Guest post by David Middleton
19 January 2012
Obama clean energy ad airing in Va.
A new ad from President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign that touts his energy and ethics record began airing in Virginia this week even as Republican blasted him over a decision to reject a permit for a proposed oil pipeline from Canada.
The 30-second spot (see below) makes a case that Obama’s policies have promoted clean energy jobs and reduced the nation’s dependence on foreign oil while enduring unfounded attacks funded by wealthy energy industry officials.
[…]
This campaign ad is nothing but a collection of falsehoods.
Falsehood #1: “Secretive oil billionaires attacking President Obama”… The Koch brothers (and the oil & gas industry in general) have been anything but secretive in their attacks on President Obama.
Falsehood #2: The ad implies that President Obama has created 2.7 million “clean energy industry” jobs.
The 2.7 million figure is purportedly cited from a Brookings report. The report said that there currently are 2.7 million jobs in America that “produce goods and services with an environmental benefit.”
The clean economy, which employs some 2.7 million workers, encompasses a signifi cant number of jobs in establishments spread across a diverse group of industries. (Page 4)
The report says that the “clean economy establishments added half a million jobs between 2003 and 2010.” So… Obama didn’t even “create” half a million “clean energy jobs.” He didn’t even create half a million clean economy jobs. The Brookings report refers to “clean economy” not “clean energy” jobs. The vast majority of the “clean economy” jobs are not in energy… And almost all of those jobs were created before Obama took office.
More than 82% of the “clean economy” jobs listed in the report have nothing to do with energy production…
Waste Management & Treatment … 386,116 … 14%
Public Mass Transit … 350,547 … 13%
Conservation … 314,983 … 12%
Energy Saving Building Materials … 161,896 … 6%
Regulation & Compliance … 141,890 … 5%
Professional Environmental Services … 141,046 … 5%
Organic Food & Farming … 129,956 … 5%
Recycling & Reuse … 129,252 … 5%
Green Consumer Products … 77,264 … 3%
Green Building Materials … 76,577 … 3%
HVAC … 73,600 … 3%
Sustainable Forestry Products … 61,054 … 2%
Recycled Content Products … 59,712 … 2%
Green Architecture … 56,190 … 2%
Air & Water Purification … 24,930 … 1%
Green Chemical Products … 22,622 … 1%
Total … 2,207,635 … 82%
Falsehood #3: The ad implies that President Obama somehow played a role in the increase in US domestic oil production over the last few years… That is beyond ridiculous! The plays and prospects from which the production growth was derived were worked up, leased, drilled and plumbed-up for production over the last decade or more. The effects of Obama’s disastrous anti-drilling policies won’t show up in production data for quite some time.
Obama’s anti-drilling policies began in 2009 and were ramped up in 2010. This is either the most amazingly arrogant lie to ever come out of this President’s mouth or an example of his incredible ignorance of the oil & gas industry and energy in general.
The increase in US oil production has come from two main sources:
1) Shale plays like the Bakken.
The Bakken shale play has mostly been developed on private property. Very little of the shale plays have been developed on Federal lands – And the Obama administration has actively sought to further restrict development on Federal lands. Apart from the EPA, regulation and obstruction of these sorts of plays are mostly in the hands of State gov’ts.
2) Deepwater Gulf of Mexico discoveries.
The deepwater discoveries that have been brought on line over the last three years were discovered long before Obama took office… Many were discovered while Clinton was still in office. Construction and installation of the production facilities began long before Obama took office. On top of that, much of the increase in production was the result of the ongoing recovery from hurricanes Rita (2005), Katrina (2005) and Ike (2008).
Over the last two years, the Obama administration has almost paralyzed operations in the Gulf of Mexico with an unlawful permitorium and has aggressively tried to hamper the shale plays with fraudulent EPA attacks on fracking and unlawful efforts to make BLM lands unavailable…
This is all anyone ever needs to know about President Obama’s views on energy…
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steveta_uk, I’m not sure if your objection is the political aspect of the story, or the US aspect. If the former, there are ‘science’ and ‘climate’ claims being made by President Obama, and others in the political arena. If the latter, like it or not, America is the big boy on the field. Our actions affect everyone else in the world. In either case, the claims being made are in fact relevant to people in the US, and the world at large. Also, Anthony’s blog, Anthony’s rules. If enough people have a problem with the stories, readership will decline, and WUWT will be number one no longer.
I also couldn’t help but notice that, of the “jobs created,” you have, “Regulation & Compliance … 141,890 … 5%.”
What does this represent. I hate to say this, but I tend to see “regulation and compliance” in the following way:
You have a highway. Traffic is flowing along nicely. Then you erect 141,890 toll booths. Traffic is “regulated” and forsed to “comply,” and pretty much grinds to a halt. Not only do these jobs get in the way of productive people, but they waste the potential of 141,890 people, who could be doing something useful and productive, but instead are stuck in brain-numbing toll booths.
America’s dependency on foreign oil is down because Obama and the democrats have destroyed the economy. Recession equals less demand.
Agh, stop this partisan nonsense. Obama is simply continuing Bush policies seamlessly, but he’s actually allowing MORE oil production than Bush allowed.
Obama’s ads are designed to satisfy his D base, just as Bush’s ads were designed to satisfy his R base. Under the surface of the ads and speeches, it’s the same administration with the same agenda.
The tragedy is that right now, the Republicans are struggling to find anyone to challenge this clown.
http://drsanity.blogspot.com/2012/01/every-four-years-america-has-major.html
“This is either the most amazingly arrogant lie to ever come out of this President’s mouth. . . . ”
I don’t think you’re doing justice to Obama’s skill as a prevaricator. He can tell ten howlers at least as bad before breakfast.
From “Forecast The Facts”…immediate release…Biggest Obama Lies evah! Tonight in Robbinghood’s State Of The Union Address! Disney Land fears being seen as “harsh reality”….
In one respect, Obama has lessened our dependence on foreign oil. By keeping the country in a prolonged recession, he has assured that demand would stay low. Demand low – less to import. Also, ensuring the price stayed high he has made sure that existing wells could be pumped for more oil that was not cost effective to do so when the price was $70/barrell.
The rest is a lie. But too many swallow it.
steveta_uk says:
January 24, 2012 at 2:09 am
Why is WUWT now covering US politics? Are you sure you want to keep the “best science blog” award?
When science is corrupted to the purpose of advancing politics, it is the responsibility of science advocates to address the corruption. The objective is to elevate science. The actions of politicians stand on their own.
~100 million people did not vote for Obama….
….he’s toast
Unless someone thinks there were 100 million disenfranchised liberals, kids, and blacks that sat it out………….
Here we go into full blown election season, don’t trust this site or any advert. They are all lying. Politifact might be OK, but in general do your own research and use non-afiliated and unbiased sites.
steveta_uk.
I know exactly where you are coming from here. Junk Science used to be a science blog until it was hijacked by rampant republicanism, during the previous US presidential elections, if I recall. Now it is just partisan rubbish. This is where the slippery slope of criticising political, not scientific, opponents leads.
I agree it’s Anthony’s blog and he runs it as he sees fit. But a word of advice – keep domestic politics out of it or lose your global audience.
steveta_uk says:
January 24, 2012 at 2:09 am
“Why is WUWT now covering US politics? Are you sure you want to keep the “best science blog” award?”
Unfortunately, climate science and politics are now, more than ever, intertwined – from climate elites getting government huge sums of “stimulus” money for their pet projects and new computers, to Jim Hansen (government employee) protesting the Keystone pipeline project.
The ONLY way we in the U.S. will once and for all gain our energy independence (i.e. be able to search for and produce our own oil and natural gas) and bring a halt to the insanity of the CAGW climate elites is to make a change this November.
PLEASE – U.S. readers – keep this in mind when you vote this November. And also remember to ask your local and state representatives where they stand on issues relate to energy independence and climate change.
These are also running in North Carolina too. I do what I do for every political ad, not just the ones from President Obama. I change the channel or put the TV on mute. He is doing what politicians do, that is they will do whatever is needed to get power or stay in power. Have you seen the attacks the republicans are making against each other? But as soon as one wins the bid for presidency, they will be best friends.
Unprecedented …allright
never before have so many hopeful folks, been so disappointed.
and yeah depressions tend to cut fuel food and everthing else.
for the working folks, the well off seem to do ok..as ever.
we wont be seeing Al or sotero riding a bike to work will we?
we may?? if all goes well see the BOTH outta work themselves:-)
The old time fairs and the carnival midway – main street. Cotton candy, corn dogs and plenty of Carn’ie barking to lure dime tossing toward a glass plate. A few, very few, win big but most just pay the ‘overhead expense’.
Politics has in past driven poor or facade constricting science. Some science research repeating itself has opportunity to pay overhead costs. There are honest people, there is no sustainable honest politics that would perpetuate and create a norm.
As a non-USA , EU citizen, I believe that whatever happens in the US effects so much the rest of the world that we should have the right to vote in US presidential elections. And if I were t ohave that right to vote I know whom not to vote to.
As they say, if the US sneezes, the world catches a cold. Now that Obama has made the US to catch a cold, the world has now caught pneumonia.
I have many relatives in the US and they cannot see the day when the (non-) US president goes.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/obama-puppetmaster-warren-buffett-biggest-winner-keystone-pipeline-rejection
I find it interesting to hear bits and pieces of politics in other nations. Without WUWT, I wouldn’t have any idea who Julia Gillard was. Because of WUWT, I heard about Canada puliling out of Kyoto long before I saw a single story reported on the topic here in the US. The bits of national politics are useful because we can compare notes on how different governments lie to their people, and how they twist science to support their policies.
Obama got away last time with all the lies because the MSM wouldn’t dare contradict him on fear of being called racists.
That meme won’t hold this time. The Obamassiah Magic Shield is worn to thin.
Alex the skeptic says:
January 24, 2012 at 6:00 am
The disease is socialism. Europe didn’t catch that from the US.
cedarhill says:
January 24, 2012 at 3:51 am
Mostly same-old same-old.
Every socialist since Goebbels stated the main propaganda theorem of socialist tyrants: tell a lie enough times and it becomes true. The sophistication made by the Left, and others, are they make sure there is at least something that’s true or close to true so they won’t be accused of an outright lie. And if they can’t find the something, then they use some comment made somewhere on the internet as a “some say” source. They’ve even progressed to simply posting lies then citing themselves. Sound familiar?
Confidence tricksters credo, never tell a complete lie & never tell the whole truth. That way they leave enough loose ends lying around that by the time you’ve worked out what’s true & what’s not, you’ve tied tied yourself in nots! 🙂
Have we crossed into ‘Goebbels’* territory yet?
” … the most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly and with unflagging attention. It must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over. Here, as so often in this world, persistence is the first and most important requirement for success.”
* Paul Joseph Goebbels, German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda
src
This President is the worst mistake I’VE ever made! And will not make again, no matter who is running under the Democratic ticket. Never again. The few good Democrats that are out there will never see my vote again.