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Election Irony: Obama May Win Second Term Thanks to Fracking Boom He Doesn’t Support, Author Says

Oct. 25, 2012 8:00am Christopher Santarelli

The Dinosaur Election Asks If Fracking Will Help Reelect the Green President

Sen. Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally at Lansing, Michigan August 4, 2008. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)A

President Barack Obama may not think fracking is good for America but the controversial drilling technique may ironically be the best thing for his re-election prospects.

Ohio and Pennsylvania — two key swing states in the election — are currently experiencing localized economic gains from fracking, an economic improvement that may help Obama get reelected despite his continued push for additional regulation and clashes with fossil fuel energy producers, according to a new short documentary “The Dinosaur Election” by journalist Phelim McAleer.

“Incumbent Presidents always do well when people feel optimistic, and at the moment—thanks to fracking and fossil fuels left by decaying dinosaurs—there is much to be optimistic about in Pennsylvania and Ohio,” said McAleer, who released the documentary first to TheBlaze.

“This isn’t a ‘donkey’ or ‘elephant’ election. It’s a ‘dinosaur’ election,” McAleer said in press release to TheBlaze.

Winning in Midwestern swing states–particularly Ohio and Pennsylvania – will likely be key to election victory. Like the rest of the country, both states have suffered economically over the last four years with the unemployment rate at 7 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively, in comparison to the national average of 7.8. There has been hope, though, in the region thanks to a localized economic boom in the energy sector due in part to the use of hydraulic fracturing– aka fracking– to extract oil and natural gas from previously inaccessible shale rock.

Fracking frees oil and gas by injecting a mixture of water and chemicals deep into the earth, creating pressure that fractures shale rock formations trapping those resources. Critics argue that the chemicals used in fracking could contaminate groundwater.

A recent report form IHS Global Insight indicates that drilling for oil and natural gas in shale rock is supporting 1.7 million U.S. jobs this year. Fracking has led to the turnaround of previously economically depressed places like North Dakota. One of the biggest shale rock deposits in the world covers the swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Substantial shale rock deposits on the Rust Belt. (Image/The Dinosaur Election)

While the Obama campaign points out that under this president, domestic oil production is at an eight-year high, critics say Obama has engaged in backdoor attacks on fracking through the Transportation Department and has supported EPA studies that some argue are intended to demonize fossil fuels and provide political justification for sweeping new federal regulations.

“It’s no secret that President Obama and his administration don’t like the fossil fuel industry and would rather support renewables such as solar panels and windmills,” McAleer said. “But they may owe their survival and second term to a boom they don’t like and don’t support.”

McAleer and Ann McElhinney are creators of the feature documentary “FrackNation,” and the 2009 documentary challenging Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth: “Not Evil Just Wrong.”

The Dinosaur Election features professors, community leaders, and Republican and Democrat analysts who emphasize just how important Ohio and Pennsylvania are for President Obama, and how fracking mini-booms in those states amidst a national recession may swing the election in an unexpected way.

Watch the short documentary released first to TheBlaze below:

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Comments (38)

3Cdad
Posted on October 26, 2012 at 9:14pm
I live in western PA in the middle of Marcellus country. If yard signs are any indication, there doesn’t seem to be nearly the support for Obama as 4 years ago, even where there are signs for the Dems in lesser races they don’t support Obama. Romney/Ryan is very visible. Also many hunters, coal miners and Catholics in the area……keep praying! This corner (south west) of PA could very well swing the race for Romney.

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RamonPreston
Posted on October 26, 2012 at 3:09pm
Oh, goodie! Let’s pollute the environment some more.

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bonesiii
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 7:51pm
Yeah, it’s dem Playbook 101 — take credit for anything good, even if you opposed it, and rely on widespread ignorance, or if anyone tries to point it out, just defame them proudly, ridicule, distract, Distract, DISTRACT!!11!

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grandpax7
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 3:03pm
Come on Ohio. Don’t let this progressive/socialist POS dictate your future. We here in New York can only add to the popular vote thanks to the deluded a-holes down state. Both of our states are sitting on a practically unlimited supply of NG. Fracking has yet to be allowed in NY thanks to our democrat gov.
He’d rather harass our Native American population upstate over cigarette and casino taxes while allowing the existence of a Muslim terrorist training camp not 40 miles from my upstate home. We only have ourselves to blame if this POS gets reelected.

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Grand design
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 2:17pm
It’s amazing that those who work in the “fracking” industry would vote for someone who would shut down their business! It just doesn’t make sense. Voting for a third party is the same as voting for Obama!

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Rob1231
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 10:38am
I don’t think Americans are that stupid. Obama is a sac of Sh**. He claims the credit and deflects the blame. Wake up America!

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- wildjoker5
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 1:31pm
  May I remind you that the GOP voters nominated Romney. Yeah, American voters ARE that stupid.
  
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- loneindividual
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 4:20pm
  Wildjoker….They didn’t have much of a lineup to begin with.
  
  A Grinning Pizza for 6.999, A Fascist Theocrat with a funny name, The Biggest Idiot from Texas, A Fundamentally Polygamist & Progressive Historian, An Oxy-moronic Chinese speaking Mormon-Democrat, AND A WOMAN WITH A SMILE PERMANENTLY STUCK ON HER FACE.
  
  YOU HAVE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!!!
  
  Ron Paul was the only other serious choice! AND HE WAS INITIALLY OK WITH IRAN GETTING NUKES!!!!!
  
  YOU ARE MISSING MORE THAN A FEW BUTTONS STRANGER!
  
  Report this comment
Kaste
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 10:23am
1) the EPA is on hold till Obama is reelected. Fracking and coal will be driven out of business. Gas prices will go back up and we will be forced to buy electric cars or be fined.
2) read up on the ACA, medicare will be rolled into Obamacare within 3 years
3) to put us on a level playing field with the world order, our middle class, the working class, will have to be shrunk. Our middle class is weathly compared to the rest of the world.
4) those judging Romney for his faith, are not good christians. Look at his deeds.

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- Don Schanzenbach
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 11:29am
  On the contrary. These pragmatic arguments are secondary to more important things. Romney’s faith really does matter. He is not a Christian by any historical definition of Christianity. He denies the trinity, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the true meaning of salvation in Christ alone by Grace alone. Mormons redefine the terms of Christian doctrine to mean the opposite of their Biblical meanings. If Bible believing Christians vote to have an idolatrous man like this rule over us, we will have done an evil thing. We will be daring the God of heaven to curse our nation. Pragmatics should never rule over morals and righteous behavior.http://missiontorestoreamerica.com/blog/?p=581
  
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- HeyMan_NicePost
  Posted on October 26, 2012 at 11:03am
  @ Don – Take a short stop on the LDS (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) official site and you and others can learn for yourselves what we members really believe. Personally, I’m glad we stand out from any other Christian church, according to what I’ve been hearing.
  
  Report this comment
- RamonPreston
  Posted on October 26, 2012 at 3:11pm
  Do you think America will be here in three years? I wonder…
  
  Report this comment
Don Schanzenbach
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:39am
There is so much fear over Obama getting re-elected (and for good reasons). Yet, Romney will just as surely be a curse as well. We cannot expect to elect an idolator, denier of the Christian faith, anti-trinitarian man for president and think that God will bless us for our choice. Christian people, in good conscience, cannot vote for either of these godless men. If the Christians vote for Romney, we ought to expect the judgments of God, not His blessings. Fracking, no fracking, either way, if God is against us we will not prosper. Do not buy the lesser of two evils argument. Christians never have to do evil. http://missiontorestoreamerica.com/blog/?p=563

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Detroit paperboy
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:37am
I would vote for a steaming pile of dog turds before I would vote democrat………

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SonOfSoylentGreen
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:36am
It’s more than Obamandias not supporting the shale gas boom–it’s about him killing it, which he has already moved to do…

http://sonofsoylentgreen.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/shale-gas-to-be-made-illeagal-now-too/

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Jezreel
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:35am
Don’t listen to “evil reports”. The children of Israel were doomed because they listened to the “reports” of ten spies who went into the promised land. Eight of them said that they were not able or possible to defeat the giants and other people that lived there because they are grasshopper size compared to the giants” Only two men said, “we can take the land”. Because of the children of Israel listening to the “majority” of the reports, God got very very angry with them because that was his promise to his children that with his help, they would defeat and inherit the land that they had originally come from in the first place anyhow. This is an election that God is going to honor the prayers of his people. It does not matter if we seem to be somehow outnumbered when we have Jahshua the Christ on our side. We only have to realize that when Romney gets in as president, we will have to sacrifice and work to make our country better. We also will have to not stand for wickedness for things like abortion and gay lifestyle, that is, allowing them to think that for some reason, they get extra benefits than regular people etc. When we win, we will be on probation from God. If the people just want their freedoms and creature comforts and desires to do wickedness, we will quickely be in the same situation again.

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sizzlinsexybeckster
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:36am
I’m so tired of all the lies. Get him out of the whitehouse now. We are being run by corruptness all over the world! People were too careless to investigate anyone they vote for. Well, this is what you get. Ugh. Is there a jet flying to the moon? I’d rather much live there.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:51am
  There’s a Russian jet you can buy a ticket on. That’s what NASA does when we want to put an American is space now… thanks to Obama.
  
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- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:17am
  Oil Did not come from dead Dinosaurs ! I hate ignorance !
  
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SamIamTwo
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:30am
AND the EPA has not found water contamination as a result of fracking.

His own agency disagrees with him. Willing to bet a hell of a lot of federal employees will not vote for Obama.

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PaulreveresDarknight
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:26am
Nope. I work with libs in Colorado. He lost them at Bengazi….. And 9 President Romney signs to every 0 one!!! Hang in there fellas! DONT Retreat. REload!

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HKS
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:25am
Well, if Obama thinks there is a place that is doing well, he will have that place on his list to destroy in his next turn should he be re-elected. His mission is total collapse of this country and it will happen.

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woodyee
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:25am
Oh yeah. I’m voting Romney because Obama has bankrupted our Country; He’s stolen money from investors and handed privately owned auto companies to unions; he’s shut down the US coal industry and used purloined tax-payer dollars to fund a bankrupt industry (wind/solar); he’s strengthened our enemies in war zones and expanded their ranks throughout the Middle East; made enemies of former friends; expanded trade with China while “talking” jobs in the US; we’ve the highest real unemployment rate since The Depression…

oh wait! Fracking is up? I change my mind, I’m voting Obammy! Really?

Ef you….

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SamIamTwo
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:12am
And how does he expect to become less dependent on oil from nations who hate us?

Oh I know send the oil rigs to Brazil so Soros can make billions, stop the Canada pipeline, restrict permits to drill on federal lands, hand out money to companies that are going into bankruptcy, invest in coos that farm out the work to other countries. blah blah blah

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- PaulreveresDarknight
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:28am
  You forgot destroy Nat. Gas and coal :(
  
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mikem1969
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:12am
What those people need to realize is that if hitler is re-elected, that localized economic gain will go away when hitler makes the epa shut fracking down.

Voters, look at hitler’s record, it is a dismal failure from a national security and national economic standpoint, but a success for the libs and progressives that want to destroy AMERICA AND ALL SHE STANDS FOR. NOBAMA 2012.

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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:27am
  That’s right he’d shut down fracking and finish off the coal industry and we’ll have brown outs and rolling black outs because the cost of energy would necessarily skyrocket because of the Marxist mulatto POS and his twisted ideology.He’s attacking our country from every angle at the same time,destroy our economy by killing fossil fuels and expand the welfare state to collapse the system,he’s executing Cloward and Piven to a T.
  
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- blanco5
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:30am
  You are giving prez islama voters too much credit for having the ability to gain intelligence.
  
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RightUnite
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:06am
Pfffffttttt!!! Obama doesn’t have a snowball’s chance. Give me a break!

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The_Jerk
Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:04am
What this article describes is the stupidity of the American voter.

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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:10am
  Unfortunately there’s a lot of simpletons out there who only read the headlines,if that. They don’t even know they’re participating in their own demise by voting for the Marxist mulatto POS.
  
  Report this comment
- Armyduderetired
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:14am
  Yeah, no kidding!
  
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- Individualism
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:20am
  if your not voting third party which is really second party your an idiot.
  
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- PaulreveresDarknight
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:32am
  THE-Troll. You are stealing there $. Whatever you are paid is far to much. You sound like a child. You will nash your teath on your words
  
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- blanco5
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:32am
  Individualism—you would help “your” own case if you use “you’re” correctly.
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:33am
  Exactly right Jerk. Unfortunately, we will deserve what we get if he is reelected.
  
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- SamIamTwo
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:34am
  Individualism
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 8:20am
  
  if your not voting third party which is really second party your an idiot.
  ____________________________________________________________
  
  What are you saying? Vote for a third party to ensure another 4 years of Obama? Did you just say that? Please clarify cause if you are saying we should vote turd party then we would be the idiots!! And there is data that supports what I am saying. Ross Perot is backing Romney…
  
  Best get your cortex straightened our real quick.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on October 25, 2012 at 9:06am
  The INDI/ Ron Paul Crowd are just loose cannon drones from the Obama Smoke and Mirrors Re-Election / Media Matters crowd….
  
  Report this comment

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