Obama Begins A Two Day Tour On Wednesday To Defend His Failed Energy Record

OBAMA WILL BEGIN A TWO DAY ENERGY TOUR ON WEDNESDAY TO DEFEND HIS ENERGY RECORD AND TRY TO “EXORCISE TWO POLITICAL DEMONS” IN KEYSTONE AND SOLYNDRA

Today, Obama Will Begin A Two Day Energy Tour Starting At A Solar Facility In Boulder City, Nevada To Defend His Energy Record Amid High Gas Prices.  “President Barack Obama is hitting the road this week to try to exorcise two political demons on energy — Keystone XL and Solyndra. Obama will travel to three presidential battleground states — Nevada, New Mexico and Ohio — to defend his record amid high gas prices. … Obama’s energy tour starts Wednesday in Nevada to address another political demon in the form of the $535 million Energy Department loan guarantee to now-bankrupt California solar company Solyndra. He’ll visit the Copper Mountain Solar 1 Facility in Boulder City, Nev., which the White House notes is the largest photovoltaic plant operating in the country. Solyndra also designed, manufactured and sold solar photovoltaic systems.” (Darren Goode, “Obama Looks To Exorcise Keystone, Solyndra Demons,” Politico, 3/19/12)

Obama Will Also Travel To Oil And Gas Production Fields Outside Of Carlsbad, New Mexico. “Obama then will go to oil and gas production fields outside of Carlsbad, N.M. — which the White House notes is home to more than 70 active drilling rigs — to try to underscore production that is occurring under his watch.” (Darren Goode, “Obama Looks To Exorcise Keystone, Solyndra Demons,” Politico, 3/19/12)

OBAMA HAS NO REAL ENERGY POLICY

NBC News’ Chuck Todd Said There’s “No Issue That Has Been … A Bigger Bust For The President Than Energy Policy In General.” MSNBC’s CHUCK TODD: “Very quickly, president’s going down to Miami to give an energy speech. Nia, you’ve been with me, I feel like, on the front lines covering the president from the day he took office. There is no issue that has been a, I guess, a bigger bust for the president than energy policy in general. There’s a lot of, we can come up with a lot of excuses as to why, but boy, it’s just like you can’t – he’s made no progress.” THE WASHINGTON POST’s NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON: “No, he’s made no progress. I remember covering him on the campaign and he would talk about, you know, turning these manufacturing plants into wind turbine plants and it seemed to work then, but, you know, in terms of the reality and on the ground actually success during his presidency, absolutely none.” (MSNBC’s  “The Daily Rundown,”  2/23/12)

In June 2011, Obama Said He’s Failed On Energy, Saying His Energy Policy Is Just A “Hodgepodge.” OBAMA: “Our energy policy still is just a hodgepodge, and for all the progress we’ve made, we’re not where we need to be in making sure that this is an energy-efficient economy that is running on all cylinders.”(President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President At A DNC Event, Miami, FL, 6/13/11)

• Obama: “We Haven’t Had An Energy Policy In This Country That Makes Sense And Frees Ourselves From Dependence On Foreign Oil.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President On The American Jobs Act, Millers Creek, NC, 10/17/11)

OBAMA’S GREEN ENERGY INVESTMENTS HAVE BEEN A FAILURE

CBS Reports 12 Clean Energy Companies Are Having Trouble After Collectively Being Approved For More Than $6.5 Billion In Federal Assistance, While 5 Have Declared For Bankruptcy. “CBS News counted 12 clean energy companies that are having trouble after collectively being approved for more than $6.5 billion in federal assistance. Five have filed for bankruptcy: The junk bond-rated Beacon, Evergreen Solar, SpectraWatt, AES’ subsidiary Eastern Energy and Solyndra.” (Sharyl Attkisson, “Tax Dollars Backing Some ‘Risky’ Energy Projects,” CBS News, 1/13/12)

Energy Secretary Steven Chu Said It Was “Very Likely” That Other Companies Would Fail. “Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in a statement Friday that it was ‘very likely’ other companies backed by the government would fail, given the inherent risk of backing new technologies, but ‘the vast majority of companies are expected to pay the loans back in full, on time, and with about $8 billion in interest.’” (Tennille Tracy, “Clean-Energy Aid Racks Up Losses,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/11/12)

The Wall Street Journal: “The Obama Administration Has Managed The Nearly Impossible Feat Of Turning Energy Policy Into A Money Loser, Pouring Taxpayer Dollars Into Green-Energy Busts Like Solyndra.” (Editorial, “The Non-Green Job Boom,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/28/11)

• On March 20, 2009, Solyndra Was Offered The First Recovery Act Loan Guarantee, Receiving $535 Million From Taxpayers. (Solyndra, “Solyndra Offered $535 Million Loan Guarantee By The U.S. Department Of Energy,” Press Release, 3/20/09; Joe Stephens And Carol Leonnig, “House Republicans Step Up Solyndra Investigation,” The Washington Post, 9/1/11)
• In August 2011, Solyndra Announced That It Would File For Bankruptcy, “Immediately Laying Off 1,100 Employees.” “Solyndra, a Fremont solar tech manufacturer, announced Wednesday it is suspending operations and immediately laying off 1,100 employees. The company said it will also file for bankruptcy.” (George Avalos, “Fremont Solar Tech Firm Solyndra To Shut Down, Lay Off 1,100 Workers,” The San Jose Mercury News, 8/31/11)
• Solyndra, Obama’s Poster-Child For “American Ingenuity And Dynamism,” Declared Bankruptcy. “The California-based Solyndra, which employed more than 1,000 people, declared bankruptcy earlier this month. President Obama visited the company in May of 2010, saying it was a prime example of ‘American ingenuity and dynamism.’” (Alexander Mooney, “White House Beats Back Claim It Pressured Loan To Now-Bankrupt Company.” CNN, 9/14/11)
• “Solyndra Was The Epitome Of What The Government Envisioned To Be Our Green Tech Future…” (David Louie, “Fremont Solar Panel Maker Solyndra Scales Back Expansion Plans,” The Oakland Tribune, 11/4/10)

OBAMA HAS NOT LED THE U.S. TOWARD ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

Obama Has Not Increased Oil Production On Federal Lands

The Associated Press Noted That Obama Oversells The Government’s Influence On The Energy Industry And Many Wells Coming Into Production Were Planned Before He Was President. “Obama is not only hoping that simple, rock-solid statistic will silence his GOP critics, he’s angling to get some credit for the trend as he navigates a tricky re-election campaign. But he oversells the government’s influence on the industry and ignores the fact that many wells coming into production were planned years ago, before he was president.” (Dina Cappielo, “FACT CHECK: Obama, GOP Spin Recent Energy Stats,” The Associated Press, 2/6/12)

“The Reality Is That Most Of The Increase In U.S. Oil And Gas Production Has Come Despite The Obama Administration.” (Editorial, “‘Stupid’ And Oil Prices,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/27/12)

“He Doesn’t Want To Admit It, But President Obama Is Taking Credit For Something George W. Bush Did. The White House Is Touting Federal Data That Shows Domestic Oil Production Is At Its Highest Level Since 2003.” (Amy Harder, “Obama’s Fuzzy Oil Production Math,” National Journal, 3/17/11) 

• For 2009 And 2010, Oil Production Numbers Were Due To Actions Taken Before Obama Became President, Especially Since He Didn’t Take Any Major Action To Expand Offshore Drilling In His First Year. “While Bush was in office from 2001 to 2009, the oil and gas industry saw many new leases and other expanded drilling opportunities. In March 2010, Obama announced plans to expand offshore drilling, but he retreated in the aftermath of the BP oil spill. According to EIA’s short-term 2011 outlook, released last week, oil production was significantly higher in 2009 than in the years prior. Obama may have been in office for most of that year, but the oil production numbers are due to action taken before he became president. In 2010, most if not all of the production increase recorded is likely due to action that predates Obama, since Obama didn’t take any major action expanding offshore drilling his first year in office.” (Amy Harder, “Obama’s Fuzzy Oil Production Math,” National Journal, 3/17/11)

While Domestic Oil Production Is At An All-Time High, Production On Federal Lands And Waters Dropped Significantly In 2011. “Domestic oil production may be at an all-time high nationwide, but the increase is primarily occurring on state and private lands rather than on federal land and waters, where production appears to have dropped significantly in 2011, according to the most recent government data.” (Phil Taylor, “Production On Federal Tracts Fell In 2011,” Greenwire, 2/27/12)

Federal Land Produced Less Crude Oil In 2011 Than It Did In 2003. “The U.S. Energy Information Administration, the DOE entity which prepared the report, debunks Salazar’s claim that production is the highest its been in recent memory. The report shows that crude oil production and natural gas production on Federal lands both fell between 2010 and 2011. In fact, federal lands produced less crude oil in fiscal 2011 than they did in fiscal 2003. Natural gas production on federal land also fell between 2010 and 2011.” (Joel Gehrke, “DOE Report On Energy Contradicts WH, Salazar,” The Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential, 3/15/12)

Crude Oil Production On Federal Lands Fell From 4.3 Quadrillion Btu In 2010 To 3.7 Quadrillion Btu In 2011. (“Sales Of Fossil Fuels Produced From Federal And Indian Lands, FY 2003 Through FY 2011,” Energy Information Administration, 3/14/12)

• Total Fossil Fuel Production On Federal Lands Fell From 19.9 Quadrillion Btu In 2010 To 18.6 Quadrillion Btu In 2011. (“Sales Of Fossil Fuels Produced From Federal And Indian Lands, FY 2003 Through FY 2011,” Energy Information Administration, 3/14/12) 

Federal Issued Drilling Permits Under The Obama Administration Are Lower Than The Historical Average. “In early 2010, he proposed to open some new areas to drilling but shut that down after the Gulf oil spill. According to the Greater New Orleans Gulf Permits Index for January 31, over the previous three months the feds issued an average of three deep-water drilling permits a month compared to the historical average of seven. Over the same three months, the feds approved an average of 4.7 shallow-water permits a month, compared to the historical average of 14.7.” (Editorial, “‘Stupid’ And Oil Prices,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/27/12)

Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK) Said The Increase In Oil Production In The U.S. “Doesn’t Have Anything To Do With The Government.” FOX NEWS’ WILLIAM LA JEUNESSE: “Critics say the president is taking credit he doesn’t deserve since new oil well takes five to 15 years to come online and most U.S. production gains have come off private not federal land.” REP. DAN BOREN (D-OK): “That’s really why you’re seeing an increase in production that doesn’t have anything to do with government.” (Fox News’ “Special Report,” 2/20/12)

• Rep. Boren Said That Obama’s Claim Of Opening Up New Areas For Offshore Drilling Has Been “Merely Talk.” OBAMA: “I’m directing my administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources.” FOX NEWS’ WILLIAM LA JEUNESSE: But compare, Bush opened the Atlantic, Pacific, and most of Alaska to drilling. Obama closed all those areas. REP. DAN BOREN (D-OK): “There was a lot of talk about opening up new areas, but it’s been just that. It’s merely talk.” (Fox News’ “Special Report,” 2/20/12)

Obama Can’t Take Credit For Decreased Foreign Oil Dependence

A “Variety Of Factors” Have Led To A Decrease In Dependence On Foreign Oil, “Most Of Them Outside Obama’s Control.” “The ad also states, “For the first time in 13 years, our dependence on foreign oil is below 50 percent.” But again, it’s questionable how much credit Obama gets for that. The same Energy Information Administration report cited in the ad concluded that the downward trend began in 2005 and was based on a “variety of factors,” most of them outside Obama’s control.” (“AdWatch: Obama’s 1^st Campaign TV Ad Defends His Energy Record Without Feel-Good Images,” The Associated Press, 1/20/12)

A Decrease In Dependence On Foreign Oil Is “Not Tethered To Anything Obama Has Done” And Is Due To Factors “Before Obama Took Office.” “The Obama ad that quickly slips in claims that slickly appear to be the result of Obama’s policies, though the ad does not directly make that claim—a reference to 2.7 million clean-energy jobs, a note that for the first time in 13 years foreign oil imports are below 50 percent. Those figures are correct, but they are also not tethered to anything Obama has done. The report that mentioned the 2.7 million jobs simply said that is how many potentially exist. Meanwhile, the Energy Department cited a host of reasons why foreign oil imports have declined, noting the main reason was ‘a significant contraction in consumption’ because of the poor economy and changes in efficiency that began ‘two years before the 2008 crisis’—ie, before Obama took office.” (Glenn Kessler, “Obama Ad Cherry-Picks Fact Checking Organization,”Washington Post’s The Fact Checker, 1/19/12)

WHILE OBAMA DEFENDS HIS FAILED ENERGY POLICIES, GAS PRICES ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH

When Obama Took Office, The Price For A Gallon Of Regular Gasoline Was $1.847. (Energy Information Administration, Accessed 2/7/12)

The Price For A Gallon Of Regular Gasoline On March 19, 2012 Was $3.867. (Energy Information Administration, Accessed 3/20/12)

The Average Price Of A Gallon Of Regular Is At The Highest Ever Recorded Price In March. “The average price of a gallon of regular is now $3.87, the highest recorded price in March. The average price is up nearly 4 cents from a week ago, and over 30 cents from a year ago, according to the Department of Energy, as more drivers face gas prices of $4 a gallon or more across the country. Last week, the average gas price was $3.83 a gallon, the previous record according to data going back to 1990.” (Zunaira Zaki, “Highest Gas Price Recorded In March,” ABC News, 3/19/12)