August 3, 2010...For most
politicians, campaign season comes and goes, but in the Obama White House, it
is permanent. As we approach mid-term elections and get ready for the next
presidential election, team Obama is working on the swing states, solidifying
their support in blue states and ignoring or opposing the interests of voters
in conservative red states. Two perfect examples are the states of Louisiana
and Arizona .
Ever since the oil started
leaking in the Gulf, the Obama administration has been delaying local efforts
to attack the problem by creating unnecessary bureaucratic roadblocks. The
spill has been an environmental and economic disaster for Louisiana . The state
has been severely impacted by this catastrophe, but, instead of working with Louisiana
officials to lessen the pain, the Obama administration has made it much worse
by issuing a moratorium on deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico . This
measure was not supported by the President’s own scientific advisers, his oil
spill commission or any member of the state’s congressional delegation. It has
already led to several rigs leaving the Gulf and many more may follow in the
days ahead. Prior to the spill, 56 rigs were operating in the Gulf, but today
only 14 remain. Louisiana could lose 140,000 high paying jobs if drilling does
not resume soon. Despite near universal opposition in Louisiana and opposition
from 73 percent of Americans, according to a recent Bloomberg poll, the
President refuses to reconsider his moratorium. Not only does it lack public
approval, but the moratorium lacks court approval as well. The moratorium was
struck down by U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman, who ruled that it was
both arbitrary and capricious. Disregarding the wishes of the federal court and
the court of public opinion, the Obama administration issued a second
moratorium and the legal battles continue. With new permitting hurdles for
shallow wells and the deep water moratorium, drilling is essentially shutdown
in the Gulf of Mexico, delivering a major economic blow to the people of
Louisiana . Thus, it is mission accomplished for the administration.
Louisiana is not the only red
state to receive the wrath of team Obama as Arizona is also being targeted. In
a bid to win support from a growing bloc of Hispanic voters, President Obama
viciously attacked a law in Arizona designed to deal with the growing problem
of illegal immigration. In fact, the administration went further than just
demagoguery; it actually filed a lawsuit attempting to block the implementation
of the Arizona law.
Arizona had to act because of an
increasing crime problem and more intrusions from dangerous Mexican drug
cartels. One painful result is that the city of Phoenix is now the kidnapping
capital of the nation. It is obvious that the borders are not secure, as
there are at least 500,000 illegal aliens in the state. The state is suffering
because the federal government refuses to effectively address the problem.
Illegal immigration is encouraged by employers who want cheap labor and
Democrats who want cheap votes.
After decades of inaction, the
people of Arizona reached their limit and overwhelmingly supported the new law.
They are clearly sick and tired of the lawlessness. The common sense law only
enforces existing federal law. Incredibly, U.S. District Court Judge Susan
Bolton, a Clinton appointee, ruled last week that the Arizona law would
“impermissibly burden federal resources,” so she blocked many of the law’s key
provisions. As the Governor appeals, the border chaos will continue and the
people of Arizona are the losers. Once again, mission accomplished for the
Obama administration.
So, Louisiana cannot drill
offshore and provide jobs for their people and Arizona cannot deal with an
invasion of illegal aliens that the federal government refuses to stop.
Is it any wonder that many people
in both of these red states consider the federal government to be their enemy?
