Paterson Sides With Senate GOP Over Home Heating Aid

Even though it wasn't a surprise yesterday, Governor Paterson's home heating aid plan was a pitiful cop out to the Republicans in the Senate. After getting the Assembly's assistance in cutting nearly $600 million from the budget, he offers a pittance to those that are wondering how they will pay for the skyrocketing cost of heating oil this winter. Paterson may be witty in front of audiences when he speaks about service, but when it comes to actual policy he only serves wealthy oil companies and forgets about those that will struggle to keep warm in the cold months of December through March.

From The Times-Union:

Gov. David Paterson, as he said he would earlier in the week, has come out with a plan to boost home heating aid programs by some $49 million this year. The plan includes increasing the maximum grants through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which are supposed to offset heating oil costs to poor to $800 — compared to the $540 limit. The governor also wants to set up free clinics where people can learn to better weatherize their homes and in some cases offer do it yourself weatherization kits.

The $49 million is far less than the Democratic Assembly’s $800 million plan which would have slapped a windfall tax on oil companies. And it’s not even close to what Senate Democrats wanted, which would have raised to to $85,000 the threshold for which families can get heating assistance.

Notably, in yet another example of where the Democratic governor is closer to the Senate Republican Majority, Sen. Dean Skelos quickly issued a statement praising Paterson’s move, noting that it’s ’sensible,’ realistic and ‘fully funded.’

Of course Skelos will praise this and so will the rest of the Republican caucus. The price of heating oil will be far higher than the $340 rise in credits Paterson offers. While that may pay for December and part of January, what are New Yorkers supposed to do for the rest of the winter Governor? Oil companies could have afforded to pay that windfall profits tax, even if they and their compatriots in the GOP kick and scream. They'll whine about anything you try that takes away from the rich and gives to the poor, so it is far past the time to start making them cry.

New Hampshire Accepts Free Venezuelan Heating Oil

When Hugo Chavez first offered free heating oil to New Hampshire for their chilly winters, the state turned him down. Instead of making George Bush look bad, they declined the opportunity to reduce the economic cost for New Hampshire residents during the bitterly cold nights of December through March. Now that heating oil is expected to be nearly double the cost this coming winter, the times, they are a'changin.

From The Huffington Post:

With the state's blessing, New Hampshire residents will be receiving some of the fuel this winter.

New Hampshire becomes the last state in the Northeast to embrace the offer.

"A lot of people have said, `We need help and we value any help we can get,'" said Amy Ignatius, director of New Hampshire's office of energy and planning.

The oil giveaway will be managed by Citizens Energy, a nonprofit organization set up by former Massachusetts Rep. Joseph Kennedy to help the poor stay warm. But the state energy office plans to help Citizens publicize the aid and sign up fuel-oil dealers.

New Hampshire may be one of the more conservative states in the Northeast, but in 2008 and the coming winter of 2009, they aren't stupid. When you have a chance to keep people warm....and alive when the bitter elements of nature arrive, it is far more important to make sure the supply is there and it is affordable than to stand on false pride.

We're Regressing To Wood Burning Stoves

On a cold winter's night, what is more romantic than a crackling fire burning underneath a decorative mantle, reading stories and what not as the snow blows outside? Well I'll tell you what is not right about burning wood, to keep people warm across the colder regions of our country because heating oil is too expensive. Heating oil companies are going out of business because people can't afford the high prices and would rather chop down some more trees to keep the cold out this coming winter.

From RawStory:

Record prices for home heating oil are rippling across America's northern regions, stoking demand for wood stoves and other alternatives, and forcing some heating oil companies out of business.[...]

The Massachusetts Oilheat Council estimates that heating oil prices in New England are now around $4.65 a gallon, up 116 percent since 2005. It expects prices to keep rising as the market tracks record-high crude oil prices.

Many homeowners are searching for alternatives to oil. Sales of wood-burning stoves -- in use since before American independence from Britain -- are brisk, even as customers don shorts and bask in summer weather outside.

"Demand for wood pellet stoves has tripled. We're pre-sold out until probably the New Year," said Tim Bushey, manager at Frost & Flame in Gorham, Maine, which sells wood stoves and stoves that burn wood pellets.

Is this really where American consumers need to be looking? Unfortunately it is the only economically viable option, thanks to the non-existent planning by the Bush Administration. He doesn't mind paying higher prices to keep the White House warm (because the taxpayers foot the bill) this winter but as for the rest of us, especially those up north, he doesn't really care. If he did, something would be done to help people, and he would have implemented policies several years ago to find alternate energy sources to wean us off of oil. Of course, he's an failed oilman, so why would he?