Corporate democrats doing what they do.

It was this or a government shutdown. Considering the Dems have a minority in both houses, they got the most they could. Elections have consequences. People who don't vote for Democrats or even worse don't vote at all carry a HUGE portion of the blame. As someone once said, "Refusing to vote isn't an act of rebellion - it's an act of surrender."

This is what happens when you don't get off of your asses and participate. If you were 17 or older last month the first thing you need to do is get ready to go to your precinct caucus at ten AM, Saturday March 26, locations TBA. Republicans caucus in February and can then jump in the lake.
Then you need to vote in an informed manner in EVERY FUCKING ELECTION not just once or once every four years. This stinking congress is dominated by low down dirty rotten Republicans who were elected by good people who didn't vote. We'll probably never get the oil export ban back. Elect Sanders and run the Republicans out of here!

The mayor should just bar oil trains from the city tracks. That's within his authority -- Daley fucked up meigs field because of "terrorism" risk that was bullshit, and this is real risk.

Feds can do what they want but there's no obligation for WA to accept shipments by death train.

Good one auntie jim!

South Korea to Deploy Beaucoups Fuel Cell Cars

http://www.wsj.com/articles/south-korea-…

If it's transported safely then it's good for our state's economy. We can't close our rail corridors being a major West Coast Port.

@4
Neither the mayor nor the governor have the power to bar interstate commerce from the BNSF mainline. That is controlled completely at the state level. So, come election time, doorbell in Bellevue, Doorbell in Vancouver, Doorbell in Kirkland, make phone calls to NH, FL, IL, OH, WI, CO, AR, and Penn. So, that we can get a Democratic majority in congress and prevent this sh!t from happening!

In 2014 there was 20% turnout, this is the result.

Edit @8 Neither the mayor nor the governor have the power to bar interstate commerce from the BNSF mainline. That is controlled completely at the FEDERAL level. With Statutory and Constitutional preemption. The only thing the locals have control over is safety related speed limits.

Guess we could make them all go 1 mph through Seattle, but the Sounder would have to comply as well.

I'm glad to see a few Slog commenters understand what the reality is in DC. Before you purists either decide to vote for Jill Stein in 2016, or not vote at all, think about whether you really want our country to have all three sectors of government in the grip of the Republicans. Right now two, the Supremes and Congress, are controlled by pre-Neanderthals.

Despite the fact that track defects have caused most derailments, we have seen no reports of increased inspections to find these flaws and of what corrective actions have been taken.
Making the cars spill proof has resulted in cars that aren't nearly spill proof and that don't even need to be operational until years from now. Railroads like the spill proof cars because they don't have to pay for them and it takes the pressure off them to up the dollars they put into inspecting the rails.
The blizzard of statistics from years gone by make it seem as though derailments are rare and aren't all that damaging. But most stats were pre Bakken crude stats. The oil trains are heavier, longer, harder to control and are damaging the rails and derailing, fortunately, outside metro areas. We need to supplement irrelevant stats with on point mathematical modeling to truly assess Bakken crude risk.
Absent modeling, stories about actual derailments ought to convince you that when a crude oil tank car catches fire, you don't foam it, you don't water it, you just get away fast, if you can, and let it burn itself out.
We know how flammable Bakken crude under pressure is. There is no mystery. The formula is 80 years old. This science is not out. Yet, shippers are not required to remove the gasses before pumping the crude into the tank cars, even though they do remove those same gasses before pumping them into an ocean going tanker or into a pipeline.
The Federal Railroad Administration can enforce regulations to increase the frequency and intensity with which we inspect the rails and correct flaws that eventually cause derailments, but they only hear from the railroads, who tell them that all that can be done is being done. Let them hear from you. Sign the petition calling for strict enforcement and add a personal comment.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/enforce…

@11: Thank you for sharing the link. I signed the petition.

@3 auntie jim: THANK you!
@7: Hel-LO?! Bakken crude is both highly toxic and dangerous! There is NO way this shit can ever be "transported safely" by BNSF rail, especially if our rail bridges are old and unsafe and our state's infrastructure is crumbling! Your avatar of a jackass matches your woeful level of ignorance. This is clearly NOT good for the Pacific Norhwest, public health and safety, or for the environment! All it takes to destroy this entire region is one derailment and consequential oil spill into Puget Sound.