A Man Against A Pipeline

All Things Considered:

Because of his vocal opposition to the pipeline, Randy Thompson has become a symbol in the state. There are signs all across Nebraska that feature his face and read, "I Stand With Randy."
Four years ago, Thompson was contacted by an agency representing TransCanada that said the pipeline could cross his land.
"He just said ... we're wondering if we could have permission to come on and do some surveying," Thompson says.
TransCanada wanted Thompson and other affected landowners to sign over the rights to parts of their land in order to build the pipeline.
Thompson was offered $9,000. But he wasn't interested.
In 2010, TransCanada sent a letter to his 92-year-old mother, who co-owned the land with him. The gist of the letter was if they refused to cooperate, Keystone would use eminent domain to acquire an easement.
Thompson was stunned that a foreign company could potentially take over his land. But Robert Jones, TransCanada's vice president, says the company was following normal procedure.
"The Keystone pipeline system was under construction in 2010 and we were absolutely considering the precedent in the past, anticipating a presidential permit shortly," Jones sy.
Thompson and other ranchers thought the tone of the letters was unnecessarily aggressive, but the letters had the opposite effect on other landowners.
"I had a neighbor told me, said, these guys are way too big," Thompson says. "There's no need to fight them. Just as well sign and get it over with. So he signed the easement right away."

I'm not sure why the Republicans are so quick to jam the pipeline through some of their most supportive constituents' property.  I don't have a dog in this fight, but it just seems like bad politics.  As a landowner, though, I don't like hearing the eminent domain threat.