(Alexandria, VA) – While overseeing a seven-year moratorium on drilling off of America’s coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico, President Obama has announced billions in loans to Brazil to help them drill and extract offshore oil, a move that will make America more dependent upon foreign oil, and weaken national security.
Telling Brazilian leaders he wants America “to be one of your best customers,” Obama has prioritized the Brazilian economy and job creation at the expense of the people he was elected to lead.
“This is pure hypocrisy and an absolute outrage,” said 60 Plus Chairman Jim Martin. “All we get from the Obama Administration are lectures about the negative effects of oil on our environment, but oil seems to somehow be better it if comes from Brazil as opposed to America, where our economy could create jobs and enrich our people. This is something that should have every American now paying almost $4.00 per gallon at the pump up in arms.”
Continued Martin, “The people in the Gulf states, especially Louisiana, have been devastated by his drilling moratorium in the Gulf. Oil rigs are packing up and moving elsewhere, meanwhile Obama is helping Brazil drill in the very same Gulf! Could someone please draw him a map and remind him that the country he represents is up north, between Mexico and Canada.
“This is akin to a person suffering through a drought, taking out a bank loan to fill up his neighbor’s swimming pool. Mr. President, AMERICA has billions of oil reserves between our borders and off our coasts; we should be creating American jobs and weaning ourselves off of foreign oil by extracting our own resources instead of exporting our wealth out of our hemisphere.”
Martin also emphasized the fact that more dependency on foreign energy sources downgrades our national security and leaves America’s safety in the hands of the whims of world events and foreign leaders beyond our control.
“The workers and taxpayers of America hired you and pay your salary, Mr. President. It is they who need jobs, and they who need a secure nation that does not depend on the whims of world events and foreign leaders. Lift the moratorium on drilling within our borders and off our coasts. The American people deserve the same right to harvest and profit from energy as the people of Brazil.”
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