Back in the early days of the Keystone fight, it was hard to get anyone to pay attention. But when we wrote diaries at Kos, people helped spread the word and build the movement
By last night, that movement had become too much, and Transcanada threw in the towel. Behind at the end of nine innings, they'd like to 'suspend the game' till after the next election. They're simply trying to avoid the final ignominy of a ruling against them, and President Obama should not give them the satisfaction, which is why there's a petition here that needs signing
But the real story today is--a done deal has come spectacularly undone. This was the first time that a huge oil infrastructure project has simply been blocked by citizens. It wasn't because of low oil prices--long before the price began to fall big investors started pulling billions from tarsands expansion. It was because citizen pressure overturned expectations. There were politicians involved--Bernie, for one, who came on board in September of 2011. But he'd be the first to cite, and to celebrate, the citizen activism that began with indigenous North Americans, scientists, farmers and ranchers, people of faith. It's been glorious to watch.
And it's been even more glorious to see the spirit spread to a thousand other battles. Here's how a key fossil fuel industry lobbyist put it in a speech to his confederates a few months ago: "We've seen a change in the debate. I hesitate to put it this way, but call it the Keystone-ization of every project that's out there, that if you can stop one permit, you can stop the development of fossil fuels."
Thanks to all who signed petitions, wrote emails, spread links, and went to jail. I know that there have always been, and always will be, cynics about citizen movements. But today is not a day for cynicism; it's a day to understand that we have power too.
Oh, and Exxon? We know you knew, and we're not happy about it.