If you think an override of President Obama's promised veto on the Keystone XL pipeline is no longer possible, think again. We only lose these battles when we take the pressure off, and this is no time to do that.
The House passed the bill last week by a vote of 266-153. Now that is a huge margin but it's 24 votes short of the 290 needed to override Obama's veto. Does that mean the issue is dead? Not at all! It may not be easy to get 24 more Democrats to vote for an override after they already opposed the bill, but remember, House members have to run for re-election every two years. I expect Obama's veto to be extremely unpopular with the public, and every House member who votes to sustain his veto needs to come under excruciating, unbearable pressure as a result.
I have seen members of Congress changes their votes on issues because their constituents made themselves heard. It can be done.
And in the Senate, the vote in favor now stands at 63. That includes all 54 Republicans and nine Democrats, and it's four votes short of the 67 necessary for the override. Can we get another four Democrats? Again, if we apply enough pressure, there is no reason why not.
Here is where you can find the contact information for every Senate Democrat who hasn't already committed to support Keystone. Be polite and respectful, but having said that . . .
go nuts.
Once the bill passes the Senate and Obama presumably vetoes it, we'll have some idea when a potential override vote will be scheduled. As that date approaches, we need to make sure these Democrats feel the greatest public pressure of their careers. And if you happen to live in the district or state of one of the holdouts . . . well, you know what to do.
