LIHEAP Funds slashed due to ANWR vote

[TayTay]

Read 'em and weep. That particular payback to all those Northeastern Senators who voted to save ANWR didn't take long at all. The votes from Sens. Kerry, Kennedy, Snowe, Chafee, et al, were not specifically mentioned in the article, but I have eyes. I know what happened.

Thanks Ted! Bite me! I'll let the seniors and poor know that you thought of them at Christmas time. And Sen. Gregg from NH, you are a disgrace to the human race.

Heating aid slashed; N.E. faces burden
US spending was tied to Alaska drilling
By Susan Milligan and Rick Klein, Globe Staff | December 23, 2005

WASHINGTON -- The federal program to help poor families heat their homes got cut to less than half the amount originally promised by Congress, because of a flurry of late-night maneuvers on Wednesday that could leave tens of thousands of New England families struggling with skyrocketing heating bills this winter.

Congress authorized $5.1 billion earlier this year for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, which provides grants to needy residents to ease heating and cooling costs. But in last-minute deals to complete spending bills in the waning hours of the Senate's 2005 session, the program was slashed to $2.16 billion for the 2006 fiscal year that began in October -- $20 million less than the amount allocated for the 2005 fiscal year and far less than the minimum $4.5 billion energy assistance officials say they need to keep poor families warm this winter.

Most states still have enough money for the program to provide some assistance to families who are currently receiving the benefit, said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association. But he said the funding cut means states won't be able to give low-income people the cash they need to deal with escalating energy costs, since heating homes this year will cost more than last year.

Four years ago, a Northeast home could be heated for an average of $600; now, heating bills can rise as high as $1,400 for the season, he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/12/23/heating_aid_slashed_ne_faces_burden/

I wonder if Ted Stevens whistled as he imagined Massachusetts families freezing this winter, wondering if they should buy food, buy medicine or pay the heating bill. (There is always a price to be paid with these Rethugs, always a price. Everything is a giant game with these bastards and they don't care who they hurt or how they hurt. They just like to hurt people.)

[JI7]

1. i HATE these people

oh, but they are such great Christians because they demand "Merry Christmas" be said with every exhange of money.

[ProSense]

2. Effing asses!

Less than one month in Iraq: they're finding the more than $5 billion a month to destroy Iraq and kill its people, but they can't find the money to provide for Americans in need.

Stevens is a heartless f***.

[rox63]

3. My mom gets help with her utility bills

from one of these programs. Of course, if they cut her off, me and my brother would pay the bill. But these cuts hurt people that you and I know and care about.

[globalvillage]

4. These people have no shame

Sen Kerry said at the end of the press conference on Wed that we would not see a dime from ANWR until 2008. The CBPP backs that up here.

$2 Billion in LIHEAP Funding Unrelated to ANWR
Congressional leaders may claim that the removal of the ANWR provision from the defense appropriations bill made it necessary to remove the added LIHEAP funds as well, since some of the federal receipts from ANWR oil production were slated to be dedicated to LIHEAP. Such a claim, however, would be false.
The bill contained two LIHEAP-related provisions, only one of which — the provision related to ANWR receipts, which would not have taken effect until 2008 — was related to ANWR. The other provision was a straightforward appropriation of $2 billion in general funds for LIHEAP in fiscal year 2006. The latter had no connection to ANWR (other than a political one) and did not need to be removed when the ANWR provision was eliminated.
The dropping of the extra LIHEAP funds comes less than two weeks after the Administration rejected a request by several states to update their food stamp benefit levels now to reflect the higher home heating costs projected for this winter, which will leave low-income households with less money for food in the next few months. As a result of the Administration’s decision, which Center analyses have found to be contrary to the spirit of the Food Stamp Act, many states will effectively be forced to base this winter’s food stamp benefit levels on last winter’s heating bills. The Administration justified the food stamp decision in part on the grounds that more LIHEAP funds would be forthcoming.
http://www.cbpp.org/12-22-05bud-pr.htm

Also, I should have known that filthy rat bastard Santorum would try to shift the blame.

Several Republican leaders yesterday made statements that incorrectly claimed the removal of the ANWR provision necessitated the removal of the $2 billion in LIHEAP funds. The Harrisburg Patriot-News reported that a spokesman for Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), the chair of the Senate Republican Conference, told the newspaper that "Democrats stripped out the $2 billion in LIHEAP money because it would have been funded by revenues from oil drilling in ANWR." The claim that the $2 billion in funding for this winter would have been financed by revenues from oil drilling is false.
Similarly, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, was quoted in the Des Moines Register as saying that when the drilling provision was defeated, it took away the means to pay for the increase in utility assistance. And Senator Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, was quoted in the Boston Globe as saying that the only way Congress could have found extra money for the heating assistance program was through a new revenue source such as selling leases to the drilling rights in the Arctic refuge. These statements are equally misinformed.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=58664

[fedupinBushcountry]

10. They are so full of bullshit and lies.

saying that the only way Congress could have found extra money for the heating assistance program was through a new revenue source such as selling leases to the drilling rights in the Arctic refuge. These statements are equally misinformed.

Oh really, you lying mofo's. Lets not take away those tax cuts to those millionaires who fund this rich get richer agenda.

They have no shame and no hearts, their press conference yesterday me me ill. I really believe they think we are fucking stupid. They were defeated big time this week, and they are going to try to turn over everything that their greedy asses failed to get. Six week extension on the Patriot Act, those rat bastards, they are evil.:mad:

:tv: Catie Couric needs a good bitch slap, she is absolutely sickening in the morning, does she not give a shit what fucking garbage she is feeding to the American people, it is pathetic watching that propaganda in the a.m.

[Island Blue]

5. These people have no morals and no conscience.

Fuck 'em all. One thing for sure, when these bastards die they're all gonna wish there was a little less heat in the place they'll all going to. I know it's not nice to hate your fellow man, but they make it so damn easy.

[globalvillage]

6. I hope everyone bought Granny a sweater this year.

and some friggin groceries, since this, apparently, is going to impact food stamp disbursements as well as LIHEAP.
God damnit. Will people freeze or starve first?


edit - The food stamp issue is an unrelated, but similarly vicious attack on the poor and elderly.

[sandnsea]

7. Maybe this is what it takes

I was just watching one of those 2005 in review programs when someone said Katrina had exposed problems of poverty and forced them into the public's eye. Pssht. For about 2 seconds. I think this country is just too comfortable to care until they see people dying on their own doorstep. I really don't know what it will take to make a change anymore.

[karynnj]

12. It's been that kind of exposure that led to liberal swings in the past

I doubt we would ever have gotten the FDR New Deal seafety net programs without the depression. People seeing that they could be affected and seeing, through photos or real life, how desperate the situation was saw the need for the government to provide a cushion.

In the 60s before the food stamps (McGovern was involved in this) program was devised, there was a widely popularized study that showed how much hunger there was in America. The Kerner report that showed the two Americas (when Edwards was in grade school) was another widely read report that challanged our view of America.

[whometense]

8. Ted Stevens

describes himself as a "mean, miserable SOB", and I see no reason to disagree with his assessment. What he left out, though, is that he is also among the pettiest and most vindictive people in Washington. Someone (Paul Tsongas, apparently????) promised him he could wreck ANWAR 25 years ago, and by damn they're going to deliver on that promise or they'll pay.

Kerry stood up for what he believes in, which is only what we expect from him. What's more, he and Teddy Kennedy will move heaven and earth to keep the MA poor and seniors from being cold, some other way if need be. But Ted Stevens ought to make good on his threat and resign. He's past his expiration date. (Which has nothing to do with age, by the way.)

[Luftmensch067]

9. The way I'm feeling, hearing this news...

...I think it should have more to do with actual expiration than age! How can these people LIVE with themselves???

A friend and I just chipped in to get a grocery store giftcard for another friend because she hasn't been eating so she could try to make a dent in her heating bills. I am so angry at this cruel, uncaring game-playing by these fat, rich Republicans, I can hardly see.

[TayTay]

11. I don't get mad, but I remember

And I get even. Honest to Gawd, this is one you don't forget. This is the kind of thing that should be shouted from the news desks and alleged news shows. The House of Reps is readying a $70 Billion dollar tax cut bill in January for the rich. (I think the cut in estate taxes is in there. An estate tax is one of the most progressive taxes there is and these bastards want to get rid of it so they can start to perpetuate a ruling class that can be handed down through generations. This is blatantly anti-American and against what the founders of this nation wanted.) All these evil pricks had to do was cut $4 billion from this tax cut they are readying and LIHEAP is fully funded.

These lying sons of bitches don't care about anyone or anything. As Fire has reported, the poor in the waterfront areas of Mississippi are getting the boot from powerful interests that want their land. They are getting pennies on the dollar in reimbursement for insurance policies that were supposed to cover the loss of their homes. The Rethugs are loving this, cuz they get to remake a whole area of our country in their image. They don't give a damn whether or not people suffer because of it. (They like the suffering actually. They believe it will motivate people to get jobs and such. This is their plan.)

I can't wait to go and work to get rid of these evil bastards. Honestly MH, GV and our other PA friends, I will have these Santorum words in my head when I go to PA to help get rid of that bastard. There is no place in hell hot enough to put these awful Scrooges.