For some low-income families the sharp jumps could mean choosing whether to eat or keep warm, energy experts and advocacy groups fear.I didn't even know there was a program to help the poor pay for their heating bills, and I think it's wonderful, given this is the richest nation in the world. Now, my point is, the program needs "only" $5 billion for this coming winter and some families might have to choose whether to eat or keep warm? In America? We are currently spending around $5 billion a month in Iraq and we're forcing American citizens to choose between eating or keeping warm?
"We have never had prices so high and increase so quickly," said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which represents the state agencies that distribute money to help low-income families pay their fuel bills.
This winter, Wolfe expects more than a million additional applicants for the government program, a 20 percent increase over last year, with not enough money to go around. Congress provided $2.2 billion for the program, known as LIHEAP, last year. Wolfe said $5.1 billion is needed to keep pace this coming winter with the soaring energy costs and expanded demand.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is what's wrong with this picture. Ray and I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that read, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." That's exactly right. This is outrageous. And why isn't the media reporting on this matter extensively, so that the public can actually get a chance to feel outraged? Because, as you can see from the excerpt, the article only mentions the fact that these people might go hungry or cold for lack of funds (a ridiculously little amount for the bigwigs in Washington,) as an aside.
Outrageous!
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