Romney Campaign Press Release - President Obama's Upside-Down Energy Policies

"President Obama has presided over a hodgepodge of energy policies that have left middle-class families struggling with higher costs and fewer jobs. He's waged a job-destroying war on coal, while impeding other domestic sources of energy production. The Romney Plan for a Stronger Middle Class will put America on a course to achieve energy independence by 2020 and create more jobs and more take-home pay for millions of Americans." – Amanda Henneberg, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

President Obama Has Left Our Energy Industry Struggling With Policies That Have Impeded The Keystone Pipeline And Domestic Exploration:

President Obama "Continues To Stand In The Way Of The Keystone XL Pipeline" – Which Is Projected To Create Thousands Of Jobs.  "President Obama continues to stand in the way of the Keystone XL pipeline, though increasingly he's standing alone. ... Big Labor and Western Governors such as Montana Democrat Brian Schweitzer support the Keystone for the thousands of jobs it will create, which is adding to the pressure on Capitol Hill Democrats." (Editorial, "Democrats For Keystone," The Wall Street Journal, 4/20/12)

"Obama Didn't Take Any Major Action Expanding Offshore Drilling In His First Year In Office." "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)

"Production Of Natural Gas On Public Lands And Waters In Fiscal 2011 Dropped 11 Percent From The Previous Year, According To Interior Department Data. Oil Production Dipped Nearly 14 Percent." (Phil Taylor, "Production On Federal Tracts Fell In 2011," Greenwire, 2/27/12)

"Production Levels Well Below The Rates From 1951 Through 2002." "We pointed this out in an examination of the president's State of the Union address, citing an Energy Information Administration graphic that shows production levels well below the rates from 1951 through 2002." (Josh Hicks, "Oil War: The Ad Battle Between 'Big Oil' And DNC, Part 2," The Washington Post, 3/30/12)

The Wall Street Journal: "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)

And President Obama's War On Coal Will "Effectively Prohibit" New Coal Plants And Close Over 100 Plants By The End Of The Year:

President Obama's Regulations Will "Effectively Prohibit New Coal-Fired Power Plants." "President Barack Obama's proposed emission rules for power plants effectively prohibit new coal- fired power plants, buttressing the nation's shift away from a power source that fueled the Industrial Revolution to cheap natural gas." (Mark Drajem, "Obama Power-Plant Rule Signals Demise Of 'Old King Coal,'" Bloomberg, 3/28/12)

• FLASHBACK: Candidate Obama, On His Energy Policies: "If Somebody Wants To Build A Coal Plant, They Can — It's Just That It Will Bankrupt Them." OBAMA: "So, if somebody wants to build a coal plant, they can — it's just that it will bankrupt them, because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted." (Senator Barack Obama, Interview With San Francisco Chronicle's Editorial Board, 1/17/08)

Under The Obama Administration, 111 Coal Power Plants Are Expected To Close By The End Of 2012. "But in the past two years, an increasing number of coal-powered electricity plants across the country have announced closures. Estimates vary, but banking and industry analysis firm Credit Suisse put expected and known closures for 2009-2012 at 111 plants, that's one-fifth of the nation's nearly 500 coal plants." (Lisa Desjardins, "The War Over Coal Is Personal," CNN, 7/17/12)

President Obama's Crackdown On Coal Plants Will Raise Electricity Costs For Consumers. "Some utility officials said the new rules and others that the Obama administration plans to enact in the coming months could force the retirement of several coal plants. That, in turn, will raise electricity costs for consumers, said American Electric Power spokesman Pat Hemlepp." (Juliet Eilperin and Darryl Fears, "EPA To Impose New Power Plant Rules," The Washington Post, 7/7/11)

The Plain Dealer: Coal Plant Closures "Will Be A Punch In The Gut For Communities Already Battling Sour Unemployment Numbers." "These plant closures will be a punch in the gut for communities already battling sour unemployment numbers. Three of the plants are in Cleveland, Eastlake and Ashtabula, which stand to lose millions in property taxes as well as many jobs." (Editorial, "Coal Plants' Loss Will Hurt Ohio," The Plain Dealer, 1/29/12)

What Could Be In Store For Americans If President Obama Wins Another Term? A Job-Destroying Cap-And-Trade Plan:

President Obama "Has Said That The Most Important Policy He Could Address In His Second Term Is Climate Change." "Obama has an ambitious second-term agenda, which, at least in broad ways, his campaign is beginning to highlight. The President has said that the most important policy he could address in his second term is climate change..." (Ryan Lizza, "The Second Term," The New Yorker, 6/11/12)

• At A San Francisco Campaign Event, President Obama Hinted He Would Revive His Cap-And-Trade Plan After The 2012 Elections. OBAMA: "We have to have an even more robust energy policy if we're going to create the kind of jobs in this new energy sector that are needed and we're going to deal with climate change in a serious way." (President Barack Obama, Remarks in San Francisco, CA, 2/17/12)

Candidate Obama, On His Cap-And-Trade Plan: "Under My Plan Of A Cap-And-Trade System, Electricity Rates Would Necessarily Skyrocket." OBAMA: "When I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, you know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I'm capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers." (Sen. Barack Obama, Interview With San Francisco Chronicle's Editorial Board, 1/17/08)

President Obama's Previous Attempts At Cap-And-Trade Would Have Enacted "The Biggest Tax In American History." "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put cap-and-trade legislation on a forced march through the House, and the bill may get a full vote as early as Friday. It looks as if the Democrats will have to destroy the discipline of economics to get it done. ... Americans should know that those Members who vote for this climate bill are voting for what is likely to be the biggest tax in American history. Even Democrats can't repeal that reality." (Editorial, "The Cap And Tax Fiction," The Wall Street Journal, 6/26/09)