Bush seeks cut in LIHEAP, threatens veto (dead elderly this winter)

[usregimechange]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About 30 million low-income American households who will need help paying heating bills this winter from a U.S. government program will be left in the cold because of a lack of funding for the program.

The poor, already digging deep to pay for expensive gasoline, also will face much higher heating fuel costs, especially if oil prices stay near record levels.

Consumer groups and state energy officials have sounded the alarm, saying a federal program to help poor families pay heating bills will have nowhere near the money needed to cover those expected to seek assistance...

Still, the administration did not back away from its threat to veto legislation to boost funding for LIHEAP to levels it has called too high.

LIHEAP has an interim annual budget of $2.16 billion, but the White House wants to cut the program to $1.78 billion for the 2008 spending year that began on October 1.

The House of Representatives has passed legislation to boost the program to $2.66 billion, while a Senate committee has cleared a bill keeping LIHEAP at its current $2.16 billion budget.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071019/pl_nm/poor_usa_winter_dc_1

Tell congress to pass/override or ask FEMA for body bags.

[Ian David]

1. Does he NOT realize that Hugo Chavez will just embarass him by sending tons of free oil? n/t

[Toots]

52. I doubt that will happen this year and the oil was not free

It was discounted and only for the needy. It was accepted in many states and rejected in others. Amazingly Alaska had over thirty villages that accepted the oil and yet Alaska is a large oil producer. Americans don't seem to have the same compassion as some in what we refer to banana republics.

[rodeodance]

2. another fight folks------get buzy- pass this ON to all.

[rodeodance]

3. and REC

[rodeodance]

AND please write/call your congresscritters NOW

[rodeodance]

6. k

[rodeodance]

10. CONTACT INFO:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

[rodeodance]

13. k

[rodeodance]

38. k

[usregimechange]

8. working on this now...

[usregimechange]

16. One Senator down, one to go

[rodeodance]

17. done! (I started earlier than you)--

[rodeodance]

18. and please pass to all in your email list.

[usregimechange]

22. I have been collecting a political list for several years now for...

just such purposes. This pisses me off.

[rodeodance]

33. we have money for killing but not for the poor.

[bdamomma]

69. * is systemically corralling in all people, kids, elderly, handicapped

who else is next? what is that poem first they got ........ then they got....... then they came for me....... we are going to corralled too. If we do not stop this madman.

[gateley]

4. K&R nt

[LakeSamish706]

5. God I would so love to see Chavez do that, * would be so screwed... n/t

[riqster]

7. Well, most of those elderly are poor, so...

..*Chuckle*, this is working out well for them.


:sarcasm:

[OzarkDem]

9. Hundreds of our breast cancer patients will go without heat

and electricity. Race for the Cure doesn't give a rat's ass about women with breast cancer and cuts in programs like LIHEAP will doom many.

[usregimechange]

11. Good point

[DemBones DemBones]

27. The Susan G. Komen Foundation is all tied in to

the GOP or something equally unsavory, or so I've read. Maybe it's just that most of the money collected never goes to breast cancer research or patients, wherever it's supposed to go. In any case, I recoil whenever I see that organization touted. You know about that?

[OzarkDem]

83. Yes

Nancy Brinker, founder and head of Komen is a long time Bush Pioneer who was recently appointed to a post at the State Dept.

Their funding tends to reflect the needs of whichever corporate boards Ms. Brinker sits on owns stock in, ie General Electric who makes mammography equipment.

The focus of their funding is "early detection" and research, and they do fund some research, but they spend nothing to help breast cancer patients.

The last few years they've been spending a great deal of money trying to put other breast cancer groups out of business, especially those that support legislative agendas the GOP disagrees with.

The Bush administration and GOP have been happy to link themselves to Komen and their breast cancer campaigns in order to attract women voters.

Note: to be fair, most women who participate in their fundraising programs aren't aware of what happens behind the scenes and sincerely think they're helping people.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-peppard_1014gl.ART.State.Bulldog.426aa54.html

[asjr]

12. I won't bother hanging up my

stocking this Christmas. Chimp is too cheap to put a lump of coal in it.

[rodeodance]

14. ha

[rodeodance]

15. NEEDS a few more RECS please

[deminks]

19. K&R!

[ThomCat]

20. He really is trying to purge this country of everyone who is

poor. He wants poor people to starve, freeze, or die of untreated medical issues. It's eugenics! He truly thinks the rich are superior, and he only wants the rich to survive.
x(

[usregimechange]

23. He doesn't think he reacts with already formed beliefs, poorly formed at that

[Blaze Diem]

24. And what he skims off that $2.16 billion is laundered directly into

Bush's Bank account via some no-good-no-bid contractor. Bush crime family steals from the US Treasury every chance they get.
With only a year left, the pilfering will be ramped up considerably.

May that whole bunch burn in hell for the suffering they have caused.

[bdamomma]

70. * thinks the rich are the chosen people!!!

[partylessinOhio]

21. Another cut that will directly effect me and many others.

The average increase in Social Security for 2008 will be $24. We haven't been told how much more the Medicare deduction will be. That additional deduction may wipe out the increase of $24.

We are screwed people.
:scared: We'll be shivering this winter or frozen.

[Roon]

31. Same here

I count on LIHEAP every year,if they cut it, I am screwed too.

[napi21]

25. What in the hell is wrong with this man? He makes sure his oil buddies

make more $$ than they ever dreamed of by inflating gas prices, and hurting the already hurting poor, and now he wants to hurt them MORE by forcing their heat to be turned off??? All I can say is that he really must want Dems to win the WH and full control of the congress in 08!

[Amonester]

50. Pissypants screwed up when he called his buddies the Saudis...

Instead of telling them to open up the spigot, he mis-spoke and told them to "often opt the spy he got" and they just could not make any sense out of that...

(Me neither. As always.)

:scared: :grr:

[Triana]

58. Psychopath

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathy

[usregimechange]

59. sociopath maybe

[usregimechange]

26. Where is the god damn outrage? Why are there not people in the

streets right now?

:mad: :grr: :nuke:

[Mnemosyne]

28. Their children aren't cold enough yet. n/t

[PinkyisBlue]

49. If the children need heat, they can go to the hospital emergency room.

Hospitals have heat, so the children can go there whenever they feel cold. And it's free!

[Mnemosyne]

85. Sounds like a plan, PB! Chavez will hopefully

make his usual kind offer of discounted heating oil for our poorest.

Pretty unbelievable to have Americans receiving foreign aid.

[City Lights]

29. He's out of his mind.

He's on speed and he's out of control. How I wish there was someone who would stop him.

[rodeodance]

40. impeachment might make him think twice!

[bdamomma]

73. we are the only ones who can stop him, power in numbers

[Cetacea]

30. Everything is going according to plan n/t

edited for grammar errors made while PO'ed.

[piesRsquare]

32. Okay, here's the deal...

I am flat broke. My father is pretty much paying my way right now, though I pay the $432.50 every month for my health insurance. I'm up for a job that will still keep me very, very low income. I live alone in a petite, one-bedroom apartment with two cats. Simply put, it's probably crazy for me to offer this, but I just have to:

Those who are in cold, cold places that and are seriously going to freeze this winter because of this crap, if the cold is too much to bear, send me a note. You can come crash at my place here in the SF Bay Area, California for a bit. The food is kosher, the cats are fun, and hopefully I won't drive you too crazy.

I'll handle a crowded apartment before I let anyone here die of the cold.

[rodeodance]

34. you have a big heart.

[usregimechange]

47. I would love to visit the bay, never even been close.

[rodeodance]

35. kick----THIS needs as many RECS as the STARK threads

[usregimechange]

53. thats what I was sort of thinking...

[rodeodance]

36. k

[rodeodance]

37. k

[rodeodance]

39. CONTACT INFO:-----for congresscrittes---REpugs and Dems alike.

CONTACT INFO:



http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

[Auntie Bush]

41. Thanks for the alert. I just emailed Leahy, sanders and Welsh. n/t

[rodeodance]

42. good

[rodeodance]

43. 4.8 stars Yahoo rating. rate it up folks

RECOMMEND THIS STORY

Recommend It:

Average (28 votes)
4.8 stars

[rodeodance]

45. k

[AuntPatsy]

44. Without Democratic families such as the Kennedy's that help such

people every winter many would have already died, that family has been helping to deliver oil to many in their home state year after year and interesting how so few american citizens are aware of how much they as a family do in helping the needy..they don't advertise these good deeds for political gain, thats why so many are unaware, that should tell you plenty about the true compassionate people in this world, there are so many nameless ones..they need no recognition,,,

[usregimechange]

46. intrinsic as opposed to extrinsic...

[flyarm]

48. i really hate to say this..but many of the poor voted for repigs..and

now they will be seeing what these filthy pigs are doing to them??

how often have we said ..people are voting against themselves and their well being..now they will find out ..many the very hard way..that the repigs don't give a rats ass about their well being..or anything else... but their own greedy asses!

this is so sad..but so predictable.

fly

[usregimechange]

51. some may have learned, I hope enough to make a difference

[Bluerthanblue]

54. this will also potentially hurt our disabled Vets-

I've known a few who were on food stamps and fuel assistance.
We really need to expand the program rather than scale it back!
This does need to get press-
The more that this administration is exposed for the greedy corporate monster it is, the better.


peace~

[usregimechange]

55. kick

[NorthernSpy]

56. HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGO!

Frozen Americans now have someone to turn to, thank God.

[Triana]

57. If it's for helping the poor, elderly, women, or children, it won't be funded..

All repigs fund - is WAR.

It has always been thus.

[usregimechange]

60. bombs and more bombs

[hyphenate]

61. I'm in rhat situation already

I filed all my papers out just recently, and I'm wondering if it's going to make a difference at all. Last year I survived because of global warming, but I think this year it's going to be tough. I live in a big drafty apartment and the winter gets mighty cold.

And one of the worst things is that I haven't got hot water when I don't have oil, so I live in a "cold-water flat" as well.

[usregimechange]

63. There is a gal from the bay here that you could stay with

[knitter4democracy]

62. &*$%^*#(I@#(&#^&!!!!!

We have too damn many citizens here in Michigan that need that assistance, that survive on that assistance, and the almanac says it's going to be a snowy and slightly colder winter here.

Many here have fireplaces, so I'll look into getting wood delivered and stacked for them, since we have more than enough wood for the winter ourselves, but this is getting ridiculous! He wants people to die! That's exactly what will happen!

I'm writing to my rep again, but I don't think that former pastor/total bigot would do a GD thing.

[Hidden Stillness]

64. Everything for Corporate Profit

The LIHEAP program suffers from the same situation that the S-CHIP children's health care program does--there are many more people who qualify for it than are on it, because it is underfunded. This was the situation before, and it will be worse now. This announcement comes just after the announcement, by the way, that prices for home-heating oil/natural gas will be higher this Winter (for no reason, apparently). This, yet again, shows the main Republican tenet: if it interferes with corporate profit, even if it is a program to help the destitute, they are going to kill it.

[Kajsa]

65. Will do!

K & R.

:kick:

Denying help to the elderly, disabled and low income families
to heat their homes this winter--

*********Another nail in the Repubs coffin***************

[usregimechange]

76. Be sure to pass on to your reps/media

[catmandu57]

66. It's going to be a long cold winter

Many people, too many won't make it through. Those of us that do need to come out pissed and swinging, ready to man the barricades. When they start taking the basic necessities food, heat, medical care from the least of people then it's by god time to get fucking angry, mean, and change the world.
let's see what next year brings, if we aren't ready for a bloody revolution I don't think we'll ever be.

[tom_paine]

67. First sick kids, now the poor elderly. This is a TEACHING MOMENT from Tyrants.

(aren't they all?)

They are showing us, unequivocally and without question, that much or allof the Old American Republic is vanished or vanishing. The old nation, with it's old ways of thinking, is dead.

This is a brutal object execise in the Bushie's control not only over the Imperial Congress and Courts, but over reality itself.

Cut off sick kids? Let the impoverished elderly freeze into popsicles or die while trading medications for heat?

The Bushies are telling us, again and again and AGAIN until we get it thorugh our thick peasant's skulls...THEY DON'T NEED US TO 'CONSENT' to what they do, not like Old America.

And Old America is dead, they are telling us. Reality, as it was in Nazi Germany for a time, is dead. Reality is what the BushMedia and the toadying MSM say it is.

And what they say no longer has any bearing on what is happening, for the most part.

This is a brutal teaching moment, people, as was the escalation "surge" which will murder a.nd maim thousands more of our sons and daighters, brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends.

We DARED to vote against the Bushies? So they threw more of us in the meat grinder to die. It really is as simple as that, I am astonished to say.

Cartoon Villainy. THAT is what we face. And we are being taught, inch by brutal inch and blow by brutal blow...insult-to-the-intelligence by insult-to-the-intelligence, is that the ol ways of think and being are gone.

We are BushPutinist Subjects now, and IF we are LUCKY, we might get a short break between 2009-12 to catch our breath beforer the next brutal series of BushPutinist Shifts occurs again.

[usregimechange]

68. it fits

[Arugula Latte]

77. Yep -- They are going out of their way to make a point about their ruthlessness.

They are rubbing our noses in it; there is no end to their cruelty.

[booley]

71. Isn't this not the first time he has done this?

I seem to recall a similar story years ago (probbaly pre-9-11) where chicago grandmothers literally camped out in a government office becuase Shrub would not release the funds.

[usregimechange]

74. I am sure but it is way past the point of eugenics at this point

[spotbird]

72. Pro life my ass. nt

[Lorien]

75. How much have we spent in Iraq this year? And they crow about

PROTECTING Americans???


:argh:

[havocmom]

78. Next year, the GOP running will campaign against DEMS for letting the old and young die

With all the GOP congressmen/senators NOT running for re-election, there will be a batch of candidates with 'clean' hands running on 'get them out' and pointing to all the sick kids and poor elderly who died when the DEMs had the Hill.

Failure to over-ride vetoes will be used against DEM incumbents. Watch for it.

[Telly Savalas]

79. File this under "There's no difference between the Democrats and Republicans"

[usregimechange]

82. Really

[Karenina]

80. (dead elderly this winter)

Just reducing the excess population.

[usregimechange]

81. kick

[McCamy Taylor]

84. W. must have lost his mind. Maybe he is boozing again.