Bush seeks more money to help poor heat homes

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N08322924.htm

Bush seeks more money to help poor heat homes


WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush has proposed a $2.2 billion budget to help low-income families facing record-high heating bills this winter, Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said on Thursday.

The White House is also asking Congress for an additional $1 billion increase for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) program this winter. That request will come as a part of deficit-reduction legislation, a White House spokeswoman said.

"He (Bush) has proposed a $2.2 billion budget for ... LIHEAP (low income energy assistance) that will be included in the HHS (Health and Human Services) budget," Bodman said, speaking to reporters on a cold day outside the White House.

LIHEAP spent about $2.2 billion last winter, and Democrats have urged that funding be doubled for this winter because of high heating oil and natural gas prices.

[VegasWolf]

1. Typical Bush proposal, take tax money and give it over-priced Oil

Companies so that they can make even MORE MONEY at the POOR taxpayers expense.

[havocmom]

2. Bush sees way to funnel more money to cronies using poor for cover,

would be closer to the truth.

[Nickster]

3. Ok, my head just exploded.

Lemme see if I get this. He cuts a billion dollars from the program, then he gets kudos because he seeks that 1 billion dollars back a year later. So the end result is that the program is still underfunded because it wasn't increased from the previous year to account for the terrible rise in costs this year, but he gets to crow about how he's spending more money to help the poor AND it's part of a budget deficit reduction package??

Isn't the net effect that less people will receive help than last year, just not as many less as originally planned?

[WePurrsevere]

7. Yes, that sums it up nicely. The poor are actually getting LESS help

when the increased cost of heating fuel/electric is taken into consideration. As usual Bush Co is trying to put lipstick on the pig to make it look like it's better then it is so they can BS some IDIOTS into thinking that they're in some way being more "compassionate" then they are. :puke:

[rodeodance]

12. you got that right. and the congress refused to pass a dem amendment

a few weeks ago that would have done this very same thing.

so, bush is the nice guy!!!!!! damm!!!!!!

[Judi Lynn]

16. His unexpected generosity would never have materialized if Democratic

Congressmen, like William Delahunt and Joseph Kennedy in Massachusetts, two weeks ago, had not completed months of negotiations with Veneuzuela (after being flatly refused by American oil companies) and secured the first shipment of oil at 40% reduced prices.



William Delahunt, Felix Rodriguez (Citgo CEO), Joseph Kennedy meeting arrival of the first shipment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Venezuela begins low-cost heating oil deliveries; tribes continue talks
Posted: December 02, 2005
by: Brenda Norrell / Indian Country Today

Photo courtesy Consulate of Venezuela in Chicago -- Robert Free Galvan gave a gift of smoked salmon to Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez (right) at a recent gathering in Chicago. Rafael Gomez (center), CITGO's vice president for Strategic Shareholder Relations, Government and Public Affairs, also met with Galvan to discuss low-cost gasoline supplies for the United States.

BOSTON - The planned delivery of low-cost heating oil from Venezuela's CITGO Petroleum Corp. to Massachusetts and New York state is under way, while American Indians continue talks with CITGO to bring low-cost heating oil and gasoline to tribes.

American Indian activist Robert Free Galvan, who is organizing efforts with CITGO, said Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is demonstrating to the world that there is another way to engage in the sale of oil and gas.

''CITGO holds very highly their corporate social responsibility and vision; it is an example for tribal corporations to follow,'' Galvan said. ''The recent oil crisis profited billions to oil companies, but which ones have offered communities anything - besides CITGO?''

American Indian tribes throughout the United States, including tribes in Arizona, Nevada and South Dakota, contacted Galvan concerning Chavez's offer of low-cost gasoline and heating oil after Venezuela made the offer earlier this year.
(snip/...)

http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096412046

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Democratic Congressman meets first shipment of oil to the Bronx with Felix Rodriguez.

In October a dozen senators wrote a letter asking the chief executives of nine major oil companies to use some of their firm’s record profits on fuel assistance programs for poor households. The only company to respond was CITGO, an American subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company and the nation's fourth-largest gasoline retailer.

"We are truly grateful to CITGO and the Venezuelan people for their generosity. It is absolutely shameful that no American oil company has similarly stepped forward to help communities struggling with high energy costs during the winter heating season, especially in view of their record profits these last months," Rep. Serrano said.
(snip/...)

http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2005/12/61513.shtml

[blm]

19. Exactly - Bush had his R waterboys vote DOWN Kerry's heat assistance bill

for two months straight.

These thugs have no sense of decency and not an ounce of honesty amongst the whole lot of them.

[wordpix]

21. Dems doing SOTU rebuttals should prepare this very argument

[BOSSHOG]

4. Congressional republicans to bush

make this aid available because if you don't the one's who don't freeze to death won't be voting for republicans in 06!

[longship]

5. Defn: Poor

Those people who make $250K --> $1M.

[Burried News]

6. Institute a windfall profits tax on the oil companies and voila

we have money to pay for the poor to pay home heating bills.

George, you wouldn't be trying to do this because Chavez is making you look bad?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. Naaaaahhh. No way. n/t

[Joe Chi Minh]

23. In the UK, Brown plans to double the tax on the big oil companies

working the North Sea, instead of a windfall tax. They're squealing like stuck pigs! "Squeal! Squeal! Honk! Honk!"

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

27. I love seeing the fuckers sweat. It doesn't happen often. n/t

[Joe Chi Minh]

34. The funniest thing is to hear them squealing about "inevitable"

job losses! "Bleeding-heart Big Oil liberals I have known!" (The "...I Have Known Thing" is part of an expression (Aussie in origin, I think) that my step-father used to use, to indicate the title of a book!)

[MrPrax]

15. Thx...

Sane solution IMHO...it's good to see some people looking beyond the taxpayer/poor dualism and bringing the real culprits into the picture to provided the money.

Yeah...why aren't unearned windfall profits by cartels tapped?

Surely people down the road are not going to let a handful oil execs destroy the world's economy system by a rigged pricing market...

Nationalize the buggers!!

Free up those MBAs so they can actually be capitalists and make an honest buck building 'better mousetraps'-- surely after a hundred years of near total use, oil and gas can't be considered a 'risky' investment.

[Burried News]

20. "Nationalize " - absolutely. Did you notice how gas prices came

down when this magical word started to circulate AND we got a barage of 'we are really green' adds from British Protroleum et. al.

The BP logo is my favorite - yellow sunshine and beautiful chlorophyl green. Robber Barrons without a conscience.

[Sgent]

32. BP

I don't really like BP...

I will say however, they probably do more for altenrative energy than a good portion of the rest of the industry combined.

They are the major supplier of solar cells and electrical systems, as well as wind and water generation.

I'm not saying that it makes it ok, but unlike Exxon or Texaco, they have had a hand in alternative energy for a long time.

[AlamoDemoc]

9. When it comes to "Home heating Oil"

I rather live in a Chávez country, ie; (NY, MA)etc

[54anickel]

10. Can't let Chavez out do him! I just read something this morning about

an up coming article about heating oil from Venezuela in Time. Said something about a picture of a little girl in front of a Christmas tree. I can't find it back now.

[Judi Lynn]

18. You're right! New York Democratic Congressman José Serrano

secured the first shipment of 40% reduced oil which arrived YESTERDAY in the Bronx to help heat the homes of very poor people, after Serrano had been refused by American oil companies after he had begged them for help months earlier.

There's a photo I posted up-thread a moment ago, of Serrano in the Bronx as the shipment arrived, Post #16.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1974414#1974519

[ohtransplant]

11. Where was "our fearless leader" when Senator Kerry was fighting for this?

Once again * follows the lead of the real winner of the '04 election.

That should be the headline!

[rodeodance]

13. bad news article. says nothing of how the congress cut funding!

[rodeodance]

14. looks like he will announce it during the state of the union address?

. Bush remains concerned about the availability of heating oil and natural gas this winter, Bodman said.

The administration is also mulling a legislative proposal to Congress that could include a new U.S. stockpile of natural gas, Bodman said.

Bodman said he hoped the White House will be able to unveil that proposal in January, but deferred to White House economic adviser Al Hubbard, who is spearheading the plan

[sabra]

17. I was wondering what "positive" news he would be spewing for the SOTU

:puke:

[MasonJar]

22. How about eliminating the tax cuts to you and your buddies?

[Canuckistanian]

24. Get out, he did not!

He'll probably deduct the cost from Social Security or something.
They've been resisting this for months, why do it now? And don't tell me Chavez has anything to do with it.

[stickdog]

25. Tax cuts for the wealthy. Program cuts for the poor.

And socialized corporatism.

[tsuki]

26. Chavez shamed him into it. If Chavez had not made the Citgo

offer, Bush would be sitting in his warm office giggling.

[Demonaut]

28. White phosphorous heats up a family nicely, just ask the residents of

Falluja. :sarcasm: <----heavy emphasis

[Solly Mack]

29. Bush's budget axe to fall on poor (Feb of 2005) Forgotten Facts -

"A programme that helps the poor pay heating bills is to be cut by more than 8%..."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1407400,00.html

Bush to Poor: Drop Dead

"Gutting the low income home energy assistance program which is mostly used by the elderly. That's right friends, he's cutting winter heating subsidies to the elderly so rich people can have more money."

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0219-21.htm

Bush's Multibillion-Dollar Tax Cut for the Rich (Jan of 2003)

"They singled out a $300m cut to a program to help poor families with heating fuel costs. "

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0107-04.htm


Officials oppose Bush plan to cut home-heating aid (Feb. of 2005)

"CONCORD - The president’s proposal to cut home heating aid to the poor is getting a cool response from officials in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Program administrators say the prospect of nearly $200 million less in federal heating aid for the country leaves two choices: to give out fewer grants or lower the amount for each recipient. The result would be the same, they said. More elderly, disabled and poor families would have to choose between paying for food and medication or heat."

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/02082005/news/63365.htm

[Judi Lynn]

30. It's the compassion! n/t

[Solly Mack]

31. Exactly. Deprive the people - then give them less and they'll

praise the less like it's more = compassionate conservatism.

[Ouabache]

33. Raising the Minimum Wage might help, dontcha' think, Junior?

Since it hasn't been raised since we had a Democratic president.
Real jobs and real wages wouldn't hurt a bit either. When did he say those rich folks tax cuts would kick out MORE and better paying jobs?