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When Obama Says We Can't Afford Not To Do Something, It's Gonna Cost Us

By Philip Klein on 6.16.10 @ 10:23AM

Last night, in pitching his idea for a new energy bill, President Obama said that we couldn't afford not to do something. If history is any guide, when Obama says we can't afford not to pass his preferred legislation, American taxpayers should brace themselves.

Obama held a town hall meeting in Elkhart, Indiana on February 9, 2009 to sell his economic stimulus package. During his remarks, he said:

Economists from across the spectrum have warned that if we don't act immediately, millions of more jobs will be lost. The national unemployment rates will approach double digits not just here in Elkhart, all across the country. More people will lose their homes and their health care. And our nation will sink into a crisis that at some point we may be unable to reverse.

So we can't afford to wait.

The result? An $862 billion stimulus package, and double digit unemployment anyway.

During the health care debate, Obama repeatedly said we couldn't afford not to pass the specific brand of legislation he was advocating. On March 19 of this year, just before the bill passed, Obama told an audience at George Mason University:

"(Y)ou've got a whole bunch of opponents of this bill saying, well, we can’t afford this; we’re fiscal conservatives...Not only can we afford to do this, we can’t afford not to do this."

The result? A national health care law that costs more than $1 trillion over the first 10 years (even though the major spending doesn't kick in until year five), and raises the burden of health care expenditures as a percentage of GDP.

And here was Obama last night on his vision for the future of energy:

(T)here are costs associated with this transition. And there are some who believe that we can’t afford those costs right now. I say we can’t afford not to change how we produce and use energy...

The result? To be determined. But I'll wager a guess that it will cost a lot of money, at best do nothing to solve the problem, and quite possibly make things much worse.

View all comments (17) | Leave a comment

Nate| 6.16.10 @ 10:33AM

Obama was correct in saying we cannot afford NOT to develop a national energy policy. Our competitors sure as hell are.

I doubt there's ANYTHING Obama could have said or done in response to the BP oil spill that would not have elicited jaundiced and suspicious remarks from the right wing. And I don't think anyone's much surprised by that.

But there's just no question we're bumbling into the 21st century.

Republicans did NOTHING to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels when they controlled the White House and Congress. Democrats have got a chance to try now, and it's a good thing for the country if they succeed. Just LOOK at the Gulf. That's what an energy policy consisting of nothing but Drill, Baby, Drill gets you.

Which is not to say we can't or shouldn't drill. But those rigs have got to be treated like nuclear reactors. They've got to be OVER-REGULATED. They've got to be so hassled by fail-safes and fail-safes on fail-safes that they provide oil but do not destroy vast eco-systems, as the BP oil spill will do.

Warrior| 6.16.10 @ 11:13AM

The democrats have had the last 4 years to bring about a comprehensive energy plan and have failed. It is the overbearing regulations that have led to this disaster. Why drill a mile below the ocean when ANWR is being protected? You're myopic post also forgets to mention that the permit required for BP to drill this well came from the Clinton Administration. Now you suggest we should enact a cap and tax carbon scheme that was devised by Enron and BP of all corporate entities. What's next, should we allow the Chinese to advise us on human rights or the Mexicans speak to Congress on border security?

Nate| 6.16.10 @ 11:36AM

Warrior -- Your response is something of a hodge-podge.

Oil companies want deep sea drilling. It's where most of the oil is. ANWR is a pittance compared to what's in the deep waters. The notion that somehow regulation is responsible for this oil spill is demented.

Democrats are certainly not free from responsibility when it comes to our sluggish energy policy, nor are they free from responsibility when it comes to oil drilling policy, as you yourself point out.

But there's a reason why BP gave 900,000 dollars to Obama and 3 MILLION dollars to McCain, and I don't think you need to cudgel your brains too long to figure out what that reason might be.

Never forget the main theme of the RNC national convention in 08: Drill baby drill!

It would be unmanly to question the advisability of drilling anywhere at anytime! To be sure!

Warrior| 6.16.10 @ 12:38PM

You are a moron. I'm sorry I responded. Your posts need to be ignorned until you can at least make statements that have a basis in fact.

http://www.politico.com/news/s.....36783.html

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITI.....index.html

NATE IS A LIAR| 6.16.10 @ 1:28PM

the only way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels is to throw millions of people out of work.

the democrats are doing a damn fine job of that.

once any alternative becomes even one penny per ton more efficient than fossil fuels the stampede to that technology will be unstoppable.

the inventor of such technology will become the bill gates of his generation.

to pretend that such an alternative exists now is the big lie of the democrats...see michigan...we are 8 yrs into the 'green jobs of the future' pie in the sky pipe dream....

man did not leave the stone age because he ran out of stones, and we are NOT running out of fossil fuels.

the fact that you even post here proves your fossil fuel using hypocrisy.

139 days until re replenish the supply of right thinking american legislators in washington...thats what is most needed.

norm vandeberg| 6.16.10 @ 9:37PM

This morning my daughter knocked on the bathroom door and asked "did you wipe the hole yet daddy"?

Yechiel| 6.19.10 @ 10:56PM

The tragedy in the Gulf is beyond politics. In a natural shift, there are often damage to other life systems, which helps, or motivates life forms to develop in certain ways. Not in a year, as here, but over a long period of time, which gives the natural process time to work.
Here, time is out for much of the Gulf coast area. Now, after the cows are out, we are going to try and build a better pen, for the cows no longer here?
I have an idea! Why not take an honest look at what we have, see how it balances with nature, then plan our plans accordingly.
Item one; safety rewarded. If it proves safe, the ones who developed the system should be rewarded for the savings on our ecology. Why not? Our future generations have a right to a decent world, and we are morally obligated to do the best we can, to give it to them.
Next to safety should be education. Let the world know what is being done, and have input. Who knows, this many even garner more incomes for those who do their best.
If we are brought up to think it is all right to trash our world, we shall see more trash. If we are brought up to respect what G-d gave us, many more persons shall have respect for themselves, and others. WOW! What a world that would be.
I know; you are bored to death with this old stuff. However, if someone had listen in the '60's, we would not be having this conversation, now.
Best of all and no regrets on saying what I did. It does not begun to cover the bases, but maybe you can help?
Yechiel Shlipshon

Dixie Pixie| 6.16.10 @ 12:01PM

When one is trying to sell a diseased camel it is best to rush the sell as fast as possible. Because once the customers gets a good look at the wretched beast the deal will be off.

Nate| 6.16.10 @ 12:27PM

Are you referring to how the Republicans sold the American people on the idea that industries should police themselves since they know best what it is that they do? Because I agree. What a sick camel that was!

Dixie Pixie| 6.16.10 @ 1:01PM

Greetings Nate

The theme of the meme is Obama trying to rush through his proposals through the legislative process.
Even the mythical “Fast Eddy” had more honor than Nancy Pelosi when she claimed the the Health Care Bill must be passed to find out what was in the bill. When she said the bill must be passed now, I knew she was trying to pull a fast one.

You do have a point about the out of control Legal System. It was a mistake to allow the Lawyers to police themselves. The ABA has created a monstrosity in the Trial Lawyers. And to add money to horror, Obama has just proposed a new slush fund and Trial Lawyers playground in the Gulf Oil Fund.

As a general rule the faster the sales talk, the worse the product is.
Obama is selling doss as gold.

Warrior| 6.16.10 @ 1:43PM

What I believe gets missed in our futile excercise of modern government is that Pelosi's statement is unfortunately accurate. You must pass the bill to find out what's in it. This happens because the "lawmakers" using approximately 2,000 pages leave much of the process open ended. Thus, Obamacare creates about 159 new government agencies. It is the agencies that are writing the regulations and rules instituting and enforcing the bill. What we are seeing now is the agency (EPA) deciding to bypass even the flawed legislative process and attemtping to implement cap and tax. Murkowski's defeated bill is indicative of the progressives desire to legislate by any means necessary, even if it means giving the reigns of power over their unelected cronies.

Dixie Pixie| 6.16.10 @ 3:47PM

Excellence points Warrior.

However the theme of the meme is Obama's shady political hucksterism.

The bottom line is Obama simply can not do the duties of a President.
Therefor he falls back on what he knows.
Selling dubious politics to a gullible public just like a uncommon con artist.

Bill from WV| 6.16.10 @ 2:43PM

Nate,Nate,Nate. I don't know how old you are,but if you are old enough,last night rambling by Obama should seem familiar. It was basiclly the same speech Jimmy Carter made during the first "Energy Crisis". Another Democratic looser who couldn't find his ass with his own hands!
So don't think that you can dump this on all on the Republicans. Democrats seem to believe that the government started with Gerorge W Bush.
Bush would have suspended the Jones Act(as he did for Katrina) and had the international help that was offered in the gulf the first week, making a difference. Ask the people of Lousiana who handled catastrophe better, Bush or the "Lost Boy"?
Don't think for one minute people will continue to be diluded into thinking everything is Bush's fault! The fog has lifted pal, the only people that believe that crap, are those who think he is their "piggybank" and are getting something from the rest of us!
This guy is a clueless looser, who will not take a stand(as he did when he was a Senator). No experience, no knowledge, and NO HOPE!
You can't depend on everyone else to make decisions for you when YOU are the President!
If you love America ,and ALL the people that are in it, making decisions to help them are easy. The problem is he does neither!

Bill from WV

hmm_contrib| 6.16.10 @ 4:48PM

"When Obama Says We Can't Afford Not To Do Something, It's Gonna Cost Us"
Sort of like Bush and Iraq, isn't it. The difference? A mistaken war of choice versus stewarding the planet and ensuring the comfort and safety of our children and grandchildren. A shame the GOP seemed to only believe in the first and not the second.

Warrior| 6.16.10 @ 5:16PM

Another moron peaks from behind the asylum doors. It's all Bush's fault even though over 90 senators voted for the use of force in Iraq. Please remember that William Jefferson Clinton also stated how much of a threat Iraq was, but I will excuse this if you tell me nothing he says can be believed as he is a habitual liar.

Stewarding the planet? The only thing cap and tax will lead our children and grandchildren towards are double and triple the amount for electric bills, $7 a gallon gas and massive additions to the national debt.

Nate| 6.16.10 @ 7:45PM

If there's one thing the oil spill in the Gulf proves, it's that government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem. If government would just get out of the way, OIL WOULD CLEAN ITSELF RIGHT OFF THE BEACHES. Because Jesus would make it happen, and the Invisible Hand of the Marketplace. They'd just clean that bad oil right up, MIRACLE into containment vessels so it could be sold on the world market, for the greater glory of the Lord, Amen!

Marcus Starr| 6.16.10 @ 11:11PM

America's form of Democracy is failing! it does not work! Just look at who is now in the White House! He's not even a American citizen! America's internal enemies are using our form of Democracy to take control of the USA! marcusstarr2000@gmail.com