Thousands of people from all walks of life are expected to participate in rallies for jobs and the economy tomorrow, Sept. 1. They will gather at three venues in Houston, Port Arthur and Corpus Christi, Texas, where they will make their voices heard.

Some of the attendees are likely to be energy workers whose jobs are on the line due to the offshore drilling moratorium and the threat of higher energy taxes. But they won't be the only people who attend.

It's expected that Wednesday's rallies will be similar to the series of rallies held last fall, in which the participants included union members, teachers, homemakers, farmers, small business owners and operators, and veterans--all of whom were citizens and voters who recognized the importance of energy to their lives, economic welfare of t... more »

During the first Clinton presidential campaign, adviser James Carville reportedly placed a placard on the wall that said, "The economy, stupid." His point was clear. The key issue for voters that year was the economy.

This year the nation is facing a similar situation. The United States is struggling to overcome the worst recession since The Great Depression, and economists say the sputtering recovery is not producing new jobs. Some 15 million Americans are out of work.

Despite the dismal statistics, there are portions of the country where plenty of jobs are available for workers who want to drill for and produce oil and natural gas. Statistics show that energy-producing states have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

North Dakota, for example, boasted an unemployment rat... more »

In about one week, concerned citizens in several states will come together in a series of rallies for jobs and the economy.

A year ago, API helped to organize rallies in more than 20 states and invited Americans to submit videos, many of which were shown on large screens during the rallies. Ron of New Bloomfield, Mo., provided his thoughts in this video:

If you want to make a statement about the importance of U.S. jobs and a sound economy, please submit a video here or visit one of these two websites:

• Energy Citizens - This group comprises Americans from all walks of life who are against higher energy costs and support the American way of life.
• Energy Nation - Ever since Col. Drake drilled the first oil well in 1859, energy workers have sought to provide oil and natural gas to the Ame... more »

API President and CEO Jack Gerard announced this week that the oil and natural gas industry will sponsor a series of rallies in September, giving interested citizens forums where they can voice their concerns about the economy and jobs.

American citizens have plenty to worry about. With 15 million workers in unemployment lines, family budgets under pressure, and higher taxes looming on the horizon, Americans from all walks of life are feeling insecure and wondering about their children's futures.

Critics, however, are questioning the legitimacy of the rallies. They have renewed their accusations of "Astroturfing," implying that the rallies are artificial events, not true grassroots, and the voices of energy workers should be ignored. That's nonsense.

What's wrong with U.S. energy workers a... more »

(Editor's note: API President and CEO Jack Gerard announced a series of rallies being scheduled in several cities in September, giving Americans a forum where they can voice their concerns about jobs and the economy. A portion of his prepared statement appears below.)

"I am officially announcing that API will host additional citizen rallies starting early next month in conjunction with other local and national groups. We'll be taking the lead on the rallies, but we are partnering with local energy and business groups in every location. We're kicking off the program with three rallies in Texas on September 1st, and we are now finalizing plans for rallies in Ohio, Illinois, Colorado and New Mexico.

"The focus of the rallies will be jobs and the economy. U.S. unemployment is high, and t... more »