Thanks, Mr President

I wish that I could draw.  I've known that I have no artistic talent since kindergarten--when my construction-paper Christmas stocking didn't turn out and my drawings of dogs, my parents and people playing baseball always had to be explained.  (SIDENOTE: I hated kindergartern.  My attitude was "If I need to be here this early in the morning, let's at least read something or learn about dinosaurs or airplanes.  I don't need to sing songs or draw my house, thank you."  First grade and getting to do math and science was welcome relief.)  Anyway....If I could draw I'd create this fantastic political cartoon summing up President Obama's decision to deny a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline from the oil sands of Western Canada to refineries in Texas.

On the left side of the panel I would draw a house engulfed in flames--with a couple and their baby out on the 2nd story ledge calling for help.  The people would be labeled "Middle Class Americans"--while the flames would be labeled "Rising Energy Prices" and "Dependence on Middle East Oil".

On the right side of the panel would be a hydrant to which firefighters have attached a hose.  The hydrant would be labeled Canadian Oil Sands (we could put a little Maple Leaf flag on there too to reinforce the idea)--while the hose would be labeled the "Keystone XL Pipeline".

Then smack dab in the middle of the panel would be President Obama standing on the lawn in front of the White House.  He would be preventing the firefighters--whom we will label "unemployed construction workers"--from going over the White House property line by holding up his left hand and saying in his first quote bubble: "I'm sorry, but I can't let you run your hose across my property."  In his second quote bubble I'd have President Obama saying "I suggest you use this instead"--as he holds out in his right hand a pinwheel--with the Solyndra logo on it.

I think that pretty much sums up the decision from the White House this week--"Yes, I could open the door to an energy source provided by our friendly neighbors to the north with a project that would put thousands of Americans to work--but I have to solidify support from my base for this year's election and they want me to continue throwing taxpayer money at a solution that will never come close to actually meeting our needs."

If only I could draw....then I could just sit back and wait for the Pulitzer Prize to be delivered.