As President Obama smugly twiddles his thumbs and decides when he'll put Keystone out of its misery, sides are being taken, mostly along political lines, in the real debate that will decide the fate of the domestic oil industry: ending the outdated 1975 ban on crude oil exports. Obama, of course, sees no need to lift the ban, though he says he might reconsider IF the oil industry gives up its tax breaks. Refineries and various business groups favor the ban, fearing its end would raise their costs. The environmental lobby, with its deep pockets, has become increasingly entrenched in the administration and fights anything that even hints of supporting fossil fuels.
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