Congress is balking at approving an additional $3 billion in heating aide

[dajoki]

NYT
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/22/opinion/22sat2.html?th&emc=th

Washington's Cold Shoulder

Published: October 22, 2005
The weather is turning cold, and home heating fuel is increasingly unaffordable. The Energy Department recently reported that households should expect to pay 48 percent more this year for natural gas, on average, and nearly a third more for oil and propane - assuming a "normal" winter and no further supply disruptions like Katrina.

In and of themselves, those increases will be too much for an estimated seven million low-income Americans, including old people, disabled people and families with children. On top of gasoline prices that are already high and wages that are stagnating, the rising cost of heating fuel is bound to be devastating.

Yet Congress is balking at approving an additional $3 billion in federal heating subsidies that would help meet the coming need. (Lawmakers allocated $2 billion to the subsidy program last summer, before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita sent prices soaring.) Earlier this month, and again on Thursday, measures in the Senate to provide the extra funds were defeated, largely by a bloc of Republican lawmakers, though with each vote, a handful of Republicans voted in favor and a few Democrats voted against.

At the same time, Republican majorities in Congress are unrelenting in their drive to pass $70 billion in new tax cuts this fall, most of them for wealthy investors, and $35 billion in spending cuts, most in programs that benefit the poor.

[aquart]

1. If the poor and old freeze to death, the gov't will save money.

And, really, what could be more important?

[dajoki]

7. it's surprising...

there is no hit squads.

[marbuc]

2. Because they think there is enough hot air blowing out of DC

to heat the nation?

[htuttle]

3. They 'misplaced' almost three times that much in Iraq

Don't forget they 'lost' $9 billion US tax dollars in Iraq over the last few years, with no accounting for where it went. Apparently, Congress is just fine with this, because they've never looked into it.

But money for heating people's houses this year? Well gosh, that's expensive...

[dajoki]

5. it's in haliburtin's pockets

[Mass]

4. Congress is balking at nothing - the Republican leadership is.

This measure has passed congress twice with 50 votes or more and a total support of the Democratic caucus.

The only reason it is not voted yet is that both times, the Republican leadership has forced a procedural vote that requires 60 votes.

So, it would be nice for the NY Times to call it for what it is. It is not Congress. It is Frist, Stevens, ..., the Bush's people.

[dajoki]

6. more from article

At the same time, Republican majorities in Congress are unrelenting in their drive to pass $70 billion in new tax cuts this fall, most of them for wealthy investors, and $35 billion in spending cuts, most in programs that benefit the poor.

[Mass]

8. What is surprising here? Did you think Republicans care about poor people

I am just having problem with the fact that the NY Times and the OP do not call it as it is. It is not Congress. It is Bush's party and the Conservatives.

Each time you say Congress, you are hurting not only Republican congresspeople, but also Democratic Congresspeople and pushing people not to vote.

[dajoki]

9. wait a minute...

I'm not saying Congress, I'm only posting what the times said. i agree with you, but there are quite a few dems that may as well be thugs.