Latest round of government handouts to create temporary ‘green’ jobs, line corporate fat-cat pockets
WASHINGTON – Following President Obama’s remarks on “green” jobs and “clean energy technology,” Thomas J. Pyle, president of the market based Institute for Energy Research (IER), issued the following statement on the President’s commitment of $2.3 billion additional taxpayer dollars to further subsidize the wind and solar energy industry:
“Show me one other industry that requests and receives a nearly 30 percent taxpayer subsidy. That’s what the wind and solar industries require – at a minimum – to exist. All the President did today is throw more money at an unproven technology that is not economically viable in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the only winners in this latest taxpayer giveaway will be Wall Street money managers and corporate interests in the wind and solar industry.
“If the President really wants to create an environment that will foster economic growth and job creation, he need not look any further than the domestic oil, gas and coal industries. These three industries and energy sources built this nation. For the Administration to continue to ignore this fact and to keep the vast resources that taxpayers own under lock and key at the Department of Interior is irresponsible and a disservice to the American people.
“The outer continental shelf (OCS), if opened for business, would create over 1 million high-wage jobs. It would reduce our dangerous dependence on hostile nations for their energy resources and spur economic growth across all fifty states. Development of these energy resources will create sustainable employment, not taxpayer dependent make-work jobs.
“Unfortunately, today’s announcement only continues the expensive, failed energy policy this Administration brought to town one year ago. The American people deserve better than this.”
Studies: IER Green Jobs Resources
IER Press Release: 1.2 Million Energy Jobs Available, Will Obama Admin. Open OCS for Business?
Wall Street Journal: Clean Energy Sources: Sun, Wind and Subsidies
Fact Sheet: Facts on Wind Energy
Fact Sheet: Facts on Solar Energy
For additional information, please contact Patrick Creighton, 202-621-2947, or Laura Henderson, 202-621-2951.
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