The Obama Administration has been making some very confusing decisions on serious economic issues.  Sometimes it is hard to find logic in any of it.  Here are just a few, but big, examples.

BP, a British firm, had a prominent oil rig burst into the biggest oil leak in United States history.  Almost instantly the Administration claimed a moratorium on any offshore oil drilling in the entire Gulf of Mexico.  This caused instant unemployment for hundreds of thousands workers and suppliers.  Most of those victims are based in the state of Texas.  Texas, that state that is strongly Republican and did not vote for the candidate Barack Obama.  The moratorium is now over but there has been only one new permit granted since that time.  Many of the rigs packed up and moved elsewhere such as offshore Brazil.  “Salt” in the wounds would come when President Obama secured a $1.2 billion US loan (EXIM Bank) for one of those transplanted offshore well in Brazil.  He even told the Brazilians that the US will become the best customer for their oil.

NASA, the agency which led the world in space exploration, is about to go through a sizeable reduction.  Much of the activity and commerce related to NASA is located in the Southeast Texas area (Houston).  Yes, “Houston there is a big problem” and it will amount to more thousands of jobs and commerce going away forever.  There was more “Salt” put on the wounds of Texans.  The retired space shuttles will be placed in museums in various cities.  Houston, the linchpin of the space activity, was omitted from the venue list.  How can New York City get a shuttle when it never had a thing to do with space exploration?  Houston should have been the number one selection.  In fact, they should have at least two of them.  Somebody surely hates Texas.

AT&T, the largest telecom company in the world, announced a proposed merger with T-Mobile.  This merger makes a lot of sense.  T-Mobile is a German based company and the merger would bring many thousands of new jobs to our nation – mainly union paying jobs.  Texas probably would get the lion’s share of the new jobs.  Broadband deployment in underserved communities has been guaranteed in the proposal.  It is the best news of the last two years and a win, win, and win for everybody.  But NOOO!!! The Administration through the FCC is fighting this merger with a vengeance.  I have never seen such viciousness coming from a federal regulatory agency in my life.  Why is this happening?  Perhaps it has to do with the fact that AT&T is a Texas based corporation.

There is another great opportunity for job growth during this recession.  That is the XL Keystone pipeline.  The number one importer of oil to the United States is our friendly neighbor to the north – Canada.  The XL Keystone proposal will construct a pipeline, similar to the one in Alaska, from the Canadian oil fields through various states in our Plains and all the way to the Texas Gulf Coast.  Besides the hundreds of thousands of jobs, many union paying jobs, the cost of oil will get under control and prevent any more increases.  Again, Texas would probably get the lion’s share of jobs.  Also, the pipeline would run through the state of Oklahoma.  Not one county in the state of Oklahoma voted for Barack Obama at the last election.  That probably really worked them up also.  This administration is stone walling on the approval of the pipeline.

Canada is threatening us by saying if we don’t build this pipeline they will cut a deal with China and ship all of that oil to them.  So now we are even talking about national security in addition to lost revenue and quality of life for all Americans.  Conservatives have even agreed to some of the Administration’s current initiatives if they will just allow this pipeline into existence.  That is not even changing the Administration’s hostile attitude against increasing our oil supplies.

Despite all of this detrimental action against the people of Texas, the state is still leading the nation in growth and economic might.  More jobs have been created in Texas in recent years than New York, California and Michigan combined.  Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and other cities located in Texas are models for how large cities should be managed.  It is pretty much the envy of the nation right now.  That thought is probably adding “gasoline” to the fire of anger and offensive actions by the White House.  Perhaps they should be reminded of that great saying: “Don’t Mess with Texas”!

Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®.  Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .