Obama admin using the old strategy of economic blackmail to keep stimulus dollars for globalists

[brentspeak]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030302764.html?nav=rss_politics">This Washington Post article details the conflict between the Obama administration and a group of four Democratic senators -- Chuck Schumer, Sherrod Brown, Robert P. Casey,and Jon Tester -- over the use of stimulus funds to subsidize the building of wind-energy farms here in the U.S. The projects are supposed to create American jobs, but the senators want the projects temporarily suspended so that legislation can be passed which will ensure that the vast bulk of jobs created will go to American citizens, not to foreigners.

What's happening is that the taxpayer money so far dished out for the wind-farms are actually creating jobs overseas, specifically China; the wind-energy industry is simply offshoring much of the work over to wherever they can find the cheapest labor.

The Obama administration has completely dismissed an American University study which demonstrated the stimulus funds for the wind projects were merely being used to source the labor overseas, and instead have embraced the official view promulgated by the wind energy companies (the ones receiving the money).

It gets worse. In the tradition of companies who threaten to move facilities elsewhere if unions are formed; or billionaire sports arena owners who promise to relocate their stadiums unless local taxpayers pony up to build a new one -- for free; or financial institutions who make dark predictions/threats about financial apocalypse unless they get bailed out and be allowed to do what they want with the money -- Obama Energy Department spokeswoman Stephanie Mueller says:

The trade group also estimated that 50,000 jobs would be lost if the grants were halted. Energy Department spokeswoman Stephanie Mueller said a moratorium "would cause immediate layoffs of American workers" at U.S. manufacturing plants, including some in the home states of the complaining senators.

"Other countries are not pressing the pause button on clean-energy industries, and they will move quickly to capture America's share of the global market while we sit on the sidelines," Mueller said. "The longer we delay, the longer we remain dependent on foreign oil instead of America's home-grown clean-energy resources."

Fear! Threats! Don't question us! Let us give the globalists your money and let them do with it what they will! Otherwise...the consequences...the ramifications...the...! We have the leverage, and you have no choice but to submit!

[katandmoon]

1. Oh goodie! Here's another bullet item for Obama's List O'Accomplishments!

:sarcasm:

[Romulox]

2. The Obama admin has made funneling money to foreign corporations a top priority, that's for sure!

[Name removed]

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[ProSense]

3. Nothing wrong with precaution, but

AWEA STATEMENT ON SENATORS SCHUMER, CASEY, BROWN AND TESTER URGING ADMINISTRATION TO SUSPEND STIMULUS PROGRAM

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) today issued the following statement from AWEA CEO Denise Bode:

“At a time when the construction unemployment rate is nearly 25% and the manufacturing unemployment rate is 13%, this proposal would cost 50,000 American workers their jobs.

The truth is, by law, Recovery Act grants can only be used to finance projects that are being built in the United States.

This proposal would torpedo one of the most successful job creation efforts of the Recovery Act, which has already preserved half of the 85,000 American jobs in the U.S. wind industry.

Rather than adopt policies that will kill American jobs, Congress should enact policies that will create jobs by encouraging manufacturers to invest in U.S. plants. That means passing a Renewable Electricity Standard now.

The Recovery Act has been creating jobs by helping finance new American wind energy projects that have broken ground or been completed since the Act was passed. The proposed moratorium and legislation would kill this effort and destroy the momentum for one of the few industries that has been creating jobs and economic growth.

It is unfortunate that the proponents of this moratorium and legislation are using a deeply flawed study as the basis for a policy that would destroy tens of thousands of American jobs.

We support the goal of continuing the rapid expansion of U.S. wind manufacturing. More than half of the value of wind turbines used in U.S. wind projects is domestically produced, and that percentage is increasing every year as more turbine makers build U.S. manufacturing capability. We do not have the capability today to produce 100% of wind turbine components in the U.S., but we can grow our manufacturing base and add 274,000 American jobs if Congress passes a strong Renewable Electricity Standard."

[amborin]

5. this is also occurring with electic cars, too! stimulus $$$$ to build in China

[Name removed]

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