I'm interested in our Congressional Representative Scott Tipton's, and Senator Cory Gardner's conservative stances. I know they both espouse smaller federal government reach and support individual rights.
They both support the Keystone XL pipeline. For this  line to be built would require the federal government to condemn property owned by U.S. citizens so it can be used by a Canadian company to transport their heavy synthetic crude oil and diluted bitumen. This action seems to contradict smaller federal government reach and recognition of individual property rights.
The pipeline would provide jobs during construction. The permanent jobs once it is complete would be 50. The oil would not be used in the U.S. It would be refined in Texas and exported. This project does nothing to assist U.S. energy independence. How much federal and state money would be spent when the pipeline leaks or breaks? It will sooner or later.
I know David and Charles Koch stand to make a substantial amount of money from this enterprise. I also know the Kochs and their PACs contributed large sums of money to support electing Tipton and Gardner. It seems our representatives are conservatives, except when their priorities and influences contradict conservative values. Then they aren't.
Andrew Zeiler
Gem Village