Obama Rejects 20k Jobs, aka Keystone Pipeline

From an updated version of my recent McClatchy-Tribune editorial, to reflect the Obama administration's pending rejection of 20,000 new jobs for Americans, aka as the Keystone XL pipeline:

Kicking the can down the road 20,000 Americans while they're down and unemployed, as President Barack Obama did in delaying a decision on rejecting the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas, certainly pleased the green lobby. But it did absolutely nothing for jobs creation. Nor did blocking access to new federal offshore areas for oil and natural gas drilling produce any jobs.

At a time when more than 13 million Americans are unemployed, you'd think that the president would be doing everything possible to stimulate employment. But his jobs-creation policy lacks direction and focus.

Putting off a decision on Rejecting the Keystone pipeline and stalling offshore drilling was grossly counterproductive, compromising our commitment to North American oil production and potentially threatening our energy security. These and other regressive actions don't augur well for domestic energy development or job creation.

Despite great handwringing over America's anemic job creation, the president demonstrates little understanding of the damage his policies are doing to millions of unemployed Americans desperate to find work. Unfortunately, pleasing the environmental lobby seems much more important to him now than jobs.