[speechlesstx]

Words fail me...

While leaving U.S. oil and jobs in the ground, our itinerant president tells a South American neighbor that we'll help it develop its offshore resources so we can one day import its oil. WHAT?!

With Japan staggered by a natural disaster and a nuclear crisis, cruise missiles launched against Libya in our third Middle East conflict and a majority of U.S. senators complaining about a lack of leadership on the budget, President Obama decided it would be a good time to schmooze with Brazilians.

His "What, me worry?" presidency has given both Americans and our allies plenty to worry about. But in the process of making nice with Brazil, Obama made a mind-boggling announcement that should make even his most loyal supporter cringe:

We will help Brazil develop its offshore oil so we can one day import it.

We have noted this double standard before, particularly when — at a time when the president was railing against tax incentives for U.S. oil companies — we supported the U.S. Export-Import Bank's plan to lend $2 billion to Brazil's state-run Petrobras with the promise of more to follow.

Now, with a seven-year offshore drilling ban in effect off of both coasts, on Alaska's continental shelf and in much of the Gulf of Mexico — and a de facto moratorium covering the rest — Obama tells the Brazilians:

"We want to help you with the technology and support to develop these oil reserves safely. And when you're ready to start selling, we want to be one of your best customers."

Obama wants to develop Brazilian offshore oil to help the Brazilian economy create jobs for Brazilian workers while Americans are left unemployed in the face of skyrocketing energy prices by an administration that despises fossil fuels as a threat to the environment and wants to increase our dependency on foreign oil.

Obama said he chose Brazil to kick off his first-ever visit to South America in recognition of that country's ascendancy. He has also highlighted one of the reasons for America's decline — an energy policy that through the creation of an artificial shortage of fossil fuels makes prices "necessarily skyrocket" to foster his green energy agenda.

In an op-ed in USA Today explaining his trip, Obama opined: "Brazil holds recently discovered oil reserves that could be far larger than ours. And as we seek to increase secure-energy supplies, we look forward to developing a strategic energy partnership."

[tomder55]

Contrast that to Palin's speech to India and decide for yourself which one has the United State's best interest at the forefront of policy .

Our abundant oil, gas, minerals & our robust fisheries! An important project that was a 'center-point' was jumpstarting a natural gas pipeline project that had been stalled for decades. We brought all stakeholders together for mutual benefit - our state, the energy industry, our neighboring country, consumers & together with ordinary citizens (who are the resource owners) & major energy producers who 'bid on the right to develop our resources', AK was finally able to move forward on a project that can help lead America towards energy independence.

Through my work in AK (as an oil & gas regulator, then as governor), I've seen firsthand how energy development, job creation & national security are inextricably linked. Access to affordable, reliable energy is the key to economic growth, which is the key to job growth. Securing that stable domestic supply of fuel will lead to a more peaceful & prosperous America - an America that's not subject to the whims of foreign dictators who could cut off energy supplies & seek to control.

Of course, energy issues are critical to the whole world's stability & economic opportunities! By 2030, the world's energy consumption will increase by 50% & almost half of that will come from here in India & from China. We all face similar challenges in this arena & this makes America's quest for energy security all the more crucial as we seek to stabilize our economy, secure our homeland & cooperate with our allies who would also seek peace on earth.

Energy is key! My vision for a free & prosperous America has much to do with energy.

Now, we hear a lot about "green energy" today. And I am a true believer in environmental conservation & responsible stewardship of our lands. (It's why I live in AK! A pristine environment to be passed on to future generations - I don't want to mess it up! I am a conservationist. I married into an Alaska native family, where Todd's connection to the land through his Yupik Eskimo heritage, an indigenous people, reinforces my respect for God's creation. And we've made our living off the land - as commercial fishermen & Todd working in North Slope oil fields - so we don't want to mess it up!)

So, I'm in favour of "all-of-the-above" approach to energy security. But "all-of-the-above" means including "conventional" resources! That means, the kind we actually use to reliably fuel our economy. That means crude oil, for example. And our natural gas, our coal, nuclear power.

Unfortunately, some have stymied resource development - like responsible domestic oil drilling. As a result, hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs won't be created in the U.S. until we change course; it means Americans get hit with huge gas prices at the pump unless we change course; it means we're continuing to transfer hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars to foreign regimes to purchase energy from them - regimes that don't have our best interests at heart.

And I'm not just talking about gasoline here. Remember that 'petroleum products' are all around you! Look at your everyday surroundings - the foodstuffs; the agriculture products grown with fertilizer; the plastics all around you; medical supplies; the transportation of all these products. It's not just gas that increases as the price of crude increases: Everything is affected. Basic commodities.

So as government locks up land & we lose good jobs in the 'Conventional Resource' arena, you may hear that "green jobs" will be the saviour! But look around the world & try telling that to the thousands of English & Scottish workers who've lost jobs as a result of government investments in "green energy" projects. A recent UK study shows that for every "green job" created, nearly four jobs were lost elsewhere in the economy due to lack of affordable energy! Same story in Spain - investment in "green jobs" brought massive debt, skyrocketing energy costs & 20% unemployment.

This push for 'green' at the expense of 'conventional, reliable' sources is not a credible energy policy or economic policy. It's "Social Engineering" by Central Government Planners. And it leads to nothing but more debt & more job loss. And taxpayers will be stuck subsidizing the failure and paying more for energy.

The good news is there's a choice/another option! Instead of funding non-viable special interest projects, Americans can capitalize on our own viable resources that are just waiting to be tapped - they're right on our doorstep! Billions of barrels of oil warehoused underground in AK!

And so much natural gas - Clean, green, affordable! Easy to transport, abundant across the U.S. - Whether used conventionally, or to power natural gas cars, or run power plants that charge electric cars, natural gas is an ideal "bridge fuel" to the future. (A future when renewable gas can someday become more available, reliable & affordable.)

I warn Americans so often: it's a 'false, utopian fairytale' told that would want you to believe we don't need to drill for oil today. No, government manipulating energy supplies? Manipulating any aspect of an economy - it leads to more people becoming more dependent upon government to meet needs - it is social engineering, it's immoral, & it's a problem we-the-people must be brave enough to take on.

Sarah Palin: America and India are a testament to the positive force of human aspirations : India: India Today

[speechlesstx]

Strangely, no one but you and I seem to find this interesting.

[tomder55]

Well you know ,George Soros interests trump US interests

[smoothy]

Strangely, no one but you and I seem to find this interesting.

Actually this is EXACTLY the sort of thing I expect from Obama.

He uses OUR money for OTHER countries to get more oil for themselves... he prevents us from drilling for our own oil... and we do have lots... then he goes and starts bombing oil producing nations to drive the price up even more. (yeah its been only one so far "Libya"... and it one too many.

When do you suppose he plans to start bombing Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states? To make sure we don't get any oil there either since we aren't allowed to get our own thanks to that morons executive order.

Obama is anti-American and this is yet another bit of evidence he is trying to destroy America.

[tomder55]

Think about it . Soros $ helps Obama win the Presidency. Then suddenly once in office the US Export-Import Bank gives $2 billion in loan guarantees to Petrobas (the Brazil oil company which Soros has invested $800 million) August 2009 at a time when he was using the bully pulpit complaining against tax incentives for U.S. oil companies .
Not surprising they find a major reserved in deep water off their coast.

Obama then virtually shuts down American domestic exploration in the aftermath of the BP Gulf spill.

Libya erupts into revolt ,and instead of supporting the people of Libya when a no-fly zone could've made the biggest difference ;he waits until the revolution is almost decided ,and now is doing just enough to make sure that neither side wins for a while ,and at very least ;Libyan crude won't go back on the market any time soon.

Before the intervention begins ;Obama shows up in Brazil telling them we'd help them develop their reserve and want to be their customer .

[paraclete]

Great conspiracy theory, Tom, shall we call it the second oil war. Just remember no part of the american political cartel is immune from going to war over oil

[smoothy]

Great conspiracy theory, Tom, shall we call it the second oil war. Just remember no part of the american political cartel is immune from going to war over oil

Considering we are sitting on three times the oil that is known to exist in the middle east right now (under USA soil) they refuse to allow to be touched... it makes you wonder... "WHY".

[paraclete]

Considering we are sitting on three times the oil that is known to exist in the middle east right now (under USA soil) they refuse to allow to be touched......it makes you wonder...."WHY".

I think it is called a strategic reserve, the US expects to have oil when no one else does and so can dominate the world. Makes you wonder how many ways they want to do it. It might be the one thing they can use to keep China in check

[smoothy]

I think it is called a strategic reserve, the US expects to have oil when noone else does and so can dominate the world. Makes you wonder how many ways they want to do it. It might be teh one thing they can use to keep China in check

THe strategic reserves are different... those are crude pumped INTO the ground for emergency use (usually salt wells etc).. where-as the oil I referred to is untapped reserves.

But the point you were trying to make is understood.

China has some pretty good reserves of coal... as do we. And that can be converted. THe germans did it during WW2. Its not cheaper than crude... but it is still viable.

[speechlesstx]

Obama is just a hypocrite here. Kudos to WaPo for calling him on it.

Brazil is probably a more stable, secure supplier than, say, Libya. Still, the president’s words were ironic. Brazil already produces vast quantities of a fuel — ethanol — that the U.S. government, under a policy long supported by presidents and farm-state members of Congress from both parties, has promoted as a green alternative to gasoline. But the United States, protecting its own heavily subsidized ethanol industry by means of a 2.5 percent tariff and a 54-cent-per-gallon duty, prevents Americans from importing all but trivial amounts of the stuff from Brazil. Therefore, we need more oil — much of it imported. In Brasilia, Mr. Obama spoke of strengthening U.S.-Brazilian technical cooperation on ethanol but did not propose allowing U.S. protectionist measures to lapse after their scheduled expiration on Dec. 31.

As for offshore drilling, Mr. Obama’s enthusiasm for punching holes in the ocean floor off Brazil is hard to reconcile with his decision, announced Dec. 1, to keep the waters off the East and West coasts and the eastern Gulf of Mexico off-limits to exploration indefinitely. His policy was a reversal of an earlier decision he had made to open some of those areas.

It is hard to reconcile.

While WaPo asks a good question here, they missed one as well in mentioning "five deep-water drilling permits" the administration announced. Those permits? Not so new. The administration is fudging some other numbers as well.

[tomder55]

... and Brazil's ethanol is sugar cane based ;not corn. Sugar cane is not an essential food item . Corn is a staple .