But not the way many people here at Daily Kos think.
Point of disclosure - I am not a fascist, mass murderer, or shill for Big Oil - although I have been accused of such for supporting continued use of fossil fuels. In fact, my support for the construction of Keystone XL dovetails with the majority of Democrats who support KXL, labor unions such as the Laborers International Union of North America and Democrats such as those senators who wrote to President Obama this past spring urging approval, four of whom lost.
And that is the crux of the problem. Despite deeply held beliefs in opposition to KXL, many here at Daily Kos and in the Democratic leadership simply cannot understand why an overwhelming majority of Americans supports KXL in poll after poll.
Here are the numbers from the latest Pew Poll:
Dems - 49% / 38% in favor
Inds - 61% / 29% in favor
Reps - 84% / 9% in favor
All - 61% / 27% in favor
Now, the 2014 midterms were not won or lost solely on Keystone XL, but it does serve as a lens through which the election can be viewed. Nor will KXL create 50,000 jobs. Nor will it destroy the planet. But it does create a perception in the larger American electorate. That image is one of Democrats stalling economic development.
Yes, Obama inherited an economy on life support. And yes, the past 30 years has witnessed an unprecedented movement of income away from working people into the hands of elites. But those are theoretical issues. Welders know they can get a job in North Dakota starting at $100,000 - - in the oil & gas industry. Ain't no jobs like that in most places, anymore. And yes, they overlook the $2000/month RV fees - if they can find an open spot.
Make no mistake, Keystone and the overall perception it created among the electorate influenced a number of key Senate races. How could one not think that energy would not be an issue in states such as Alaska, Colorado, and Louisiana? Hickman Analytics, a Democratic-leaning firm, polled in four key state this past spring. In Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, and North Carolina, there was overwhelming support for KXL. In all, many voters said that Obama's opposition to KXL might influence their vote. And in three of the four, the Democratic senator appealed to Obama to move forward with KXL.
Here at Daily Kos and among the Democratic leadership, there has been a strong moral overtone to the Keystone debate. I would be a millionaire if I had a dollar for every time the terms "dirty oil" and "killer coal" have been used. Needless to say, folks in the energy trades - folks who used to be reliably Democratic - take a little umbrage.
Probably the best illustration of what has happened in the past 50 years is a set of two maps of elections in West Virginia. In 1964, nearly every county in West Virginia went for Democrat Lyndon Johnson in the presidential election. In 2014, every county went for Republican Shelley Moore Capito in the senate election. Of late, there have been accusations of the ubiquitous racism of West Virginia; yet, it was 1964 when the segregationist Deep South broke from the Democratic Party and voted for Goldwater. West Virginia didn't.
There are times to take unpopular stands and there are times to acknowledge political reality. People's definition of which is which will, of course, vary. But it seems pretty clear that the American public does not share the Democratic leadership's opposition to Keystone XL. Landrieu is way to the right of me on practically everything, but Cassidy makes her look like Elizabeth Warren. Is it worth giving up all the other progressive goals in order to fall on the sword of Keystone? Because that is what is happening. Although Manchin has denied it, after this round he will be more than ready to leave the Democratic Party - maybe as an independent rather than a Republican. Do you think Tester and Heitkamp are going to be friendly to Senate Democrats or to Pres. Obama when their states are so closely tied to energy development? Even Bennet and Warner will likely be reticent.
If the Democratic Party wants to retreat to the coasts and claim moral victory after moral victory, then they will, most likely, not regain congressional majorities in the next generation. Demographic advantages and voter modelling aside, people respond to issues. Not to mention that certain demographics can change overnight. The Senate will always have an overrepresentation of small states. That was one of the founding compromises of the U.S. Constitution. The House will have gerrymandered districts favoring Republicans as long as the GOP controls 2/3s of state legislatures. And for the Democrats to regain the House, they are going to have to widen the tent.
Yes, Keystone XL does serve as an excellent example of why the Democrats lost this year.
And will continue to do so until Democrats get it.