The Land of Obama Make-Believe

[Guest]

Michelle Malkin

Where did President Obama go after killing off thousands of Keystone XL pipeline construction and manufacturing jobs? Why, Disney World, of course. Sabotaging work is hard work for Goofy and his pals.

And where'd he head after that? Why, up to Manhattan for more high-priced campaign fundraisers charging up to $38,500 per partier. The business of wining and dining politically connected donors ain't child's play, you know.

Obama touted a White House foreign tourism initiative on Thursday with Cinderella's castle as his backdrop. "America is open for business," he proclaimed chirpily to the rest of the globe.

Tell that to the Keystone managers in Canada whom Obama and his State Department rebuffed -- after years of planning and review -- in order to appease militant environmentalists and Hollywood celebs. The Animatronic Divider robotically lambasted Republicans for pushing him to make a decision this week. But Senate and House Democrats issued the sharpest rebukes to White House obstructionism:

"President Obama's decision on the Keystone XL pipeline is a major setback for the American economy, American workers, and America's energy independence," Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., said.

"The rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline permit is a missed opportunity to drastically turn this economy around. This pipeline would have created thousands of new jobs and helped to ensure our energy independence," Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., lamented.

"This delay is just playing politics with American jobs and American energy security," Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, pointed out.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle scratched their heads as the job-snuffer-in-chief bolted to Orlando's fantasyland to promote economic growth. But there's no more fitting place on Earth for the man whose escapist administration occupies the land of make-believe and no consequences. (Bonus moment: Obama got to shake hands with Mickey Mouse, who infamously turned up on a Florida ACORN voter registration form in 2008. Constituent outreach at its most surreal.)

On the very same day he quashed Keystone, Obama released his first campaign ad of 2012 -- hyping his stellar record on energy jobs. It's Opposite Day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, 365 days a year. Even more comically, the ad touted his exemplary ethics record by quoting a moldy three-year-old endorsement from left-leaning Politifact. And as bipartisan Capitol Hill outrage over the half-billion-dollar Solyndra solar stimulus bust mounts, Obama had the nerve to sprinkle his inaugural campaign spot with -- wait for it -- solar panels.

Instead of supporting new infrastructure jobs in America through an energy independence-enhancing project that has bipartisan legislative support on Capitol Hill, the president flew to Disney World to peddle looser visa restrictions in China and Brazil by executive order. He also will expand the Visa Waiver Program (a security loophole-ridden program that was suspended temporarily after the 9/11 terrorist attacks) to speed foreign travel.

In case anyone needs reminding, it was the relentless drive of the tourism industry and kowtowing State Department bureaucrats that led to the Bush-era Visa Express Program, which relaxed visa policies, eliminated in-person consulate interviews and opened the door to the 9/11 hijackers. Brazil is just the latest base for al-Qaida and other Islamic jihadi groups. It does not consider Hezbollah or Hamas terrorist groups, and it disbanded its anti-terrorism force in 2009.

The Visa Waiver Program and other efforts to expedite the tourist visa process also pose continuing security risks because -- as the Government Accountability Office itself admitted last year -- there is still no comprehensive, systematic way to track the 70 million-plus foreign visitors who enter the country on tourist and other short-term visas. Indeed, half of the nation's estimated 20 million illegal aliens are visa overstayers.

How many of the new Disney foreign tourists whom Obama is touting as America's economic salvation will fail to return to their home countries after their Obama World visas expire? We'll likely never know. And Team Obama doesn't care.

In his opening campaign ad salvo, Obama accuses his opponents of being "untethered to facts." But this is an administration that believes lowering visa standards and risking homeland security to pump up Disney foreign tourism is a better path to economic recovery than supporting direct American job creation and enhancing energy security. Like the Disney characters he posed with this week, our cartoonish president is wholly untethered to reality.

http://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2012/01/20/the_land_of_obama_makebelieve/page/full/

[Bravus]

Just a reality check: at over 10% unemployment in a country of 300 million - so perhaps 150 million workers - there are 15 million Americans out of work. The Keystone XL pipeline would have employed, assuming the very highest numbers, about 20,000. About 0.1%.

Make what arguments you like, but in reality, this was not the panacea for unemplyment that many Republican commentators seem to be trying to paint it as.

[Woody]

Excellent article by an excellent and good lookin' author.

[Guest]

So you turn down work because the numbers aren't big enough to suit you? I see.

[Bravus]

No, you might turn down work if, on balance and after taking expert advice, the conclusion is that the environmental costs are greater than the employment and energy benefits.

But that's a different point from the point I was making: the truth is important. Don't make claims that are demonstrably false or exagerrated.

[Guest]

Excellent article by an excellent and good lookin' author.

Thank you Woody, I thought you might approve.

[Woody]

Yeah. With those looks who wouldn't approve.

[Robert]

You believe anything the "right" repeats....Try thinking outside the box.

[Guest]

You believe that left wing nonsense, and repeat it all the time. Get a clue.

[Guest]

Yeah. With those looks who wouldn't approve.

Beauty is only skin deep my friend.

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: Woody

Yeah. With those looks who wouldn't approve.

Beauty is only skin deep my friend.

Yeah - But that's saying a lot because that is what we can see.

[Dr. Shane]

The energy sector as a whole has the capacity to jump start the economy. Just one pipeline wouldn't have done it. We need to invest in nuclear, water desalinization, coal-to-liquid, more domestic drilling, more refineries and more pipe lines. Obama isn't the guy that is going to make that happen. This nation is currently filled with pipelines that move oil, gasoline and natural gas all over every day. If these pipe lines posed a significant environmental threat, it is something we would be delay with on a regular basis. I think the issue here is that environmentalists do not want to extract oil from tar sands.

BTW, I think the original article here is in bad taste.

[Neil D]

I happen to be aware that much of the gas pipeline burried thru-out this country are nearly 30 years old. Some of them have already ruptured with much destruction associated with it. I was in a position to talk with the mother of one of the guys responsible for the western region. The report is that while he was trying to get as much replaced as possible, the administration was having none of it, and was refusing to do so. Even though tests show these pipelines are weakening/rusting thru, the managers are refusing to replace them.

What does that say about corporations who refuse to take responsibilty for the upkeep of thier work?

My point here is that corporations are being neglegent regarding maintaince of thier current product, how can we trust them when it comes to ecologically sensitive lands?

[Robert]

You believe that left wing nonsense, and repeat it all the time. Get a clue.

No, I don't buy into a lot of what the left states. I can't personally agree with gay marriage. I can't agree with abortion as birth control.

[Guest]

No, I don't buy into a lot of what the left states. I can't personally agree with gay marriage. I can't agree with abortion as birth control.

Well I'm glad to hear that at least.

[Bravus]

Ugly views spoil a pretty face, for me.

(Kinda like seeing a cute girl smoking)

[phkrause]

Ugly views spoil a pretty face, for me.

(Kinda like seeing a cute girl smoking)

one of the uglyist sites you'll ever see

[Dr. Shane]

I happen to be aware that much of the gas pipeline burried thru-out this country are nearly 30 years old. Some of them have already ruptured with much destruction associated with it.

I would have to see actual stories before I believed anything. The pipelines have many control valves throughout them so if and when there is a leak they can shut it off very quickly. They have airplanes that fly up and down above them checking for leaks and for possible construction work on or near them. I am building a project now and the entrance to the parking lot crosses a pipeline and the energy company has already been out there, looked at our plans and advised us on what they will permit us to do. I did another project about 10 years ago that had a different pipe line on it and that energy company came out and actually made us reroute the storm sewer because of their pipeline.