Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

Weekly Washington Wrap

• This week, the Keystone XL pipeline surpassed Solyndra in the Washington news.  Several weeks ago, environmental groups pressured reporters to start covering the Keystone XL issue instead of covering the Solyndra scandal.  Now it appears as though the press is making up for lost time with daily reports on congressional Democrats, and Occupy Wall Street protestors, pressuring President Obama to deny a State Department permit for the construction of a Canada/U.S. pipeline that would bring oil sands crude to Texas for refining. 
  
  
• This week’s GOP presidential news focused on Texas Governor Rick Perry’s economic plan released Tuesday in South Carolina.  Perry’s plan creates an alternative 20 percent flat tax, a privatized option for Social Security, and raises the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare.  The tax reform plan and an endorsement by Steve Forbes pushed Perry into the spotlight this week, replacing the focus on Herman Cain, but that could be temporary.  A new FOX News poll released yesterday shows Cain picking up major steam – his level of support rising from six percent in August to now leading the GOP pack at 24%. 
  
  
• The Super Committee, charged with coming up with a $1.2 trillion deficit reduction plan by November 23, faced added pressure this week.  Bank of America warned that failure by Congress to approve a deficit reduction plan would result in a further downgrade of U.S. debt by one of the three rating agencies.  This, combined with public opinion polls of Congress at all time lows, adds to the likelihood that an agreement will be reached.  Political pundits believe that although the work of the Super Committee is important, ultimately a deal will have to be cut between House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

L' automne au Québec est magnifique!

Bonjour, y'all!  It has been a while since David Wilkins has visited Quebec and so it was with delight he found himself earlier this week in the beautiful town of Clermont at a magnificent time of the year.  Clermont is located a couple hours north east of Quebec City on the southern banks of the Malbaie River. 

Wilkins was there attending an AbitibiBowater board meeting in the town that has a long and successful history with the pulp and paper industry.

Way back in 1909, the East Canada Power and Pulp Company was founded, paving the way for a flourishing urban community in what had been rural farmland.   

Today, the AbitibiBowater paper mill remains a thriving part of the town's economy.  Its history can be traced back to 1936 when the mill was founded by the Donohue brothers and (logically, we think) called the Donohue Mill. 

 Wilkins' Issues Update:  California Cap and Trade

Leading up to the historic 2010 U.S. midterm elections, faithful Carolina-Canada Connections readers recall that we dedicated a number of our newsletters to covering the people and issues of particular interest to our Canadian friends. 

One of the hottest of those issues was California's landmark cap and trade program that received a thumbs-up from that state's voters last November.  The law was original passed by the Legislature in 2006. 

The plan, which puts a price on carbon is now set to take effect on January 1, 2012 after a state regulatory board made final adjustment to the regulation.

The law requires the state to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and is the only law of its kind in the country. 

While environmentalists are hailing the new standard as a victory, many in the business community on both sides of the U.S-Canada border, share grave concerns. The creation of differing standards, rules, and taxes in numerous states would make it almost impossible for business to comply with the massive amount of varied and voluminous bureaucratic red tape this would undoubtedly create.  Additionally, state to state regs would make it more difficult for the Canadian Government to develop and implement a common-sense environmental plan that would prove cohesive with the U.S. strategy, helping to streamline cross-border transactions rather than inhibit them. 

Environmentalists claim it as a "model for a national program."  Business and industry leaders predict it will lead to significant job losses and companies leaving the state at a time when California's economy can ill afford it. 

Stay tuned…

Can't Catch Clemson!    

Now to Wilkins' most favorite part of your Carolina-Canada Connections – an update on his unbeatable, unstoppable, undefeated Clemson Tigers!

Since our last installment when we offered a tutorial on exactly what a terrapin is (a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States, according to Wikipedia), the Tigers went on a tear against the University of Maryland Terrapins, beating them 56-45 in what headlines screamed was a "barnburner." 

What really made this game exciting (or nauseating depending on whether you are a U of Maryland or for that matter a University of South Carolina Gamecock football fan) is that Maryland blew an 18-point lead in succumbing to Clemson. 

And then last Saturday, in another game that had the high scores more reflective of basketball than football, Clemson crushed the North Carolina Tar Heels 59-38.

So what does all this winning mean?

For now, it means a few things:

1. A ranking of #5 in the country by the Bowl Selection Committee (BSC) and the Atlantic Coast Conference's (ACC's) best shot at a BSC championship;
2. A #6 ranking in the Associated Press (AP) poll; and,
3. An impossibly happy (dare we say smug?) Clemson University Board of Trustees chairman (who just happens to be the former U.S. ambassador to Canada).

By the way, Chairman Wilkins has been sharing the thrill of victory with a number of Canadian visitors who he is now convinced are bringing his team good luck.  Last week, for example, David and Susan Wilkins were joined by their old friends from Ottawa, Tom and Suzanne McDougall. 

This Saturday, the Tigers take on Georgia Tech. 

(Just between us, if the Tigers take it on the tail this weekend, you may not receive an update as Wilkins officially mourns the first setback in his glorious season.  However, assuming another Clemson victory, expect a full report from your next Carolina-Canada Connections.)