Keystone Veto, Likely This Week, May Be First of Many by Obama

Keystone Veto, Likely This Week, May Be First of Many by Obama

Monday, 23 Feb 2015 06:25 AM

By Elliot Jager

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/keystone-pipeline-veto-obama/2015/02/23/id/626243/

President Barack Obama is expected to cast the third veto of his presidency sometime this week by refusing to sign into law the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

The expected rejection of Keystone could herald a wave of vetoes — on legislation affecting healthcare, the environment, Iran sanctions and childhood nutrition — as Obama attempts  to prevent lawmakers from rolling back his signature policies, assuming the stalemate between the White House and the Republican-controlled Congress persists, The New York Times reported.

The veto threat has long been used by presidents in bargaining with Congress. In the course of his 12-year presidency, Democrat Franklin Roosevelt cast 635 vetoes. Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, vetoed 12 pieces of legislation and Bill Clinton used the veto 37 times.

Observers predict that Obama will cast vetoes at Clinton-like levels, the Times reported.

In vetoing Keystone, passed by Congress on Feb. 11, the president is expected to argue that the legislative branch has taken upon itself powers reserved for the executive. He will assert that the final word on what to do about Keystone must be his, the Times reported.

"It's not just about the substance of the decision," said North Carolina Democratic Rep. David Price. "It's about the blatant challenge of the president's authority. That's why the veto will be upheld."

Price said that given how divided government is, Obama has few options but to use the veto to protect his legacy.

Congressional Democrats are maneuvering to head off Republicans from passing legislation that Obama would feel duty-bound to veto. Most legislation needs 60 votes to overcome the threat of a filibuster. Senate Republicans hold 54 seats.

Congress can override a president's veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers — though it has done so only infrequently.

To counter Obama's veto strategy, Republicans could send the president individual appropriations bills. Democrats would find these harder to block because they need only 51 votes to pass. The bills would contain riders that Obama opposes, pressuring him to veto funding for such departments as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Times reported.

"To avoid just vetoing everything and becoming the president of no," said Bill Hoagland of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, "he's going to have to work with Congress, and they are going to have to work with him," the Times reported.

Environmental Protection Agency

Carol M. Browner was an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the energy czar for the Barack Obama administration, is a senior fellow, director for the Center for American Progress, and a senior counselor for the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Note: Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, Jonathan Soros’s father, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Roosevelt Institute, the Center for American Progress, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Jonathan Soros is a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, and George Soros’s son.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, a domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, is a senior adviser for the Albright Stonebridge Group, and Barack Obama’s golf partner.

Madeleine K. Albright is a director at the Center for American Progress, a co-chairman for the Albright Stonebridge Group, and a friend of Susan E. Rice.

Tom Daschle is the chairman for the Center for American Progress, was the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration, a co-founder & advisory board member for the Bipartisan Policy Center, Anita B. Dunn was his senior political adviser, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Susan E. Rice is Madeleine K. Albright’s friend, the White House national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, a stockholder in the TransCanada Corporation, was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Steven L. Rattner was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and an economic correspondent for the New York Times.

TransCanada Corporation is the proposed builder for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and John F. Kerry’s brother.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and married to John F. Kerry.

John F. Kerry is Cameron F. Kerry’s brother, married to Teresa Heinz Kerry, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama administration.

U.S. Department of State requires approval for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Anita B. Dunn produced ad campaign for the Keystone XL pipeline, Tom Daschle’s senior political adviser, the communications director for the Barack Obama administration, is the head of media for the Barack Obama Presidential Library, a managing director at SKDKnickerbocker, and married to Robert F. Bauer.

TransCanada Corporation is a SKDKnickerbocker client, and the proposed builder for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Robert F. Bauer is married to Anita B. Dunn, a co-chair for the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, a partner at Perkins Coie, was Barack Obama’s personal counsel, and the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration.

Robert Bauer and Anita Dunn – A Match Made for Obama’s White House **UPDATED**

From Free Republic:

Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2009 10:55:22 PM by STARWISE

https://romanticpoet.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/robert-bauer-and-anita-dunn-a-match-made-for-obamas-white-house/

Robert Bauer and Anita Dunn (Husband and wife)