Keystone XL Pipeline

During my daily drive home of an hour or more, I listen numerous radio programs. Most of the time I listen to sports or one of the various talk radio programs that are on during that time. I more or less channel surf, stopping to listen to several channels for only a moment. A few days ago, I stopped on the Mark Levin Show, which is a conservative talk show host. I do listen to this show periodically, so although I do not agree with everything Mr. Levin states, I do know the format of the show, and frankly I do agree with some points made in the show and find entertainment value with it.

Mr. Levin began discussing the tar sands pipeline that is proposed to stretch from the Canada tar sands, all the way to the Gulf Coast, with numerous lines going in different directions along the way. He began telling a story of radical wacko environmentalist that were going to surge on Washington DC, and protest, ready and willing to go to jail for this cause. He further stated that it was these wacko environmentalist, and a few American Indian Tribes that were holding up this entire project. These few radicals were preventing the country from creating 20,000 new jobs.

Unfortunately Mr. Levin's staff may not have performed adequate research on this subject. The radical environmentalists that Mr. Levin was referring to, includes ranchers and farmers from the Plains, who are doing nothing more than attempting to protect their property. Perhaps Mr. Levin should have noted that this project would be given the power of eminent domain, so that these radical farmers and ranchers would not have a choice as to whether the pipeline could cross their property. Perhaps Mr. Levin should have noted that there can be nothing, not even a tree placed upon this pipeline easement, which will be at least 100 ft wide, just in case they want to install another line at some point. Let's also not forget that there have been numerous cases of pipelines leaking recently because there is virtually no oversight of the installation of these lines, and when that leak happens, that radical farmer and rancher will never be able to use that property for farming or ranching again.

Let's not forget that in the past that when lines such as this were installed, that the property owner is offered pennies on the dollar of what property is worth, and this does not include the damage that could and will happen to the property. And when the property owner does not accept those pennies, they are drug into condemnation court, and their property is taken without their consent. How does that not completely destroy private property rights in America?

In Mr. Levin's show he continually quotes the United States Constitution, so I am curious how Mr. Levin can twist it to support his position on this matter. Because is certainly seems to me that the First Amendment protects the right to assembly and demonstrate, and also an American's freedom of speech. And the the Fourth Amendment seems to protect citizens of the United States from unreasonable seizures of their property. Perhaps, like most of those who like to quote this document, Mr. Levin uses it only to help in his points, maybe we shouldn't forget that the Constitution applies to everyone, whether they have your views or not. I served for over eight years protecting and defending the Constitution, and I did that gladly, knowing that I was defending people's rights that likely disagreed with my views. Maybe Mr. Levin should read some of my favorite quotes below.

Private property was the original source of freedom. It still is its main bulwark. ~Walter Lippmann

In Texas you can own and peacefully enjoy property as long as someone with more money doesn't want it. ~Calvin Tillman, Former Mayor of DISH, TX

The Right of property is the guardian of every other Right, and to deprive the people of this, is in fact to deprive them of their Liberty ~Arthur Lee

No power on earth has a right to take our property from us without our consent. ~John Jay

All men have equal rights to liberty, to their property, and to the protection of the laws ~Voltaire

What is strange is that Mr. Levin is a conservative talk show host, which are supposed to support the protection of private property rights. However, his voice and action supports exactly the opposite. He also continually states that he worked in the Reagan administration, although I think that might be a stretch. More than one tenet of communism involves the destruction of private property rights, and I was thinking that Reagan spent his entire tenure as President attempting to prevent the spread of communism. I do not think it matters if it is the government taking your property or the government giving that authority to a "for profit" corporation, your rights and property are still taken, and I am betting the average American would agree with that.

Included in Mr. Levin's rant on the American farmers and ranchers, he accused the American Indian Tribes of attempting to stop this pipeline. Growing up in Oklahoma, we studied the American Indian History and what they went through when this country was being settled. It is also difficult to grow up in Oklahoma and not have some American Indian in your heritage. In my home office, I have American Indian artwork and truly respect what they have been through. The way Mr. Levin described this, it was as though those pesky Indians were stopping progress again, which sounded similar to what being said over a hundred years ago. Perhaps Mr. Levin and his followers would be happy if we handled this the way we did over a hundred years ago. Perhaps in Mr. Levin's mind we should begin to amass troops at the gates of the reservations, letting them know if they don't give us their land, we will take just like we did back then.

We should not even breach this subject without pointing to the fact that the oil and gas industry does have the power of eminent domain; however, the renewable industry does not. This is one of the reasons that the renewable industry can not easily expand, it also doesn't help that they oil and gas industry get billions in corporate welfare. Texas is actually one of the largest wind power producing states, but is having difficulty getting it's infrastructure in place to get the power to where it is needed. This prevents it from expanding, as it could. Again, I oppose the taking of hard working American's property through eminent domain, but am just pointing out that there is not a "free market" on this matter.

Shows like Mr. Levin's do nothing to spread misinformation on subjects like this, and this particle case, he is destroying the very thing he says he is trying to protect. I would gladly debate him on the subject; however, Mr. Levin is one of those hosts, that do not encourage participation. Phone calls that make it through his screening, that does not share his views are typically muted and berated. Even some of the callers who do agree with him are treated in this manner. So instead of being this strong conservative voice who can walk the walk, he is a coward that hides behind the microphone and mute button. This reminds me of those who berate Josh Fox for Gasland, but are too much of a coward to set on a panel and debate this with him. My daddy would have called that "chickenshit", and so would I. From Mr. Levin's words, who exactly is the radical here? Who is the wacko?

Calvin Tillman

Former Mayor, DISH, TX
(940) 453-3640

"Those who say it can not be done, should get out of the way of those that are doing it"