The numbers are staggering. The impact the oil and natural gas industry has on the U.S. economy is massive. It supports:

• 9.2 million jobs;
• 7.5 percent of U.S. Gross Domestic Product; and paid
• $95.6 billion in income taxes in 2008

Many state economies also depend on the oil and natural gas industry. For example, in Louisiana alone there are 330,053 oil and natural gas jobs, accounting for more than 13 percent of the state's total jobs. Without the industry, millions of Americans would be out of work, and the United States would lack the domestic energy needed to power the economy.

More oil and natural gas development equates to... more »

Thus far, nearly 170,000 Americans have participated in the Virtual Rally for Jobs. In fact, the online rally has been such a success that it's been extended through the rest of this week (until Friday, October 1).

Among the thousands of rally participants are leaders of various organizations whose members depend on reliable and affordable energy--and many whose jobs are supported by the oil and natural gas industry. In the videos below, they have stepped forward to encourage Americans to get involved.

Karen Kerrigan is president and CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, an organization representing roughly 70,000 members. Karen joined the Virtual Rally for Jobs because of the energy industry's importance to America's small business and entrepreneurial sector.

Harry... more »

There have been numerous reports published over the last few months about the impact of the administration's de facto drilling moratorium on jobs and the economy in the Gulf region. The latest report released yesterday is authored by LSU professor Dr. Joseph Mason who finds that the Gulf region will lose more than 19,500 jobs, $5 billion in economic activity and nearly $240 million in state and local tax revenues during the six-month moratorium.

It's important to note that the 19,536 job loss estimate from Mason's report is 40 to 60 percent higher than the 8,000 to 12,000 jobs lost that the Obama administration estimated earlier this month, reflecting a significant difference between the two studies.

In the report, Dr. Mason is critical of the administration's analysis:

The Inter-Agency... more »

The front page of The Washington Post today bears the headline, "Recession is officially over, but anxiety lingers." The headline is based on an announcement by the National Bureau of Economic Research which yesterday proclaimed that the recession, which began in December 2007, met its technical end in June 2009.

Many Americans don't agree with the bureau's assessment. A Fox News survey says 88 percent of Americans believe the recession is still underway. In Grand Junction, Colo., for example, where the unemployment rate has mirrored the national jobless figure, many residents are feeling battered by job losses and over-regulation by the state and federal governments. Several residents volunteered to share their economic stories on video tape during a recent Rally for Jobs:

In Canton,... more »

The Rally for Jobs in Joliet, Illinois, was a reminder of the can-do spirit that is emblematic of America's Midwest. The event exuded patriotism, pride, perseverance--the hallmarks of the 1,000 union members as well as business and industry leaders who took a stand for jobs and the economy at the Pipefitters Training Center.

Among those who participated in the rally were Mike Ditka, the legendary Chicago Bears football coach; Jim Cornelison, the vocalist who sings the National Anthem at the Chicago Blackhawk hockey games; and national and local union leaders representing the blue-collar workers who have built America. Standing before the podium facing the crowd were veterans who recently received training as welders. You'll see them in the video below.

Rallies for Jobs were held in fiv... more »