Free Republic

Miles from Washington, President Obama on Wednesday tried to persuade people that they should care about keeping the government open — because if it shuts down, they won’t be able to walk around national parks. Obama told clean energy workers in Pennsylvania that some of them are probably thinking, “What do I care?” They should care, he said, because a shutdown would stall small-business loans and mortgage work. And, if any of them wanted to vacation at Yellowstone National Park, “you're out of luck,” Obama said. “You may have to figure out if you can get your money back,” he...

FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. (AP) -- Pitching the promise of energy independence, President Barack Obama cautioned Wednesday that it's going to be tough to transition from America's oil-dependent economy and acknowledged there's little he can do to lower gas prices over the short term. "I'm just going to be honest with you. There's not much we can do next week or two weeks from now," the president told workers at a wind turbine plant. It's a theme Obama's struck before as he tries to show voters he's attuned to a top economic concern with gas prices pushing toward $4 a gallon....