In recent weeks, I have witnessed this newspaper excoriate Gov. Paul LePage over his dealings with Norwegian company Statoil and its proposed offshore wind farm. His decided lack of enthusiasm for alternative energy has been decried as “shortsighted”; the understanding being that he is missing the boat by choosing to promote fossil fuels such as natural gas.

By way of contrast, compare LePage’s actions with those of President Barack Obama.

Since becoming president, Obama has invested billions of taxpayer dollars into so-called “green energy” businesses such as Solyndra. Virtually without exception, those companies have gone bust — the jobs lost, the money wasted. At the same time, Obama has waged a very public campaign against the coal industry and oil produced in Canada and the U.S. Such oil production, I should point out, has been responsible for the recent decreasing prices at the pumps.

LePage shortsighted? Not likely. Obviously, he knows a money pit when he sees one. Too bad our president was not so “shortsighted.”

Ryan David TibbettsWaterville

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