they move toward a showdown with President Barack Obama over the project — a CNN/ORC poll has found.

The 1,179-mile Canada-to-Texas pipeline is backed by 57% of the 1,011 Americans surveyed on Dec. 18-21. Just 28% oppose it, while 15% say they are unsure.

The controversial project has become the subject of a battle between liberal environmentalists who argue it would contribute to global warming and conservatives who say it would create jobs and help the United States break away from Middle Eastern oil.

President Barack Obama has threatened to veto a measure that the Senate is set to vote on as soon as next week, which would end the State Department’s six-year-old review of the project and authorize its construction immediately. Obama has said he objects to the decision-making process being removed from the executive branch.

Not only do 57% back the construction of the pipeline, in the same CNN poll, as reported at The Daily Caller, “a majority of those polled, at 57 percent, say global warming will not pose a serious threat to their way of life,” and that only 43 percent “expect global warming to threaten them.”

House of Representatives Approves Building the XL Keystone Pipeline 266-153

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a bill approving the building on the XL Keystone pipeline 266-153. The long delayed project has been stalled by Barack Obama and his pandering to the Left-wing environmental-wackos was passed by the GOP controlled House along with 28 Democrat votes. It was passed just hours after a court in Nebraska cleared a final legal hurdle.  The Senate is supposed to vote on the Keystone pipeline next week where it will most certainly be passed in the new Republican controlled Senate with some Democrat support as well. However, Barack Obama has already stated that he will veto the bill proving that he never had any intention, nor Democrats of ever passing the it.

Charles Krauthammer on Obama’s Veto Threat: Republicans Should Say, “Bring It On, Mr. President.”

“There is no better way for the GOP to position itself for the 2016 elections and to show the country two things. One now that it controls the House and the Senate and now that Harry Reid is no longer there as the blocking guard for the president. That’s the reason why he didn’t have to use the veto. With Harry Reid gone and Mitch McConnell running the Senate, they are able to enact the agenda, they have an agenda. They should be willing to pass whatever they can and dare the president to use the veto.”

The Keystone XL pipeline cleared its first hurdle of the new Congress on Friday when the House voted to approve construction of the long-stalled project, just hours after a court in Nebraska cleared a final legal hurdle there.

The 266-153 vote saw 28 Democrats side with the GOP in backing the pipeline, signaling significant though not overwhelming support for the controversial project that would carry crude oil from Canada into the U.S. for refinement.

President Obama has already vowed a veto, and the vote signals there are probably not enough votes to override him if he does follow through.

The House has approved Keystone before, but the project has stalled in the Senate, which was controlled by Democrats. The GOP took control this week, however, and is speeding its own bill through its chamber, with an early test-vote slated for Monday.

“There is no excuse — scientific or otherwise — for the president to continue blocking the pipeline,” said House Speaker John A. Boehner. “An overwhelming majority of Americans support this job-creating energy project and President Obama ought to respect their will and stop standing in the way.”

Daily Commentary – Thursday, January 8, 2015 – Dispite Objections by Many of the GOP in Congress

• John Boehner is re-elected as Speaker of the House. This was the biggest rebellion against a sitting speaker by his own party since 1923

Democrat Senate Votes Down XL Keystone Pipeline And Thousands of American Jobs … Sen. Landrieu (D-LA) “Fail Mary” Falls Incomplete

FAIL MARY …

The Harry Reid, Democrat lead Senate has shot down the vote for the passage of Bill (S.2280 ), a bill to approve the XL Keystone pipeline, 59-41. All the begging to save her Louisiana Senate seat was for naught as Se. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) failed in her efforts to get the Democrat support for the passage of the bill. It fell one vote short.  All of the 41  “nay”votes against passage were Democrats or so-called Independents who caucus with Democrats. This was a political vote in a cynical attempt to help Landrieu, where Democrats had no intention of having this bill pass. The bill had been blocked by Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for coming up for a vote for years.

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday narrowly failed to pass a bill that would have approved construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, rejecting a measure the House of Representatives approved last week.

The vote count was 59-41 in favor, but 60 “ayes” would have been needed to assure passage. Fourteen Democrats voted for the bill, joining all 45 Republicans who voted to support the pipeline.

Look for the GOP to bring this bill up again in the new year when they have control of the Senate following the 2014 midterm shellacking. Republicans are not done yet with this, but Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu is. It hardly makes her look influential as she could not get her party to pass the legislation.  This all but seals her fate in her upcoming Louisiana Senate runoff election against Bill Cassidy. Her poll numbers were already bad, now this is a green light for voters to elect a Republican to get this passed in the newly elected US. Senate. Republican leadership have guaranteeing her opponent, Rep. Bill Cassidy, a seat on the energy committee. The House GOP also had him sponsor their own Keystone authorization bill, which was easily approved Friday on a 252-161 vote.

CNN:

The Senate blocked a measure Tuesday that would have authorized construction of the Keystone XL pipeline as Democrats chose their pro-environment base over an old friend — embattled Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu.

The vote could just be a speedbump for the Keystone project, with Republicans ready to try again — with much better odds of success — once they take control of the Senate in January.

“This will be an early item on the agenda in the next Congress,” incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said after Tuesday night’s vote.