It is encouraging that Sen. Al Franken is concerned about the dangers of shipping Bakken crude oil through Minnesota and pushing efforts to increase safety. In addition to the dangers inherent is the negative effect it has had on the backlog shipment of agricultural products and other commodities.
The single-biggest boon to Minnesota would be the construction of the Keystone pipeline. Shipping oil by pipeline is cheaper and probably much safer when one considers the devastation of derailments and explosive crashes vs. leaks which can be stopped and ameliorated.
The chances of the pipeline construction are probably pretty close to zero during this administration when one considers that Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad is a major shipper of oil and is largely owned by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who supports and hosted many fundraisers to support Barack Obama. Don't we have the best government money can buy?
Would Al Franken, Amy Klobuchar and other Democratic Minnesota legislators dare defy their boss and push for the construction of the pipeline?
Jane M. Scanlon
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Rochester
