U.S. House of Representatives investigations have revealed the failed green jobs initiative in President Obama’s ambitious environmental agenda. With an initial government cost of one-half billion dollars, evidence proves that only about 10% of sponsored trainees were placed in green jobs.
As part of the Obama green energy program, the goal was to train 124,893 people, and place 79,854 (64%) in new green jobs. After 17 months, the results of the green jobs program indicate that only 52,762 were trained, and only 8,035 got green jobs – each job costs tax payers about $62,000. (U.S. Dept. of Labor Inspector General, Jan. 2012)
Obama has naively touted green jobs growth as a central element in America’s economic recovery. Blind to the economic realities of global competition and the limitations of new energy technologies, the Administration’s reliance upon green jobs was just another failed progressive dream and pandering to the eco-vote – as was his cynical and partisan obstruction of the Keystone Trans Canadian XL Pipeline for petroleum products.
The Solyndra, First Solar and many other new energy failures are direct evidence of energy technologies that fail economic viability in today’s competitive global markets, even with massive government subsidies. Current solar and wind power systems still cost 3 to 4 times that of conventional coal, natural gas and nuclear power production. Further, the giant Chinese producers of solar panels and wind energy turbines have reduced production projections due to lack of global market demands.
President Obama’s first re-election campaign ad boasts of 2.7 million green energy jobs. But, nothing in the Departments of Energy, Labor or Commerce justifies such job claims. Obama appears to be losing his big green bet on his new green economy. Sadly, he’s gambling with your money and future prosperity to win environmental votes.
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